Homemade Dog Food Recipes

Looking for Homemade Dog Food Recipes but don’t know where to start?

The truth is that an increasingly big number of dog owners lately have started to give a "suspicious look" at the kibble bags.

Of course, all the pet food companies keep advertising their products as "complete and balanced dog food", "full of vitamins & minerals". Most Vets agree that commercial dry food is your best option and usually have one or two quality brands to recommend.

However, I totally understand your concerns about all the chemicals, the fillers and the preservatives in store bought food. Not to mention the horrible stories we've all read about pet food recalls. You just want to be sure that you give your dog healthy, nutritional and balanced food . 

Only homemade dog food recipes for me please.

So, do you feel ready to begin making your own dog food? That's great!  Do you also feel confident that you know HOW TO DO IT RIGHT? 

The  Basic  Dog  Food Recipe 

There are several conflicting theories about what is best to feed a dog.

Some people choose to feed their dogs with raw meat, which is widely known as barf diet. They swear it’s the best solution and feel proud about their dog’s shiny coats, clean teeth and fresh breath. Who wouldn’t love that? Their arguments sound reasonable.

Besides, what’s the purpose of those sharp teeth?

Some Dogs Thrive On A Raw Diet.

This is the experience of  a friend of our PAGE ON FACEBOOK

She wrote us :

"My Pug Maltese cross ate expensive vet recommended kibble for the first 5 months of her life. She had dry course fur, which I thought was due to her being a mutt. And at 4 lbs, her poops were almost… as big as she was and they were happening 4-5 times a day.

Switched to raw at 5 months of age and she has gorgeous silky Maltese fur, and perfect poops only once or twice a day (never imagined I would ever say that about poo.. he he he).

She's now 2 years old and super healthy and happy."

I have to admit that I was tempted and decided to give it a try in the past. It turned out to be a Complete Disaster for me and my dog...  She didn’t like it at all. Not to mention the stomach upsets and the diarrhea. My dog prefers her food cooked. Period. After all, she was almost ten years old then and I didn't want to push her into something she obviously didn't like.

I tried to find and cook many homemade dog food recipes over the years. And, what I have learned is that cooking meals for your dog doesn't have to be difficult or complicated!

Dogs Are Simple Creatures
So Is Cooking For Them

Actually, there is just One Basic Formula for most homemade

Dog Food Recipes

60-70% Protein

20-30% Vegetables - Fiber

10% Rice

Yes, that’s it! This is THE RECIPE for healthy homemade dog food. Of course, everyone can experiment on that, depending on the dog’s special preferences, health condition, age, weight, activity level  etc.

What is very important though is to invest a few minutes to read and understand what you can use and what is toxic for dogs and you must avoid. Make Sure You Know ALL The Dangerous Foods for Dogs 

IMPORTANT NOTE:Start slowly, making small portions. Always remember that your dog is unique and may like or dislike certain foods.

What To Use In Your
Homemade Dog Food Recipes

Meat: All dogs thrive on a meat based diet. You can choose chicken, beef, turkey, lamp, pork (some dog owners object that, but if you use a piece of lean meat that's fine) and organ meat (liver, gizzard, hearts).

NOTE:  Give organ meat in moderation as it is very rich in calories. I’ve also noticed some constipation signs after given my dog chicken liver for 2-3 days...

Fish Fillet: Canned tuna and salmon are also a good choice.

Vegetables-Fiber: Carrots, broccoli, green beans, peas, spinach, sweat potatoes, oatmeal. Also, small amounts of beans, chickpeas and lentils.

Fruits:Apples (not the seeds), berries, bananas. NEVER give grapes, raisins or plums. See what else you should never use in your recipes

Other foods you can use. Rice (white and brown),  pasta, cottage cheese, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, low fat cheese.

The Right Way To Feed Your Dog

Dogs hate sudden changes in their feeding routine. You should too, at it causes stomach upsets, vomiting and a number of other unpleasant symptoms. So, you have to decide if you intend to feed your dog exclusively with homemade dog food. Make up your mind  before you make the transition.

Think carefully. Do you have the time to shop and cook so that your dog has one (or two) portions of home cooked meal EVERY DAY? Or to prepare big quantities of food regularly and keep them in the freezer? Don’t expect to feed your dog with homemade food for four days and give him or her dry dog food the fifth because you came home late from work and don’t have time to cook. I can assure you that your dog won't even touch the kibble!

My experience taught me that it is very difficult for people with a heavy daily schedule to exclude commercial food completely from their dog’s menu. My advice would be to invest in buying some quality dry dog food and COMBINE your homemade dog food with a small portion of that. This way, if you don’t have the time to cook one day your dog will eat the kibble more easily.

Cooking With Homemade Dog Food Recipes

Stew for Doggies

• Put the meat in a pot* and cover with water.

• Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium and cook until meat is tender. Don’t add any salt or oil. Cooking time depends on the meat you use.
  

• When meat is almost ready add the vegetables. Cook for 5-10 more minutes. 

• Usually, I cook rice** separately. Use 1 cup rice (whatever you prefer), 2 cups of water or broth and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

• Leave all ingredients to cool. Remove bones, skin or any fat you can see on the meat. Mix everything together and add some broth if you like.
  

• Keep the food in the fridge for 3-4 days.

NOTE

Chicken, ground meat, fish fillet and organ meat need less cooking time, so you can add vegetables from the beginning.

If you use a pressure cooker time is significantly shorter.

You can replace rise with pasta

Chicken, carrots,fresh peas. The ingredients for one of my dog's favorite recipes.

Why Not Trying The Easy Dog Treat Recipes? Baking Treats

Is A Lot Easier Than You Think!

Meat Puree

- Place your meat (you can also use chicken necks in this recipe) in a pot, cover with    water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until your  meat is done.

- Let it cool and remove all big bones, skin or fat you can see.

- Put meat and some of the broth to a food processor and process until you get a  "meat-purre" like the one you can see in the photo.

- Mix a few table spoons of this meat mash with your dog's kibble.

- Or, mix it with steamed vegetables, rise, hard boiled eggs and some cottage cheese.

- Or, fill your dog's KONG toy with that and freeze it. Be sure that your little friend will  love that!

Meat "puree" for dogs

Remember your dog every time you cook for your family! Save a piece of lean meat, a few steamed vegetables, some rise or pasta.

Choose the best ingredients you can find and afford. There is no reason to feel uncomfortable if you can’t always buy the best of everything. Look for sales and coupons. If you buy meat from one particular butcher, don’t be shy and talk to him. It is possible that he could save some chicken necks, meat organs or other meat parts for you at a really good price.

As I mentioned before, it is very important to start preparing your homemade dog food recipes slowly. You are the one to determine which are the best recipes for your dog. Meat is the only thing we can be sure that all dogs love. But all the others need some testing. For example, I often see vegetables like spinach or fruits like bananas in some recipes. People say their dogs love them. Mine hates both... 

Will there be need for extra vitamins and minerals? Good question. But only your vet could answer that depending on what and how much exactly you feed your dog.

Just one last advice. Don’t overfeed. All dogs find the homemade dog food recipes delicious and the bowl empties within minutes. Watch your dog's weight and if you notice unwanted changes adjust the amount of food you're giving him or her.

Do you like using homemade dog food recipes to prepare your dog's meal? I'm sure you'll love the GOURMET DOG TREAT RECIPES too.

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