Cooking kibble topper..

On April 26th I decided to make some kibble topper for Bella and tiny snack for Saya.

I saved a good bit of random bones a good bit was pork chop bones, pork shoulder bone, a chicken roaster bone, turkey breast bone, and one deer bone. The chicken and turkey is from when we made meal for ourselves it wasn't seasoned so I kept it as it still had bits and pieces of meat on it.

I never use pork chop bones as they're cut and some look pretty sharp. I always have plenty of bone in items so I get pork chops more for boneless items so I remove them. I decided to keep them this time there is nice bit of meat that was bit hard to remove raw..

I decided to boil all the bones in water and once done cooled it down and took a few bones out to get the meat off of them.

I got a good bit of meat off the bones and made nice broth too! I strained it to make sure no cooked bones remained once it was cooled down.

I had gotten a thing of buckwheat groats to cook up. I made them before and dogs got tiny taste and loved it. So I decided to get a thing of it. and used the broth to cook it in after toasting the buckwheat.

Saya stayed here the whole time watching and hoping I'd give her some now, but she had to wait.

Not sure if I make it correctly I follow the directions on the bag, but what I read it should be different.. It could be since I had a lot of broth so it absorbed a lot of it and I did let it cook with the broth for good bit.. Either way the dogs love it and that's all that matters.


I might try different brand next time I can only find arrowhead mill brand at local store. There is another place that sells buckwheat different brand so I might try that first and if it ends same I'll get another. I plan to read up more on how to prepare it better soon.

Dreaming of buckwheat..

I had added four eggs to the buckwheat when I put it in the broth. The dogs love eggs and also added the meat I gotten off the bone to mix in it while cooking. Maybe the addition of eggs is why it looks way it does.

Saya my constant cooking helper..

Next day I seperated the buckwheat in equal portions for Saya in Bella and cooked Bella's portion of deer parts(liver, lung, pancreas, heart) I also cooked up some boneless pork and chicken for bit extra meat.

I chopped the meat into little chunks.

I figured this would make a nice small kibble topper to rotate with the gizzards, ground meat and eggs. I rotate between those each day plus she gets full raw meal two to three times a week for dinner.

Saya's portion of deer stuff I kept raw. Bella's green tripe is raw too. I cut into tiny chunks and froze individually easy to give tiny bit so she'd get used to it. Bella also had half a deer bully stick and she has half of deer trachea and one deer rocky mountain oyster I split it between the two tried to get as even as I could with portions.
 Bella liked he deer pizzle she also had some deer meat it still had bit of deer fur on it, but she didn't mind and ate it.

Meat all cooked up and ready to be mixed

Honest kitchen pre mix

I had ordered a small thing of honest kitchen pre mix. I mixed it was the buckwheat and meat mix.

Also had cooked some blueberies, black raspberries and ground it and left some blueberries whole.

Both Saya and Bella love blue berries and black raspberries so I figured it make nice treat. The black raspberries grow in the field and in edge of woods. Dogs will eat them fresh if I pick and hand them one.

Meat, buckwheat, and fruit all mixed up.

I also added a couple cans of sardines into the mix I rinsed them and just added the fish no water from the can.

I tried to stir the mix as good as I could so meat would be mixed in as even as possible.

I've fed this through out the week and the container I used had pretty good bit of meat, but not too much.

Everything all in containers and ready to be frozen. There is one other container, but it's in the fridge.

I used one of the small containers for first time giving it and gave tiny bit with her kibble meals and increased it tiny bit. So far she done fine with it. I decrease kibble amount when I add this don't want to over feed her since she is at good weight and has some nice muscle.

Saya and Bella was good at cleaning the containers I used to mix it. Saya got one outside she was already outside at that time so figured she can clean in the nice weather. Bella got her's inside.

Saya's portion is same as Bella has buckwheat mixed in with egg, meat from the bones, blueberries, black raspberries, and honest kitchen pre mix. Only difference I didn't cook any deer organs and meat to add to it.

