101 Vet Approved Homemade Dog Food Recipes – Top Dog Tips
Foreword by Dr. Fiona Caldwell, DVM
As a veterinarian, I can attest to the importance of nutrition for the well-being our canine family members. The scientific research is clear that dogs live longer and healthier lives when they are fed proper food and receive the right nutrients. Most commercial dog foods have come a long way since they became mainstream in the twentieth century, but many people still feel pre-packaged dog food leaves much to be desired.
When dogs became domesticated centuries ago, they were typically fed leftovers and scraps. Research on animal nutrition was initially geared toward making food animals used for human consumption healthier and more productive. As the numbers of animals used for the sole purpose of companionship increased in the mid 1900’s, so did the nutritional research aimed toward making dogs and cats healthier.
Commercial dog food is a multibillion dollar industry. While pet foods are required to meet standards put forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, there can still be extensive variation between brands in terms of quality. Making one’s own dog food has a certain appeal to many dog lovers as a way to provide the best quality diet.
101 Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Health are aimed to give you, the pet lover, more control over the level of quality and type of ingredients your dog eats. In addition, this collection of recipes may help with specific dietary ailments or medical conditions your pet has. Using this list of recipes as a guideline can help with a finicky pet, whether due to a condition such as cancer that causes inappetence, or if naturally picky.
An obvious indication for a home cooked diet is for dogs with sensitive digestive systems or food intolerances. You’ll find in this collection of recipes home cooked diets tailored to allow you to have precise control over the ingredients your dogs eat to better control these ailments.
One negative aspect of home cooking for your dog can be the cost for good quality ingredients. 101 Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Health helps take out the guess work by listing the average cost per batch.
Making your dog’s meals at home can be a healthy alternative to commercial diets, but should not be taken lightly. While there are many benefits to a home cooked diet, when done improperly can have devastating results on your dog’s health. For example, dogs have nearly three times the calcium requirement of humans. Growing puppies, especially large breed puppies, can suffer long lasting damage from improper nutrition.
101 Dog Food Recipes for Health should be used to supplement a complete balanced commercial diet and shouldn’t be used on its own without a veterinarian’s supervision. Feeding solely homemade food can be done, but it is imperative that an excellent quality vitamin and mineral supplement is used to prevent nutritional imbalances.
For the pets with circumstances that require a more tailored diet, cooking food at home can be a healthy alternative and I think you’ll find this collection of 101 recipes a wonderful guide. It is important to weigh these pros and cons before undertaking the task of cooking for your dog. Homemade diets are not for everyone, and can be risky if done improperly. Always consult with your veterinarian prior to starting a new home cooked diet for your dog.
If you would like a digital hard copy, you can download a PDF version of the below recipes here.
Introduction
The benefits I get from making homemade dog food
Making your own homemade dog food can be very rewarding – not just for your pet, but for you too! Most pet owners enjoy making homemade food for their pack. Those of you who watched my videos on TopDogTips.com YouTube channel know that I really love cooking, and I enjoy making my dogs happy when I create a delicious meal that I know they’ll love and that will benefit their health.
I get to choose the ingredients that I use, and I have the ability to cater every meal to my dog’s individual preferences and health needs. Not only are there numerous health benefits to making homemade dog food, your pooch will enjoy it a lot more than commercial dry kibble.
We have three dogs – a 7-year old Boxer with a heart condition, a 2-year-old chocolate Labrador Retriever and a 1-year-old Beagle/Cocker Spaniel mix. Finding a commercial food that will meet the needs of all of our dogs is impossible. We have a dog in every stage of life and two of them have health conditions that can be helped with proper nutrition.
Making homemade dog food allows me to feed all of our dogs a healthy and safe meal, while still being able to customize the food for their individual needs. I add pre and probiotics to the food of all three dogs, and our Lab and Boxer get their own unique supplements as well.
Not to mention, if you decide to make homemade dog food you get to choose 100% of the ingredients that go into it. I cringed every time I read about a dog food recall in the news. I wondered if the food and treats that I was feeding my dogs contained harmful ingredients.
I always made it a point to buy commercial dog food that was made in the United States. I thought that was enough, but then I found out that some companies make their food here but source ingredients from other countries. Just because the food wasn’t made in China doesn’t mean that it didn’t contain ingredients that came from there.
There are countless benefits to feeding a homemade dog food diet, but my three top reasons are:
- I can cater recipes to meet my dog’s nutritional needs while also adding ingredients that they love to eat,
- I can make different recipes for all three dogs without going over my monthly pet food budget, and
- I can use the healthiest and safest ingredients that I can afford.
Can you afford to make your own dog food?
When you’re making homemade dog food, you can select healthy ingredients that fit your budget. You can choose local protein sources from a butcher shop in your region. You can use fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market down the street. You can even raise your own animals and grow your own produce if you choose.
We grow a small garden every year. In the summer months I use fresh ingredients from our garden that don’t cost me a cent and are safer than any produce that I would be able to buy at the local grocery store.
We use:
- green beans;
- sweet potatoes and white potatoes;
- peas;
- carrots;
- blueberries;
- raspberries;
- blackberries;
…and a few other fruits and vegetables that we grow ourselves. I also have a small indoor herb garden and use fresh herbs like rosemary and parsley in my homemade dog food recipes all year long. It’s not expensive to grow these things, and it cuts my dog food expenses by about a third.
If you can’t afford to buy the highest quality ingredients, don’t worry! You can still make a healthy meal for your pup and stay on a budget. My three tips for making homemade pet food on a budget are:
- You can save money by choosing more common (and cheaper) protein sources like chicken and pork.
- Select recipes that use the ingredients you have on hand or substitute fruits and vegetables that are in season at the time.
- Use leftovers from your own meals to make your dog’s food. Leftover vegetables from last night’s dinner will work fine. Have some leftover steak, chicken or hamburger? Don’t let it sit in the refrigerator until it goes bad. Use it to make a meal for your dog.
What recipes are best for my dog and how do I decide how much to feed him?
Ask anyone working in the canine health field and they’ll tell you that the healthiest dog food is homemade. You don’t have to worry about harmful ingredients, chemicals and toxins or improper nutritional balance. As long as you follow the proper feeding guidelines for your pet, the healthiest food you can provide is the kind that you make yourself.
But, how do you know what the right nutritional balance is for your pet?
There are a lot of factors that play into how many calories your dog requires on a daily basis. There are also many variables to consider when deciding on the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients that your pup should be eating every day.
Some of these variables include:
- Age
- Weight
- Breed
- Activity level
- Health conditions
Don’t worry! No one expects you to figure all of this out on your own. In fact, it’s really impossible to figure it out without proper training in canine nutrition. That’s why you need to consult an expert before you switch your dog to a homemade diet.
You’re might be thinking that I’m sitting here trying to push homemade dog food on you without really telling you exactly how to feed your dog. First of all, let me just say that a homemade diet may not be right for every dog. Secondly, I wish it was as simple as me telling you exactly what your dog needs, but every dog is different.
Like us, every dog has individual nutritional needs. Unless you’re trained in canine nutrition, you don’t know what your dog needs any more than I do. That’s why it’s crucial to enlist the help of an expert when deciding on a homemade diet.
Your veterinarian is a great place to start. You could also consult a canine nutritionist, but it may be a bit more expensive than an office visit with your regular vet. Either way, the expert you work with will review all of your dog’s individual needs and help you create the perfect nutritional recommendations for him.
You’re still not out of the woods. A dog’s nutritional needs change as he ages. Puppies need different nutrition than adults or senior dogs. If your dog’s weight has changed significantly, his diet needs to be examined.
