HealthyPets Blog

As the owner of an adorable Clumberdoodle named Bentley, I know that I only want the very best for my furry friend. Often, I simply cannot be sure what goes into meals and treats that you can buy in the supermarket.

I decided to start looking at ways of making healthy meals and treats for Bentley and have gathered a nice collection of his favorite recipes.

Why make their meals yourself?

Well, there is an awful lack of adequate regulation when it comes to the pet industry. While human food is well regulated, it seems that pet food is sadly lacking here. The bottom line is that you can never be sure who to trust when it comes to buying food for your pet, and neither can you be 100% sure of what goes into those meals.

Making Bentley’s meals and treats myself means that I can control what he eats. I know that there are no preservatives and flavorings in his meals, and I also know that there are no added chemicals which may harm him. Additionally, cooking Bentley’s meals for him means that I can omit anything that he does not like and only add those he enjoys eating.

I am also in control of portion size and calorie counts so Bentley will never be overweight because of hidden sugars. There are never any added fillers to pad out the meal, and it pleases me that the only things in his meals are those that I would eat myself.

By saving all my small containers and use them to freeze portions of foods for Bentley, in fact he has his own shelf in the freezer. If I set aside an hour on a Saturday I can make a whole week worth of meals for him. I know what he’s eating, and he loves them! A small container will hold about 1/3 cup although they will vary depending on what type you can get hold of.

What You’ll Need

I would only use the best ingredients for my pooch, and although Bentley is not what I would call a fussy eater, there are some things he does not like so I just leave them out.

As far as meat goes, you could do this with turkey or beef as well. Bentley doesn’t get any chicken or turkey other than breast. This prevents getting any bones stuck in his throat. Better to be safe than sorry, so it’s only chicken breast for my boy!

Here’s Bentley’s favorite cooked meal. I add half a small container to his dry food, and he cannot wait for meal times!

Healthy Chicken Veggie Oatmeal Recipe

Ingredients

1 chicken breast
1 cup of fresh vegetables (use whatever your pooch enjoys)
1 cup oats (you can use either instant or regular)
1 teaspoon gravy mix (this is really just to give the dish some color)

Directions

For the veggies, Bentley likes broccoli carrots, beans, and sweet potato. He loves them! 

Chop the chicken and veggies up into 1 cm cubes. Place in a medium sized pot with enough water to cover them, add the gravy mix and boil until the vegetables are almost cooked.

Add the oats and stir to mix. Let the mixture simmer until the vegetables and chicken are tender and the oats cooked.

The mixture should thicken nicely with the oats. It will also thicken a little more as it cools.

When cool, scoop into small containers, chill, label, and freeze. Make sure you keep one container out for the meal that day.

Tips

An alternative to oats is to add rice, and I have done this. Bentley loves it just as much as the oats, and I cook it the same way until the rice is done. It will thicken up as it cools, and then I freeze it the same way.

One thing I am careful not to use is any leftover gravy unless I am sure that there is no onion in it. Onion is not good for dogs and you should not add it to any meals you cook for your pooch. If there is no onion in my gravy leftovers, there is no reason why you can’t add this to the meal for a little extra flavor.

I’ve also used up any leftover vegetables that Bentley likes, I just don’t add them with the chicken as they are already cooked.

I never add any salt to this meal, or any other seasonings although you can add what your dog likes to boost the flavor. Bentley is quite happy to eat it as it is, in fact, he will gladly eat more of it. Mind you, at least I know exactly what is going into this dish and there is nothing that will harm him.

Wrap Up

I hope your dog enjoys this meal as much as Bentley does. It’s easy to make and if you have never made a meal for your dog before, this is a great way to start. There is nothing in it that will harm your pet and quite honestly, I think it tastes delicious!

About the Author

My name is Valerie. I am the proud owner of Bentley, who is a Clumberdoodle. That’s a mix of Clumber Spaniel and Standard Poodle. Writing is my passion and writing about dogs gives me a chance to share our experiences with Bentley. I write about him in articles for officiallypets.com!

 

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