If you’re looking for super healthy and nutrient-dense recipes your dog will love, you’ve come to the right place. Keep your dog healthy and fit with this easy homemade recipe – it’s cheaper than store-bought fresh vegetables!. I never thought I’d be one of those dog owners who make homemade human food for their puppies. Not in a million years.
Homemade Dog Food Recipes: Choosing Balanced Ingredients
diy
dog food
Are you considering switching your dog to a homemade diet? A good start is to discuss this with your veterinarian and/or veterinary nutritionist. When there are so many homemade dog food recipes on the internet, you might think it sounds unnecessary. However, experts say many of these recipes have not been reviewed by a veterinary nutritionist to ensure they provide your dog with a nutritionally balanced diet. For this reason, some owners prefer to feed ready-made fresh food.
The American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) warns that your dog’s unique nutritional needs depend on their age, size, health, and breed. Additionally, some dogs’ home-cooked diets may be inappropriate or even harmful. “We generally do not recommend home cooking for dogs under one year of age. When puppies are not getting the right amount of calcium and phosphorus, serious bone abnormalities can result,” Dr. AKC’s chief veterinarian, Jerry Klein. “Carriers and lactating bitches also have unique nutritional needs that may not be met by online recipes.”
The ABCs of a Balanced Dog Food Diet
Knowing the basics of a balanced home-cooked diet for your dog will help you when discussing options with an expert. The following are the important components of dog nutrition.
Protein: According to the ACVN, a dog’s diet must contain protein, which contains 10 specific essential amino acids that the body cannot produce. This is necessary for the formation of glucose, which is converted into energy. Protein sources include chicken and turkey with bones, fat, and skin removed; beef and lamb; pork in limited quantities; salmon and some other fish such as whitefish, herring, walleye, flounder, and arctic char.
Fats and fatty acids: The most concentrated sources of fat in a dog’s diet come from animal fats and vegetable seed oils. A healthy diet provides fatty acids that your dog’s body doesn’t produce on its own. Fatty acids support cell function and structure, keep skin and coat healthy, and improve the taste of food. Sources of fatty acids are vegetable oils, including corn, soybean, canola, flaxseed, and fish oils.
Carbohydrates: Dogs get some energy from carbohydrates, including sugar, starch, and fiber. Sources include rice, pasta, oatmeal, and quinoa.
Fiber: Dogs need fiber in their diet to keep their gastrointestinal (GI) system functioning and help them avoid obesity. Good fiber sources for dogs include carrots, squash, apples, dark leafy greens, brown rice, and flax seeds.
Vitamins: Vitamins are required for growth and maintenance. Vitamin deficiencies can lead to a variety of health problems; however, they can also be dangerous when used in large amounts.
Vitamins your dog needs include A (carrots, squash), B vitamins (liver, green vegetables, whole grains), C (fruits and vegetables, offal), D (liver, fish, beef), E (leafy greens). , bran, vegetable oil), K (fish, green leafy vegetables, fish) and choline (liver, fish, meat, egg yolk).
Minerals: Dogs have 12 essential minerals:
Calcium (tofu, green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower) and phosphorus (meat, eggs) help build strong bones and teeth.
Magnesium, potassium, sodium and chloride (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction and cell signaling.
Sulfur (meat, fish, molasses) for healthy skin, fur and nails.
Iron (red meat, poultry) supports red blood cells and the immune system.
Iodine (dairy, seaweed, seafood) supports thyroid health.
Zinc (eggs, lamb, liver, brewer’s yeast) for the immune system, healthy skin and coat.
Selenium (meat, vegetables, seafood, brown rice) strengthens the immune system.
Copper for healthy bone growth (whole grains, seeds and seafood).
Water: We sometimes overlook this important part of a healthy dog diet, but it’s true that no dog food contains enough water for your dog to eat. Always stay away from clean, fresh water.
Making the Transition
If you decide to transition your dog to a homemade diet, your first step should be to consult a veterinarian or pet nutritionist. These experts will consider your dog’s age, size, and health history and help you find a quality recipe for your dog’s specific nutritional needs.
