Homemade Dog Food for Fussy Eaters – Top Dog Tips
If your dog is a picky eater, you’ve probably been feeding him a variety of pet foods and human foods just to get him to eat regular meals. Did you know that this could actually be making your dog’s picky habits worse? Finding some recipes for homemade dog food for fussy eaters is a better option than feeding Fido meals prepared for humans.
Meals for humans are not nutritionally balanced for dogs. The prepared and processed foods that humans eat are not healthy for our canine companions. If you’re trying to get a picky eater to eat by adding human food ingredients to his kibble, you could actually be conditioning him to be even pickier.
When your dog gets accustomed to having human food toppers included with his kibble, he may start eating less kibble and holding out for the more enticing human food. The best option, in this case, is to discuss a homemade diet with your veterinarian or a canine nutritionist.
It is imperative that you create recipes with the help of an expert in canine nutrition. The nutrients that your dog needs will vary depending on his age, weight, activity level, health condition, breed and many other factors. Your dog’s nutritional needs change as he grows and develops. An expert will help to guide you in providing balanced nutrition for your pet in every stage of life.
If it’s not done properly, switching to a homemade diet could cause your dog to suffer life-threatening nutritional deficiencies. Simply put, you cannot just look up recipes on the internet. This homemade dog food for fussy eaters may be appropriate for your pet as it is, or your veterinarian may recommend adding supplements or additional ingredients to meet your dog’s unique nutritional needs.
Homemade Dog Food for Fussy Eaters
A study performed by the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine show that most homemade dog food recipes are not nutritionally balanced. In the study, researchers selected 200 recipes from 34 different sources include online resources, books and veterinary textbooks.
Of these 200 recipes, only 9 provided balanced nutrition in concentrations meeting the minimum standards established for adult canines by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Of the 9 recipes that provided balanced nutrition, only 5 provided adult dogs with essential nutrients in concentrations that met the National Research Council’s Minimum Requirements.
For this reason, it’s extremely important that dog owners take cooking for their pet’s seriously. While this recipe will certainly entice a fussy eater, it may not provide 100% balanced nutrition for every dog. Be sure to discuss this dietary option with your veterinarian before making the switch.
Recipe: Homemade Dog Food for Fussy Eaters
This is a simple recipe that can be made on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. In the video above, I cooked the food on my stove. If you’d prefer, you can combine the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on the lowest setting for 4-6 hours.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: about 10 cups of food 1x
- Category: Cooked Food
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Dog Food
- 6 cups water
- 1 pound boneless chicken (cubed)
- 2 cups dry brown rice
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 (16 ounce) package frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower combination
Add the water, ground turkey, brown rice and rosemary to large skillet. Stir until the ground turkey is broken up and evenly distributed throughout the food. Bring the recipe to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the frozen veggies and cook for an additional 5 minutes on low heat. Once the recipe has completely cooled, you can serve it to your pup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 119
- Sugar: .6 g
- Sodium: 32 mg
- Fat: 2.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.1 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 8.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
Serving Size Recommendation: You can serve this homemade dog food for fussy eaters to your pup as soon as it has cooled. I recommend feeding about 1/2 cup of food for every 20-25 pounds of body weight. This recommendation is for 2 servings per day. So, a 25-pound dog would eat about 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/2 cup in the evening.
This is just a guideline. Some dogs, like working dogs and very active breeds, will need more calories than this. Lazier pets and senior dogs may not need as many.
It’s best to consult your veterinarian about the appropriate serving size for you dog. They will also help you evaluate the meal to make sure it will meet your pet’s unique nutritional needs. If necessary, they will assist you in choosing the best supplements and/or multivitamins to add.
How to store: You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze them, and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that this recipe includes no preservatives, so that it won’t last nearly as long as commercial dog food.
For More Information
We publish many homemade dog food and treats recipes every month. For more recipes, pet food cooking tips and advice, see our “Recipes” section. If you’re new to home cooked dog food subject, I recommend you read more about “How Much To Feed” to understand serving sizes, “What Supplements To Use” to create well-balanced meals, and “How To Store” for tips on simple and easy homemade dog food storing in a fridge or a freezer.
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