A Cooked Dog food recipe that is designed to be simple to make and healthy for your dog.
NOTE: In an effort to simplify the cooked dog food recipe I have incorporated the use of supplements. Without the supplements this dog food recipe would need an additional 10 to 20 ingredients. Unfortunately, our current agricultural practices yield foods with a fraction of the nutrient content of wild counterparts.
That said; this dog food recipe is deficient without the two supplements that are essential to the recipe: Dinovite supplement and LickOchops omega fatty acid supplement. Feeding this recipe without the supplements will result in multiple nutritional deficiency diseases.
Supplements needed for this dog food recipe.
- Click here to view Dinovite dog supplement. Feed 1 tablespoon of Dinovite with each cup of dog food.
- Click here to view Lickochops omega fatty acid dog supplement.
- It is important to add these supplements to this dog food recipe. Adding the supplements will prevent it from being nutrient deficient.
Dog Food Recipe Ingredients:
- 10 lbs. of raw ground beef
- 18 eggs including the shells (the egg shells supply digestible calcium to your dog. Yes, studies have proved that the calcium in egg shell is highly absorbable.)
- 5 cups uncooked white rice (The rice will need to be thoroughly cooked before making this recipe. I believe the five cups will yield approximately 15 cups cooked rice. Use white rice not brown because it is more easily digested by your dog.)
- 1 tube of LickOchops omega fatty acid supplement (This supplies important omega 3 & 6 fatty acids in a 1 to 4 ratio, this is good! It also contains natural source vitamin E.) Click here for this supplement.
- Dinovite dog supplement (This supplies a host of vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, zinc and live direct fed microbials. Dinovite also has a nutritious plant component in the “Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate” that replicates the partially digested plant matter of herbivores. All great stuff!) Click here for this supplement. I use 1 tablespoon of Dinovite per cup of dog food or add 2-3 cups of the powdered Dinovite per complete batch. In the video I show the Dinovite Liquid but now I use the powder because Dinovite has discontinued production of the “Dinovite liquid” in the single serve packets.
Dog Food Recipe Yield:
Approximately 40 cups of dog food.
This dog food recipe can be halved or doubled to accommodate the size of your dog or for multi-dog households. Do not feed this dog food recipe without the Dinovite and LickOchops dog supplements as it will cause this dog food recipe to be deficient.
Directions for easy cooked dog food recipe:
- In a very large pan add the 10 pounds ground beef.
- Add the cooled cooked white rice.
- Blend 18 eggs in a blender with shells then ad to mix.
- Mix well and completely with your hands until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Make about 6 or seven meat loafs and set on pans.
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Cook meat loafs for about 1 hour or until done.
- To watch the easy cooked dog food recipe video directions click here.
Storing your Easy Cooked Dog Food:
Place 2-3 days worth of the dog food recipe in zip lock bags or plastic freezer containers. Store them in your freezer.
I personally prefer the freezer containers because they are easy to fill, thaw and serve. There is never any mess. I take one out and let it thaw on my counter. Feed my dogs and store the unused portion in my refrigerator. When it’s empty I wash it and it is ready for the next batch. Mix up some more of the easy cooked dog food recipe and I’m ready to go. It works well.
NOTE: Remember you are handling raw meat so use common sense when making this dog food recipe. Use the same precautions you would use when handling raw meat for your family.
Serving Size:
*Special note: These are general guidelines, we are not trying to land a man on Mars. If your dog is losing a little weight and this is not desired, increase the amount you are feeding. If your dog is gaining weight on the serving size then cut back a little. In short, adjust the serving size depending on your dog’s age, weight and activity level.
- 10 lb. dog – 1/2 cup cooked dog food daily + 1/2 tsp Lickochops + 1/2 tbs Dinovite
- 20 lb. dog – 1 cup cooked dog food daily + 1 tsp Lickochops + 1 tbs Dinovite
- 40 lb. dog – 2 cups cooked dog food daily + 2 tsp Lickochops + 2 tbs Dinovite
- 60 lb. dog – 3 cups cooked dog food daily + 3 tsp Lickochops + 3 tbs Dinovite
- 80 lb. dog – 3 1/2–4 cups cooked dog food daily +3 1/2 tsp Lickochops + 3 1/2 tbs Dinovite
*Special Note: If you add the supplements to the whole batch when making the dog food recipe it is not necessary to add them with each serving. Use whichever method you find easier.
Watch the video version of this Dog Food Recipe
Click here to watch the video.
Introducing the new “Dog Food”:
- Fast your dog for 24 hours before starting this diet. Water should be available to your dog during the fast. This will give time for the old dog food to pass through your dog’s digestive tract. It is important to follow this procedure to limit digestive upset. This is an important step, ignoring this step greatly increases your dog’s chance of having digestive upset.
- Day one and two: Feed a portion 1/2 the size of a normal meal.
- Day three and four: Feed a portion 3/4 the size of a normal meal.
- Day five: Feed a full portion.
- Special Note: The whole process takes 6 days when you include the 24 hour fast. This method will allow your dog’s digestive tract time to adapt to the new food.
Please follow this introductory method, your dog will be fine. Your dog will not starve or hate you. Rapid diet changes can cause vomiting and diarrhea. A horrendous mess all over your house!
***Important Note: Do not mix kibble and the “Easy Cooked Dog Food” together! Doing so will GREATLY increase the chances of digestive upset for your dog!
I will watch for the cooked food recipes as I am afraid to feed raw to my little guy. Thank you, Carol
Carol,
I posted the easy cooked dog food recipe. View this dog food recipe by clicking here.
I have 5 dogs of varying size 16#-120# do I need to make all separate batches for each weight so they get enough of the suppliments? I am hoping this will help with food budget and health of my four-legged children:-)
Adobbs,
I feed 3 dogs, all different sizes, and just mix the supplements into the batch. I just try to do it evenly. This works fine for me and is easy.
I fixed this for my animals. They do not like it and i made the full batch now Im stuck with something my animals dont like and they even throw it up
Linda,
I’ve never had any dog refuse any homemade dog food recipe. Which recipe did you use? Did you follow the introductory method outlined?
