I have some great news for you about the dog food ingredients. All the main ingredients for the dog food recipes are readily available at your local grocery store. Ground beef, chicken, eggs and white rice are the base ingedients. All the recipes do require the addition of dog supplements of added omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and direct fed microbials. All the supplements are available online.
Now I know some of you will say “you just want to sell me supplements”. My answer is; of course I do!
Almost twenty years ago I started feeding my dogs raw dog food. I quickly found out that the dogs needed supplementation to fill in the nutritional gaps in the raw diet. So I started adding a gram of this and 15 grams of that and on and on. The dogs did well. In fact they did so well I had visitors ask me what I spayed on my dogs to make them so shiny! It was funny actually. The supplements I recommend are my own and I call them “Dinovite” and “Lickochops“. These supplements will help fill in the nutritional gaps. The recipes will be deficient without adding the dog supplements.
What Dog Supplements to feed?
- Dinovite–(Supplies vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, digestive enzymes, direct fed microbials and a whole lot more.)
- Lickochops–(Supplies Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids and natural source vitamin E.)
Feeding your dog a Biologically Appropriate Raw Food diet “B.A.R.F.” plus supplements will help him do just great! Feeding your dog this way has some added benefits like; less vet visits, reduced shedding, less odor and a overall happy dog. Take the plunge and change your dog’s food. You and your dog will be happy made the change.
Hi,
Looking for a suppliment to fill in the gaps of a raw homemade diet.
Why do I keep finding Omega 6 in the suppliments when the farm raised grain fed meat is way too high in it already? Also is your fish oil preserved with Vit E? Do you have factual proof that there is no Ethoxyquin?
John,
Yes the fish oil in the supplements Dinovite Liquid and Lickochops is preserved with natural source vitamin E. Virtually all the fish oil in the USA comes from one manufacturer. We purchase it preserved with vitamin E.
The fish meal is a different story. This too comes from one place and they preserve it with Ethoxyquin. There was one company buying the fish meal preserved without Ethoxyquin but have not done so for years. Evidently rancidity is a real problem with the fish meal. So all the fish meal on the market is preserved with Ethoxyquin. I’m assuming this is your concern.
This is not true with fish oil. The process the oil on the ship and it preserves well with vitamin E.
If you feel your dog’s homemade dog food recipe is too high in omega six then supplement with additional fish oil. Supromega is a fish oil supplement preserved with natural source vitamin E. I would also use Dinovite Liquid it is a great supplement.
Hello Ed,
I have a question on the type of ground beef to be used, in other words fat content! Can we use the cheaper beef with more fat content, it’s less expensive and has more fat in it, isn’t that good for dogs?
I use 70/30 beef.
Ed,
Thank you for your reply. You have a nice website here.
My omega 6 question was “Why is omega 6 included in the suppliments?”.
We do feed additional omega 3 from fish sources. The reason for this is that all farm raised meat sources are very high in 6 and way out of balance unless they are grass fed. It seems counter productive to add more 6 to the diet and then have to turn around and increase the 3 once again. Do you have or are you formulating a suppliment like Dinovite that does not contain Omega 6?
John,
I include the omega six because many people use the supplement with standard kibble. Often kibble uses vegetable oils for the omega six, a bad source. Often these vegetable oils are also rancid. The omega 6 to 3 ratio in the supplements is 4 to 1 usually enough to counter any omega six in the food. There are so many varieties of food and different variables. So to me it makes the most sense to supply both omega 3 and six from highly digestible sources.
For the cases that fall outside this I offer Supromega fish oil preserved with vitamin E. Most dogs systems are so starved for quality nutrients they blossom when fed the supplements.
I just bought a wonderfull male Shi Szu . His name is Cookie and I love him so much ! Coockie is very smart and I want to be sure I feed him the right food . What is a reasonable priced good dog food ?
Lisa,
I’m not sure. I recommend feeding the “easy raw dog food recipe”. Click here to view this dog food recipe and take the first step to feeding your dog a healthy dog food.
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My 7 year old mixed breed has a thyroid condition and has been on synthroid for 3 years. She is active and fun and a great dog but chubby. She’s about 10 lbs overweight. I feed her a weight managment dry dog food and a homemade blend of meat, brown rice and veggies. Any suggestions for helping her shed some pounds.
