Healthy Dog Food Recipes Anyone?

[Catherine]

Hi Everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has any really good healthy dog food recipes for the TMX - ie not too much fat or wheat or grains in it?

I'd like to offer my dogs good healthy TMX food too.

Cheers

Catherine

[JaneeZee]

Sounds like one for Thermomixer - unless his patients don't get the gourmet treats they feed at home??

[Catherine]

Yep I know what you mean!! 

Some years ago I did some research into whats in those huge cans of so called dog food which are full of 'meat' - and almost died!! 

So I feed my guys human grade food - the only commercial dog food they are allowed are the BARF patties (Bones and Raw Food) which don't contain any rubbish.  But they are expensive - so I'd really like a good TMX dog food recipe if anyone has one?

Thanks

Catherine

[faffa_70]

Hi Catherine,

We  don't have our beloved pets with us any more...this is what I used to feed them and am sure it would convert easily...

1kg Mince browned (any type - I used to vary it each time)
1kg Frozen vegetables cooked (make sure there are no onions and other nasties for dogs)
1kg Pasta or Rice cooked (I used wholemeal pasta or brown rice)

Mixed together with gravy made from gravy powder

I had two rotties and a boarder collie so used to make this in bulk  .. If their coats got a bit dry I would add a little EVOO to the mix.

Not sure what sort of dogs you have but you could make this in the TMX quite easily. Probably cook the pasta first, then brown the mince, add the veg and some water cook on reverse speed, add gravy and and water and cook till thick then add pasta would be my first try.

My Vet always commented that they ate better than him!!   
 
Hope it helps
Kathryn

[Hannah]

Lucy is my rottie. She has 1kg kangaroo mince with 1/2 a celery chopped up, leaves and all (good for preventing arthritiis) and 6 carrots plus any leftover veg from fridge, with water to cover, cooked in large stockpot on cooktop (or woodfire in cold weather) with a packet of pasta added for last 20 minutes. Lasts for about a week. Served with leftovers from our tea and a slurp of yoghurt!

I have thought about doing it in TMX but would probably have to do 2 batches a week and it costs nothing to cook on the woodfire.

[Intrepidtrier]

We do just about the same as Hannah but the vet told us not to put any pasta or rice with it but to add some horse bran to bulk it up and since we have been using this recipe the dog has gotten a lovely shiney coat and lost a bit of the excess weight. She would have lost heaps more except she looks at us with those eyes and says that she is hungry and so the old fella gives in with a couple of dog bickies.

[JaneeZee]

At the risk of Thermomixer shooting me down in flames due to my "little bit of knowledge being dangerous" approach........

While dogs are principally carnivores they do need a mixed diet. We do however need to be conscious of their different needs throughout different life stages.  They have a different digestive system to us - same components but with subtle differences. Its probably a good idea to steer away from wheat espcially if you have a dog that tends to be itchy. They actually synthesise glucose from proteins so don't need stuff like pasta. Give some vegies however & there is a good product made here in Australia called "missing link" which is full of essential fats & vitamins.  There is possibly a similar product overseas.

They love liver & heart which you can buy & chop in the TM before cooking it. Don't include onions - they don't go well with dogs who have few taste buds & are more driven by smell.  Include things like beetroot & psyllium for bowel health.

Be interested to see what Thermomixer has to add with his "professional" hat on.....

[Catherine]

Thanks everyone for your replies - really appreciated.  Will try out some of the suggestions and let you know how I get on.

In the meantime please keep the ideas coming!

Thanks

Catherine

[Catherine]

Oh and I forgot to say JaneeZee I agree with everything you've said.  I have three West Highland White Terriers, (the two boys are rescues) and my older boy are girl are very prone to the itchies and skin problems so I keep them well away form artificial colourings, flavourings, any sort of preservatives and grains - and it seems to help a lot.   Which is why I'm grateful for any recipes for them...

Thanks again

Catherine

At the risk of Thermomixer shooting me down in flames due to my "little bit of knowledge being dangerous" approach........

While dogs are principally carnivores they do need a mixed diet. We do however need to be conscious of their different needs throughout different life stages.  They have a different digestive system to us - same components but with subtle differences. Its probably a good idea to steer away from wheat espcially if you have a dog that tends to be itchy. They actually synthesise glucose from proteins so don't need stuff like pasta. Give some vegies however & there is a good product made here in Australia called "missing link" which is full of essential fats & vitamins.  There is possibly a similar product overseas.

They love liver & heart which you can buy & chop in the TM before cooking it. Don't include onions - they don't go well with dogs who have few taste buds & are more driven by smell.  Include things like beetroot & psyllium for bowel health.