If they did not like it, I’m assuming they did not eat it. So how can they throw up something they did not consume?
We have a 14 month old Havanesse. I made the beef raw food diet our dog. Froze it for 48 hours. Our dog fasted for 24 hours. She weighs 13 lbs so offered 1/8 cup of food for the first time she ate it then vomited it up about 1-2 minutes later. Waited until evening offered the other 1/8 cup she wouldn’t go near it. Left her alone and she picked at it for about 20 min. vomited that up. We gave her another 1/8 cup this morning and she would not eat at all. Took food up after 30 min. Tonight gave her another 1/8 cup of it she wouldn’t eat it for about 30 min. From the time she finished till she walked into another room 20-30 seconds she vomited it up. What do we do now. She has been very picky about food since she was 12 weeks old. We decided to try this diet since she loves ground beef, eggs and rice. I only made half of the batch of food, but I really don’t want to have to throw it away. How long do I continue on with her vomiting the food up at each feeding?
Try feeding her a teaspoon of food and see how she does.
I know this conversation is old – but just FYI – my JRT is allergic to rice. When we first got him we were giving him the chicken & rice diet to settle his stomach. That was not a plan. Switched to potato and he was fine. SO – it could be this dog had a specific issue with the protein or carb in this and swapping it out for another source would solve it.
I would like to know if I can mix the Dinovite and the Lick-O-Chops in the food before I cook it. I would like to make this as easy as possible. I plan to cook it in the oven like Meat Loaf.
Sherry,
No, don’t add until it is cooled. the cooking process will destroy the enzymes and live bacteria in Dinovite.
How many cups does your recipe make ?
I think around 30.
Carol Actually feeding cooked food is more damaging to your dog than feeding raw.. Raw is best .. dog’s are not humans they have a shorter digestive track than humans , therefore bacteria does not process like it does in humans. People forget that dog food is only 60+ years old before that dogs ate raw daily .. how else do you think they survived for hundreds of years ??
I so agree with you that raw is their natural diet. I have never seen a dog light a fire or an oven, have you? The humans also ate raw until fire was discovered. My dogs’ poop has changed for the better since I have put them on this diet. The glutanous poop is gone. In fact it dries very quickly in the air and sun to makes it much easier to pick up.
So dry in fact that you don’t need a shovel or gloves – LOL
On WebMD.com they have a special spot about animals. It says that dogs and cats should NOT have raw dog food. You should cook the meat before it is consumed. The vet on there said it is very hard on animals. Yes, they used to eat it in the wild, but wild animals didn’t live as long as they do now. I truely believe the vet on WebMD and I am going to cook mine too.
Megan,
Feed whatever makes you comfortable. However, the vet is wrong.
listen to your vet people, unless you want your dog to constantly get sick and have problems. with the way people/farmers are treating their animals and filling them up with chemicals it is BEST for the meat to be COOKED first, the animals dogs ate in the wild were not human treated and they also did not live as long as our animals do today so be Smart and take your vets advice/instruction and Not this crap about raw meat. you’ll be doing yourself and your animals a huge favor
Ashley,
You are one bold, opinionated ignoramus. Fortunately, for your sake you are also anonymous.
If you are at all interested in educating yourself start by reading these sites/pages.
Site one and page two. There are also many books on feeding raw dog food out there but let’s start with baby steps.
Hi Ed! I have a 15 yr old Schnauzer mix. I have been feeding him a good natural dog food: Fromme-low fat. Well, I ran out of it. I Would prefer making food for him anyway as that would be the healthiest for him. He has been diagnosed with high tryglycerides. Please help us out! Thank you!
Katie,
15 years old is getting up there in age. Try the chicken and rice dog food recipe but drain off the excess fat instead of adding it. Feed the dinovite and Supromega dog supplements. Of course you will still want to monitor his tryglycerides.
Our Vet recommended that we cook the meat because there may be bacteria in it.
Sherry,
Dogs have a digestive system designed to handle raw food and bacteria without getting sick. A short system with powerful acids keeps them safe.
Ed,
I have a 11 and 13 year old German Shepherd. They are both going lame in the hips. Today I cooked a turkey, added 10 cups of rice, 4 cups carrots, and a dozen eggs. I am ordering your Dinovite but want to get them on something different as they are having such a hard time walking I want to do something sooner than later. Is there a reason you don’t like carrots? Next batch should I use sweet potatoes instead? Any other suggestions? I am totally new to this process.
Carrots have a lot of sugar and this can sometimes be a problem with dogs suffering with yeast infections.
Stargirl,
Are you from northeast? I have a 96# Boxer that went lame in left hip(extremely quickly) to the point of needing assistance 7 out of 10 times. My sister had a shepherd with lame hips to the point the Vet she was using wanted her to get ready to put have to put her Shepard down in the near future!!. She was recommended to a different Vet who recommended a diet similar to this and incorporated natural herbs. Long story short my Boxer and her Shepard are doing AMAZING!!!!!
Try adding some natural vitamin C to their diets, 1000-3000 mg per day. There was a study done on vitamin C deficiency and hip dysplasia, I think back in the 90’s.
I heard that kale is high in vitamin C. Is it possible to add that to the food? Also what are the calorie counts? My golden is limited to 900 calories a day.
Hello, I have an approximately 12yr old Pug that was just diagnosed with an enlarged heart and have started cooking for him to lower or eliminate his sodium intake. I am looking for new recipes to make for him, can you help? I am also concerned about him getting the appropriate minerals and nutrients he may need that might not be in some of the recipes I use; they are my own recipes that I have put together after researching foods dogs can/can’t should/shouldn’t eat. My baby boy doesn’t care much for blueberries, but doesn’t mind raspberries however I don’t give him an abundance, just mix a little in with his other food for the antioxidants. Thank you for your time. Looking forward to the recipes. Kerri
Kerri,
I would suggest starting with our “Easy Raw Dog Food” recipe. Dogs do well on this recipe. If you are opposed to feeding raw then check back in about a week because I will post a cooked dog food recipe.
