homemade dog food essentials

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.

Homemade Dog Food Ingredients: 3 Essential Foods for Dogs

Whether you want to try feeding your dog raw food or youre looking for home-cooked dog food ideas, the components of a good homemade dog food plan are not complicated, but do require diligence and dedication from you the dog guardian.

Calcium levels in your dogs diet are important: you cant feed too little or too much. A balance of nutrients over time is also essential: mixing and matching different types of vegetables and meat over the weeks and years. So how do you make sure your dogs homemade diet is complete and balanced enough? You need to feed a high variety of foods.

3 Essential Ingredients for Homemade Dog Food:

1. Muscle meat2. Raw meaty bones and offal (animal organs)3. Vegetables (leafy, non-starchy)

Whole Dog Journal steers away from providing dog guardians with step-by-step recipes for dog food, raw or cooked. We can share expert dog companions personal protocols for feeding their dogs home-prepared, but quickly you will realize not only that the perfect dog food recipe does not exist, but that in order for your dog to receive all necessary nutrients, you really need many recipes that include many different whole food ingredients.

1. Muscle meat

We all know what this is. Chicken, lamb, beef, pork, venison, rabbit these are the meats you see on commercial pet food labels, and the type of meat humans mostly eat. Fish also falls under this food category: common fish meats to feed dogs include jack mackerel and salmon. Unlike people, there is no limit to the amount of protein a dog should eat; dogs can survive entirely on animal meat if necessary. It does not matter if dogs eat raw meat, either though there have been cases of dogs getting sick from salmonella or E. coli, this is rare and generally comes down to a preexisting immune deficiency.

2. Raw meaty bones and other animal parts

Here is the trickiest component of homemade dog food. Raw meaty bones refer to a specific type of animal bone that is for eating, not just for chewing (we call these recreational bones). RMBs are fed to dogs unprocessed, with muscle meat and tendons still adhered. They arent dried and therefore are not brittle, and usually are big enough not to be swallowed whole. Raw meaty bones are an essential source of calcium for dogs; if for whatever reason your dog cant handle RMBs, alternatives like ground bones, or ground eggshells, in their food can supply the calcium.

Organ meats like liver, kidney, hearts, and necks are required for home-fed dogs as well. For raw-fed dogs, organs should make up about 10% of their overall diet, which may be a challenge for some dog guardians. Offal meats contain all the rich vitamins and minerals that make your dog glow, but since they arent widely eaten (in the United States at least), they arent widely available.

3. Vegetables

What veggies should you definitely include in your dogs diet? There are plenty of vegetables that are good for dogs.

SpinachCarrotsPeasLettuceAll types of squash (pumpkin, zucchini, acorn, butternut)CauliflowerBroccoliCucumbersAsparagus

Vegetables and Fruits That Benefit Dogs, But Are Not Essential

Sweet potatoCeleryKaleCabbageBrussels sproutsTomatoesMushroomsGreen beans (when theyre cooked)Any edible berryAny kind of melonAvocadoApplesOrangesPearsBananasPineappleLemons and limes

Need more details on vegetables for dogs?Here you go!

Nutritious plant-based food options are plentiful for dogs, but there are a handful of foods dogs should avoid or limit eating:

OnionsGarlicNightshades (potatoes, eggplant, peppers)Grapes and raisins

Do these foods kill every dog who ingests them? No, of course not. Some dogs eat potatoes and bell peppers their whole lives and dont have any issues. Other dogs get the occasional grape as a treat and theyre fine. Garlic, in small amounts, is actually good for dogs. The problem is that each of these ingredients contains toxins which, if eaten in excess, can make your dog sick, so we do not recommend using them in your home-prepared dog food.

Grains in Homemade Dog Food

Dogs do not need to eat grains for a complete and balanced diet, nor do they need to eat beans and legumes. Grains and beans arent bad for dogs, they just arent an essential part of the canine diet. As a filling source of protein, these starchy ingredients can be included in your dogs meals from time to time, but they should not be main ingredients in the homemade diet you design.

6 Most Common Homemade Dog Food Ingredients

Cooking for dogs from scratch is becoming the go-to approach for many pet owners.

While some recipes might end up costly, others will turn out cheaper than store-bought dog foods.

This is especially true when you can purchase the most common homemade dog food ingredients in bulk and use them for a variety of doggy meals.

When its well-prepared using the healthy ingredients that your pet enjoys, a homemade dog food meal can offer a Fido the natural taste and nutrition that no commercial dry or wet food can imitate.

Even though it's not without its dangers, a well-balanced meal is a much healthier alternative to many fillers- and grain-filled kibble brands.

The catch with homemade dog foods is that it's not always easy to achieve a very well-balanced meal.

Until you get a hang of it, homemade dog foods are more complicated than most owners realize.

There are a number of supplements that need to be added; your dogs breed, size, age, gender, and physical condition need to be taken into account.

Homemade dog food ingredients are of the utmost importance both finding the right ones, as well as storing them, putting them in the right proportions, etc.

If youre new to homemade dog food cooking and youre looking for some pointers, here are the 6 most common homemade dog food ingredients that will get you started on the right path.

You can also buy these in bulk, which will be cheaper, and when stored correctly, they can last a long time to make a large number of doggy meals.

ALSO READ:50 Best Homemade Dog Food Recipes

6 Common Homemade Dog Food Ingredients(and why you should use them)

Muscle Meat

Meat should be the first ingredient to come to mind when considering the best homemade dog food ingredients.

