In light of the recent cases of tainted dog food and tainted dog treats, I have begun to prepare homemade food for my girls. All of the ingredients that I use are human food, fresh, organic - free range when possible. Treats are chicken, turkey and beef prepared in a food dehydrator. There are no spices and no preservatives added. I store the dog treats in airtight containers in the freezer, moving a few day's supply to the refrigerator when needed. I have been told by other dog fanciers that they have had success storing treats made this way in the pantry without refrigeration for a week or two, but I have not attempted that myself. The homemade dog food that I prepare is of my own design, based upon my personal experience with dogs, and is made without any preservatives. If you wish to cook one thing that you are certain has been evaluated for complete nutrition, there are many good books that have been written on the subject. My personal belief is that dogs, like humans, do not need to have every single nutrient in precise proportions at every single meal, but rather that if they eat a decent variety of foods which include all of the key nutrients that they require OVER TIME, they will achieve more than adequate nutrition. We also have several of "the best" "natural" brands of dog kibble available at all times, but it is rare that a dog fed fresh food will have much interest in kibble. We do not keep canned dog food or commercially prepared dog treats any more. Any visitors are welcome to share our homemade food and treats or to bring their own - your wishes will be followed. After visiting with us, many of our friends have found that their "too thin" finicky eaters fill out on our food, and that those with tummy problems have consistently firm stools and fewer problems resulting from irregularity, so they have asked for the recipe for my homemade dog food, so here is the basic recipe . Please note that I also add a good multi vitamin once a day - currently we are using Thorne Canine Basic Nutrients www.thorne.com/order_online.wss/search_display/individual_product/item_guid/d36f680a-bc4c-7a6a-2f83-6c655d91b3f3 I also add Fish Oil once a day - currently we are using www.nordicnaturals.com/PetOwners/PetOwners.asp In addition to the basic food, I will also intermittently mix in organic chicken liver, steak, plain yogurt, or cheese, and offer fresh fruits and veggies as treats (in addition to our dehydrated protein treats). You will need a large mixing bowl to prepare the food. After the food is well mixed I put it into small Pyrex dishes (glass) with plastic covers and store it in the freezer, defrosting and baking in the oven at about 400 degrees every few days as needed (cooking time will vary with the size of the dish, but it is fairly easy to see when the food is cooked in a Pyrex dish). My Dog Food Ingredients Everything is Fresh, Organic, Free Range When Possible Grated Florets of One Head of Broccoli After washing it I take a serrated knife and work my way around the head of the broccoli, making thin slices until all of the dark green (most nutrient packed part) has been removed (discarding the white part of the floret and the stems). This will result in the part that you adding to the food having a grated consistency that will completely blend into the food so that it will not be noticed by non-veggie loving dogs! *Please note that large amounts of broccoli can be problematic for dogs, but I have not noticed any issues with this quantity added to the food (and in fact, before switching to all homemade food, I have always fed my girls much larger portions of broccoli than this on a daily basis without ill effect), but if you think that your dog is especially sensitive, you may want to substitute another vegetable that you know agrees with them). 6-12 EGGS Beat in a separate bowl and add to the mixture. One Large or Two Small Cans of PLAIN Pumpkin Pumpkin is an often recommended home remedy for dog and puppy poop problems - whether they are prone to have soft stools or diarrhea, or tend to be constipated (which can often lead to anal glad problems), for some reason Pumpkin seems to be the "great equalizer" for doggie pooping issues. Initially my girls did have problems adjusting to a mostly fresh food diet, but I found that once I began to add pumpkin (and the next ingredient, brown rice) to every batch, they have been producing consistently perfect poops, and as every tiny dog owner knows, perfect poops make for a happy puppy! One Half - One Whole Box of Precooked Brown Rice Boil Rice until it is at least half cooked, cool, and add to the mixture. Blueberries - 1-2 Cups Mashed fresh, or Organic Frozen Add to the mix. 2 - 3 Sweet or White Potatoes Pre cook, remove the skin, mash and add to the mix. 4 - 5 Pounds of Ground Turkey, Chicken, or Beef I tend to vary the mix of meat depending upon what is available that looks good. I think that the dark meat poultry is a bit more nutritious than the white meat, and unless your dog is overweight or your Veterinarian says that there is a specific medical reason to reduce their fat intake, I would choose the dark meat. Dogs who are not accustomed to Beef, can be sensitive to it, so introduce it slowly. Dogs with allergies are often sensitive to Chicken since it is the most common protein source in dog foods and treats, so if you think that your dog may have minor allergies, you might want to try eliminating the chicken.