homemade dog food recipes vet approved uk
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
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FEED YOUR DOG THE FOOD IT DESERVES
It can seem like a daunting task taking responsibility for making DIY dog food. Weve all been there. Its a huge step to take. You want to know that whats in your dogs bowl is healthy, but how can you be sure youre doing the right thing?
The sad thing is, DIY dog food is a realistic possibility for every dog parent. Making homemade dog food doesnt have to be expensive and it doesnt need to be complicated.
But I can tell you from personal experience, few things in life are as rewarding as knowing that you are doing your absolute best for your dog. And whether you feed your dog with minced beef from the supermarket or the finest fillet steak from Fortnum & Mason, your dogs food is going to be 100% healthier than the vast majority of commercial dog foods!
CAN I REALLY MAKE HOMEMADE FOOD FOR MY DOG?
Thats a question weve all asked ourselves at one time or another. Even me. Its only natural you should doubt yourself when so many will tell you you cant.
One of my favourite quotes on the subject comes from Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH & Malden C Nesheim, PhD, authors of Feed Your Pet Right The Authoritative Guide to Feeding Your Dog or Cat, one of the most authoritative books ever published on the subject of feeding our most popular companion animals.
Although both of us are PhD-trained nutritionists, we hardly believe you need a PhD to cook for yourself or your pet. We view cooking for pets as no more complicated or difficult than cooking for yourself and your family.
If you can feed yourself and your family then, there is absolutely no reason why you cannot also feed your dog a home cooked diet.
After all, it is the way mans best friend was fed for thousands of years until the relatively recent introduction of mass-produced commercial dog food. Dogs and humans ate exactly the same food, and trust me, dogs were both healthier and lived longer than they do today because of it!
Homemade Pet Food Recipes
Imagine if you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life. Not only would it be mind-numbingly boring, but youd question whether it was meeting all your nutritional needs, wouldnt you? Oh, the joys of a pets life. If you fancy adding some colour and spice to your furry friends humdrum diet, homemade pet food is a winner, paws-down. Creating your own food extends beyond simply appeasing finicky felines or picky pooches (although, mark our words, this definitely does help); rather, it allows you to provide your companions with a comprehensive range of essential nutrients wholesome goodness that you wouldnt usually find stacked on your supermarket shelves.Preparing your own pet food is pretty simple, but you need to follow some golden rules: firstly, it needs to consist of more than just table scraps; and secondly, it must be well balanced. Were talking about finding that sweet spot between protein, carbohydrates and fats, and ensuring all meals are brimming with antioxidants and micronutrients too. The best part about making your own pet food is that you have total autonomy over what goes into it. You dont need to worry about additives, poor quality ingredients, or cheap fillers. Better still, if your four-pawed companion has an allergy, you can cater for it no problem! To make sure youre not barking up the wrong tree, consult your local vet before indulging your animals in any new culinary creations. Vets have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to pet nutrition and you never know, they may even have a recipe or two up their white-coated sleeves...
Raw vs. cooked?
The raw pet food diet has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. As the name would suggest, this regimen is based on feeding your furry friends raw meat, veggies and grains just like they wouldve eaten thousands of years ago. Despite some vets advocating this diet, there are some pretty big holes in the idea. It boils down to the potential for human error, really. Feeding your pets raw or undercooked animal proteins may expose them to potentially toxic pathogens that could make them seriously unwell. Worse still, these bacteria can be transmitted to humans too. Yikes! To prevent the risk of such contamination, wed always suggest thoroughly cooking any pet food you whip up.
Homemade dog food
All canine-friendly recipes should consist of the following daily nutritional ratios:
60% protein (seafood, animal meat, dairy or eggs): for muscle growth and tissue repair
30% carbohydrates (vegetables and grains): for energy and digestive health
10% fat (meat, oil or egg yolks): for a shiny coat, healthy joints and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
Calcium (from crushed egg shells or a supplement): for optimal bone health
A little disclaimer: we havent included a serving size in our recipes, since portions depend on a number of factors like the breed, age and health of your dog. Consult your vet if youre unsure about how much you should feed your hungry hound.