Hi,
My dog ( now 4 yr old Wire Fox Terrier), had bladder stones removed last August. They were calcium oxalate stones. We have been struggling to keep his urine at a ph of 6.5-7.0, while keeping infection and inflammation at bay. We feed him boiled chicken, with white rice with a prescription dry food. ( he hated the canned food). Our fear is a reoccurance of the stones, and the need of another surgery. If we can keep his PH balanced, it will minimize the chance of this happening again.
Do you have any experience with diet and calcium oxalate stones?
Deb,
No, I’ve not personally had any dogs with bladder stone in any of my dogs. A meat based diet will lower a dogs ph. Another benefit to a raw diet is the high water content. Dogs fed commercial dog food are often thirsty. Think how you might feel after eating a salty meal like ham. Now think how you feel after eating watermelon. Which meal make you thirsty?
Dear Deb,
Please, PLEASE read the label of the prescription dry dog food – and DISCONTINUE feeding if it has CORN in it!! My Pomeranian had to have bladderstones surgically removed. Then I fed her the “special” dry dog food – and it made her sick with a yeast infection that STILL isn’t gone! DOGS DO NOT NEED CORN – I can’t believe vets actually PRESCRIBE this kind of food!! It really makes me mad! I now feed a homemade cooked diet (my little guy just won’t eat raw) and I give them boiled, organic chicken, steamed veggies & white rice – you can switch up the veggies to vary the taste a little bit. I add whatever fruits they like & will eat; sometimes blueberries, sometimes apple bits; hard-bioled eggs, etc.
(I refuse to eat factory-farmed meat, and will NOT give it to my dogs either. Google it -it’s a disgusting industry!) I like to give them the Dinovite liquid supplements and I use the Dog-O-Suds shampoos too. They are great! And my dogs love the Nub-O-Nub treats.
My dog is doing fine now; no signs of recurring bladder stones or bladder infections. Sometimes I might add a teaspoon of apple cidar vinegar to her water bowl to adjust the pH, but I don’t do it that often.
Good luck Deb – I hope this info helps you and your dog!
Hi there,
I am constantly researching food sources for my ultra picky 8 pound maltipoo dog (2 years old). I have tried just about everything, every recipe, raw food etc., with no success. A top trainer in my area took my dog for a week promising me that she would have him eating a good diet on my return, only to admit that my pooch didn’t fall for these tried and true techniques. Texture is definitely an issue; he doesn’t like anything soft or goey. Of course he loves the texture of cooked meat. When I try the tough love method, my dog will simply not eat for days, and then become obnoxious and he eats anything he can find outside, including poop, garbage, pine cones etc. Right now I feed him lean meats, vegetables mixed with low fat grain free kibble with a bit of soup stock. I supplement his diet with kelp, Vitamin C, Fish oil, vitamin E, and organic apple cider vinegar (not every day). I would love to receive your cooked food recipes and any other suggestions you might have. Warmest regards,
Really looking forward to these cooked dog food recipes…I’m trying to switch my husband and I to a healthier diet and all our animals too. I have a 5 year old Greyhound/Germand Shephard mix, and just got a 7 week old lab/? mix…we don’t know what her Daddy was. I’d love to be able to start cooking better for them…I’m a nursing student also and see how bad these foods are for humans, let alone animals! I hope you can post soon. Thanks for this site.
Trish,
I posted the easy cooked dog food recipe. View this dog food recipe by clicking here.
I am anxiously waiting for your cooked recipes. I’ve seen others, but they all add corn, salt and garlic, which I know are not good for my little 2yr old rat terrier/chihuahua mix. She’s very finicky and her stomach is easily upset which makes me a little hesitant to try the raw food.
Cindy,
Keep in mind dogs digest raw meat easier than they do cooked meat. I will post the cooked recipes shortly.
I just had an AH-HA moment reading this blog regarding raw dog food. Years ago I brought in the groceries and then wound up on the phone paying NO attention to the dog. I turned around to discover he had eaten an entire 5lb loaf of raw meat. Over the years I’ve wondered why he could eat that and all sorts of disgusting things and not get sick while puking all over the house when I do something as simple as changing his dog food brand. Now I know and I’m a bit skeeved about the raw food but if that’s what is best for my puppies I am all for it – I can’t wait to try this RAW recipe!
Jodie,
Great to hear!
Cindy,
I posted the easy cooked dog food recipe. View this dog food recipe by clicking here.
I want to do the “easy raw food recipe” but just cook the meat – at least half way – I could leave some pink. I have tried raw with them and it didn’t go well – we tried for 2 months. We bought an additional freezer and I ordered a bunch of stuff through different websites plus health food stores. I spent numerous hours researching raw and was determined to make it work. I presented them both with cow gullets one day and they were both horrified. To interpret our older dog’s expression – I think she either wanted to draw a line around it with chalk or call for a medic. We eventually gave up on raw, they just wouldn’t eat it. I gave away some really nice green tripe. 🙂 Anyway – they both are eating Science Diet r/d right now, kibble and canned combined, and I know that’s not right but I have to feed them something. Our Lab is 100 pounds and is 6 years old and our Labradoodle is 5 years old – she was supposed to be a miniature and only be 45 pounds and not shed but she is 82 pounds, taller than our Lab and sheds constantly. Okay – let me know if it is okay to cook the meat a little – if so, I can order the supplements and get started. Thanks.
Jeanie,
Yes you can cook the meat a little but don’t add the supplements till it cools.
I can’t seem to get to where you sell your Dinovite and your other vitamin thing. Please help
Barb,
Here you go here are a couple links, they are yellow gold:
Dinovite Liquid click here and Lickochops click here
Looking forward to your cooked dog food recipes!!
Christine,
I posted the easy cooked dog food recipe. View this dog food recipe by clicking here.
Where are the recipes for the dog food? I clicked on the link above and NOTHING! I just rescued a dog that needs to put on weight…bones are showing all over. And I wanted a recipe to make her food.
Debbie,
I’m not sure why you are not seeing the links, they are yellow gold. Click here to view the “easy raw dog food recipe.
