Make A Homemade Dog Food Treat
You may wonder, why use your dogs everyday food for a dog food treat, especially when there are so many recipes for making your own homemade dog cookies?
Well, three reasons include:
- Prescription Diet – Your vet may prescribe a certain diet due to your dogs health, age or recent surgery. You are probably limited to what treats, if any, can be given.
- Picky Eater – Other times it is a self imposed limitation because your dog is a picky eater. If that is the case, using their own preferred food should go over very well.
- Easy Recipes – Making treats from your dog’s food is quick and simple. You are also guaranteed to have the ingredients on hand.
Will You Make Me aDog Food Treat, Please?
You don’t have to fall into one of the above categories to make these easy dog food treats. If you are looking for easy dog treat recipes,try one or two of these and see how happy you can make your dog.
Recipes & Ideas:
When Fresh Herbs Are Not An Option
This easy to make custom spice blend combines dried parsley, basil, dill, rosemary, and oregano. I sprinkle on a little of the seasoning blend at every feeding for added nutrition. I know I’m contributing to fresh breath, happy tummies, and better long term health benefits for both of our dogs!
***Please note, I am not a veterinarian, just a very passionate dog owner! The information in this blog post documents our own personal experiences, research, and the recipes that we feed our dogs under our veterinarians careful supervision. Please, consult with your vet and use your own personal judgment when considering transitioning to a 100% human grade food diet for your pup. POST UPDATE 9/25/20 to add more information on ingredients. The original recipe is still the same***
Why We Switched To Homemade Dog Food
Recently, I shared a blog post about our dog’s health issues and why we decided to make the switch to a diet that is made up of 100% human grade food.
In our experience, the switch was easy, cost effective, and so much healthier for our dogs than a traditional doggie diet of processed kibble! The homemade dog food recipe that I make for our dogs combines lean ground sirloin, wholesome brown rice, fresh vegetables, hard boiled eggs, and tender herbs. This healthy, vibrant alternative to traditional dog food has given our 11 year old dog, Hooch, a new lease on life!
Since making the switch 8 months ago I have been so inspired by the improvements we have seen in Hooch! It’s pushed me to continue to research different ingredients that might help even more. I’m excited to share my first Homemade Dog Food Seasoning blend with you and your pup! I really hope you will benefit as much as we have.
Read Also: Where Can I Buy Dr Pol Dog Food
Improve Your Dogs Stools With The Right Food
For the average pup, Nulos Freestyle Grain-Free food is going to be an excellent option.
It has high-quality ingredients and none of the bad stuff you need to avoid. For raw diet lovers, Stella and Chewys patties make feeding raw easy.
With one of the healthy options above, your dog is sure to have better stools. No matter which dog breed or breeds you have, these foods are formulated to keep your dog healthy from end to end.
How about you? Which is the best dog food for less poop? Let us know what works with your dog by leaving a comment below.
Beneful Wet Dog Food Feeding Tips
Feeding 3 oz Cans of Wet Dog FoodGive your dog one 3 oz can per 3 – 3½ pounds of body weight daily, divided into two or more meals. Adjust this amount as needed to help maintain your dog’s ideal body condition.
Mixing 3 oz Cans of Wet Dog Food With Dry Dog FoodIf mixing with dry food, remember that one 3 oz can replaces about ¼ cup of dry dog food.
Feeding 10 oz Tubs of Wet Dog FoodGive your dog one 10 oz container per 10½ – 12½ pounds of body weight daily, divided into two or more meals. Adjust this amount as needed to help maintain your dog’s ideal body condition.
Mixing 10oz Tubs of Wet Dog Food With Dry Dog FoodIf mixing with dry food, remember that one 10 oz container replaces about ¾ – 1 cup dry dog food.
Feeding Wet Dog Food To PuppiesIf feeding wet food to your puppy, don’t forget that he/she needs up to 2x as much food per pound of weight as an adult dog!
Providing Fresh WaterFor your dog’s health, don’t forget to provide adequate fresh water in a clean container daily and to see your veterinarian regularly, for a healthy and happy pet.
Storage TipsAfter opening, refrigerate and use within 2 – 3 days.
Also Check: Where To Buy Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat Dog Food
Tips For Mix Feeding Dry And Wet Food For Dogs
mailOf course, there are plenty of benefits in giving your dog a mixture of wet and dry food. One of these is that wet food helps to keep them hydrated. However, it only does part of the job. That’s why you should always make sure that there is a constant supply of cool, fresh water on hand. Keep it out of the sun so it doesn’t get hot, have more than one bucket or bowl so there’s a backup if one gets tipped over while you’re not there and keep an eye on how clean it is. Some dogs are notorious for dipping their dirty paws into the water.
