can you make healthy homemade dog food

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated September 16, 2024

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Homemade Dog Food Recipes: Choosing Balanced Ingredients

Are you considering switching your dog to a homemade diet? A good place to begin is by discussing it with your veterinarian and/or a veterinary nutritionist. You may think that sounds unnecessary when there are so many recipes for homecooked dog meals available on the internet. However, the experts say that many of those recipes were not reviewed by veterinary nutritionists to make sure they provide a nutritional, well-balanced diet for your dog. This is why some owners prefer to feed pre-made fresh food.

The American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN) warns that your dogs unique nutritional requirements will depend on the age, size, health, and breed. Also, there are dogs for whom a homemade diet may not be appropriate or might even be damaging. We generally dont recommend homemade diets for a dog less than one-year-old. If young dogs dont receive the appropriate amount of calcium and phosphorus, significant bone abnormalities may result, says Dr. Jerry Klein, AKC chief veterinarian. Pregnant and lactating dogs also have unique dietary requirements that may not be addressed by a recipe found on the internet.

The ABCs of a Balanced Dog Food Diet

Understanding the basics of what makes a homecooked diet balanced for your dog will help when you discuss the options with an expert. Here are important ingredients for the canine diet.

Protein: According to the ACVN, dogs must have protein in their diets that contain 10 specific essential amino acids their bodies cant produce. This is necessary for the creation of glucose, which transforms into energy. Sources of protein include chicken and turkey, after removing bones, fat, and skin; beef and lamb; pork in limited amounts; salmon and some other fish such as whitefish, herring, walleye, flounder, and Arctic char.

Fats and fatty acids: The most concentrated sources of fats in a dogs diet come from animal fats and plant seed oils. A healthy diet supplies the fatty acids the dogs body doesnt manufacture. Fatty acids support the function and structure of cells, keep skin and coat healthy, and enhance the taste of the food. Sources of fatty acids include plant-based oils, including corn, soybean, canola, and flaxseed oil, as well as fish oil.

Carbohydrates: Dogs get some of their energy from carbohydrates, which include sugars, starches, and dietary fibers. Sources includerice, pasta, oatmeal, and quinoa.

Fiber: Dogs need fiber in their diet to keep their gastrointestinal (GI) system functioning and to help them from becoming overweight. Good sources of fiber for dogs include carrots, pumpkin, apples, dark leafy greens, brown rice, and flaxseed.

Vitamins: Vitamins are required for growth and maintenance. Vitamin deficiencies can cause a variety of health problems; however, they can also be dangerous in large quantities.

Vitamins dogs require include A (carrots, pumpkin), B vitamins (liver, green vegetables, whole grains), C (fruits and vegetables, organ meat), D (liver, fish, beef), E (leafy green vegetables, liver, bran, plant oils), K (fish, leafy green vegetables, fish), and choline (liver, fish, meats, egg yolks).

Minerals: There are 12 essential minerals for dogs:

Calcium (tofu, green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower) and phosphorus (meat, eggs) for strong bones and teeth.
Magnesium, potassium, sodium, and chloride (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and cell signaling.
Sulfur (meat, fish, molasses) for healthy skin, coat, and nails.
Iron (red meats, poultry) for supporting red blood cells and the immune system.
Iodine (dairy, kelp, seafood) for a healthy thyroid.
Zinc (eggs, lamb, liver, brewers yeast) for the immune system, healthy skin, and coat.
Selenium (meat, vegetables, seafood, brown rice) to boost the immune system.
Copper (whole grains, seeds, and seafood) for healthy bone growth.

Water: We sometimes overlook this important ingredient of a healthy dogs diet, but there really is no dog food that contains enough water for your dog. Keep clean, fresh water out always.

Making the Transition

Consult a veterinarian: If youve decided to transition your dog to a homemade diet, your first step should be to consult a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist. Those experts will consider your dogs age, size, and health history and help you identify a high-quality recipe that is tailored to meet your dogs specific nutritional needs.

Buying ingredients: When you buy ingredients for your dogs homemade meals, you need to pay as much attention to the source, expiration dates, and labels as you do when you buy food for yourself.

Making the switch gradually: Whenever you change your dogs food, whether to a homemade diet or a new commercial food, a gradual switch is best to avoid upsetting your dogs GI system. For at least five-to-seven days, gradually mix in more and more of the new food with the old food, as you allow your dog to adjust to the change.