Feeding a homemade diet isn’t something that you figure out once and then you’re good to go for the life of your pet. It’s something that you need to keep revisiting as your dog ages and his health changes. Any major change in his body, whether because of age, weight or a new health condition, needs to be evaluated by a canine nutrition specialist so they can help you alter his diet to meet the new needs of his body.
Once you’ve been given the green light to switch to a homemade dog food diet, you’re ready to begin. Now it’s time to find some recipes that will pique your pet’s interest and have him begging for more. I’ve included some of my favorite recipes in this book, and I’ve also found many recipes that will help manage a number of health issues that your pup may have. I hope your dog enjoys them as much as my pack does!
Turkey & Beef Mash for Arthritic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $17.50
Ingredients:
- cooked chopped white turkey meat
- browned extra lean ground beef
- 3 tbsp. no salt beef broth
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 1 cup oats
- ½ cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup kale
- ½ cup sliced raw carrot
- ½ cup frozen mixed veggies
- ½ cup celery
- 1 capsule flax seed oil
- Pinch of parsley
- 1 tsp. alfalfa powder
Directions:
- Drain the cooked beef and combine with cooked rice.
- Add alfalfa powder to a blender with the vegetables and puree.
- In a bowl, cover oats with enough warm water to moisten. Mix.
- Add the cooked turkey to the oats and “bread” the pieces. Add broth and mix again.
- Combine rice and beef mixture with the turkey mixture, add ½ cup of pureed vegetables and mix all together. Add parsley.
- Serve a routine-sized
Rosehip and Nettle Beef Stew for Arthritic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $15.75
Ingredients:
- beef
- ½ cup rice
- 1 ½ cups barley
- ½ cup lentils
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 cups kale
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ cup dry seeded rosehips
- 1 cup fresh parsley
- 1 cup dry nettles
Directions:
- Add 8 cups water to a soup pot, add carrots and boil.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Turn off heat, cover the pot, and allow to cool.
- Serve a routine-sized portion.
Anti-inflammatory Vegetable Stew for Arthritic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $12.00
Ingredients:
- 2 chopped zucchini
- 2 cups kale
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 2 chopped sweet potatoes
- 1 cup chopped celery
- ½ cup lentils
- 1 ½ cups quinoa
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ cup unsweet cranberries
- 1 cup nettles
Directions:
- Add 8 cups water to a soup pot, add sweet potatoes and carrots and boil.
- Simmer for 5 mins.
- Add the rest of the ingredients.
- Turn off heat, cover the pot, and allow to cool.
- Serve a routine-sized portion.
Seafood Treats for Arthritic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $9.50
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp. dry flaked seaweed
- 1 tsp. food grade montmorillonite clay
- ¾ cup organic plain yogurt
- 1 cup organic pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. freeze dried krill
- ¾ cup oats
- 1 drained can sardines in water, chopped
- ½ tsp. ginger
- ¼ tsp. green lipped muscle powder
- ¼ tsp. turmeric
- ¼ cup turnip greens
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Combine ingredients and mix to make a dough.
- Roll dough to ¼” thick and cut cookies using a 1” cookie cutter.
- Bake on a cookie sheet for 25 mins.
- Serve 1 treat daily.
Pumpkin Turmeric Treats for Arthritic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $13.70
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground venison
- 1 cup oats
- 1 can organic pumpkin puree
- 75-100mg of turmeric per 5lb bodyweight
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup ground flax seed
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
- Combine ingredients.
- Cut 45 treats from the dough.
- Bake 3 hours.
- Feed 1 treat
Rosemary Turmeric Treats for Arthritic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.00
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup flaxseed meal
- 1 ½ cup oat flour
- 1 tbsp. molasses
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. alfalfa leaf powder
- 1 tbsp. dry rosemary
- 1 tsp. turmeric
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix dry ingredients together.
- Add in wet ingredients.
- If necessary, add 1 tsp. water at a time to moisten the dough.
- Knead dough then roll to ¼” sheet.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough.
- Bake the treats on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes.
- Serve 1 treat daily.
Homemade Chicken Jerky for Joint Health
Approximate Cost per Batch: $7.00
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Trim the fat and tendons from the chicken.
- Cut the chicken into relatively thin strips.
- Lay the chicken strips on a baking sheet and bake for 2 hours.
- Make sure the chicken has a jerky like consistency, if not, cook a little longer.
- Allow the jerky to cool.
- Serve one daily.
- Store the remaining strips in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Chicken Beef Patties for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $33.50
Ingredients:
- 2 lb. ground beef
- 2 lb. ground chicken
- 1 apple without seeds
- 3 raw eggs
- 2 carrots
- 2 cups raw goat milk
- 1 cubed zucchini
- 2 cubed sweet potatoes
- 2 cups kale
Directions:
- Add ingredients to a food processor and process well.
- Divide the mixture into meal sized patties and freeze.
- Defrost as needed before feeding.
*Dogs eat between 2% and 4% of their body weight daily with the average adult dog eating 2% and more active dogs eating 4%*
Kale Burgers for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $6.50
Ingredients:
- ½lb. lightly browned ground beef
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup kale
- 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
- ½ tbsp. bone meal
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- ¼ tsp. turmeric
- ¼ tsp. thyme
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
Directions:
- Over medium-high heat, bring the oil to heat in a large skillet.
- Add garlic and lightly brown.
- Add the cooked meat, spices, kale, and 2 cups water. Sauté for 5 mins.
- Mix in rice and remove skillet from heat.
- Stir in flax seed and bone meal.
- Serve a routine-sized
Venison Meal for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $16.25
Ingredients:
- ground venison
- 1 tbsp. bone meal
- ½ cup organic plain yogurt
- 1 seeded, ribbed diced mild pepper
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 diced zucchini
- 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- ¼ cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 2 ½ cups water
Directions:
- Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-high
- Brown the venison.
- Add in zucchini, water, peppers, and garlic.
- Boil for 20 mins.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- When cool, stir in bone meal, flax seed, yogurt, and rice.
- Serve a routine-sized
Honey Chicken for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $47.00
Ingredients:
- cooked, drained ground chicken
- 3 hardboiled eggs, chopped
- 2 cups chopped zucchini
- 2 cups chopped squash
- 2 cups chopped broccoli
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 2 cups chopped spinach
- 3 cans dark red kidney beans, drained and mashed
- ¾ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup honey
- 2 gallons’ water
Directions:
- In a large soup pot combine all ingredients.
- Mix well to incorporate.
- Serve a routine-sized portion.
- Freeze remaining food and defrost as needed
Orange Chicken for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $20.00
Ingredients:
- 1 ½lb. ground chicken
- 1 ½ tbsp. bone meal
- ¼ lb. broccoli florets
- 1 tangerine
- 1 seeded and ribbed mild pepper
- 1 diced sweet potato
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¼ lb. chopped shiitake mushrooms
- ¼ lb. diced zucchini
- 4 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
- ¼ tsp. rosemary
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- ¼ tsp. thyme
Directions:
- Combine the meat, water, and spices in a soup pot and bring to a boil over medium-high
- Boil for 20 mins.
- Add fruits and veggies and cook until fork tender.
- Take the pot off the heat and cool.
- Stir in the bone meal, flax seed, and coconut oil.
- Serve a routine-size
Turkey and Sweet Potato Meatballs for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $9.80
Ingredients:
- ground turkey
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1 cooked sweet potato
- 2 fresh garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp. bone meal
- 1 seeded and ribbed diced mild pepper
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
- 1 tsp. fresh diced thyme
- 1 tsp. fresh diced rosemary
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine ingredients together well.
