Having a canine and taking care of him or her

Having a canine and taking care of him or her

Having a canine is one thing, and taking care of him or her is a whole different responsibility. This is something I learned after bringing scot home. At first, what went through my mind was that it is going to be an easy task taking care of him. But it was not easy.

Well, I must admit taking care of scot requires one to be financially stable and responsible. These two principles go hand in hand. Plus buying his food proved to be expensive and after the first three months.

At some point I noticed his health was not that good and I went to the vet who told me store food could be the problem. He then suggested I try homemade dog foods in which I had doubts about it.

I did started by preparing for him a dish that was turkey and veggie mash, just to seen his response and he loved it. This led me try other different recipes, and since then, I haven’t looked back. His health has improved as well. This article is going to teach you how to prepare different homemade dog recipes. I guarantee your canine friend will love and enjoy every bite.

So let’s start with the first recipe:

Meatloaf:

This is a meal that he would enjoy, and you can tell from the way he is jumping around. This is one of the dishes I prepared for scot and he enjoyed it. The best thing about cooking is that you can make it into different flavors that the canine loves.

This makes it more fun for him to eat.

However, you have to know the flavors that he loves and make sure it is in the meal. This is one of the ways to make her take a bite, especially if it’s the first time preparing the dish. Once you have known his flavors stick to it and do not change, some of them are a bit sensitive.

Here are the steps to follow when preparing the meal and the ingredients to use.

Ingredients to look for in the grocery stores and the market:

1/2 cup of fresh parsley which are chopped

3/4 cup of breadcrumbs or flaxseed meal

1 cup of cooked organic oatmeal

Two eggs

2 pounds ground meat or even turkey

Two cups of fresh or frozen organic vegetables. This could be various vegetables like corn, peas, and grated carrots, among others. Point to note is that onions should not be used as one of the ingredients.

How to prepare the meal:

You are to heat the oven up to 350 degrees F before placing the meatloaf in.

Place the loaf pan in the oven and let it bake about 40 minutes.As the oven is preheating, mix the ingredients in a bowl. Once you are done mixing press the mixture into a loaf pan.

After the meatloaf has fully baked, it is best if you freeze in the slices for easy serving.

The freezing also helps to store the extra for further use.

Meat cakes:

At times it can be hard coming up with a cake for her birthday. This is because you have to watch what he eats to make sure it’s safe and healthy. To help you with this, I would suggest that you bake for her a meat cake to celebrate the special day rather than buying. She also wants to feel appreciated, and baking it is one way of showing her your unconditional love.

Ingredients required for baking include the following

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 1/2 cups of regular rolled oats

1 1/2 cups of brown rice

One dash salt

Two celery stalks that are chopped

Two large potatoes, which are grated

3 cups of water

Four carrots that are also grated

Eight organic eggs

Market Pantry Ground Beef 1-lb P/kg

Procedure of baking

You should start by heating the oven to 400 degrees F before starting the baking process. After that, grease the 36 cups or the three large muffin tins.

Mix the rice with water in a medium saucepan and then boil over high heat, uncovered. Let it cook for about 10 minutes then afterwards lower the heat. Make sure it is covered to allow the food to simmer for 20 minutes.

After the 20 minutes are over, remove it from heat to allow cooling.

In another bowl, mix the carrots, celery, ground beef, the potatoes, and eggs. Mix the ingredients in the bowl thoroughly to ensure it is even and then adds salt, rolled oats, rice, olive oil, and mix again.

Later fill each muffin cup with some of the meat mixtures. Allow it to bake for roughly 45 minutes. Cool the cupcakes once out of the oven for about 10 minutes or longer depending on the environment.

You can now remove the meat cakes from the muffin tin and then refrigerate.

Chicken rice balls

Preparing chicken rice balls is also another way to make her happy. This is a meal that is easy to prepare and takes a few hours. Here are the ingredients to consider when preparing the dish and the instructions to follow.

Two plain whole chickens, about 4 lbs each

Two medium orange sweet potatoes, already chopped

Two small bunches fresh parsley leaves

Two small-medium bunches kale, in which the stems are removed

4-5 C. cooked brown rice

Eight carrots, which are cut

Eight organic eggs

16 oz frozen peas

The steps to follow when preparing the meal

You should start by roasting the chicken. This should be done in the oven where the heat is to be 350. The roasting is supposed to take about 1 hour, 25 minutes.

As the roasting continuous in the oven, proceed to cooking the rice. Once it is ready, allow it to cool.

