Answers To Common Questions About Pets and Animals. Part. 001 by Nene Ajayi

 

What Should I Feed My Dogs? (Besides fufu)

Before I answer your question, let me tell you how this post was born.

It was a calm Tuesday morning. Kids were off to school, husband gone to work, and for once, I felt like a responsible adult. I decided to treat my German Shepherd, Blaze, to something special: boiled yam and sardines. Don’t laugh yet.

He sniffed it. Licked it. Looked me dead in the eye. Then turned away, slowly, like a pastor rejecting temptation.

Meanwhile, Raya (my royal Basenji) took two bites, sneezed like a Victorian woman, and left. And my cat, Stu, who was not invited, jumped on the table and ate the sardines. The entire sardines. And vomited in my bathroom an hour later.

So again, I ask:

What should I feed my dogs?

Reality Check: I Am Not an Expert. But My Mistakes Are Highly Experienced.

Let’s start with a few things I thought were okay to feed dogs, until I googled in panic mode:

• Bread soaked in milk – Tummy disaster

• Leftover rice with stew – Too spicy

• Plantain (ripe) – Okay in moderation, but not daily o!

• Moi Moi – Let’s just say, my dogs were tooting their testimonies all night

So, What Do Dogs Actually Need?

Dogs, like our children, need balanced meals. No, that doesn’t mean fufu, egusi, and small meat.

Here’s the basic breakdown:

• Protein: Chicken, beef, turkey, fish (deboned!), eggs.

• Carbohydrates: Brown rice, sweet potatoes, oats

• Fats: Fish oil, chicken fat (clean), flaxseed

• Veggies: Carrots, green beans, spinach, pumpkin

• Fruits (in small amounts): Apples (no seeds!), bananas, watermelon

Did You Know?

Grapes and raisins can literally shut down a dog’s kidneys. I once fed Raya two raisins from my chin-chin pack and had to spend the evening on Google and prayer.

Store-Bought vs. Homemade?

I feed Blaze kibble (dry dog food) mixed with sardines or chicken broth. But I also make "dog jollof" once a week. No seasoning, no Maggi, just boiled chicken, rice, and mashed veggies. Raya loves it—if I serve it in her pink bowl. Because obviously she's royalty and I'm at most, her palace maid.

Portion Sizes Matter

Too little, and you’ll have a hungry, moody dog scratching your doors. Too much, and you’ll have a chubby guardian sleeping through a robbery. I learned this the hard way when Blaze added 5kg in 2 months and could no longer fit through the four-legged-pet backyard gate.

If you want exact instructions, here’s a more serious dog article I read – and promptly ignored:

But that was before I found this on Quora.

Mama Nene's Feeding Commandments:

1. Thou shalt not feed thy dog moi moi.
2. Thou shalt not assume a dog will eat what thy children eat.
3.  Thou shalt check food labels—even on dog food. (Too much corn? Run.)
4. Thou shalt know that dogs are not garbage disposals.
5. Thou shalt never underestimate how fast a dog can steal suya.

In Conclusion:

Feeding dogs isn’t rocket science, but it feels like it sometimes, especially when you're a tired mum, with three kids, a demanding German Shepherd, a diva Basenji, and a snarky cat who eats your dog's food and blames the twins.

So if you came here for expert advice, again, kindly go here. 

But if you came for real-life, small-stress, laugh-away-the-mistake vibes, you’re home.

Next post:

 “The Basics of Pet Nutrition: What Every Pet Owner Should At least Be Aware Of."

Love, 

Nene Ajayi,

(Pet parent, food-confuser, and proud owner of three judgmental animals)