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For years I searched for the healthiest food for my little dog Georgie and was ready to give up. Georgie is now 4 years old and is 75% Chihuahua and 25% Jack Russel Terrier according to a DNA test we ran. He is the smartest and sweetest little guy and everyone stops to talk to him, pet him and ask about him.
I have found that Georgie has actually helped me and my wife meet new people and make new friends. We began to socialize him when he was very young and I take him with me to as many stores as I can. Usually in the shopping cart and Home Depot, Lowes or Kohl’s and in his nice bag that I put over my shoulder for stores like Old Navy, Marshall’s and others. Since I am a photographer, I have taken many photos of Georgie and his friends and put up a nice little fan page for him on Facebook. You can LIKE Georgie by visiting his page and even see a video the very first day we brought him home.
Veterinarian’s Agree Fresh Is Best
We started following the vets direction and was feeding him pellet dog food, the same as the puppy dealer recommended. We were told it was premium quality but soon discovered he never really liked it or any other store bought dog food we tried. We then decided to try fresh food and started to feed him burgers from fresh ground turkey meat, scrambled eggs with some turkey bacon and other things we thought would be good for him.
Treats We Feed Georgie
We supplemented his feeding with some made in the new TOP CHEWS USA made chicken jerky that we buy in a large bag at Costco, cost $19.99, but it will last many months.
We take a scissor and cut a half of one strip, which is enough for one day, into small pieces and store it in a little plastic baggy. He loves it and will do all sorts of tricks for them and we know it is also full of protein and good for him, and it is made with Tyson chicken and other natural ingredients. We don’t have to be as concerned about this all American product and would never use any of the Chinese chicken or duck jerky we used to feed. I am waiting for reports that this product is also harmful to dogs too…it is just a matter of time.
We have tried other treats from Costco as well and started to see Georgie gain some weight. So we are now cutting him down on these extras for the next couple of weeks. We will give him these treats sparingly to see if he can shed some of that weight. During the winter months he wasn’t getting as much exercise because of the weather and that could be the cause. So I will report back once we determine what is going on with this weight. We have not increased the amount of meatloaf for years, so we know it has to be the treats and the lack of exercise, so we are committed to getting him back in shape. From this I can no longer recommend any of these treats because there is no indication on their labels on the number of calories contained in each serving. Unlike human food, the law doesn’t require it, which it should. So you are in the dark as to the caloric intake your dog is getting and it becomes more of a challenge to weigh him regularly to watch his weight.
It is a shame we had to find out after so many years and the FDA had to step in and formally make a ruling about these products. This also proves that we can no longer trust corporate America to do what is right for us or for our dogs and we must try at least to feed our dogs wholesome food even if we have to make it ourselves.
As I continued to search for the perfect food for Georgie I began to do some serious research. I studies all the labels on some of the best dog foods from all the high end dog food companies. I also spoke to a number of vets and did lots of research on the net and finally came up with my very own formula for a healthy, fresh food for our little guy. I created the Georgie Meatloaf you will see in this video and as you will see it is relatively easy to prepare and it will keep your beautiful doggies not only happy, but healthy too.
Six Years And Georgie Is Healthy
After six years of eating this meatloaf Georgie continues to be healthy in every way and in at his last visit to the vet, I was told he is perfect but could stand to lose a few pounds.
The doctor told me he was a strong, stocky, solid, muscular, dog with a good coat, great disposition, so many other wonderful things that I knew it was not only his genetics and our good care, but the food he was eating. Our problem is not getting him enough exercise. Thinking of training him to get on our treadmill..
We no longer have to give him daily vitamins, no need to any special or exotic foods and he is just so full of fun and energy that we attribute some of this to the diet. If your dog tends to have a loose bowel movement, stomach problems, throws up, try my meatloaf and watch his problems disappear.
When we have guest dogs staying with us or when we go to visit one of my sons who has two of his own dogs, we often give them some meatloaf too and they all gobble it all up and as you will see in my video. Dogs will lick the plates clean and then search for any morsels that may have landed on the floor. Incidentally, there have been times when the meatloaf comes out of the oven that I have taken some for my dinner and after seasoning it for my tastes, I can tell you it is pretty good.
