Pooch Pantry
By Baxter
—By Renate Tower
Weekends Traveling with my humans is hard work. Take last weekend, for example. (I know about weekends. Those are days when managing to wake my humans is all that stands between relief and a puddle on the floor.) Last weekend my alpha male (the one I call ‘Al’) took me for a ride. I love going for rides with him but we ended up at an unfamiliar house. Woods surrounded it and that’s nice but it was just Al and me and I had to spend the whole weekend keeping track of him. When we are home, no worries – he does what he does. I sleep. But here, I worried constantly that he would go off and leave me in this strange place. So every time he got up, I had to get up. He would walk into the kitchen, I’d have to walk into the kitchen – which is not such a bad place to be but all I wanted to do was sleep. Every time he went out I had to go out; when he turned to go back in I had to catch up so I wouldn’t get left out. When we were inside I would lie down, always within a few feet of him - just in case. I would just fall asleep and he would move and once again I had to get up to make sure he wasn’t about to slip out. By the second day I was exhausted. Couldn’t sleep, had to jump up every time he slid his chair back. By the time we got home all I wanted to do was have dinner and go to sleep in the comfort of my own bed in our home with all the familiar sounds and smells. Now I know what Toto meant when he put those famous words into Dorothy’s mouth: There’s no place like home! There’s no place like home! Chow! Baxter
Do you wonder if the dog food you are feeding is really good for your canine? Do you worry about all the scares regarding dog food in the news? In the next few columns we will explore the ins and outs of dog food. To start lets assess your d o g ’ s health. Take a sheet of paper and make a list with two columns: one for health problems, and one for health assets. In the health assets column, list all the health characteristics that your dog has in his/her favor, such as fresh breath, clean teeth, bright eyes, clean ears, a lack of itching, a glossy coat, problem-free elimination, a normal appetite and energy level, and a good attitude. In the health problems column, list any conditions for which your dog receives veterinary care or medications. Other conditions that should be listed here include bad breath, teeth that are prone to tartar buildup, chronically goopy eyes, infection-prone or stinky ears, a smelly, greasy, flaky, or thinning coat, itchy paws, excessive gas, recurrent diarrhea, constipation, or incontinence, repeated infestations of worms or fleas, low or excessive energy level, and a sudden onset of antisocial or aggressive behavior. If there are more assets on your list than problems, and the problems are minor, you already found a diet that works well for your dog. But if your list reveals more problems than assets, your dog is a good candidate for a change of diet. Now have a look at the food you are currently feeding your dog. Note the food’s ingredients, as well as its protein and fat levels, and its caloric content. Write all of this down. In our next column we will find out what a premium dog food should have as ingredients. In the meantime, here is a recipe for a healthy meal:
Potatoes au Canine
3 cups boiled, sliced potatoes ½ cup creamed cottage cheese 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast ¼ cup milk
Joe March
The Black Dirt Guy
Layer together the potatoes, cottage cheese, and yeast in a casserole dish. Pour milk over them and top with grated cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and slightly brown (about 15 minutes at 350F). Let cool. Serve vegetables on the side. Yields about 4 cups. Dr. Pitchairn; Complete Guide to Natural Health.
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¼ cup grated cheese ½ cup grated or chopped vegetables
Look at that GROW! The Black Dirt Guy must have been here!
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