"DogFood" news and stories

We've seen you Slashfoodies pressing your noses up against the windows of new restaurants or talking for an unseemly amount of time about the pasta you made last night. And we love it, since that's what we go nuts for, too.

But we also know you have multiple obsessions, so if a meowing, drooling or swimming compadre is one of them, check out our brand-new sister site Paw Nation, featuring adorable photos, smart advice and even pet horoscopes!

For those canine-lovers devoted to both dogs and food, there's also a new book out there for ya: "One Nation Under Dog: Adventures in the New World of Prozac-Popping Puppies, Dog-Park Politics and Organic Pet Food." Say that six times fast. An exploration of America's puppy prediliction, the book features a whole chapter devoted to the grub we feed our four-legged friends. Journalist Michael Schaffer's tours Bogner Meats, where they manufacture human food and raw dog food alike. Though one manager declares his father would have "rolled over in his grave" at the notion of upscale dog food made from people food, Schaffer seems pretty taken with it, especially in the wake of the salmonella scandals.

But seriously, folks, Paw Nation? One Nation Under Dog? Who's in charge here, anyways??

In response to the unleashing of Rachael Ray's "Nutrish" line of dog cuisine, celeb-skewing artist 14 visually muses on what product line extensions might come about should other TV chefs join the pack. Paula Deen's Varmint Vittles or Gordon Ramsay's 100% F***ing Organic Hell Hound, anyone?

Yes, proceeds from the sales of Nutrish will indeed go toward funding no-kill shelters and awareness campaigns, and it's not as if she's the first media-centric chef to go to the dogs -- or cats (remember Rocco DiSpirito's Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys?). Still, I'm continually shocked by the branding stretches some of these folks are making.

Has anyone found celebrity-endorsed products more outre than dog food or signature garbage bowls? Mario Batali limited edition Ernst Benz watch, perhaps?

(Aaaannnd I've just run across Paula Deen's Butt Massage. I know it's likely a handy and delicious mix of herbs, spices and faerie dust, but still. Ew.)

[via: Gallery of the Absurd]

My friends make fun of me because I find the internet hilarious. I can't help it. I love LOLcats, Rickrolling, and, of course, The FAIL Blog (and FAIL Dogs). For those unfamiliar with the FAIL trend, it's basically when people find funny pictures of things not working as planned, and then label them "FAIL."

Reading The FAIL Blog has me thinking about all of my personal food FAILS, and how funny FAILS can be when they happen to you. The blog has some pretty awesome food pictures, such as this Salad FAIL, this Vending FAIL and this Dogfood FAIL. One of my favorite cooking blogs, Jumbo Empanadas, also wrote a FAIL post about a strawberry cheesecake -- though it certainly didn't look like a FAIL to me.

I think my biggest cooking FAIL was an attempt to make a cauliflower mash with beautiful purple and yellow cauliflower. Somehow, I thought that I could make it wasabi flavored because you can do that with normal mashed potatoes. I was very wrong, and they turned out disgusting. Please, make me feel less badly: share your FAIL food experiences with us.

With all of the recent pet food scares, a lot of dog and cat owners have been gun shy about going back to their favorite (or, should I say, their pet's favorite!) brand. But have you ever thought about actually cooking for your dog?

By sheer coincidence, I was watching a Will & Grace episode last night where they got a dog and Will was actually cooking fancy dog food for the puppy. But a lot of people do it in the real world too, because pets are like a member of the family. There's even a beer for dogs!

You have to make sure you're using ingredients that are safe for dogs and that it actually fits into their diet. Here's a link to several recipes, including one for the Rrrruvery Rrrrisotto recipe mentioned in the article. It's probably good to check with your vet too.

Christine Drummond is a New Zealand business woman with a heart. Her dream: to send food aid to the poor in Kenya. The thing is, she runs a dog food business. The Kenyan government has replied that the offer is in "bad taste."

The founder of Mighty Mix dog biscuits insists, however, that while the same ingredients are used in both the dog food and the nutritional supplement (Raw Dry Nourish), they are not the same. The powder is a natural, high-powered nutrient-rich food combining flax seeds, green-lipped mussels and something called deer velvet (which doesn't sound at all appetizing).  She is also sending 42 tons of maize in addition to the 6000 emergency packs. The food should feed 140 orphans for two months.

TV New Zealand has a video clip on the story.

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