It all started a few months ago when I noticed lumps and bumps on Annie. I had already had the lump tested and the vet said it was okay ….just fatty tumors. So when the bump came along I just kind of ignored it too. But lately I have been a little concerned on it and wanted to change out her food and give her some detox herbs for dogs – she seems perfectly fine but I just don’t like the looks of the lump. I’m going to try the holistic way before taking her in to the vet next month.
I never thought I would be one of those dog owners who made homemade human food for their pups. Not in a million years.
But when Annie’s lump on her side recently felt bigger, I decided to feed her a bland diet – chicken and rice without any kind of seasoning.
That’s when I started to do some research on homemade dog food, and I have been so amazed as to how many different kinds of vegetables dogs can have. And with the help of google, you can create so many different recipes for your dog! Note: There are a few recipes at the bottom of this page.
Now the best part about making homemade dog food – just like making anything at home – is that you know exactly what is going into the dog bowl.
But it’s important to note that dogs have different nutrient requirements than humans for their proportional body size, such as:
- High-quality protein (meat, seafood, dairy or eggs)
- Fat (meat or oil)
- Carbohydrates (grains or vegetables)
- Calcium (dairy)
- Essential fatty acids (egg yolks or oatmeal)
Once you’ve made up your batch, you can divide them up into single servings, note the date, and freeze it. When ready to serve, you can defrost it in the fridge overnight and nuke it for 15-30 seconds. That’s it! Now who knew that making dog food would be this easy?
I started Annie on the Turkey, Rice and Veggie mix recipe but I halved everything just in case she didn’t like it and I also used chicken instead of turkey since I currently had that in the fridge. Should have known my Annie loves what we call real food. I have also been adding her vitamins directly into the food. She gobbles it all up and licks the bowl clean. I have been advised to switch up the meats every week or so to keep her from getting tired of the food.
UPDATE Jan 4, 2021: I’m not for sure I see results yet on the lumps but on the one bump on Annie’s side – it does seem to be getting smaller.
..but then again I’m not 100% positive
I just started on December 19, 2020 and it’s only been like 17 days.
She is starting to be very playful for a little while and is running around like days gone by. Bonus is she is definitely looking slimmer.
We received the Life GOLD for dogs
support on December 24 so getting that down twice a day has been no problem.
She also takes one 10 for 1 Multivitamin daily and a tiny piece of garlic.
Check back often as I’m gonna keep a update on my little Annie on here and I will add more recipes soon.
UPDATE August 13, 2023 – It’s with heartbreaking news I have to say – I lost my sweet baby girl at the tender age of 13 years old. I will never have another dog like my Annie but I have enough love for another Daschy one day soon. My other little love – Annie’s sweet little sister “Rosie” is just 4 years old she will be starting on this home made dog food soon.
There are many recipes online for homemade dog food but just remember this…
What Are The Benefits Of Homemade Dog Food?
Homemade dog food can benefit your canine companion in a number of ways — especially if you have a pet who suffers from allergies, gastrointestinal sensitivity or skin problems.
Highly-processed foods also tend to lose nutritional value, whereas making dog food from scratch maintains more of the vital nutrients during the cooking process. With fresh food, you know exactly what your dog is getting versus reading the label and being confused by all the included additives and preservatives.
It’s also a good idea to have these recipes handy in case you happen to run out of dog food. Treat your dog as you would any of your other family members by preparing nutritious food from trusted ingredients.
Necessary Nutrients
- Protein (chicken, lamb, turkey, beef, fish and cooked eggs) – Helps with growth and maintenance of cells, tissues, organs, antibodies, hormones and enzymes.
- Fat (from oil and meat) – Assists with the absorption of certain vitamins (see below), protects and insulates internal organs and promotes good skin and hair growth.
- Carbohydrates (rice, corn and beans) – Keeps intestines healthy and supplies glucose to critical organs, including the brain.
