Allergy Friendly Homemade Dog Food & Dog Treats

Allergy Friendly Homemade Dog Food & Dog Treats

Homemade Dog Food For Dogs With Allergies

Ever wanted to try making a special treat for your dog but not sure how to start out? We have thrown together basic guide along with a list of simple allergy-friendly recipes you can try making at home for your furkid!

Your dog can easily thrive on a strictly homemade diet designed to meet his/her specific needs. Talk to your vet to make sure that your dog will be getting enough nutrition. You might want to talk to an animal nutritionist as well. They might suggest recipes and dental supplements to ensure that your dog is getting a balanced diet that will ensure that she or he is getting all of the proper nutrients needed in order to be healthy.

Why Allergy-Friendly?

Just like many of us, dogs often suffer from allergies as well, but that is no reason for them to miss out on some homemade dog food and treats! If your four-legged friend suffers from food allergies or intolerances, these allergy- friendly recipes might prove useful.

Symptoms of allergies can range from anything from eye and ear problems, itchy skin, hives, stomach and gastrointestinal issues (constipation, diarrhoea, etc.), vomiting, sneezing, coughing and difficulty breathing. Here are some of the most common ingredients that triggers allergies in dogs:

  • Beef
  • Chicken
  • Corn
  • Dairy
  • Eggs
  • Lamb
  • Rice
  • Soy
  • Wheat

The first thing you need to do before you start preparing to cook, is to determine what is upsetting your dog’s system or causing him/her to have an allergic reaction if possible. You should always discuss any food changes to your dog’s diet with your veterinarian. They might suggest that you eliminate certain foods in order to determine the exact allergen.

For those who are not sure how to eliminate food allergies (Quick Guide):

  1. Carefully observe your dog and keep a journal of any issues when feeding a single protein diet.
  2. You will then slowly add other ingredients one by one taking note if any added ingredients causes signs of an allergic reaction in your dog.
  3. Once you have determined which ingredient is triggering an allergic reaction, you can then completely eliminate it from your canine’s diet. This includes wet food, freeze-dried foods, dry food and treats.

Customising The Recipe For Avoiding Allergies

Once you have eliminated the allergy causing ingredient from your dog’s diet, you can now use substitutions to make homemade dog food. Some of the ingredients you can use as substitutions for the following recipes are:

  • Apples
  • Brown Rice
  • Carrots
  • Chickpea flour
  • Peas
  • Pears
  • Potatoes
  • Pumpkin
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Squash
  • Turnips

Tips Before Starting

  • Cook any meat products to kill any dangerous bacteria.
  • A dog should consume two to three percent of their body weight in food per day. This of course will vary with age, as puppies will need a little more to feed their rapidly growing bodies.
  • Your dog’s dietary needs will change as they age, so stay in touch with your vet/animal nutritionist as your pet ages. Older dogs will have different dietary needs.
  • Store any unused food in a sealed, glass container and discard after 3 days.
  • Use a scale to properly measure the ingredients for each recipe.

IMPORTANT: Ensure that you are NOT using any ingredients that are toxic or harmful to dogs such as

  • Avocado
  • Cashew Nuts
  • Chocolate (especially dark or bakers chocolate)
  • Cinnamon
  • Citrus
  • Coffee
  • Garlic
  • Grapes
  • Macadamia Nuts
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Peaches
  • Plums
  • Salt
  • Raisins
  • Raw Eggs
  • Walnuts
  • Xylitol Sweetener
  • Yeast Dough
Homemade Dog Food Recipes – Getting Started

A basic portion of food for your pooch should contain the following:

  • 50% protein
  • 30% carbohydrates
  • 20% fruits and vegetables
  • 10% fat

NOTE: If your dog is allergic to any of the ingredient/s below, please feel free to substitute it with another ingredient/s that is more suitable. Refer to the above list of substitute ingredients for ideas.

Recipe 1: Turkey, Rice & Mixed Veggies

(recipe courtesy of: https://damndelicious.net/2015/04/27/diy-homemade-dog-food/)

Ingredients:

  • 1.5kg ground turkey or beef (Or a different protein that your dog is not allergic to.)
  • 3 cups chopped baby spinach
  • 2 shredded carrots
  • 1 shredded zucchini
  • ½ cups of frozen or canned peas
  • 1 ½ cups brown rice (Substitute with sweet potatoes for a more allergy friendly meal.)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

  1. Prepare rice by steaming or boiling potatoes.
  2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in large stock pot.
  3. Stir in ground meat and cook until browned, crumbling it as it cooks.
  4. Stir in veggies and rice/potatoes until thoroughly cooked (about 5 minutes).
  5. Allow it to cool completely before serving.

