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4 Pawsitively Awesome Recipes For Your Canine

If dogs are our best friends, then we should treat them as such, right? Maybe that means an extra-long run on that beach, or an unsolicited belly scratch, or even a delicious, home cooked healthy meal. That’s right. You don’t have to always buy your dog food pre-made from a pet store. There are plenty of recipes that offer the same nutrition and taste your pup will love, with the added ingredient of your TLC. And if you’re concerned about the source of ingredients in regular dog food, this is a great way to take control of your dog’s whole-food nutrition, just as you would do for yourself.

Remember though, that unlike when you cook for yourself or your family, it’s important not to stray from homemade dog food recipes. Your pooch has specific nutritional needs that require their recipes are cooked exactly as instructed. This means no substitutes or ingredient swaps. All animal product ingredients should be cooked thoroughly to kill any harmful bacteria, and grains, beans, and starchy veggies should be cooked completely so that your canine can digest them easier. Basically, just stick to the recipe plan and your pup will thank you for it!

Get your doggie’s digestive system on track with these homemade biscuits. We all know how uncomfortable bloating and constipation can be. Spare your pup the unpleasantness with this all-natural digestive aid. The pumpkin acts as a mild ingredient that will help relieve your best friend’s troublesome tummy issues. Plus, they taste great too (or so we’ve been told!).

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup extremely cold water
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree (canned or home-made)
  • 2 cups whole grain brown rice flour
  • 1 large egg (you can omit this if your dog is allergic to eggs)
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp. flax-seed oil or olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 320 – 350F.
  2. Use two baking sheets and baking paper to avoid sticking.
  3. Mix lightly beaten eggs and pumpkin in a separate container until smooth. If you don’t want to use eggs, just smooth the pumpkin puree separately and proceed to the next step.
  4. In a larger bowl, combine flax-seed oil and brown rice flour.
  5. With constant stirring, add the pumpkin mixture to the rice mixture and slowly add water. Be sure to leave some of the rice to be used as some sort of toppings for the cookies.
  6. Hand mix the ingredients thoroughly.
  7. Using two pieces of baking or waxed paper, roll dough out to desired thickness.
  8. Remove the top baking paper.
  9. Evenly pour rice flour onto the top of the dough and lightly press it to the waxed baking paper.
  10. Remove the paper and cut to desired sizes.
  11. Place in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is completely dry.
  12. Cool and store in a dry plastic or glass container until ready to be served.

A healthy pup is a happy pup and in order to make that happen, your dog needs the right fuel to stay active—specifically protein. The most beneficial source of protein for your dog is whole meat sources, like the fresh chicken used in this recipe. Combined with beans (also a great source of protein) and vegetables, this chili is a hearty, healthy meal for your dog that will definitely earn you some slobbery bonus kisses as a thank you.

Ingredients:

  • 4 organic chicken breasts
  • 1 cup of kidney beans, drained
  • 1 cup of black beans, drained
  • 1 cup of carrots, diced
  • 1/2 cup of tomato paste
  • 4 cups of chicken broth

Instructions:

  1. Remove the excess fat and dice the chicken breasts into nickel-sized pieces.
  2. Cook the chicken breasts in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink.
  3. Add the chicken, beans, carrots, tomato paste, and chicken broth into a large pot and cook over medium heat until heated through, approx. 10 minutes.
  4. Allow the mixture to cool before serving.
  5. Store leftover chili in the fridge for up to five days.

Canine Cooking Tip: If you want to give your pup that extra dose of health, you can add a 1/2 Tbsp. of fish oil to this chili recipe. Because its filled with some many other flavorful ingredients, even picky pets aren’t likely to notice the added oil.

We know how expensive pet treats can be, especially if you’re buying organic. When you want the best ingredients for your dog, but don’t have the budget, skip the pet shop and DIY. These fruit and veggie strips are easy to make and much cheaper than the organic chewy treats in stores. Suitable as a snack or as training treats (broken into smaller pieces), they’ll give your furry friend a generous helping of vitamin C, which will work to strengthen his or her immune system.

Ingredients:

  • 1 small sweet potato
  • 1 medium banana
  • 1 cup carrots, minced
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened organic applesauce
  • 2 cups of whole wheat flour (white if your dog has allergies)
  • 1 cup of rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup of water

Instructions:

  1. Cook the sweet potato in the microwave for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the insides are soft. Set aside and allow to cool.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  3. Mash the banana and sweet potato in a large mixing bowl with a hand masher until smooth. Add in the carrots, flour, and oats. Slowly add in the applesauce and water while mixing.
  4. The ingredients will form a soft dough. Roll the dough on to a lightly floured surface until the dough is 1/8 inch thick.
  5. Cut the dough into strips.
  6. Cook on a baking sheet for 25 minutes.
  7. Store leftover strips in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Canine Cooking Tip: Don’t worry about overcooking the sweet potato. We doubt your dog will judge you even if you did, but it turns out that softer potatoes are easier to mash so it’s actually not the worst thing to overcook them in this case.

Okay, so these may not sound that appealing to you, but we bet your pooch won’t have any problem gobbling this ‘dessert’ right down. The simple, clean recipe is a perfect way to incorporate more protein and essential fatty acids into your doggie’s diet, and it’s a great option if you’re trying to balance your pet’s nutritional intake with more raw foods.

Ingredients:

  • 1 10 oz. can salmon, not drained (or fresh, organic salmon)
  • 2 tablespoons of ginger
  • 3 cups spelt, oat or quinoa flour

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.
  2. Combine salmon and ginger in a food processor and pulse to combine.
  3. Add the flour and continue to pulse until a ball of dough forms.
  4. Remove from processor and place between two layers of wax paper then roll out to half an inch thick. 
  5. Place on a cookie sheet and score into small squares. Bake 10-15 minutes.
  6. Cool and store in a dry plastic or glass container until ready to be served.

We totally get that. Cooking is time consuming enough, even when you’re just cooking for yourself; when you add in meals for your family and a pet, it can really start to take over your schedule. While you’ll probably still have to keep up the cooking for your family, we can offer you a healthy alternative to home cooking for your pet that you don’t have to feel guilty about.

Our friends at Solid Gold offer a full line of nutritious, natural, and holistic foods, treats and supplements for your dogs and cats. Made by health-conscious animal lovers, you can be confident your dog (or cat) is getting quality, well-sourced nutrition when he’s eating Solid Gold for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Want more health hacks and wellness insights? We got you covered. You'll also receive a code for 15% off your first order!

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About me

Cat Canada is the Content Manager at Perfect Bar.

2 comments

    1. Hi Max – Thanks for noting. We’ve corrected the directions. For this recipe, the ingredient to use is ginger!

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