- Minerals, including calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc, etc. – Gives dogs structurally sound bones and teeth, among other benefits.
- Vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K – Promotes weight loss, eye and skin health, immunity and more.
Filtered or distilled water only –Water accounts for 60-70% of dog’s body weight so it’s critical they stay hydrated in addition to eating a well-balanced diet. Dehydration can lead to a number of health issues so ensure they are drinking enough water throughout the day, too.
Veggie Variations For Homemade Dog Food:
butternut squash, Brussel sprouts, fennel, peas, zucchini, cooked potato pumpkin, celery, green beans, spinach, or kale.
Using Unsafe/Unhealthy Ingredients
There is a wide variety of unhealthy and unsafe foods to avoid when preparing meals for your dog. Potentially toxic ingredients are of special concern, including chocolate, xylitol, avocado, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes and macadamia nuts.
The above list is not exhaustive and other potential issues can arise if you’re not careful about ingredients. So make sure to always be aware of which foods are safe for dogs.
Additionally, cites Dr. Bartes, a certain type of heart disease called dilated cardiomyopathy has recently been reported in dogs eating homemade diets that are grain-free, legume-based, and high-fiber.
Just a few reviews I have read on others homemade dog food….
- We made this homemade dog food and feed it to our dogs! Their skin is no longer itchy and they love it! So good! We add a raw egg and mix it in with each feeding. That makes their fur even better! Such a great recipe!
- What a great recipe. My puppers Dexter loved this homemade blend. Thanks for sharing.
- Tray — My dog just turned and was diagnosed with low level heart and thyroid problems. The disease and medicine was a lot on his body, so much weight loss. I decided to make his food and he and my new pup loves this recipe!! I must say btwn the medication and new food change I’m humbled. Thank you!!
- Theresa — Our dogs started having stomach issues even with expensive “healthy” store bought dog food. We decided to make the change to home made food and they love it. Just made this for them last night and they gobbled it up. In just over a week they are already looking and feeling better.
Homemade Dog Food Feeding – Pro Tips:
Cost of Homemade vs. Store-Bought:
$20 of ingredients made 40 1 cup homemade servings or about $.50/serving. Store-bought dry food is about $.41 per serving. So yes, homemade is more expensive but has fresh nutrition and ingredients I believe are good for your dog, after all dogs ate human leftovers way before dog food was manufactured! I don’t remember ever buying dog food when I was growing up – but then again we never had leftovers because that’s what the dogs ate.
This serving size is for a 10-pound dog. So you would need to calculate the number of calories your dog needs and the amount of ingredients for your particular doggie.
Do Your Portion Research:You will need to do some research on how many calories your dog needs per day, and this can vary due to the breed, size, age, and activity of your pet. |
Sprinkle Dry Kibble:I sometimes sprinkle some dry dog food into the homemade food to stretch out my homemade dog food batch. |
Try Different Veggies:Each time I make a new batch of homemade dog food, I use up and try out different veggies. Some are about to go bad or I have extra and want to use them up quickly and find this is a perfect use. |
Experiment With Textures:What I learned is as long as the veggies were finely grated in a food processor, Sassy ate it all! She wasn’t a fan of the cubed shapes and large spinach leaves, so I finely re-chopped the food and that did the trick to get her to eat it all. I think she loves the rice mixed in with the beef stock. |
Use Up Extra Freezer Meat or Leftovers:The last tip I have is to use up meat that has been in the freezer a while and is not something you want for dinner but still safe for your dog. I often buy too much quantity when recipe testing ingredients, and use up extra steak meat, ham, or pork I have on hand for homemade dog food. Nothing goes to waste around here! |
DOG FOOD RECIPES
1) Easy Slow Cooker Beef & Rice Meal
We love this recipe for its nutritional value, its quick prep time (10 minutes) and its easy crockpot cooking. It yields 12, cups and, like the beef stew, can be frozen for future feedings.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 ½ cups uncooked brown rice
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups chopped butternut squash
- 1 ½ cups diced carrots
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 4 cups of water
Total: Makes approx. 12 cups (or 88 fluid ounces)
Nutritional Info (per 1 cup serving):
- Calories: 400
- Protein: 39.1g
- Fat: 7g
- Carbs: 44.2 g
- Minerals & Vitamins: Iron, Potassium, Calcium
Directions
- Stir in all ingredients with 4 cups of water in a slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours or high heat for 2 to 3 hours.
