Do you store emergency pet food? Costco selling it now...

[ScottyGunn]

I use Blue Buffalo and their Wilderness line of food comes in a Mylar bag with a 1 year Exp. date. I keep a few bags on hand and do the FIFO thing.

I also downloaded a bunch of dog food recipes that use the same food we eat so I can make his food when the store bought stuff runs out.

[bhowle]

I store an extra 200 lbs for four dogs in the fall and winter months. With such high fat content dog food tends to get rancid during warm/hot weather.

-bob

[Chatelaine]

Originally Posted by miles2go22

My 'girls' (boxer and hound) love these:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct_id=15610939

They're cheap and they state that they're distributed by Del Monte in San Fran, CA

However, they're just treats, and really wouldn't work as a dog jerky

Does not always equal "manufactured by"

Generally, if there is no direct country of origin listed on the package I leave it on the store shelf.

Chatelaine

[Chatelaine]

We keep a combo of canned, bagged, boxed around here for a bunch of dogs (number varies for variety of reasons).

People food is also on their menu, ie, sick dog may need rice and broth or oatmeal for a few days. Generally, they eat what they want and the rest goes to my chickens. They eat anything!

Chatelaine

[SOD]

Unless dire, my dogs are too valuble to eat. They serve as an EWS as well as hunters and trackers of game. I would recommend chickens or pigs if your goal is pets for survival food, much tastier than dog.

[loon]

We keep a large bag in the bottom of each freezer. Keeps well, raises the people food up higher so I can reach it, and it will absorb tons of thawing juices if the freezer malfunctions. I also don't have to worry about Fido sneaking into my storage area and noshing....

[oldparanoia]

I can my meats without salt or very little so I can share with my cat if necessary but he has his own food storage. As to rating of pet food, every cat I've had hated the number one rated cat food by vets. Maybe they would have been willing to use as litter. I buy higher end by Purina, which happens to be the only brand of pet food our local Humane is now accepting. Apparently most companies are downgrading what they put on the pet food. (Unless you can afford the new pet food that is refrigerated.) Anything to save a buck and make more profits, I suppose.

[GreenShepherdess]

I haven't seen this at my costco yet

Most foods that we eat are safe for pets to eat too. Learn which foods should never be fed to pets and which foods that are ok in small to moderate amounts. Because of my current situation, I do feed my dogs mostly kibble. But in the past when I was living on my own and raising meat rabbits, I fed my dogs a homemade meal.
If you raise your own livestock or fish then your dogs and cats can live quite well on the raw bones, organs, heads, feet/lower leg portions, etc. Parts of the animal that most Americans aren't keen on eating. Eggs, egg shells and raw milk and milk products can also be given to pets. (Pasteurized cow milk has very high levels of lactose that gives pets and some people digestion problems)
Cats are true carnivores, they absolutely do not need any kind of grain in their diet and they will thrive the best on an animal-sourced diet only.
Dogs don't need grain in their diet either, but they are able to digest grain better than cats can. Grains should be well cooked (steamed or boiled) and finely ground so the dogs can absorb as much nutrients as possible. Same goes for beans veggies and squashes...anything that is fibrous needs to be cooked and well mashed/ground up. Nuts and seeds do not have to be cooked, but they do need to be finely ground. Many types of fruit, especially berries, have important nutrients for dogs and cats and can be given in small amounts raw or lightly cooked.

Dogs (and cats) have very short digestive systems, their digestive acids are better able to digest animal-based nutrients than human's. Plant-based nutrients take longer to digest, if it is not correctly prepared before feeding to dogs, then much of it will not be digested and nutrients not absorbed by the time the dog poops it out. Any plant-based food given to dogs needs to be well hydrated/soaked (otherwise the dog's digestive system will waste time soaking/softening the food before it can break it down) and well mashed/ground to break up the fibers that bind the nutrients.

[dgr]

Originally Posted by GreenShepherdess

... If you raise your own livestock or fish then your dogs and cats can live quite well on the raw bones, organs, heads, feet/lower leg portions, etc. Parts of the animal that most Americans aren't keen on eating....

Don't feed your dogs any unprocessed anadromous fish (salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, shad, etc.) Salmon poisoning might just be a west coast thing but i would look into it before taking the chance.

[GreenShepherdess]

good point, dgr. I don't feed my pets much fish, but when I do, I only feed small fish such as sardines, smelt, etc. My dogs especially love smelt.

[Turtle88]

I have about 5 big bags of cat food stocked up that i rotate at any time plus i bought an emergency deluxe pet survival kit that has packs of food with a 5 year shelf life. Plus ive started researching what foods i can make that my buddy can too and stocked up on that as well.