Tip 1: Start by talking with your vet or retailer
A lot of dog foods are now specifically formulated for different life stages or for particular health conditions. Before you begin combining a wet and dry diet, it’s worth having a conversation with your vet to make sure that you’re giving your dog the right amount of the right food for their age stage and health profile.
Tip 2: Maintain portion control
Tip 3: Make the change gradual
Dogs might seem like they can eat anything, but sometimes their stomachs can be quite sensitive. This is why it is recommended that any change in their diet is handled gradually over a number of days. That way their digestion has time to adjust. A good rule of thumb to follow is to mix in a very small amount of the new food on day one and gradually alter the balance of new to old over seven days until you’re serving the final balance of mixed food on day seven.
Tip 4: It doesn’t have to be all-in-one
Evo 95 Adult Dog Grain Free Chicken & Turkey Recipe In Gravy
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Water, Turkey, Beef Liver, Fish Oil
The EVO brand of pet food offers what they call the ancestral diet meets modern nutrition. This brand understands the true nature of the carnivore and their design each of their formulas to offer the maximum amount of pure animal protein.
EVO uses only high-quality, natural ingredients to formulate recipes that are denser and richer in nutrients than the average pet food. This brand is committed to the quality and safety of their products as well, so they put them through over 100 quality checks before they even hit pet store shelves.
This brand doesnt use any artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and their recipes are designed to support your dogs total body wellness, including his healthy digestion and the health of his skin and coat.
When it comes to their wet food products, EVO only offers two options. Both of these are made with 95% animal ingredients and supplemented with gluten-free and grain-free carbohydrates.
The 95 Chicken & Turkey Recipe features fresh chicken and turkey as well as chicken liver it is complete and balanced for adult dogs and supplemented with chelated minerals. The 95 Beef Recipe is made with both beef and chicken as well as chicken liver.
Also Check: Where Is Natural Balance Dog Food Made
So We Went To Work & Spent The Days/weeks That Followed Researching Canine Kidney Disease Like Hooch’s Life Depended On It
After reading what felt like every article on the internet we were excited to know that there were a few really easy lifestyle changes we could immediately make at home. We hoped some of this would really help Hooch and make things easier on his kidneys. Here are a few of thebiggest impact changes we’ve been able to make:
Best Homemade Dog Food Recipes
“Why make dog food at home when you can just buy it at the store?”
The #1 reason is simply this: Control. You have full control over every single ingredient with no surprises.
Dog’s with allergies, sensitivities, or intolerance can live a happy life and you can live worry free. Which is why we like making grain free treats at home too.
The second reason is money savings! When it comes to healthy dog food the top brands are quite expensive, but you can simply use the same ingredients at home and save an absolute ton.
Of course, the next biggest concern is your time investment.
But surprisingly this isn’t as bad as it looks, and with just an hour or less per week you can make enough food to last for several days. We recommend you make use of a some big ziplock bags or containers and freeze what you’re not immediately using.
Each recipe allows for customization based on your dog’s individual nutritional requirements and tastes. But, before you get started you must speak with a Vet to see what your dog should and should not eat, as each dog’s diet will vary.
Recommended Reading: Is Iams Dog Food Grain Free
What Happens When Dogs Cannot Eat Dry Food
Dry dog food hit the market in the 19th century. It is rich in nutrients and has a long shelf life. Most dogs like it, but this is not always the case.
As dogs age, their teeth tend to become more sensitive just like in people. As a direct consequence, eating dry food will cause all kinds of painful sensations.
The same rule applies to dogs with bad teeth whether they have suffered from affection or they were just unlucky. If they miss teeth or they have cracked dogs teeth, dry food will be quite painful.
There are also situations when you might need to switch from can food to dry food. Many types of medical or diet food are dry. If your dog is used to can pet food, it will most likely reject dry food. Plus, wet food is not as dense as dry food, while the price will skyrocket your expenses.
Luckily, you do have options moistening your dogs dry kibble is one of them. So, How do you moisten dry dog food?
Cesar Filet Mignon Flavor & Spring Vegetables
Cesar Filet Mignon Flavor & Spring Vegetables Garnish Small Breed is another product that is made specifically for small breed dogs. This filet mignon and spring veggies recipe features a mix of tender, meaty pieces and crunchy kibbles. It has H-shaped kibbles to help keep teeth and gums healthy.
Made with real beef, Cesar Filet Mignon Flavor & Spring Vegetables has the protein your dog needs to help her build strong and lean muscles. This mix of crunchy and tender pieces has 26 nutrients to help support the overall health of small dogs of all life stages.