I just give the mix as a small snack just spoon full or two I put her joint supplement and salmon oil and she eats it up. Both Bella's and Saya's portions should last good while.

Saya has had some of her deer and she likes it I gave her a deer liver for her liver meal and she has had tiny pieces of deer tripe and loved it. Once I'm done with giving deer stuff and it's gone I'll have room to get some stuff from local people. Need to get some beef tripe chunks from that one person.

I love trying new things and this was fun making Bella's own kibble topper and she really loves it. Saya thinks it is a great snack to have too. Coarse both dogs love food Saya's favorite meals is quail, sardines and chicken. she also loves lamb too. Anything really. Only thing Bella isn't into is pheasant luckily Saya loves pheasant so she eats it fine.

Yummy whole quail.

This pic taken after eating a whole quail licking her lips after eating her favorite meal. I got 46 left. :D I offer it once or twice a month it provides a nice variety and it's also counted as a bone in meal since it has good bit one bone. She only leaves the feathers on the wings. I can see feathers in her poop and it doesn't seem hurt or bug her either. It's perfect size meal too i usually give a egg or tiny bit of meat for morning meal and pm or lunch time she gets the quail.

Grandma lucy Valor

I never fed grandma lucy before it's like honest kitchen in that it is dehydrated dog food type of thing.

I got a offer for free sample of valor formula from my email I signed up for newsletter long time ago and get stuff from time to time. I chose the fish formula. 

Ingredients look good and smells good too. Only thing is lentils. Main selling point is the Quinoa I guess.

I split it between Bella and Saya Bella gets her's mixed in with her kibble like a kibble topper and Saya gets it alone. She already ate her morning meal and this should be enough. I gave her some gizzards too.

It seems a lot of dog companies are adding lentils, chickpeas, and peas or pea protein to kibble lately.

At least with this it's a new line of food not changing an existing kibble and saying they're improving it..

Saya has a pretty good stomach and does well with pretty much any meal she gets so I don't think it will cause any issues and for Bella it's just a kibble topper for the day. she is also getting a egg with it too.

The stuff comes with a big chunk and few small chunks of fish. Rest of it is ground up pieces of fish. I guess they do it for looks or so owner sees few chunks meat I dunno. It's nice looking though once rehydrated the fish looks like nice piece of fish and it has nice smell to it.

Price wise for the fish is coarse pricey $36.99 for 3lbs and 97.99 for 10lb and the turkey and the chicken formula is $33.99 for 3lbs and 87.99 for 10lb. It's similar to price of honest kitchen though.

Honest kitchen zeal for 4lb is $54.99 and the 10lb is $109.99 zeal is bit more pricey then the grandma lucy valor fish. I'm not sure their prices on other brands haven't really looked.

I've been meaning of trying the grandma lucy food to compare to the honest kitchen. the sample is nice 1.05oz.

I never fed this before so not sure how it is, but the dogs loved it and ate it up. I dunno if the meat is ground up small like with honest kitchen love formula and there is few chunks here and there or what.

I plan to get a small bag soon probably the artisan lamb. If anything it make a nice kibble topper for Bella to rotate with. I usually give her bits of liver, ground meat, gizzards. and a raw meal two to three times week as dinner instead of kibble.

Eventually I plan to hit up on some sources and get Bella on raw for dinner all the time. I can't afford to feed her raw full time feeding 20lb dog I can do, but a 20lb and 58lb no.. Plus she is my parent's dog and feeding kibble in am is easier for them. Which is fine Bella does great having kibble am and kibble toppers and raw as dinner few times week.

Still got stuff in freeze need feed to free up room. Got the deer stuff I got from dad's deer. Saya and Bella love the green tripe of deer! Saya had deer liver for her liver this week. Saya is pig so she isn't too picky.

Her coat is good and she is lean and full of muscles. :) Coarse she is happy too.

