homemade dog food recipes vet approved turkey

9 Vet-Approved Homemade Dog Food Recipes

Want to try your hand and learn how to make homemade dog food? The classic proportions are 50% protein (including meat or eggs), 25% vegetables, and 25% carbohydrates (like rice or oats). But which ingredients should you use, and how can you make sure your dog food recipe is healthy?

To help you find the best recipes, weve put together this list of 10 healthy dog food recipes to try today. Making dog food at home can save you money and give you more control over what your dog eats. Scroll down to try one of our favorite homemade dog food recipes! And if you have questions, take a look at our recipe tips at the end.

Top 9 Healthy Dog Food Recipes

1. Beef, Herb, and Egg Dog Food Recipe

This recipe is so easy, it only has one step: combine the ingredients! Your pup will love the mixture of ground beef, protein-packed eggs, and dog-friendly herbs like parsley.

2. Turkey and Rosemary Dog Food Recipe

This is another incredibly simple recipe. You probably already have these ingredients in your kitchen! All you need is a package of frozen vegetables, ground turkey, rosemary, and rice.

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Their pre-packaged meals full of human-grade ingredients get delivered right to your door, so all you need to do is pop them into your dogs dish!

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3. Simple Chicken and Vegetable

Heres another healthy dog food recipe so beautiful we want to try it! This recipe from Damn Delicious combines vegetables like spinach, zucchini, and peas with lean ground chicken. Its a beautiful and nutrient-packed mixture.

4. Instant Pot Dog Food Recipe

If you have an Instant Pot, youll love this simple recipe! You can cook everything in your pot, including rice or oats, lean ground meat, and vegetables of your choice.

5. Non-Allergenic Dog Food

If your pup has food allergies, this recipe might be just what youre looking for. Nikki at Wheres the Frenchie? was inspired by her French Bulldogs newly discovered allergies to create this straightforward recipe, which includes whole grains, pumpkin puree, and ground turkey.

7. Chicken and Bean Dog Food

Heres another incredibly easy Crock-Pot recipe that you could eat for dinner yourself! This delicious-sounding dog food recipe features chicken, kidney beans, butternut squash, and peas. Plus, Katie Crenshaw of A Forks Tale offers great suggestions for supplements and substitutions! Did you know that you could add eggshells or chicken livers to your dogs food?

8. Turkey Macaroni Dog Food

Brought to you by The College Housewife, this dog food recipe substitutes macaroni noodles for the usual rice or oats but still includes plenty of healthy protein and vegetables. Cook up your ground turkey, broccoli, and sweet potatoes, and youll have a delicious, human-grade dog entree.

9. Doggie Meatball Recipe

These meatballs may look mouthwatering, but they are intended for your dog! Best of all, you can use them to get your pup to take medications. Whip some up, sneak in a pill, and youll be the best dog parent ever.

Dog Food Recipe Tips

Trying new foods is fun for humans, but it can be hard on our pets stomachs. The most important thing to remember is to change your dogs diet slowly. Veterinarians recommend mixing new foods with your dogs previous food. Start with about 25% new food and 75% old food. Then gradually increase the amount of new food until you reach 100%. If you notice any changes in your dogs digestion, you may want to stop the transition and talk to your veterinarian.

Like people, dogs can have food allergies. Common dog allergies include wheat, eggs, chicken, and beef. Keep in mind that some ingredients may be particularly toxic to dogs, like grapes, onions, and garlic. If you notice symptoms like gastrointestinal issues, youll probably want to consult your veterinarian about your dogs ideal diet.

Storing Your Homemade Dog Food

These recipes are really simple, but you probably dont have time to cook a full meal for yourself and your dog every night. An easy solution? Make a big batch and divide it into individual portions. Put each meal in a Ziploc bag in the freezer and pull it out at dinner time!

Making Your Own Dog Food: The Bottom Line

Now that youve learned how to make homemade dog food quickly and easily. We hope youve found your new favorite healthy dog food recipe. Cater to your furballs specific dietary needs, learn a new cooking skill, and maybe even save a little money. Your dogs will love their upgraded diets!

Looking for more dog recipes?

