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Pet parents often find themselves wanting to balance their dog’s meal with a mix of home-cooked meals, packaged food and an occasional treat or snack. The benefits of a home-cooked meal are that you have control over the quality of the ingredients you are buying and can also make sure that the ingredients are handled with care, stored properly in hygienic conditions and cooked adequately.
From meat to fish, eggs, vegetables and grains, there are plenty of options for you to give your dog. Most of these are easily available in our kitchens and easy to cook. While making sure the meal is nutritious becomes slightly easier with packaged food where you can read the label to make sure the right ingredients are included in the meal, in a home-cooked meal you need to be mindful of the fact that all essential nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals are present in adequate quantities.
For example, you can add small amounts of vegetable oils like coconut oil, fish oil, or olive oil to our dog's meal to make sure it includes fatty acids. Make sure you run the meal plan with your vet and also get a list of food items from them that you should completely stay away from, as they may be toxic for your dog. Make sure all the ingredients are preservative-free.
When you are giving your dog meat, you have to make sure that the meat is thoroughly cooked. You can give your pet raw meat only if advised by your vet. It is best to rotate the protein and vegetables to give your pet variety in taste while the meal is balanced. Do not add salt, sugar, or spices to your dog’s food. These can cause health issues. Along with a home-cooked meal, you may need to give your dog some common supplements, such as calcium, omega-3s, and multivitamins.
Also Read: Can Dogs Be Given Only Vegetarian Food?
Your veterinarian is the best person to tell you what supplements to give. If you end up giving your dog a meal and you feel something hasn’t suited them, let your vet know. It is always best to introduce new foods gradually and in small quantities to check for digestive reactions.
Here are some combination options that you can give your dog.
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Chicken and Rice
This is the most common home-cooked meal and usually suits most dogs. It is very easy to make. Cook 1 cup of boneless, skinless chicken. Boil it till it’s fully cooked and then shred it. Cook 1/2 cup of brown rice the way you usually cook it. You can use white rice too but brown rice is healthier. Boil ¼ cup of carrots and peas and cook them till they are soft. Mix all the ingredients together and let it cool for some time before feeding your dog.
Vegetable Khichdi
If you want to give your dog a vegetarian meal, this is a great option. Adding vegetables to the khichdi makes it a balanced meal. Wash and soak ½ a cup of rice and ½ a cup of moong dal for 15-20 minutes. Cook the rice, dal, ¼ cup carrots, and ¼ cup beans together with turmeric in a pressure cooker. Make sure it is completely soft and then cool it before serving.
Video Credit: Cesar Millan
Fish and Sweet Potato
Fish is also a great option to give your dog, especially if you want to take a break from meat. You just need to make sure that the fish is fresh. Boil a cup of boneless fish. You can choose any fish you like as long as you don’t use fish that have small bones, such as the mackerel, for example. Cook 1/2 cup of sweet potatoes. Boil them, mash them, chop 1/4 cup spinach and boil that separately. Mix all the ingredients together for a healthy meal.
Chicken And Oats
While chicken and rice are favourites among most dogs, you can sometimes switch this up by using oats instead of brown rice. Oats are nutritious and can offer a change of taste for your pet. Boil a cup of boneless chicken and then shred it. Cook ½ cup of oats and bring water to a boil in a pan. Add the oats and reduce the heat. Simmer this mixture for about 25–30 minutes and stir once in a while to make sure that it doesn’t become lumpy. In a separate vessel, boil ¼ cup carrots and ¼ cup green peas. Make sure everything is soft and mixed up well.
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Chicken And Quinoa
You can also cook the chicken with quinoa instead of oats or rice. Cook half a cup of chicken. Boil it and shred it. Cook ½ cup of quinoa; combine the quinoa and water in a. Bring it to a boil, cover it, and reduce the heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes more. Separately, boil and mash ¼ cup of sweet potatoes and green beans.
Egg And Rice
Eggs are also good for dogs and many dogs seem to like this combination. Scramble 2 eggs without oil or seasoning. This is very important, so make sure that no oil, salt or pepper is added to the scrambled egg. Cook ½ a cup of rice. Boil 1/4 cup grated carrots and 1/4 cup peas until soft. Mix all the ingredients and let them cool before serving.
Paneer and Vegetables
Another vegetarian meal option for your pet is paneer. Cook ½ cup brown rice. Separately, boil some carrots and spinach. When they are absolutely soft, mix the crumbled paneer with the rice and vegetables.
Mixed Vegetable Stew
The stew is delicious and easy to make. Just like in the case of humans, dogs can find this to be a comforting meal. Just be mindful of the vegetables you choose and make sure that none of the vegetables that fall into the ‘toxic’ category for dogs are included. Chop 1/2 a cup of carrots and 1/2 a cup of green beans. 1/2 cup pumpkin and ½ cup sweet potatoes. Make sure the vegetables are chopped as finely as possible. Cook the vegetables in 1 cup of low-sodium vegetable broth. Mash or blend this mixture till you get a runny or slightly pulpy consistency.
