[pupskersandhutch]

I see allot of people about the Kong toy posting they put cheese in the KOng and I was curious is that good for dogs? Also I was making spagehtti and I dropped 2 starands of noodles and she ate them before I could chase her down and grab them and she loves them she was begging for more even though she NEVER begs are those okay??

[skunkstripe]

A little bit is ok, like a treat, but I would not fill up the bowl with it. There is usually too much fat in cheese.

A little spaghetti once in a while is ok too. After all commercial dog foods usualyl have some kind of grain in them (corn, rice, etc). Spaghetti is typically made from wheat so there is nothing bad in it. As long as the dogs are getting enough of what they are supposed to be eating and are not overeating it should be ok.

That is however my opinion, I am not an expert and I am not a dog food fetishist either.

[all4thedogs]

A small amount of cheese is fine. I use it as a training bait, and to hide pills in occassionally.

I would stay away from the spaghetti noodles. Many dogs are allergic to wheat which can be found in pasta. If you know for sure you dog has no grain allergies, a small amount for an occassional treat wouldnt be a problem.

[britishbandit]

Cheese is ok in small amounts, and noodles the same, although I would be wary of letting the dog get into too many noodles dry. Spaghetti expands a lot, so your dog could eat a bunch, and have room for it, but once it expands....look out. A few dropped noodles won't do any harm, but you have to be careful, as already stated, dogs can have allergies to certain ingredients in different foods, both human and dog food.

[jude]

Cheese will constipate a dog, so it's not a good idea to use it as a treat...and as a steady diet, forget it! Spaghetti? Why would you even consider that? There's almost no nutrition there. Try a good quality dog food.

[LoveLilly]

I used to use little shreds of shredded cheddar as a training treat for Lilly but in moderation b/c of the constipation issue. For spaghetti, it will not hurt them if you drop a strand and they get it but I would not make a habit of it.

[Keno's Mom]

Won't hurt your dog. As long as they are eating their normal food it doesn't hurt to give people foods. Keno usually gets a spoonful or two of leftovers with her dog food. But she will eat the dog food without "treats" - which is the important thing

However, there are certain foods you should avoid, onions, grapes, raisins are a few that can be poisonous to dogs. So be sure you dont give them in the "treats".

I would strongly recommend you teach your dog the "leave it" command so that they wait if food is dropped on the floor. I'm teaching Keno that now - will drop a doggy treat or cookie right in front of her and tell her to "leave it" - she stops dead, looks at me, and waits till I tell her ok - THEN she eats it.

That little trick could save your dog's life

[Kona]

Originally Posted by pupskersandhutch

I see allot of people about the Kong toy posting they put cheese in the KOng and I was curious is that good for dogs? Also I was making spagehtti and I dropped 2 starands of noodles and she ate them before I could chase her down and grab them and she loves them she was begging for more even though she NEVER begs are those okay??

As quoted from PetEduction.com:

Some adult dogs and cats do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea. Lactose-free milk products are available for pets.

More here: http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=1030

Current research has noted that wheat is one of the primary causes of skin issue in dogs, along with corn, soy and white rice. Grain is not a natural part of canine diet, hence why better commercial dog food manufacturers are removing these ingredients from their kibble formulas. Although I hear brown rice is ok.

A couple of noodle strings are fine, but if you dog is prone to skin allergies, it's best not to be feeding your canine friend such foods. If you're truly interested in your dog's diet and general healthy, check out the websites below for tips on improving your dog or cat's nutrition. Pets have proven to live a lot longer on raw diets (5+ years in several cases), for the same reasons why zoos feed raw formulas to wolves & other canines species in captivity.

Checkout:

Shirley's Wellness Cafe: http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/sampleraw.htm

Oprah's Veterinarian Recommends Raw Diet:
http://www.oprah.com/tows/slide/2007..._350_113.jhtml

Since on of my dog has skin issues relating to certain foods, I've switched to a no-grain kibble, either Taste Of The Wild or Nature's Variety. I also use Nature's Variety frozen meat patties which have done wonders for all my dogs' health and condition. A couple of wheat noodles won't cause havok, but a regular diet that has grain in it can result in severe allergies and a compromised immune system. Wish they had the information they have now on raw diets a decade ago, having lost my Argentine Dogo last summer to various forms of skin cancers at 12 years old. His brother who was on a raw diet lived to 15.5. Sure it could have been chance, but like with humans, a life based on good nutritional values has usually also meant a longer, healthier life.

Nature's Variety:
http://www.naturesvariety.com/

Taste Of The Wild:
http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/

[GreatDaneMom]

well i was about to bring up the lactos issue. dogs can be lactoseintolerant, just as people. and also spagehtti is not good if you have a dog whos allergic to wheat. i have a business where i make all organic low allergen treats. theres no wheat, soy, corn, or dairy. i try to avoid the most common allergens i can, but being that you cant take out everything that would be able to cause an allergy (because thats anything and you would like have nothing but water left so you could chomp on ice cubes all day) its best to avoid the common ones. even if you dont think your pet is allergic. my girls arent but i dont feed anything with wheat, corn, or soy. its also important to know allergies can develop over time. it may not happen right away as soon as they eat it. i think its just best to avoid those things. as far as kongs go, i use organic peanut butter in my girls, along with some of the treats i make. you can also freeze them overnight to make them last longer.

