2 week statusreport:<o
></o>
Well is itāsbeen 2 weeks and so far so goodā¦Both dogs clean their bowls and really seem toappreciate each and every offering I have placed before them (some more thanothersā¦as indicated by the speed of bowl cleaning).<o></o>
Physically bothdogs are the same weight as when we startedā¦Sophie the weimaraner is 59 lbs(could stand to gain a couple) and Schultz the bulldog is 47.8 lbs (he couldstand to lose 1 or 2). Both have shinysoft coats and bright eyesā¦lots of energy despite the onslaught of hot, humidweather (they get their walks in the early predawn mornings)ā¦only change to thepoop pattern is that its less volume and less frequent (which seems like abonus, the volume of food they eat is definitely greater and less is comingoutā¦ ergo itās better digested?) Schultzhas been off carrots, sweet potatoes, and blueberries (all of which were in hisTHK and Orijen formulas) for 2 weeks and I think maybe there is lessitchy/scratchy, his skin looks very clear, especially his chin so thatās a goodthing!<o></o>
Iām stillconfused about supplementing calcium and vitamins-minerals, as there doesnātseem to be a consensusā¦but Iām going with a varied diet for balance, addingcalcium in the amount of 500 mg per 15lbs of body weight a day (so Sophie gets2000 mg and Schultz is getting 1500 mg) Iām using a supplement that doesnāt addphosphorous (as the animal protein they get has high levels of phosphorous andthey need calcium to maintain the proper calcium āphosphorous ratio) and amultivitamin formulated for dogs on a home cooked diet made by AnimalEssentials (it doesnāt have super high level of anything)ā¦I will continueadding the digestive enzymes/probiotic , the longevity (which is bee pollen,spirulina, biotin, glucosamine, chondroitan, msm) and garlic tabs that I havealways added to their mealsā¦<o></o>
The following isan especially easy recipe to make and serve that they both did a dance for:<o></o>
Tuna Salad<o></o>
v SolidWhite Albacore Tuna in water ā 66.5 oz ā 48 oz will be tuna (total calories1440)<o></o>
<o></o>
v Blackbeans ā 4 cups cooked organic w/o salt ā (total calories 908)<o></o>
<o></o>
v 1 Ā½cup of bulgur wheat ā becomes 4 Ā½ cups cooked ā (total calories 840)<o></o>
<o></o>
v 1 cup chopped parsley<o></o>
<o></o>
v 1medium sized zucchini shredded<o></o>
<o></o>
v 4tablespoons olive oil (total calories 480)<o></o>
<o></o>
v Ā½cup apple cider vinegar<o></o>
(mix togethertuna, beans, bulgur and vegetablesā¦toss with dressing olive oil and apple cidervinegar)<o></o>
Approximately16.5 cups volume, 3668 total calories, each cup @222 cals<o></o>
v 1% cottage cheese ā (each tablespoon 11calories, Ā½ cup 90 calories)<o></o>
The cottagecheese is an extra, good calcium and protein but only if dairy isnāt a problemā¦Sophieis ok with dairy and Schultz not so muchā¦<o></o>
></o>Well is itāsbeen 2 weeks and so far so goodā¦Both dogs clean their bowls and really seem toappreciate each and every offering I have placed before them (some more thanothersā¦as indicated by the speed of bowl cleaning).<o
></o>Physically bothdogs are the same weight as when we startedā¦Sophie the weimaraner is 59 lbs(could stand to gain a couple) and Schultz the bulldog is 47.8 lbs (he couldstand to lose 1 or 2). Both have shinysoft coats and bright eyesā¦lots of energy despite the onslaught of hot, humidweather (they get their walks in the early predawn mornings)ā¦only change to thepoop pattern is that its less volume and less frequent (which seems like abonus, the volume of food they eat is definitely greater and less is comingoutā¦ ergo itās better digested?) Schultzhas been off carrots, sweet potatoes, and blueberries (all of which were in hisTHK and Orijen formulas) for 2 weeks and I think maybe there is lessitchy/scratchy, his skin looks very clear, especially his chin so thatās a goodthing!<o
></o>Iām stillconfused about supplementing calcium and vitamins-minerals, as there doesnātseem to be a consensusā¦but Iām going with a varied diet for balance, addingcalcium in the amount of 500 mg per 15lbs of body weight a day (so Sophie gets2000 mg and Schultz is getting 1500 mg) Iām using a supplement that doesnāt addphosphorous (as the animal protein they get has high levels of phosphorous andthey need calcium to maintain the proper calcium āphosphorous ratio) and amultivitamin formulated for dogs on a home cooked diet made by AnimalEssentials (it doesnāt have super high level of anything)ā¦I will continueadding the digestive enzymes/probiotic , the longevity (which is bee pollen,spirulina, biotin, glucosamine, chondroitan, msm) and garlic tabs that I havealways added to their mealsā¦<o
></o>The following isan especially easy recipe to make and serve that they both did a dance for:<o
></o>Tuna Salad<o
></o>v SolidWhite Albacore Tuna in water ā 66.5 oz ā 48 oz will be tuna (total calories1440)<o
></o><o
></o>v Blackbeans ā 4 cups cooked organic w/o salt ā (total calories 908)<o
></o><o
></o>v 1 Ā½cup of bulgur wheat ā becomes 4 Ā½ cups cooked ā (total calories 840)<o
></o><o
></o>v 1 cup chopped parsley<o
></o><o
></o>v 1medium sized zucchini shredded<o
></o><o
></o>v 4tablespoons olive oil (total calories 480)<o
></o><o
></o>v Ā½cup apple cider vinegar<o
></o>(mix togethertuna, beans, bulgur and vegetablesā¦toss with dressing olive oil and apple cidervinegar)<o
></o>Approximately16.5 cups volume, 3668 total calories, each cup @222 cals<o
></o>v 1% cottage cheese ā (each tablespoon 11calories, Ā½ cup 90 calories)<o
></o>The cottagecheese is an extra, good calcium and protein but only if dairy isnāt a problemā¦Sophieis ok with dairy and Schultz not so muchā¦<o
></o>