When shopping for ingredients for your dog’s home-cooked meals, you need to pay attention to provenance, shelf life, and labels just as you would buy food for yourself.
Whenever you switch your dog’s food, whether it’s a homemade diet or a new commercial food, it’s best to make the transition gradually so as not to upset your dog’s gastrointestinal system. Gradually mix more and more of the new food into the old food over a period of at least five to seven days to allow your dog to adjust to the change.
Be sure to follow the recipe. The Clinical Nutrition Services at Tufts Cummings Veterinary Medical Center published a study to determine how well owners adhered to homemade diet recipes after one year. Only 13% were still using the original nutritionally balanced diet formula.
Clear instructions for preparation and quantity are important. The way you prepare ingredients—for example, steaming, frying, or boiling—can affect the nutritional value of your diet. Substituting or adding ingredients can also lead to nutritional deficiencies. A study reported in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reports that the lack of clear instructions in many recipes forces pet owners to make assumptions that could lead to nutritional deficiencies and, if fed to your dog, could even be harmful. longer term.
follow up. Be aware of any digestive changes in your dog after the transition. Contact your veterinarian if he has soft stools, vomiting or diarrhea. Whenever you change your dog’s diet, you will also need to monitor his weight. It may take a while to determine which section is right for your height, age, and energy level.
Resources for the Chef
Your best resource and first port of call is your dog’s veterinarian who knows your dog and has a thorough understanding of its health history and current condition.
A great resource for finding a veterinary nutritionist for homemade nutritional advice is the Diplomacy Directory at www.acvn.org. If there is no nutritionist in your area, you can contact one remotely.
Another option is to use an online consultation service called BalanceIT (a website run by veterinary nutritionists) to create basic, nutritionally balanced recipes.
The American College of Veterinary Nutritionists has produced an informative booklet titled Your Dog’s Nutritional Needs: A Scientific Guide for Pet Owners https://www.nap.edu/resource/10668/dog_nutrition_final_fix.pdf
Find answers to frequently asked questions here: https://acvn.org/frequently-asked-questions/#qualifications
The Clinical Nutrition Service at the Veterinary Medical Center provides a list of common mistakes pet owners make when choosing and preparing homemade diets: https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2019/01/cooking-up-trouble-common-home-cooking-mistakes /
Another site that can answer your questions is: Ask a Dietitian https://www.petdiets.com/Ask-the-Nutritionist
Dog-Friendly Bone Broth Recipe
A dog’s bone broth recipe should be very different from a human’s! Dogs cannot eat certain ingredients commonly used in human bone broth, such as onions.
This recipe features dog-friendly ingredients like apples, ginger and mushrooms and can be made on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot or in the slow cooker!
You can nourish your dog’s food by adding homemade bone broth to your dog’s daily meal while strengthening their immune system, improving liver health, supporting healthy digestion and helping relieve joint pain.
Beef Bone Broth Topper from The Native Pet
Native Pet’sbone Broth contains only natural ingredients, sourced and packaged in the USA.
Our Bone Broth provides the nutritional benefits of homemade broth in a convenient powdered form to supplement dry food or as a simple nutritional drink.
Use code “THISMESSISOURS20” at checkout for 20% off!
Goat’s Milk
Unlike most feed-grade pet foods, this food-grade 100% goat milk from The Honest Kitchen is made from food-grade ingredients and made in a food-grade facility. That means higher quality ingredients and higher safety standards, just like you would expect from your own food!
This topper is also easy to make – just add warm water to the dehydration mixture and stir to combine.
How much and when should you feed your dog?
This varies from dog to dog, but a general rule of thumb is about 1 cup of ready-to-eat food per 10-pound dog.
For our 80-pound hooch, that means two meals a day, 4 cups of food each. It’s important to note that dogs with kidney problems often feel better when they eat several small meals throughout the day, rather than just one or two large meals. Therefore, you may need to adjust your feeding schedule accordingly over time to keep your pup comfortable!
Easy Homemade Dog Food
To make preparing this homemade dog food a breeze while saving tons of time and dishes, I love to cook hard-boiled eggs and rice in my Instant Pot!
