As a pet owner, you want to make sure your furry friend is well-fed and healthy. But have you ever wondered what goes into the commercial dog food you buy from the store? What if there’s an emergency and you can’t buy any commercial dog food? The good news is that you can make your own homemade dog food to ensure your pet is getting the best nutrition possible, even in tough times. Here’s a simple recipe for balanced homemade dog food that’s easy to make and will keep your dog healthy and happy.
The Importance of Natural Dog Food
Before the rise of commercial dog food, people fed their dogs with table scraps or homemade recipes. But with the advent of canned horse meat after World War II, the pet food industry took off, and now there are hundreds of dog food varieties available. However, the trend is now going back to natural dog food, especially after the poisoned grain episode from China and the increasing cost of dog food.
As a pet owner, you can take advantage of this trend by making your own natural dog food. With a degree in Animal Science, I decided to put my education to a practical use and develop a recipe for homemade dog food. My recipe is simple, balanced, and versatile, and my German Shepherds love it. Plus, it’s far less expensive than canned or dry food. Here’s how to make it.
The “Third Recipe” for Dogs
This recipe is called the “Third Recipe” because all the portions are in roughly thirds; Rice, Vegetables, and Meat. Dogs are omnivores, which means they eat all sorts of stuff, not just meat. A meat protein diet will make a dog hyper and overly aggressive and can also damage their kidneys. Feeding dogs is not an “exact” science, but the basics of good nutrition are covered in this formula and are inexpensive to feed.
Ingredients:
- White rice boiled with an optional chicken bullion cube
- Vegetables (frozen or canned or fresh): green beans or peas/carrots or mixed vegetables
- Meat: chicken, turkey, tuna, beef or wild game or eggs
Instructions:
- Boil white rice with an optional chicken bullion cube to provide carbohydrates for energy and easy digestion. You can substitute potatoes occasionally, but avoid pasta, as it can ruin a dog’s teeth.
- Use frozen or canned or fresh vegetables, such as green beans or peas/carrots or mixed vegetables. Green beans are the best all-around vegetable since they are fibrous, full of nutrients, and pulls particles through the digestive tract. Vegetables like corn and lima beans aren’t broken down in the digestive tract and are a waste of money. Shop around for the lowest frozen vegetables or seal-a-meal or can your own. Broccoli is fine if you are willing to perish from dog gas attacks.
- Use chicken, turkey, tuna, beef, wild game, or eggs for the meat portion. Be careful not to rotate types of meat until you have a feel for what your dog can tolerate. I always cook the meat to avoid contamination that can cause a hemorrhagic intestinal bug from raw meat. When adding meat to food, cut or pull the meat into smaller portions for better digestion.
- Feed your dog two half meals – morning and evening, and the cup portions depend on the size of your dog(s). All ingredients are roughly in thirds, but if you have an active dog, use more rice.
Tips and Tricks
- Rice is the most inexpensive when bought in bulk. Store rice in “Vittle Vaults” porthole screw-top lid hard plastic dog food containers. You’ll need to make more rice every third day since it gets watery and becomes