How to make oatmeal for dogs
Oats can be a great source of nutrition for dogs with gastrointestinal issues, especially senior dogs. Cooking oatmeal for dogs with sensitive bellies can help, especially if they are on a hypoallergenic diet.
I’ll give you variations and substitutions where I can, plus helpful tips and tricks for success. Read on for this info as well as the recipe. If you’d like to skip straight to the recipe, use the jump to recipe button at the top of the post.
You may also be interested in my post “can dogs eat oatmeal?” and my homemade meatballs for dogs recipe. For ease of browsing, you can find all of my dog food recipes in one place
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Why you should make this recipe
- Hypoallergenic diet – If your pup is on a special diet, or has belly issues, a spoonful of oatmeal can be a good option.
- Quick and easy – Oats only take a few minutes to cook.
- Make ahead – This recipe should make enough to feed more than one dog for the week.
Can dogs eat oatmeal?
Oats can be a great option for dogs with tummy issues. Sugar has always had a sensitive stomach, so when she was diagnosed with a few gastrointestinal issues, we spoke to her vet about what this meant for her diet.
Oatmeal should be part of their diet, not the only thing you feed them. Also, not too much, especially if you have a senior dog who isn’t very active.
It is high in carbohydrates and they will gain weight if you feed them too much of anything, but specifically high carb food (just like people!).
You should not feed your dog raw oatmeal, always make sure the oats are cooked. Raw oats are hard for pups to digest and if your pet already has belly issues, this will not help them.
Ingredients
- Oats – I use old-fashioned rolled oats. I don’t use quick-cooking oats, but you can use them if that’s what you have. Your cooking time will be slightly less than the recipe.
- Water – Plain tap water is fine.
When cooking oats for dogs, you do not need to add salt, sugar, or any flavoring. Remember, this is not for your taste buds, it’s for your pup.
How to cook oatmeal for dogs
Cooking porridge, or oats, for your pup is one of the easiest things you’ll ever make.
- Simmer water in a medium pot.
- Add oats, while stirring, to the simmering water.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down and let it bubble away for a bit until it is thickened. Set it aside and let it cool before feeding to your pet.
Oatmeal for dogs FAQ’s
Yes! Making porridge (oats) for dogs isn’t much different than making it for yourself. It’s made with water, not milk, and cooked on the stove until the oats have absorbed the liquid.
No. Do not feed your dog raw oats, it is quite difficult for them to digest.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
Cooked oats will last about 5 days.
Yes! I like to freeze it in mini muffin pans. Then pop them out and store in a zip-top freezer bag. You can take out a little at a time without having to thaw an entire container.
To incorporate cooked oats into your dog’s food, you can simply add a bit to their normal food. If you are going with a fully homemade diet, a website that our vet recommended to me is balanceit.com.
If your dog has developed a sensitivity to a certain food, often it’s protein specific and it’s usually chicken, you can try other proteins in its place. It can be a bit of a process trying to eliminate foods or figure out which ones are the culprits.
For us, we have the added issue of having to feed her a low fat diet. That means lean proteins in addition to the oatmeal and other vegetables. Lean ground pork works for Sugar, as does lamb and salmon, even though they aren’t necessarily low fat.
Dog treats using oats
Many of my dog’s treats are made with oats. They are easy on the belly and also less expensive than store bought.
Check out this list for dog treat tools and equipment – a few basics to get you started.
- Fresh breath treats
- Pumpkin peanut butter treats
- Oatmeal pumpkin treats
- Oatmeal applesauce treats
- Banana blueberry treats
Helpful tools and equipment
You’ll need a medium sized sauce pan to cook the oats. I prefer using a sturdy rubber spatula to stir instead of a spoon, because I can scrape along the sides and bottom to make sure the oats don’t stick.
Lastly, you’ll need a set of dry measuring cups and a liquid measuring cup.
I’ve compiled a list of all things dog that we have actually used for Sugar. If you are like me, and you take your pup with you on adventures, the backpack and the booster seat for the car are the best things ever.
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Oatmeal for Dogs
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
Instructions
- In a medium (nonstick) sauce pan, bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a simmer.
- Add 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal to this simmering water, stirring as you add the oats. Continue stirring until fully combined.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, stirring frequently. (If you do not stir the oats, they will stick, and could potentially burn)
- Cook for 7 – 8 minutes, until oatmeal is thickened and oats have absorbed the water.
Video
Notes
- If you want to make a looser oatmeal, reduce oats to 1 cup.
- If using quick-cooking oats, you'll need to adjust the time, as they cook faster.
- Do not add sugar or salt to oatmeal – that's not good for your dog.
- Store oatmeal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- I prefer using a nonstick pot, as oatmeal can stick.
- Remember that oatmeal will thicken as it stands, so let it sit on the stove for a few minutes if it isn't as thick as you'd like it.
- When re-heating oatmeal: It will become a solid mass in the fridge. You may need to add a teaspoon of water and stir it up before adding to your pup's food.
- NEVER feed your dog hot off the stove food. It will burn their mouths.
- Never feed your dog raw oatmeal.
- Sugar weighed 12 lbs., her portion size was about 2 tbsps. Speak to your vet about portions for your specific pet. Also, please consult your vet about dietary changes for your pet, as every dog is unique and what works for mine may not work for yours.
- Start slowly when adding oatmeal to your dog's diet. Any new changes could cause gastrointestinal issues.
Nutrition
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Thanks for stopping by! Have a delicious day 🙂
Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian, or a nutritionist, but with the guidance of my dog’s vet, this is what I do for her.
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Very enjoyable and helpful site. Looking forward to trying all the recipes including the ones for my soon to be 9 year old Lady Labrador Retriever “Summer-Bisquit”.
Thanks🐕
Thank you, Rick! I’m so glad to have you here. Happy birthday to Summer Bisquit 🙂 I look forward to hearing from you when you try more recipes! I hope she loves them all.
Why can you not used quick cooked oats?
The recipe is written for old-fashioned oats, quick cooking oats cook faster, so you’ll just need to adjust your time.
Such an informative read. Thanks for sharing this!
Our pug is turning 8 and this is very helpful as we’re looking for softer diets for him. Thanks for this. 😀
Hi there, I used 2.5 cups of water and 1.5 cup of rolled oats but it came out way too watery. Even after I added a 3rd cup. 😔
Hi Monique – How long did you cook it? What did you add a 3rd cup of? If you used 1.5 cups of oats and 2.5 cups of water, it should not be runny. Oatmeal will thicken as it stands.
Hi there! Love what you are doing! Thank you for all the information! My Parsons Jack Russell is 15 years old and looks unhappy about all the food I bought to him, but the little one loves all the human food we share with him. He loves any leftovers from us and never I was thought about oatmeal!!! Thank you very much!!!
I hope your pup likes the oatmeal! Just remember, only a little bit! Not too much 🙂