Make Your Own Dog Kibble

 A real eye opener about Dog Food: http://www.dogfoodproject.com/

Non-related article:  Do-it-Yourself Natural Pet Food Recipe

 Kim DeLeary

Why pay for expensive and packaged pet food when you can make your own easily? Take care of your canine friend with homemade kibble that you know is fresh and filled with nutrition. Depending on how many large baking pans and the quantity of ingredients you have, you can also cook kibble to freeze and save for later. Following this recipe will net you at least 14 cups of kibble depending on how much meat you put into it.
Your homemade kibble will be fresh and will contain human-grade ingredients. It will not contain any fillers or preservatives and will be a healthier alternative to many preparations you can find in the stores. You can also customize the kibble recipe by adding your dog's favorite ingredients.

An Added Note not by the original author but what I've found doing further research: Before you switch to having your dog eat homemade dog food, you should first check with your vet to see if it will be okay for the animal.

Dogs need a diet that consists of 30% vegetables, 40% meat, and 30% starch. To be sure that your dog has a well-balanced diet, be sure you follow that formula. It's always a good idea to add a grain to your dog food, such as wheat germ, whole wheat bread to meat dinners, cooked oatmeal, and kibble.

Tip: Dogs cannot digest vegetables very well, so you should put the vegetables through a food processor before being added. And the food you make for them should always be served at room temperature. And if your refrigerate it, do not leave it in the fridge for longer than 3 days.

Ingredients

To create the basic recipe, mix together in a very large bowl:

• 6 cups of a mixture of potato flour and rolled oats. (You can also use whole wheat and rye flour as well. Avoid the over-processed white flour.)
• 3 cups of cooked brown rice.
• Add 2 cups of dry milk
• And 2 teaspoons of bone meal   NOTE: NOT from a Garden Center!!!!
• Blend in 3 cups of water to the flour mixture.
• Carrots, spinach, and broccoli are vegetables that are okay, but remember to put them through a food processor before you add them to the dogs food. 

In another bowl:

• Beat 4 eggs.
• Melt 1 cup of lard and mix into the eggs.

Stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Pour this mixture into a large, greased baking pan. Suitable pans are pizza pans, cookie pans and cake pans. You may need a few of these to do the job. It is okay to use a deeper pan; it will just take longer to bake. You can also add carrots and peas to your recipe, but remember that it's easier for your pet to digest cooked, shredded, juiced and mashed vegetables.

How to bake

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Fahrenheit/80 degrees Celsius. Bake the kibble batter for 45 minutes or until the kibble is done. It should pull away from the sides of the pan and be lightly browned. Take the the pans out of the oven and cool before breaking the baked mixture apart into smaller chunks. Store the homemade kibble in an airtight container in the fridge. and ensure you date and label the container!

Or, if you choose to double the recipe, you can store the remainder in the freezer until ready to use. Thaw then serve.

Improvise!

You can also make the dog food meatier by adding meat juices, broth, gravy and meat drippings instead of water. You can also use dairy products such as milk, goat's milk and cottage cheese as part of the liquid portion. You can add any other animal fats to the recipe. For a much meatier option, add up to four cups of shredded or ground meat or fish to the batter.
Your dog will love your homemade kibble and treats. By making your own, you will be feeding your pet healthier, natural meals. Isn't your dog worth it?

Read more at Suite101: Make Your Own Dog Kibble: Do-it-Yourself Natural Pet Food Recipe http://greenliving.suite101.com/article.cfm/diy_make_dog_kibble#ixzz0xRwuyNHE

Additional Info for dog food:  http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=fattyacids