Mary Ann,
Try cutting out all carbohydrates. Click here to view an animal proteins/fat diet. I call this diet the “yeast starvation dog food”. I’ve found eliminating carbohydrates will help dogs lose weight.
The dog supplement Dinovite contains kelp meal. Kelp can help support healthy thyroid function. This supplement is part of the dog food recipe.
What are good leftover items I can freeze to make dog food? Can I freeze and save dogood I make? I dogsit once every 2 months or so and would like to provide nutrient-rich, homemade dog food during these times. I do not need to have dogfood avaialble at all times as I am not a dog owner, just a dog lover 🙂
Gary,
Any of the meat. Stay away from pastas, bread and any processed food. Keep in mind you may cause digestive upset to the dogs you are dog sitting. Switching their food back and forth.
How long can I leave this in my freezer once prepared? I ask because my plan is to make your recipe and then freeze it in meal-sized portions. Depending on the frequency of my dog-sitting and how many portions I freeze, it may be stored in the freezer for over a year!
Gary,
If you are going to store it for over a year you may want to vacuum seal it because it may get freezer burned. That said I think your dog will it regardless.
Can you use chicken or lamb instead of ground beef in your easy raw dog food? Is it bad to mix different types of meat together? If not, is it OK to to switch every time you make a new batch?
Thank you,
Michelle
Michelle,
It is ok just try to keep the volumes the same, pound for pound. I plan on posting a chicken recipe shortly but it’s a busy time here on the farm.
Ed:
My Jack Russell is 15 yrs old and losing interest in her food. She has a heart murmer and arthritus. What do you recommend that I try to feed her. My friend makes her own dog food and it works well. She suggested I try your website.
Peggy,
I suggest you try the easy cooked dog food recipe, click here to view this recipe. Your Jack Russell is up there in years and this diet should be accepted well.
hi my 12 year old yorkie has just been diagnosed with a heart murmur & heart disease. the vet said her liver seems to be enlarged so were getting more xrays done. im so worried it might be liver disease, and with that i know that usually means the kidneys will soon start to develop something. i linked the heart disease to something w/ the gums. her teeth are very brown and it seems to me she has a gum disease of some kind, which i think caused the heart & liver problems. im terrified for my babygirl and have done some extensive research. i want to take her off the heart meds and provide a more natural treatment, as prescription drugs are very harsh on the liver and kidneys and other parts of the body. ive looked into Hearty Heart and that seems to be a good option but ill have to ask the vet. ive also stopped feeding her kibble because who knows whats in those synthetic processed foods. human food is terrible, i can only imagine what they’re putting into the dog food. therefore ive been feeding her pumpkin to help her go to the bathroom, fresh plain turkey breast cooked first, this morning i gave her a small can of tuna mixed with green beans that i rinsed and cooked first. i want to get a nutritionist for her but im sure they are very expensive, and were already spending hundreds trying to help her now. ive looked up doggie recipes but im afraid to try some bc they contradict other findings ive researched. what can i feed her that may help her heart liver and kidneys? or even just give her better nutrition? i also cut open 2 fish oil vitamins and mixed the oil in with her beans & tuna. what other supplements or vitamins can i do that with that may help her heart? any information at all will do please ive had my baby basically my whole life i need all the help i can get thank you so much.
Jasmine,
I’m sorry to hear about your dog. I would suggest feeding her the easy cooked dog food recipe, click here to view. This dog food recipe should offer her the easiest transition. After she grows accustomed to this dog food then try feeding the easy raw dog food recipe.
I have a 10 yo yellow Lab who’s been tested and is allergic to beef, poultry (chicken & turkey), fish (catfish, cod, herring, mackerel), eggs, wheat, white potato, and carrots. I’ve been making her food with equal parts cooked ground pork, brown rice, powdered milk, and sweet potatoes. I’ve added a bit of olive oil because the pork is so lean. I know she’s not getting all the nutrition she needs, but she has lost weight and her yeast infections have cleared up. Help?
Jeni,
Don’t you think it is odd that your dog is allergic to o many food items? It sounds like his immune system is out of balance and not functioning properly. Try substituting fish oil for the olive oil. Click here to view a good fish oil supplement with natural vitamin E. The fish oil contains omega 3 fatty acids that will help support your dog’s good health. I also suggest a good dog supplement, I use Dinovite Liquid with great results. Click here to view the dog supplement.
