Do you cook for your dog(s)?

Question

Or do you feed packaged dog foods and treats? Or both?

I've never cooked for a dog myself, but I found a fairly extensive cookbook (over 100 recipes) that's free to download and says it may be copied and given away - http://necessaryvirtues.com/recommends/dog-recipes

Some of the treats look kind of interesting, like Liver Brownies and Turkey Treats, but I'm not sure they're inspiring enough to make me want to expend the time.

So, do you cook for your dog(s)? Do you think the dogs know the difference? Do you have a favorite recipe to share?

Answer 1

Actually I do - I make them several different kinds of biscuits which they go crazy over!

Here's a recipe:

1 C rolled oats
1 Tbsp sugar
1 egg, beaten
3/4 C cornmeal
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1 c. shredded cheese
1 C boiling water
1/2 c. skim milk
1/3 c. Veg. oil
3 C whole wheat flour

Combine oats, oil and water, let stand 10 mins. Sit in everything but flour; mix well. Add flour 1 cup at a time forming stiff dough. Knead for 3 - 4 mins. Roll out dough and cut with cutters. Bake for 35 - 45 mins.

(I also add garlic to this)

Liver Cookies

Puree 1 lb. beef liver, add 1 lb. spinach and puree. Add 2 eggs, 3 tsp. minced garlic and blend. Att 4 -5 cups oatmeal 1 cup at a time to make thick batter. Scoop and press into jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 30 mins until top is dry. Remove from oven and cut into squares. Remove from pan with spatula and turn upside down onto another pan and put back in oven for 15 mins. Turn off oven and let bake for about 1 hour. The cookies come out leathery. If you want a harder cookie, bake and leave in oven longer to dry.

Answer 2

Would you rather have your dog spolied or maybe fat ( if you over feed well duhh any dog would be fat on cooked food or bought) or healthy and happy. I would much rather have my dog healthy and happy, by all means.

Yes, I cook for my dog, I know from experience that my dog is much more healthier with homemade cooked food than that c*rap they sell in the supermarkets. Yes it is time consuming, but thats what you get if you want to give your dog the best.

What I do for my dog is, I chop up some chicken into small cubes, I then very lightly fry it on the pan so it is just a little white ( it only takes a minute, even less) I then soke the chicken in a tissues to get rid of the remains of the oil. I then heat up a small hand full of biscuits ( note: I have a small dog, a bigger dog would consume more) for 10 seconds, i do this because it rises the flavour out of it, and makes it more appetizing for the dog. I then steam some brocoli and Coli flower for about 25 minutes ( as long as it takes to get soft) I then mush it up and mix with the other foods in a bowl, the only dog food from the supermarkets I add is Divine for puppies for more flavour ( apparently it is one of the best dog foods to buy, and I figured a little wont hurt), and sometimes cooked rice, to help her digest. Its not as hard as it sounds! And there you go, you have a healthy, happy, satisfied dog. Keep changing your dogs food with other vegetables ( ask your vet if it is safe for your dog to eat it, for example potatoes arent good for your dog) and the different flavour variations in dog food ( if you wish to add a bit for more flavour, like I do) Also treat your dog with some chicken necks, to help keep its teeth clean!

Answer 3

Yes I do. I take a cup of his dry dog food, mix it with cooked carrots, some kind of cooked meat, mostly chicken. (cut up). Sometimes rice if I have it. A few drops of bacon grease. Put it in the microwave to bring out the flavor of the dry dog few, mix it up and he loves it. If I don't have any bacon grease I use a few drops of water. I talked to my Vet and he recommends people food mixed with your dog food, because some dry dog food has been on the shelves for so long it looses some nutrients. DON"T feed your dog onions, olives or chocolate. My dog is not fat either.

Answer 4

I have fed my 100# dog the BARF diet. (bones and raw food) He loved it, but it is a bit more costly. I bought a pulp of bones and trimmings from the butcher and supplement it with 1 cup cooked wild rice, chopped raw vegis ~ whatever we were having for dinner, and plenty of fruit too. His favorites were watermelon, pears, carrots and mushrooms. I supplied a knuckle bone several times a week too. This kept his teeth in great condition. I still give him a RAW chicken leg every once in a while. The bones splinter when cooked but are safe when raw. I make the rice up once a week and keep it in the fridge. once a week cooking isn't bad. At holidays, I make Cheesy biscuits and peanut butter bones. Extra treats when we are all getting treated.

Answer 5

No. It's just a rumor started years ago. There are some cultures in Asia that do eat other animals. For example, in the Phillipines, there are dishes that are made from dog. But in the States, you'd be hard pressed to find a place that actually makes those dishes. And even in their cultures, they're most often delicacies. It's good to note that most cultures' diets evolved based on what food was availalbe. For example, in the States, there's a lot of beef and other meat in our diets. In Japan, where they don't have much land, it's a lot of fish and rice. So, don't be too quick to judge a culture for what it eats. When push comes to shove, you eat what's available.

Answer 6

We do cook for our dog. He and our cats also gets premium quality pet foods. He eats everything with gusto so it would be hard to tell if he knows the difference. We have a cook book for dog meals.
BTW, he is a perfect weight. Dogs get fat the same way people do. Too many calories for the amount of exercise they get.

Answer 7

In the winter time, I would make rice, beef liver paste (with the fewest perservatives possible) and egg patties. Mix it all together in a mixing bowl, shape into a patty and bake on a cookie sheet at 250 degrees F. for just about 10-15 minutes, enough to just cook. Cool to warm and serve. A nice healthy treat that warms the belly. My dogs loved it and all lived very happy healthy lives, even when I gave them the all time favorite bacon strip, but in moderation.

Answer 8

I cook for my dog, and I know he knows the difference. He will choose something I make for him over his own dog food. I noticed that one of the first recipes in that dog cookbook included garlic, but garlic is very toxic to dogs, along with grapes, raisins, onions and chocolate (I'm not sure why though).

But my dog's favorite thing to eat in the world are cheesy biscuits with ham. I usually make him things out of the cooking light magazine so the whole family can share...

Answer 9

I feed my dog food that you can cook or give raw but i choose to cook it.She goes crazy when its cooking and starts to salivate everywhere.I buy it from my local pets at home store,its pure meat like chicken,beef,fish etc with nothing added and it comes frozen.Shes a very happy dog:)

Answer 10

Yes...I have always fed my dogs nutritionally sound dog foods but always add a little something on top to get them really interested. Generally it's simple such as white rice in chicken broth or mac and cheese.