Cooking for dogs

[fifi]

Being a dog freak, I really enjoyed your stories about the incomparable golden retriever, Sky King. (I still remember the start of that TV show... Skyyyyyy Kiiiing!) Assuming that you still have the privilege of that wonderful creature's company:

Are you still cooking for him? Do you have to add commercial food for convenience? Did you continue to research dog nutrition through your sources that gave you more guidance on your dog chefdom?

[Bond Girl]

Adding to Fifi's question, do you cook the same things for your dog all the time or do you vary the diet? (I'm always cooking for my corgi)

[Jeffrey Steingarten]

Dear Fifi,

Yes, I still cook for Sky King, perhaps more than ever, when I'm in San Diego and last week when my wife cleverly smuggled Sky King into Manhattan. The minimum meal here in New York City was ten or fifteen chunks of Jewish rye fried in oil over high heat; the heat is then set to low and five eggs broken over the bread and scrambled with it. I fed him no dry dog food on his visit to New York, but I certainly do so for convenience in San Diego. On the other hand, I possess several means in San Diego for cooking large amounts of animal flesh; my article in the February Vogue will tell you how I roasted a pretty large pig, plus lambs and a kid. Sky King eats very well when I'm in San Diego and in a cooking mood.

No, I haven't done further veterinarian research. I certainly intend to. I wonder if a Golden Retriever's ideal diet is really much different from that of a pig. My book editor would like me to look further into the matter.

I had considered calling my second book, The Man Who Cooked For His Dog, and Other, etc., etc. I still wish I had.

With best wishes,

Jeffrey

[fifi]

Well, Dear Sir, I respectfully suggest that you get off your distinguished buns and write that canine cook book.

Actually, that would be very cool. With the nutrition research thrown in I would buy it and probably cook for the next extremely fortunate basset hound to enter my life.

[Louisa Chu]

Dear Jeffrey,

It depends on the Golden and the pig. Are we talking about the ideal diet for an English working field dog - or a bicoastal American pet? Potbellied or Iberian? Generally speaking of course the Golden is carnivorous and the pig, omnivorous.

How did your wife smuggle Sky King into Manhattan and why was it necessary to do so? Has he been profiled by the authorities? And are you actually trying to say that it's more convenient to go and purchase dry dog food than it is to fry eggs and bread? And what will be the price of your believed convenience? And yes, you detect proselytizing - I cook daily for my dog.

Sincerely,

Louisa

[phaelon56]

If you love dogs and also have an appreciation for food and fine dining....

"Spotted In France"

is a must read. A absolute must.

[MsSumida]

OK..call me one of those over the top dog lovers, but they get the best.

Every day, at 8:30 am and 5:00 pm Peri, Ginger and Cosmo get the best of the homemade and the best of the dry available. From veggies to fish, beef, chicken, yogurt and pork to snacks and treats...it's homemade

[Margaret Pilgrim]

"Cooking for dogs" brings back old times. At one time we had an old English sheepdog who ate cottage cheese and stewed meat over kibble. I used buy him frozen blocks of ground meat sold as pet food at a neighborhood butchershop. Because I prefered the meat at another shop, I bought our family meat from a different butcher, so the only thing that I would ever order at the first shop was our weekly 5 or so pounds of pet food. The butcher would look over the counter at my rosy-cheeked 3-year old and shake his head. I know that he was convinced that I was feeding the family pet food!