Follow the recipe: Be sure to follow the recipe. Tufts Cummings Veterinary Medical Center Clinical Nutrition Service published a study to determine how well owners adhered to homecooked diet recipes a median of one year later. Only 13 percent were still feeding the original nutritionally balanced diet recipe.

Clear instructions: Instructions about preparation and quantities are important. The way you cook the ingredients for example, steam, roast, or boil can impact the nutrition of the diet. Substituting or adding ingredients can also cause nutritional deficiencies. A study reported in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reported that a lack of clear instructions in many recipes forces pet owners to make assumptions that can result in food that is nutritionally inadequate and can even be harmful if fed to your dog on a long-term basis.

Follow-up:Once youve made the transition, pay attention to any digestive changes your dog may have. If his stool softens, he vomits, or has diarrhea, check in with the veterinarian. Whenever you change your dogs diet, you also need to monitor his weight. It may take a while to determine the correct portions for his size, age, and energy level.

Resources for the Chef

Your best resource and first stop is your dogs veterinarian, who knows your dog and has a thorough understanding of his health history and current condition.
A good resource to help find a veterinary nutritionist for a homemade diet consultation is the Diplomate directory at www.acvn.org. If there isnt a nutritionist in your area, you can consult with one remotely.
An alternative option is to use the online consulting service called BalanceIT, a site operated by a veterinary nutritionist to formulate a basic, nutritionally balanced recipe.

Another site that provides answers to your questions is: Ask the Nutritionist
ChefPaw is the latest way to provide your pup with nutritious and delicious meals, giving you a more efficient way to prepare homemade dog food. VisitChefPaw.comto learn more

ChefPaw by Innovet Pet Products is helping you take full control of your dogs diet with the first countertop Dog Food Maker of its kind. Striving to save you time and money while maximizing your dogs nutrition, ChefPaw can make fresh, homemade food for your dog in 40 minutes. At ChefPaw, your pets happiness and well-being take center stage.

20 Most Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipes

When done right, healthy homemade dog food can offer your pet well-rounded nutrition. It's particularly beneficial for special needs dogs, like those with kidney or heart disease, obese dogs, and liver issues.

Try some of these most healthy homemade dog food recipes below to spice up your pet's diet.

Discuss These Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipes with a Vet

Before changing a dogs diet, particularly if your pet has serious health conditions, always discuss this change with your vet.

Show them this list of recipes, let them know what you plan to feed your dog, and ask for their input on healthy variations.

There's no healthy homemade dog food recipe that's a perfect fit for every dog.

While these recipes can sometimes be a better choice than commercial diets.

Feeding this way can also be detrimental to your pet's health if you're not paying attention to the nutritional content of these meals and comparing them with nutritional requirements.

Well-balanced meals are key. For example, if your homemade dog food meal contains too many vitamins, it could cause vitamin toxicity.

On the other hand, if it doesn't provide the dog with enough nutrients, it will cause nutrient deficiency or malnutrition.

You must also know how much to feed your dog and what portions of these healthy homemade dog food recipes are appropriate.

Know also what supplements you'll need to include to make up for the lack of nutrients that your pet requires.

MORE RECIPES: 50 Best Homemade Dog Food Recipes

20 Most Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipes

1. Turkey, Rice, and Greens Dog Food

Ingredients:

3 lb. ground turkey
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 shredded carrots
3 cups chopped spinach
cup peas
1 cups rice
1 shredded zucchini

Directions:

Cook the rice according to package directions, as you have to do with a few of the other healthy homemade dog food recipes on this list. Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the turkey. Crumble the cooked turkey, then stir all ingredients together. Cook the food until the spinach is wilted and the mixture is heated through. Cool before serving.

SIMILAR: Ground Turkey and Lentil Dry Dog Food

2. Tapioca and Egg Dog Food

Ingredients:

3 whole chicken eggs
Calcium carbonate dosed as directed.
1 Tbsp. chicken fat
2 cups cooked tapioca
Multi-vitamin and mineral tab. dosed as directed.

Directions:

Hard boil the eggs and allow them to cool completely. Add the chicken fat to a skillet and combine all ingredients while heating. Dice the hard-boiled eggs, and add them to the pan. Stir until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Allow cooling completely before serving.