I too have a dog with many food allergies. She tolerates fish very well but often gets bored. Is it safe to substitute meats that she can eat for the beef in your recipe? What about bones. I used to have dogs that I would give whole turkey legs to and they loved it! Unfortunately, my current dog can’t have that. Any suggestions on the types of bones she can eat that are not poultry or beef bones? I remember hearing that fish bones are not good for dogs as they can get stuck in their throats. Is there a way to prepare a whole fish with bones that is safe to give her? Thank you for this wonderful website! I have been frazzled looking for ways to feed my picky, allergic dog!
Tanya,
Is your dog allergic to raw meats or just the meats in kibble?
I just found out that freezing meat does not kill E. coli or salmonella. Do you have a place to buy safe ground beef and chicken? Years ago, we never had to worry about that, but now with the way our meat is raised and processed, I just don’t trust using it raw. Thoughts?
Maggie,
I’ve fed raw meat to my dogs for about 15-20 years, never a problem. My dogs love it when it gets a little gamey. Dogs don’t have a problem with bacteria on their food due to the strong acid in their stomach. This is how they are designed. If you just can’t bring yourself to feeding raw try the easy cooked dog food recipe, click here to view. this recipe is very nutritious.
Hello,
I have been reading all the posts because I think I want to try the dog food recipes, the problem is I have an 8yr old pom with a heart murmur and his tracheal also collapses so he is always coughing. He is on Enalapril, for his heart. then I have another pom who is 7 yrs old and he is really healthy and then I have another who is 12 and he has been limping for a few months now, so am thinking he is getting older and he is a bit overweight. So another issue is all my dogs have really bad breath, and the 2 older ones teeth are not very good, in fact the 8yr old dog has some teeth that appear to be loose, and the big ones are really brown and full of plaque. So do you think it is a good thing to try the cooked recipe?? and also can I use the powder form of the dinovite, would be better on my budget with 3 dogs if I can use powder. I feed them a grain free kibble called Taste of the Wild. Like a lot of the other people posted they give meat and veggies with kibble. That answers a lot of my questions because sometimes they get the diarrhea and pass gas, so now I know why, as I would mix it as well, not anymore now that I read some of these posts. Hope you can help on my fur babies health, thank you very much.
Tina,
If your dogs have tartar covered teeth and some that are loose this is definitely causing bad breath. You will have to have them cleaned and pulled to address the breath. Also it will help their health. You can feed the cooked dog food recipe, click here to view. I think they will love it. Yes, you can use the powdered Dinovite as well, it is a great product, click here to view. I would also recommend the Supromega fish oil, click here to view. Your Poms will benefit from the additional omega 3 fatty acids in the fish oil.
I’m about to adopt a golden retriever puppy. At 8 weeks old, what should I feed him? When do I switch to adult dog food if he will not stop growing until 18-24 months old?
Piper,
Try feeding him the cooked dog food recipe or the raw dog food recipe. Both are good for puppies and adults.
Hi Ed
I am a bulldog breeder/show handler and have decided to cook my dogs their food – don’t trust the food industry after all these recalls and tired of seeing my dogs with itchy ears, paws and skin, so I have decided to do the right thing for them and will make their food. My question is how long has your dogs been on homemade food and they do you get their bloodwork check for any low levels in vitamins/minerals? Do you dogs only eat the raw or do they also do the cook food?
Laura,
Ive fed dogs homemade dog food for years with the greatest results. I feed both cooked and raw but prefer raw. I’ve never had bloodwork done. Do you do blood work every time you get a new bag of food? Personally, I think it is easy to see how terrible dogs do on kibble. In contrast dogs glow on the homemade dog food.
Thanks Ed – I have been researching and I am thinking of doing the Raw – there is just more benefits to doing the raw – we also have a Butcher in Town that about 20 years ago changed his business from humans to pets – it is family owned and all meat is organic and grinded with the bone (beef, chicken, duck, turkey and lamb). I recently watched a friends bulldog and she gets his raw from that butcher and what a difference in the bulldog – his coat is shiny – he just looks healthy. She found out about it from her vet who also feeds raw. Let you know how it works – when do you think you be posting the next two raw recipes?