I boil the eggs first, then while the rice cooks in the Instant Pot, I brown the brisket and gather all the fresh ingredients together. It really helps make the process of preparing homemade dog food so much easier!
Check out the recipe notes for Instant Pot cooking tips and times!
Author: This mess is ours
Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 13 cups 1x
Category: Gluten Free
Method: Stovetop
Kitchen: Homemade Dog Food
Diet: Gluten Free
instruct
Combine all ingredients in a large container and whisk until fully combined.
Store tightly closed in the refrigerator between feedings.
Comment
The amount of food you feed your dog each day will vary based on their weight. Our 80lb senior dog Hooch eats 4 cups of this food twice a day and our 40lb Rebel eats 2 cups twice a day.
This food can be individually distributed to smaller dogs and frozen for over a week. Just thaw the desired amount when needed.
Metric measurements:
790g cooked organic brown rice
700 grams lean beef, cooked and defatted
4 (200 g) hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced
207 g carrots, grated or thinly sliced
14 grams chopped parsley
22 g olive or safflower oil
Instant Pot boiled eggs: Place a metal tripod in the Instant Pot and add 1 cup water. Place uncooked eggs on coasters. Cover, secure and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. At the end of the cooking time, manually release the pressure valve and carefully place the hard-boiled eggs in a water bath to cool.
Instant Pot Rice: Combine the desired amount of rice and water in the Instant Pot. Close the lid and set the pressure to seal. Select the cooking function to release the pressure naturally after cooking.
Don’t have fresh parsley? You can substitute ¼ cup of our homemade dog food seasoning in this recipe.
Nutrition
Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 288
Sugar: 1.9g
Sodium: 119.7 mg
Fat: 10.5g
Carbohydrates: 24 grams
Protein: 22.9 grams
Cholesterol: 197.8 mg
Keywords: dog food, homemade dog food, dog food recipe
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Fresh DIY Dog Food Tips
Dog owners are very concerned about feeding their dogs human food and leftovers. I just had a long chat with Sassy at her veterinarian’s annual checkup. Every dog is absolutely unique. Some people have food sensitivities and are prone to upset stomachs, and some have digestive issues, so regular commercial foods are best for these dogs.
Sprinkle Dry Kibble
I sometimes sprinkle some dry dog food in my homemade treats to stretch my batch of homemade dog food. Use high-quality commercial pet food and check ingredient labels carefully to avoid food allergies and reactions.
Trying New Dog Recipes
The best advice is to slowly introduce new foods to our dogs. We want our pets to stay healthy and dietary changes can cause problems with the digestive tract. All dogs are unique, and what works for one may not work for another. Fresh dog food recipes contain ingredients your dog may be trying for the first time, so take your time and use small portions. Sassy can’t handle chicken broth cooked over rice and won’t eat it due to her allergies, so I use beef broth or better than Buillon for rice, she loves it.
try different types of vegetables
Whenever I make a new batch of homemade dog food, it’s a good idea to use different vegetables. When something goes bad or I have extra stuff and want to use them up quickly and find this a perfect use.
try texture
Try different textures of vegetables and see what your dog likes!
What I’ve learned is that Sassy eats anything as long as the veggies are finely ground in a food processor! She doesn’t like the diced shape and large spinach leaves, so I chopped the food fine enough to finish her off. I think she likes brown rice best with beef broth.
Use extra frozen meat or leftovers
My last tip is to use meat that has been in the fridge for a while and not for dinner but is still safe for your dog. When testing ingredients, I often overbuy and use up any extra steak or pork I have on hand to make homemade dog food. Nothing is wasted here, but I don’t feed them bones, fat, etc.
senior dog, picky dog
One trick I can share is that you can use frozen rice vegetables. I used a package of rice cauliflower, sweet potatoes and broccoli. All are good, time saving and convenient, but they are a bit pricey. These are great for dogs who aren’t good at chewing, are picky, don’t eat too much or don’t eat big chunks of dog food.
chopped dog food
If your dog is fussy or only eats chopped dog food (like mine), you can process the veggies in a food processor or chop them up on a cutting board. The handheld grater in the box will work, but it will take a lot of time. I use a shredder blade on the processor and buzz through everything. Also try frozen rice veggies, they are a great option and work great!