3. Salmon and Broccoli Dog Food

Ingredients:

2 portions salmon with skin
1 head broccoli
3 potatoes
2 carrots
1 squash
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Chop your broccoli, squash, and carrots and steam until cooked. Shave potatoes and bake in the oven until cooked through. Cook salmon in 1 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet. Once everything is cooked, allow it to cool and mix together well before feeding.

4. Beef, Beans and Veggies Dog Food

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef
1 cups rice
1 cups squashed diced
15 oz. drained/rinsed canned kidney beans
cup peas
1 cups carrots chopped

Directions:

Add all ingredients and 4 cups of water to a slow cooker. Stir. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours, stirring periodically. Turn off the heat and stir. Let cool completely before serving.

5. Meat Muttfins for Dogs

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef
1 cups rice
1 cup rolled oats
8 eggs
2 grated potatoes
2 chopped celery stalks
4 grated carrots
cup olive oil
3 cups water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 F and grease 36 muffin cups.Add rice and water to a saucepan and cook according to package directions. Let rice cool completely. Mix together carrots, potatoes, beef, celery, and eggs and stir well. Add the other ingredients and mix. Spoon mixture into muffin cups and cook for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Allow to cool before serving.

WATCH:Grain Free Homemade Dog Food

Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipes

6. Muttloaf Dog Food Recipe

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef (lean is best)
cup cottage cheese
1 cups rolled oats
2 eggs
1 cups shredded mixed vegetables

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F.Using your hands, combine all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Grease a loaf pan and gently press the ingredients into the pan. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool then slice before serving.

7. Chicken Cake for Dogs

Ingredients:

2 lb. minced chicken
1 cup rice
1 egg
1 apple
cup corn
cup peas
cup carrots

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 340F. Cook the peas, carrots, and corn on the stove until tender. Peel the apple and chop. Cook rice according to package directions. Use a potato masher to mash the vegetables. Add the egg to the vegetables WITH shell and mash completely.

Mix the chicken apple together in a clean bowl and combine thoroughly. Add cooked rice to the vegetable mix. Grease the cake pan and layer half the chicken mix in the bottom of the pan.

Layer 2/3 of the vegetable mixture over the chicken. Use the leftover chicken to make another layer. Top the cake with the leftover vegetable mix. Cook for 35 min or until cooked through. Cool before slicing and serving.

SIMILAR: Best Homemade Dog Food Recipe with Chicken and Rice

8. Salmon Scramble for Dogs

Ingredients:

3 oz. cooked skinless, boneless salmon
2 eggs
cup chopped spinach
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Cook salmon and spinach in the skillet until heated. Break eggs into the skillet and stir while cooking for 2 mins. Mix together, remove from heat and allow to cool before serving.

9. Chicken and Greens Skillet Dog Food

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breast sliced.
1 cup quinoa
3 handfuls green beans
3 cups chopped kale
2 zucchinis chopped

Directions:

Cook the quinoa according to package directions then set it aside to cool. Add chicken slices to a skillet and cook until browned. Add vegetables to the skillet and stir. Mix in the cooked quinoa. Allow cooling completely before serving. This is one of the simplest healthy homemade dog food recipes to prepare.

10. Turkey Egg Meatloaf for Dogs

Ingredients:

ground turkey
cup rolled oats
3 hard-boiled eggs
2 raw eggs
cup peas
cup chopped carrots

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine the carrots, turkey, and peas in a bowl and mix well. Stir in the raw egg and oats and mix with your hands to get a loaf-like mixture. Grease a loaf pan and spoon half the ingredients into the pan. Add the hard-boiled eggs to the center-line of the pan then cover with remaining ingredients. Cook for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Cool completely before slicing.

Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipes

11. Chicken and Rice for Tummy Aches

Ingredients:

2lb. ground chicken
2 cups cooked rice
2 eggs
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
3 peeled, diced carrots
cup canned butternut squash
1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed

Directions:

Cook chicken thoroughly in a skillet. Drain chicken fat and set aside. Blend eggs in a blender with a shell then stir into the chicken. Cook chicken and egg mix until cooked through.