Laura,
I hope to post more in a couple weeks. I shoot them on the weekends. Lately I’ve been busy training horses.
Hi,
I adopted a teacup Yorkie about 3 years ago. He wasn’t well care for and his teeth were in horrible condition; he has lost most of teeth – has canines and although his molar are still there, he has difficulty chewing. To make matters worse, he is a picky eater and when he doesn’t eat, he usually throws up. The vet estimates he is about 9 yrd old and, other that his teeth, he is a healthy dog. I worry about his eating habits and would like to try to feed real food to him but I’m not sure about the right quantity and how to supplement his diet – most sites use 10lbs as reference and he is only 3lbs!! I can do the math but I feel it’s a lot of guessing and estimating in the process so I figured maybe you could help. He is a usual hyperactive Yorkie, he likes to play when I come home and then cozy up next to me on the couch; I work all day so he sleeps most of the day too, so other than the 3 short trips outside of the building, he doesn’t exercise much. Can you help me figure out how much to feed a lazy, 3lbs, teacup Yorkie with no teeth?
PS: the link to the “easy recipe” is not working…
Correction: he is NOT a usual hyperactive Yorkie
Denise,
I would start with about a half cup of dog food. Then adjust up or down depending on weight gain or loss. Try the easy cooked dog food recipe. He will love it and it is nutritious.
We are adopting a 5-month old blue heeler pup. When I told the breeder about my plans to use your raw dog food recipe, she was concerned that the protein ratio might be too high and cause bone growth abnormalities – suggested I not use the eggs and add calcium powder instead. So thought I’d check with you – what is the protein/fat/carbohydrate ratio for this recipe?
Jeri,
Nope, she’s wrong. Your pup will do great on the recipe. Eggs are one of the most nutritious food around. The ground egg shell is highly absorbable to boot.
Hi there,
I’m interested in switching my dogs diets to home made. One vet said that rice of any kind should not be included since the sugars break down and help feed cancer. Do you know anything about this? Are you a vet as well?
Melody,
I feed both ways. With rice and sometimes without rice. My dogs do great eating both recipes. No, I’m not a vet.
What do you do with the bones in chicken or turkey. Do you just feed them the whole chicken leg and thigh with the bone in it?
Katy,
Yes, that is how I feed my dogs. I do grind it for my old dogs and small dogs.
Ed, I purchased Dinovite power, is it as good as the liquid? I have 4 dogs, 3 small and one large, one small one has thyroid condition.
Jan,
Yes the Dinovite powder is a great product. I use it too with great results.
Hi I am researching the “Raw Dog Food” idea. I can get a mixture of meat, vegetables and fruit from a local butcher. I can have it anylized by MSU for nutrition. What additives would be good that would add vitamins.minerals to this or would they already be in the combination? Thanks
Tom,
I recommend supplementing with dinovite dog supplements. Check out the page here to see what supplements I recommend.
Do you have a chicken recipe? My poodle gets very sick when eating any kind of beef. She gets ice cold, vomits and has diarrhea..We have tried many many kinds of dog foods..I am going to try to make your home made dog food…I need a chicken or turkey recipe..fingers crossed 🙂
Jackie,
Yes, I do but I’ve just not gotten around to posting it. You can substitute equal eights of chicken legs and thighs for the ground beef.
Are Dinovite and Lickochops available in PetSmart or Pet Valu?
Jan,
No they are available at dinovite.com.
Can I substitute ground turkey or salmon for the beef in the raw food diet? I started feeding my 7 year old Pekingese homemade dog food two months ago and he is doing great!
Tina,
Im not a big fan of ground turkey because it always seems so watery. Salmon is ok but very different and expensive.
I think my dog may have a problem with chicken/chicken eggs. As soon as I feed him these products I always notice an uptick in occasional itching and licking of legs. I take it away, it stops. He is on the Dinovite liquid supplement and I also need to buy an Omega supplement, perhaps the fish one instead of the Lick O Chops. (He loves the easy cooked homemade dog food recipe, although I do use turkey ground.)
My questions are: Are there any substitutes for the eggs and an alternative source of calcium I could use besides egg shells?
Thank you so much, Karen
Karen,
Yes, you can use Fidocal for supplementing calcium instead of egg shell. Fidocal works great!
