TCVM Energetically Cooling Dog Food Recipe: Food Therapy Backed by Veterinarians

I’m sure you’ve been here before. You’re cranky, stressed, and running around like a “chicken with its head cut off.” You’re wound so tight that you’re exhausting yourself.

You Need to CHILL OUT!

Energetically speaking, the cooling diet actually helps dogs “chill out.” The energetically cooling diet is designed especially for Yin deficient dogs.

For example, Yin deficient dogs pant, pace, drink a lot. And, sometimes they appear a bit agitated.

Kind of like some people you know, right? If your dog displays these symptoms, the energetically cooling diet may help!

Yin Deficiency in Dogs

This is the story of Myrtle, a Yin Deficient dog. Myrtle is a 13-year old Great Pyrenees.

She was brought to my clinic by a nice middle-aged lady with two kids.

Myrtle drove the family crazy by pacing at night and panting all the time. She also seemed quite agitated.

Before, in her younger years, Myrtle was a pretty easygoing dog. She played heartily with vigor and was the perfect family pet.

However, Myrtle’s panting and pacing became disturbing and bothersome to the entire family. She also drank excessively and needed to go out to pee all the time.

Upon examination, Myrtle showed classic signs of Yin Deficiency. She had a bright red tongue with a very little saliva. In addition, Myrtle panted excessively and felt warm to the touch.

In an older, geriatric dog, all of the above are classic Yin Deficiency signs. Remember, all dogs tend to move towards deficiency as they age.

What is Yin Deficiency in a Dog?

Yin and Yang are Chinese terms used to describe the opposites in the world. Yin is the cool, the night, the female, the passive, the moon, etc. Yang is the opposite. A dog that is Yin Deficient is a dog that is lacking in those things that constitute Yin in a dog’s body.

The classic signs of Yin deficiency in a dog are:

Bright red tongue
Cool seeking
Excessive thirst
Excessive panting
Dry skin
Warm to the touch

The Yin component of the Yin/Yang Theory is cooling. Yin is the moistening and cooling agent of the body. When a deficiency of Yin exists, symptoms of the lack of cooling and moisture factors, like those described above, occur. The TCVM name for this condition is Yin Deficiency. Yin Deficiency is probably the most common deficiency diagnosed in geriatric dogs.

Energetically Cooling Foods for Yin Deficient Dogs

Use Eastern Food Therapy to cool and help replenish yin. Yin Deficiency (heat caused by a deficiency of the cooling components of the body) is treated by feeding the dog a cooling or neutral diet.

It’s quick and easy to cook at home for your pet!

Energetically Cooling Food Choices

Use Eastern Food Therapy to bring your dog into energetic balance.

A nutritionally balanced canine diet contains:

60% – 80% Protein – mostly from meat
20% – 40% Carbohydrates – from grains, vegetables, and fruit
A minimum of 2% fat

Use the list of foods below to create endless delicious recipe combinations for your furry friend!

Mix up the ingredients as needed to create a food that your dog loves.

You can easily track the protein, carbohydrate, and fat ratios in an online food log like the ones found on Fitbit and Livestrong websites.

It’s best to stick to all cooling food items, but you may add one neutral item per bach for convenience.

Meats/Protein Source

Carp (neutral)
Clam
Cod
Crab
Duck
Eggs (neutral)
Goose (neutral)
Herring (neutral)
Kidney, pork (neutral)
Liver, beef (neutral)
Liver, sheep
Mackerel (neutral)
Oyster (neutral)
Pigeon (neutral)
Pork (neutral)
Quail (neutral)
Rabbit
Sardine (neutral)
Tofu
Turkey
Tuna (neutral)
Whitefish (neutral)
Yogurt

Vegetables/Fruits

Alfalfa
Amaranth
Artichoke (neutral)
Asparagus (neutral)
Banana
Broccoli
Cabbage (neutral)
Carrot (neutral)
Cauliflower (neutral)
Celery
Corn (neutral)
Cucumber
Dandelion leaf
Eggplant
Lettuce
Mushroom, button
Pear
Potato (neutral)
Spinach
Summer squash
Strawberry
Swiss Chard
Tomato
Watermelon
Yam (neutral)

Grains/Beans/Starch

Barley
Barley sprouts
Black beans (neutral)
Black sesame seeds (neutral)
Broad beans (neutral)
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Green beans (neutral)
Green peas (neutral)
Kidney bean (neutral)
Millet
Mung bean
Peanuts (neutral)
Red beans (neutral)
Sesame Seed
String beans (neutral)
Soybeans (neutral)
Tofu
Wheat (including wheat bran and wheat flour)
White rice (neutral)

Fats

Black sesame oil
Flaxseed oil
Peanut oil (neutral)
Sesame oil
Soybean oil

Sample Energetically Cooling Dog Food Recipe

To make the recipe at home, you will need:

5 pounds meat (see “protein” list above)
1.5 pounds of vegetables (see “vegetable” list above)
1 pound white potatoes
3 cups cooked brown rice, or 1 cup uncooked brown rice plus 2 cups water
1 egg
1 teaspoon olive oil or flaxseed oil

Directions:

First, debone and chop meat and vegetables.

Next, place all ingredients in crockpot layering:

Slow cooking root vegetables on the bottom
Meat in the middle
Fast cooking items on top

Then, top with 1 cup of water.

Afterward, cook on low for 4 hours.

In addition, add the following to your pet’s diet:

One canine multivitamin per day.
Calcium supplement 50mg/kg of body weight (22mg/lb of bodyweight) per day. Some other good choices for calcium are eggshell powder or bone meal.

Feeding Schedule:

Feed roughly 1.5 cups per 25 pounds of body weight twice daily.
Monitor your pet’s weight. If an undesirable weight loss occurs, please contact your veterinarian immediately so that you can make an adjustment in the feeding/diet plan.

Don’t Have Time to Cook? Order The Food Already Made!

Please consult with your veterinarian and use personal judgment when cooking at home for your dog. Even though pet food recalls and the poor quality of some pet foods are a concern, many veterinarians voice concerns over homemade diets. Some vets feel that when fed exclusively, homemade diets may result in vitamin/mineral deficiencies that can adversely affect a pet’s health. If you choose to feed your dog a homemade diet, you must understand and meet your dog’s needs to stay healthy. Please share our recipe with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can advise you on supplements for your pet’s individual situation. Monitor your dog’s health by observing his/her temperament, skin, coat, and waste. If you notice anything strange, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Need More Help? Get A Phone Consultation with One of Our TCVM Veterinarians

Becki Baumgartner, BS MH

Becki Baumgartner is PET | TAO's Certified Master Herbalist. Her passion is helping people find natural solutions for mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional challenges--for themselves and their pets!