Featured image credit: stockcreations, Shutterstock

How to Cook Ground Turkey for Dogs: Vet-Approved Recipes

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

Learn more

Ground turkey can be a good addition to many dogs diets, and cooking it by itself is rather simple. You can cook it just like you would for human consumption but without any added spices or herbs. Many spices that humans often use for their meat arent safe for canines to consume. For instance, both garlic and onions are toxic to dogs.¹

However, it cant be the only thing they consume. While dogs are carnivores, they need more nutrients than just those offered by ground turkey. Therefore, while you can use it as a supplement, it shouldnt make up the totality of their diet.

In many recipes, youll be mixing the ground turkey with other ingredients. While it is rather difficult to give your canine a complete diet with a homemade meal, it can be used as a supplement to add to their nutrition.

Simple Recipe With Brown Rice

This recipe is a simple way to cook turkey for dogs if youre looking to round out their diet. It includes some olive oil to prevent all the ingredients from sticking to the pan, vegetables for added nutrients, and brown rice as a carbohydrate and fiber source.

Ground Turkey With Quinoa

This recipe includes quinoa instead of rice. There are several reasons why quinoa may be a better choice for some dogs. It is higher in protein than most other grain sources, and it includes many different nutrients.

Carrots and green beans are both included for added nutrients. Both of these are easily accessible to most Americans, and they contain different vitamins and minerals. Green beans are high in fiber, which can help support your dogs digestive system.

Ground Turkey With Fish Oil

This recipe includes fish oil because it provides plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help promote healthy skin and coat.

However, many of the other ingredients are the same as in previous recipes. You can use whatever dog-friendly veggies youd like.

Weve also used a pot to boil all the ingredients together, making this recipe more like a wet food. Therefore, its a great option for older dogs that may have a harder time-consuming solid food. It makes everything much softer than other recipes.

Larger Turkey Recipe

This recipe makes more than the others on this list, making it a good option for larger dogs or for those looking to cook many meals at once. It includes carrots, green beans, and spinach. However, you can utilize whatever dog-friendly veggies you have, as long as they are safe for your canine.

Olive oil is utilized, as it is a neutral oil that is safe for dogs. You need something to keep everything from sticking and add a bit of fat. The dried rosemary adds flavor and aroma, making it a good option to add. Many other herbs and seasonings are not safe for dogs.

Things to Keep in Mind

There are several things you should keep in mind when cooking turkey for your canine. You cant cook it exactly like youd prepare it for yourself.

Cook It Fully

In the wild, dogs would consume raw meat. However, there is a high risk of pollution in ground meat, so it is much safer to give dogs cooked ground meat, for both them and their owners.

Many different kinds of bacteria can remain in ground meat if it isnt cooked fully. Therefore, it is recommended to cook ground turkey to an internal temperature of 165F (74C) to kill any harmful bacteria.

Avoid Spices

Dont use spices on your dogs ground turkey, even if you would use them for yourself. Salt isnt toxic to dogs, but salt toxicity can occur if your dog consumes too much. Dogs often dont need much salt in their diet at all. Therefore, if you add too much salt, you may end up needing to take your pet to the vet.

Furthermore, many common spices and seasonings are toxic to dogs, including garlic and onions. Not all seasonings are toxic. However, it is better to be safe rather than sorry.

Use Lean Turkey

When possible, use lean turkey. While dogs do need fat in their diet, too much can lead to being overweight and a range of health problems. Therefore, you should avoid excess fats, especially since all these recipes include some kind of added fat. When in doubt, we recommend speaking to your vet about it how much fat your canine needs.

Avoid Adding Too Much Fat

While all these recipes include some added fat, avoid adding too much fat. This is for the same reason as above. Fat is necessary for your dogs diet, but it can cause health problems in large amounts. Therefore, it is often best to be cautious about your dogs fat intake.

Use Moderation

You dont want to include too much ground turkey in your dogs diet, as it doesnt contain every nutrient that your dog needs. Therefore, you need to consider your dogs whole diet and make adjustments appropriately.

Final Thoughts

Ground turkey can be a healthy supplement to many dogs diets. However, it isnt nutritionally complete and often works best when used as part of a recipe. Of course, we only recommend utilizing these recipes as a supplement, as they arent designed to provide your pet with everything they need.