I recommend using the Supromega if you think chicken is an issue.
Help? Any ideas? I have started your Raw Recipe for our Pit/Beagle Mix 6 yr old, but instead of the Dinovite, we used Green beans, and Broccoli – NO Rice, mainly to bulk it up and stretch the $$, as well as some Nutrition.
He is Severely allergic to just about Everything. I find that it can be quite expensive to feed this way IF I can’t supplement with rice.. He is “Borderline” Allergic to Rice..Definitely Wheat and Most Meats per his Blood Analysis. Not sure what to use as the Carb source, or if I should. Even following the Blood Analysis when choosing “Premium”, High Priced foods, I find that he still has problems, and there seems to be a Common Denominator, but I can’t pinpoint it..Either Sweet Potatoes, White Potatoes, or Salmon, and/or Trout
He IS Allergic to:
PORK, WHEAT, LAMB, BARLEY, BREWERS YEAST, GREEN PEA, AND Borderline is RICE.
NOT TESTED FOR: Trout, Sweet potato, Salmon
ALSO: Do you offer Coupons to 1st time Customers?
Suz,
Green beans and broccoli does not replace the nutrients in Dinovite you will want to incorporate the dinovite to prevent nutritional deficiencies. Dinovite runs different coupons from time to time.
Will the Dinovite help with diarrhea issues? I have tried changing foods, the problems is fine for a little while then back to the same problem. Note: I do not feed cheap dog food.
Soranya,
When you say diarrhea, are you talking watery or just loose stool? If watery and constant it could be parasites like hook or whip worms and then only worming will help. Loose stool could be due to diet changes. Dinovite contains “direct fed microbials” that can help with digestion. I have found all my dogs have nice stools when fed any of these dog food recipes.
I have a black and tan coon hound, a Newfoundland mix, sheltie mix, and a six-pack of shih tzu’s. Most are rescues. I have been looking for a raw receipe – “one receipe to feed them all”. (Different portions of course). There is a company I have been looking at called Hare Today, Gone Tomorrow who sell ground beef, chicken, rabbit, with bones and organs. I would assume I would not need the eggshells as this would be excessive calcium. This mixture also eliminates a grinder and supermarket meat. I live in a rural area and even I don’t eat the meat from there. Are there any other changes I should make? I already use fish oil for both dogs and cats. Your site is very helpful and the receipes are much less complicated than others I have found.
Rae,
Add some Dinovite to round out many delicate nutrients and you should be fine.
Hello ed I watched your video on how to make dog homemade food and I’m hoping you can help me out with a small problem I’m having with my dog….I have a female mix sharpei/pug she’s 14 months old ever since she was 3 months she ate dry food and at about 7 months i had to introduce boiled chicken, carrots, steam potatoes, because she would not eat the dry food by itself anymore and i did try changing brands just incase she was tired of a certain brand but that did not work. however now she hesitates to even eat that while she still does eat it but not with excitement. What can you recommend? should I start her with ground beef ? Thanks
Leo,
Dogs are gorgers and fasters by nature, they don’t need to eat every day. Try any of the homemade dog food recipes on this site and see how your dog does. Follow the introductory method outlined including the 24 hour fast. All my dogs are voracious eaters, if not heir housemate will eat their meal.
Hello, I have an issue our adopted dog Abby is poultry and egg intolerant,is there an ingredient to substitute for the eggs?I want to feed her the best safest foods,she eats Venison and Sweet Potato Nutro food now.Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Christine,
What do you mean by intolerant to eggs and poultry?
She gets very itchy and chews at her feet and skin.Her Foster family very specifically said she could have infrequent chicken based treats,but food that is poultry based would make her a little crazy with itching.I asked how they narrowed it down and they started feeding her beef and rice and then kept adding over a period of days to see what would make her react.
Christine,
Try one of the easy dog food recipes and see if the eggs are a problem. If they turn out to be a problem, use the Fidocal to add calcium to the dog food recipe and eliminate the eggs. Also use the Dinovite powder and Supromega because neither have any chicken in them.
Thank you so much,I appreciate your advice and will try this recipe !
My dog died a few days ago, at a bit under the age of 10, and I am going through a whirlpool of emotions and thoughts and a lot of “could have-should have”s. I have fed her what I ate for most of her life, but not so much in the recent years and I am wondering if it didn’t hurt her…
Anyway, my question is, how old are your dogs?