Hello,
I find your website to be very informative, and I love how you respond to questions directly from those visiting your site! I was hoping you would have a recommendation of where to start when it comes to dogs with severe food allergies. We have a 4 year old border collie/lab mix who has developed allergies to food. We have been through every hypoallergenic diet offered through our vet, and even medications they give us fail to be effective after a week or two. We are extremely frustrated and are looking into other options. Is there a recipe you think that would recommend us to start with? I understand how food trials work, I am just looking for a solid starting point. Any information or tips you can provide me with would be appreciated. Thank you 🙂
Christina,
My approach to working with a dog’s food allergies is to address the root problem. I believe a malfunctioning immune system is the root cause of most dog allergies. So I try to support a dogs immune system through good nutrition and see if the dog heals himself. I would start out with either the easy cooked or easy raw dog food recipe. Whichever you are more comfortable with feeding your dog. The raw being the better of the two.
I would substitute Supromega fish oil for the Lickochops. The extra fish oil will help with inflammation. Supromega to view the fish oil.
i would like to try to give my dog, a home cooked food. please give a recipe.
Evelyn,
Here you go, click here to view the recipe.
When do I have add the lick chop to the recipe? And how much?
Suni,
Just add the Lickochops and Dinovite when you serve the dog food. This works best.
hello my dog casey is allergic to Lamb, Pork and Rice I would love to try a homemade dog food for her. She is about to scratch her self to death
Thanks
Kim
Kim,
Try the “yeast starvation dog food recipe” This recipe is great for dogs with itchy skin. Click here to view this recipe.
I had a friend that also had a dog literally scratching himself to death- her vet put him on a diet of Sweet potaotes and pinto beans. She would cook these and mash it up for him- and no more scratching! You could also try ground turkey or ground chicken .
I have made my own dog food for 2 years now- my little Maltese had siezures when I fed him any commercial canned dog food- I tried organic and all natural canned foods ,they seemed to be ok- but cost $3.00 a can or more. So I found the reciepe of rich and ground turkey with supplements added- no more siezures.
Thank you for the helpful hints and recipies. Our three dogs presented with GI upset symptoms at once and we returned the very expensive grainfree kibble thinking it was rancid. We rushed one dog to the vet, she got an IV for dehydration and meds. She showed improvement but is refusing everything except cooked chicken breast that is chopped small, served warm and only will eat from my hand. I have made batches of chicken, rice, veggies, pumpkin and stock but this didn’t work. My husband thinks this is going too far. No more symptoms but now it looks like she is extremely finicky. Any thoughts?
Rachel,
It sounds like your dogs either all got into something bad or you got a bad batch of dog food. Try the easy cooked dog food recipe. Click here to view this dog food recipe.
Hi, was just checking out your website and dog food recipe! We have two Akita’s, ( they are mix of Akita, Sheperd and Chow) Brother’s! We feed them once in the morning and once in the evening, we keep a can in the dry food bag, ( was a vegtable can) and each dog gets a full can of (14oz.) dry food each feeding. We have been feeding them Nutro Plus.
The biggest of two dogs 127 lbs, would like more, but we don’t give it to him. The other dog is pretty close to 100 lbs. and is a very picky eater, sometimes we have to add things to get him to eat. My question is, do we need to feed them twice a day? We always have and have had them since they were pups! We would like to feed them better, I think I may try your dog food recipe. Do you think feeding once a day will be better for them? If we do go to once a day, should we start that right away or gradually get them used to the idea of once a day feedings? So confused on how to get started! Also, with your dogfood recipe, would you feed the serving size for the large dogs all at once or break it into two feedings? so many questions!
Thank you, Pam
Pam,
Dogs are gorgers and fasters by nature. I feed my dogs once per day but you could feed them twice. I don’t think it would make much difference. I would feed them the same volume you currently feed. The dog food recipes are very nutritious without gunk and undigestible fillers.
Hi!
I will try the raw recipe. I don’t know about small dogs, but I agree with Ed…Dogs are not human…even though I believe that they are my kids! One of my labs eat raw meat, from whatever is left from my husband (her daddy) hunting trip…so far she still a normal/crazy lab. Also as a Biologist, I agree.
Thanks, Jessica
Ed –
I admit to being low on the computer abilities scale; I have been going from one spot to the other with little satisfaction to answer my questions.
I wrote you two weeks ago when my dog was ill with something she must have ingested. You may remember I told you we saw a local Vet here where I am helping since my son’s surgery last week. I was concerned that I may have done something with her new raw diet. My son is the one who ordered the Dinovite for me. Questions for you: I am giving McKenzie one tube of the Dinovite in the morning, only; is this correct? I work it into a liquid and spread it on her morning bowl of food.
My son wasn’t aware of the lick0chops – so he didn’t order any at that time.
I’m trying to do this now – when the price comes up on the order, I’m assuming this is per tube.
How much of it gets added to her feeding, and is it only with one feeding, or both? If I’m using a tube at each time – or not – how many need to be ordered for the month. I’m confused about
the amount to start with. Long story to get to the point – sorry.
Carole,
When you say tube of Dinovite I’m assuming you mean the single serve packets. If so, yes one per day is fine. The Lickochops serving size is one to two teaspoons per cup of dog food. I hope this helps.
Are 18 eggs raw or hard boiled? You don’t mention an amount of Lick O Chops per cup of finished product or when to put it on or in the foods. Thanks
Rich,
The eggs are hardboiled in the raw recipe and raw in the cooked recipe. You can take one tube of Lickochops and mix it with the entire recipe but this will add a fishy odor to the mix. Many people don’t like the smells. Or you can add some when you serve your dog the food. The serving size is 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup of food.
I have a 11 year old dog small mixed breed dog, that has Addison disease and with the steroids that he has to take, he has a hunger problem and a weight problem. (he has been on the steroids for about 9 years) we have cut his portions back but can’t seem to get the weight off. We take him for a run 7 days a week and he is pretty active. I am looking at your recipe and wondering if putting carrots, celery and other low cal veggies would give the bulk but cut the calories? Any idea would be appreciated.
