Do you cook for your pets?

I admit to feeding my Pomeranians ground turkey mixed in with a little rice or kibble, but it's mainly because I distrust the ingredients in canned dog food - I'd hate to have them eating cow intestines or chicken feet or whatnot.

I've burned through a bunch of dog biscuit recipes and this is the one that seems to meet with the most approval (and fortunately, it's simple).

2 T vegetable oil
1/4 c peanut butter
1 c whole wheat flour
2 c white flour
1 c water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the oil, peanut butter and water. Add flour, one cup at a time. Knead into firm dough and roll 1/4 inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes - makes 2 1/2 dozen. For harder biscuits, roll thinner and leave in the oven while cooling.


This is Luigi, official dog biscuit taster:

But the way she follows me around the kitchen, you'd think she was micromanaging my cooking.

No, after I saw her eating cat poop in the yard (not my cat, but a local cat who thinks her litter box is in our yard), I sort of think that pet store kibble is a step up (at least) from that.

Now my cat (several years gone now), she was another story -- towards the end, when she had lost most of her teeth, she got Gerber's baby food (turkey) and I wasn't opposed to trying anything for her (but then again, she wasn't a cat poop eater like my dog)

I make steamed veggies, chicken, turkey, fish or beef and brown rice for my Jack Russell terrier once in awhile to give her fresh food besides her dried dog food which she loves.

Her favorite homemade baked treat so far is liver brownies:
Blend some beef liver with a few cloves of fresh garlic, add some whole wheat flour, oats, seeds, and a little oil, pour into a greased square baking pan and bake until done.

If you need some bait to get a young dog to learn to come to you when you call, this works the best of any reward treat that I have tried!

DemEx

I used to make a pan a week for my first German shorthair. This second one doesn't need the extra goodies, however.

She hadn't been well cared for and her poor little body was all messed up from worms. The vet fixed the worm problem and advised that we cook her scrambled eggs and white rice for a few weeks while she recouperated.

She lived a long and loved life.

We used to have a German Shepherd with food allergies. With the help of a vet specialist we figured out that she could digest Japanese rice and cottage cheese. I'd fix this warm meal combo for her every day. My recipe also included a spoon of vegetable oil and a crushed doggy vitamin. Sometimes I'd add some green beans or carrots. She thrived for years.

I also made dog biscuits. Your recipe with the peanut butter must make your dogs very happy critters! Your Luigi is such a cutie. I love his name!

I also have a black and tan Pomeranian named Guido - he's a very gentle little guy, a puppy mill rescue. Guido and Luigi are best of pals and inseparable. As their names indicate, they will attack for pizza.

She will not eat anything other than cat food. The male cat we lost in '04 was a people food moocher. He had an affinity for chicken and wasn't particular about the prep method.

About 15 - 20 years ago we had a Doberman with serious hereditary illness issues. I used to make ground beef and rice for him when he would get into the garbage and end up with a sick tummy and diarrhea. Ordinarily he would only eat dog food.

throw up when I started cooking for him.

Our two felines (felinus pickyassitus and felinus hooverupitus) have both rejected the carefully prepared cat dinners we've made for them. They like their Felidae and Pet Promise, so that's what they can eat.

However, if they have the opportunity to be fed chicken, ham, bacon, or very rare beef, both will usually go for it. Mr. Hoover will also wait anxiously to see if I'm going to give him cracker crumbs, matzoh bits, corn bread, potato chips, french fries or anything else that is bad for him but that he thinks tastes good.

LIke when the old fella is being fussy and not eating either the canned dog food or the kibble. I cook ground turkey w/ some garlic and mix it w/brown rice.

They both looove the salmon treats I make.

Puree a can of salmon in food processor
Add a glove of garlic and 1-2 cups flour (whole wheat) until you get a doughy consistency
Press to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick in a pan
Score with knife
Bake 375 deg for 45 min
Store in airtight container in fridge - freee what you won't use w/in a few days

:hi: I know my dogs will drool over these.

and thanks for the recipe. I'm going to try it.

Not enough to make her fat (though she already is...don't tell her I said that!), but just a small bite or so. Normally she just eats dog food.

I've gotten the sense that a dog's social bonding is very connected to food -- in particular, who gets to eat first, etc... By including her in our own dinner time, even if it's only a taste, I think it's helped her bond to our 'pack', as well as reinforce her own place in our 'pack hierarchy' (meaning that she eats last, just as we are finishing).