Organic Chicken Roll for Dogs

More owners are cooking at home for their dogs.
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For owners with busy lifestyles, preparing daily homemade meals for their dog can put a strain on their schedules. Commercially packaged dog food rolls have a convenient design; cooked tasty ingredients, compressed to make slice and serve portions that last for about a week. For the busy pet owner and home cook, making this combination can be a nutritious timesaver.

Packaged Roll

The ingredients of commercial dog food rolls consist of various meats, vegetables and carbohydrates. Some may also include fruits and vitamin supplements. These rolls are packaged in a thin and tight plastic casing, making it easy to cut portions into sliced rounds. In a supermarket setting, they look similar to a packaged tube of ground beef or turkey. Unless one has their own casing machine at home, homemade dog rolls tend to look more like a meatloaf. However, this doesn’t lessen their flavor.

Veterinary Advice

Organic food lacks pesticides, and chicken is an excellent source of healthy protein. Organic lean white-meat chicken is typically digestive system friendly, and it often ranks at the top a veterinarian’s homemade diet list. However, before starting any homemade diet for your dog, consulting your veterinarian or an expert animal nutritionist is imperative. This is especially true if your dog has a health concern or dietary restriction. If a dog has kidney disease or diabetes, for example, certain foods can cause further complications.

Homemade Preparations and Cautions

If you intend to grind the organic chicken yourself, make sure it is deboned and skinless. Vegetables that are good for dogs include broccoli, green beans, peas and carrots. Research opinions vary on the amount of carbohydrates a dog needs, but good carbohydrates such as brown rice or sweet potatoes are healthy additives. A chopped seedless apple will add healthy sweetness. However, follow your nutritionist’s list carefully. Certain fruits and vegetables, such as grapes, avocados and onions are toxic to dogs.

Cooking and Portions

When preparing the vegetables, they can be cooked ahead a time or left raw for baking. A fine dice makes it easier to mix them equally throughout the ground chicken. An organic raw egg may be used as a binder if needed. Once rolled into shape, it should be baked for about an hour at 350 degrees F, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Portion size depends on your dog’s breed, age and activity level. Talk to your vet about the appropriate amount.