Make Healthy Homemade Dog Food Mutt Loaf

29 16:52:03

You Can Make Healthy Homemade Dog Food

It's easier than you think!

You must be considering making your dog’s food instead of using commercial dog chow since you’re reading this! Good for you and your dog! There are many reasons for making your dog’s food with wholesome human grade ingredients instead of relying on commercial dog food to meet your dog’s nutritional needs. Also, there have been reports over the years that tainted commercial products have made our pets ill and even caused their deaths!

Reports show that ingredients used in commercial dog food production can include remnants of human grade food production such as peanut shells, corn cobs and husks, spoiled and denatured meats and other leftover rubbish classified as not fit for human consumption. The list becomes more unappetizing as you research farther to include large barrels of used cooking oil stored outside of restaurants waiting for disposal to the carcass remains of diseased livestock.

All of these waste products are processed into dog food by cooking, rendering and extruding the paste into kibbles and baking at extremely high temperatures creating a crunchy nugget with no nutritional value. The processed kibbles are sprayed with used cooking oils to give the dog food a scent which drives the dog to consume it.

Learning this several years ago and reading the reports of pet deaths due to tainted food inspired me to make my dogs’ food and I’ve been doing so for more than 10 years.

This article will give you an idea of how simple it is to make homemade dog food. The following recipe is one I’ve developed and used variations of as my dog's age and their diets change. I originally followed the guidance of a veterinary natural healthcare book and fine tuned the process over the years. I always tell my veterinarian of what my dogs’ diet consists. The vet is always impressed with the health, weight, coat and condition of my aged dogs.

Your amount of ingredients and total loaves will depend on the size of your pet.

I use disposable foil loaf pans that are 8 inch long by 4 inch wide by 2.5 inch deep. A 20 pound pug will eat about one half cup twice a day or one 1-inch thick slice twice a day from this size pan. I’ve included several images to show the details!

This recipe is scaled for one 8 inch by 4 inch by 2.5 inch loaf and can be scaled up to accommodate larger quantities and/or bigger breeds.

Below are the human grade foods that I use. Place the listed ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

1.5 cup uncooked ground meat – beef and/or turkey mix
2 cups grain – 1.5 c cooked rice and .5c dry rolled oats (can use cooked steel-cut oats depending on your time)
2 eggs
.5 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

Vegetable/fruit

1 cup – cooked sweet potato (microwave or boil) or raw thin julienne carrots–either .5 c of each or 1 c of only one–but not both
.25 cup of frozen peas
2 - 3 medium zucchini raw, not peeled and chopped (I use a mandoline food slicer for quick prep making thick julienne slices)
1 small red apple cut into small pieces without seeds (peeled or not)

Vitamin/mineral

2 tsp powder bone meal (I use NOW brand found in major grocers or health food stores)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (NOW brand)
1 tbsp lecithin granules (NOW brand)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients well by hand. I wear disposable gloves. Fill foil loaf pans just slightly above rim. Place on the middle oven rack and bake 50 to 55 minutes for the 8 inch by 4 inch by 2.5 inch pans. You can squeeze ketchup across the top of each loaf for the last few minutes of baking for an extra flavor treat.