Maddy,
I’m sorry to hear your dog has died. My dogs are 7, 8 and 9 years old. My other two dogs live to 14 and 15.
I adopted a mix australian shepard/st. bernard from a local shelter. She is fed only commercial food. She is only nine weeks old. How do we go about introducing her to your recipe, since I am not sure she should fast at such a young age.
Luisa,
Puppies adapt rapidly to diet changes so just fast her overnight and start off with a couple small meals and she should be fine. She may have a little runny stool but it should pass.
Our 5 year old lab/pit mix just had surgery for cancer this week. The prognosis is not good, they say she may only have a few months left. Our vet said that a no carb diet might help. Do you have any suggestions or any other thoughts about feeding dogs with cancer?
I want to also say that she has good energy and good attitude. Only other issue is loose stool.
Cyd,
I can’t think how a nutritious diet could hurt. High antioxidant foods like virgin palm oil can help with some cancer.
Hi i was wondering is there anyway I could add more eggs to the recipe in place of some of the ground beef I raise some chickens so I have a good supply of eggs and this would help reduce the cost. Thanks
David,
You can increase it a little without a problem, use 24 instead of 18 per batch.
I’m feeding a 10 week old puppy and concerned about the right nutritional balance for proper growth and development of muscle, bone, and teeth. I believe you recipes are for adult dogs. Do you know the proper balance for a rapidly growing puppy?
Linda,
All these recipes a great for puppies, my view is too feed the most nutritious meal to all stages. If a dog is gaining weight then reduce the portion.
Dear Ed,
We have been on the carnivore diet now about ten weeks now and we have cleansing periods and easy periods, one of which we are enjoying just now…and has Yogi got energy! I love it when he is comfortable, and can see that the future holds that for us now for sure. My question is one of mixing the dog food …I am using the raw ground beef and hard boiled eggs a long with the egg shells and Dinovite…I add the Dinovite with each meal, figuring it might be the best and freshest way to use it. I am a bit stiff in the hands, and have some problems mixing the meat and grated eggs…Would a food processer work to mix half a recipe at a time….and if you can suggest the size to use as well, that would help. I have never owned a processor so I do not know if the stiffness of this recipe could be mixed properly…(I also wonder how powerful the motor would need to be to do the job)…I know you have a grinder, but I am unable to invest in or store or use anything so large in my small kitchen. If you cannot suggest the best tool, perhaps some one out there on this website is using something besides their hands and would suggest something to me. I usually make up a half recipe at a time, as my freezer is too small to make a full ten pounds of meat at a time. Thanks for any ideas you may have.
Carole and Yogi
Carol,
A Kitchenaid mixer would probably work well. I know you can mix dough in them fine. Get a big one.
I have seen about the raw chicken bones being OK for dogs to eat. The cooked ones are a problem, that I also understand. My question is about frozen then thawed chicken. Does freezing then thawing effect the bone in any way that would make it inedible for a dog?
David,
No, frozen bones when thawed are just like raw bones.
My Boxer has be diagnosed with congestive heart failure (broad term). I would like to know how I could change her diet to give her the best chance for a longer and better fed life. Is there a diet adjustment I could make? I love to cook so cooking for my best friend would be a good thing she is only 8 1/2.
Ali,
I think any of these recipes would be fine.
We adopted two dogs, puppymill. Yorkie is arnd 5yrs. Poodle mix arnd 1yr. Both are fussy eater and I would like to begin a homemade routine for them. Basically healthy, socialized thanks to a dog park, but dog food will sit . I have tried the worst and the best. Made chicken, beef, etc. Pls help us get these rescues to eat . A million thanks from Theo & Rena.
Hi Ed,
I came across your site searching for homemade dog food recipes.
My Maremma is 6 month old working dog caring for my goats and animals and up until this week she’s always eaten all that I’ve giving her. Which has consisted of a high protein dog food, raw whole eggs and raw goats milk. She’s slowed down eating to half her normal consumption. Something is not right and I think its the dog food. I’ve decided to switch her over to a raw food diet and will follow the 7 day program you suggested. I would like to utilize what I have grown and raised on my property. I have chickens, pigs and goats. I feed my chickens grains and goat milk. I feed my pigs grains, goat milk and goat manure. I have access to ground beef that comes from locally raised cattle that feed only on pasture.
