Canine Cuisine: 101 Natural Dog Food & Treat Recipes to Make Your Dog Healthy and Happy

Canine Cuisine

101 Natural Dog Food & Treat Recipes to Make Your Dog Healthy and Happy

Carlotta Cooper

Canine Cuisine: 101 Natural Dog Food & Treat Recipes to Make Your Dog Healthy and Happy

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cooper, Carlotta

Canine Cuisine: 101 Natural Dog Food & Treat Recipes to Make Your Dog Healthy and Happy / by Carlotta Cooper

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60138-399-0 (alk. paper)

ISBN-10:

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A few years back we lost our beloved pet dog Bear, who was not only our best and dearest friend but also the Vice President of Sunshine here at Atlantic Publishing. He did not receive a salary but worked tirelessly 24 hours a day to please his parents.

Bear was a rescue dog who turned around and showered myself, my wife, Sherri, his grandparents Jean, Bob, and Nancy, and every person and animal he met (well, maybe not rabbits) with friendship and love. He made a lot of people smile every day.

We wanted you to know a portion of the profits of this book will be donated in Bear’s memory to local animal shelters, parks, conservation organizations, and other individuals and nonprofit organizations in need of assistance.

– Douglas and Sherri Brown

PS: We have since adopted two more rescue dogs: first Scout, and the following year, Ginger. They were both mixed golden retrievers who needed a home.

Want to help animals and the world? Here are a dozen easy suggestions you and your family can implement today:

Adopt and rescue a pet from a local shelter.

Support local and no-kill animal shelters.

Plant a tree to honor someone you love.

Be a developer — put up some birdhouses.

Buy live, potted Christmas trees and replant them.

Make sure you spend time with your animals each day.

Save natural resources by recycling and buying recycled products.

Drink tap water, or filter your own water at home.

Whenever possible, limit your use of or do not use pesticides.

If you eat seafood, make sustainable choices.

Support your local farmers market.

Get outside. Visit a park, volunteer, walk your dog, or ride your bike.

Five years ago, Atlantic Publishing signed the Green Press Initiative. These guidelines promote environmentally friendly practices, such as using recycled stock and vegetable-based inks, avoiding waste, choosing energy-efficient resources, and promoting a no-pulping policy. We now use 100-percent recycled stock on all our books. The results: in one year, switching to post-consumer recycled stock saved 24 mature trees, 5,000 gallons of water, the equivalent of the total energy used for one home in a year, and the equivalent of the greenhouse gases from one car driven for a year.

Disclaimer

The recipes in this book were collected and are presented to be safe and nutritious for healthy dogs to enjoy. However, you know your dog better than anyone. Only you can know what kinds of food allergies, sensitivities, or medical conditions your dog might have. Please be careful when trying out new foods on your pet. Offer new foods gradually and ensure your pet is able to tolerate them. Please note that neither the publisher nor the author of these recipes can be held responsible for the dietary needs of your dogs. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian if you are unsure. If symptoms are serious, see a vet. Also, monitor your pet for signs of sickness, fatigue, weakness, malnourishment, or obesity. You alone are responsible for using any of the information presented in this book, and any use will be at your own risk.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all my dogs who have had to eat my cooking over the years. Thank you for never complaining. I love you all.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all of the wonderful owners and breeders who took the time to answer the questionnaire for this book. I would like to especially acknowledge my friend Mari Anderson who has been interested in what to feed dogs and in holistic animal care for a long time and who has taught me a lot. I would also like to thank Magnolia Farm for helping me with some research. Thanks to everyone who helped with the questionnaire and the case studies.

Thanks also to the Greeneville Greene County Public Library and their very kind library staff in Greeneville, Tennessee, for their help with materials.

Thanks to my friend Donna for letting me discuss canine nutrition with her. And, finally, thanks to my terrific dogs, Billie, Blue, Pearl, Brett, and Peyton, for being my taste testers for this book. They let me know which recipes they liked and which ones to toss out. We had a lot of fun.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1: Facts About Commercial Dog Food

Chapter 2: A New Alternative

Chapter 3: Dog Nutrition

Chapter 4: Before You Start

Chapter 5: Basic Mealtime Recipes

Chapter 6: Recipes For Special Conditions

Chapter 7: Portions — How Much and How Often?