According to reviews for this product from Cesar, this filet mignon recipe is quite gentle on little dogs stomachs. It is also quite tasty, and the little pooches just cant get enough of this food.
The first five ingredients of Cesar Filet Mignon Flavor & Spring Vegetables Garnish Small Breed are beef, chicken-byproduct meal, ground yellow corn, ground wheat, and brewer’s rice.
You May Like: Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat Ingredients
What To Look For When Buying Canned Dog Food
Canned dog food offers an alternative for those who dont have time to prepare home-cooked dog foods. However, you will often be greeted by an entire aisle of canned dog food at the store.
So, how do you make sure you get the right one? Here are a few things to look out for when you are shopping for canned dog food:
How To Make Homemade Dog Food:
Making homemade dog food is a cinch! Heres a quick rundown of the process:
- Brown the turkey. Heat a large skillet or pot over a medium-high heat. Add in the coconut oil and turkey and sauté until it is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Add the veggies. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the zucchini, spinach, carrots and turmeric. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Mix in the egg. Turn off the heat and and crack in the egg. Let the egg cook in the hot food, mix it around to ensure it mixed through and cooked through.
- Stir in the rice. Add the rice and stir it in with the other ingredients until everything is well combined. Cool and serve!
Also Check: Iams Veterinary Formula Intestinal Plus Puppy
A Meal For You And Your Dog
Love cooking for your dog but never have the time? Rocky Kanaka from The CWs SAVE our SHELTER, Dog’s Day Out and founder of The Dog Bakery, has a solution. This easy to make salmon meal for yourself can also be made for your dog.
This recipe is designed for those who want to eat healthy and want their dogs to eat healthy as well but are always on the go. This is also one of the most eco friendly recipes we have seen. Instead of tossing things we would usually not eat such as broccoli stems, the recipe uses these as a key part to the dogs delicious meal.
This recipe also has a bonus tip on what to do with that salmon skin that is usually thrown in the trash. I get asked a lot if salmon skin is okay for dogs. While it is not safe if consumed raw, due to unwanted parasites, cooking in the oven for 20 minutes to make a crunchy, healthy, limited ingredient, organic, high omega dog snack that may help with heart health and give them a great skin and coat is a big win! says Rocky.
And there is more, when you cook for your dog you are more conscious of what you put in your body. For all of those reasons and more we give this recipe four paws up!
Healthy meals are important for you and your dog but the best thing about this recipe from Rocky Kanaka is it allows you to take time out of your day to spend time with your family two and four legged! Read on to find out how to do it or watch Rocky has he demonstrates!
How Do I Know If My Dogs Poop Is Healthy Or Not
According to the American Kennel Club , there are a few ways to tell if your dogs poop is healthy.
First, observe the color. It should be chocolate brown, not greenish, orange, yellow, or light brown. If your dog is eating food with artificial colors in it, you might see some of these colors in there.
Next, look at the shape. It should hold its form and should be long, like a log.
If it is loose, your dog might not be feeling well or their food contains something that doesnt agree with them. If its small and round, it can be a sign of dehydration.
Consistency comes next. Normal poop should be compact but not dry.
It should have some moisture, but not too wet. If you clean up your dogs poop using poop bags, try giving the feces a gentle squeeze. It should feel like Play-Doh.
Next is size. If your dog is eating a lot of fiber or ingredients that its body cant use, your dog will have larger poops. Dehydrated dogs will have small poops.
The stool should be in proportion to the size of your dog, as well.
Finally, look at the content. There should be nothing but poop in there. If you see chunks of food, that means his food isnt being completely digested.
You might also see mucus, worms, or grass. If so, a trip to the vet is in order.
Read Also: Is Iams Dog Food Grain Free
Purina Moist & Meaty Steak Flavor Best Fully Soft Food
Purina Moist & Meaty Steak Flavor is an entirely soft meal choice that is individually wrapped for convenience. It provides a powerfully enticing scent to attract even finicky eaters. You can fully seal it up after you portion out the meal to keep it nice and fresh for next time.
You can use this food as a topper, snack, or standalone diettotally up to you. In each serving, you have 18% crude protein, 7% crude fat, 3% crude fiber, and 33% moisture. The first ingredient is a beef byproduct, which can be irritating to some dogs tummies.
This all-soft food is perfect for dogs who have dental issues or pain while eating. There is no need to crunch vigorously, but this also means teeth brushing is essential. This recipe also contains fillers and artificial flavorsso its not for sensitive diets.
- Can cause plaque or tartar buildup
- Usually has artificial color, preservatives, and flavor enhancers
- Higher sugar and salt content
Only you and your veterinarian can determine if semi-moist food is a good choice for your pooch.