Can Dogs Eat Yogurt? [with Recipe]

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We know that dogs can eat raw goat's milk and cheese, but what about plain yogurt? With supply chains slowing down, is it time for DIY yogurt for dogs?

When I was new to raw feeding, I had lots of questions. I was curious about the role of dairy in a dog's raw food diet because I saw meals with raw goat's milk, kefir, and yogurt. Can dogs eat yogurt? Aren't dogs lactose intolerant?

Today, dairy is a big part of my dogs' diet, but I haven't added yogurt, although yogurt is often easier on the gut than other dairy products.

Are Dogs Lactose Intolerant?

Yes, dogs can eat yogurt. In my reading, I learned that when adding yogurt to the diet, go slowly to see how the dog responds. Dogs that are lactose intolerant may be able to consume cheese and yogurt without issue. It's pasteurized milk and possibly raw cow's milk (because it contains more lactose than raw goat's milk) that are the issue.

You can tell if your dog is lactose intolerant because after consuming dairy, your dog may experience bloating, gas, loose stool, diarrhea, and a sensitive (uncomfortable) tummy.

My dogs do great on cow or goat kefir and raw goat's milk because both are unprocessed and low in lactose, making them easier to digest. I feed my dogs a meal of raw goat's milk and/or kefir (sometimes, I mix the two – to make the milk creamier).

Benefits of Yogurt for Dogs

Yogurt offers the same benefits of raw goat's milk and kefir for dogs. It supports digestive health by adding beneficial bacteria to the gut while also supporting the immune system. So, if we can give these benefits to our dogs through raw goat's milk and kefir, then why add yogurt?

yogurt is rich in probiotics, supporting gut health and the immune system
yogurt is a great protein source
yogurt is rich in vitamin B
yogurt adds a little bit of calcium to the diet
adds variety to the diet
yogurt is a substitute if a dog can't have raw goat's milk or kefir
if you don't have a source for raw goat's milk or kefir, try or make yogurt (recipes below)

With the supply chain slowdown, I've lost easy access to raw goat's milk. I had one source locally that had fewer goats. And my second source, a commercial raw brand I ordered by the case, changed their sourcing, changing the quality of their products. Thankfully, I stocked up on raw goat's milk and kefir and now have a freezer full.

But what happens when my stock dwindles and I haven't found a source that isn't good enough? Maybe yogurt is the answer.

Is Yogurt a Good Source of Calcium for Dogs?

No. I don't believe that we can feed enough yogurt for it to cover a dog's daily requirement for calcium. My bone substitute is green tripe because it's the perfect balance between calcium and phosphorus and is a great source of beneficial enzymes. Other bone substitutes include eggshells, seaweed calcium, or a quality supplement. Speak with an animal nutritionist for amounts.

Is Yogurt a Good Source of Probiotics for Dogs?

Maybe. If I couldn't feed my dogs' raw goat's milk or kefir, I would add an Adored Beast supplement (Gut Health and Fido's Flora) to their diet. I don't know if the probiotics in yogurt are equal to the probiotics in the recommended amount of FullBucket I add to my dog's meal. And yogurt doesn't contain the prebiotics and digestive enzymes that are also present in FullBucket. But those things can be provided by other foods:

Whole food sources of prebiotics: flaxseed, dandelion greens, and seaweed
Whole food sources of digestive enzymes: green tripe

Which Type of Yogurt is Best for Dogs?

I also learned that three yogurts are recommended for dogs:

Plain yogurt, with no fruit or artificial sweeteners, is recommended because it contains more probiotics that are healthy for dogs.
Greek yogurt, with no fruit or artificial sweeteners, is recommended because it contains more probiotics that are healthy for dogs.
Homemade yogurt is recommended because we can control the ingredients and processing.

If given the choice to buy yogurt or make the yogurt in my pressure cooker, I'd prefer DIY. It's less expensive, and I don't always know which brand is the best.

DIY Yogurt for Dogs [Instant Pot Recipe]

Three things I learned when reading about how to make yogurt were:

it's very easy to make and hard to mess up
the bacteria in the raw milk might compete with the bacteria in the starter
it's okay to use raw goat's milk

DIY Yogurt for Dogs – Ingredients

Initially, I attempted making yogurt using a yogurt starter recommended online, but wasn't successful. So I went to YouTube and found the easiest recipe, and IT WORKED!!!

Only two ingredients are needed:

organic plain yogurt
raw goat's milk

DIY Yogurt for Dogs with Starter – Recipe

PART ONE

Clean your Instant Pot thoroughly so that the yogurt doesn't take on the taste of the last thing you cooked (i.e., bone broth).
Pour about 1/2 gallon of organic whole milk into the Instant Pot.
Add 1/2 cup of plain organic yogurt.
Mix thoroughly with a wire whisk.
Add lid and seal; set Instant Pot to Yogurt for six hours.

PART TWO

Open the lid and happily look at your creamy creation.
Transfer to two wide-mouth glass jars and refrigerate.
Yogurt can be stored in the fridge for one to two weeks.
Fresh yogurt does freeze well.

Warnings About DIY Yogurt for Dogs

Making yogurt isn't always as simple as it seems. How the yogurt will turn out depends on the starter used, the amount of bacteria in the starter, and the cooking process. While this recipe seems commonplace, I may have to tweak it until the end product is what I'd like to see.

If you've made yogurt at home, please share your experience and any tips you have in the comments.