Pet Recipes
Home Cooking for Your Furry Friends.....
Booster Mixes for Dog Kibble
Let's start with something simple: three fresh food combos that you can add to a good-quality dog kibble, such as those sold at natural food stores. If you're not ready to jump whole hog into the home-prepared diet, or if you have several large dogs, these shortcuts offer a convenient way to provide many of the benefits of fresh foods and nutritious supplements and still maintain nutritional balance. By adding fresh meat, dairy products, vegetable oil and food supplements, you boost your dog's intake of quality protein, fatty acids, lecithin, B vitamins and minerals -- all helpful for skin and coat problems. Resist any temptation to simplify these additions by just throwing a slab of meat or a dash of oil on the kibble rather than following the recipe as given. Meat is dramatically low in calcium as compared with its phosphorus content, so using meat alone could result in a net dietary calcium deficiency. That's why a calcium supplement is added to the recipes. Extra oil by itself is also counter-productive as it will lower the overall percentage of protein and every other nutrient in the kibble, which may already contain a marginal amount of the essentials. As with other recipes, you can always premix larger amounts of these supplements and freeze extras, thawing and using them as needed.
1. Fresh Meat Supplement for Dog Kibble
4 teaspoons Vegetable oil
4 teaspoons Healthy Powder
1¾ teaspoons Bonemeal (or 1,100 - 1,200 milligrams calcium or 2/3 teaspoon eggshell powder)
50 - 200 IU Vitamin E
5,000 - 10,000 IU Vitamin A (or alternate regularly with Fresh Egg Supplement, below)
1 pound (2 cups) Chopped or ground raw turkey, chicken, lean hamburger, lean chuck or lean beef heart
Mix the oil, powder, bonemeal and vitamins together. Then combine the mixture with the meat, coating it well.
Yield: Slightly more than 2 cups.
Feed ¼ cup of this mixture for every cup of dog kibble served.
You can either mix the meat supplement and kibble together or serve each separately.
2. Cottage Cheese Supplement for Dog Kibble
2 teaspoons Vegetable oil
2 teaspoons Healthy Powder
½ teaspoon Bonemeal (or 300 milligrams calcium or 1/8 teaspoon eggshell powder)
50 - 10,000 IU Vitamin A
¾ cup Creamed cottage cheese
¼ - ½ cup Vegetables (optional)
Mix the oil in kibble. Toss in the powder and bonemeal, coating the kibble; add the vitamin A.
Serve the cottage cheese and vegetables together on the side, or mix them into the kibble.
3. Fresh Egg Supplement for Dog Kibble
1 teaspoon Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Healthy Powder
1/3 teaspoon Bonemeal (or 200 milligrams calcium or 1/8 teaspoon eggshell powder)
50 - 200 IU Vitamin E
2 Eggs
Mix everything but the eggs into 1 to 2 cups of dog kibble. Break the eggs over the top.
For 5 to 6 cups of kibble this would be: 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon powder, 1 teaspoon bonemeal (or about 600 milligrams calcium), 200 - 400 IU vitamin E and 3 eggs.
Basic Recipes for Dogs
The following recipes are meant to form the mainstay of the fresh, home-prepared diet for dogs. Each recipe indicates how many cups to feed adult dogs of different breed sizes. The weight range for each group is defined as follows: Toy -- 2 to 15 pounds; Small -- 15 to 35 pounds; Medium -- 35 to 55 pounds; Large -- 55 to 85 pounds; Giant -- 85 to 165 pounds or more. These amounts will vary with activity level, ingredient substitutions, weather and so on.
Doggie Oats
Oats are a good choice of grain in cooking for pets. Not only are oats quick-cooking, but they contain more protein per calorie than any other common grain. It's best, though, to add some variety by substituting other grains at times. That's because each grain varies in its amino acid composition and its vitamin and mineral levels. This versatile maintenance recipe for adult dogs ranges in protein value from about 22 percent (using fattier meats or tofu with bulgur) to 30 percent (using turkey with oats).
2 cups Raw rolled oats (or 4 cups cooked oatmeal) ½ pound (1 cup) Raw ground or chopped turkey
2 tablespoons Healthy Powder 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
¼ cup Cooked vegetables (or less if raw and grated) 1,500 mg calcium or ¾ tsp eggshell powder
2,500 - 5,000 IU Vitamin A (optional if using carrots) 100 IU Vitamin E
¼ teaspoon Tamari soy sauce or dash of iodized salt (optional) 1 small clove Garlic, crushed or minced (optional)
5 milligrams Iron (optional)
Yield: About 5½ cups, with 205 kilocalories per cup.
Daily ration: Toy -- 2/3 to 2 2/3 cups; Small -- 2 2/3 to 5 1/3cups; Medium -- 5 1/3 to 7; Large -- 7 to 10 cups; Giant -- 10 to 15+ cups.