The carrots and yams are to be peeled and chopped. Add them to a large stockpot with about 1/2 cup water. At the same time, apple, kale, and peas are to be added as well. Allow it to boil then simmer for about 30 minutes. This ensures that the yams and carrots become tender.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor to remove the liquid and then add pulse and fresh parsley. Later you are to cook the scrambled eggs plain without any additive or supplements.

Once the roasted chicken is ready, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. Later pick a part of the chicken and add it to the veggie puree, eggs, and even cooled rice. Freeze the meal to last longer; hence you can use it for the next few days.

Vegan happy Dog bowl

This is also a meal I would recommend for your canine friend. Buying meals from the store most of the time can prove to be expensive. This is something you can avoid by making your foods from within the house. Once you have the ingredients, then you are good to go. The vegan happy bowl is perfect for him or her at any time of the day.

Ingredients

One large sweet potato

One can of black beans, drained and rinsed

2/3 cups of uncooked brown rice and also 1 1/3 cup water

Six kale leaf stems, and are broken into 1-inch pieces

Procedure

Ensure the oven is heated up to 400F before you start the cooking

You should make sure you line the baking sheet with tin foil. This prevents it from sticking during the cooking.

Pierce the sweet potato with a fork several times to check if it has softened up. Then later place it on the baking tray and allow it to cook for about one hour.

While the sweet potato is baking, cook rice: Bring rice and water to a boil in a stockpot. You should lower temperature and allow it to simmer, while covered, for about 45 minutes.

Chop sweet potatoes into small pieces after they have been cooled.

Combine beans, sweet potatoes, rice, and kale stems and then separate into three equal servings.

Then you are ready to serve him, or she, this mouthwatering meal, and I assure you he will love every bite.

Turkey and veggie mash

This is my favorite meal, and I always look forward to preparing it for scot every morning. I do ensure that I have everything on my checklist before starting to cook. I would recommend that you go for the ingredients a day before to avoid any in convinces. You wouldn’t want to start cooking, and in the middle of it, you realize something is missing.

Here are the ingredients and directions to follow when preparing the meal.

Ingredients:

1 cup of cauliflower florets

1 cup of broccoli florets

1/2 zucchini and it should be sliced

2 pounds lean ground turkey

Two tablespoons raw turkey or chicken liver

Two medium carrots that are chopped

Two tablespoons olive oil

How to prepare the meal for her

You should add 1 1/2 cups water to a double boiler. Afterwards, place the carrots in a steam basket over the pot and cover it.

Heat the mixture until boiling point, later reduce heat to a low boil, and steam until carrots start to become tender. The steam should be done for about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, you are to add the liver and turkey to a large skillet. Make sure you cook on medium-high heat until there’s no more pink color. Make sure you drain off any fat and discard.

Add cauliflower, broccoli, and zucchini, and continue steaming until the vegetables. This should also be done until they become tender, but not mushy. The steaming should take 8 minutes maximum.

You are to allow the vegetables to cool slightly, and then you can either chop in a food processor. The size of the vegetables depends on the uniformity preferred.

I usually pulse for about five times in the food processor and get the vegetables to a finely chopped consistency. This is similar to canned dog food.

Add chopped vegetables to the liver and turkey and then stir. Later you are to add the olive oil and combine it with the turkey and veggie mixture. Make sure that the food cools before putting it into the freezer.

What to know before making homemade dog foods

Talk to the vet

You must talk to the vet before deciding to give him or her homemade food. This is because you might be thinking that you are feeding him the right diet, but in the long run, that is not the case.

Therefore let the vet be the judge and guide you on the foods that he can eat at home and remain healthy. Book an appointment with the vet, and he or she will advise you accordingly about your four-legged friends.

Adding supplements

Certain supplements are good for her, especially if you are planning to stick to one or two recipes. You will need other supplements that contain the nutrients that the diet lacks. This helps in keeping her happy and healthy.

However, this is a decision that will still depend on what the vet advises you. Do not go buying supplements for her off the shelf without any professional advice. This is because some of the supplements might be doing more harm than good to her.

Time consuming

Preparing a meal is time consuming there for you have to be prepared for it. Take time to think if this is what you want for him. When you agree to settle for homemade dog recipes, then you have to commit and be responsible.

Nothing comes easy since if he gets used to the homemade dishes, there is no turning back. This is because once he gets used to the food, it will be hard to convince him or her to take meals from the stores.

Verdict

A homemade recipe is one of the best things to have ever happened to me. In the beginning, I was getting his food from the stores, something that made him unhealthy. But ever since he got to taste the home-cooked meal, his health change and become more active.

However, this was a decision that I made by consulting with my vet. He was the one who came up with the idea, and I haven’t looked back. Plus it pocket-friendly and I can make other investments without worrying about his food. It is high time you try homemade meals for him or her and see the difference.