The Healthy Hound Cookbook: Over 125 Easy Recipes for Healthy, Homemade Dog Food--Including Grain-Free, Paleo, and Raw Recipes! (8 page)
Authors: Paris Permenter,John Bigley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2
3
⁄
4
cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups bran cereal, crushed (do
not
use bran flakes with raisins)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1
1
⁄
2
cups water
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
- Mix carrots, cheese, and oil in a large bowl; in a smaller bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to the carrot mixture, then add water, mixing well.
- Pinch off a golf ball–size piece of dough, drop onto cookie sheet, and slightly flatten with a fork. Repeat until all dough is used.
- Bake for 25 minutes until browned. Cool completely before serving or refrigerating. Refrigerate for 5 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
As with other vegetables, dogs are unable to break down the cellulose walls of raw carrots, so they can’t absorb all the nutrients. Raw carrots are helpful in cleaning your dog’s teeth, though; they help to scrape plaque from the tooth surface without the risk of a broken tooth (as with bones).
Frozen Treats
Looking for a way to cool your canine during the dog days of summer? Frozen treats can cool and treat your dog all at once. Many dogs enjoy the crunching of frozen treats, while others need the treat to warm slightly to better take in the aroma of the frozen goodie. Frozen treats are also excellent for keeping your dog busy, especially if he’s experiencing separation anxiety or boredom. A frozen treat given just before you head to work can occupy your dog for a while in your absence, or keep him busy while you tend to that important phone call. Stuffable toys like KONG
®
rubber toys can be filled with liquid mixtures and frozen; their shape will slow your dog’s chewing to extend the life of the treat and to reduce choking hazards.
Is your dog lactose intolerant? This yummy dairy-free dessert makes a great ice cream substitute for you and your dog! The national fruit of India, the mango has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine and, although there are many varieties of mangos, all pack a powerful nutritional punch. Fat free, sodium free, and cholesterol free, the fruit contains more than twenty different vitamins and minerals.
YIELDS: 2 cups, or 28 ice cubes
2 ripe mangos, peeled
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lime
1
⁄
2
cup unsweetened almond milk
- Add all ingredients to a blender and purée.
- Pour mixture into an ice cube tray.
- Freeze overnight. When frozen, transfer cubes to a zip-top plastic bag to store up to 2 months in the freezer.
Lactose-intolerant dogs (or people) will find almond milk an easy substitute. Homemade almond milk (the most Paleo-friendly choice) is made by puréeing ground nuts and water, or you can buy a commercial version. Either can be used as a milk substitute—it has a creamy texture and somewhat nutty taste.
These little nuggets of flavor and nutrition are sure to please, whether as a training reward or just as a healthy snack. Alfalfa sprouts are a super-concentrated source of vitamins A and C, chelated minerals, plant proteins, fiber, and other nutrients.
YIELDS: About 50 (1) treats
1 pound raw lean ground turkey, lamb, or beef
1
⁄
4
cup chopped fresh parsley
1
⁄
4
cup chopped alfalfa sprouts
1
⁄
4
cup sesame seeds
- Combine meat, parsley, and sprouts in a bowl.
- Pinch off a small portion and roll into a 1" ball. Roll in sesame seeds. Place on a cookie sheet. Repeat until all ingredients are used.
- When all the mixture has been portioned, place cookie sheet in freezer for a few hours until frozen. Once frozen, bag treats in zip-top bags to dispense frozen or thawed. They can be stored for up to 6 months in the freezer.
Would you like a homemade diet formulated especially for your dog by a veterinary nutritionist? Veterinary nutritionists are “diplomates” of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) and can help formulate a balanced homemade diet. You’ll find veterinary nutritionists listed in the ACVN Diplomate Directory at
www.acvn.org
.
These small frozen snacks are an easy raw treat. Slightly thawed, they also offer a good solution for dispensing pills to your dog, even if you don’t feed a raw diet.
YIELDS: 30 (1") treats
1 pound ground sirloin
1 egg
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup finely chopped raw pumpkin seeds
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix sirloin, egg, and molasses in a large bowl.
- Pour out chopped raw pumpkin seeds on a separate piece of parchment paper.
- Use a small cookie or ice cream scoop or pinch off small amounts and shape meat mixture into 1" balls. Roll sirloin balls in chopped pumpkin seeds to coat.
- Place balls on cookie sheet, then freeze overnight.
- Once frozen, remove balls from cookie sheet and store, frozen, in zip-top plastic bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.
This easy frozen treat is a good way to encourage your dog to consume extra water on hot days!
YIELDS: 30 servings
12 cups water
1 pound chicken meat
- Add water and chicken meat to a 4-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Cook chicken on low overnight in the slow cooker, at least 8 hours. If using whole chicken parts, remove the bones and skin from the mix and discard. When done, shred any large pieces and return the chicken to the slow cooker.
- Stir the mixture. Ladle the broth mixture into plastic cups or ice cube trays. Chicken will settle to the bottom of the broth, so stir between each Brothsicle so each frozen treat includes bits of chicken.
- Freeze overnight. When frozen, store in a zip-top plastic bag in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Dehydration is a scary, and sometimes life-threatening, condition. Dogs need almost 1 ounce of water per pound of their body weight daily. That means an 8-pound Papillon needs 1 cup, while an 80-pound Lab will need 2
1
⁄
2
quarts per day—and more if they’re hot or active.