Satin Balls

Skinny pup!

I'm having a hard time keeping weight on Trooper. I'm not worried. He's young and active. When Jedi was younger, he also went through periods where he'd burn more calories than he could take in with his regular kibble. Looking back, it was usually this time of year. (Now that Jedi's an old fart and we're trying to take weight off.) Maybe Trooper is headed toward another growth spurt. Ugh. I guess it's time to make a batch of Satin Balls!

Say what?! Satin Balls are nutrient-rich, high calorie treats used in the dog show community to improve coats and put weight on a skinny dog, quickly. There are many recipe variations are on the internet, but this is the one that I like best. The dog rescue community also uses Satin Balls to put weight on underweight dogs.

Satin Balls

• 5 pounds ground chuck or high fat ground beef
• 1/2 large box of Whole Grain Total (about 6 cups)
• 1/2 large box quick-cooking oats (about 7 1/2 cups)
• 5-6 eggs, with crushed shells (rinse eggs to remove any chemicals on shell)
• 1/2 jar of wheat germ (about 2 cups)
• 5 packets unflavored gelatin
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Pinch of sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a giant bowl or a clean 5 gallon bucket. You'll need to use your hands for this! I divide the mixture in to 1/4 cup patties, putting six each into Ziplock freezer bags. I get about 90 patties. Store in the freezer until ready to use. I'll pop two in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve them warm over a little bit of kibble.

About the Ingredients

Obviously this isn't an exact recipe, but here is the reasoning be the ingredients:

• Beef: If the goal is to improve the coat, use leaner ground beef. If the goal is to put weight on quickly, use ground beef with higher fat content. Ground turkey can be used as well.
• Whole Grain Total: The cereal provides vitamins A, C, D, E, B6 and B12, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. Some recipes discourage the use of Total cereal due to its sugar content.
• Oats: This is a good source of fiber and other nutrients.
• Eggs: Eggs are also one of the most complete sources of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. They also provide vitamins A and B12, riboflavin, folate, iron, selenium and fatty acids. The shells add calcium.
• Wheat germ: This provides vitamin E, folic acid, phosphorus, thiamin, zinc and magnesium.
• Gelatin: This helps the ball hold their shape. It also adds collagen and nitrogen.
• Molasses: This provides manganese, copper, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6 and selenium. (It also makes them smell really good when you heat them up -- but don't eat them!) 

Yum yum! I'm headed to the grocery store now. Catch you later, -- K