You know that feeling when your dog looks at his dog food bowl, looks at you, looks down at his bowl again then looks at you, rolls his eyes, sighs and says "Dear God, is that the best you can come up? Would you eat this dry sh*t day after day?
How about I pour you a bowl of Shredded Wheat and make you eat it without milk? Hmmmmm?"
Now for those of you who don't believe that dogs can articulate all of this, I am here to tell you that yes they can and yes they do...often!
You feel guilty as hell but you've been out at work all day, can't possibly whip up a tasty casserole in five minutes, and yet you're concerned that Max is going to pack his bags and leave home if you don't do something quick!
My quick tip is to always have on hand a can of wild caught salmon in the pantry and some cottage cheese in the fridge. Even the most boring meal can be transformed into a bit of a culinary delight with these two beauties.....a tablespoon of salmon, smashed into a bowl, mixed with a couple of tablespoons of full fat cottage cheese has enough strong flavor to rock your dogs world!
We mix it with cottage cheese to help 'cut through' the oiliness of the salmon and provide some balance for the palate. You know how when you eat a bunch of fried food your mouth just cries out for some pineapple or some tomato or cucumber to 'freshen' things up a bit?
Dogs appreciate the same thing! Wild caught salmon in a can is wonderful because the bones have been cooked in the can with it, meaning it's jam packed full of calcium, but the bones are so crumbly soft that you don't have to worry about your dog choking on them.
Rich in omega 3 fatty acids, a great source of protein, wild Alaskan salmon is a useful addition to your pantry. I would caution you to not give it too much, however, as high levels of mercury have been found in some salmon products.
Unfortunately, for dogs with chronic pancreatitis, it can be too fatty, so check with your vet on fat ratios before giving to a dog with this condition.
Balance in everything, as always, is best, but a little of this here and there can really be a nice treat to liven up your dogs bowl and pack some serious 'clean' protein punch!