Grain substitutes: 1 cup bulgur (+ 2 cups water = 2½ cups cooked). With lean meats only: 1 cup cornmeal (+ 4 cups water = 4 cups cooked); 1 cup millet (+ 3 cups water = 3 cups cooked); ¾ cups brown rice (+ 1½ cups water = 1¾ cups cooked); 1 cup barley (+ 2 to 3 cups water = 2½ to 3 cups cooked); 5 cups boiled potatoes.
Meat substitutes: With oats only: 8 ounces tofu plus 2 eggs.
Dog Loaf
This recipe uses egg as a binder, so that you can either serve it raw or bake it like a meat loaf, with bread crumbs or other grains. It ranges from 24 to 30 percent protein, depending on which meat and grain you use. The egg provides adequate vitamin A, plus there is vitamin A in the vegetables.
¼ pound (½ cup) Fairly lean beef heart 1 cup Whole milk or 1/4 cup powered milk
2 Large eggs ¼ cup Corn or other vegetables (can be omitted occasionally)
1 tablespoon Healthy Powder 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons Bonemeal (or 1,000 mg calcium or ½ tsp eggshell powder) 100 IU Vitamin E
¼ teaspoon Soy sauce or dash of iodized salt (optional) 1 small clove Garlic, crushed or minced (optional)
Combine all ingredients, adding water, if needed, to make a nice texture. Serve raw. Or press the mixture into a casserole dish so it's 1 to 2 inches thick and bake at 350o for 20-30 minutes.
Yield: About 5¾ cups, with 190 kilocalories per cup.
Daily ration: About the same (or slightly more) as amounts for Doggie Oats (above).
Grain substitutes: Instead of wheat bread, you may use 1¼ cups oats (+ 2½ cups water) or ½ cup bulgur (+ 1 cup water). With lean meats only you may use: ¾ cup cornmeal (+ 3 cups water); ½ cup millet (+ 1½ cups water); ½ cup barley (+ 1½ cups water); or 2½ cups boiled potatoes.
Bean substitutes: Try ground or chopped chicken, turkey, lean chuck or hamburger instead of beef heart. Beef or chicken liver may be used once in a while, but not on a regular basis.
One-on-One for Dogs
The protein levels vary from 22.2 percent (using beef heart) to 23.2 percent (main version) up to 28.5 percent (using turkey and oats). The calcium to phosphorus ratio is consistently excellent throughout the many variations. The key to convenience in this recipe is to cook large quantities of beans in advance. Follow the cooking directions on the package. Freeze extra quantities and thaw as needed.
1 cup Brown rice (or 2½ cups cooked) 1 cup Lean hamburger (or turkey or chicken)
1 cup Cooked kidney beans (half of a 15-ounce can) 1 tablespoon Healthy Powder
1 tablespoon Vegetable oil 1,600 mg calcium or 1 teaspoon eggshell powder
1 5,000 IU Vitamin A and D capsule (or part of a larger capsule) 1 400 - 800 IU Vitamin E capsule
1 teaspoon Soy sauce or dash of iodized salt (optional) 1 small clove Garlic, crushed or minced (optional)
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes. Mix in the other ingredients and serve.
Yield: About 4¾ cups, with 348 kilocalories per cup.
Daily ration: Toy -- 1 to 1 2/3 cups; small – 1 2/3 to 3¼ cups; Medium -- 3¼ to 4+ cups; Large -- 4 to 6 cups; Giant – 6 to 8+.
Basic Recipes for Cats
Feline Feast
Corn is the grain of choice for many cats, so that's the grain used in the main version of this recipe. Try polenta, which is more coarsely ground than cornmeal, for the best texture. It's commonly sold in natural food stores. Extra yeast for even more flavor, this high-protein formula is a sure winner. It's excellent for pregnant or nursing cats and their growing kittens. Since this recipe contains a higher proportion of meat than the others, you can substitute many kinds of grains and meats, both low- and high-protein types, because there is still plenty of protein to spare. If you use lean meats, the dry weight percentage of protein ranges from a low of 41 percent (lean beef heart with rice or potatoes) to a high of 52 percent (turkey with oats). If you use fattier meats, the protein value ranges from a low of 30 percent (fatty beef heart with rice or potatoes) to a high of 40 percent (regular hamburger with oats). Alternate the use of poultry and red meats, or combine both in the same recipe to ensure plenty of iron and other nutrients that vary in different cuts.