- Roll out the mixture into 1” balls.
- Bake on a cookie sheet for 45 mins.
- Serve a routine-sized
Tuna and Shrimp for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $17.50
Ingredients:
- cooked shrimp ground finely
- 12 oz. canned tuna in oil
- 1 cooked, mashed sweet potato
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- ½ cup plain organic yogurt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. thyme
- ¼ tsp. turmeric
Directions:
- Combine ingredients together and form patties.
- Serve a routine-sized
Beef Broth Stew for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $12.90
Ingredients:
- ground beef
- 1 tbsp. bone meal
- 2 raw eggs
- 4 anchovy fillets
- ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup diced squash
- 1/3 cup mashed dark red kidney beans
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1 tbsp. ground flax seed
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- ¼ tsp. thyme
- ¼ tsp. basil
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ tsp. turmeric
Directions:
- Over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
- Add ground beef and venison and brown.
- Add vegetables, spices, garlic, and broth. Cook until fork tender.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and allow to cool.
- Stir in bone meal, kidney beans, flax seed, coconut oil, and raw egg.
- Serve a routine-sized
Turmeric Salmon for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $18.80
Ingredients:
- salmon fillets
- ½ cup shredded cabbage
- ½ cup diced squash
- 2 tbsp. turmeric vinegar
- ½ tsp. freshly ground ginger
- ½ tsp. dill seed
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line the bottom of a baking dish with the squash.
- Cover the squash with cabbage.
- Place the salmon on top of the cabbage.
- Sprinkle the remaining ingredients on top.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Serve a routine-sized
Beef, Liver, and Rice for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $18.50
Ingredients:
- lean ground beef
- 1/3 lb. beef liver
- 1 1/3 cup rice
- 4 tbsp. coconut oil
- 9g fish oil
- ¾ tsp. bone meal
- 3g. oyster shell calcium tablets
- 1/3 tsp. potassium chloride
- 1 serving Vitamin/trace mineral supplement
Directions:
- Cook the rice according to the package directions, adding the potassium chloride to the water.
- Brown the beef and drain.
- Cook the beef liver and dice finely.
- Grind the oyster shell calcium tablets and vitamin supplement.
- Mix these ingredients together.
- Serve a routine-sized
Chicken Broth for Poor Appetite for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $13.70
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken leg quarters
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 diced sweet potato
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
- 1-gallon water
Directions:
- Lightly brown chicken quarters in the olive oil.
- Put the chicken in a soup pot with the rest of the ingredients and cook on medium high heat for 1 hour.
- Pour through a sieve to strain.
- Chill the broth in the refrigerator.
- Reserve chicken meat and veggies for another meal.
- Serve broth cool or warmed as desired.
Turkey and Egg for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $9.50
Ingredients:
- ½ cup cooked chopped turkey
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 cup steamed broccoli and cauliflower mix
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- 1 tsp. flaxseed oil
Directions:
- Add the ingredients to a blender and blend together.
- Form patties.
- Feed a routine-sized
Beef and Liver Meal for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $10.50
Ingredients:
- lean ground beef
- 1/3 lb. beef liver
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Directions:
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
- Brown the ground beef and cook the liver.
- Allow meat to cool.
- Chop the liver.
- Mix together all ingredients and serve a routine-sized
Tropical Salmon Meal for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $20.00
Ingredients:
- Atlantic wild salmon
- 1 ½ cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup ground almonds
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup chopped mango
- 1 cup chopped apple (seeds removed)
- 5 tsp. safflower oil
- 1 tbsp. salmon oil
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
- Put salmon on a baking tray and rub with olive oil.
- Bake salmon 18 – 20 mins.
- Let salmon cool.
- Combine ingredients together.
- Serve a routine-sized
Tropical Fruit Treats for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $13.70
Ingredients:
- 16 tangerines (juiced)
- ½ cup diced papaya
- 1 mashed banana
- ½ cup plain organic yogurt
Directions:
- Puree the ingredients in a blender.
- Pour puree into an ice cube tray and freeze.
- Serve 1 treat daily.
Applesauce Treats for Dogs with Cancer
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.75
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. all natural, sugar-free apple sauce
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 2 ½ cups quinoa flour
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp. fresh chopped mint
- ¼ tsp. fresh minced garlic
- 1 cup water
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine ingredients well to form a dough.
- Roll dough to ¼” thick.
- Use a 1” cookie cutter to shape treats.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Feed 1 cookie daily.
Chicken and Vegetable Meal for Dogs with Diabetes
Approximate Cost per Batch: $9.00
Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chopped chicken breast
- 2 cups cooked long grain brown rice
- ½ cup lightly steamed mixed vegetables
- ½ cup lightly steamed green beans
- ½ cup cottage cheese
Directions:
- Combine cooled ingredients together.
- Serve a routine-sized
Chicken, Barley, and Green Beans for Dogs with Diabetes
Approximate Cost per Batch: $54.75
Ingredients:
- 5 lb. boiled chicken, shredded
- 11 hardboiled eggs, chopped
- 24 oz. pearl barley, cooked
- thawed frozen green beans, chopped.
Directions:
- Combine cooled ingredients and mix well.
- Serve a routine-sized
- Freeze remaining food and defrost as needed.
Chicken Stew for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $35.00
Ingredients:
- 4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast
- 1 cup pearl barley
- 1 ¾ lb. diced tomatoes
- 1 lb. fresh chopped green beans
- 1 lb. chopped fresh broccoli and cauliflower mix
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
Directions:
- Combine the water and barley in a Dutch oven.
- Add chicken and olive oil.
- Simmer ingredients for 40 mins.
- Take chicken out to cool.
- Add vegetables to the Dutch oven and cook until tender.
- Chop cooked chicken and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
- Let cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Freeze the remaining food and defrost as needed.
Turkey and Brown Rice Meal for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $30.50
Ingredients:
- 4 lb. cooked, drained ground turkey
- 7 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 cup chopped fresh broccoli
- 1 cup fresh chopped green beans
- 2 tbsp. Italian dressing
- 2 cups water
Directions:
- Add 2 cups of the rice to a blender with 2 cups water, Italian dressing, and vegetables. Blend until smooth.
- Combine blended mix with remaining turkey and rice.
- Serve a routine-sized portion.
- Freeze remaining food and defrost as needed.
Chuck and Barley Stew for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $22.00
Ingredients:
- 3 lb. chopped chuck beef
- 1 lb. pearl barley
- 2 lb. chopped potatoes
- 2 lb. chopped carrots
- ½ bunch celery, chopped
- 4 quarts water
Directions:
- Add the beef, potatoes, celery, and carrots to a stock pot.
- Cover ingredients with the water.
- Cook on high heat for 1 hour.
- After 1 hour when the mixture is boiling, add the barley.
- Cook for 30 minutes.
- Cool completely before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate or freeze remaining food and use as needed.
Turkey and Egg Meal for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $5.00
Ingredients:
- ½ cup chopped cooked turkey
- 2 ¾ cups cooked brown rice
- 1 hardboiled egg, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped lightly steamed squash.
Directions:
- Combine cooled ingredients and mix well.
- Serve a routine-sized
- Refrigerate remaining food
Beef and Cottage Cheese Meal for Dogs with Diabetes
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.50
Ingredients:
- ¼ lb. ground lean beef
- 2 cups chopped fresh green beans
- 2 cups chopped fresh carrots
- ½ cup cottage cheese
Directions:
- Brown the beef in a skillet and drain off fat.
