Ingredients For Rascals Homemade Dog Food:
- All-Natural chicken stock or water
- Macaroni noodles
Note: We add in a supplement nutrient blend from a company called Just Food For Dogs very similar to dog vitamins as well as Omega oil to make sure he is getting enough healthy fats. I highly recommend adding both of these into your dog food so you can rest assure that they are getting proper nutrients.
Carrot Peanut Butter Pupcakes
Puppies + cupcakes = pupcakes. These doggy desserts are exactly what you need to celebrate a special occasion, like Scouts first birthday or Bellas graduation from obedience school. Dont forget the party hats!
For a particularly well-behaved dog, youll want to find a gift, too.
How Much Dog Food Should You Make At Once
When youre learning how to make dog food for small dogs, youll want to calculate how much your dog eats every day. Small dogs typically eat less than a cup of food per meal, so you might need significantly less food each week.
Think about how much your dog eats every day and decide whether you want to freeze or refrigerate your homemade dog food. Refrigerated dog food, much like human food, stays good for about five days. Frozen dog food lasts much longer, though you will need to defrost it.
For example, if your dog eats one cup of food per day, youll want to learn how to make dog food for small dogs that accounts for five cups to keep in the refrigerator for the week. If youre planning to freeze your dog food, you can make a larger batch and freeze it into individual portions. Now lets get cooking!
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Cooking Our Way To A Healthier Dog Diet
Ever since I started raising my own dogs, Id always wanted to make their food at home but thought it would be too expensive or too time consuming, or that they wouldnt get the nutrition they needed.
During the month of Bugs doggy depression, I vowed to make her precious life as comfortable as possible.
Both of my pugs had a range of health issues growing up, which I unfortunately found out were common for the breed.
My older one had persistent hot spots and itchiness that no commercial dog food could cure .
Bug was overweight for a while when she was younger, even though she ate the recommended amount of food for her target weight. Eventually, I settled on Wellness kibbles and they did well with that brand.
But, I wanted to explore other options. I wanted to give them real food fresh, nutritious ingredients that I recognized and could even eat myself.
Ive mentioned in my post on homemade whole grain chicken feed that the entire household all share the same whole grains and seeds that we buy in bulk, as well as the bounty that comes from our edible garden.
Everything our animals eat, we can eat.
When it comes to homemade feed for our laying hens, we stick to a tried-and-true formula that works for every layer: 16 to 17 percent protein , vitamins, minerals, and amino acids from a wide variety of grains and seeds, and free range of a pasture for weeds, greens, and insects.
Dogs, on the other hand, arent bred for a standard function the way chickens are.
An Alternative To Home Cooking
Cooking for your pet is a process thats demanding on your time, labor, space, and finances, says Dr. Larsen.
Home cooking is not for everyone, though, and it doesnt have to be. Another option to provide your dog with whole ingredients is to get carefully prepared ready-made meals.
There are commercial foods that can be purchased that contain whole ingredients that are pre-cooked. Which is very close to cooking, notes Dr. Bartges.
So, while you might think that cooking for your dog is better for their health, it can be just as beneficial to purchase pre-prepared food thats made with the same principles in mind. Whichever method you choose, just to make sure you are always catering to your dogs individual health and nutrition needs.
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Second The Foods Your Dog Can Eat
There are actually lots of yum, nutritious human foods your dog can eat in moderation. But foods like turkey, sweet potato, blueberries, strawberries, carrots, oatmeal and so many more are on the menu. Check out the American Kennel Clubs list and be sure to check with your vet before adding any ingredient to your dogs diet. The American Kennel Club chief veterinary officer warns dog owners that it is always a good idea to introduce a new food item slowly into a dogs diet. If your pup hasnt had any of these foods before, prepare and add them incrementally to your dogs current diet to see if she tolerates them. .
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Keep your dog healthy and fit with this easy peasy homemade recipe its cheaper than store-bought and chockfull of fresh veggies!
I never thought I would be one of those dog owners who made homemade human food for their pups. Not in a million years.