Muscle meat, in particular, must be the main (meaning, making up the largest percentage of the meal) ingredient of your dogs meals.

Depending on which side of the debate you fall into, dogs may or may not be real omnivores like us or preferential carnivores, but they are predators and are much more meat-oriented than other omnivores.

According to studies and veterinarians, the best homemade dog food meal must include at least 25% 50% meat (which will often be muscle meat unless you substitute it).

This will also depend on the exact type and fatness of the meat, the age, and the condition of the dog, as well as any other homemade dog food ingredients you're using (i.e., additional protein sources).

Meat and muscle meat, in particular, serve as the best source of amino acids for dogs.

Canines require 22 amino acids, and while they can synthesize 12 amino acids out of those, they must consume the remaining ones from a diet higher in meat quantity and quality.

Essential amino acids dogs must get from homemade dog food ingredients you use in their meals include arginine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, valine, histidine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, and tryptophan.

Organ Meat

Pet owners sometimes forget organ meat in their homemade dog food recipes, but it's the most nutritious (3, 4) of homemade dog food ingredients you can include in your pet's meal.

Some high-quality organ meat like kidneys, heart, and liver are also often cheaper than muscle meat.

It doesnt need to be a part of every snack, but it would benefit your dog to include it as often as you can.

When you skip organ meats, youll have to stuff your dogs homemade food with more artificial supplements to create a well-balanced meal; otherwise, your pooch will end up malnourished (5, 6, 7).

Protein aside, organ meats will also supply your pooch with the most essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, B vitamins, and folate.

Best organ meats for dogs may include:

• Liver: A detox organ, this is the nature's multivitamin.
• Tongue: Technically a muscle meat,it's full of healthy fats.
• Heart: A very lean source of protein.
• Kidneys: Another good source of protein and vitamins.
• Brain: It's rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
• Sweetbreads: Made of thymus gland and pancreas, they're highly nutritious.
• Tripe: Its chewy texture may not always be liked by dogs, but it's worth trying.

A good and well-balanced homemade dog food recipe will include both muscle and organ meat, and often anywhere between 5% and 20% organ meat, depending on the exact organs and whether you're using muscle meat or not (and how much).

Again, balance here is key as it's possible to include too much of organ meats.

For example, if you're using liver, dont go over 10%, as liver meat is very rich. Beef hearts also shouldnt exceed 5% as they are quite nutritious.

The exact breed, age, and condition of the dog are important in deciding what and how many organs you want to prioritize among your homemade dog food ingredients.

The other ingredients of the meal are important as well, as you dont want to go over a certain fat percentage. Nevertheless, organ meat is a vital ingredient of your dogs healthy diet.

Meaty Bones

Calcium is often overlooked among homemade dog food ingredients to include in the pet's meal, yet it is as important to dogs as it is to us.

Calcium deficiencies are very common in dogs (8, 9), resulting from the lack of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D in the dog's diet.

A lot of recipes cut back on the bones because they are a choking hazard, and thats a valid concern.

However, there are ways to cook and soften the bones so they dont present such a choking risk.

There are different types and sizes of bones that are easier or harder to consume.

A proper homemade dog food diet includes between 12% and 15% bones (10, 11).

If you are worried about using bones, youll need to find a suitable alternative source of calcium.

A lot of people put crushed eggshells in their dogs food, which can be a good source of calcium, even though they are harder to measure.

Cottage cheese is a decent source of calcium as well. Lastly, you can always use calcium supplements.

Vegetables

Veggies (and sometimes fruits) are the second most sizable component of every dogs healthy diet.

Depending on the exact recipe, your homemade dog food ingredients list should have some vegetables, anywhere from 30% to 50%.

Vegetables provide a ton of nutrition for the dog (12), including prebiotics, chlorophyll, flavonoids, carotenoids, fibers, and more.

The carbohydrates from vegetables are often the lower end and will often come from fiber.

Fiber is vital as it promotes healthy digestion and nutrient absorption in dogs (13, 14).

Vegetables also provide a ton of necessary vitamins and minerals, plus they offset some of the negatives of the fat in your dogs diet.

Carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, peas, and others are the most common homemade dog food ingredients from the list of vegetables for your dogs meal.

Grains

Grains are one of the more controversial ingredients in both commercial and homemade dog food diets.

They are definitely used in far greater quantities in commercial dog food than they should be, and dogs do not require such large quantities of grains in their diet.

Too much and too unsuitable grain content in your dogs commercial kibble can lead to a lot of problems (15), such as allergies, arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

That being said, when used in an adequate proportion of 5% 10%, when they are well-picked and well-cooked, grains like brown rice and oatmeal should present no danger for your dog, and they should even help with his or her digestive tract.

Grains remain one of the most common homemade dog food ingredients to use because grain-free diets have also been found to be less healthy than high-grain diets (16). Balance is key.

Fat Sources

Fats may be looked down upon by some pet owners whom the industry has misled about the potential dangers of fat, but healthy fats are actually essential to dogs (just as they are for humans).

Fat is a source of energy for dogs, particularly for working and athletic dogs (17), who burn a lot of calories during the day; it's a better source of energy than carbohydrates.

Fats are also essential for maintaining a healthy and shiny coat.

It needs to be used in moderation and in sync with the rest of the homemade dog food ingredients you include in the meat, as well as considering the serving size of homemade dog food meals for your pooch.

Veterinarians usuallyrecommend the below amounts of healthy fats in the dog's diet:

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