by Stacey Torres

Created on: December 14, 2009   Last Updated: March 31, 2010

People have been cooking and planning meals for their dogs and other pets for centuries. In fact, prepared commercial dog foods are relatively new on the market and only made available to pet owners since the 1860s.

The key to preparing home made dinners for your dog is to not use unhealthy leftovers, but cook the meal from scratch with your pet’s health and well being in mind. We are often tempted to sneak table scraps to our dogs while eating, and scraping finished plates into the dog’s dish is very commonplace for some people. While this practice reduces the amount of trash one has to dispose of, it also increases the trash in the pet’s digestive tract, slowing the dog down and causing her great distress in the long run.

The foods we eat may be tasty to us, and if our dogs even take the time to actually taste what we give them, rather than just “wolfing” their food down without noticing a thing, table food will appeal to them too. But spicy foods are very harsh on a dog’s smaller and more sensitive intestinal tract and digestive system. If you knew that harmless little potato chip could cause your dog pancreatitis because of the fat and sodium content, you would think twice before we shared such a snack with Little Rufus. Something as simple and innocent as a greasy tidbit can be life threatening to a canine over time or overnight.

The first thing to remember when developing recipes for your dog is to eliminate strong spices and fats. If a dog is more than willing to eat a shoe, clearly spices and extra fat are not that important to his or her palate as it is to ours.

When cooking chicken or turkey, remove the skin and fat first. In addition, there have also been concerns in the past that turkey may be toxic to some canines.

Most of us are already aware that chocolate can be highly toxic to dogs in both large and small quantities, and we’ve been very careful not to let them sneak a bonbon or two out of the occasional box of chocolate on the coffee table. However, there are many recipes out there to make homemade dog treats, and a few actually contain chocolate baking chips. This is an absolute tragedy waiting to happen. Instead of using chocolate chips in your dog's treats, substitute peanut butter, carob or grated carrots.

Bones, of course can be a major source of delight for a dog, but can also be the prime cause of his misery. They don’t understand the concept of chewing their food 50 times before swallowing, and sharp bones – particularly poultry – can puncture their intestines or lodge in their throat. So, never add these to their foods.

While fresh garlic and garlic powder are beneficial to your pet, garlic salt is not. Do not add extra salt to your dog’s dish.

Many dogs love fruit, and in moderation will not hurt a dog when fed to them every now and then. But grapes can be bad for pets, as well as raisins and certain nuts. Caffeine can also be dangerous for a dog.

If you are baking bread during the holidays, please keep your dog away until the job is complete. They are drawn to the scent of the dough, and active yeast that is not yet baked can be toxic to a dog, and possibly continue to swell in their esophagus and stomach.

Preparing meals for your dog should be an enjoyable experience, but consider his or her needs as you would any member of your family, and exercise common sense when developing your recipes. Keep in mind that what may be nutritious for humans may not be for dogs. When in doubt, check with your veterinarian.

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