Loine,
I’ve found eliminating carbohydrates from a dog’s food helps them lose weight. The yeast starvation dog food recipe eliminates all the carbohydrates. Click here to view this recipe.
Hey I have really enjoyed your site! Thank you so much for putting in the effort to show this to everyone. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for a specific diet for dogs with cushings disease? I’ve read up a little but would love to see if you had any insight! Thank you! -Nicole
Nicole,
I’ve not personally had any dogs with Cushing’s disease. My personal belief about most disease is that it is ultimately caused by poor diet. I understand my view is contrary to the medical communities view. Spend an hour on youtube and watch videos on the horrible stuff put in dog food. Plastic bags, diseased animals, floor sweepings, moldy grain and even dogs.
Cushing disease has many vague symptoms. Muscle loss, coat deterioration, increased water intake and increased urination. My suggestion would be to try a healthy raw diet and see if the symptoms go away. I always start from this point. Feed a healthy diet first, see what happens, then proceed. I hope this helps.
Hi,
I am new to having dogs, I recently found a yorkie, vet estimated his age at 12-14 yrs old he has alot of health problems and can only have a low protein diet, he is on royal canin renal LP he does not like veggies or pasta is there anything else i can make or give him? i also 2mths ago got a 3 yr old yorkie that is very scared and will not eat with the other animals she seems very nervous, i cannot seem to find any food she likes and whenever she can, will eat the low protien dog food when i’m not looking and then end up with diarrhea, i am giving her white rice and boiled chicken and cottage cheese and she loves it, my vet does not recommand raw diet, any advise?
Thank you
Lisa
Lisa,
Try feeding your dog the easy cooked dog food recipe. Click here to view this dog food recipe. Your dog will love it and it is very nutritious for your dog.
can you please put up printer friendly recipes?
Tom,
Yes I can.
I have three dogs – all about 45 48 lbs. One has kidney issues, One has liver issues and |one is okay
What can I do for feeding. The meat loaves look okay for all but do I use regular or lean beef.
Do you have any chicken receipes yet that I can feed them. Any help would be appreciated.
Dorothy,
Use the regular ground beef. You can substitute chick for the beef, pound for pound.
I just found your website and love it. I have a few questions…
1. What is the benefit of adding cooked white rice to your recipe? Is it okay not to include it? I have read that dogs don’t need grains.
2. The LicChops have a higher percentage of Omega 6’s to Omega 3’s. Aren’t the 3’s more benefical?
Thanks so much for your help! I want to start cooking my dog’s food, but I read so many conflicting things that I am confused. I want to feed my dog the best possible diet I can.
Kim,
Both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are needed by your dog. Lickochops has a 4 to 1 ratio (omega 6 to omega 3). Dogs do well on a 5 to 1 to a 10 to 1 ratio. The ground meat contains some omega 6. So by adding the supplements you will fall somewhere in the 5 to 1 ratio, maybe a little higher.
I hope this helps.
Hi,
I have a question about vegetables and fruits. My Dog Kira is a poodle weight 9 pds is 7 years old and has bad allergies she scraches and bites herself at a point were she bleeds.
I’ve seen 3 differents vets finaly found one that took time to help me she put her on a diet of horse meat and lentels and sweet patatos and medication. She told me to get some supplement for her witch i will do tomorrow. What i would like to know is there any vegetables and fruit that i can give her as addition to this diet, what should i stay away from to not make her sick .
Thank You
Carole
From Montreal
Carole,
Is the food you are feeding a raw diet or a commercial kibble? I would not focus on fruits and vegetable but raw meat, bones and quality fats. Dogs have a short digestive tract ill equipped to digest fruits and vegetables. As people, when we think “healthy food” we thinkv”fruits and veggies”. Healthy for dogs is raw meat, bones and quality fats.
I would recommend Dinovite Liquid dog supplement. I make this supplement and it works very well. Click here to view this supplement.
I’m concerned about white rice…..is not brown rice healthier?
Jacqueline,
Yes, brown rice is healthier for humans because we are omnivores. As omnivores we can benefit from the nutrients in the rice bran and germ. Dogs are carnivores with a short digestive tract and have difficulty digesting the nutrients in the bran and germ of brown rice. So it is better to feed cooked white rice.
1. What is the benefit of adding cooked white rice to your recipe?
Is it okay not to include it?
I have read that dogs don’t need grains.
Thank you!
Kim,
Cooked white rice is a grain dogs can digest. You can eliminate it without any problems. In fact the “yeast starvation dog food recipe” I posted eliminates the rice. The rice helps bring down the cost of the dog food and is an alternate energy source. Feel free to eliminate it if you like. The white rice does not have the bran or germ both have nutrients in them that dogs have difficulty digesting. Click here to view the “yeast starvation dog food recipe”.
My main concern about homemade dog foods is the soft food doesn’t help clean their teeth like dry kibble does. Is that something to be concerned about?
Haley,
I will have to take a picture of my dog Charlie’s teeth. Charlie has been fed the raw dog food recipe his whole life. They are white and clean. The raw meat actually helps keep them clean. You can always add some raw beef ribs for him to chew.
Hi,
I have a 17 yr old chihuahua that has food allergies and wanted to know if you have any suggestions and recipes for it?
-Hellen
Hellen,
At 17 years old you hate to make any changes. You may want to add a little fish oil to his dog food. Click here to view a fish oil supplement for dogs.
Hello mt name is Brittany. I have a 5 1/2 years young pug whose name is Josephine. I have tried some of the said “better” dog foods but she always has horrible tummy problems. I am currently feeding her Pedigree small breed because she does not have stomach problems with that. I would very much enjoy making her dog food from one of your recipes. However I am a college student and can be short on money sometimes. Are there equally efficient supplements to add at a lesser cost? Also are fruits and vegetables good additions to your recipes? If so which ones?
Thank you
Brittany,
Can I use fruits and veggies? This is probably the most common question I receive. Dogs are carnivores with a short digestive tract that is poor at digesting the nutrients from fruits and veggies.
Fortunately for you, your dog is only 12 pounds and won’t eat much. You can purchase the small dog package and it’s only $24.99, click here to view this dog supplement. That’s a 90 day supply. The Lickochops, click here to view, is $8.99. That works out to 37 cents per day in supplements. The supplements I recommend are unique and work very well.
