# Is baby food safe for dogs?



## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

I make cookies for Max with baby food. It's a super easy recipe, and he loves them.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

As long as it doesn't contain any ingredients that are poisonous to dogs (grapes, macadamia nuts, etc.), it's as safe as any people food.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

So the baby food dog treat recipe is?
Oh, and what about using canned cat food to make dog treats? anyone have a recipe? I bought some Merrick canned food my cats won't touch


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

Sure, it's safe, but it seems an expensive alternative to other treats that dogs love...


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Pointgold said:


> Sure, it's safe, but it seems an expensive alternative to other treats that dogs love...


 
I would love to hear your suggestions. My puppy, Mack, doesn't seem to like some of the usual ideas, so I am interested.


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## Samantha's Mom (Aug 16, 2011)

Grapes are poisonous to dogs? I had no idea!


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Samantha's Mom said:


> Grapes are poisonous to dogs? I had no idea!


Some dogs don't seem to have a problem, but there have been several confirmed instances of kidney problems in dogs associated with as few as three or four grapes or raisins, so grapes are now generally considered unsafe.


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## Samantha's Mom (Aug 16, 2011)

tippykayak said:


> Some dogs don't seem to have a problem, but there have been several confirmed instances of kidney problems in dogs associated with as few as three or four grapes or raisins, so grapes are now generally considered unsafe.


Oh no. I've fed my dog raisins because my mother-in-law would give feed my Sam some and she said her dog loved them too. Thank you so much for the info.


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## rhondas (Sep 10, 2010)

Many of the baby food desserts are sweetened with grape juice so you need to read the ingredients carefully.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Sorry - one clarification. I said "three or four," but I think the confirmed amounts are slightly larger (5 or 10).


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

lgnutah said:


> So the baby food dog treat recipe is?
> Oh, and what about using canned cat food to make dog treats? anyone have a recipe? I bought some Merrick canned food my cats won't touch


I'd love the recipe too.

Cat food is an excellent training treat. At the shelter we use it all the time. We dip a plastic spoon in and let the dogs lick it off. Fearful dogs especially will come for meaty canned cat food, we just drop it on the floor and encourage them to come close. Too much could give dogs a bit of soft stool if they're not used to high protein foods.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

nolefan said:


> I would love to hear your suggestions. My puppy, Mack, doesn't seem to like some of the usual ideas, so I am interested.


 
I used to make this a lot for bait for shows:

Liver Cake
8 oz Liver [preferably Lamb or calf] 
4ozs Self Rising Flour 
2 Eggs 
2 Cloves Garlic/ or 2 tsps garlic puree (or more - our dogs love garlic). You can use garlic powder, too.

Put all the ingredients into a blender until the mixture is smooth, pink and runny [or less runny if you prefer to make it a bit chunky).
Pour into greased swiss roll type baking tin and bake for around 30-40 minutes at 180 degrees. You can microwave it on high for 10 minutes if you want (use a glass dish.) 
Leave to cool and cut into bite size pieces. 
It can be frozen in individual ziploc bags.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

The grape reaction is idiosyncratic... I grew up giving my dogs raisins out of oatmeal cookies. And my childhood beagles ate whole bags of hershey's kisses with no adverse affects....


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## desi.n.nutro (Mar 18, 2011)

Sally's Mom said:


> The grape reaction is idiosyncratic... I grew up giving my dogs raisins out of oatmeal cookies. And my childhood beagles ate whole bags of hershey's kisses with no adverse affects....


It is true that chocolate, grapes, and a few other things are toxic to about 50% of dogs. 1 in 2 are not good odds for me so I would just never risk it. I think people make broad general statements then they lose credibility because their dog ate 1/2 the Halloween candy and survived.

I suggest you proceed with caution.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

We have muscadine grapes growing over a pergola in our yard and I know Brooks had helped himself to the fallen grapes for many years (before I even knew they could be harmful) without any ill effects. I figured it was either the number he ate was too low in relation to his weight, or that he didn't happen to have as much sensitivity to them as other dogs might.


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## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

I got this recipe online ages ago, it's not at all expensive to make and Max loves them
2 four ounce jars of baby food - I use a variety of flavors, he's partial to apples and oatmeal, some of the chicken dinners, squash, carrots, anything that isn't bad for him.
2 eggs 
a dash of salt - usually I forget to add that because I don't think he actually needs it
mix the eggs and baby food together, mix in 2 1/2 cups of wheat flour - now I've never used white flour but I'm thinking it would work if the dog is allergic to wheat 
make whatever size balls you like - I've done tiny ones and got about 60 treats out of one batch - bake at 350 for 50 minutes and then I freeze them, if left out,they will get moldy.

(If you get the 6 ounce jars of baby food, increase the eggs to three, and the flour to 3 1/4 cups)


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

laprincessa said:


> mix in 2 1/2 cups of wheat flour - now I've never used white flour but I'm thinking it would work if the dog is allergic to wheat


White flour (all purpose flour, unbleached all purpose flour, bread flour) is made from wheat. The bran and germ are removed and what is left is ground into flour. Whole wheat flour is when they don't remove the bran or germ before they grind it into flour.

I have kindof wondered about all the people who feed their dogs kibble without wheat etc, and they then give their dogs treats made with wheat flour.


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