She has matured finally no longer acting like a puppy and listening and doing better off leash in the yard which is good. Kinda sad Saya my shiba way better off leash then her a boxer.. Funny how odd of a couple of dogs they are.. Now that Bella is doing better off leash she gets more freedom and hangs in yard with me while we do yard work without needing to be on a long leash.

Boxers mature later I guess takes five years! lol Saya my shiba she acted mature at age of one and half..

Coarse people still think Saya is a husky puppy and freak out then they learn she is five years. She'll be ten and people will still think she is a pup..

Anyways I just learned of Grizzly Pollock oil thanks to blog I follow My rotten dogs.

I've been using Grizzly salmon oil and just recently gotten a bottle. I'm thinking of ordering this pollock oil figure it wouldn't hurt dogs love fish oil. I do think it helps some plus not all of Saya's meat is grass fed.

Still Saya will shed her fur, but I do think the fish oil helps her coat.  A 32oz of pollock oil should last the two good while.

I love showing this picture. haha :) One year I saved all the undercoat she shed from me brushing her! Look how lean she looks without all that!

This year she has a really thick under coat and she is finally shedding a good bit. before it was just tiny bit now I can get a lot of fur off her.

I only saved under coat one time.. I kinda wished I did it for spring shed and fall to compare and see if she sheds more in one season or about the same.. saya is always a pretty fluffy dog. her neck fur makes her neck look a lot bigger then it really is.

This is what Saya looks like after a extremely major coat blow! this pic was taken in Jully 2011.. She hasn't blown her coat like this yet. past ones usual coat blow maybe she is due for major one soon. Today is pretty hot 86F!

Eating a whole quail

Pic from about same time look how lean she looks. :D My vet thought she was a bit overweight, but her thick coat makes her look bit chunky.. She's been about same weight 20 to 22lbs she gains bit in winter, but spring time she loses it so I'm not too concerned.

She is back to 20lbs was 23lb in winter. She tends to want to eat bit more in winter and in warmer times she eats normal amounts. She exercises a ton in winter lots walking and playing in the snow going in the woods and up and down hills..

When she gets bath you can see her body condition better. Can't wait for her to be done shedding and get her spring/summer coat in.

She seems to be handling the hot weather well she seeks shade if needed and drinks. If really hot she'll ask to be let inside the house.

Bella my mom's boxer she handling it well too she takes bit longer to cool off then Saya so Bella gets bit less outdoor time when it's really bad. Being a boxer she doesn't have as long of a nose like Saya does.

We try get in early am and late pm walks and if I do yard work the dogs just hang in the yard till I'm done or they want in.

I love boxers, but I do enjoy shiba inu and other longer nosed breeds more they seem to handle weather change much better. Saya is black coloring still handles hot weather better since she has her longer mouth.

I still love boxers, but spitz breeds are always my favorite. :)

Steadfast Stanley from John Cody Kim / corgi searches for his boy during zompie apocalypse

Not much to blog about today, but found this video it is adorable!

Steadfast Stanley is a wonderful animated short about a corgi searching for his human in the zombie apocalypse. It was made by a third year CalArts student John Cody Kim.



I'm bit of a zombie fan love walking dead, night of living dead etc..

I think walking dead gotta be my favorite comic and tv series.

I'm currently playing the Telltale game:The walking dead and I love it a lot it's a point and click type of game that is what telltale games is known for.. I'm currently playing the second season.. Sadly only episode 1 and 2 is out. Episode 3 comes out soon sometime in May no solid release date..

I downloaded the season pass for season 1 & 2 on the ps3..

The wait for new episode does suck, but luckily I got other things that keep me busy books, other games and chores etc.

I loved season one it was fun and whole choice thing is cool. Though either way ending is same, but characters do act bit differently depending on choices.

Season 2 is turning out to be interesting can't wait to play it all. Playing a kid is interesting..

New kibble for Bella

Tiny flowers on our walk

Yesterday I ordered a new kibble to try. It's a relatively new brand for USA.

Ingredients seem pretty good and the sample I got Saya and Bella liked it. Bella usually has to smell any new kibble or treat given and this she went right to eat it.

