Learning how to vary your pet’s diet by making home-cooked dog and cat enrichment treats and when and how to use them will add excitement to their diet while making sure you are not compromising the nutritional balance of what you are feeding them and it also has multiple interesting benefits that you probably haven’t thought of!
As pet parents we all sometimes feel bad about always feeding our furry baby the same food (even if it’s a high quality one that they do eat joyfully). Wanting to make their diet a bit more variable and exciting rather than serving the same pellets everyday can often lead owners to fall into some habits that can compromise their pet’s nutritional health.
The two most common mistakes are to get different “flavor” dog food every time and of course the old habit of feeding off-the-counter human food regularly.
Why constantly changing the brand and/or flavor of dog food is not the best option to vary your pet’s diet
In the veterinary clinic I have realized that a very common belief among pet owners is that switching their food “flavor” or even brand is a good way to make meal time more exciting for them and “change things up”.
Although I agree that having always the same kibble is probably boring, switching the “flavour” or worse the brand of the dog or cat food everytime we buy a new bag means fully changing the composition in terms of main protein and type of carbohydrates which tend to be the ingredients that most often cause sensitivities and allergies in dogs and cats.
Most of the time when we make those changes we are not fully aware of the exact ingredients that are different between recipes so if our dog or cat gets gastrointestinal discomfort or sick from the change not only do we have to treat them for it but it is also is difficult to identify exactly what ingredient caused the sensitivity to avoid it in the future.
Why feeding off-the-counter human food is not doing your dog or cat any good?
We encounter the same problem with over-the-counter feeding, it is not the ingredients themselves since petfood is mainly made with human-safe ingredients. The problem of feeding food scraps instead of giving our dog or cat a well-thought home-made treat with human food ingredients comes with:
- The ingredients in meals: most probably include toxic ingredients or highly-allergenic that are very common in our recipes like onions, garlic, chocolate, grapes, alcohol, wheat, corn, additives like preservatives or xylitol.
- The cooking technique: usually too greasy, too salty or too spicy. Might contain bones, fish-spines.
- The nutritional balance of such meals not being anything close to the required for pets: too much carbohydrates, not enough iron-rich proteins, not enough taurine, too much fat per serving.
- Most importantly, the portions: We tend to subestimate the difference in the amount of food a 180pound adult versus a 6pound toy poodle or even a 70pound labrador are supposed to consume, specially if the four-legged will eat however much they are given and always ask for seconds (even when the portion is too much to begin with) which is usually the case.
Of course as a vet who has talked to a lot of pet parents I am fully aware that what most furry babies get off-the-table is (and I quote a close family member of mine) – JUST a tiny little almost not-perciebable by the human eye piece of no-fat 0-calorie cheese and obviusly SO NOT half an adult-sized human portion of each dish from your three-course meal while you are cooking, eating and left-overs plus snacks even if they are a toy poodle. And the fact that they stay a bit (or a lot) overweight is due to their metabolism being slow even though they are only eating the weight control kibble – and yes, I am saying that with a tiny bit of sarcasm and all my love, don’t want to offend anyone but you get what I mean.
Jokes aside, the problem with off-the counter food is that it becomes a habit. When it comes to eating human food, which of course is exciting for the pet, they don’t have the conscious knowledge to “have just as much as they need”, “know what sits well on their stomach and only have that” or understand “it is just a treat before their complete meal” so they start begging for more and we all know that they are quite convincing with their pleading eyes and insisting head rests on your lap to almost an irresistible point.
What starts as just a little piece of bread after dinner usually ends up as a bit (or a lot) of left-overs after each meal which makes the dog anxious for that moment every day. They may end up not eating their balanced meal at all and their overall diet will consist of almost-only food scraps instead, causing a nutritional unbalance (regarding both calorie and nutrient requirements).
While obviously giving your dog or cat the sporadic piece of chicken or even bacon or potato chip will of course not kill them, getting into the habit of feeding human food regularly to your pet can cause them to:
- Suffer gastrointestinal distress, pancreatitis, or other health issues in the long term.
- Increase the risk of ingesting a highly toxic ingredient.
- Get an allergic reaction or sensitivity and not being able to identify the exact ingredient or additive that caused it.
- Choking, internal injuries, or gastrointestinal blockages from cooked bones.
- Deficiencies or excesses in essential nutrients.
