Home recipe solutions for older German Shepherds that need a boost in appetite.
As my German Shepherd ages he becomes less interested in food and at times requires some inspired recipes to make food seem more appealing.
The challenge is to come up with recipe ideas that are both nutritious and appetizing.
Recipe Solutions, Starches and Stocks
When my German Shepherd became disinterested in food I had to come up with a food solution that would kick-start appetite without filling him with fatty dog treats.
My first attempt at coming up with a nutritious recipe was to add chicken stock to rice, making a watery, starch mixture.
The protein in the stock seemed to smell appealing to the dog and he ate with renewed interest.
The starch and carbohydrates in the rice filled his belly and seemed to get his stomach active again.
The ratio of liquid to rice is double what would normally be cooked, ensuring the runny consistency.
In the short term, my old German Shepherd had a great deal more energy once the starchy carbohydrates were introduced to his diet. I had equal success with pasta cooked in chicken or beef stock.
The added starch in the pasta proved to be especially beneficial when I added it to normal kibble.
I mixed the watery rice or pasta concoction into the kibble for a few meals, and suddenly he was back to eating like himself again.
This is a tried and true recipe to re-establish my German Shepherd back to a regular eating routine.
Recipe Cautions
When cooking the rice or pasta I am careful to buy low sodium stock, or I heavily dilute the stock with water to reduce the German Shepherd’s sodium intake.
Kidney failure sometimes plagues an old dog, so keeping sodium to a minimum is beneficial to overall health.