Thanks so much for your video about homemade food. My mutt (she’s 6 years old; shepherd, lab, hound mix) has chronic stomach problems. Everything prescribed by vets is too expensive. I have tried to make raw diets for my dogs, buit that too was way way too expensive. Beef is pretty expensive too, so I don’t know if I can try your diet, though I would like to. What about the antibiotics and hormones being put in the beef? Same problem for the eggs. HUge dilemma whether to pay extra for meat and eggs without (so it says on labels) any hormones. What would you suggest?
Jan,
Think about it this way, the ingredients in dog food are anything not suitable for human consumption. Dead, diseased, dying, rotten you name it. Some dog food contains dogs and cats they pick up at vets. They even throw in the plastic bags. This turns into animal meal. Look it up on youtube, it’s gross.
I worry less about human grade food.
Dear Ed, Thank you so much for caring enough to post your recipes. When I first got my sheltie puppy he did not like any dog food so I just fed him “human food”, meat, fish veggies etc. You would not believe the comments I got, especially from vets how I was killing him and would shorten his life. I showed him, worked sheep with him ( he really likes lamb chops!!) loved him and guess what he is still with me . In July he will be celebrating his 17th birthday! Plus, any time we had beef back ribs he got a bone (under supervision) and he still has all his teeth. So you folks out there listen to Ed and do your dogs a favor- get cookin’
Cody,
That is great to hear. I personally think 20+ years is not out of the question for a dog fed a homemade raw dog food.
Can I use a bone meal supplement (e.g. KAL) that provides a 2:1 Calcium to Phosphorus ratio instead of including the egg shells. I’m concerned that there could be too much Calcium. Your opinion would be appreciated.
Ellen,
I would just use the crushed egg shells. The calcium content is fine.
I have a two pound Chihuahua and we struggle with getting her to eat she is so thin and we have her on medicine that makes her hungry, but I am afraid that some where down the line this will not be good for her. Can you help me figure out how much of the recipe I can make for her. I dont want to cook 10 lbs of food and she not like it or eat it so I need to decrease the recipe to meet her needs.
Yvonne,
Try cutting the recipe into 1/4 the amount. Just round up to the nearest whole egg.
2.5 pounds ground meat
5 eggs
1 1/4 cup rice uncooked. (then cook the rice and it will yield 3 to 4 cups cooked rice.
Buy the small dog box of Dinovite, click here to view. Feed one single serve packet per day.
Buy 1 tube of Lickochops and follow serving instructions on the tube. Click here to view Lickochops.
I have three large breed dogs and one small one,Im afraid it will be very expensive to ad the dine o vite to every meal is there a more economical alternative?
Pamela,
I’ve not found one. You could buy a giant breed box and manually divide the correct serving size. This should reduce the cost. The boxes are a 90 day supply.
Hi Ed, I am going to order the Dinovite and was wondering if the powder or the packets were better. Cooking my rice now as we speak.
Thanks, Betty and Buttercup
Betty,
Both versions of Dinovite work well. I personally like the packets.
Everytime I feed my dogs any type of eggs, cooked or otherwise they get sick and throw up profusely. Is there anything I can substitute for the eggs in your recipes?
Nancy,
That is very strange. What kind of dogs are they? I will post a recipe without eggs later.
Aloha,
I’ve recently been researching homemade food recipes after learning of the many dangers of both dry and canned foods. I also learned about some storage issues which are particularly concerning to me as I live on an island.
With this research I’ve found many vets saying that white rice is better while others are adamantly against it and insist on using brown rice. Again, on an island, white rice is the main staple and is often stored in warehouses for long periods of time.
Can you explain the difference for me and why there are two polar ideals about this ingredient?
Alex,
The benefits of brown rice are in the bran and germ of the rice. Both are hard for dogs to digest. Most of the nutrients just pass through their digestive system. White rice is easier for them to digest.
Congratulation on making a very informative and wonderful “meatloaf” video. One of the best videos I’ve seen online. I have a new, 10 week old female doberman and a 4 year old male doberman. My question is, can I feed both of them the cooked meatloaf? Is it too rich for the puppy? How much do I feed each per day?
Thank you for your time and dedication to animals.
Linda
Linda,
Yes, you can feed this dog food to both the puppy and adult. I had a Doberman “Dave” years ago, such a great dog! The puppies size of meal will keep increasing as he grows. Mimic the amount of food you are currently feeding as a starting point. My guess it’s about two cups per day.
I started my dog on the cooked food. Unfortunately, he hasn’t taken to it very well. I have a seven pound toy poodle and I did not feed him for 24 hours prior to starting his new diet. He took to it fine for the first four days but ever since then he has had a very upset system. He is constantly going to the bathroom [runny diarrea, nothing solid]. He wakes me up in the middle of the night sometime two or three times [which is unheard of for him]. I have been stopping home 2-3 times a day during the work day to let him out and each time there is a mess in my living room [again, not common for him, he is very well house broken]. Today, I did not give him the supplements because I thought that was upsetting his system even though I have only been giving him 1/2 tsp. of the Lickochops and one packet of the Dinovite liquid in the morning only.
I am about ready to switch him back to the dry, store bought food that I have been feeding him since he was a puppy [he’s four years old]. He never had any problems before I made the switch. I thought I was doing a good thing for him but now I feel guilty!
Do you have any words of wisdom?
Gwen,
Fast him for a day and then only feed him 1/4 the amount of food and see what happens. Are you following the recipe?