Recipe 2: Easy Crockpot Beef & Rice Meal

(recipe courtesy of: https://damndelicious.net/2015/04/27/diy-homemade-dog-food/)

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • 1 ½ cups brown rice, uncooked (Can be removed of substituted with another ingredient)
  • 1 ½ cups butternut squash, chopped
  • 1 ½ cups carrots, chopped,
  • 1 can of kidney beans (15 oz), drained & rinsed
  • 4 Cups of water
  • 1.2kg ground beef or turkey (Can be substituted with another type of meat protein)

Directions

  1. In a crockpot, add 4 cups of water.
  2. Cover and cook for 6 hours on low heat (or high for 3 hours).
  3. Stir often.
  4. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Recipe 3: Beef Stew For Dogs

(recipe courtesy of: https://loveandkissespetsitting.net)

Ingredients:

  • 1 sweet potato, small
  • ½ cup of diced carrots
  • ½ cup of diced green beans
  • ½ cup of flour
  • ½ cup of water
  • 500g of beef stew meat
  • 1 tbsp vegetable or olive oil

Directions

  1. Microwave sweet potato for 5 to 8 min (until tender but firm)
  2. Slice beef stew chunks into small, nickel sized pieces
  3. Cook meat in skillet in vegetable oil over medium heat until well done (approx 10-15 minutes)
  4. Remove stew meat from pan (Do not discard the drippings)
  5. Dice the sweet potato
  6. Heat drippings to medium and slowly add water and flour whisking to create a nice thick gravy
  7. Add in the meat, carrots, green beans and sweet potato and stir til coated
  8. Cook for about 15 minutes until veggies are tender
  9. Allow to cool and serve.

Homemade Dog Treats

For those of you who would rather whisk up some homemade dog treats for your pooch. You can try using fresh green beans, chopped carrots, and some peanut butter for a healthy, tasty treat. Here are some easy recipes for making homemade treats for your beloved 4 legged friend!

Recipe 1: Dried Sweet Potato Chews

(recipe courtesy of: http://www.condoblues.com/2011/01/make-dried-sweet-potato-dog-chewies.html)

Ingredients:

  • 1 (or more) sweet potatoes

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 121 degrees celsius.
  2. Wash potatoes (do not peel)
  3. Slice lengthwise into ¼ in. slices
  4. Place on baking sheet
  5. Bake for up to 2 hours
  6. Allow to cool to room temp and serve as a yummy and healthy treat!

Recipe 2: Frozen Pumpkin Treats

(recipe courtesy of: https://spencerthegoldendoodle.com/tasty-tuesday-fall-pumpkin-treats/)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 1 can 100% pure pumpkin puree

Directions:

  1. Blend all ingredients in mixing bowl with spatula until smooth.
  2. Pour into ice cube tray.
  3. Freeze for 12 hours.

  4. Serve as needed for a tasty treat!

Recipe 3: Homemade Doggie Biscuits

(recipe courtesy of: https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/nutrition/recipes-for-quick-and-healthy-dog-treats)

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg
  • 2 ½ cups flour or oats

  • 1 tbsp beef or chicken bullion

  • ½ cup hot water

Add-ins: (if so desired)

  • Bacon
  • Eggs
  • Shredded Cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 177 degrees Celsius
  2. Dissolve bouillon cube in hot water
  3. Stir in remaining ingredients
  4. Knead dough for approx 3 mins, until it forms a ball
  5. Roll until ½ in thick
  6. Cut into slices, bone shaped or use a cookie cutter
  7. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet
  8. Cook for 30 minutes
  9. Allow to cool and serve!

You can find other tasty and healthy allergy-free recipes online for your precious pup! Remember to consult your vet and/or animal nutritionist before changing your pet’s diet!

Sources:

https://www.rover.com/blog/healthy-dog-food-recipes/

https://www.cuteness.com/article/homemade-dog-food-dogs-allergies

http://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/hypoallergenic-dog-food-recipe-3034.html

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Allergy-Food-for-Dogs

http://www.akc.org/content/health/articles/human-foods-dogs-can-and-cant-eat/

http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/foods_poisonous_to_pets.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

https://damndelicious.net/2015/04/27/diy-homemade-dog-food/

https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/homemade-dog-food

https://www.caninejournal.com/homemade-dog-food-recipes/

https://www.playbarkrun.com/homemade-hypoallergenic-dog-treat-recipes/

https://www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/nutrition/recipes-for-quick-and-healthy-dog-treats

http://www.condoblues.com/2011/01/make-dried-sweet-potato-dog-chewies.html