How to Make Your Dog Dinner #BlogPawsDIY

Have you ever run out of your dog’s food? It happens here on occasion, often because John feeds breakfast and I feed dinner… and someone forgets to tell someone else that we’re out of dog food! Or, have you thought about spoiling your pup with a fancy homecooked meal?

Well, now’s your chance! Here is how to make your dog dinner! (Hint: It’s SUPER easy.)

First, a disclaimer: I’m not a vet or a nutritionist or anything special. I just like to make a healthy meal for the dogs every so often. This recipe and the additional suggestions aren’t designed to replace a nutritionally-complete feeding regimen – just for once-in-a-while yumminess! Check with your vet on any of this if you’re worried!

Your fridge and pantry are probably already stocked with tons of ingredients your dog will love. The recipe I’m sharing with you came to be because we were out of kibble and these were the ingredients we had on hand! As I walk you through what the boys had for dinner last night, I’ll share suggestions for substitutes.

1. Unless you’re planning a special shopping trip to pick up ingredients, assess the contents of your fridge and pantry. Making your dog dinner is a sneaky way to finish off leftovers, too. Here’s what I had on hand for this recipe: organic eggs, brown rice, organic frozen mixed vegetables, Greek yogurt, and pumpkin puree.
   
2. Cook the rice first. (It takes ages!) Or, you can switch rice for another grain like quinoa. You could also bake a potato or sweet potato, boil pasta, or skip this step altogether if your dog doesn’t do well with grains. The goal is to pick a carb source that works for your dog. Hint: It helps to have a sous chef for this step.
   
3. Next, whip up the veggies. If I had fresh on hand, I would’ve steamed those instead, but I used what I had and cooked the veggies on the stove top in a little water. If your dog isn’t used to veggies, try one type at a time, rather than mixing them up. Also, raw veggies are harder to digest, so steam or boil them first! Then, I pop them in the fridge to cool.
   
4. For our protein source, I used eggs. If you’re using eggs, scramble them up! You have a ton of protein options here and can work with your dog’s preferences and tolerances. Some good options: chicken breast, ground turkey or lamb, salmon, and so on. If you’re well prepared, I’d suggest having some of Kol’s Notes’ bone broth in your freezer to add in at this point.
   
5. Once everything is cooked and cooled (warm is ok, but don’t burn your pup’s tongue!) mix it with any wet ingredients like the Greek yogurt and pumpkin.
   

As I was getting everything put away in the fridge, I realized I had a bit of sweet potato leftover from some brownies we made and a packet of pre-cooked bacon bits that had come with a bag of salad, so I tossed both of those in with their dinners.

What did they think?

I think they liked it! They scarfed it down quickly, anyway!

You can embellish their meal with absolutely anything: fresh parsley (for better breath!), a scoop of peanut butter, fresh fruit or frozen berries, and so on. (Just be sure to avoid toxic foods.)

Do you ever prepare a homecooked meal for your pup? What are some of your favorite ingredients to use? If you haven’t tried it before, are you willing to give it a go now that you’ve seen how easy it is?

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by BlogPaws. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about DIY projects that enrich pets’ lives, but OMD! only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers. BlogPaws is not responsible for the content of this article.