Creating a healthful, well-rounded meal from scratch for your dog requires an understanding of your pet's nutritional needs as well as a significant investment of time. Like humans, dogs are omnivores, meaning that they eat both animal and plant foods. If you want to cook for a dog, I urge you to talk to your vet or consult with a veterinary nutritionist about the individual needs of your companion animal and how those needs change with age. You'll also want to pay close attention to how much home-cooked food your dogs should eat in order for them to maintain a healthy weight. Follow the guidelines in this and tomorrow's Daily Tips for information on foods that dogs can eat and those they should avoid.

1. Lean meats. Thoroughly cooked meats with visible fat trimmed off and all bones removed are acceptable for dogs.
2. Vegetables. Many dogs enjoy carrot sticks, green beans and cucumber slices - all are low-calorie treats that are healthier than many store-bought dog snacks. However some veggies should be avoided - see tomorrow's tip for more information.
3. Fresh fruit. Sliced apples, bananas, oranges and watermelon can be a safe and tasty treat, but be sure to remove all seeds, stems and leaves first. Some fruits should be avoided – again, see tomorrow's tip for more information.
4. Cooked rice. Cooked white rice can offer relief from stomach upset in some dogs.

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