Canine kitchen

Photos by Jaime Morados

For someone who likes to cook, making my own dog food recipes has been one kind of meal I had not ventured into until recently, despite our dogs always eating home-cooked food.

When I was away at college, I received a call from Manila, saying my Shar-Pei, named Bertolucci (after the director Bernardo Bertolucci) had died from eating tainted dog food. It turned out that hundreds of dogs in Manila had died eating the same food. Pet owners were given P50,000 as compensation, which we also received, from the dog food company.

From that time on, our family started cooking our own dog food. My dog Coco was terribly allergic to chicken and did not like beef so much. Her favorite was lamb served with potato, sayote, and carrots. All the dogs that followed pretty much ate mostly vegetables, with just a little bit of animal protein.

Eating better than we do

Dogs are a part of our family, so much so that when I was dating my husband, one of the first questions I asked was if he liked dogs… and a lukewarm answer would have not sufficed. Luckily, he loves dogs as much as I do.

A friend who recently moved back from living abroad told me that she started making her own dog treats, telling me what she feeds her two dogs. While all our dog food is prepared at home, I had never really considered adding variety or getting creative with it.

On our last grocery trip, my husband commented that the dogs were eating better than the family (it’s almost kind of true). The truth is that I have mastered the tastes of my husband and children, but feeding and satisfying my dogs, Daisy and Hoshi, are my new challenges.

Healthy dog food 101

In the same way I started cooking, I look at nutrition first and foremost. While commercial dog food takes the guesswork out, it also comes with many fillers and additives that can be unfamiliar. I also noticed that the dogs smell better (as do their excretions) with homemade food.

Just like cooking for your family, cooking healthy dog food at home can be a rewarding way to take charge of your dog’s diet, but it requires planning, variety, and knowledge of canine nutrition.

Dogs are just like people—each with their own allergies, sensitivities, and preferences. For example, Hoshi will eat pretty much anything except fresh blueberries, while Daisy is incredibly picky with her food. Hoshi loves egg yolks, while Daisy likes egg whites, pecorino cheese, and turkey. Making my own dog food also allows me to add in high-quality protein and know the sources of the food they are eating.

These are the essentials to keep in mind:

• Protein: The foundation of a dog’s diet, supporting muscle strength and energy. Good sources include chicken, turkey, beef, fish, and eggs. Remember to debone the fish properly before feeding them.

• Carbohydrates: Provide energy and fiber for digestion. Opt for whole grains (brown rice, oats) or starchy vegetables (camote, squash, and sayote).

• Healthy fats: Essential for skin, coat, and brain health. Coconut oil is affordable and available.

• Vitamins and minerals: Vegetables like alugbati, kangkong, malungay, carrots, and green beans supply antioxidants and essential nutrients. Calcium (often added through ground eggshells or supplements) is vital for bone strength. In the same way curcumin (found in turmeric) is good for humans, adding a little bit of turmeric can help with anti-inflammatory effects for dogs.

Be sure to avoid onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, chocolate, and anything with xylitol, which are toxic to dogs. As for seasoning, anything too salty is bad.