Ed,
Yes, I am following the recipe except I reduced it significantly [I didn’t want to use 10 lbs. of ground beef for a toy poodle]! I used approximately 2.5 lbs. of 80/20 ground beef, 5 eggs and 1.5 cups of rice. I started him out with 1/4 c. of food twice a day and 1/4 tsp. of Lickochops and one packet of Dinovite liquid [in the a.m. feeding only]. I gradually increased him up to 1/2 c. of food twice a d and 1/2 tsp. of Lickochops and one packet of Dinovite liquid [again, a.m. feeding only]. That seems to be when he started with the digestive problems. I continued for a day; no change. I reduced the supplements to a 1/4 tsp. and one packet, respectively; still no change. Today, I finally gave him just 1/2 c. of the food, no supplements. He has had four accidents within my 8 hour work day as well as a runny BM each time he goes outside [which is very frequently but he let’s me know]. Sometimes he just goes out and tries to do something but only a little drip comes out [I apologize for my description]. I am at my wits end. I am not going to feed him anything for the p.m. feeding and then in the morning I will drop him back down to 1/4 cup. I might still skip the supplements tomorrow as well.
I am really at my wits end and am kind of slapping myself for trying to do something good for my pup when I have only create havoc for him 🙁
Gwen,
Don’t beat yourself up about this. You are trying to do what is right for your dog. Believe me a homemade dog food recipe is so much better for all dogs. For some reason your dog’s digestive system is up set. It will settle down. Try increasing the amount of cooked rice. Increasing the rice content will mimic his old kibble and help firm up his stool.
Every once and a while a dog will have a similar reaction to the nutrient rich new dog food but it should pass.
do you have any other recipes?…I use cooked chicken and rice and vegetables..have not been using the supplements but I will from now on…may be why my dogs skin is so itchy? ….I will definatly make the meatloaves, as it will be a nice change from the chicken for them. I have 3 dogs , about medium sized and the homemade dog food goes a long way and only a tad more expensive than the (excuse me) crap canned food we were giving them. thanks for this information. D
does it matter what kind of ground beef i use with this recipe? i know the highest quality would be the best but does it really matter? im kind of a hamburger idiot because i dont eat hamburger, so if i could save a few bucks by buying the cheaper stuff….also, ive only had my dog for a couple of weeks, and hes around 6 or 7 years old, hes a beagle and hes really overweight(about 42lbs or so). i just ordered the supplements, and i was wondering how much food you recommend i feed him per day. id like to get him to lose 10lbs. right now im feeding him dry food, 1 cup in the morning and 1 cup in the evening. he really doesnt seem to like the food im feeding him, which is what the old owners were feeding him so im excited to see how he likes this dog food. any advise you have would be much appreciated.
Autumn,
I feed the cheeper stuff in the recipe and on the video. I would start off with about 1 1/2 cups of dog food and see how he does. Then raise or lower the amount of dog food a little depending on the desired weight loss or gain. Since your beagle is currently on kibble make sure you follow the method for introducing the new dog food. This is presented near the bottom of the recipe. Following the introductory method will reduce the chance of dietary upset.
Thanks for the resources. I have been looking for a way to home-make my 5 year old Min Pin’s food for months. I cook for myself as often as possible and want to share the health benefits of doing so with my dog. Any special recommendations for her breed? Also, she has had a slight ting of blood in her stool about 4 times a year and has been checked by the vet to find a high white blood cell count so I think making her food will help improve her health.
Heather,
Try either the “easy raw dog food recipe”, click here to view or try the “easy cooked dog food recipe”, click here to view. Both dog food recipe are very good.
My older dog is having hip problems what can i add to the easy cooked dog food to help with this?
Thanks for the great website and the videos they have been a great help and my dogs love their new diet!
Julie,
sometimes the omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil and vitamin E can help with inflammation. Try Supromega fish oil supplement it has both, click here to view.
Hi, I was wonder how to switch over for dry to raw or cooked .
Irene
Irene,
An introductory method is outlined in each recipe towards the bottom of the page. Click here to view the “easy cooked dog food recipe” then look down towards the bottom of the page.
Hi Ed;
I really would like to feed my dogs on home cooked meals but I cannot find the supplements you call for ( Dinovite and Lickochops ) in northwest British Columbia or in fact in Canada on the web.Can you suggest any replacement I can get.Thank You.
Respectfully
Robert Addison Sr.
Robert,
The Dinovite supplements are available online. I’ve not used any other supplements so I can’t honestly suggest another.
I have a full blooded pitbull and I’m starting to notice she has not been eatting much and is getting skinny. I’ve been trying different brands of dog food to help her gain weight. I came across this website and I would like to get some advice from you… I think it is a great idea to cook her food instead of store bought dog food. It sounds maore healthy.
Candi,
You are right it is much healthier for a dog to eat a homemade dog food. Give it a try! Click here to view the “easy cooked dog food recipe”.
Finally a website that is not trying to sell me products. I love this website! I have two Westies, brother and sister, 6 years of age. Wonderful healthy dogs with a very loving attitude. I have been feed them chicken (or beef) rice and veggies for the past 4 years. However, I have become concerned that as they are getting older that they may not be getting enough nutrition from these basic ingredients. I was so glad to see your viedo on how to make dog food that I jumped up and down! I will now add the eggs, along with the shells, and additional vitimans and know that I am doing my best for my babbies health so I can enjoy many more years with them. Thanks you very much for the information!
Dear Ed, I recently took my dogs(2 Silkies&aCockapoo) for their checkups and the Vet asked what I feed them. We have been giving them chicken & rice or chopmeat & rice for quite some time. We also give them scrambled eggs in the morning. The vet never asked if we were adding any supplements to the food. Now I know human food only is NOT enough. I take vitamins & supplements so now I know. In your Cooked Dog food what chopmeat mix do you use??
90/10, 80/20?? Luna, Yoshi & Hershee thank you in advance!
Barbara,
Yes, supplements are important. The way our foods are grown sets them up to lack nutrients. I use ground beef in the easy cooked dog food recipe.
Am in the midst of researching home made recipes for our 7 month old Black Lab and 4 year old
Rhodesian Ridgeback rescue. Would lamb be okay? I have access to lamb offal every few months
and could that be offered as treats or put in the food/ cooled or raw? Would the Ridgeback be considered large or giant? He weighs about 77 lbs. The little one is a smaller Lab as was her mother. At 50lbs., would she be large breed for the supplement? Don’t want to waste $$ on the wrong product!
Am quite concerned about recent studies on the amount of arsenic in much rice grown in America! I fear that we have caused the early passing of three lovely dogs by “mis-feeding”. Don’t want to repeat the process!
