Reward man’s best friend with nutritional and yummy grub with these homemade dog food recipes. It is true that raising pets, a dog in this case, should be fun and fulfilling. But the rising cost of commercial dog food is taking out much of the fun (and the dollars from your wallet). Furthermore, some of the cheaper brands’ nutritional values are questionable. The solution: homemade dog food.
Prepared vs. Raw Debate
There are 2 schools of thought when it comes to homemade dog food. There are those that argue that raw food is best for your canine. Raw food advocates reason that dogs are not meant to eat processed chow because they used to hunt their food in the wild anyway. There are also those who prefer to have the food for their dogs cooked because it’s much safer. Even though dogs are not as susceptible to food-borne organisms, prepared food advocates still thinks it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Our take: Raw food and prepared food are both good for your dog when they’re homemade. So here are some recipes to help you out.
Raw Food Recipes
First we’ll feature raw food for dogs, also known as BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food)—which is basically raw meat and bones.
The Un-stew
- 1 pound raw ground meat
- 2 cups ground veggies
- 2-4 oz. Raw organs
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- Garlic cloves
- 1T ground kelp
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 3 eggs (include the shells)
- Parsley
Mix everything in a bowl and serve in chunks. The Unstew can be stored in the refrigerator to extend shelf life. This should cost you under $10 and a little over 5 minutes to mix.
Organic Wings and Things
- ½ cup of organic cottage cheese
- ½ cup organic carrots—grated but need not be peeled
- 4-5 organic skin of raw chicken wings
This recipe is so simple you just need to pile all ingredients into your dog’s dish. Organic Wings and Things cost $7.00 and should only take less than 5 minutes to prepare.
Raw Food Non-Meat Recipes
To mix things up, offer your dog non-meat recipes from time to time. You will find that your dog will respond well to fruits and vegetables.
Bow Wow Brunch
- 3 cups cooked oatmeal
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 2T sunflower oil
- 1 banana–peeled and mashed
- 1 apple or pear–cored and roughly chopped
- 1 mango—mashed
Combine everything in a bowl and refrigerate leftovers for the next day. This recipe should cost $10 and shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to prepare.
Canine Casserole
- 1 cup cooked chicken (a more expensive option can be turkey)
- ½ cup steamed veggies (carrots, broccoli, squash, spinach, etc.)
- ½ cup cooked brown rice
- 4 Tbs no-sodium broth
Again, just combine all ingredients and serve. Total cost of this recipe is $3.50 and shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to whip up.
Prepared Food Recipes
Cooking or preparing food for your dog can be rewarding when you see your dog gobble up everything on the dish. It’s also satisfying to know that your dog is getting the right nutrients without the risk of harmful bacteria
Nice Rrrrice
- 2/3 cup of meat—cubed (any choice will do)
- 3/4 cup carrots and potatoes —cubed
- ¾ cup of cooked rice
- 1 cup tap water
- 1/4T garlic powder
Add everything to a large pot and boil. Add rice once veggies become tender. You can add more water if needed. This recipe costs only $3.50 and takes about 40 minutes to prepare.
Pupper Fish
- 1 can de-boned salmon
- 1 egg—beaten
- 3T cornmeal
- 1 medium-sized potato
- 1 carrot
- 1 stalk of celery
Combine the salmon, beaten egg and cornmeal. Form into patties and sauté in a frying pan until thoroughly cooked. Chop up patties afterwards. Steam vegetables and chop them up as well. Combine the chopped-up veggies with the chopped-up patties and serve. This costs $4.50 and half an hour to prepare.
There you have it: healthy homemade dog food recipes that are fun to make and easy on the budget. Whip these recipes, your dog will surely love you for it. Don’t be a slave to commercial dog food. Try these recipes now.
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