- Obesity, it is a significant health concern and can lead to various health issues, including joint problems, diabetes, and heart disease.
- Show begging behavior constantly which may seem cute in the beginning but can only get worse and become difficult to correct in the long term.
Better options to vary your pet’s diet without causing health problems
The first thing that some owners consider is cooking their dog or cat’s food themselves. Although most vets are not strictly against home-cooked pet diets at all, it’s not a decision to be taken lightly.
Dogs and specially cat’s nutritional requirements are very different to such of human’s so the logical knowledge we apply when feeding ourselves is totally wrong if applied to pet nutrition and formulating and rationing pet food but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a right way to do it.
In my opinion, and most of my colleagues agree, the only way I feel comfortable about recommending for a pet to exclusively eat home-cooked meals is if they are formulated and regularly reevaluated by a veterinary nutritionist. If you are willing to learn, follow the guides (and obviously pay) for a specialist’ formulation, advice and regular evaluation of your pet’s home-cooked diet this is an amazing option, and might actually be very recommendable for pets with severe food allergies that cannot be controlled easily with store-bought formulas.
But if like me, you are the average pet owner with a busy life, who not always has enough time to spend shopping, meal prepping, storing and serving a complete perfect meal for your pet (because you are barely able to do that for yourself) and specially if your pet gets babysat by family members or friends who might not feel comfortable with that, there’s other good options!
The best general feeding routine in my opinion consists of:
- A Balanced Diet on a daily basis: Choose high-quality, species-appropriate pet food that meets your pet’s specific nutritional needs (store-bought or home-cooked).
- Including Pet-Safe Treats and Interactive enrichment in your weekly routine: Gives you the opportunity to have an infinity of options to vary their diet while giving you enough time and budget flexibility to include it in your routine and not get tired or become less diligent with it.
- Limit Table Scraps to the bare minimum: My approach is to not give any at all at home and leave it to the extremely sporadic occasion of a guest – or of course grandma – to do so if it really makes their heart happy (not during an actual meal on the table if possible).
BENEFITS of adding home-cooked dog and cat enrichment treats to your pet’s feeding routine
To vary your pet’s diet by making home-cooked dog and cat enrichment treats requires less time and planning than you think since you can use ingredients you have in your pantry (or add specific ones to your grocery list), takes almost no-time during work-days to offer them and adds a huge amount of enrichment and entertainment that both you and your furry friend will really appreciate in the long run.
If you are making the treats yourself you can adapt them to your pet’s needs and preferences in terms of ingredients, supplements or medications and specially how easy or difficult they are to consume and in what form.
Adding enrichment treats to your dog or cat’s routine will allow you to:
1. Add diet variation without compromising nutritional overall balance
Even if each treat or enrichment filler is not completely balanced, as long as it has safe ingredients and it is combined with a high-quality balanced diet it will not compromise the overall nutrition of your pet, on the contrary if used wisely it will even add to it.
2. Enrichment and entertainment
- Physical Health:
Chasing around a stuffed toy or scavenging around the whole house to find hidden treats is one of the best ways to get them to exercise while you are not home. Moreover, frozen or crunchy treats can promote dental health by providing a mild abrasive texture that helps clean your pet’s teeth as they chew.
They can also soothe teething discomfort for young puppies and kittens that might keep them from chewing furniture, shoes and other objects.
- Mental Stimulation:
Pets are naturally curious and it’s not always easy to stimulate them enough during our work time. Sniffing mats, puzzles to find treats or making their meal a bit more difficult to get than just chomping on the bowl challenges their minds as they try to figure out how to access the delicious reward.
The enrichment can help with separation anxiety, boredom and ward off cognitive decline in older pets.
- Anxiety Reduction:
Chewing and licking are natural stress relievers for dogs and cats. The act of working on reaching or chewing a treat can help calm anxious pets during thunderstorms, fireworks, or when left alone.
- Prolonged Enjoyment:
Frozen or hidden treats take longer to consume compared to regular treats, keeping pets occupied and entertained for an extended period of time.
3. Add any supplements
Use your enrichment wisely to add any supplements or even medications your dog needs if it becomes an easier way for them to take it.
Some examples of supplements to include are: salmon oil, plaque off or condroprotector tablets than can be easily added to toys and treat recipes (being careful not to compromise their value by baking or freezing them if not appropriate).