1 cup Cornmeal or polenta (or about 4 cups cooked)
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil or butter (or 1 tablespoon each)
2 pounds (4 cups) Ground turkey or chicken (or lean chuck, heart or burger, liver, giblets, fish)
4 tablespoons Healthy Powder
2 tablespoons Bonemeal (or 3,200 milligrams calcium or 1¾ teaspoons eggshell powder)
10,000 IU Vitamin A
100 – 200 IU Vitamin E
1 teaspoon Fresh vegetables with each meal (optional)
500 milligrams Taurine supplement (optional)
Bring 4 cups (1 quart) of water to a boil. Add the cornmeal or polenta, stirring rapidly with a fork or whisk to keep it from getting lumpy. (It's easier to avoid lumping if you use polenta.) When it is thoroughly blended, cover and simmer on low 10 to 15 minutes. When the cornmeal or polenta is creamy, stir in the eggs and oil or butter. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
Yield: About 8¾ cups, with 250 kilocalories per cup. Immediately freeze whatever cannot be eaten in 2 to 3 days.
Daily ration: small -- ½ to ¾ cups; medium -- ¾ to 1+ cups; large -- 1¼ to 2 cups.
Meat substitutes: It's a good idea to use fattier grades of meat sometimes, but eliminate the oil or
butter from the recipe when you do. You can use 2 pounds of beef heart with fat showing, regular hamburger, poultry with skin, or choice chuck roast.
Grain substitutes: 2 cups raw rolled oats (+ 4 cups water = 4 cups cooked) or 10 slices whole-wheat bread or 4 cups cooked and mashed potatoes or 1 cup (dry) of any of the following: bulgur, millet, buckwheat, barley, brown rice, couscous, amaranth, spelt or quinoa.
Mackerel Loaf for Cats
4 Eggs
3 cups Milk (or less, as needed for moisture)
4 tablespoons Healthy Powder
2 teaspoons Bonemeal (or 1,200 milligrams calcium or 2/3 teaspoon eggshell powder)
5,000 IU Vitamin A
100 – 200 IU Vitamin E
500 milligrams Taurine supplement (optional)
1 teaspoon Fresh vegetables with each meal (optional)
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
2, 15-ounce cans Mackerel, undrained (or 3, 6-oz cans tuna in oil or ½ pound cooked cod or whitefish)
8 slices Whole-wheat bread, crumbled
Blend the eggs, milk, supplements, vegetables and oil together. Add the mackerel and bread and mix well. Serve raw or bake in a shallow dish at 350°F for about 20 minutes.
Yield: About 11 1/3 cups, with 275 kilocalories per cup. Immediately freeze whatever cannot be eaten in 2 to 3 days.
Daily ration: Same as for Poultry Delight, above.
Grain substitutes: 1½ cups rolled oats (+ 3 cups water = 3 cups cooked) or about 1 cup cornmeal or polenta (+ 4 cups water = 4 cups cooked) or 1 cup whole-wheat bulgur (+ 2 cups water = 2½ cups cooked).
Kitty Beefy Oats
4 cups Raw rolled oats (or 8 cups cooked oatmeal)
2 Eggs
4 cups Ground lean beef heart (or lean chuck, burger, liver, kidney or other lean red meats)
4 tablespoons Healthy Powder
2 tablespoons Bonemeal (or 4,000 milligrams calcium or 2¼ teaspoons eggshell powder)
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil or butter (or 1 tablespoon each)
10,000 IU Vitamin A
100 – 200 IU Vitamin E
1 teaspoon Fresh vegetable with each meal (optional)
500 milligrams Taurine supplement (optional)
Bring 8 cups (2 quarts) of water to a boil. Add the oats, cover and turn off the heat, letting the oats cook in the hot water for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Then stir in the eggs, letting them set slightly from the heat for a few minutes. Mix in the remaining ingredients.
Yield: About 12¾ cups, with around 220 kilocalories per cup. Freeze whatever cannot be eaten in 2 to 3 days.
Daily ration: small -- ½ to ¾+ cups; medium – 1 to 1 1/3 cups; large -- 1½ to 2¼ cups.
Grain substitutes: 2 cups millet (+ 6 cups water = 6 cups cooked) or 2 cups bulgur (+ 4 cups water = 5 cups cooked)
Poultry Delight for Cats
2 cups Millet (or 6 cups cooked)
2 Eggs
2 pounds (4 cups) Ground turkey or chicken (or lean chuck, heart or burger, liver, giblets, fish)
4 tablespoons Healthy Powder
2 tablespoons Bonemeal (or 4,000 milligrams calcium or 2¼ teaspoons eggshell powder)
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil or butter (or 1 tablespoon each)
10,000 IU Vitamin A
100 – 200 IU Vitamin E
1 teaspoon Fresh vegetable with each meal (optional)
500 milligramsTaurine supplement (optional)
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the millet, cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed. You may need to add a bit more water during cooking. When the millet is soft, stir in the eggs to let them set a bit from the heat. Then mix in the remaining ingredients.