- Stir as needed and cool to room temperature.
2) Mama’s Meatloaf
What do meat lovers love? Meatloaf. Dogs go crazy for this tried and true comfort food, too. Compacted meat and veggies? What’s not to love! When grappling with homemade dog food recipes for small dogs, consider a hearty meatloaf, and sit back while your dog dives into a delicious meal made with lots o’ love. As you shop for ingredients, feel free to use whichever type of meat is on sale so your new dog food-making venture fits well within your budget. Ideally, a nutritious dog diet consists of 1/3 protein and 2/3 grain or vegetable. Keep this in mind when preparing homemade dog food recipes for small dogs.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 3 quarter cups of grated veggies (avoid onions, chives and garlic)
- 2lbs of ground beef or turkey (leaner=better)
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups of old fashioned oat meal
- 1/2 cup of cottage cheese
- ground flax seeds
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and transfer mixture into a loaf pan. Bake for one hour.
Simple enough, huh? Even the most inexperienced chef in the kitchen can whip up this treat for their pup. For efficiency, cook up a big batch and freeze to keep fresh for up to 3 months. For added convenience, fill a cupcake pan with the mixture for single servings.
3) Turkey, Rice And Veggie Mix Recipe
UPDATE: I made this batch up once with leftover chicken and once with leftover turkey…I was able to get 9 meals out of each batch. Annie is only about 14 lbs and she gets about 1/2 to 3/4 cup per meal.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups brown rice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds ground turkey
- 3 cups baby spinach, chopped
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 1 zucchini, shredded
- 1/2 cup peas, canned or frozen
Directions:
- In a large saucepan of 3 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the turkey as it cooks.
- Stir in spinach, carrots, zucchini, peas and brown rice until the spinach has wilted and the mixture is heated through, about 3-5 minutes.
- Let cool completely.
Now this recipe here has a balance of 50% protein, 25% veggies and 25% grains, but the ratios can easily be adjusted to suit your puppy’s breed and/or needs.
4) Fish & Peanut Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of flour
- 1 cup of rolled oats
- ½ cup of smooth peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- ½ tablespoon of fish oil
- 1 ¾ cups of water
-
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Mix flour and oats together in large bowl.
- Pour in one cup water and blend until smooth.
- Add peanut butter, honey, fish oil. Mix again.
- Add ¾ cup of water slowly while still mixing.
- Cut into shape. Bake for 40 minutes.
- Cool and serve.
5) Homemade Fish Dinner
Fish is a wonderful meat choice for dogs. The healthy omega 3 fatty acids found in fish are good for your dog’s skin and coat. Some dogs may be allergic to fish, so if your dog starts to itch a lot when eating a fish diet check with your veterinarian.
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds of fish fillets — Frozen is fine. Tilapia and swai are both great options and on a lower price scale, which saves you money. You can always go fresh, too, of course.
- 1 or 2 cans of pink salmon
- 3 whole eggs, raw or cooked
- 3 cups of diced vegetables — These are great choices- cabbage, cooked squash or pumpkin, peas, green beans and kale. You can use two or more.
- 1 cup of cooked rice (brown) — If your dog tolerates it well. Otherwise try cooked oatmeal, quinoa or lentils.
Directions:
You can grind or dice the fish then cook it. Mix the chosen vegetables into a pot of water, bring to a boil and then simmer for about 5 minutes before adding the other ingredients. Mix and let cool. Keep in refrigerator in well sealed container for up to three days, or freeze.
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