If you want to provide your dog with a completely homemade diet, it is best to work with a professional and use the necessary ingredients and supplements in their food to ensure they consume a nutritionally complete diet.

Featured Image Credit: MoDaVi Art, Shutterstock

9 Vet Approved Homemade Dog Food Recipes for a Thriving Pup

Despite all of the commercially available dog foods that are on the market nowadays, many dog owners are turning to homemade recipes to keep their dogs healthy. Homemade meals offer greater control over what your pup is putting into their body.

Not only can you cater recipes to meet your dogs particular size, breed, and activity levels, but you can also address unique medical concerns or dietary restrictions.

Instead of taking a stab at the dark and hoping that your dried kibble contains good ingredients,

you can make your canine companions meals yourself and know for sure.

Before you start whipping together canine meals, there are a few things to know.

First, you should steer clear of table scraps and processed human foods. Its important to remember that there are many things that dogs are allergic to.

Secondly, the dietary needs of your dog are much different from your own.

The goal of homemade dog food recipes is to create a balanced diet that beats what you can get in your local pet food aisle.

There are many vet-approved recipes out there to get you started. These recipes are endorsed by licensed professionals, so you can have peace of mind knowing that theyre a healthy option.

You should also consult with your own vet to make sure that your dogs unique needs are being met.

A Balanced Canine Diet

Take a glance at any dry kibble product and youll see a long list of ingredients. It may seem like creating dog food is a complicated process. In reality, its relatively simple.

There are three main nutrients that your dog needs to stay healthy. These include proteins, fiber, and carbohydrates.

Protein

Protein is, by far, the single most important nutrient to your dog. Canines need protein to develop their muscles and keep their organs in check.

Typically, adult dogs do very well with a diet thats made up of about 18 percent protein.

Puppies, on the other hand, are still growing. They need as much as 25 percent protein in their meals.

Its not an exact science. Your dogs biological needs will change based on their age and activity levels. Furthermore, certain athletic breeds require significantly more protein in their diet.

Youll need to keep track of your dogs health and make adjustments accordingly. Its also a good idea to speak with your vet to get a better idea of how much your pooch needs.

Fiber

Dietary fiber is essential for overall gastrointestinal health. While dogs dont get energy from fiber it can help in other areas. A healthy dose of fiber can keep your dog regular, prevent constipation, and help avoid any unnecessary weight gain.

The great thing about fiber is that its found in a wide range of ingredients.

The most common source of fiber is fruits and vegetables. Oftentimes, owners create fiber-rich diets while also introducing essential vitamins and minerals.

Overall, fiber should make up less than 10 percent of the entire recipe.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are going to one of your dogs main sources of energy. They are broken down and absorbed by your dogs gastrointestinal tract to create energy.

Figuring out how many carbs your dog should be consuming is tough.

There is no agreed-upon percentage or figure to model recipes after. Some believe that dogs need a lot of carbs while others feel that consumption should be limited.

With that being said, there is one thing that all veterinarians agree on, and thats the types of carbohydrates you provide. There are two types of carbohydrates.

These include simple carbs and complex carbs.

Simple carbohydrates should be avoided because they are absorbed by the body quickly. This leads to spikes in energy and an eventual crash.

Complex carbs are absorbed slowly, providing your pooch with a more steady energy supply. You can find complex carbs in ingredients like sweet potatoes, beans, oats, and more.

9 Homemade Dog Food Recipes Vet-Approved

This recipe is versatile and scalable. You can use a wide variety of ingredients, as long as theyre safe for canines.

The following recipe is portioned for a 15-pound dog. You can easily modify the ingredient amounts to match your pups weight.

Ingredients

• 3 Ounces of a cooked protein
• 1 and 1/3 cups of a cooked carbohydrate. oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potato, or more.
• 1 Tablespoon of vegetables
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons of fat source, such as olive oil or vegetable oil

Directions

Simply combine the ingredients and youre done! Before you feed your dog, make sure the food is completely cool and safe to avoid burns. The next time you make this meal, you can try the recipe out with different ingredients. Stick with the same ratios and the meal should retain its nutritional value.