Saya is raw fed I don't think I'd ever switch her to kibble unless something dramatic happened, but she's been doing well on raw diet since she was 8months and I can afford it so I plan to keep her on it.

I did a small trail to see how would Saya do the samples they send have two cups in it not bad amount for sample.

A cup is about her serving size so I fed Saya the farmina herring kibble for two days no transition and poop was fine no loose poop. she only did #2 once, but she was out off leash while I did yard work so she could have gone second. She is pretty good with eating variety of things and transitions to new proteins and things pretty well so it wasn't too big surprise.

Piece of hornet hive flew off and landed her during a storm..

Bella walking besides me she sometimes walk in front, off leash or besides.

So far Bella is doing well on her current kibble, but I'm curious about this new one. So far what I read it is good stuff and ingredients seem good. The grain and grain free lines look good.

Bella current food is Totw:High prairie.  The formula i ordered is Farmina:Chicken & ancestral grains

They have a lamb formula, but is currently not out yet. I might try that next.
















Totw:High Prairie Ingredients:
Bison, lamb meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, egg product, roasted bison, roasted venison, natural flavor, tomato pomace, ocean fish meal, potato protein, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid.










Guaranteed Analysis:
Protein: 32% Minimum, Fat: 18% Minimum
Calcium: 2.1%, as-fed; Phosphorus: 1.4%, as-fed
Calories: 3,719 kcal/kg (370 kcal/cup) Calculated Metabolizable Energy



Farmina:Chicken & grains Ingredients:
Deboned chicken, dehydrated chicken (source of glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate), whole spelt, whole oats, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dehydrated egg product, herring (source of glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate), dehydrated herring (source of glucosamine & chondroitin sulfate), dried beet pulp, herring & salmon oil blend (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried carrots, sun-cured alfalfa meal, chicory root extract, fructooligosaccharide, yeast extract (source of mannan-oligosaccharides), dehydrated pomegranate, dehydrated apple, dehydrated spinach, psyllium seed husk, dehydrated blackcurrant berry, dehydrated sweet orange, dehydrated blueberry, salt, brewers dried yeast, turmeric, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, ascorbic acid, niacin, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, folic acid, vitamin B12 supplement, choline chloride, beta-carotene, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium yeast, DL-methionine, taurine, L-carnitine, aloe vera gel concentrate, green tea extract, rosemary extract.


Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min): 30.00%; Crude Fat (min): 18.00%; Crude Fiber (max): 2.90%; Moisture (max): 10.00%; Ash (max): 6.80%; Calcium (min): 1.20%; Phosphorus (min): 0.95%; Omega-6 Fatty Acids* (min): 3.30%; Omega-3 Fatty Acids* (min): 0.90%; Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA*) (min): 0.50%; Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA*) (min): 0.30%; Glucosamine* (min): 900mg/kg; Chondroitin Sulfate* (min): 600mg/kg. *Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

I'd love to put her on full raw diet she loves it, but for now can only do am kibble and pm raw and it seems to work for her right now.

She gets variety of items like chicken quarters, pork ribs, parts from a whole chicken, pork shoulder roast, boneless pork, ground chicken, ground beef, beef heart, beef, chicken, pork, lamb liver, lamb kidney, beef thymus, deer liver, heart, lung, pancreas, tripe, fish, and once in while beef tongue.

She's in good weight and energy. Lean and fast..

Oh yeah the mower stopped part of it broke it's just crappy mower been giving us issues for long time I think it was bad one when we bought it.. riding mower is important as cutting the fields takes even longer with push mower!

I hope repair people can fix it and it isn't too pricey.

Luckily I got the yard and almost all the first field done. so just gotta finish the first field and the second field trails.

Saya pouncing on a mouse or something.

Bella still has a decent bit of Totw so once she is low I'll start transitioning. I'll write back if she does well. I hope she does. The kibble does have good smell the herring one had a fish smell to it Saya went nuts over it.