Disclosure: Our recommendations are based on our testing, research and analysis. We may earn a commission on products purchased using links on this page.
Having two dogs and feeding Volhard’s AM and PM dog food may be stressful. Here are some suggestions to make preparation and feeding easier.
By Laura Pakis, Certified Professional Dog Training and Blogger
For a year, Acme Canine has been feeding Volhard’s Natural Diet Foundation AM Porridge and PM Crumble. We’ve prepared our dogs’ food in advance for boarding as well as weekly. This is what we have found successful.
Things you’ll need
Stainless steel food bowls
These are important since they make washing and sanitizing after meals very easy. You may want to splurge and get a duplicate set (one for each meal).
Although not necessary, the following make meal preparation so much easier:
Measuring tools
These would be specific for the amount you serve at each meal. We have two dogs in the 50-60 lb. range, so we keep a 1/2 cup measuring cup in our PM Crumble bag and a 1/4 cup measuring cup in our AM Porridge bag. We also have a separate 1/4 cup measuring cup for the Whole Fat Yogurt, a 2 Tablespoon spoon for the vegetables, and 1 cup for the 80/20 raw protein.
We purchased all these tools on Amazon, but I’m sure you could find them at a kitchen supply store.
Food containers
We started using plastic storage bags and whatever food storage container we could find.
Now we use 25 oz. Plastic food containers with lids for the AM Porridge prep. They are all the same size and stack great in the refrigerator. Again we purchased ours on Amazon, but I have seen them in Gordon Food Service and other restaurant supply stores.
We also invested in Ziplock reusable storage bags is made of food-grade PEVA material. The PM crumble fits perfectly in them, and you can write the dog’s name on the outside of the bag using a permanent ink marker.
They come in three sizes (we use the Sandwich size), are washable, and durable. You guessed it! We purchased them from Amazon.
Bag or binder clips
Although the Volhard dog food comes in resealable bags, the bags become bulkier as the food is used up. We find cutting the bags down as we use the food helps with storage, and using a bag clip or binder clip helps seal the bags.
Frozen or fresh vegetables
There are a variety of vegetables to feed your dog. Cutting up the vegetables ahead of time helps.
In the summer, we have a garden and will use the vegetable we grow in our dogs’ food. In the winter, we use frozen mixed vegetables.
Other items
You will also need a refrigerator or freezer for food storage. And a counter to do your prep at.
How to Prep your food for the week
Like any recipe, you want all the above items out and accessible.
AM Porridge assembly
Line up your food containers in a row to assemble a week’s worth of morning meals. Then start adding ingredients to the container. We usually do one ingredient at a time.
We’ve found that putting the yogurt on the bottom with the dry porridge and vegetables makes it easier to add the water to hydrate when we feed the girls. We also relate to Mr. Monk on the tv series.
Once everything but the water has been added, we put it on the lid and pop them in the refrigerator.
Since refrigerator storage is premium at our home, we store the AM Porridge in the freezer.
PM Crumble assembly
Using the same technique above, we fill the reusable storage bags with the PM Crumble. There are enough bags for the week and one dog food bowl filled for the evening’s feeding.
Since the raw protein varies, we will divide it by cupful and put it in a reusable storage bag. The recommended protein is raw 80/20 beef, but you need to add a teaspoon of butter to the protein if you add chicken. We also use a can of mackerel once a week.
These all go in the refrigerator for storage.
Feeding
We take out the AM or PM packets about 15 minutes before it’s time to feed and hydrate the food with the designated amount of water. This gives enough time to moisten the food if you stir it slightly.
We stir in the raw meat for the PM feeding when it’s time to serve.
Conclusion
So there you have it. We prepared a week’s worth of dog food for two dogs in about an hour.
If you have any suggestions or comments to improve our technique, we’d love to hear from you.
Let’s talk dogs, or even better, let’s learn about dogs. Gain more canine knowledge through Acme Canine’s social media: website, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram
Down to earth, common sense, proven DOG advice
Welcome to Spike’s Dog Blog by Acme Canine. Throughout the site, you will find a variety of helpful dog training articles, insightful dog behavior tips, and truthful product reviews from nationally-recognized canine trainers and professionals.