homemade recipes for senior dogs

9 Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Senior Dogs

If your dog is getting into their senior years its important that their diets are adjusted to fit their evolving needs.

There are so many benefits to feeding your senior dogs homemade dog food, including the ability to customize their diet specifically for their individual needs.

When making your pets food right in your own kitchen you have the advantage of knowing exactly what ingredients went into the recipe. This allows you to keep better track of your senior dogs health.

Are you turning away from commercial dog food and looking for homemade dog food recipes for senior dogs? Keep reading for 12 great recipes your older dog will love.

Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Senior Dogs

1. Brown Rice, Turkey, and Veggies

This recipe for brown rice, turkey, and veggies is a healthy, low-calorie, and low-fat homemade dog food that your senior dogs will love.

This recipe is especially great for overweight senior dogs because it uses lean meat with healthy carbohydrates and vegetables. This delicious combination is sure to help you keep your senior dog healthy and trim!

The recipe makes around 12 cups of homemade dog food for your senior dog that can be separated into single-serve containers and stored in your refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the single servings.

2. Homemade Dog Food Recipe for Sensitive Senior Dog Tummies

It can be difficult to find recipes for homemade dog food that are easy on your poochs sensitive tummy.

Some dogs are sensitive to fatty foods and can have food allergies, but regardless of the reason youll want to be thoughtful of your dogs specific nutritional needs.

This homemade dog food recipe for a sensitive senior dogs tummy is free of common allergens that plague pups, like soy, dairy, wheat, beef, and poultry.

In place of these ingredients, this recipe uses a lean novel protein which will reduce the risk of causing irritation for your senior pups stomach.

This homemade dog food recipe for senior dogs can be separated into individual servings and refrigerated for up to 5 days, or you can freeze the servings for later.

6. Chicken Casserole for Dogs

This chicken casserole for dogs recipe is great for senior dogs because its very easy to digest while providing many vitamins and minerals essential for senior dogs development.

This homemade dog food recipe for senior dogs helps provide a balanced diet for your dog, filled with natural antioxidants, fiber, protein, and carbohydrates.

As a caution, this recipe does contain cabbage, which may cause gas in some older dogs, so it can be adjusted or removed if need be.

This chicken casserole can be separated into individual servings and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

7. Peanut Butter and Banana Dog Biscuits

This recipe for peanut butter and banana dog biscuits is a delicious treat for your senior pup. These dog biscuits are especially great treats for holidays!

What dog doesnt love peanut butter? This homemade dog food recipe for senior dogs is sure to be a hit for your four-legged friends, whether its a special occasion or not.

Even if youre watching your senior dogs weight, you can still give them the occasional treat, just be careful not to overdo it.

8. Grain-Free Recipe for Senior Dogs

This grain-free recipe is a fantastic homemade dog food recipe for your senior dog.

This homemade dog food includes all of the essential vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids an aging dog might need, without any grain ingredients.

Made with proteins including liver, poultry, and sunflower oil for linoleic acid, this grain-free dog food includes at least 10 essential amino acids for senior dogs.

You can separate this meal into individual servings to be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in sealed containers or freeze each serving for later use.

9. Homemade Raw Dog Food

This recipe for homemade raw dog food is easy to prepare and make adjustments to for smaller or larger senior dogs.

This homemade dog food recipe for senior dogs consists mostly of meat with proportions of 80% meat with fat, 10% organs, 5% vegetables or fruits, and 5% dairy. This food provides complete nutrition for your senior dog and can be tweaked to their dietary needs easily.

For the easiest storage, form the raw food into meat patties and store them stacked with parchment paper between patties in the freezer.

To thaw, take the patties out of the freezer the day before you want to use them and put them in the refrigerator so they can thaw.

10. Bacon Cornmeal Dog Biscuits

This recipe for bacon cornmeal dog biscuits makes a fantastic and flavorful treat for senior dogs. Its a breeze to make and you can make small or large biscuits based on your dogs size.

This homemade dog food recipe for senior dogs consists of flavors your pooch wont be able to get enough of!

