A Dog Mom’s Journey to Help Her Itchy Pup

by Desiree Rutledge, The Hive Overland Park

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Hey fellow dog moms! Meet my Yorkie, Stella.  

Stella used to be a squirmy, itchy mess, scratching incessantly and wrecking every cute pic I tried to take of her. For years, her constant itching left her miserable, and no amount of hypoallergenic dog food or children's Benadryl seemed to help. I’d try to explain to friends and family that it wasn’t fleas - it was just her allergies acting up. Yeah right, I’m sure they thought it was just an excuse. The vet told me that she had allergies that could be dietary but said it would take a whole battery of tests to figure out the cause. He suggested a lifetime of expensive Apoquel (a medication to control itching and inflammation) and prescription dog food as the best course. He also said that at 8 pounds, Stella needed to slim down to avoid joint issues as she got older. I felt frustrated and determined to find a better solution, I just didn’t imagine I’d find the solution in Belize. What is my secret to helping my itchy pup?

Homemade dog food!!!!

Funny how things happen, we were on vacation at our cruise port of Belize when we met up with some other travelers on the island. Somehow our conversation turned to cooking and they mentioned that they loved to bake sourdough bread and also made their dogs food because of allergy issues. That struck a chord with me, so I asked a lot of questions which led to them sharing their recipe with us and that’s how this all came about. Fast forward to today, Stella’s at a healthy 6 pounds, barely itches, gets a restful night's sleep and loves life! 

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 Why I Switched to Homemade Dog Food

• No More Itchy Days: Stella’s allergies are gone! Fresh ingredients like lean meat and green veggies stopped her scratching way more effectively than prescription brands of dog food.

• Easy Weight Loss: She dropped 2 pounds with small, flavorful portions. No more worrying about her joints and she got her cute little waistline back. (My husband joked that maybe we should be eating her meals instead - of course I tasted it and a little salt would make it pretty decent. Just know I am NOT endorsing this for any human diet, just for your dog). 

• Saves Money: Making her food costs less than prescription meds or prescription dog food, and I feel good knowing exactly what’s in her meals every day.

• Happy Dog: Stella no longer has little hot spots all over her body, she can actually relax, her energy is up, and she gets sooooo excited when it’s time to eat that she does her Happy Dance!!!

Ok, now for the big reveal……….

This is super easy to pull together and freezes perfectly. I usually make half of this recipe at a time because it makes so much and the half batch fits in my crockpot. I get almost 2 months worth of meals for my 6-pound Yorkie out of a half recipe.

Homemade Dog Food Recipe

Ingredients  

  - 2 lbs ground turkey  

  - 4 lbs ground beef (or chicken)  

  - 2 ½ cups brown rice (uncooked)  

  - 2 ½ cups pearl barley (uncooked)

  - 1 cup lentils (uncooked)  

  - 2 cans green peas (drained)  

  - 2 cans green beans (drained)  

  - 1 can pumpkin puree (plain, not pie filling) I stock up on this around the holidays 

  - 2 cans (14 oz) beef broth (I like to use Better than Bouillon instead)

  - 8 cups water-adjust as needed for grains to be fully cooked and liquid absorbed

How to Make It 

•  Cook the meat in a skillet - set aside.  

•  Add rice, barley, lentils, broth, and water to the crockpot. 

•  Cook on low for 4 hours, check after 3 hours to see if rice/beans are soft & liquid is absorbed   

• Mix in peas, green beans, pumpkin, and meat.  

• Cool, then portion into ½ cup servings and freeze. (Stella gets ¼ cup twice a day)

This is what it looks like when I have it portioned out and ready to freeze. Once frozen I just put them in a large ziploc bag and pull out one portion per day for her.

Things to consider before taking the leap

• Talk to your vet first to make sure it’s right for your dog.  

• Mix new food with existing kibble for a week to get them used to it.  

• Frozen portions save so much time-I even travel with it because every hotel has a mini fridge.

• Just like home-cooked meals are best for your family, your dog is no exception.

My Final Thoughts  

Switching Stella to homemade dog food was one of the best decisions I’ve made as a pet parent. If your dog is struggling with allergies, weight issues, or just isn’t thriving on traditional dog food, I encourage you to explore homemade food options. It’s a labor of love that’s worth every minute and it just might be life changing for you and your dog.