I have a very small rescue dog who is a very picky eater. A food he loves and devours one day, he turns his nose up at the next. It is very difficult to feed a picky dog.

He experienced a pancreatitis incident some time back, and the vet suggested boiled chicken as the only allowed table food.  That worked well for a while, but some animals do not want to eat the same thing day in and day out.

Commercial dog food has become an adventure in itself due to recalls, questionable ingredients, and methods used to process the food at the manufacturer. A little research into commercial pet foods will have you on your knees apologizing to your dog and seeking better food alternatives for your pet.

I began to do some research and came across the raw meaty bones diet methodology, and I am still exploring it in depth. I've also found some recipes on the internet that I've tried, and so far my dog will eat some and not others. That is to be expected. Any new diet will require some trial and error to adjust to the dog's likes and dislikes.

I bought some beef liver at the grocery and cooked it in a non-stick skillet coated with a small amount of olive oil. I cooked it on both sides until nearly done but still soft in the middle. I did not season it. I let it cool, and sliced it into small bites. My dog loved it.

This is not something I plan to feed him every day, but I wanted to see if he would eat beef liver as an alternative to the mundane and boring boiled chicken.

The normal way that I prepared his boiled chicken was to cook a pack of chicken breasts in water to obtain shredded chicken. I reserved part of the meat for dog food, and the rest for dishes for us such as chicken salad, stew, soup, tacos, etc.

Recently, I cooked a whole chicken in the oven and shredded the meat afterward. I found that my dog really enjoyed the dark meat chicken as an alternative to the white meat he was used to receiving.

I have ventured a bit into the raw natural feeding method, but only slightly until I complete some more research. I purchase fresh sirloin steak at the grocery and trim the fat. I divide it into 3-4 ounce portions for my family, and cut some of it into bite size chunks for the dog.

The first time I fed him raw meat, I was hesitant but I followed the raw diet methodology. My dog loved it. He was even more playful than usual after his meal. I did not overdo it; I just gave him a few chunks.

Supposedly, dogs are not susceptible to salmonella like humans. Of course, you do not want to feed your dog diseased, rotten, or unfresh meat. I only choose meats for my dog that I am willing to eat myself. I am very scrutinizing about freshness and quality.

As I explore this natural dog food method for my pet, I will share that information with others who might be seeking natural pet food solutions for their animals.

In the meantime, do a little investigation into what is in that bag of food you've been giving your dog. Check out some of the recalled pet foods and explore in depth why they were recalled.

I love my dog very much. I want to take the best possible care of him I can. If it requires a great deal of reading and research on my part, I am willing to do that and more. He is worth it. I am now on a quest to find a natural dog food diet for my pet that will improve his health and prolong his life.

You can read more about natural pet food and dog health at Melissa's website, Dandy Dog Deli