You can adjust the serving size of these dog biscuits simply by making smaller biscuits for small dogs or larger biscuits for large dogs. The recipe makes around 12 medium-sized servings.

11. Homemade Dog Treats

These homemade dog treats are conveniently made using just 3 ingredients. Some of the senior dogs favorite flavors in these yummy treats are peanut butter and pumpkin.

This homemade dog food recipe for senior dogs is simple to make. Just mix the 3 ingredients, roll out the dough, cut it into shapes if you prefer, and then bake it!

Keep an eye on the bake time, since the thickness of the treats will determine how fast they bake. The longer they bake the crunchier they get so be careful not to overcook them.

These homemade dog treats can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks as long as they are stored in an air-tight container. They last up to 4 weeks in a sealed container in the refrigerator and up to 6 months in the freezer.

12. Low Protein Homemade Dog Food Recipe for Senior Dogs

Low-protein food should only be fed to your pet with the strict supervision of their veterinarian. Always consult with a veterinarian before changing your dogs diet.

This recipe for low-protein dog food is a fantastic homemade dog food for senior dogs with special care needs including a diet low in protein.

Make sure to use the fattiest ground beef you can find when making low-protein food because youll have more fat and less protein.

Store this homemade dog food for your senior pup in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 4 days.

Diet Requirements for Senior Dogs

When planning out your senior dogs diet, its important to strictly follow the instructions and advice of the veterinarian who treats your pet.

As dogs age the way they digest food and use nutrients can change, so youll need to make changes to their diet to keep them happy and fit in their golden years.

Homemade dog food provides complete nutritional value for senior dogs and it can also help with some of the health issues seen in older dogs.

The most vital nutrients that should be present in homemade dog food for senior dogs include protein, fats, carbohydrates, and vitamins A, B, D, E, and K. Other important nutrients for senior dogs include fiber, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc, manganese, and iron.

Calorie Considerations for Senior Dogs

Obesity is a concern for dogs, especially for senior dogs, because their metabolism slows significantly as they age.

As a result, its easy for older dogs to pack on the pounds, but its quite a challenge for them to shed the extra weight. Since being overweight is rough on dogs joints, you should try to keep them as lean as possible.

To ensure your dog doesnt become overweight, be sure to feed them a low-carb diet. A low-carb diet is healthier for senior dogs pancreas as well.

Protein Considerations for Senior Dogs

Most senior dogs require more protein as they age because the loss of muscle tone is a common issue for older pets.

You should make sure the homemade dog food recipes for your senior dogs contain around 28 to 32 percent protein.

In rare cases, your dogs veterinarian may prescribe a low-protein diet. Usually, this only happens when your dog has an underlying medical condition.

Never feed your senior dogs a low-protein diet unless youve been instructed to by a licensed veterinarian.

Foods to Avoid

Some foods should not be fed to dogs because they can be hard to digest, even toxic and dangerous.

Avoid feeding your dogs onions, garlic, chives, and other members of the allium family because these foods can cause kidney failure in dogs.

You should also avoid grapes and raisins because they can also cause kidney failure and also severe liver damage.

Macadamia nuts should not be fed to pups because they contain a toxin that affects their nervous system, resulting in weakness, panting, and swollen limbs. Avocado also contains toxins that are toxic to dogs.

Avoid giving your dog any foods containing artificial sweeteners like xylitol because it can result in liver failure and blood-clotting disorders.

Try Out These Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Senior Dogs!

Homemade dog food recipes are generally easy and quick to make using healthy ingredients to support your aging dogs health and changing dietary needs.

Whether your senior dog likes savory dishes with vegetables or sweet treats like dog treats made with peanut butter and fruits, there is something for every aging pup to enjoy!

Are you looking for more homemade dog food ideas? Check out this list of 17 Homemade Dog Treats to find delicious treats for your senior dogs.

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.

If you want to feed your dog human-grade food without the hassle of having to prepare the meals yourself, you need to try Spot & Tango.

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!

Ready to get started? Right now, you can save 50% on Spot & Tango HUMAN-GRADE premium dog food by clicking here!

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!

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Featured image credit: stockcreations, Shutterstock