Dog’s dinners

Jack Spratt is now on Reception duties and ‘In the Dog House’ our shop at weekends.  Please pop in to say hello to him, he’ll be delighted to see you.   Whilst he is 100% friendly  and sociable with people, it is another matter when there are other dogs around.   When you look at Spratt you will see a very small and disabled middle aged Jack Russell terrier.   He doesn’t see himself like this at all so hide all the mirrors, Spratt believes he is the Rocky Bilboa of the doggy world, tall, good looking, fit and ready for a fight.  It’s fists and hackles up if there’s a male dog around, no matter how inoffensive.   His companion, Miss Nolene, has to be protected at all costs and every other dog is an enemy.

This mini-macho-man may not realise that he a dog, he knows that Nolene is of the canine species but he is the master and an opinionated and politically incorrect one at that!   Jack Spratt is so lovable though that we forgive him everything.   Food is a big issue with him – he loves it – but certainly not a ready made dog diet.   Whilst Nolene might tackle a pouch of something special, Jack would not, he likes cooked dinners and why not? Dog food is factory made convenience food.    We hear every week that some dogs won’t eat it.   ‘We leave it down all day, he eats it in the end.’ Poor dog.   It’s that or starve.  The pet food industry is massive although it hasn’t been around all that long.   Dogs used to eat meat scraps, the gristly bits that we humans don’t care for, these were available in every butcher’s shop (just about all meat is prepared in factory units now, I wonder what happens to the scraps?   Sausages maybe)  They also ate left over vegetables and bones and anything tasty they could get their teeth into!

Put down a dish of complete mix or mushy pre-shaped chunks from a can and Spratt will be aghast.   ‘What’s this?   You don’t expect me to eat it do you?’ He only likes food that is fresh and that he can recognise.   His disdainful sniff at pet food is something to see!    We are on Spratt’s side when it comes to dinners – it’s recognised by most dietary experts that convenience food is bad for us, so why, with even less regulation, is it good for dogs?    It’s made in a factory.   We don’t really know what it’s made from – animal derivatives!!! It’s hardly fresh by the time it gets to your dog’s dinner plate.   Unless you live near a canning factory, it will have been transported long distances.   It’s in a can.   It’s been in storage and then on supermarket shelves.   It’s sold to make the people who make it rich.    And that is the real reason for the existence of dog food.

In the ‘good old days’ we used to be able to feed our pets without buying anything in a can or packet.   They thrived on fresh food and lived long and healthy lives.    Dogs are carnivores but there is not usually much meat in today’s doggy diet.    The chunks you see are shaped to look like meat – they are a pre-shaped mush made from a variety of ingredients – try reading the labels!      The advertising, promotions, names and freebies are all designed to get you to buy this factory made pet food.    It’s persuasive hype – if you love your dog…… pet’s prefer etc.    Whilst we feed the stray dogs on whatever we can get (and Chappie is the best convenience food because it’s cereal and fish) we feed our own dogs on fresh local ingredients.

The key is to source food that hasn’t travelled all over the country before it gets to the dog.   Fresh meat is best, it’s not hard to find either.   Markets almost always have local produce on offer, buy the cheaper cuts of meat, they are nutritious and a natural food for your dog.   We buy breast of lamb, mutton, rabbit (so long as it hasn’t been farmed), free range chicken (only occasionally as it’s usually expensive) beef scraps, cooking bacon, liver and big bones.    Buying cheap chicken from supermarkets – we don’t go there – the poor factory farmed hens will have had a miserable life.    Dogs love turkey meat but again, we wouldn’t use this unless guaranteed free range and slowly reared.

Most dogs like raw meat and this is natural food for them.   Mix it up with some toasted wholegrain bread cut into squares, a couple of Dorwest Herbs Mixed Vegetable tablets and a sprinkle of Keepers Mix.   This is a fine meal for our dogs.   Some of the old lady dogs and indeed our hero Jack Spratt, who despite his image can be fussy and fastidious, like their dinners cooked and slightly warm.    No problem especially if you have a slow cooker.   Pop the meat in with a carott, celery leaf and a couple of garlic cloves and leave for the day (or night).   Eight hours or so and it’s cooked, the only problem you’ll have is getting your dog to wait patiently while it’s cooled down!