Chapter 8: Treats, Snacks, and Special Occasions

Chapter 9: Storage and Travel

Chapter 10: Wrap-Up

Conclusion

Appendix A: Nutritional Guidelines

Appendix B: Additional Resources

Bibliography

Author Biography

Introduction

In 2007, pet owners began to see health problems in their pets; their pets were all showing signs of kidney failure. At first, no one could figure out why pets of all ages that had otherwise been healthy were dying of sudden kidney disease. But a connection was soon made between renal failure in pets and the food they had been eating.

Receiving numerous complaints from customers, Menu Foods in Canada conducted its own in-house testing on some of their pet foods and discovered that some of the animals tested became sick or died. However, the company was unable to determine why the animals were becoming sick. In fact, it took more lab testing by other labs, work by the Food and Drug Administration, and an international investigation leading back to China before they discovered that the ingredient killing cats and dogs was melamine, which is used to make plastic. Melamine, also a cheap protein substitute, had been used in place of wheat gluten and rice protein when these ingredients were produced in China. They were then shipped to importers in the U.S. and on to pet food manufacturers, who had no idea they were putting something harmful in their foods.

There were even fears that melamine had worked its way into the human food supply through contaminated corn gluten and other contaminated vegetable proteins from China. Some contaminated animal feed was fed to pigs later sent to slaughter. It may also have been in fish food fed to farm-raised fish. According to the FDA, up to 3 million people in the United States consumed chicken that had been fed feed contaminated with melamine. These concerns sparked an investigation into protein export contamination in China.

The pet food manufacturers did not know the food they were producing was harmful, so they kept distributing it, and the melamine-contaminated pet food ultimately killed several thousand cats and dogs, according to estimates. Although Menu Foods was the first pet food manufacturer affected by the recalls and the most severely impacted because it made and packaged foods for other companies, virtually every pet food company in North America was affected. Some 5,300 different pet food products were recalled during the crisis, and it was a crisis in North America.

All foods that used wheat gluten and then rice protein were suspect before the specific importer and shipments were identified. There was a panic among owners who did not know what food was safe to feed their pets. The entire pet food industry was severely shaken by the pet food recalls of 2007.

The result of these fears among pet owners was a surge of interest in making homemade pet food. Many owners decided it was safer to make their own food for their dogs.

Concerns About Commercial Pet Foods

Even before the 2007 pet food recalls, there had been growing concerns among pet owners about the ingredients in the foods they were feeding their pets. Ann Martin’s alarming 1997 book Foods Pets Die For: Shocking Facts About Pet Food asserted that pet food companies used unsavory and even sickening ingredients to make pet foods. She popularized the term the 4 Ds — referring to the animals used to make pet food as dead, diseased, dying, or decayed. She even asserted that some manufacturers used dead pets to make pet foods. Pet food manufacturers denied her claims in most cases, but her book, and several others like it, made an impact on consumer confidence. It also helped spur the development of companies that use more wholesome ingredients and production practices. By the year 2016, it is now predicted that consumers will spend more on natural pet foods than other commercial pet foods, according to the American Pet Products Association, as pet owners try to feed their pets healthier diets.

Making Your Own Pet Food

According to sources such as Pet Nutrition News from www.PetfoodIndustry.com, trends in pet food have been following human food trends for some years. Just as people have become more interested in eating healthful diets, they also want their dogs to eat a healthier diet. They like the idea of feeding their dogs organic foods, foods that have less processing, free-range meats, and foods that are, in many cases, locally grown. Many people like their dogs to eat the same kind of healthy foods and get the same good nutrition they get.