Be interested to see what Thermomixer has to add with his "professional" hat on.....

[gertbysea]

All good suggestions on this link and may I add I try to save all the veggie scraps for the dogs as well either cooked or raw. I have found my doggie visitors love my home made dog food. I mix sometimes raw and sometimes cooked vegetable that have been finally chopped to whatever meat  I give them. I freeze small amounts so I always have some on hand. My daughter's dog loves anything with chilli in it so leftovers go down a treat in small amounts. I worried about that at first but thought about all the dogs I had seen in Thailand eating just that with whole fish skeletons as well. Don't think I will try that but the calcium must be good for them. Nothing is wasted when you own a Thermomix. Oh and one of my doggie friends loves beetroot. If I throw a small raw one he will play with it for ages before tiring it and chewing it. Of course both of us are a bit reddish after that!

[Nay-nay]

We saw this on ABC kids Creature Features. I think it is just a 'sometimes' treat. 
INGREDIENTS:
1. 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2. 1/2 cup powdered milk
3. 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
4. 1 teaspoon salt
5. 1 Whole Egg
6. 225 grams Peanut Butter (1 jar)
7. 1/2 cup cold water
8. BOWL
9. Oven heated to 180 degrees Celsius

1. Mix above ingredients together, Speed 5 for 20-30 seconds.  Knead for 3 minutes. Dough should form a ball.

2. Roll to 1/2 inch thick and cut into doggie bone shapes and any other shapes you desire.

3. Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet for 20 -30 minutes at 250 degrees until golden brown.

4. Give to your favourite pooch in moderation as a treat

[Thermoconvert]

DOG FOOD

Ingredients
400g long grain rice
1200g water
300g pasta
250g vegetable/fruit scraps appropriate for dogs (carrots, broccoli, apple etc. NO onion, potato skins or garlic)
2000g pet mince

Method
Weigh rice in basket.
Place water into TM bowl.   Insert basket with rice and cook for 13 minutes at 100c on speed 1.
Remove basket of rice.  Add pasta and vegetable/fruit scraps to water and replace rice basket in TM.
Cook for 10 minutes on 100c on reverse and speed 1.
Place cooked rice, vegetable/fruit scraps and pasta in TM and proces on speed 8 until desired consistency.
Allow to cool and mix through the raw pet mince.

General Tips
Makes a large amount, which is easily portioned and frozen.  Ensure dog food is labeled as such.  Feel free to add your dog’s favourite foods (sardines etc) to adjust the flavour.

[Thermomixer]

Well a really BIG WELCOME TC.  Where have you been?  Great to have you on board. 

[Catherine]

Well it took a while but I found it! 

This is a TMX variation on Dr Billinghurst's raw barf patty recipe and works very well with the TMX.  It is based on a half kilo of raw crushed vegetables and a half kilo of raw minced meat.  All ingredients should be human grade.  This amount makes about 12 half cup servings for a small dog.  Its a marvellous mix for dogs needing to lose weight!

Ingredients:

1/2 kg vegetables (carrots, celery, spinach, cauli, broccoli etc), roughly chopped
1/2kg lean meat or mince (beef, chicken, lamb, pork, kangaroo etc).  ('Roo and pork are good for dogs with allergies).
1/8 lambs fry (or similar amount of other offal), roughly chopped
1/4 small tub plain, low fat yogurt
1-2 free range eggs (I use 2)
2 cloves garlic
1.5 dspns flax seed oil
1/2 tspn of vitamin B powder
Up to 2 tspns kelp powder (I use 2)
Any other healthy food scraps eg small amounts of cooked veggies, rice, pasta cottage cheese etc.

Method

If mincing your own meat, mince it first for 8-15 seconds on speed 7 and set aside.

Chop veggies, garlic and offal in TMX for 6-8 seconds on speed 4 or until it looks like fine coleslaw.  Veggie mix should be well chopped, fine enough to make into patties, but not mush.

Add mince and all other ingredients and mix on reverse + soft speed for 8 - 10 seconds until well combined.

Shape into patties and freeze or freeze in serving size portions in plastic bags.  Thaw as required.
 

[goldfish]

Just wanted to thank Catherine for the barf recipe . . this is exactly what I was looking for for my two mixed terriers (mixed with what we're not sure! but they're just gorgeous!)  Both have skin problems so this is perfect- simply couldn't afford to keep them on the commercial patties - thank you!
They also have the occasional meaty bone and some dry dog biscuits for teeth etc.