Dogs Going Green: More Bonuses from Organic Pet Food

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

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Stuff Your Kongs with Leftovers to Save $

One of the chief complaints I hear from families who choose not to feed their pet a better food is cost. We've all had those pains in our wallet from time to time. Today I've got a few benefits of feeding organic that may help you fall off the fence in the other direction. Did you know?

• Feeding a better quality food like Natural Balance Organic to your dog will result in a healthier, longer life with fewer doctor appointments and a more vibrant coat and mind, making for a happier dog.
• According to my groomer, tear stains on Toy-sized dogs often result from poor diet. I was told that residues of additives and food coloring are excreted from the tear ducts resulting in the stains that develop over time. I was able to test this theory with Oliver. When we adopted him he was on a grocery store food brand and had the beginnings of tear stains, even at the tender age of 4 months or so. I switched him to an organic brand immediately and very soon found the tear stains were gone, never to reappear. If you have ever prices the products for removal of tear stains, you'll know this is a great value!
• I've found that the crumbs all dry dog foods have at the bottom of the bag make a great flour for homemade dog treats. I collect them from the bag as each bag is emptied, freezing them for later use. When I have enough, I make a batch of dog treats, often using a variety of recipes. I'll include one in the next post in this Dogs Going Green series. 
• You can save on dog treats by using your kibble to make quick and easy treats. Read on and please do leave your comments. If you have a dog treat recipe to share, I'd love to hear from you: AllThingsDogBlog@gmail.com.

  

  Add Natural Balance to All Your Treat Recipes!

Using leftovers that are healthy and have no ingredients unhealthy to Fido, you can save money and create quick, easy frozen yummies that will be enjoyed by your dog:

Easy Broth Bombs:

1. When you roast a chicken or turkey, don't waste that carcass. When done, drop it into a stock pot with water and boil for 45 minutes or more to make a rich broth.
2. Fill ice cube trays half way with the broth and add organic Natural Balance kibble to make a frozen treat that's healthy and partially homemade.
3. When frozen, pop into a ziplock bag for easy freezer storage and single servings.

Leftovers in Frozen Filled Kongs:

1. Ever wonder what to do with that smidgen of leftover sweet potatoes, yogurt, cooked veggies or grated cheese? 
2. Layer these yummies one by one into a Kong or other fillable treat canister, using a little Natural Balance kibble between the layers, and freezing for a time when you need to keep Fido busy. We call these Busy Bones, and they work their magic on my boys every time I have a large crowd for dinner or another event.
3. All will be appreciated, and very, very slowly when frozen. This is a great treat to offer when you need a long, relaxing bubble bath in quiet.

Watch for my Oatmeal cookie recipe, made with Natural Balance, coming soon....

Enjoy!

As an NB Insider, I share tips and news on Natural Balance. I am compensated with travel to industry events and receive Natural Balance Organic food for my dogs. I am willing to serve in this role because I believe that serving organic food to my dogs is an important part of keeping them healthy for a long life.

Pet Coupons: Making the Most of Them

by Paris Permenter, guest blogger

 Coupons are a great way to save money on pet needs but any coupon search will yield coupons for pet products you don’t use. Whether it’s a dog food or treat brand you don’t serve or a product, such as cat litter, that you don’t need, your search will turn up coupons that would fetch other pet lovers some real savings.

Before you toss those coupons, we’ve got five ways you can use those unused coupons to help out other pet lovers who are looking for ways to save money on their pet supplies.

Donate Expired Coupons to Military Families.  While expired coupons can’t be used at grocery stores, they can be accepted at military base commissaries. Several clearinghouses collect expired coupons to be distributed to US military bases overseas. For just the cost of postage, you can help military pet lovers with your coupons through the Coups for Troops or Overseas Coupon Program clearinghouses.

Use Coupons to Purchase Shelter Donations. Use those unwanted coupons to purchase donations to your local shelter! From litter to cleaning supplies, shelters can always use donations.

Use Coupons to Purchase Pet Food, Supplies for Local Food Banks. Many local (human) food banks also accept pet food and supplies to give to clients, and there are a growing number of pet food banks specifically for pet needs. The HSUS maintains a state-by-state list of organizations seeking pet food and supplies to distribute.

Join a Coupon Swap Group. Whether you swap coupons with neighbors and friends or join a special group for swapping coupons (just search for “coupon swap group”), a coupon swap can be a great way to share unneeded coupons with fellow pet lovers and even get some coupons that you need in return!

Pay It Forward. The next time you’re at the store, stick that coupon beside the sack of cat litter or box of dog treats.  Your random act of kindness can help another pet lover get a little more wiggle room in the budget.

In these tough economic times, we pet lovers have to stick together!

Paris Permenter is a problogger & pet parent to Tiki & Irie plus 4 kitties. She and husband John share tips, reviews, news, giveaways & more on DogTipper.com and Cattipper.com. 

Chicken Stew Biscuits for Fido: High in Protein and Vitamins

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

(c) Carrie Boyko
Leftover Chicken Stew
 Makes Great Dog Biscuits

Saving money on your pack's chow doesn't always have to be about clipping coupons or watching for sales. You do have options for supplementing your pup's diet without compromising his health or your wallet.

I've been inspired by other dog moms to not only cook some food to supplement Tanner and Oliver's kibble, but also I now use my leftovers to make all sorts of yummy goodies. This saves me big bucks on all those pricey treats, although I have to admit that my dogs love to sample a variety. Cooking at home helps to widen that smorgasbord.


A simple stewed chicken made of healthy, low-fat, organic chicken breasts, organic broth and vegetables (we used carrots) is easy to cook up in your crockpot with very little effort. I cut this up and scoop a few spoonfuls on the boys' kibble some evenings, to give them that home-cooked feel of a warm meal.


What's really great, though, is that when leftovers reach the breaking point (eat them quick or toss them) these cooked meats and vegetables make great dog biscuits that are simple and healthy. Here's a sample recipe that we renovated to make these fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants biscuits, which do not require rolling. This makes them much faster to prepare than those adorable bone-shaped ones you've seen here before.


Organic Chicken and Carrot Stew Biscuits


Instructions:

1. After chicken and veggies are cooked thoroughly in the crockpot, cool till they reach a comfortable working temperature.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Place the chicken and veggies (any portions you have available) in your food processor with the blade in place and process until you have a smooth textured, babyfood-like mixture that is easy to stir.
4. Remove and replace the blade with the kneading blade.
5. Add one egg and mix in briefly.
6. Add a few tablespoons of broth and 1/2 cup organic whole wheat flour at a time, until you have a stiff dough, much like cookie dough.
7. Break off a tennis ball sized portion and press out on a clean surface until an even thickness of about 1/2 to 3/4 inch.
8. Using a small juice glass dipped into some flour, cut biscuits and add remaining dough back to the batch.
9. Continue till all dough has been used.
10. Bake for about 10-13 minutes at 350 degrees. Ovens and ingredients vary, so watch your first batch carefully for timing.
11. Store a week's worth of biscuits in your refrig. These make a nice substitution for some kibble at mealtime, or a generous afternoon snack that is healthy and satisfying.
12. Freeze the remainder in small enough portions to use within a week.
13. Don't forget to pat yourself on the back when your Fido devours his yummy, homemade biscuit that you provided. Unconditional love most certainly can be enhanced with great chow!