Medication in pills may not be as easy to add to the recipe but a home-made gelly or liquid treat might become the best option to hide them in. Check my post on tricks to give your dog or cat their medication easily for details https://carelikeavet.com/how-to-give-your-dog-or-cat-their-medication/
4. Test ingredients one by one:
If you are unsure of how a specific ingredient affects your pet’s digestion try adding it pure and one by one in homemade treats, sometimes this is easier than attempting to do an exclusion diet with store-bought processed food.
5. Have enrichment ready to pack if someone else is caring for them:
Most recipes can be prepared in advance and stored so you can bring them to an outing to keep your dog entertained while having a meal for example or have it ready in the freezer for whoever is cat sitting while you are away for couple of days.
Home-cooked dog and cat enrichment treat recipes:
The combination of ingredients is endless and must be adapted to each pet’s tastes, size, age and nutritional needs in general. I will do a specific post with specific frozen, baked and dehydrated home-cooked treat options but here are some general ideas:
1. Enrichment toy stuffing for dogs (and cats if adapted):
You’ll need a toy that you can fill in with food, the most popular are Kongs but there’s a variety of them with different shapes, sizes and difficulty to get the food to choose from depending on your puppy or kitten’s ability.
Ingredients you can use:
– Options for the base:
- store-bought wet food
- unsweetened yogurt or kefir
- cottage cheese
- bone broth
- unsweetened apple sauce
- pure pumpkin puree
– Mix-ins:
- Dog or cat kibble: a good option is to add one of their meals into the toy mixed with everything else.
- Fruits and vegetables (raw or steamed): peas, carrots, apple, cucumber, blueberries, zucchini, sweet potato.
– Supplements:
- Salmon oil for omegas
- Probiotics for gut health
- Plaque-off dust for oral health
- Joint supplements
– Toppings:
- Dehydrated fish skin
- Cooked chicken or other lean protein
- Malt paste or catnip (for cats)
- Coconut oil
- Peanut butter
- Hemp seeds
Once you have filled it all with the yummy goods give it to your pet to enjoy while you are away or put it in a ziplock bag and freeze it for another time, that will also make it last longer extending the entertainment and help cool them off on a hot summer day.
FROZEN LIKY MAT: Add a base like wet food, some toppings like diced cucumber or peas and your favourite supplements and freeze. This is an amazin option of positive reinforcement while you give your cat their nail trim or your dog their bath.
2. Pupsicles:
– Peanut Butter & Yogurt:
Mix plain yogurt with unsalted peanut butter and pour the mixture into ice cube trays or popsicle molds. Add a small dog treat as a surprise in the center. Freeze until solid, and serve on a hot day.
– Frozen Fruit ice-cubes:
Combine diced or blended dog-safe fruits like apples, watermelon, cucumber and blueberries with a bit of water. Pour the mixture into ice-cube molds and freeze. This can be offered as a treat or added to the water bowl to increase water intake.
– Carrot Crunch Sticks:
Freeze carrot sticks in water or low-sodium chicken broth. This double as a cooling and dental stick.
3. Frozen Treat Ideas for Cats
– Fishy Ice Pops:
Mix canned tuna or salmon with water. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays, small popsicle molds or into a toy like a kitty kong and freeze.
– Catnip Cubes:
Infuse water with catnip and freeze it into ice cubes. Offer these cubes to your cat on a hot day to provide a refreshing and stimulating experience.
– Creamy Chicken coolers:
Blend cooked chicken with plain yogurt and a small amount of catnip. Pour the mixture into molds and freeze for a protein-packed treat.
Lastly some Safety Tips
- Always use pet-friendly ingredients and avoid harmful substances like chocolate, artificial sweeteners, and xylitol.
- Here’s some good resources to check if you can give your dog a certain food: FDA – Potentially Dangerous Items for Your Pet: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/potentially-dangerous-items-your-pet
- The humane society of the US – Plants and food that can be poisonous to pets: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/plants-and-food-can-be-poisonous-pets
- If your pet has dietary restrictions or allergies, ask your veterinarian before trying any new treats.
- Supervise your pets while they enjoy frozen treats to ensure they don’t overindulge or attempt to swallow large pieces.
I hope you got some ideas from this post! If you have any tips you use to vary your pet’s diet with home-cooked dog and cat enrichment treats, please leave a comment on this post! I’ll add them to the list!
And remember, your vet won’t bite but your pet won’t speak either so ask any questions you may have and we will always try to help!