Like the previous recipe, you can substitute a number of ingredients for things you have on hand. For example, you can swap out the main protein source for deboned fish and the carbohydrates for standard potatoes.

If you choose to feed your dog this food, its recommended that you add calcium or bonemeal pattern to ensure that your dogs bones remain healthy.

Ingredients

• 1/4 of a pound of cooked skinless chicken
• 1 Cup of cooked brown rice
• 1 Cup of cooked brown rice
• 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 1/4 Teaspoon of potassium chloride

Directions

Once the cooked chicken and rice have cooled down, mix the various ingredients to form a mash. This recipe is portioned for a 20-pound dog. However, you can scale the ingredients amount accordingly.

This recipe from VE&CC Vets is simple but balanced. Its main protein source is ground turkey. Your dog will reap the benefits of the carrots, zucchini, and spinach. Not only are they chock-full of essential vitamins and minerals, but theyre also a great source of fiber.

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 cups of brown rice
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 3 pounds of ground turkey
• 3 cups of chopped baby spinach

• 2 shredded carrots
• 1 shredded zucchini
• 1/2 a cup of peas

Directions

The first thing youll need to do to make this dog food is to prepare the brown rice. Cook it in a rice cooker or on the stove according to the package instructions. Once its finished, set it aside to cool.

Then, heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook it until its browned. This should take between 3 and 5 minutes. As it cooks, break down the turkey into a crumble.

Stir the vegetable ingredients and rice into the ground turkey. Cook this mixture for another 3 to 5 minutes. After the leafy spinach has wilted, take the pot off the heat and let it cool down completely before you serve it to your dog.

Want to spoil your pooch and give them a meal that theyll love? Try out this gourmet recipe. It features many different ingredients to ensure that its balanced.

The numerous ingredients also blend well to create a delicious taste your pup wont be able to get enough of.

Ingredients

• 3/4 of a cup of brown rice
• 1 and 1/4 cup of chopped raw chicken
• 1/4 Cup of chopped zucchini
• 1/4 Cup of steamed and chopped broccoli

• 1/4 Cup of steamed mashed sweet potato
• 1 and 1/2 Teaspoons of virgin olive oil
• Vitamin and mineral supplement
• Enzyme supplement

Directions

The first thing youll need to do to make this dog food is to prepare the brown rice. Cook it in a rice cooker or on the stove according to the package instructions. Once its finished, set it aside to cool.

Then, heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and cook it until its browned. This should take between 3 and 5 minutes.

As it cooks, break down the turkey into a crumble.

Stir the vegetable ingredients and rice into the ground turkey. Cook this mixture for another 3 to 5 minutes. After the leafy spinach has wilted, take the pot off the heat and let it cool down completely before you serve it to your dog.

This is a home-cooked meal your dog will enjoy. The following recipe is for a 20-pound dog. You can multiple or halve the ingredients to match your pups current weight.

You can also incorporate additional ingredients for nutritional supplements. These include cod oil, parsley, and mineral nut mix.

Ingredients

• 8 Ounces of organic ground turkey
• 1/4 Cup of finely grated organic vegetables
• 1/2 Teaspoon of organic coconut oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon of salmon oil
• 1 Teaspoon of ground raw sunflower seeds
• 500 Milligrams of calcium citrate
• 2 Tablespoons of ground turkey organs. This could be hearts, livers, or gizzards

Directions

Blanch the vegetables by lightly boiling them in water. After a few minutes in the water, remove them with a strainer and dunk them in an ice bath. This process softens the fibers while retaining a lot of the vegetables nutritional value.

Once they have cooled completely, toss them in a blender or food processor to grind them down further.

Cook the turkey and organ meat gently over medium-low heat. After the meat has turned white, allow it to cool. Then, mix together all the ingredients.

Treat your pup to a festive meal around the holidays with this recipe from VetCo. It utilizes a lot of leftover ingredients youll find on your dining room table.

The ingredients are safe for your dog. You can whip this meal up in only a few minutes and spoil your canine companion. The recipe makes a lot of food, so youll need to portion it out based on your dogs size.