Yield: About 11 cups, with 275 kilocalories per cup. Immediately freeze whatever cannot be eaten in 2 to 3 days.
Daily ration: small -- ½ to 2/3 cups; medium -- ¾ to 1 cups; large -- 1 to 1¾ cups.
Grain substitutes: 4 cups rolled oats (+ 8 cups water = 8 cups cooked) or 2 cups bulgur (+ 4 cups water = 5 cups cooked).
Fatty Feline Fare
This dense, satisfying formula is rich in animal fat at a level comparable to the fat in the wild feline diet. Stick to the suggested grains and use only bonemeal for the calcium source to ensure adequate total amounts of protein, phosphorus and calcium. Many markets will grind beef heart for you, although they may prefer that you phone in advance.
1 cup Millet (or 3 cups cooked)
1 Egg
2 pounds (4 cups) Raw chuck roast (or the fattier grades of beef heart or burger, or chicken with skin)
3 tablespoons Healthy Powder
1½ tablespoons Bonemeal
10,000 IU Vitamin A
100 – 200 IU Vitamin E
1 teaspoon Fresh vegetable with each meal (optional)
500 milligrams Taurine supplement (optional)
Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the millet, cover and simmer 20 to 30 minutes or until the water is absorbed. You may need to add a bit more water during cooking. When the millet is soft, stir in the egg to let it set a bit from the heat. Then mix in the remaining ingredients.
Yield: About 7½ cups, with 425 kilocalories per cup. Immediately freeze whatever cannot be eaten in 2 to 3 days.
Daily ration: small -- 1/3 to ½ cups; medium -- ½ to 2/3 cups; large ¾ to 1+ cups.
Grain substitutes: 2 cups rolled oats (+ 4 cups water = 4 cups cooked) or 1 cup bulgur (+ 2 cups water = 2½ cups cooked).
Healthy Powder for Dogs & Cats
This rich mixture of nutrients is used in all the recipes. It contains several important food supplements, which are available at most natural food stores: nutritional yeast (rich in B vitamins, iron and other nutrients); lecithin (for linoleic acid, choline and inositol, which help your animal emulsify and absorb fats, improving the condition of its coat and digestion); powdered kelp (for iodine and trace minerals); enough calcium to balance the high phosphorus levels in yeast and lecithin (this enables you to add this powder in any reasonable quantity to any recipe or other diet) and vitamin C.
2 cups Nutritional (torula) yeast 1 cup Lecithin granules
¼ cup Kelp powder ¼ cup Bonemeal (or 9,000 mg calcium or 5 teaspoons eggshell powder)
1,000 milligrams Vitamin C (ground)
Mix all ingredients together in a 1-quart container and refrigerate. Add to each recipe as instructed. You may also add this mixture to commercial food as follows: 1 to 2 teaspoons per day for cats or small dogs; 2 to 3 teaspoons per day for medium-size dogs; 1 to 2 tablespoons per day for large dogs.
Yeast substitution: The yeast is optional, but if you omit it, reduce the calcium in the Healthy Powder formula to 5 teaspoons bonemeal or 3,200 milligrams calcium or 1¾ teaspoons eggshell powder. Use half the usual amount of Healthy Powder specified in each recipe. To replace the lost nutrients, add a complete multi-vitamin-mineral supplement to the daily food, using the amount recommended on the label. Do not use additional vitamin A, C or E, because they should be adequately supplied by the Pet vitamin.
Kelp substitution: If your animal doesn't like the flavor of kelp or you can't find it, substitute 3/4 teaspoon of iodized salt plus 1/4 cup of either alfalfa powder or montmorillonite (a natural trace mineral powder). Alternatively, you can use a complete Pet multi-vitamin-mineral supplement as instructed on the label.
Eggshell Powder for Dogs & Cats
Each whole eggshell makes about a teaspoon of powder, which equals about 1,800 milligrams of calcium. Here's how to make eggshell powder:
Wash the eggshells right after cracking and let them dry until you have accumulated a dozen or so. Bake at 300°F for about ten minutes to remove a mineral-oil coating sometimes added to keep eggs from drying out. Grind to a fine powder with a nut and seed grinder, blender or mortar and pestle (make sure there are no sharp, gritty pieces).
Recipes from Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, PhD is a licensed veterinarian who co-wrote "Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats" with Susan Hubble Pitcairn. Dr. Pitcairn's introduction to holistic medicine over 20 years ago began with expericing the effect of changing his dietary habits. After obtaining his PhD in advanced studies in immunology, he converted his practice to the use of homeopathy and nutrition. Recently, Dr. Pitcairn has turned his attention to training other veterinarians in this system of healing.
Visit www.petdiets.com for a consult with Veterinary Nutritionist that will design a complete and balanced homemade recipe to fit the individual needs of your dog or cat using the foods they like to eat.
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