Mmmm…pizza! Today’s guest post was created for our readers by the team at Figo Pet Insurance, and it’s a doggone tasty looking treat! They’re sharing their recipe and instructions for making Chicken Pup Pizza. Check out the recipe, along with tips for creating and sharing your own custom dog-friendly pizza treats for special snacking occasions. Make sure you check out the pawnote from sous-chefs Oli and Humphrey on picture prep for this post, and a special video link to sniff around the Figo test kitchen, too!
How To Make Chicken Pup Pizza
Guest Post and Recipe Provided by Stephanie Blahut, Figo Pet Insurance
If you’re like a lot of animal owners today, your dog is more than a pet; it’s a family member. Because you love your furry friend so much, it’s important to give it the best food possible. That’s why homemade dog food or treats can be such a smart idea. Making them from scratch means maximising nutrients as well as better protecting your pet from potentially harmful ingredients. For a great place to start, why not treat your pup to the same kind of food you enjoy? Make your dog a chicken pup pizza!
Homemade Dog-Friendly Chicken Pup Pizza
Pizza Ingredients:
Crust Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup riced cauliflower
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/8 cup whole-wheat flour
Topping Ingredients:
- 1 medium red pepper
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh spinach
- 1 chicken breast (cooked and shredded)
Making the Chicken Pup Pizza:
- Heat oven to 350F. Note from the blog dogs of Dalmatian DIY: 350F is ~180C for metric bakers, like us. Woofs!
- In a food processor, combine riced cauliflower, Parmesan, egg, oats and whole-wheat flour. Thoroughly mix ingredients until they reach a dough-like consistency.
- Scoop the mixture out of the food processor and onto parchment paper. Form dough into a disc, about ½-inch thick. Bake crust for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until crust is a light golden brown.
- While dough is baking, de-seed, chop and blend red pepper in food processor to create pizza sauce. Coarsely chop spinach and grate remainder of Parmesan.
- When the crust is ready, top it with the red pepper sauce. Layer shredded chicken, cheese and spinach. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted. Slice and serve.
How to Know a Pizza Is Pup-Friendly
While your dog might be thrilled to find a piece of leftover pizza on the floor, not all pizzas are pup-friendly. When thinking about prepping pizza for your dog, the recipe above is a safe way to do it. That said, here are key tips to keep in mind when the pizza is intended for your pooch:
- Keep it small. Handing your dog a huge pizza only makes it harder for it to effectively eat. Especially for small or young dogs, stick to individual-size portions, or cut the pizza into strips for better serving.
- Bring it to room temperature. A hot pizza can make your dog unintentionally burn itself as it gobbles up more. Always let your pizza cool completely before serving.
- Include lean meat. Dogs need protein to be healthy and grow, and meat is an excellent source. Top your pizza with any lean cuts of chicken, turkey, beef or bacon — depending on what your pet likes.
- Use other dog-friendly toppings. Other toppings that are good for dogs include cooked vegetables such as cauliflower or broccoli, shredded carrots, mashed sweet potatoes, and small amounts of low-fat cheese.
- Don’t include anything risky for dogs. Foods that have even the slightest potential risk for a dog should be avoided. Examples include garlic, onions and tomatoes.
- Limit cheese and salt. Because many dogs are lactose-intolerant, minimize the amount of cheese put on the pizza. Along the same lines, cut back on salt to lower the sodium content and make your pup’s pizza healthier.
Disclaimer: Always consult with a veterinarian before serving your canine human food. Also, remember to keep everything in moderation.
About the Guest Author
Stephanie N. Blahut is Director of Digital Marketing and Technology for Figo Pet Insurance. Figo is committed to helping pets and their families enjoy their lives together by fusing innovative technology — the first-of-its-kind Figo Pet Cloud — and the industry’s best pet insurance plans.
Pawnote from the Blog Dogs of Dalmatian DIY
That chicken pup pizza sounds doggone delish! Thanks, Stephanie and Figo! Unlike most of the recipes on our blog, this one hasn’t been baked and taste-tested by the blog dogs here at Dalmatian DIY. But my ever helpful team of spotty sous-chefs enjoyed sniffing some of the key ingredients during our mini-photoshoot for the pictures that accompany this post. Chicken and cheese were definitely ahead of the capsicum (red pepper) and spinach on the popularity charts. Hehehe… The special guest post above was adapted by the Stephanie and the Figo team for our readers, but is based on their Scarf’d: Chicken Pup Pizza. You can see their pizza prep along with cute footage of their eager taste testers in the embedded video on their post. Check it out!
Hungry for more tasty treats? There are all sorts of homemade dog treat ideas in our blog archives. You can also use use the category and tag labels above/ below this post to find other recipes that might be of interest or use our internal search tools to find something specific. Remember, treats (bought or homemade) are for spoiling your pup in moderation. Different animals will have different preferences (likes or dislikes), just like people. Some pets may have special dietary requirements and/or food allergies or intolerances. If you are ever in doubt or have questions about what’s suitable for your pet, have a chat with your trusted vet.
