healthy homemade dog food recipes for weight loss

Recipe: Homemade Weight Loss Dog Food

Being overweight is just as dangerous for your dog as it is for you. We know the risks of being overweight, but did you know that many of the risks to overweight humans are the same for overweight pets? If your dog needs to shed a few pounds, thishomemade weight loss dog food may help.

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, about 54% of dogs in the U.S. are overweight or obese. This equals about 41.9 million dogs in this country alone that need to lose weight.

New data released fromNationwide the largest provider of health insurance for pets in the United States shows that more than $50 million in pet insurance claims were filed in 2014 for diseases and health conditions related to pet obesity. That is a 10 percent growth since 2012!

Their findings were based on their database of more than 550,000 insured pets. They also released details on the top 10 canine obesity-related conditions in 2014, which were (in order):

1. Arthritis
2. Bladder problems/UTI
3. Low Thyroid Hormone Production
4. Liver Disease
5. Torn Ligaments in the Knee
6. Diabetes
7. Diseased Disc in the Spine
8. Fatty Growth
9. Chronic Kidney Disease
10. Heart Failure

The moral of this story is that an overweight dog is an unhealthy dog. If you want your pet to live the longest, healthiest life possible, you need to help him shed the extra weight. Ask your veterinarian if this homemade weight loss dog food would be a good solution for your dog's weight problems.

MORE INFORMATION:Dog Gut Microbiome Study What Causes Obesity In Dogs?

Homemade Weight Loss Dog Food Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 pounds whole wheat macaroni
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• 1 pound ground beef (at least 90% lean)
• 1/2 pound chicken liver
• 1/2 pound beef heart
• 1 egg white
• 3.5 ounces sardines in water
• 1 pound broccoli
• 6,000 mg calcium
• 1 tsp. kelp meal
• 200 IUs Vitamin E (about 10 drops)

Directions

When your dog eats more calories in a day than he burns, it leads to weight gain. That's common sense, right? The reason I mention this is because you may just need to adjust the portions you're serving your pooch or increase the amount of exercise he gets each day. You can use commercial weight loss dog foods, but homemade recipes are just as good (if not better in some instances).

Before you switch your dog to a homemade weight loss dog food, consult your vet. They can help you decide whether a change in diet is needed or it's just a matter of portion control and an extra walk in the evening.

There are about 4200 kcal in this recipe, and it has 24 grams of fat per 1000 kcal. Keep in mind that the serving sizes below are only an estimation. Your veterinarian can help you decide the proper serving size for your pet, as age, weight, activity level and metabolism are all factors in figuring out the right amount to feed your pet each day.

Serving sizesper day are as follows:

• 175 kcal for a 5-pound dog
• 600 kcal for a 25-pound dog
• 1000 kcal for a 50-pound dog
• 1700 kcal for a 100-pound dog

Making this homemade weight loss dog food is pretty simple. Start by boiling the macaroni according to the instructions on the package. You'll also need to chop and boil the broccoli. While that's cooking, cut the chicken thighs, chicken livers and beef heart into bite sized pieces for your pet.

Add the chopped protein sources to a large skillet with the ground beef. Cook on medium heat until all the meat is thoroughly cooked. When the meat is completely cooked, add the egg white to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes until the egg white is cooked through.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the cooked macaroni, cooked protein sources, sardines, cooked broccoli, calcium, kelp meal and vitamin E. Stir until all of the ingredients are equally mixed.

Store the leftover homemade weight loss dog food in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also make this food in bulk quantities and freeze it for up to 3 months.

READ NEXT:Ask A Vet How To Put An Overweight Dog On A Diet

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.

WATCH NEXT:Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipe

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