No Dog Food? No Problem.

You reach inside the dog food bag and � nothing. You're already rushed and the kids are late for school, do your puppy pals go hungry or is there a solution? Dogs can eat most people food without a problem even as a regular diet. If you're out of dog food here are some suggestions.

Dogs need roughly 50% protein, 25% vegetable/fruits, and 25% grain, or starch, in their diet. Stick with these proportions and your dog should be just fine. Stay away from salt, high fat foods and processed foods, but that still leaves lots of choices.

Dogs love eggs, so scramble up two or three, break up a slice of bread and add a few carrots and breakfast is served. You don't even have to cook the eggs if you're short on time.

Cook up some quick oatmeal (not the prepackaged, single serving, kind that has too much sugar), add some vegetables from your dinner last night and the meat from a couple chicken legs.

Bake a potato in the microwave and roughly chop. When it's cool add a can of tuna fish or a cup of cottage cheese, a handful of cooked string beans and dinner is ready.

How much you feed your dog depends on how big he is and how active. If you usually feed one standard size can of dog food per meal that's about a cup and half. Dry dog food is a bit more calorie dense, so a cup of dry dog food would equal about a cup and a third of fresh food.

The protein can come from hamburger, beef, chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, turkey or fish. Stay away from cold cuts and deli meats. Even deli turkey for example has more salt than is good for your pooch. Cheese is high in protein but it's also high in fat and salt. Save cheese as a special treat. Just about any fruit or vegetable is appropriate with the exception of grapes. Some experts say dogs shouldn't have onions even if they're cooked and others say they're just fine. Grains and starch include rice, potatoes, yams, cracked wheat, wild rice, oatmeal, pasta, and in a pinch, bread.

If you plan on serving your dogs leftovers make sure they're human quality leftovers, not the grizzle and fat from a steak with gravy thrown on top. If you wouldn't eat it your dog shouldn't. There is one exception. Dogs don't mind if everything is served in the same bowl from salad to entr�e to dessert.