Dog Food
I must have the easiest job in the world – I’m in charge of feeding the dogs. They will eat anything and it takes no more effort than pouring kibble in their bowls. Twice a day, I have the most attentive dogs in the neighborhood. They are two Australian Shepherds and they act like each meal is their last. 
Kibble is the most convenient. The dogs are obviously happy with the brands I give them. They are fit and trim, their stools are firm and easy to clean up and most importantly, they leave no food behind – not even a crumb. They would be happy for the rest of their lives with the same thing, but I decided to try something different.
I experimented with raw diet, dehydrated whole food, canned food, grain-less kibble, etc. Each has their benefits. One of my dogs even went so far as to catch a morning dove in mid-flight and eat it in front of me. It was too late for me to say “leave it”. Before I could say “drop it”, that poor little bird was down the hatch. The last thing I saw were two wings, one out each side of her mouth and then gone, history, sa-la-vie. That must be called Live Diet. While it may be a good skill for life in the wild, I don’t encourage it.
Then, I started making my own homemade dog food. I cook it in a slow cooker, also called a crock pot. It is so easy to use. It makes cooking fun. The thing I like the most is, I get to choose my own ingredients. I use the finest, whole foods – No, I don’t catch my own morning doves. I shred a little bit of this and a little bit of that, add meat, water, turn on the slow cooker and voila – 8 hours later, it’s done. I have direct control over what goes into their food and I know it is healthy.
I call it MOGO – sounds like More Go. The dogs can say that word – “roe roe”. When they eat MOGO, their mood can be summarized in one word – happiness. They break into a playful frenzy, prompting and nudging me to roll on the floor with them. I am so tempted. That’s true canine therapy.
The First Rule of MOGO is – Don’t turn your back with MOGO left on the counter! If you do then you risk them jumping up and eating it. If you don’t already have a professional counter-surfer you can help prevent one by putting the MOGO away, in the fridge. I’m not kidding. MOGO will transform your dog and unleash their inner beast. And once they taste it, they don’t waste it.
After preparing the ingredients and putting them in the pot, set the Temp on High for 6 to 8 Hours. My crock pot cooks on high for 6 hours, and then automatically changes to lower temp for the additional time before shutting off.
MOGO INGREDIENTS
7 Cups Water
1 Cup Brown Rice
1/2 Cup Oats
1/2 Cup Barley
1/2 cup Lentils
1/2 Yam
1 Russet Potato (small)
1 Apple
1 Carrot
1 Cup Frozen Green Peas
2 Cups Frozen Spinach
1 Heaping Teaspoon Crushed Garlic
1 Heaping Teaspoon Crushed Ginger
2 lb. lean ground meat (beef, poultry, fish, lamb, buffalo, caribou, venison, etc.)
MOGO COSTS
$59.00 Hamilton Beach 6 Quart Slow Cooker
$20.00 Food Ingredients
$1.00 Electricity Cost (8 Hours @ about 195 watts)
MOGO TIPS
- Make sure the MOGO is fully cooked. The rice should be soft.
- When the MOGO is done cooking, use oven gloves to pick up the crock pot bowl.
- Pour the thick MOGO into a large bowl and mix the ingredients thoroughly.
- Let MOGO cool down before feeding it to the dogs. Don’t burn their tongue. Warm MOGO is okay to feed.
- You may need to feed more MOGO per volume compared to kibble, due to its water content.
- This recipe makes about 10 cups of food – or about 8 servings for a dog weighing between 45 and 55 lbs.
- Store the remainder in the refrigerator.
- You can make a 1/2 recipe.
- Start by feeding small portions of MOGO to get your dog’s digestive systems accustomed to it.
- Don’t leave the MOGO open on the counter. Your dog may jump up to eat it.
Have Fun!
Dan Roy – dan@performancedogtraining.com
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