- Let the beef cool.
- Lightly steam the green beans and carrots.
- Let the vegetables cool.
- Combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Serve a routine-sized
Chicken, Carrots, and Pasta for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $5.75
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cup ground chicken
- 1 cup cooked pasta
- ½ cup chopped carrots
- ½ tsp. lite salt
- ½ tsp. corn oil
- ½ tsp. bone meal
Directions:
- Cook the chicken in a skillet using the corn oil.
- Steam the vegetables lightly.
- Combine the cooked chicken, pasta, and vegetables.
- Stir in the salt and bone meal.
- Cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate the remaining food
Minced Chicken and Rice for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $9.50
Ingredients:
- ½ cup ground chicken
- 1 cup white rice
- ¼ cup chopped carrots
- ¼ cup chopped green beans
- ½ tbsp. corn oil
- ¼ tsp. lite salt
- 1 tsp. bone meal
Directions:
- Boil water for the rice.
- Add the corn oil, rice, and salt to the water.
- Simmer for 15 mins.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and stir.
- Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and allow the ingredients to cool.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate the leftover food.
Chicken, Chickpea, and Pumpkin Meal for Dogs with Diabetes
Approximate Cost per Batch: $52.00
Ingredients:
- 5 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 29 oz. organic pumpkin puree
- 1 lb. pearl barley
- 2 lb. rinsed black eyed peas
- 4 lb. rinsed split chickpeas
- 2 lb. rinsed brown lentils
- 2 lb. rinsed split green peas
- 32 oz. frozen sliced carrots
- 20 oz. frozen chopped spinach
- 32 oz. frozen broccoli florets
- 32 oz. frozen chopped green beans
- 7 quarts’ water
Directions:
- Boil the water in a large soup pot.
- Add the barley, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, brown lentils, and green split peas to the pot. Turn the heat down to medium.
- Cook until the lentils are half way done.
- Add the cubed chicken breast and turkey.
- Cook until lentils are almost cooked through.
- Mix in the pumpkin and vegetables.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Allow the mixture to cool.
- Serve a routine-sized portion.
- Freeze the remaining food and thaw as needed
Turkey and Oats Meal for Dogs with Diabetes
Approximate Cost per Batch: $32
Ingredients:
- 2 lb. ground turkey, boiled
- 16 cups plain oatmeal, cooked
- 1 cup lightly steamed broccoli
- 2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. Tamari soy sauce
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp. bone meal
- 400 IU vitamin E
- ½ cup vitamin powder (Mix together 1 cup lecithin granules, 1 cup nutritional yeast, ¼ cup bone meal, ¼ cup kelp powder, 1,000mg powdered vitamin C)
Directions:
- Combine cooled ingredients and stir to mix.
- Serve a routine-sized portion.
- Freeze the remaining food, defrost as needed.
Chicken and Pasta for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $6.00
Ingredients:
- 2 cups skinless, boneless chicken breast
- ½ cup pasta
- ½ tsp. bone meal
- ½ tsp. lite salt
- ½ tbsp. corn oil
Directions:
- Boil the chicken breast until cooked through.
- Cook pasta.
- Combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate the remaining food.
Sirloin Beef and Vegetables for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $38.25
Ingredients:
- 6 lb. cubed sirloin tip roast
- 4 cups brown rice
- 3 cups rye
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 10 oz. fresh chopped spinach
- 3 cups chopped carrots
- 1 bunch chopped broccoli
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 10 ½ cups low sodium beef broth
- 10 ½ cups water
Directions:
- Add the water, broth, garlic, and beef to a large soup pot.
- Simmer the pot on high heat for 20 mins.
- Remove beef from the pot.
- Add rye to the pot, cover, and simmer for 40 mins.
- Add rice, cover, simmer for 15 mins.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let stand until all of the water and broth is absorbed.
- In a large food-safe container, mix the raw vegetables with the beef.
- Add the warm rice mixture to the container, covering the vegetables to lightly steam them.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and freeze the rest. Defrost as needed.
Egg-Based Diet for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.00
Ingredients:
- 2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 8 oz. macaroni, cooked
- 10 oz. chopped broccoli, steamed
- 10 oz. chopped carrots, steamed
Directions:
- Mix together the cooled cooked ingredients.
- Serve a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate any leftover food.
Kidney Beans, Turkey, and Rice for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $7.50
Ingredients:
- 2 cups ground turkey
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 cup drained canned kidney beans
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/8 tsp. iodized salt
- 1 capsule (10,000 IU) Vitamin A
- 1 capsule (10,000 IU) Vitamin B
Directions:
- Brown the turkey in a skillet.
- Empty the vitamin A and vitamin B capsules into the meat. Stir.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients with the cooked turkey.
- Serve a routine-sized
- Refrigerate the remaining food.
Beef, Rice, and Barley for Diabetic Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $52.50
Ingredients:
- 6 lb. lean grown beef
- 5 cups brown rice
- 5 cups pearl barley
- 1 cup diced green beans
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- 24 cups water
Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients to a large soup pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer.
- Cook until liquid is absorbed.
- Cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Freeze remaining food until needed
Liver and Egg Treats for Dogs with Diabetes
Approximate Cost per Batch: $5.00
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lb. chopped beef liver
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 eggs
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Chop the liver in a food processor.
- Add the eggs and flour to the processor and blend until smooth.
- Spread mixture on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 15 mins.
- Serve one daily.
- Store remaining treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Chicken Casserole for Delicate Tummies
Approximate Cost per Batch: $10.50
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup fresh chopped carrots
- ½ cup fresh chopped green beans
- ½ cup fresh chopped broccoli
Directions:
- Trim and chop the chicken breasts into small pieces.
- Cook the chicken in a skillet.
- Add the cooked chicken to a large saucepan with the oats, vegetables, and chicken broth.
- Cook over medium heat until the carrots are cooked through but not mushy.
- Cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Store any leftover food in the refrigerator.
Chicken Broth and Beef for Recovery in Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.25
Ingredients:
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or bone broth
- ½ cup lean ground beef, boiled and drained
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cups water
Directions:
- Combine the ingredients in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to simmer, cover pan, and cook until rice is fluffy.
- Cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
Sweet Potato and Beef Stew for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $7.75
Ingredients:
- cubed beef stew meat
- ½ cup fresh diced carrots
- 1 sweet potato
- ½ cup fresh diced green beans
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
Directions:
- Bake the sweet potato and allow it to cool.
- Dice the stew meat into smaller chunks if needed.
- Cook the stew meat in a skillet with the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
- Dice the cooked sweet potato.
- Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the flour and water to the pan with the beef fat and stir. Continue to stir over heat until a gravy forms.
- Add the vegetables and beef to the gravy and stir.
- Cook until the vegetables are fork tender.
- Allow cooling before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Chicken and Beans for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $14.50
Ingredients:
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup canned dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup fresh diced carrots
Directions:
- Trim fat and tendons off the chicken and dice the meat.
- Cook the chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through.
- Put the cooked chicken in a large soup pot with the rest of the ingredients.
- Bring the soup pot contents to a boil.
- Reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Allow the soup to cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Beef, Barley, and Broccoli for Dogs with Pancreatitis
Approximate Cost per Batch: $8.25
Ingredients:
- 1 cup stew beef
- ¾ cup barley
- ½ cup no-fat cottage cheese
- ½ cup broccoli
- ¼ cup zucchini
Directions:
- Cook the barley according to the package instructions.
- Dice the stew beef into smaller pieces if needed.