[Annamarie]

actually MOST dogs are lactose intolerant, the same as cats. when dogs/cats reach adulthood they stop producing lactase which breaks down milk.

[007Dogs]

My female that is currently nursing puppies ate for breakfast, cottage cheese, cooked ground beef, cooked pasta noodle, and some puppy kibble. When a dog is having stomach troubles it is often suggested on this forum that they be given Yogurt. I always suppliment lactating females with cheese, cottage cheese or yorgurt. It is much better for them to get there calcium from eatable foods rather than calcium suppliments.
So it will not harm your dog. I just would give it in moderation.

[thegirlpoms]

I have recently started making home made dog food. Many of the healthy recipes I have researched and spoke to experts in vet nutrition about, contain some kind of whole grain. Some even contain cheese and other dairy products. Low fat, moderation, and slow introduction are the keys. As for grains, whole grains only, and brown rice.

If you truly want healthy eating for your dog you do need to consider the RAW diet or home made foods. Basically the info I use to cook my home made food contains the same info you find when you look at the raw diets. The only difference is a choose to cook my foods.

As a nurse, I see some issues with completely RAW foods. Those are: risk of spoilage, risk of contaminations (just like you are concerned about for yourself...e-coli for example). I also found information that states you should cook veggies for the dog, if they have to be cooked for you to eat them.

A good balanced diet is best. Watching the ratio of protein, carbs, and fruits/veggies. The only thing is your dog may not get all the vitamins and minerals in a RAW or home cooked diet, so you may need to supplement. Especially items such as calcium and phosphorus to name a few.

Like I said this is somewhat new to me. I have and continue to research the rights and wrongs in home made foods. The other thing I do is apply the knowledge I have about nutrition from my back ground as a nurse.

Always open for additonal advice.

My dogs have also had cottage cheese, eggs, whole grain oatmeal, and blue berry-apple-bannana puree for breakfast. Since I am new at this I still add a small amount of a quality kibble. This recipe can also have yogurt added instead of egg.

Yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese are in many of the recipes I have found. Introduce the dairy slowly as to not cause diarrhea, if your dog is not used to it. Then there is the moderation issue as to not cause constipation.

[Kona]

[quote=thegirlpoms;187917]
If you truly want healthy eating for your dog you do need to consider the RAW diet or home made foods. Basically the info I use to cook my home made food contains the same info you find when you look at the raw diets. The only difference is a choose to cook my foods.

As a nurse, I see some issues with completely RAW foods. Those are: risk of spoilage, risk of contaminations (just like you are concerned about for yourself...e-coli for example). I also found information that states you should cook veggies for the dog, if they have to be cooked for you to eat them.

A good balanced diet is best. Watching the ratio of protein, carbs, and fruits/veggies. The only thing is your dog may not get all the vitamins and minerals in a RAW or home cooked diet, so you may need to supplement. Especially items such as calcium and phosphorus to name a few.

Like I said this is somewhat new to me. I have and continue to research the rights and wrongs in home made foods. The other thing I do is apply the knowledge I have about nutrition from my back ground as a nurse.

Always open for additonal advice.

Check out my post for more information on RAW diets. I own a meat market, so I could create my own raw deals, but it's far more convenient to get premade meat patties like that from Nature's Variety.

If you're a nurse, then you should already know that fish, chicken organs and such are rich in phosphorus. Calcium is already included in many of the premade patties because vegetables & fruits are also mixed into the mixed patties, as well as variety of minerals. If you go this route, then you won't need to worry about a balanced diet.

Also, if you're preparing your dogs RAW diet, worrying about spoilage is no different than how you'd prepare your own food...use basic common sense like you would with your own food. Refrigerate or freeze what you don't plan on using, wash your hands prior to preparing your foods and always clean you & your dog's utensils. It's really a no brainer. If you're at risk of e-coli, then you really need to look at your general hygiene practices and what resources your sourcing your meats from...make sure they're from a reputable vendor.

Anytime you cook food or utilize any heat process in preparing the food, you lose a great amount of nutrition, hence why raw is best.

Check out the links I provided...it'll answer much of your concerns and be a new wealth of information for you if you're truly wanting to take advantage of the nutritional gains from a RAW diet.

[thegirlpoms]

I appreciate the advice, I will make use to check out the sites.

However, I think you may have misunderstood my comments on why I prefer cooked food. And the assumption that I did not know the nutritional content of the food.

First my comment on spoilage and e-coli was an "it can happen if you aren't careful" statement. You know as well as I do you can get your meat at the most reputable place and still have situations where things aren't as fresh or clean as you thought. Nothing is full proof.

The key to my point was that you MAY, not that you would have to use supplements if you aren't sure or careful with your food content and quality. My comments on supplements were based on 'from scratch' food and not premade. But that is just the way I prefer it.

I think the best anyone can do if they want to provide the best all around food for you dog is to research everything and if you still want more information a consult with a nutritional vet for animals.

Thanks for the info.