But when Butters recently fell sick with an upset stomach, our vet advised us to feed him a bland diet chicken and rice without any kind of seasoning. So thats what we did we poached a chicken, shredded it in a food processor, and mixed in some white rice and fed him this bland diet for 3 days.
Thats when I started to do some research on homemade dog food, and I have been so amazed as to how many different kinds of vegetables dogs can have. And with the help of Balance IT, you can create so many different recipes for your pup!
Now the best part about making homemade dog food just like making anything at home is that you know exactly what is going into the dog bowl, and not any of that questionable gelatinous gunk from the canned food.
But its important to note that dogs have different nutrient requirements than humans for their proportional body size, such as:
Now this recipe here has a balance of 50% protein, 25% veggies and 25% grains, but the ratios can easily be adjusted to suit your pups breed and/or needs.
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Easy Homemade Dog Food Recipes Calorie
Many dog owners find preparing homemade dog food to be highly rewarding. Watching your dog thrive and knowing exactly what he’s eating can be reassuring. So if you have the time and inclination, homemade dog food may be a great option for your pooch.
For this reason, I would like to show you how to make your own dog food. My dog food recipes are easy, cost-effective and nutritionally balanced. They can also work wonders in helping to manage your dogâs weight.
Should You Cook Your Dogs Food
Is cooking dog food at home really better for your pup? While there may be claims made to that effect, theres no hard scientific evidence to support it.
Owners are told by many sources that homemade food is superior to commercial products. However, there is no proof to support this claim, says Dr. Larsen.
Larsen cautions dog owners to be aware of fearmongering within the pet food industry. This is often driven by myths about ingredient quality. While there are no scientifically-supported benefits to homemade diets, whole ingredient-based diets are better in the long term. Commercial foods are made to be complete and balanced, adds Dr. Bartges, albeit not the most exciting of meals.
Think of it as eating the same highly processed food for every meal, day after day, for years, he affirms.
Put that way, feeding your dogs a variety of whole foods makes a lot of sense. In fact, there are a multitude of reasons why you might want to prepare homemade foods for your dog, according to Dr. Larsen and Dr. Bartges.
These include gaining control over your dogs diet, appeasing picky eaters, combatting food intolerance issues, concern over food recalls, or simply for the bond-building joy of preparing a home-cooked meal for your dog.
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Feed Smaller Meals More Often
Dogs with kidney problems often feel better when fed several small meals throughout the day rather than just one or two large meals. You may find that you need to adjust your feeding schedule as time goes on to keep your pup comfy! Hooch has really benefited from smaller meals throughout the day and seems to have much more energy all the way into the evening.
Complete Nutrition From A Veterinarian
That said, homemade dog foods can require a significant amount of time and effort to get right. Homemade dog food needs to contain nutrients dogs need to be healthy. But those nutrients should be right amounts so as not to get too much or too little of any nutrient. A veterinary nutritionist has specialized training to help pet parents like yourself make nutritionally balanced meals for your dog. The recipes in this article have all been reviewed by our veterinary consultant with this goal in mind.
Its a good idea to have the recipes in this article handy in case you run out of dog food. Treat your dog like any of your other family members by preparing nutritious food from trusted ingredients.
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Crunchy Pumpkin Rice N Oat Bites
These oaty crouton bites add a fun, nutritious crunch to your dogs dinner. This recipe makes 10.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups flour
Instructions:
- Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper and preheat the oven to 350°F
- Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix
- Gather the mixture into a ball with your hands
- Roll it out on a flat, floured surface with a rolling pin
- Using a biscuit cutter, cut out some biscuits & put them on the baking sheet
- Bake for 30 minutes & then leave to cool
Eggs are not just for binding, they are high in protein and essential amino acids!
What Type Of Dog Food Is Best For My Dog
Because there are so many commercial dog food brands available, choosing a dog food can be quite overwhelming. All commercial diets with the AAFCO label are considered “complete and balanced” for dogs. This means that the diet sustains life and meets a dog’s basic nutritional needs for the designated life stage. However, not all dog foods are created equal. The quality of ingredients contributes to your dog’s health and well-being.