- Cook the beef in a skillet until cooked through.
- Lightly steam the zucchini and broccoli.
- Mash the zucchini and broccoli together.
- Let ingredients cool completely and then mix together.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Turkey and Veggies for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $11.00
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 2 cups brown rice
- 1 cup fresh chopped green beans
- 1 cup fresh chopped carrots
- 4 cups water
Directions:
- Cook the turkey in a skillet over medium heat until browned.
- Move the turkey to a large saucepan and add the water and rice.
- Bring the saucepan up to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the rice is done.
- Add the vegetables to the mixture and stir. Cook for 8 more minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Chicken and Rice for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.00
Ingredients:
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or bone broth
- 1 cup cooked, diced chicken
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cups water
Directions:
- Combine the ingredients in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to simmer, cover pan, and cook until rice is fluffy.
- Cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
Egg White, Egg and Rice for Dogs with Digestive Problems
Approximate Cost per Batch: $5.00
Ingredients:
- 6 whole eggs
- 6 egg whites
- 4 cups white rice
- 8 cups water
Directions:
- Add the rice and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer until the rice is fluffy.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.
- Beat the egg whites and whole eggs in a mixing bowl.
- Scramble the eggs in a skillet.
- Add the eggs to the cooled rice.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate the leftover food.
Tapioca and Tofu for Dogs with Diarrhea, Lactose Intolerance, and Grain Intolerance
Approximate Cost per Batch: $7.50
Ingredients:
- 5 oz. plain tofu
- 4 cups tapioca
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Potassium chloride (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- Calcium carbonate (measured according to the dog’s weight)
Directions:
- Cook the tapioca according to package instructions, adding the salt and potassium chloride to the water.
- Allow the tapioca to cool.
- Chop the tofu finely and combine with the cooled tapioca.
- Mix in the calcium carbonate.
- Serve a routine-sized Refrigerate any leftovers.
Tapioca and Tofu for Dogs with Lactose Intolerance and Grain Intolerance
Approximate Cost per Batch: $8.00
Ingredients:
- 5 oz. plain tofu
- 4 cups tapioca
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Potassium chloride (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- Bone meal (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- 1 Multivitamin tablet (measured according to the dog’s weight and vitamin brand)
Directions:
- Cook the tapioca according to package instructions, adding the salt and potassium chloride to the water.
- Allow the tapioca to cool.
- Chop the tofu finely and combine with the cooled tapioca.
- Mix in the bone meal and multivitamin.
- Serve a routine-sized Refrigerate any leftovers.
Chicken Neck Soup for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $12.50
Ingredients:
- 3 lb. mixed chicken necks and chicken backs
- 3 shiitake mushrooms
- 2 diced stalks of celery
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- Handful of Italian parsley
- 2 diced carrots
- 1 grated knob of ginger
- 1 tbsp. sea salt
- 12 white peppercorns
- A dash of rosemary
- A dash of thyme
Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients to a large soup pot.
- Bring the pot to a boil on high heat.
- Remove the foam from the top of the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cook for 8 hours.
- Allow cooling before refrigerating overnight.
- Remove the fat from the top of the pot.
- Strain the broth and throw out the solid contents (or serve to humans!)
- Serve the broth warm in a routine-sized
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Chinese Porridge for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Thai jasmine rice
- 1 cup organic pumpkin puree
- 3 cups water
Directions:
- Add the water and rice to a large saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to simmer.
- Cook until most of the water is absorbed.
- Allow the rice to cool.
- Combine the rice with the pumpkin puree.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Beef in the Slow Cooker for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $20.50
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ lb. lean ground beef
- 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups brown rice
- 1 ½ cups diced carrots
- 1 ½ cups diced squash
- ½ cup garden peas
- 4 cups water
Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients to a crockpot and put the lid on.
- Cook on low for 6 hours, stirring periodically.
- Turn off heat and allow to cool before serving.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate leftovers.
Brown Rice and Turkey for Dogs with Digestive Issues
Approximate Cost per Batch: $10.25
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 2 cups brown rice
- 16 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 tsp. rosemary, dried
- 6 cups water
Directions:
- In a large soup pot over high heat, combine the turkey, water, rice, and rosemary.
- Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 20 mins.
- Add the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and cool.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Rice and Tofu for Dogs with Diarrhea and Lactose Intolerance
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.75
Ingredients:
- 5 oz. plain tofu
- 4 cups white rice
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Potassium chloride (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- Calcium carbonate (measured according to the dog’s weight)
Directions:
- Cook the rice according to package instructions, adding the salt and potassium chloride to the water.
- Allow the rice to cool.
- Chop the tofu finely and combine with the cooled rice.
- Mix in the calcium carbonate.
- Serve a routine-sized Refrigerate any leftovers.
Rice and Tofu for Dogs with Lactose Intolerance and Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $5.25
Ingredients:
- 5 oz. plain tofu
- 4 cups white rice
- ¼ tsp. salt
- Potassium chloride (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- Bone meal (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- 1 Multivitamin tablet (measured according to the dog’s weight and vitamin brand)
Directions:
- Cook the rice according to package instructions, adding the salt and potassium chloride to the water.
- Allow the rice to cool.
- Chop the tofu finely and combine with the cooled rice.
- Mix in the bone meal and multivitamin.
- Serve a routine-sized Refrigerate any leftovers.
Rice and Cottage Cheese Diet for Dogs with Diarrhea
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.50
Ingredients:
- 2 cups white rice
- 2/3 cup low fat cottage cheese
- Potassium chloride (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- Calcium carbonate tablets (measured according to the dog’s weight)
Directions:
- Cook the rice according to the package directions, adding the potassium chloride to the water.
- Allow the cooked rice to cool.
- Break down the calcium carbonate tablets and mix into the rice along with the cottage cheese.
- Feed a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Meat and Vegetables for the Picky Eater
Approximate Cost per Batch: $15.60
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. pig heart, diced
- 8 oz. chicken livers, diced
- 2 cups white rice
- 1 lb. sweet potato
- bag frozen broccoli, carrot, and cauliflower mix
Directions:
- Add all of the ingredients to a large soup pot and cover with water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until all ingredients are cooked through.
- Allow the pot to cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.
Rice and Cottage Cheese Diet for Dogs with Gastrointestinal Problems
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.00
Ingredients:
- 2 cups white rice
- 2/3 cup low fat cottage cheese
- 1 tsp. coconut oil
- Bone meal powder (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- Potassium chloride (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- 1 Multivitamin tablet (measured according to the dog’s weight and vitamin brand)
Directions:
- Cook the rice according to the package instructions, adding the potassium chloride to the water.
- Allow the cooked rice to cool.
- Mix the bone meal powder, cottage cheese, rice, and multivitamin tablet together.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Green Beans, Chicken, and Rice for Recovering Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $10.00
Ingredients:
- 1 whole roasting chicken
- 2 cups white rice
- fresh chopped green beans.
Directions:
- Cover the chicken with water and boil in a large soup pot until cooked through.
- Let the cooked chicken cool before removing the meat from the carcass.
- Add the white rice and green beans to the water used to boil the chicken and turn the heat down to a simmer.
- Simmer until the rice is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Add the chicken back into the pot and allow the ingredients to cool.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.
Chicken Broth and Rice for Recovery in Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $2.50
Ingredients:
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or bone broth
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cups water
Directions:
- Combine the ingredients in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to simmer, cover pan, and cook until rice is fluffy.
- Cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
Chicken Fish Stew for Picky Eaters
Approximate Cost per Batch: $28.25
Ingredients:
- 2 lb. ground chicken
- 2 cans mackerel in water
- 8 cups brown rice
- 16 oz. ricotta cheese
- 15 oz. organic canned pumpkin
- 12 oz. bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 12 oz. bag frozen cauliflower florets, thawed
- 12 oz. bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed
- ¾ cup ground flaxseed
- 24 cups water
Directions:
- Boil a large soup pot of water.
- Add the chicken, rice, and carrots to the boiling water and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Cook the chicken mixture until all the water has been absorbed.
- Finely chop the thawed broccoli and cauliflower florets.
- Add the broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and fish with juice to the pot and stir.
- Heat through, add more water if it becomes too thick.
- Allow the pot to cool.
- Once cooled, add in the ricotta cheese, flaxseed, and pumpkin to the pot and stir to mix.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.
Chicken, Beef, and Rice for Picky Eaters
Approximate Cost per Batch: $25.50
Ingredients:
- 2 lb. ground beef
- 1 roaster chicken
- 2 tins sardines in water
- 2 cups white rice
- 1 lb. diced carrots.
- 2 minced garlic cloves
Directions:
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet and drain.
- Roast the chicken in the oven.
- Allow the meats to cool.
- Once cooled, chop up the chicken.
- Cook the white rice according to the package directions.
- Lightly steam the carrots.
- Once all ingredients have cooled, combine them and mix well.
- Add the garlic to the food and stir.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.
Bone Broth for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $6.00
Ingredients:
- A bag of marrow bones/soup bones
- 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- Water
Directions:
- Add the marrow bones to a large slow cooker.
- Cover the bones with water until they are covered with at least 3” of water.
- Add 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar.
- Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 24 hours.
- Sieve out all bones and fragments and throw them away.
- Let the broth cool.
- Refrigerate the broth for at least 4 hours.
- Remove the hard layer of fat on top of the broth.
- Reheat to warm before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Meatloaf for Dogs with Pancreatitis
Approximate Cost per Batch: $18.70
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lb. Low-fat ground beef
- 1 cup oats
- 1 small can tomato puree
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 1 diced pieces whole wheat bread
- 2 peeled, grated carrots
- 4 diced sweet potatoes
- 3 chopped celery stalks
- 1 apple, cored and diced
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease four small loaf pans.
- Combine the ingredients and mix well.
- Press the ingredients into the loaf pans.
- Cook for 80 minutes or until cooked through.
- Cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers until needed.
Chicken Soup for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $7.50
Ingredients:
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1 cup diced sweet potato
- 1 cup white rice
- 6 cups water
Directions:
- Bring the water up to boil in a large saucepan.
- Add the chicken breasts to the boiling water.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pan to cool.
- Add the sweet potato and rice to the water used to cook the chicken. Simmer until the rice and sweet potato are
- Shred the chicken.
- Add the chicken to the cooked sweet potato mixture.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mix to cool.
- Use an immersion blender to cream the soup.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate the leftovers.
Yogurt and Pumpkin Puree for Dogs with Soft Stools
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.75
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup organic pumpkin puree
- 3 tbsp. organic plain yogurt
Directions:
- Mix together the pumpkin puree and yogurt.
- Serve throughout the day as tolerated to meet the dog’s caloric requirement.
Chicken, No Grains for Dogs with Pancreatitis
Approximate Cost per Batch: $16.75
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lb. ground chicken
- 2 cups cooked brown lentils
- 1 cup no-fat cottage cheese
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups sweet potato
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped green beans
- 10 oz. thawed frozen spinach
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- 1/8 cup turmeric
- 1/8 cup fresh chopped rosemary
- ½ cup fresh chopped parsley
- 1/8 cup sage
- 1/8 cup fresh chopped basil
Directions:
- In a large soup pot, combine all of the ingredients.
- Cover the ingredients with water.
- Heat over medium heat for 30 minutes.
- Reduce to medium heat and cook on a simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Allow the food to cool before serving.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Wheat Pasta and Chicken for Dogs with Pancreatitis
Approximate Cost per Batch: $11.75
Ingredients:
- ground chicken
- 1 cup whole wheat pasta
- 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 2 tsp. olive oil
Directions:
- Cook the pasta following the directions on the package.
- Drain the cooked pasta and cool.
- In a large wok, heat the olive oil.
- Add the chicken and vegetables to the heated wok and cook through.
- Add the cooked pasta to the wok ingredients.
- Allow the ingredients to cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Beef and Kale for Dogs with Pancreatitis
Approximate Cost per Batch: $8
Ingredients:
- 1 cup stew beef
- ½ cup beef kidney
- ¾ cup oats
- ¼ cup kale, chopped
- ½ cup squash, diced
Directions:
- Cut the stew beef into smaller pieces if needed.
- Cook the beef in a skillet and drain off the fat.
- Cook the beef kidney and dice once cooked through.
- Lightly steam the squash and kale.
- Cook the oats as though making oatmeal.
- Once all the ingredients are cooked, allow them to cool.
- Combine the cooled ingredients and serve a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Vegetable Rice Cookies for Dogs with Pancreatitis
Approximate Cost per Batch: $5.00
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups rice flour
- ½ cup squash
- ½ cup peas
- 6 tbsp. low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the ingredients together.
- Add just enough water to moisten the dough.
- Roll out the dough to a ¼” thickness.
- Use a 1” cookie cutter to cut the cookies.
- Place the cookies on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool.
- Serve 1 cookie daily.
- Store the remaining cookies in an airtight container.
Mash for Dogs with Diarrhea
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.25
Ingredients:
- 1 skinless boneless chicken breast, boiled
- ½ cup organic pumpkin puree
- 2 tbsp. organic plain yogurt
- ½ cup white rice
- ¼ cup warm water
Directions:
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.
- Shred the chicken and combine with the rice.
- Allow the chicken and rice mixture to cool.
- Combine the pumpkin and yogurt with the rice.
- Water the mixture down with the warm water if it’s too thick.
- Serve warm in a routine-sized
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Frozen Yogurt Popsicle Treats for Dogs with Delicate Tummies
Approximate Cost per Batch: $2.50
Ingredients:
- 6 oz. organic plain yogurt
- ½ cup finely shredded carrot
- 1 cup no-sugar-added, all natural apple juice
Directions:
- Combine the ingredients thoroughly.
- Spoon the ingredients into an ice cube tray.
- Freeze until solid.
- Serve one treat daily.
*Note: Not all dogs can tolerate lactose, if your dog cannot, then avoid this recipe!*
Chicken Treats for Dogs with Pancreatitis
Approximate Cost per Batch: $5.00
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups rice flour
- 6 tbsp. low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth, room temperature
- ½ cup cooked mashed sweet potato, cooled
- ½ cup cooked mashed squash, cooled
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the ingredients together and mix well.
- Add just enough cold water to create a rollable dough.
- Roll out the dough to ¼” thick.
- Use a 1” cookie cutter to cut the cookies.
- Bake the cookies on a parchment covered cookie sheet for 25 minutes.
- Cool before serving.
- Serve 1 cookie daily.
- Store the remaining cookies in an airtight container.
Pumpkin Sponge for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $7.50
Ingredients:
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1 ½ cups whole oat flour
- 3 cups organic pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp. unsweet shredded coconut
- 1 tsp. carob powder
- ¼ cup ground almonds
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp. ginger
- ½ tsp. sea salt
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a baking dish.
- Mix the ingredients together to combine.
- Pour the ingredient batter into the greased dish.
