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.

1. Simmer water in a medium pot.
2. Add oats, while stirring, to the simmering water.
3. 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

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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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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