I have been asked by friends and family to share my secret recipe with them and decided that I should really share it with everyone that loves their doggies, so please feel free to follow my directions, but remember, my recipe and this video is copyrighted and may not be used for commercial purposes without my written consent.
I would hate to see a big dog food company offer my Georgie Meatloaf and profit by doing so. So share it with your friends and relatives and watch their dogs zip through their next doctors visit as mine has.
Safe and Unsafe Fruit and Veggies
In the past few years, I have received many comments about adding certain fruits, vegetables and other ingredients into the meatloaf. My answer is always the same. Check the list of harmful ingredients and then be creative. I have located a great list of these items at the ASPCA website. Click here to see their list and what you can use in moderation.
Some viewers has stated that we should only feed our dogs raw meat, others say we should only buy organic meat. Then there are those that want to spice up the meatloaf with garlic, onions and other spices. Many of these spices or veggies are on the do not use list for dogs, so check carefully before you try to become more creative.
Remember, you may like certain spices or food items, but you are not a dog. Some of these exotic ideas may work for some, but I have found no need to feed my little guy raw meat or organs, he is not a wolf in the wild.
Maybe a German Shepard or other large and powerful dog might thrive on a raw meat diet, but could you even imagine feeding a small or even a medium sized dog this type of diet? I saw a video that showed one owner in his log cabin with a Bowie knife butchering a bunch of disgusting organs from various animals. As I said, different people have different concepts on what is right for their dogs. I for one can’t see myself even touching raw organs of other strange parts of animals, can you?
As you can see from looking at all the testimonials from professionals and dog owners alike, Georgie Meatloaf is a great starting place for you to develop your own SAFE recipes for your dog. Just remember, if the ingredients are safe enough for your family to eat and not on the Not Good For Dogs list, then use them in your meatloaf. As seasons change we have the benefit of changing up the meatloaf as well.
Calcium, Microwave, Freezing and other concerns – Updated Feb. 2015
It is hard to answer questions on YouTube because the same issues keep popping up and new viewers can’t see the answers because there are so many questions. So here are some answers and links to extensive articles about these concerns.
CALCIUM: Many questions have been asked about calcium in the diet. Many veggies and beans are high in calcium and we use them in his meatloaf. Read more about calcium rich foods here:
COOKING OR MICROWAVING FOOD: The rumor: Zapping food in a microwave leaches out key nutrients
We’ve all heard about how microwaving or cooking food removes some nutritional value, but is it true? Is something bad happening to our food behind that microwave glass?
The verdict: If you do it right, cooking food in the microwave is one of the best ways to retain your food’s vitamins and minerals. Find out more about Microwaving food here.
“Whenever you cook food, you’ll have some loss of nutrients,” says registered dietician and certified food scientist Catherine Adams Hutt. “The best cooking method for retaining nutrients is one that cooks quickly, exposes food to heat for the smallest amount of time and uses only a minimal amount of liquid.”
Guess what? Microwave cooking does that.
CHEESE GOOD OR BAD:
Cheese is a good source of protein for your dog. It also provides vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, Vitamin A, B-complex vitamins and essential fatty acids. A small piece of cheese can also provide the perfect camouflage for medications that your dog may need to take someday, so it can be helpful to offer your dog occasional treats of cheese, but only if his body can handle it.
Read more: Is It Safe for Dogs to Eat Cheese?
KETCHUP, TOMATOES, HARMFUL FOODS: Many of my followers have commented on my use of Ketchup spread lightly on the top of the meatloaf of tomato sauce put into the meatloaf. There are many comments about Ketchup and the sugar in ketchup that is bad for the dog, but the very small amount, a tablespoon or two on an entire meatloaf will not harm the dog. Most dogs love tomato sauce and at times we may put some into the large batch to give it flavor and other times not. We continue to experiment with our recipe and I recommend you do the same.
For a complete list from the ASPCA on Harmful foods for your dog click here.
I hope this additional information will put these questions to rest.
See how others have found Georgie Meatloaf a great way to feed their dogs…Here is one Facebook User who has her iPad playing my video as she prepares her own Georgie Meatloaf.
“Following Len Rapoport’s instructions via ipad for GEORGIE’S MEATLOAF and Blending the ingredients: cooked white rice, carrots, potato’s, Broccoli, peas, red and yellow bell peppers, eggs, etc.(we didn’t have everything so I modified it a bit)”
