Saturday, April 21, 2007

Keeping Your Dog Safe - Free Recipes For Homemade Dog Foods

So now they are saying that it may have been INTENTIONAL! Can you believe it! Imported ingredients may have been intentionally spiked with an industrial chemical to boost their apparent protein content (what some people won't do for a buck!). The FDA is investigating this theory among others as to how melamine, contaminated in at least two ingredients used to make over 100 brands of cat and dog food, could have gotten into the foods. It has been found, so far, in wheat gluten and rice protein concentrate from China. The FDA is planning to go to China to inspect 3 plants where the melamine got into the products.

A third U.S. Company has recalled pet foods made with the tainted ingredients. Problem is this list is changing daily and they are not telling consumers until it's too late for many pet owners!

The only way to keep your dog safe with the way the pet food recall is being updated daily is to make your own dog food. I have been fortunate enough to find several ebooks containing healthy recipes for homemade dog foods. You can't just feed your baby "table scraps" because they don't necessarily contain the needed vitamins and minerals for your dog and not all dogs can eat the rich foods that many of our recipes contain.

Here are a few recipes for homemade dog food that you might find useful:

Apple Crunch Pupcakes

2 3/4 cups water
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 medium egg
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup apple, dried
1 tablespoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix water, applesauce, honey,egg and vanilla in a small bowl. Combine flour, dried apple and baking powder in another bowl. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Pour into greased muffin pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container. Makes 12-14 pupcakes.

Basenji Stew

4 small parsnip
2 whole yellow squash—cubed
2 whole Sweet potatoes—peeled and cubed
2 whole Zucchini—cubed
5 whole tomatoes—canned
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans
1/2 cup Couscous
1/4 cup shredded Carrots
1 teaspoon Ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon Ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon Ground cumin
3 cups Water or chicken stock
2 cups cooked chicken

Combine all the ingredients (except chicken) in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Add chicken. Place over cook brown rice or barley.

Boo's Biscuits

3 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 cup Quaker oats
1 cup milk
1/2 cup hot water
2 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 cup meat drippings

Dissolve bouillon cubes in hot water. Add milk and drippings and beat. In a separate bowl, mix flour and oatmeal. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. Press onto an ungreased cookie sheet and cut into shapes desired. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off heat and leave in the oven to harden. Refrigerate after baking.

Bulldog Banana Bites

2 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup powdered non-fat milk
1 egg
1/3 cup ripe, mashed banana
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 beef bouillon cube
1/2 cup hot water
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Mix all ingredients until will blended. Knead for 2 minutes on a floured surface. Roll to 1/4 “ thickness. Use a 2 1/2” bone shaped cookie cutter (or any one you prefer). Bake for 30 minutes in a 300 degrees oven on ungreased cookie pans.

Cheesy Carrot Muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup finely grated carrot
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a muffin tin or line it with paper baking cups. Combine the flours and baking powder and mix well. Add the cheese and carrots and use your fingers to mix them into the flour until they are well-distributed. In another bowl, beat the eggs. Then whisk in the milk and vegetable oil. Pour this over the flour mixture and stir gently until just combined. Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full with the mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins feel springy. Be sure to let the muffins cool before letting your dog do any taste testing! One muffin for medium to large dog, half a muffin for a toy or small dog.

Puppy Formula

4 ounces Carnation EVAPORATED milk
4 ounces FULL FAT natural, plain yogurt
1 tablespoon Mayonnaise
1 egg yolk
1 dropper full of human baby pediatric liquid vitamin, no fluoride

Blend together!

Shih Tzu Sushi

1 can salmon, canned, pink—reserve liquid
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water—plus salmon liquid
1 whole egg, hard-boiled—chopped
1/2 cup peas and carrots, frozen—or more if desired
1 tablespoon fresh parsley—chopped
2 tablespoons cod liver oil
1 package Nori Sheets -- *see Note

Drain salmon, reserve liquid for rice. do not remove bones or skin, flake with fork.Defrost peas and carrots.In a sauce pan add salmon liquid, water, brown rice, cook. let cool to touch. In a mixing bowl add salmon, brown rice, chopped egg, peas and carrots, and parsley, cod liver oil. Mix well. place one nori sheet on a flat surface and spread mixture 1/4 inch over nori, leave 1/4 inch edge of nori and dampen with water. And roll. repeat till nori sheets are used, or mixture is gone.Individually wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate till ready to serve.Cut rolls into size for your doggie.
Note: Nori Sheets is dried seaweed found in the oriental section of your grocery store or specialty shop. This recipe freezes well also.

Hope you find these recipes for homemade dog foods useful!

More recipes like these can be found at: Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

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