Chinese Take Out, Pupstickers, How much should dogs eat? and EGGS!
Hey Friends,
I’m back at it as of last week and dropped a video on Chinese takeout for dogs. Though Chinese take out for me is a guilty pleasure, the dog-friendly versions are nice and nutritious. They’re also quick to whip up. Below is a post with links to every menu item with step-by-step directions for you. For fun meals like this, there are no strict measurements and you’re meant to adjust them based on your dogs size. I’ve included how much I would feed Cedric and Edith for your reference. But it’s all about using your best judgement and sharing a fun experience with your pup.
As it can be confusing on how to scale meals up or down for your dog, we have a detailed post with guidelines to help you out. If you’re wondering how much to feed your dog on a daily basis, click here:
I used to worry a lot about how much to feed Cedric and was always second guessing myself. With time it’s become second nature and I’ve developed a feel for how much he should be eating.
The best way to make sure your dog stays a healthy weight is to simply keep an eye on them. Weigh them regularly. Too skinny? Increase calories slightly. Too chunky? Reduce daily calories. If you don’t have a scale, you can also use your eyes and hands. You want to be able to see a defined waistline and feel some of their ribs.
Pupstickers
This week I also handmade pupstickers! Potstickers are a true delicacy. The name comes from the dumplings sticking to the pan after cooking. Different cultures have their own versions. I grew up eating Chinese dumplings filled with pork and cabbage, so that’s what I made for the pups.
Warning: Folding the dumplings is challenging, so don’t get discouraged if they don’t turn out perfect. Like any skill, cooking takes practice.
To save time, instead of making wrappers from scratch, use store bought. Just check to make sure there aren’t any weird ingredients in there. :)
How Many Eggs Can Dogs Eat?
Cedric and Edith love eggs. They each have a whole egg almost every day. The misconception that eggs are unhealthy has already been debunked, but some people still haven’t gotten the memo. Let’s look at where this misinformation originates. I did both a scientific literature review and a web search.
The web is filled with recommendations for limiting egg consumption for dogs but I couldn’t find a single scientific study on negative health effects in dogs due to egg consumption. The main sources of information on limiting egg consumption come from dog food companies. That’s right, the companies that are selling you processed foods for your dog don’t want you to feed them whole foods. I wonder why…?
I’ve read messages from people that say their vet or nutritionist says not to feed eggs, pork, or other foods to your dog. I think it’s important to remember that just because someone has a certification doesn’t mean they always get it right. Plus, almost anyone can get an online certification and then call themselves an expert.
My goal is NOT to make claims or tell you how to do things, but to ask a lot of questions and challenge the assumptions we have about dog nutrition.
For me, a healthy dose of skepticism is always in order especially on something as complex as diet. I believe it’s a red flag when someone makes a concrete conclusion (E.g. “Dogs should only eat raw!”). Why do they make such claims? Where’s the evidence? It’s another red flag when someone uses their authority instead of research to back up their claims (E.g. “I’m a vet/vet tech/nutritionist, therefore I’m right!”). You’d be surprised how many people think that certification supersedes actual research.
Mistaken beliefs are common for people too. Doctors previously believed cholesterol in our foods turned into cholesterol in the blood, but this turned out to be false. Dietary cholesterol has a minimal effect on most people’s blood cholesterol. In fact, Harvard Medical School now says you can safely eat 7 eggs per week. This is more than triple the previous recommendation, but the safe zone is probably even higher than that. See link here. Yet, many people and some health care providers still mistakenly believe eggs are harmful.
For dogs, the reason most “experts” give for limiting eggs is because of calories and weight gain. In other words, eggs are too nutritious and they want you to feed processed foods instead of a wonderfully nutritious whole food like egg. The logic can get very convoluted when you start asking questions. When I told a vet I don’t feed kibble, she tried to convince me the dogs need it to clean their teeth. That would be like humans using corn flakes to clean their teeth!
I’ve also gotten a few messages about some of the recipes being hard to execute. It’s true, they can be challenging. I mess up all the time. Like anyone else, I get frustrated when something I’m making doesn’t work out. But failing is part of getting better and cooking is a skill that takes time to improve. My advice would be: don’t rush and have fun. Your dog will love the food no matter how it looks.
Have a great week!
Joelle, Cedric and Edith