Author's Corner
By Sarah Dahnke
With the recent woes in the pet food industry, many pet guardians have been seeking ways to provide safe, healthy, balanced meals for their furry friends. While cooking for pets is not universally accepted in the animal community, Australian author Jamie Young’s recently released cookbook, Grrrrowlicious Food for Hungry Dogs, aims to teach people how to create delicious meals out of human-grade ingredients that will be just as nutritious as any purchased pet food. He recently spoke with Tails about the international animal community’s attitudes on pet food and why he believes cooking for your pet may be the best gift you give your four-legged loved one.
Most experts advise against cooking for your pet because they say it’s difficult to provide the proper nutritional balance. Do you think that’s true?
I always find this rather curious, to suggest that humans are capable of feeding themselves and their children, but for some unknown reason it’s too difficult to feed our dogs? It doesn’t make sense. Mother Nature created the dog and also a food source for the dog to happily thrive on, isn’t it just a matter of understanding what that food source is? Those that have taken on the fresh food diet for their dogs say it’s easy and have seen the benefits. If you’re organized and [shop] once a week at your local market, it’s simple.
What do you say to people who say they don’t have the time to cook for
their pets?
If you don’t have time to cook, then don’t. Raw meaty bones, chicken carcasses, raw mince with vegetable oils, and a heap of other stuff can easily be put together and not take up much time at all. I’m a Chief Financial Officer for a group of companies, and I still get time to do it without reaching for the can. That’s why I made all the recipes in the book so simple and easy to put together. There is only so much trouble you need to go to, especially when it only lasts in the bowl for a few seconds!
Do you ever supplement your dog Frodo’s diet with processed food when you are extremely busy?
No way! If I am really busy then a good-sized, meaty bone will be dinner for Frodo.
Has Frodo eaten any processed food since he began his diet of home-cooked meals? If so, what was his reaction?
He might sneak in a bit of dried food when he visits someone’s house that has it lying around, but I always notice it when it comes out the other end, its soft, pâte-like, sticky, and smelly. That’s the stuff you might get stuck to your shoe walking down the street. A fresh food diet doesn’t create that sort of crap, if you know what I mean.
I know you grew up with cats who ate fresh food. Have you experimented with cooking diets for other pets?
No, only for my cat and dog. They’re the only two types of pets I have had, though I did have a rabbit when I was a kid, and we fed him fresh food.
The photos of your meals in the book look restaurant-quality. Are you ever tempted to eat what Frodo is eating?
I ate everything in the book, apart from the raw meals and the bones! The chicken meatballs are delicious; I can see why Frodo loves them so much, though if you make them for yourself add a little salt and pepper…and maybe a relish or tomato sauce.