Add 2/3 cup chicken mixture, 2 tbsp. carrots, 1/3 cup rice, and 1/3 cup chicken broth to blender and puree. Mix leftover chicken with carrots and rice in a large bowl. Stir in puree until combined thoroughly. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon out round portions. Allow cooling completely before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

12. Beef and Liver Homemade Dog Food

Ingredients:

8 oz. ground beef
3 oz. finely chopped liver
4 cups rice
2 beaten eggs
2 cups chopped mixed vegetables
9 cups water
cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
cup milk
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Add the water, rice, and oats to a large saucepan and bring to boil. Stir in the remaining ingredients and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 mins or until water has absorbed completely. Spread the mixture in a container to cool. Once cool, cut into servings and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

SIMILAR: Homemade Ground Beef Dog Food Recipe

13. Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner for Dogs

Ingredients:

cup cooked diced white meat turkey (NEVER use deli meats)
cup plain mashed potato
2 whole eggs
cup steamed vegetables of your choice

Directions:

Heat a small amount of olive oil in a saucepan. Whisk the egg into the mashed potatoes. Stir potatoes, veggies, and turkey together to mix. Cook in the pan while stirring until eggs are cooked thoroughly. Cool thoroughly before serving.

14. Homemade Winter Stew for Dogs

Ingredients:

l beef stew meat
1 sweet potato
1 potato
cup chopped carrots
cup flour
cup water
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. Bake the potato chunks until firm but tender. Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook beef through. Set cooked beef aside and add the water and flour to the skillet. Stir while heating until you get a gravy. Mix in the rest of your ingredients into your gravy and cook until heated through. Allow cooling before serving.

SIMILAR: Beef Stew Homemade Dog Food

15. Turkey Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:

2lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
25lb. ground turkey
1 cup rice
2 cored/seeded apples chopped
carrots peeled, chopped
peas

Directions:

Another of the most healthy homemade dog food recipes, this Turkey Chicken Casserole is easy to prepare. Add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker and cover with water. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours. Turn off heat and stir thoroughly. Allow to cool and mash slightly before serving.

Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipes

16. Homemade Doggy Omelette

Ingredients:

cup cooked salmon fillet sliced
2 eggs
diced green pepper

Directions:

Add a little olive oil to a skillet and heat on medium. Whisk the eggs before adding to the heated skillet. Cook slightly before adding the salmon and peppers. Fold the egg in half and cook until cooked through. Remove from heat and cool before serving.

RELATED: 20 Pros and Cons of Homemade Dog Food Recipes

17. Doggy Meatballs Recipe

Ingredients:

ground beef
cup cored, seeded apples grated
cup honey
2 Tbsp. Omega oil
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes

Directions:

One of the easiest healthy homemade dog food recipes to prepare, you simply use your hands to combine all of the ingredients together thoroughly for this one. Break ingredients into small pieces and roll into meatballs. Cook through in a skillet or bake in the oven until cooked. Allow the meatballs to cool completely before serving.

18. Healthy Sardine Cakes for Dogs

Ingredients:

2 x 3.75oz. cans sardines in water
1 cup breadcrumbs
2 cups plain mashed potatoes
1 egg
1 Tsp. dill seed
Tsp. ground eggshell
1 Tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the sardines completely and chop. Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Use your hands to make cakes out of the ingredients. Place the cakes on the baking sheet and bake for 10 mins on each side or until golden brown. Allow cooling before serving.

SIMILAR: Egg and Rice Homemade Dog Food

19. Healthy Chicken and Turnip Greens

Ingredients:

4 chicken leg quarters
1 cup low sodium chicken stock
12 oz. pureed carrots
8 oz. pureed peas
8 oz. pureed squash
18 oz. chopped turnip greens
Tsp. ground eggshell
Tsp. turmeric

Directions:

This is one of the healthy homemade dog food recipes that takes a little work to prepare, but it will pay off when you see Fido enjoying it. First, boil the chicken in a large soup pot until cooked through. Set the liquid aside and let the chicken cool slightly. Remove chicken meat from the skin and bones. Shred the chicken meat, throw out the skin and bones.

Combine all ingredients together in the soup pot including leftover chicken stock and stir. Cook on low until everything has cooked through. Cool before serving.

20. Low-Fat Shepherds Pie Bites for Dogs

Ingredients:

ground beef
1 1/3 cup plain mashed potatoes
cup peas
cup peeled, chopped carrots
cup breadcrumbs
Tsp. ground eggshell
1 Tsp. parsley
cup shredded low-fat

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375.Combine all ingredients in a large bowl until well mixed. Divide mixture between 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 30 minutes or until cooked through. Cool before serving.

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