I am constantly asked how can I speed up the healing process for my dog's gut to help them heal from allergies, rashes, diarrhoea or vomiting. Well, read on as here are five super easy recipes to make at home right now to get that gut microbiome flourishing and doing its thing!
We’re pretty sure you pay attention to ingredients, read the backs of packets and try to find healthy options (we know you would not be reading this if you did not!)
Let's talk about cleverly disguised treats that are actually not treats, they are essential to assist your dog get all the probiotic goodness they need to assist in getting the best nutrition from the foods you feed them.. Not only do dogs love them, we love them because we know they’re doing their bodies good! But before we tell you how to make them, let’s run through why we do. What are Proboitics for Dogs & why are Important? You’ve heard us say it many times before, but it is always worth repeating: gut health is crucial for overall health. If the gut isn’t healthy the entire body can suffer. After all, not only does up to 80% of the immune system live in the gut, but the gut microbiome communicates with so many other systems in the body, telling them how best to perform their various tasks.
If you’re looking for an easy way to improve your pet’s gut health, probiotics are the way to go. These teeny tiny microorganisms play a BIG role in overall health. The right ones can:
Improve nutrient absorption
Aid digestion
Fight off unfriendly bacteria
Regulate the immune system
Helps to reduce inflammation
Help the body produce important postbiotics like short chain fatty acids
But don’t forget the prebiotics! Probiotics are incredible, but they’re a team player, and love to be supported. Prebiotics feed the probiotics, helping them to thrive in the gut and do what they’re supposed to. They work together – they need each other. (Don’t worry, we’ve covered both in the treats to follow.) NO need to spend a fortune on Pro/Prebiotics for your dog. In fact , I will go so far as to claim that 99% of them are simply 'snake oil' in Australia. But continue reading as you can easily add these to your dog's daily diet at a fraction of the cost of a 'magic pill'.
Once again Mother Nature will provide, we do not ned to perfect anything or buy anything extra to supplement natural foods.
Probiotic Treats for Dogs: 5 Simple Recipes
1. Superfood Smoothie
When we make smoothies in our house, they double as dog treats! But you can add extras to make them even healthier for your pup. This is an easy one that covers probiotics (the kefir) and prebiotics (the berries and greens).
Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain kefir
1/4 blueberries
1/8 cup dandelion greens (if harvested from your own garden make sure they are pesticide free)
Blend together everything in the blender, then add a tablespoon or so on top of your pet’s dinner, or on a plate on its own as a treat.
2. Pumpkin Perfection
Not only is pumpkin a great digestive aid, it’s also a good source of prebiotics! Goat’s milk is another potent probiotic, and is very easy to digest.
Ingredients:
1 cup goat’s milk
1 cup pure pumpkin puree (cut and cook pumpkin, them simply mash it)
Take an ice cube tray and fill the sections half full with the pumpkin puree, then top with goat’s milk and freeze. **Note: if your dog is a gulper or inhaler of food, be careful with ice cubes – you don’t want your animal to swallow them whole and choke!
3. Creamy Iced Cream
Make a batch of this and keep it on hand, ready for maximum treat distribution!
Ingredients:
1 cup plain kefir
1/4 cup chopped strawberries
1/4 cup banana
Again, blend everything together in the blender until smooth, then pour into ice cube trays and feed an ‘ice cream treat’ whenever the urge strikes! **Tip – you can do this with the smoothie too)
4. Savoury Stink Bombs
Don’t let the name fool you – your pup will gobble these up like they’re gold! Tripe is loaded with beneficial bacteria and enzymes, in addition to prebiotics.
Ingredients:
1 cup goat’s milk
1 cup raw green tripe (not bleached!! and it's hard to find. The greener and uglier the better, your pet food butcher should be able to supply this for you as it's banned for sale in Australia for Human consumption. P.S. It is a tad smelly lol))
In a bowl, gently mix together the goat’s milk and green tripe. Then either feed a hearty spoonful on a plate, or freeze them in molds to give as a frozen treat.
5. Fermented Fiesta Fermented vegetables are a great source of probiotics, as well as valuable polyphenols, digestive enzymes, and various other vitamins and nutrients.
Ingredients:
1 cup fermented veggies (think Kimchi just check the ingredients, make sure there's no added sugars or anything else other than the veggies)
1/4 finely diced apple
Mixing these two ingredients together makes a great topper that ticks both the pre and probiotic boxes. Serve it on top of your dog's food, or just give a few teaspoons as a treat!
Here are a few additional tips for making probiotic treats for dogs at home:
Kefir may also contain artificial sweeteners, which can be dangerous for dogs. Only ever serve plain kefir, and read the ingredients carefully. Other prebiotics you can add to any of these include asparagus, apples, bananas, and broccoli.
Remember, you are what you eat, and your gut needs a diverse range of bacteria to be fully functional and you dog to be healthy!
Our Bone Broth is an easy and convenient way of also boosting their health from the inside out, it, really is nature's superfood. Convenient and easy to make, we have done the hard work for you - just add hot water!
Check out our YouTube Video to see how you can make your own Pupsicles using some of the ingredients we've talked about!
