Just what it says. Check with your vet first. I have had many Chihuahuas over the last 10 years (I'm involved with rescue) who have tended toward obesity, and this diet has helped them get fit and trim. As long as they still have healthy teeth you should still feed them a good quality "lite" kibble and this is as a supplement. It is not quite as dense as commercial food. My dogs are quite small, and normally eat 1/4 cup kibble twice a day. When they are on this diet, I feed them 1/4 cup of this along with about 1/2 the kibble they usually eat (approximately 2 tablespoons). Please note, certain foods are toxic to dogs; NEVER add onions or garlic to this recipe. Garlic is less dangerous than onions and some people will tell you that it's actually beneficial for your pets' health. I prefer to err on the side of safety for their sake so I say please do not add it to their food. As for the vegetables, my babies love green beans, beets, carrots, peas, spinach, mixed vegetables and lima beans, among others. The important thing is to use a variety and if using canned, they must be the kind that have NO SALT ADDED.
05While you are waiting on the rice, cook the chicken or turkey meat in a frying pan until completely done. Transfer it into a fine-mesh colander and place in the sink to let the liquid drain out while the rice is cooking.
06If you are using vegetables that have pieces larger than 1/2" then you need to use this time to cut them down further. For example, my dogs love beets but the only salt-free variety I can find are sliced beets. I chop the slices into small dice, and I do the same with the green beans.
07Also use this time to prepare the parsley. This part is important. First clean it as you normally would, then remove all the large stems so that what you have left are just the tiny sprigs. Then transfer the sprigs to your food processor. If you don't have one, get out your biggest, sharpest knife and start chopping. The parsley needs to be VERY finely chopped. If not, you will find it all over the floor after Fido's feeding time. Babies don't like the texture of whole parsley and will spit it out. It is, however, good for their breath and digestion and it's very low-cal.
08When the rice is done and has been taken off the heat, open the lid and add the meat, stir well.
09Add all the vegetables, stir well.
10Add the parsley. Mix thoroughly.
11Pack the mixture into pint-sized containers and store properly, keeping one out for immediate use.