Homemade Dog Food Recipes

Reluctant dog health guru discovers that one of the best and easiset ways to improve your dog's health, happiness and longevity is to prepare homemade dog food recipes for his enjoyment.

Long before the latest scare on recalled dog food I was preparing homemade dog food recipes for my beloved companions.

This journey started over 6 years ago when I was searching for a recipe for making homemade dog treats for my beloved companions, Shadow & Socrates.

What I learned 6 years ago, both shocked and angered me to the point that I vowed I would never again feed my dogs commercially prepared dog food, but would only feed them balanced and nutritious homemade dog food recipes (this was before the days of being able to find people quality commercial dog food - still not that easy to do).

I say balanced and nutritious, because during my early days of preparing homemade dog food recipes for my dogs, in my inexperience and ignorance, I left one key ingredient out of the mix that cost my dog, Shadow, his life!

PLEASE don't make the same mistake I made and make sure that each time you feed your dogs a homemade dog food recipe (or any dog food for that matter), it contains the complete and balanced nutrition your dog needs. Please don't just take any old recipe someone puts up on the interent or elswhere and start feeding it to your dog!

Plain and simple, there is just a lot of bogus and wrong information out there, put out by people just trying to capitalize on our fears and our love of our dogs.

And also understand that the nutritional needs are different for each and every dog. Just as no two people are the same and have different nutritional requirements due to size, age, health, etc....so too, no two dogs are the same.

In otherwords, one size doesn't fit all... no matter what the commercial dog food companies want us to believe.

But, enough of the soap box stuff, I'm sure you get the idea.

Anyway, as a result of my preparing homemade dog food recipes for my dogs, my friends started requesting I make dog food and dog treats for their dogs.

So, I started a little business called Double Dog Bakery and began selling my creations. They were a big hit from the beginning...receiving a two paws up rating from nearly all my clients.

The following are just a few of my best selling homemade dog food recipes.

Note - make sure to do the following when starting your dog on homemade dog food:

• Check with your vet first.
• Start indtroducing new foods slowly.
• beaware that many allergies and other conditions dogs suffer may disappear when fed homemade dog food.

Recipe #1:

YAM I AM

"I like the interesting flavor of this dish and it isn't just for vegetarians. It adds a great variety to any diet."-Pasha (English Springer Spaniel)

Ingredient List:

1 10 oz carton firm (low-fat) tofu

1 pound of sweet potatoes or yams

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ginger

Preparation:

Peel potatoes and cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces

Cook in boiling water until fork tender

Drain water and allow potatoes to cool

Preheat oven to 3500 F

Mix Ingredients:

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth

Spray the baking dish with olive oil

Pour mixture into the baking dish

Bake and serve:

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes

Cool to room temperature before serving

Serve in combination with raw chopped vegetables and vitamin/mineral supplement

Notes From the Barkery:

I like to use one of my many dog cookie cutters on the surface of the blended mix. Smooth the top surface of the food in the baking dish. Cut the shape on the food before baking. This is just for my amusement my dogs don't seem to be very impressed with my creativity.

Recipe #2:

NATURE DOG

"My Mom Says I have fresher breath since I have been eating raw food. I guess that means she likes my kisses better now."-Goldilocks (Golden Retriever)

Ingredient List:

(Serves 1 cup of food)

¾ cup fresh raw ground beef

¼ cup raw pulverized (finely chopped) vegetables

2 tablespoons purified water

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon vitamin/mineral supplement for dogs

½ teaspoon steamed bone meal for dogs

Mix Ingredients:

Combine ingredients in dog dish

Add water as needed to make a very thick chili consistency

Serve:

1 cup of food serves one 20 pound dog

Wash serving bowl in hot soapy water

Feed an adult dog twice per day

Notes From the Barkery:

Combine 4-5 vegetables as part of the raw vegetable mix. Vegetable suggestions: sprouts, avocado, yams, sweet potato, carrots, pumpkin, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, green beans, peas, yellow squash, zucchini, cabbage, asparagus, turnips, jicama, chard, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, romaine lettuce, and parsley.

I hope you enjoy making them and that your dog enjoys eating them! (please note, I only make food and treats for my own dogs now.)

One final thought. My years of research into how to keep my dogs in peak health taught me that the dog food you feed your dog is just one, albiet important, part of the equation.

Ultra Dog Health is all about showing you what those additional factors are and how to apply them for the health, happiness and longevity of your dog. Homemade dog food recipes are a good start, but you really need to do more. And the good news is that most of those "other" things, including prepaing homemade dog food, are quick and easy to do and your dog will thank by being happier, healthier and more vibrant!