Dog Food Supplement: Seasoning Salt for Pocket!

Since making the switch from kibble to a raw diet, Pocket has been eating with gusto! Other corgi parents may find it surprising that she's always been very picky, dainty, and unwilling to over eat. She'll often take a day off from eating if she didn't get enough exercise that day (wish i could control my caloric intake like that), and has amazing skill at picking out even the tiniest of 'unpalatable' crumbs. Case in point: she always leaves any trace of beet skin at the bottom of her bowl, but picks out all the delicious squash first thing.

So, as much as i believe feeding raw food is the best way to go with her- i want to be sure she's picking up enough extra goodies that may or may not be included in her kibble. Extras like kelp, omegas, minerals etc are important to a pooch, and since we don't live on land where she can forage on clover etc, i need to give her the goods myself. So, i got to work dehydrating some fresh things and picking up some bulk dried herbs at the grocery store and mixed up some 'seasoning salt' to add to her evening meals. By grinding up and mixing together assorted healthful ingredients, and combining "gross" spirulina and beet with "delicious" yam and apple i can add just a touch of this 'salt' to her food without her being able to pick it out.

I let her lick out the funnel to see if she liked it... i didn't have to wash it out much later, so i guess she does!

She'll get a tip of a spoonful every day, and i'll be sure and add other seasonal yummies as they come around. Broccoli is her favorite right now, and the aforementioned delicious squash. She eats up the meat then brings the broccoli to her bed to gnaw on it a while. It's gratifying to feed my dog nourishing food, and to rinse out a totally empty bowl in the evenings. No more kibble being thrown to the chickens because she's not into it - just a diet of 2-3% of her body weight in raw meat, veggies, yogurt, eggs and seasoning salt to keep her body healthy and fit! Gotta love the sound of a bowl being licked clean to the last drop!

If you feed your dogs a raw diet, how do you supplement it to be sure they're getting all the nutrition they need?

Review: Kong Wobbler and an Upcoming Giveaway!

Pocket and I were recent recipients of a great package from CSN Stores that included a Kong Treat Dispensing Disk, a Life Jacket (for Pocket) and a Kong Wobbler. I'd hoped to get out on the water two weekends ago to test out the jacket, but my husband broke our air blower and the inflatable kayak is useless without compressed air.  Alas.

BUT i've had success with the Wobbler, so here are a few photos and a short review written by miss Pocket Muffington Rommel:

 Pocket writes:

I really enjoy my new Kong Wobbler. It says on the packaging that it is meant for dogs 25 pounds or larger. I'm only 17 pounds, but enjoy this sucker just fine. Maybe it's due to my superior conformation to other tall, skinny dogs. The wobbler reminds my mom of toys she used to play with as a kid in the 80s that would topple over but not fall down - she can't remember what they were called. If i push it over it springs right back up, and i can't pick it up and dump it out like i can my usual favorite toy: an empty Gatorade bottle full of kibble/treats. Mom fills my Wobbler with kibble or dog biscuits and i have a great time trying to get it out. I'm kind of a finnicky eater though, and will often dump the kibble all over the house and then just leave it there. (I secretly enjoy watching the mice come out and eat the kibble when mom leaves me home alone in my crate - ah, sweet revenge). She doesn't enjoy cleaning it up, but our hens like to eat it too so it works out. I'd recommend this toy to any dog that really enjoys eating, eats too fast and needs to be slowed down, or who needs some extra mind stimulation. Buy it now at CSN Stores! It's only ten dollars!

Well, thank you, Pocket for that great guest post. While she was typing i just discovered a seriously amazing website. I think i still own about half of these toys. Can't believe they only made 'My Child' dolls for three years! If you're a kid or a mom of a kid from the 80s, totally look at that website. Blast to the past. Still can't remember what those little toys were called though. Send a comment if you remember.

And FINALLY: a teaser! Leroy of Cousin Leroy's Sauces has generously offered to host a giveaway here at An Austin Homestead! My booth is usually right next to his aromatic canopy at our market at 5109 Manchaca every Saturday. He's always generous enough to cook us up something delicious and you will not be disappointed if you win a jar of his sauce. He offers up a delicious and versatile mustard mop (my current favorite), two barbecue sauces, and also creates seasonal favorites, like the asian sauce i used a few weeks ago to grill the PERFECT salmon fillet. They're all perfect for marinating and for dipping in and make great ingredients to dishes like meatloaf, roasted cabbage, or hot wings! Versatility at its yummiest! I will start the giveaway next Monday, including all the details for what he'll be donating and how many winners will be chosen. In the meantime check out Leroy's Facebook page - and salivate over these sauces:

 Leroy's sauces are delicious and versatile - but the reason i offered him this giveaway is his commitment to quality and fresh ingredients. He uses no nasty chemicals or high fructose things, avoids sugar as much as possible, spends hours upon loving hours perfecting the recipes and textures, and is as local as it comes for me - a few miles away. He does ship across the USA, so readers from across the country are welcome to enter the giveaway.

Don't forget to visit next monday for your chance to win - entries will be based on comments here and 'likes' of his facebook fan page.