As a cook, there are lots of different tastes and people I’ve catered to over the past 8 years. I’ve had to learn to add more spices, cut back on spices, over cook a perfect steak and under cook pancakes.

I’ve had to lean what to prepare for renal patients, pay close attention to every detail while preparing food for people allergic to gluten and threw caution to the wind while preparing a meal for a terminal cancer patient.

This past week my knowledge in cooking expanded into the world of dogs. No, not cooking dogs, but cooking for dogs.

Last week my dog Shiloh fell very ill. She wasn’t eating her food, had a fever and grew weaker every day. The vet suggested that we food her steamed rice, boiled chicken, carrots and green beans. And so T and I headed to the grocery store to pick up what we needed.

The way in which Shiloh ate her chicken was as though it was manna from heaven. Knowing how sick she was, it made me smile that she ate to happily and quickly, even if she had to be encouraged to eat every bite from T and I’s hand. Though Shiloh sadly passed, she left me a great lesson: food is the greatest comfort when shared.

While losing my dog has absolutely devastated me I’ve gained a valuable lesson in love and nutrition for my pets. I’m no longer keen on the idea of just feeding them what’s available from the pet food isle- I can control what foods are being put into their little bodies. Sure it might take a little extra effort on my part but isn’t good nutrition all the way around worth it?

Cooking has taught me wonderful things about the human body: the values of the proper nutrition for the immune system and even greater the value of comfort food provides to the soul, human or four legged friend.