Our Recipes

Always consult your veterinarian about any changes to your puppy’s/dog’s diet. These recipes are meant to be helpful but are in no way a feeding recommendation for your specific animal (whom we’ve likely never met).

Base recipe for a frozen food puzzle

Base recipe is based on a ~950kcal per day diet, and is fed as the equivalent of ~1/4 of the whole day’s calories.

• 1/4 Cup kibble
• 1-3 tsp wet dog food (can substitute peanut butter, almond butter, plain greek yogurt, etc.)
• 1 tsp almond butter or other fatty treat (peanut butter, plain greek yogurt, etc.)
• 1-3 small chunks of washed, dog-safe fruits or vegetables (whole blueberries or cut up strawberries, bananas, green beans, broccoli stems, etc)
• sprinkle of dog-safe seeds (chia, sesame, sunflower, flax, pumpkin, etc)
• 2 tsp unsweetened apple sauce or doggie bone broth soaked kibble to seal it all in

“Light” recipe for a frozen food puzzle

Light recipe is based on a ~450kcal per day diet, and is fed as the equivalent of ~1/4 of the whole day’s calories.

• Sprinkle of kibble
• 1 tsp wet dog food (can substitute peanut butter, almond butter, plain greek yogurt, etc.)
• 3-5 tsp cooked pumpkin puree (or other fibrous, low-calorie, dog-safe semi-solid)
• 1-3 small chunks of washed, dog-safe fruits or vegetables (whole blueberries or cut up strawberries, bananas, green beans, broccoli stems, etc)
• light sprinkle of dog-safe seeds (chia, sesame, sunflower, flax, pumpkin, etc)
• 1 tsp unsweetened apple sauce diluted with doggie bone broth to seal it all in

If your dog is not excited about this light recipe, try adding their favorite flavor of freeze dried meat treats throughout it. This should encourage them to keep working at the puzzle without increasing the caloric content significantly.

Homemade bone broth (in an Instant Pot)

1. Collect “used up” dog bones or pieces of dog bones too small to safely chew (bison, beef, deer or elk antlers, stubs of soft tissue chews like trachea, etc.)
2. Bones from your own meals that haven’t been cooked in dog-unsafe ingredients (e.g. garlic, onions, grapes, etc, etc.)
3. Place all bones in the Instant Pot
4. Fill with water just until the bones are barely covered
5. Pressure cook on “high” for 2 hours
6. Store frozen in cubes (for about a week) or in sealed jars or bottles in the fridge for up to three days

Base recipe for a fresh Lickimat (dog)

Base recipe is based on a ~950kcal per day diet, and is fed as the equivalent of ~1/8 of the whole day’s calories.

• Center: 1-3 tsp wet dog food (can substitute peanut butter, almond butter, plain greek yogurt, etc.)
• Borders:
  • 1 Tbsp almond butter or other fatty treat (peanut butter, plain greek yogurt, etc.)
  • 1 tsp unsweetened apple sauce or doggie bone broth soaked kibble to seal it all in
• Topper: sprinkle of dog-safe seeds (chia, sesame, sunflower, flax, pumpkin, etc) or freeze dried food/treats

Base recipe for a frozen Lickimat (dog)

Base recipe is based on a ~950kcal per day diet, and is fed as the equivalent of ~1/8 of the whole day’s calories.

• Center: 1-3 tsp wet dog food (can substitute peanut butter, almond butter, plain greek yogurt, etc.)
• Border: 2 tsp unsweetened apple sauce or doggie bone broth soaked kibble to seal it all in
• Topper: fill out with bone broth

Lickimat ideas (cat)

• 3oz wet cat food
• Inaba Churu puree cat treats
• Tuna water (unsalted; no oil)
• Meat-flavor baby foods (particularly useful for sick or elderly kitties)
• Cat-safe bone broth
• Shredded or pureed, unseasoned, boiled chicken or turkey