What vegetables can dogs eat?
So if you’re wondering what vegetables are safe for dogs to eat? Let us answer this question. Again, I’m a food blogger, not a veterinarian or nutritionist. But for thousands of years, dogs have lived on leftover food left by humans.
Butternut Squash
Brussels Sprouts
fennel
pea
summer pumpkin
Radish
sweet potato
fresh spinach
boiled potatoes (in moderation)
pumpkin
celery
Broccoli (chopped)
frozen peas
chili
green beans
kale
don’t feed your dog
onion (never fed)
mushrooms (never fed)
tomatoes (never fed)
garlic (never fed)
Again, do your own research on what’s best for your dog’s diet!
Can my dog eat the FAQ?
Many readers are asking is this vegetable safe for dogs? So let’s take a look at some of the most common problems.
Yes. Bell peppers are rich in essential vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that are beneficial to your dog’s health. Rich in vitamins A, E, B6 and lutein, it is a great source of vitamin C and beta-carotene. Red bell peppers actually start green and mature to red. They contain the most nutrients because they are on the vine the longest.
Yes. It is okay to cook potatoes in moderation. It can be boiled, steamed or grilled without seasoning. They contain a variety of nutrients, including vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as minerals like magnesium, iron, calcium, and potassium. Never feed raw potatoes to your dog. Like other vegetables in the nightshade family (such as tomatoes and eggplants), raw potatoes contain solanine, a compound that is toxic to dogs.
Yes. Broccoli is best as an occasional treat. It’s high in fiber and vitamin C, and low in fat. However, broccoli florets contain isothiocyanates, which can cause mild to potentially severe stomach irritation in some dogs. Additionally, broccoli stems are known to cause obstruction in the esophagus. Cut cauliflower for your pet.
Naughty girls are happy. Well, she doesn’t like spinach, get it out! But love the rice and beef.
The trick I’ve learned is to cut it finer than what you see here and she eats it all up…
Homemade Dog Biscuits
These dog biscuits are so much fun to make, you can even personalize them for your puppy. Again, I use a lot of fresh veggies, peanut butter, squash, etc, and Sassy just loves it! I also shared how to order super cute knives in the recipe post 🐶🐾
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All Natural Baked Dog Food & Treats
raw material:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 skin-on salmon (1 oz per 10 lb dog plus any amount
1 pumpkin
1 head of broccoli (with stem)
3 potatoes (any kind) 2 carrots
How to use: (for dog food)
Cut broccoli stems, peel carrots, and cut squash. Save the scrub because this is for your dog. Mix together and steam in the rice cooker or bake in the oven. Check out Rocky’s favorite rice cooker.
Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and fry the potato crumbs in the air fryer (or in the oven).
Saute salmon skin in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place skin-side down on a skillet over medium heat. After flipping, peel the crispy salmon skin from the two salmon slices and place them in a dog bowl.
Once everything is done cooking, combine everything in a dog bowl. For convenience and cleaning floors, cut into bite-sized pieces!
Warning: Your dog will be happy with the meal, but it has to be cool. Cool for 15-20 minutes.
Route: (for human consumption)
Chop broccoli, carrots, squash and sauté in the rice cooker (or bake in the oven. Rocky’s favorite rice cooker)
Slice the chips with a slicer. If you only have a knife, make french fries. Trying to slice thin potato chips by hand is not easy.
Fry the chips in the air fryer (or in the oven) after adding 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Check out Rocky’s favorite air fryer.
Saute salmon skin in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place skin-side down on a skillet over medium heat. After flipping, peel the crispy salmon skin from the two salmon slices and place them in a dog bowl.
Bonus: Watch Rocky Kanaka’s video for bonus pro tips on what to do with salmon skins that are often discarded. Your dog will thank you! Check it out here: https://youtu.be/VPegaIwVzfc
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Rocky Kanaka
