Making homemade pet food is not for everyone, but when done properly, it can be rewarding for pets and their humans.

"There are people who are very, very committed to offering the best nutrition they can that is personalized to their animal," said Acworth veterinarian Susan Wynn. "If they are very committed, then they will follow instructions for the proper ingredients and proper nutrients."

Keith Hadley (ENLARGE)

Elaine Groves of Stone Mountain feeds her homemade biscuits to bull mastiffs Kendall and Tank but doesn't see the need to put her four dogs on a homemade diet.

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If you do decide to cook for your pets, prepare to be noticed.

"I did a bunch of recipes for a family in Birmingham with a Boston terrier," recalled vet nutritionist Susan Lauten. The pet's owner reported that she was standing in the checkout line of the grocery store, unloading a basket filled with fresh meats, fruits and vegetables, when the woman behind her said, "Boy, your family eats healthily."

"She had to say, 'It's not for my family; it's for the dog,' " Lauten said.

A word of caution: For safe long-term use, recipes must be formulated for the weight, age and specific medical conditions of your dog or cat. The recipes below are offered as samplings of the kind that can be purchased from a veterinary nutritionist. We've also included an emergency-only recipe that can be used for a healthy adult dog or cat for a week or two in the event of a commercial pet food shortage or recall.

Salmon and Rice for an 11-Pound Cat

12 servings (6 days' worth)
Hands on: 10 minutes Total time: 10 minutes

What kitty doesn't love salmon? This recipe, provided by Susan Lauten of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville's College of Veterinary Medicine, provides six days of food for a healthy 11-pound cat. Look for supplements at health food stores or pet stores.

1 pound wild salmon, baked or broiled
1 cooked, chopped egg
2 1/2 cups cooked white rice (no salt)
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon iodized salt
2/3 teaspoon salt substitute
1/2 Centrum multivitamin/mineral tablet, crushed
1,000 milligrams taurine powder
1 teaspoon calcium carbonate powder, vegetarian (Lauten specifies Now brand)
1 teaspoon bonemeal (Lauten specifies Now brand)

In a bowl, combine the cooked salmon, egg, rice and canola oil. In a separate small bowl, mix together the salt, salt substitute, crushed vitamin, taurine powder, calcium carbonate and bonemeal. Sprinkle over the salmon mixture and stir well. (If your cat is likely to pick out the salmon pieces and leave the rest behind, pulverize the mixture in a food processor.)

Divide the finished recipe into 6 freezer containers or resealable freezer bags in approximately equal portions and freeze each separately. Move one from the freezer to the refrigerator every evening to thaw. Serve at body temperature, but be careful of microwave hotspots! It is best to warm the container in some hot water.

Emergency Rations for Cats

6 servings (3 days) for an 8-pound cat
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Like its doggie equivalent above, this recipe is not intended for long-term use. It will feed an 8-pound cat for about three days. Kitty will also benefit from 1/4 of a multivitamin tablet and 150 mg of taurine per day.

1/3 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
1 teaspoon corn oil
1 tablespoon bonemeal (available at health food stores and pet food stores)
2/3 cup lean meat (see note)
2 tablespoons raw liver

In a medium saucepan, place rice, salt, oil and bonemeal with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add meat and liver. Cover; continue to simmer for 10 more minutes. Chop; cool to room temperature before serving. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Note: Appropriate meats include lean beef, pork tenderloin, rabbit and skinless chicken.

Peanut Butter Biscuits

8 dozen biscuits
Hands on: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Elaine Groves regularly makes these treats for her dogs. She adapted the recipe from one she found online.

3 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 1/3 cups warm water
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, wheat germ and powdered milk. In a separate bowl, combine the water, peanut butter and egg, stirring until smooth. Add the moist ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine. On a lightly floured surface, knead and roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, then use cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Place them on the cookie sheets and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container.

Cottage Cheese and Brown Rice for a 60-pound Lab

2 servings (1 day's worth)
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

This recipe was devised at www.balanceit.com for Fred, an imaginary male neutered 5-year-old Lab, with a normal weight of 60 pounds. Fred, if he existed, would require about 1,335 calories a day. This recipe provides one day of Fred's food.

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cooked brown rice (no salt added in cooking)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon corn oil
12 3/4 ounces 2 percent cottage cheese
4 black and 9 white scoops Balance It canine (available at www.balanceit.com)*
*Instead of Balance It, you can substitute:
1 3/4 tablets One-a-Day Maximum multivitamin/multimineral supplement
2 1/8 Posture caplets (600 mg elemental calcium)
1 1/2 choline tablets (600 mg tablet with 250 mg choline)
3/4 teaspoon Morton Lite Salt Mixture
1/4 teaspoon Morton Salt Substitute
5/8 tablet zinc gluconate tablet (250 mg tablet with 30 mg elemental zinc)
1/2 capsule Caltrate 600

Stir together the rice, corn oil, cottage cheese and Balance It or equivalent supplements. This is one day's food, so divide it among mealtimes.

Emergency Rations for Dogs

2 servings (1 day) for a 20-pound dog
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Although not formulated for specific weights — and so not meant for long-term use — this basic recipe from "The Waltham Book of Clinical Nutrition of the Dog & Cat," edited by Josephine Mills and Kenneth Simpson, can be safely used for a week or two, said UGA's Sherry Sanderson. Supplementing with a multivitamin tablet is a good idea, too.

2/3 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
1 teaspoon corn oil
1 tablespoon bonemeal (available at health food stores and pet food stores)
1/3 cup lean raw meat (appropriate meats include lean beef, pork tenderloin, rabbit and skinless chicken)
2 tablespoons raw liver

In a medium saucepan, place rice, salt, oil and bonemeal with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the meat and liver. Cover and continue to simmer for 10 minutes. Chop and cool to room temperature before serving. Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Note: To turn this recipe into an occasional treat, reduce the meat to 1/4 cup. Cook the rice separately, then combine it with all other ingredients, still uncooked, in a food processor. Add 1 egg, then form into 1-inch meatballs. Bake the meatballs in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through. Cool and serve in place of Spot's regular meal.

Gingerbread Dog Treats

8 dozen biscuits
Hands on: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Elaine Groves makes these biscuits regularly for her dogs — and she enjoys them almost as much as they do. "They taste just like gingerbread," she said. She adapted the recipe from a Three Dog Bakery cookbook.

1/2 cup molasses
3 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine molasses, honey, oil and water.

In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry mixture into the molasses mixture until well-blended.

On a lightly floured surface, knead and roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, using more flour if necessary to prevent the dough from sticking. Use a cookie cutter to cut into shapes. Transfer to the cookie sheets and bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely on racks; store in an airtight container.