Turkey, rice and vegetable dog food
If your pooch is looking a little porky, this is an excellent recipe for keeping him in shape. Enriched with a nutritious balance of protein, complex carbs and veggies, this meal will nourish your four-pawed friend from nose to tail. It can be refrigerated for up to 5 days too.
Ingredients
450g ground turkey mince2 cups brown rice6 cups water1 tsp. dried rosemary cup frozen carrots, broccoli and cauliflower
Directions
Place the water, rice, ground turkey and rosemary in a large cast iron pot
Stir the mixture until the meat is evenly distributed throughout
Bring to the boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes
Add the frozen veggies and cook for another 5 minutes
Remove from the heat and leave to cool before serving
Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days
Beef stew
Loaded with tons of vitamins and fresh protein, this dish is a brilliant alternative to traditional canned dog food. This will keep in your fridge for the best part of a week.
Ingredients
450g of stewing beef1 small sweet potato, chopped into bite size chunks cup of carrots, finely chopped cup of green beans, diced cup flour water1tbsp. vegetable oil for frying
Directions
Boil the sweet potato until tender
Slice the beef into smaller chunks, and fry in a tbsp. of vegetable oil on a medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until well-done
Remove the beef from the pan, setting aside the fat drippings
Heat the fat over a medium-low heat. Add the flour and water gradually, and whisk to create a thick gravy
Add the sweet potato, meat, beans and carrots to the gravy, and cook until tender (approximately 10 minutes)
Allow to cool, then serve
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days
Homemade cat food
As with your canine culinary creations, homemade cat food requires certain must-haves:
60% protein (animal meat, organs or fish): for muscle growth and tissue repair
30% animal fat: for a shiny coat, healthy joints and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
10% carbohydrates: for energy
Calcium (from a supplement): for optimal bone health
Again, youll notice we havent provided any serving guidelines, as they can vary from feline to feline. Consult your vet if you need advice on how much to feed your little fur ball.
Chicken cat food
If you were fluent in feline tongue, then youd know that cats go weak in the furry knees for chicken. This recipe is oh-so-simple not to mention nutritious. Your four-pawed friend will love it!
Ingredients
250g cooked chicken cup steamed broccoli, mashed cup steamed carrots, mashedUnsalted chicken stock
Directions
Place all the ingredients in a blender with a little stock
Blend until the mixture resembles wet cat food. Add more stock if needed, but ensure its not too soupy
Allow the food to cool before serving
Store leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate for 3 days
Rabbit stew
This protein-rich supper will have kitty smacking his chops and purring his little heart out. Keep any leftovers in the fridge for the remainder of the week.
Ingredients
250g rabbit meat, cut into small pieces20g of diced sweet potato, carrot, celery and peas1 tsp. olive oilDash of thyme, parsley and rosemaryUnsalted vegetable stock
Directions
Over a medium-low heat, saut the rabbit in olive oil
Add the vegetable stock, herbs and bring to the boil
Reduce the heat and cook through thoroughly
Add the veggies and simmer for another 45 minutes
Allow to cool, and then serve
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Take home message
Even if youre not a whizz in the kitchen, homemade pet food is an exciting way to add some pizzazz to your furry companions diet it certainly beats kibble, thats for sure. Remember though, your canine and feline friends have specific nutritional needs. All recipes, therefore, should be cooked exactly as instructed sadly, this isnt the occasion to add a sprinkle of this or a dash of that. Finally, be sure to cook all animal products, starchy vegetables and grains through thoroughly for a deliciously digestible dinner. Above all, enjoy your new rank as pet chef! Your little fur balls certainly will.
References:
Pets4Homes. (2018). The benefits of homemade dog food. Available online: https://www.pets4homes.co.uk/pet-advice/the-benefits-of-homemade-dog-food.html
Whole Dog Journal. (2012). How to make your own dog food. Available online: https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_7/features/Home-Prepared-Dog-Food-Nutritional-Information_20568-1.html
Care 2. (2012). How to make your own cat food. Available online: https://www.care2.com/greenliving/gourmet-kitty-homemade-cat-food.html