Ingredients

• 3 Pounds of skinless and boneless turkey meat (cooked)
• 1 Cup of cooked oatmeal
• 1 Pound of cubed sweet potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons of homemade cranberry sauce (with no alcohol)
• 4 Tablespoons of onion-free turkey gravy or olive oil

Directions

The first thing you should do is prepare the sweet potatoes. You can either boil them for 20 minutes or roast them for 45 minutes.

As the potatoes are cooking, chop up the cooked turkey into small bite-sized pieces.

After the sweet potatoes are cooked and cooled, mix them with the oatmeal, cranberry sauce, and turkey meat. Then, add in your gravy or olive oil.

Creating a balanced dog meal can be as simple as tossing some ingredients into a slow cooker. This recipe takes several hours to make, so its best to do it overnight or when youre out for the day.

You can split this meal up into several portions and pop them in the freezer for later.

Ingredients

• 2 and 1/2 to 3 pounds of boneless and skinless chicken (breasts and thighs)
• 1 Cubed sweet potato
• 2 sliced carrots
• 2 cups of frozen peas
• 1 large cubed apple (remove core and seeds)
• 1 can of drained and rinsed kidney beans
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil

Directions

Place the pieces of chicken in your slow cooker and add enough water to cover them. You can add the pieces whole. They will fall apart as they cook.

Add the potato, carrots, apple, and kidney beans. Set your slow cooker to the lowest setting and let the mixture cook for 8 or 9 hours.

At the end of the cooking cycle, add the frozen peas and let the mixture continue to cook for another 30 minutes. After that, drain the excess water out of the slow cooker pot.

Add the olive oil and stir it thoroughly. Then, pulverize the mixture in a food processor. Wait until the meal is completely cool to feed it to your dog.

This beef stew recipe will produce a meal thats very similar to canned options you can get at the market. However, youll have complete control of the ingredients.

The recipe makes a meal for an 11-pound dog, but you can adjust accordingly.

Ingredients

• 1 Pound of ground beef (ground chicken or turkey is also acceptable)
• 1 Large sweet potato
• 1 Diced medium-sized carrot
• 1/2 a cup of frozen peas

Directions

Cook the beef in a large pot until it is no longer pink. Do not drain the excess fat. This a good source of fat for your dog, so you can leave it in without issues. Then, add the carrots and potatoes.

Cover the vegetable and meat mixture with water and bring it up to a boil.

Once the water is boiling, turn down the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. After simmering, add the frozen peas and let the food cook for another 5 minutes or so. Wait until the food is cooled before putting it in your dogs dish.

The safety and effectiveness of a raw food diet is still a point of contention among veterinary professionals. Walkerville Vet recommends the best of both worlds.

This recipe is based on the raw food diet of wolves, your dogs natural ancestors. however, it also takes into account the dietary changes in domesticated dogs. It has raw meat as well as cooked carbohydrates and vegetables.

Ingredients

• About 9 ounces (250 grams) of raw chopped beef or lamb
• 1 cup of chopped raw carrots
• 1 cup of chopped raw apples
• 1/4 cup of defrosted frozen peas
• 1 and 1/2 cup of chopped pumpkin or squash
• 2/3 cup of uncooked brown or basmati rice
• 4 Teaspoons of sunflower oil
• 4 Grams of fish oil
• Nutritional supplements

Directions

First, cook the rice and pumpkin together. You should end up with approximately 3 cups of cooked rice mixed with softened pumpkin. Let these ingredients cool. Then, simply mix the rest of the ingredients with this mixture.

You can portion this food up and keep it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

101 Vet-Approved Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Specific Health Problems

*While the previous recipes can provide healthy dogs with a balanced meal, that may not be the case for dogs with medical conditions.

If your dog has special dietary requirements because of a health issue, you need to be extra careful about homemade meals. You can find 101 vet-approved recipes in a book written by Dr. Fiona Caldwell.

Dr. Caldwell has studied veterinary medicine for over a decade. Her book compiles recipes that are catered to dogs with special health concerns. Each recipe is tested, researched, and approved, so you can rest easy knowing that theyre safe for your pup

Also Read:Best Dog Food for Puppies with Sensitive Stomachs