What do you suggest I prepare for her?
You can take any of those meats and incorporate them in the diet. Try the easy raw dog food recipe and substitute your meats and use he supplements.
Hi,
I have a 8 y/o springer spaniel who has had chronic elevated liver enzymes over the years. Energetic, happy wonderful guy, but I am really hoping preparing his food will help improve the situation. I have access to venison as my husband hunts a great deal. Am I able to exchange pound for pound the venison? Any concerns as this will be wild meat? Any special way to have the meat cut from the locker? Really appreciate your thoughts!
Venison is fine to feed and a one to one swap is good. I would just have it cut into easily manageable chunks or ground up.
And do I include the organs? Thank you for your help!
Sure this is fine.
Hi Ed thank you so much for your amazing web side ..my question is can I make it this recipes with lamb pork or fish I have two little shih tzu 7 and 3 years old ,and I would like to know if lamb or pork are well for them and also I want to Change the food by raw food …thank you so much for your answer …
Lamb and pork are both fine. You should probably cook the fish because some species can transmit parasites to the dog when fed raw. Good luck!
My dog has GERD.,do you have any grain free recipes?
Yes, you can feed the yeast starvation recipe.
Hi Ed,
Thank you for doing this. We have a special needs dog, Dog – Abbi – a 5 year old German Shepherd. Severe allergies to chicken, beef, elk, goat, kangaroo, lamb, venison, haddock, and shell fish. She is allergic to rice (all grains), potato, sweet potato. Plus numerous other items. Thus feeding her has been a challenge. 2 weeks ago, working with our vet and a market called “All Pets Considered” we are feeding her a mixture of Acana “pork and summer squash” there is one item 10th on the list, canola oil, is in the food. We have supplemented this with Pork, vegetables, and varying beans (mostly cooked and chopped). Do you have any ideas regarding a raw diet (or Homemade food) with these limits?
So basically she is allergic to everything edible? I would take a different approach and try to build your dog’s immune system. Most veterinarians are trained to identify and eliminate allergens and if you continue down this path you will be able to feed her nothing. The immune system resides primarily in the intestinal tract and is supported with a species appropriate diet and probiotics. If she can eat pork, then feed raw pork. Make sure you feed the bones and cartilage as well.
Thank you for the quick reply. We are feeding her raw pork, one the bone, as well as some cooked with vegetables (carrots, green pea/split pea, green bean, red pepper), beans (Great northern, lentil, pinto). Not all at the same time but varying mixtures. I guess this would be the predigestive idea. They recommended we do all raw food, but our dog would eat us out of house and home. So the agreed path was a mixture. I do not know if the Acana kibble would suffice in providing the probiotics (doubt it) and we are cutting back on her kibble intake. We tried to give her only what was recommended on bag for her weight, she laughed at that and would literally sit for hours and stare at her bowl, or lick the empty bowl, moving both food and water bowl and stand around the kitchen to kind of let us know that this was not enough. She was always thin (60 lbs) but since we started this 2 weeks ago she has picked up 5.5 lbs. Still has the desire to chew and scratch herself but maybe not as bad. What probiotic could she take that is not comprised of something she is allergic to, like green tripe?
If you are feeding a lot of veggies and beans you need to remember dogs are primarily carnivores, designed to eat meaty bones, heavy on the raw bones. The bones have to be something they can crunch up and actually eat not just gnaw on. Feeding a lot of beans while great for humans could end up giving your dog a calcium deficiency, be careful. You may want to supplement the calcium with Fidocal. As far as probiotics, Dinovite contains 6.
Hi, Love your site! I have an overweight elderly chihuahua mix. I understand cutting out the carbs is a good way to bring down her weight, but what can I add to fill her up as she’s always so hungry! She can tolerate some veg but gets diarrhea if I give her too much. THANKS !
Fortunately she is small, I would stick to the yeast starvation diet. Monitor her intake, feed her once per day and slowly decrease her portion till she starts losing weight. When she gets to the desired weight slowly increase the portion size till she stops losing weight and keep it there. Also, it might be good to fast her once per week, this is good for dogs.