- Cook for 1 hour 15 mins.
- Cool before serving.
- Cut into 9 pieces (more if the dog is small) and serve 1 piece daily.
- Store remaining sponge in an airtight container.
Immune Boosting Fruit and Veggie Snacks
Approximate Cost per Batch: $6.25
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oats
- 1 banana
- ½ cup unsweet, all natural applesauce
- 1 small baked sweet potato
- 1 cup finely grated carrot
- 1/3 cup water
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Mash the cooled sweet potato and banana together.
- Add the flour, carrots, and oats to the mash and mix.
- Stir in the water and applesauce.
- Roll out the dough to 1/8” thickness.
- Slice the dough into strips and put the strips on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Allow the treats to cool.
- Serve one daily.
- Store remaining treats in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
Peanut Butter Banana Treats for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.50
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. all natural peanut butter
- 4 cups organic plain yogurt
- 3 mashed ripe bananas
Directions:
- Add the ingredients into a blender.
- Puree until creamy.
- Pour the mix into an ice cube tray.
- Serve 1 treat daily.
Pumpkin Egg Cookies for Dogs with Digestive Concerns
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.75
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup organic pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 2 cups brown rice flour
- 2 ½ tbsp. flaxseed oil
- 1/3 cup chilled water
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Combine the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
- Roll out the dough to ¼” thick.
- Use a 1” cookie cutter to cut the cookies.
- Place on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
- Cool before serving.
- Serve 1 cookie daily.
- Store the remaining cookies in an airtight container.
Chicken, Eggs, and Rice for Dogs with Kidney Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.45
Ingredients:
- 1 cup boiled chopped chicken
- 1 hardboiled egg, chopped
- 2 tbsp. organic non-fat plain yogurt
- ¼ cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup lightly steamed carrots and peas.
Directions:
- Combine the cooked ingredients and mix well.
- Allow ingredients to cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Beef and Egg for Dogs with Kidney Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $2.90
Ingredients:
- 1 cup boiled ground beef
- 1 hardboiled egg, chopped
- 2 tbsp. cottage cheese
- ¼ cup cooked white rice
- ¼ cup lightly steamed carrots
Directions:
- Combine the ingredients well.
- Cool before serving a routine-sized
- Refrigerate any leftover ingredients.
Beef and Tofu for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $13.00
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. Low-fat ground beef, boiled
- 3 ½ oz. plain tofu
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 cups lightly steamed, sliced carrots
- ½ cup wheat bran
- 1 capsule flaxseed oil
Directions:
- Chop the tofu finely.
- Allow cooked ingredients to cool.
- Combine all ingredients and serve a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Chicken and Rice for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.50
Ingredients:
- 1 cup chopped skinless, boneless chicken breast
- ½ cup cooked brown rice
- 4 tbsp. salt-free chicken broth
- ½ cup mixed vegetables
Directions:
- Add the chicken and mixed vegetables to a pot of water and boil until cooked through.
- Allow the cooked ingredients to cool completely.
- Mash together all of the cooled ingredients and serve a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Beef and Brown Rice Dinner for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $5.75
Ingredients:
- 1/8 lb ground beef
- 1 egg
- 1 1/3 cup brown rice
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 minced garlic clove
- Liquid vitamin B (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- Calcium powder (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- Multivitamin (measured according to the dog’s weight and vitamin brand)
Directions:
- Cook the rice according to the packaging and allow it to cool.
- Combine the ground and beef with the egg.
- Mix the cooled rice into the egg and beef mixture and stir.
- Mix together the vitamin B, multivitamin, and calcium powder.
- Add the vitamin mixture to the rice mixture and stir to combine.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Beef, Bread, and Rice for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $8.60
Ingredients:
- ground beef
- 2 cups white rice
- 3 slices white bread
Directions:
- Brown the beef in a skillet without draining.
- Cook the rice according to the package ingredients.
- Allow the beef and rice to cool completely.
- Break the bread into small pieces and mix into the beef and rice mixture.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
White Rice and Beef for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.05
Ingredients:
- ¼ lb. ground beef
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 hardboiled egg, chopped
- 3 slices white bread, torn into small pieces
- Calcium carbonate (measured according to the dog’s size)
Directions:
- Brown the beef in a skillet.
- Allow the beef to cool.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the beef and mix well.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Chicken and Potatoes for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.60
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup boiled skinless, boneless chicken breast
- 2 tbsp. chicken fat
- 3 cups boiled skinned potato
- Calcium carbonate (measured according to the dog’s weight)
- Multivitamin (measured according to the dog’s weight and multivitamin brand)
Directions:
- Allow the cooked ingredients to cool completely.
- Combine the cooled ingredients and serve a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Egg and Rice Macaroni for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.00
Ingredients:
- ½ package salad macaroni, cooked and cooled
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 2 hardboiled, chopped eggs
- ½ package frozen sliced carrots, lightly steamed
- ½ package frozen broccoli florets, lightly steamed
- Calcium carbonate (measured according to the dog’s size), crushed
Directions:
- Allow all cooked ingredients to cool completely and mix together well.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Egg-Based Dinner for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.50
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- ½ box cooked salad macaroni
- 2 hardboiled eggs, chopped
- 1 tbsp. low-calorie cottage cheese
- ½ package frozen sliced carrots, lightly steamed
- ½ package frozen broccoli, lightly steamed
- Calcium carbonate (measured according to the dog’s size)
Directions:
- Allow the cooked ingredients to cool completely.
- Combine cooled ingredients and mix.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Low Protein Meatloaf for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $14.00
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾lb. ground beef
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup oats
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp. ketchup
- ¾ cup water
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Boil a large saucepan of water.
- Add the vegetables to the boiling water and reduce the heat to simmer.
- Simmer for 5 mins.
- Drain and cool the vegetables.
- Mash all of the ingredients together and spread in a greased baking dish.
- Bake in the oven until cooked through.
- Allow the meatloaf to cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate or freeze the leftovers.
Chicken, Oatmeal, and Pumpkin for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.75
Ingredients:
- ½ cup boiled chicken, diced
- 1 hardboiled egg, chopped
- ½ cup cooked oats
- ¾ cup low-fat cottage cheese
- ½ cup organic canned pumpkin
Directions:
- Allow the cooked ingredients to cool completely.
- Combine the cooled ingredients before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Refrigerate any leftovers.
Salmon Treats for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.10
Ingredients:
- 1 can of salmon in water
- 1 egg
- 1 diced potato
- 1 diced carrot
- 1 tbsp. all natural peanut butter
- 3 tbsp. corn meal
- Canola oil
Directions:
- Beat the egg in a bowl.
- Add the cornmeal and salmon and mix well.
- Form small patties from the mixture.
- Fry the patties in a skillet using the canola oil.
- While frying the patties, lightly steam the carrot and potato.
- Allow the cooked ingredients to cool completely.
- Mash together all of the cooled ingredients.
- Serve a small treat sized portion daily and refrigerate the remaining treats in an airtight container.
Beef and Oatmeal Treats for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.00
Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup low-sodium, low-fat beef broth
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 tbsp. oats
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat the egg thoroughly.
- Add the egg to the flour, broth, and oatmeal and stir.
- Form balls out of the dough and place on a parchment covered cookie sheet.
- Bake for 3 minutes or until the balls of dough are cooked through.
- Serve 1 treat daily and store the remaining treats in an airtight container.
Chicken Broth and Vegetable Treats for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.75
Ingredients:
- ½ cup cooked and cooled, mashed sweet potato
- ½ cup cooked and cooled, mashed squash
- 2 ½ cups wheat flour
- 6 tbsp. low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ cup cold water
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, chicken broth, and vegetables.
