How to Make Your Own All Natural Pet Food

When you want to switch your dog or cat over to organic pet food, why not make your own? It costs less than store bought and is even fresher and tastier. It only takes a few ingredients and a little time.

Basically, dogs and cats can eat meats and vegetables just like you do, but there are a few precautions to take. Just be sure you never feed dogs bones that could get stuck in their throats if they splinter. Never give them chocolate or candy. You also want to stay away from onions or garlic for dogs or cats, as well as nuts and grapes or raisins.

Cook a batch of food on Sunday nights and freeze portions that your dog or cat can eat later in the week. Just defrost and serve when the time comes. Be sure the food does not sit out on the counter for longer than one hour and that you don’t serve hot food to a pet.

Here’s a recipe from eto.com (www.theguideto.com ) for basic burger patties for your dog:

Dog Hamburger Patty Recipe

  • 1 cup of hamburger meat, stir fried in 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 2 chopped boiled eggs
  • ½ cup of plain oatmeal, cooked
  • 1 jar of baby food green beans
  • 1 jar of baby food carrots
  • 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese

Mix all the ingredients together and serve it to your dog at room temperature. You can add a good doggy food supplement or multivitamin to be sure that your pet is receiving the right amount of nutrients. Cover and store leftovers in the fridge and throw them out if they remain uneaten after three days.

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Here is a recipe from a popular site, www.recipes4gourmetdogs.com for a turkey-based meal:

LADY AND LOLA’S FAVORITE EVERYDAY MEAL

  • 7 cups of turkey ( or other lean protein choice )
  • 5 cups brown rice ( or substitute 4 cups pasta, or try 6 cups of mashed potatoes )
  • 4 cups cooked pureed veggies and fruits mixed together. (Pureed vegetables and fruits make them easier to digest) see below for combination ideas to try.
  • 3 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • daily multivitamin/mineral supplement

You can also include a calcium supplement, which is an important ingredient in homemade dog food recipes.

  • Remove fat, skin and drippings from the pan after cooking the meat.
  • Cut the meat into small cubes and mix in the veggie/fruit puree and add the rice
  • Make sure the meal is not hot – wait until it’s room temperature
  • Cook the starch you are using a little longer than necessary to make it softer
  • When the meal is ready add the salt and drizzle with the oil. Yummy!

The veggies and fruits should be cooked and pureed.  Use any combination your dog prefers.

He/she will let you know quickly which they prefer.

Don’t introduce several at once.

Start with the basic carrot and apple combo. This adds sweetness to the food that most dogs love.

Use approximately 3/4 to 1/4 ration of veggies to fruit. For the recipes above, that would be 3 cups carrots and 1 cup apples, pureed and mixed together.

Many dogs like carrots, beans and peas mashed together so consider using 3 cups of this and add one cup of mixed fruit consisting of apple and pears (use canned pears without sugar).

You can also use blueberries in combination with the apple or pears.  In the winter when fresh produce is not as available, you can use frozen fruits and veggies and cook them until they are soft enough for the food processor.

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But what about kitty? What if you want to make your own cat food? It’s not as hard as you think. But just be mindful of the fact that there are foods that are no-no for cats. They include chocolate, coffee, raw fish, spices, raw eggs, alcohol or garlic. So be sure kitty stays away from those.

Homemade Cat Food Dinner (Courtesy of Suite101.com)

  • 2/3 cup ground chicken or hamburger
  • 1 jar of mixed vegetables baby food
  • 1 cat vitamin crushed (optional)
  • 1/3 cup of plain dry bread crumbs

In a small pan over medium heat, add your meat and a little water. Poach the meat until it is medium rare. (Poach means to cook in boiling or simmering water.) Remove the pan from the heat and allow the meat to cool. Next, pour the contents of the pan into a bowl. Add in the vegetables and vitamin if you choose. Mix these ingredients in the bowl and form into marble-sized balls. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs. You may serve it immediately or store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for three days.