Dogs do not need to eat exactly the same kind of diet or foods humans eat, however. Dogs are carnivores, though they can eat like scavengers and benefit from different foods, while humans are omnivores. But dogs can benefit from eating a diet based on a similar healthy philosophy. So, while a vegan diet is not usually a good idea for a dog, your dog can benefit from eating homemade food made from organic foods and fewer processed ingredients. Of course, dogs do not need and will not benefit from every new fad found at your local health store. If you read dog food labels, you will often see companies adding ingredients that are currently popular among human health aficionados even though they will not be any help to a dog. Dog food companies also go through lots of fad diets with their foods. When you make your own homemade food for your dog, you do not have to follow these trends.

People who feed a homemade diet to their dogs often point with pride to their dogs’ good condition, shiny coats, good teeth, overall good health, and longevity. Plus, you have the satisfaction and peace of mind of knowing exactly what your dog is eating and that you prepared it. You never have to worry about pet food recalls or the quality of the ingredients you are feeding your dog.

The benefits of making your own pet food

When you buy commercial dog food, no matter how good the quality, you often do not know where the ingredients come from. You do not control how the food is made. You cannot see the quality of the ingredients that go into your dog’s food.

When you make your dog’s food yourself, you have control over what your dog is eating. You choose each ingredient. You source the ingredients, so if you want your dog to have organic meats, you can buy them. You prepare the ingredients yourself so you know exactly how the food is made. You can choose the best quality ingredients. You can use human grade ingredients if you prefer. You can be assured there are no chemicals in your dog’s food that could be harmful. Many pet food companies have their own testing in place now to make sure there is no melamine or other contaminants in the ingredients they source from overseas, but this is something you do not need to worry about when you make your own food for your dog.

If your dog has allergies, you can make sure the food does not contain anything that could cause a reaction. If your dog has other special dietary needs, you can ensure he does not have something he should not eat.

There are other reasons for making homemade dog food and treats, of course. Food treats are used more than ever in dog training, especially with positive reinforcement and clicker training, which depend on frequent rewards. Many people like to make homemade treats, cakes, and cookies for their dogs. Homemade treats also make wonderful gifts if you have a friend who is a dog lover. And, in some cases, owners have allergies to certain kinds of dog food. They may need to feed their dogs homemade dog food in order to avoid coming in contact with foods that contain specific allergens.

In addition, most dogs fed with a homemade diet love the food their owner provides. It is not only nutritious but it tastes better than dry kibble from a bag.

In This Book

This book is intended to cover everything you need to know about making your own food for your dog. Chapter 1 will cover commercial dog foods, the good and the bad. It is not all bad. There are some good dog foods available, but it is not always easy to find them. You should know how to judge dog foods, how to read labels, and how to know what ingredients are good for your dog. Once you know more about commercial dog foods, you will know why it is often a better option to cook for your dog. Chapter 2 will discuss homemade diets for dogs and some of the pros and cons. Making your dog’s food is a great choice, but it is not always the easiest or fastest thing to do. This chapter will tell you what is involved, what kind of time it takes, how much it might cost, and what tools and appliances you might need. Chapter 3 will look at dog nutrition. If you intend to cook for your dog, you need to know about your dog’s nutritional needs. Do not worry. It is not as hard as you think.

Chapter 4 will provide some tips on getting started, such as making sure your dog is in good shape and talking to your vet. Chapter 5 will offer Basic Mealtime Recipes, and Chapter 6 will give recipes for dogs with special conditions. Chapter 7 will discuss portion size and how to know how much to feed your dog. This will help you keep your dog at the right weight and in good health and condition. Chapter 8 will provide recipes for special occasions in case you would like to make a birthday cake or celebrate another occasion with your dog. Dogs like to party, too! Chapter 9 will give information on food storage, traveling with homemade pet food, and food safety tips. Chapter 10 will provide a wrap-up for the book by discussing your homemade diet and what to do if you cannot feed a homemade diet full-time.

A Word From The Author

This book is written as a labor of love. I have been writing about canine nutrition and pet food for years. I have made a homemade diet for some of my senior dogs, for dogs who had allergies, and for puppies going back to the 1980s. I have done my best here to provide you with the most accurate information I have been able to gather. My own dogs have tried and enjoyed many of the recipes in this book. It is my hope that this book will be a