- Add in just enough cold water to make a cookie dough.
- Roll out the dough to ¼” thickness.
- Use a ½” cookie cutter to cut the dough.
- Bake the cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 25 mins.
- Let the cookies cool before serving 1 daily.
- Store the remaining cookies in an airtight container.
Lamb and Rice Treats for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $10.30
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
- 2 cups cooked white rice
- ¼ cup chopped green beans
- ¼ cup kale, chopped
- 1 cup organic plain yogurt
Directions:
- Cook the lamb in a skillet.
- Lightly steam the kale and green beans.
- Allow the cooked ingredients to cool.
- Combine the cooled ingredients and mix well.
- Create small treat sized portions.
- Serve 1 treat daily and store the remaining treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Garlic and Vegetable Wheat Free Treats for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $5.20
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups rice flour
- 6 tbsp. low-sodium, low-fat chicken broth
- ½ cup mashed cooked zucchini
- ½ cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ cup cold water
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix together the garlic and flour.
- Add the vegetable mash and chicken broth to the flour mixture and mix well.
- Add just enough of the cold water to make a cookie dough.
- Roll out the dough to ¼” thick.
- Use a ½” cookie cutter to cut the treats.
- Bake the treats on a parchment covered cookie sheet for 20 minutes.
- Cool before serving 1 cookie daily.
- Store the remaining cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Chicken, Rice, and Veggies for Dogs with Liver Disease
Approximate Cost per Batch: $10.35
Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups boiled boneless chicken breast with skin
- 2 ½ cups cooked white rice
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 ½ cups lightly steamed sliced carrots
- ½ cup wheat bran
- 1 capsule flaxseed oil
Directions:
- Allow cooked ingredients to cool completely.
- Combine ingredients together and mix well.
- Serve a routine-sized portion and refrigerate any leftovers.
Peanut Butter and Fish Oil Treats
Approximate Cost per Batch: $4.00
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oats
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp. honey
- 1/3 cup all natural peanut butter
- ½ tbsp. salmon oil
- 1 ½ cups water
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine 1 cup of the water with the rest of the ingredients and stir.
- Add the remaining water if needed to create a cookie-like dough.
- Roll the dough out to ¼” thickness.
- Use a 1” cookie cutter to cut the dough.
- Bake the cookies for 40 minutes on a cookie sheet.
- Allow cookies to cool.
- Feed once daily.
Salmon Treats for Coat Health
Approximate Cost per Batch: $3.75
Ingredients:
- 1 large tin of salmon in water
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. cottage cheese
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 carrot
- 3 tbsp. corn flour
- Flour for dipping
- Olive oil for frying
Directions:
- Use a cheese grater to grate the celery, sweet potato, and carrot.
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl.
- Form small balls out of the ingredients.
- Roll the balls in flour.
- Heat the oil over high heat until hot enough for frying.
- Carefully drop the balls into the hot oil and fry on both sides until cooked through.
- Allow cooling before serving.
- Store any remaining treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Weight Gaining Treats for Underweight Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $12.40
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground lean beef, boiled
- 1 minced hardboiled egg
- 8 oz. multi-grain unsweet Cheerios
- 2 oz. oats
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1/8 cup unsulfured molasses
- 2 oz. wheat germ
- 1/8 cup canola oil
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of minced garlic
Directions:
- Allow the beef and eggs to cool.
- Combine all of the ingredients together and mix well.
- Roll the ingredients into small balls.
- Supplement the underweight dog’s diet with these treats multiple times daily.
- Store remaining treats in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Chicken, Beef, and Oats for Underweight Dogs
Approximate Cost per Batch: $17.15
Ingredients:
- ground beef
- 2 chicken leg quarters
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2/3 cup oats
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 2 grated carrots
- oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed
- 2 cups chopped frozen broccoli
- 1 large bag frozen spinach
- 1 minced garlic clove
- ½ cup olive oil
Directions:
- Put the chicken quarters in a large saucepan and cover with water surpassing the chicken top by 1”.
- Bring the chicken pan to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and simmer for 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken and cool.
- Strain any residue from the chicken water and return to the heat.
- Add the rice, vegetables, and beans to the water and bring up to a boil.
- Cook the beef in a skillet while the bean mixture heats.
- Once the bean mixture is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer until the vegetables are fork tender.
- Pour any grease off the beef and put it in a large mixing bowl.
- Pull the meat from the chicken and add it to the beef.
- When the bean mixture is cooked through, allow it to cool.
- Combine the bean mixture with the meats and the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- Feed a routine-sized portion and refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.
Turkey Dinner for Dogs Needing to Lose Weight
Approximate Cost per Batch: $10.50
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 2 cups brown rice
- 1 cup chopped fresh green bean
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 tbsp. fish oil
- 4 cups water
Directions:
- Brown the turkey in a skillet and drain.
- Combine the turkey, rice, and water in a large saucepan and boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the rice is cooked through.
- Add the vegetables. Cook until the vegetables are fork tender.
- Cool before serving a routine-sized portion.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
At The Tail’s End
So, there you have it – 101 of the best homemade dog food recipes that I’m sure your pooch will love. For more recipes, you can always read my weekly columns on TopDogTips.com and watch the videos of me making these and many other recipes.
Remember, if you haven’t talked to your veterinarian about switching your dog’s diet, be sure to do so. Feeding a homemade dog food diet without knowing your pup’s unique needs can be a recipe for disaster – no pun intended.
We all know homemade dog food is full of vitamins and minerals, and that’s a good thing, right? In this case, too much of a good thing can be very bad. Vitamin toxicity can occur when your dog’s intake of a certain dietary vitamin exceeds his body’s requirement.
This can be a very serious problem that may even result in death if it persists for a long period of time. Without knowing it, you could actually be doing more harm than good by trying to feed your pet a healthy meal. For example, Vitamin A toxicity in dogs can result in permanent damage to his bones or even death.
This is why it is imperative that you work with a trained professional to create a nutritional guideline for your dog’s individual nutritional needs. Once you know the guideline that you need to stick to, you can alter these recipes (and any others that you may find) to meet your pet’s specific needs.
Think about the nutritional facts on the back of the box of cereal that you ate for breakfast. We all know that there are certain nutritional recommendations for humans, and we can see how every food that we eat matches up to these recommendations by looking at the nutritional information on the packaging.
It’s not that simple when we’re feeding pets. One of the greatest things about the canine species is how amazingly diverse it is. Big dogs, small dogs, athletic breeds, lazy pups…the list goes on and on. It’s impossible to set recommendations for what nutrients a dog should be eating every day.
The only way to know for sure is to discuss your dog’s needs with your veterinarian. While puppies may need to have a diet made of 50% protein, a senior dog may only require 25% protein in his diet.
A canine nutrition expert will help you work out a plan. They’ll tell you the correct ratio of protein, fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates and fat to include in your dog’s diet. Once you have the ratio, it’s easy to tweak recipes to meet your dog’s needs.
I hope you enjoy feeding your dog’s a homemade diet as much as I do. The peace of mind that I get from knowing exactly what they’re eating outweighs the hassle of having to prepare the food. We think of our dogs like they are our own children, and I would never feed my children a meal without knowing what it was made of or where it came from.
Don’t get frustrated if your dog doesn’t like the first recipe you try. It will take some time to figure out his likes and dislikes. My advice is to try lots of new recipes. It will be fun for you and your dog will enjoy trying all the new flavors!