Homemade Dog Food, some Interesting History and Dog Burger Recipe
We have this on-going joke around our house about our pampered German Shepherd. But before I
explain the joke, I need to give you a little history on both of our dogs.
Lucy is our sweet, beloved rescue. We adopted her from a kill-shelter. She was estimated to be about 1
1⁄2 years old when we brought her home. Needless to say, those early days were pretty rough.
It took some time but she eventually settled in with our family and now lives a life of ease. Some habits,
however, seem a little hard to break. For instance, she is territorial. We continue to work with her on
this issue but she still hoards the play toys that she shares with her sister (our German Shepherd).
Lucy also devours her food and is not the least bit picky. We say that is because of her early formative
years. She most likely didn’t know where her next meal was coming from.
It’s interesting how those early formative years truly do shape our personalities; humans and animals.
Poppy, our German Shepherd, has had a completely different up-bringing, right from the beginning. My
daughter, Anna, had always wanted a German Shepherd puppy. She first began talking of wanting one when
she was about 5 years old.
My husband and I decided her Sophomore year of high school that if we were ever going to get her one,
time was running out. She will most likely not be able to take a dog with her when she first leaves
home and we wanted her to have a solid few years of bonding with her dog before she flew the nest.
So, we surprised her with an 8 week old puppy; Poppy.
Needless to say, Poppy has been spoiled rotten since day One.
Now, here is where the family joke about Poppy comes into the story.
Poppy is a very picky eater. She will turn her nose up at so many different dog foods and treats. She also
easily gets bored with the same ol’ thing.
We joke that she is so picky because she has always had a life of luxury and ease. Unlike her poor orphan
sister, Lucy.
They couldn’t be more different.
But anyway, Poppy’s pickiness and boredom with her food started me on researching homemade dog
food options.
Just like cooking for my family and children, I thought, why not cook for my dog-babies as well.
They would probably enjoy it more and it would most likely be healthier for them.
There is so much to consider when cooking for your pets but, in my opinion, worth checking out.
First for a quick history of dog food:
Dog food companies have done a good job of making canine cuisine into a scientific formula. But where
did this trend of feeding domesticated dogs their own special blend of food that’s different from ours
originate from, anyway?
Historical texts cite that during the middle ages, pet dogs of European royal families were fed a special
stew by the house cooks that was made from grain, vegetables and organ meats or the less desirable
parts of the animals. Meanwhile, dogs of the common people were lucky to get a few scraps of potato
and the remains of meat bones from dinner.
Eighteenth century farm dogs consumed a diet of mixed grains, lard, and the occasional piece of
horsemeat as offered by the more wealthy dog owners who could afford it.
In the 1850s, it was discovered that biscuits which were made for sailors out of flour, water and salt to
prolong their shelf life, could also be offered to dogs. By 1931 this same “recipe” was bought by Nabisco
and became the nearly identical Milk Bone biscuits that we feed our pet pooches today.
In the 1920s, Ken-L-Ration began selling canned dog food made from horse meat. It was around this
time that veterinarians started to weigh in on the dietary requirements of domesticated animals such as
dogs and cats. By the thirties, 90% of the dog food consumption was canned dog food such as this.
However, in the 1940s war times, meat was rationed, so dog food makers began selling grain based
kibbles.
Pampered pooches of the prosperous 1950’s were no longer satisfied with the taste and texture of dry
kibble made from grains. At this point, companies like Ralston Purina stepped in to innovate new
formulas of dog food that contained a balance of meat, grain and other ingredients meant to improve
flavor, texture and nutritional composition of their dog foods. This gave way to the wide selection of
different types of dog foods that we have become familiar with today.
We can conclude from all of this historical data that domesticated dogs have subsisted on a diet of
human foods (read: aforementioned stews and table scraps) for many more centuries than they have
lived on bland, grain based, highly processed formulas made by machines in factories. So that means
that if you want to nourish your pet on homemade dog food, you should bag the store-bought kibble
and go right ahead!
Lucy and Poppy are definitely happier and healthier since we made the switch to home-made dog food.
Need an idea that your fur-baby will gobble right up?
Check out this “doggie-approved” recipe:
Dog Burgers – Homemade Dog Food Recipe
This will be like Salisbury steak for your dog, but without onions as these are not good for him. When
you serve, you can mix with rice or potatoes and mash up so it’s easier for him to digest. One burger
plus the starchy side will make a nice meal for your pup.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1/4 bag of frozen carrots, peas and corn (or just carrots and peas if your dog can’t tolerate corn)
Give the frozen veggies a quick zap in the microwave until soft, then cut into small bits with a pair of
kitchen shears.
Mix the ground meat with the vegetables.
Form patties – you should get about 4 of them from 1 pound of meat, double if you’re making 2 pounds’ worth.
Cook your dog’s burger in a pan on the stovetop for about 4 minutes on each side, adding a little water
as they near the end of cooking. Or, you can place the burgers in a Pyrex baking dish and bake in the
oven at 400 degrees, flipping halfway through, 4 minutes each side.
Let cool. Break up into bits and serve with cooked brown rice to stretch the meal.
This is also a great meal when you decide to cook burgers for your family as well. Easy-peasey; you have all the ingredients you need and only have to wash dishes and clean the kitchen one time instead of twice.
If you think you may want to dive deeper into cooking homemade meals for your pup, you can get started right now, for less than a bagel and a cup of coffee. ⇒ Get it Here
Happy cooking for your fur baby! If you try the Dog Burger recipe, let me know how it goes.
’til next time,
