DIY Healthy Home-made Dog Food - Part 1

Many of us give great importance to our health and what food we eat, so why shouldn’t we feel the same for our dog? Home cooked food will have much less preservatives and additives when compared to dry dog food. Home cooked food will provide your four legged friend with a varied diet, which includes much better ingredients that are beneficial to their health. Preparing your dog's food will also keep him happy as he will always have interesting and new food to eat.   

BEEF AND VEGETABLE BALLS (SERVES 2 DOGS)

It is a well-known fact that most dogs favour meat treats. So they’ll definitely love this one!

INGREDIENTS

2 jars of organic beef and vegetable baby food

1 cup of whole-wheat flour (This may be substituted with white flour). 

2 cups of dry milk

1 cup of water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and drop the mixture onto a baking sheet. Bake for around 12 to 15 minutes and allow the treats to cool down completely. You should then store any leftover beef and vegetable balls in the fridge for up to five days.

Tip: Cut the recipe in half if you only own one dog.

TURKEY AND VEGETABLE DINNER (SERVES 2)

Turkey is a very healthy alternative to beef, hence it can be beneficial to those canines that need to lose some weight.

INGREDIENTS

4 cups of water
1 pound of ground turkey
2 cups of brown rice
1 cup of carrots, chopped
1 cup of green beans, chopped
1 tablespoon of fish oil (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Cook the ground turkey in a non-stick pan over a medium heat until the turkey is cooked through. Get a large pot and add the brown rice, turkey and water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium – low and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the rice is soft and tender.  Add the carrots and green beans and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Allow them to cool down before serving and store the extra in a fridge for up to five days.

Tip: Avoid using heavy oil to brown the turkey as it has a high fat content which might upset your dog’s stomach.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

These cookies will be a great way to sneak in some fish oil into your dog’s diet as this improves the dog’s coat by making  it shiny, soft and healthy looking .

Note: Some brands of peanut butter have unhealthy hydrogenated oils and additives therefore you might want to make your own peanut butter using some raw peanuts and peanut oil and processing the mixture in your food processor.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of flour (white or wheat, if your pup has no wheat allergies)

1 cup of rolled oats

1/3 cup of smooth peanut butter

1 tablespoon of honey

1/2 tablespoon of fish oil

1 1/2 cups of water

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then mix the flour and oats together in a large mixing bowl. Then pour one cup of water and blend until it becomes smooth enough to add in the peanut butter, honey and fish oil. Mix until all the ingredients are blended well together. Slowly add the water until the mixture has a thick and doughy consistency. Lightly flour a cooking surface and roll the dough onto the cooking surface to create a ¼ inch thick sheet. Then use a cookie cutter to create shapes. Place the cookies onto a baking sheet and bake for around 40 minutes. Allow to cool completely before feeding it to the dog.

Tip: If the dough is very sticky to roll, slowly add more flour.

FRUIT PARFAIT

This parfait has a mix of dairy and fruit and gives your pup a nice dose of vitamins and proteins.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup plain, non-fat yogurt

1/2 cup of strawberries, diced

1/2 cup of blueberries, diced

1/2 cup of applesauce

DIRECTIONS

Blend all the ingredients in a mixer or mash until the yogurt is smooth and the fruit is well blended. You should serve in small amounts and store in the fridge for up to seven days.

Tip: When you plan to serve your dog with a fruit parfait, you should reduce the amount of regular food by one half to one cup to keep from over-feeding.