When you are choosing the type of food to feed your dog, first narrow down your priorities:
- How important to you is it to feed natural, whole ingredients? If this is very important, look into natural or therapeutic veterinary diets. You may even consider a home-prepared diet .
- How much does cost factor into your decision? Natural and therapeutic diets are usually in the higher price range. If you are on a budget, you may need to find a mid-level food to feed.
- How much time are you willing to spend preparing the food? If you want to dedicate the time required for preparation, a home-prepared diet may be a desirable option.
Then, consider your dog:
- Overweight dogs or those with health conditions may benefit from special veterinary diets.
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Tips On How To Make Healthy And Nutritious Homemade Dog Food For Your Senior Dog
The best way to ensure that your senior dog is getting the right amount of nutrition is to make homemade dog food. This post will provide you with some tips on how to make homemade food for your senior dog.
There are many benefits of making homemade food for your senior dog. One of the most important benefits is that you are in control of what goes into your diet. You can also monitor their weight by measuring how much they eat and calculating their calorie intake.
There are a number of reasons why dog owner may make their own food for their pet. For example, some people find that the quality and natural ingredients of homemade food are preferable to commercial products. Others make their own dog food because they want to avoid potential toxins found in commercial products. Whatever the reason, its important to make sure that youre feeding your dog a healthy and nutritious diet.
If youre making your own dog food, there are a few things to consider. First, not all dogs will like the same diet or even enjoy the taste of homemade food. Some dogs may prefer a diet that is high in fat or protein, while others may be healthier on a diet that is lower in fat and protein content. Much of this depends on your individual dogs preference.
You will need different equipment depending on the type of dog food you want to make for your senior pooch.
Ingredients Needed For This Homemade Dog Food Recipe:
This DIY dog food made at home is filled with rich protein, vegetables, and healthy grains. Heres what youll need:
- Coconut oil provides a variety of health benefits for dogs, such as improving the skin and coat, increasing energy, aiding digestion, and reducing allergic reactions, just to name a few. And just like us, your dog needs healthy fats in their diet.
- Ground turkey will add necessary protein to your dogs diet, as well as important vitamins and minerals.
- Veggies this homemade dog food recipe uses a mix of zucchini, spinach and carrots. All are safe for dogs and will provide your baby with a variety of nutrients.
- Turmeric a dog-safe seasoning that also provides antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Egg for extra protein and nutrients.
- Rice a complex carb that provides energy and aids in gastrointestinal function.
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What You Should Know About Homemade Dog Food
- Homemade dog food is prone to rapid bacterial and fungal growth if it is not chilled. Refrigerate or freeze your prepared homemade dog food in sealed containers at less than 4 degrees Celsius .
- Use refrigerated homemade dog food within 3 days. Check for odor and color changes before serving. Serve at just below body temperature. Ensure there are no hot spots if defrosting or warming the food in a microwave.
- Homemade dog food must be supplemented with calcium and dog vitamin and mineral powders. These dog supplements are not optional.
- Each recipe provides 1000 kcal. Serving size is determined by your dogâs dieting calorie requirement.
- Measure out the ingredients using kitchen scales to ensure the protein and calorie content is accurate.
- Do not cook or heat the vitamin/mineral supplement. Instead, add it to the meal just before feeding.
Filtered Or Distilled Water Only
The kidneys main function is to filter out the toxins in our bodies. Since tap water can be loaded with chemicals and contaminants it is best to only give your dog clean, filtered water to drink. If you have a dog living with kidney disease like we do, you may also want to eventually invest in a slow water feeder. Dogs with kidney disease can get quite thirsty and will actually start drinking water too fast which causes its own unique set of problems.
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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!
Ingredients:
BLOG TERMS & CONDITION
Chicken Recipe For Dog Food
Theres a reason why chicken is the most popular protein for most dogs: its a healthy source of protein thats easy to cook and tastes delicious. Its also a versatile protein that can be served in a huge variety of ways.
This simple chicken recipe for dog food combines protein-packed chicken with brown rice and healthy veggies to create a meal your dog is sure to love. Feel free to add or change up the vegetables based on your dogs preferences and make this dish your own.
- ½ cup cooked brown rice
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