So glad I found your site!
Sandy,
Lamb is fine to feed your dogs. I would consider them both large as far as size is concerned.
Ed,
My dog will eat the raw diet but it has to be warm, he does not like the food right out of the refrigerator. I take it out of the fridge and stick it in the micro wave for 10 to 15 seconds, but I am unsure if this is ok. Do you have any suggestions or is ok to warm the raw food from the fridge for a 10 to 15 seconds?
Jeanne,
It should be fine just don’t heat the supplements.
We have an overweight almosy 9 yr. female Shelti and a 3 1/2 male Basenji. Our Sheltie has thyroid problems, likes treats, and weighs 46 lbs. 30 is her ideal weight. Our Basenji has some skin allergies and also has gastric issues, common in his breed.
I want to try a recipe that will be good for both breeds and wondered if you had any thoughts on the cocnerns we have with our pets.
Thank you,
Kathy
Kathy,
Try feeding the “yeast starvation dog food recipe” click here to view. This dog food recipe eliminates carbohydrates and often helps dogs shed unneeded fat and is also good for dogs suffering skin issues. Make sure the treats you are feeding are not full of dies, fillers and chemicals. Here is a treat that is just freeze dried beef, click here to view.
I have a Male Great Dane who is 2 years and a half years old. He will not gain weight. I am so worried about him. I have tried every kind of dog food just about for large breeds. He is picky too. I tried bil jac even which is really expensive. I have also bought canned dog food to add with the dried to try to put some weight on him. He just will not gain it. I am so worried. I just don’t know what to do for him. I have found some recipes for dog treats that I am going to try cause he won’t even eat dog treats. He eats his food and table scraps the kids drop ( I have four kids so I am sure it is a lot of scraps) and still no weight gain. Do you think your home made recipes would help him gain the weight he needs to with the vitamin supplements? I want to make sure I give him the right vitamins too. I have read that they need so many to be healthy cause of them growing so fast and being so large. I usually spend around 50 dollars a payday on food for him so if I can make him food from home for about the same cost or under that will help him gain weight I will be so happy. I am so worried. I would appreciate any help you could give me with this. He is about 20 lbs under weight for his age. He weighs only 110 lbs and he should if I read correctly be between 130 and 150.
Thank you,
Khristina
Khristina,
I think the homemade dog food recipes are much more nutritious than kibble. My guess is he will like them better and maybe not be so picky. The supplements contain digestive enzymes and direct fed microbial that will aid his digestion. All in all I think a homemade dog food will benefit his health. To view the easy raw dog food recipe click here. To view the easy cooked dog food recipe click here.
Hi,
I have a 2 month old americain bulldog. I was wondering what would be the best diet to go with for him commercial dog food, raw or cooked? The breeder already has him on a raw diet is that ok? I really want the best for my dog.
Thankx in advance for your help
Myriam
Myriam,
Raw dog food is the best option. Since your breeder is feeding raw it should make the transition easy. Click here to view the easy raw dog food recipe.
hi!
i have an 8 year old border collie mix and he has been having really bad allergies, its year round and has been the same since we moved to a different town. we have changed his food once in the hopes that his scratching would stop, but it did not. he is also gaining a bit of weight. since my dog is having what we believe to be food allergies, i was wondering if home cooked meals would be a good option for him, and if so what recipe and meal plan would you suggest?
Kassi,
Many times the problems you describe can be helped by feeding the “yeast starvation dog food recipe”. This dog food recipe eliminates carbohydrates and is very nutritious. Many dogs do well on this dog food recipe, click here to view.
Ed,
I have recently started feeding my dogs your cooked diet and they absolutely love the food. I do, however, have one dog who dislikes the Dinovite very much. If I mix it in the food, she won’t eat any of it. If I don’t mix it in the food, she cleverly eats around it and leaves the Dinovite in the bottom of the bowl. I know you have said dogs won’t starve themselves but after mixing it in her food for three days and her not eating one bite, I believe I get the hint from her. Honestly, I don’t want to “make” my dog eat something she doesn’t like. I hate liver and if someone made me eat it for every meal, I would think about starving myself. Any ideas? Or do you have another product that would give her the same nutrients?
Thanks,
Marianne
Marianne,
What works best for finicky dogs is to put the Dinovite at the bottom of the bowl and spread it out a little. Then pour the dog food on top and let them eat down to it. Don’t sweat it. Eventually the supplement move into the “food category” in your dog’s brain and he will eat it fine.
Hi! I have a 23 month old St.Bernard/Greater Swiss Mountain dog that has been diagnosed with kidney disease. His BUN/Creatinine(5.9) levels were high. BUN has gone down some at last check but his creatinine went up a tenth of a point. We had a sonogram done and his kidneys are shaped like cauliflower…not sure if genetic or due to infection. Our Vet put him on Hills Science diet K/D, omega 3 oil and pepcid ac. Needless to say he hates the food! So, me being the way I am and not wanting him to starve I add things to his food to get him to eat. All of which I am sure is not good for him! I have talked to the vet and they really gave me nothing! Suggested adding Herbvox (no Sodium) to his food. He wouldn’t touch it! I need help!
Jessica,
You may want to try feeding him the yeast starvation dog food recipe. This recipe has two main ingredients and two supplement. One of the supplements is fish oil that contains omega 3 fatty acids. The raw diet has a high moisture content, 70% and this can help flush kidneys.
A note here for those that might be concerned about bladder stones, etc. I do not know if this will do good on dogs but my wife and kidney stones which the Dr. said would not dissolve. We purchased a bottle of Royale Breakstone and she took them for several weeks and the stones dissolved and xrays proved that the stones were gone. Can anyone determine if these capsules will do good for dogs. They are all natural and come from the Amazon jungle.
Hello! My 18 year old dachsund/beagle has been diagnosed with a large liver mass that is bleeding slowly, and it is not operable. We’re not sure what it is but it is probably a cancer. I am wanting to start him on a homemade food that won’t “feed” the cancer, so do you feel that your cooked recipe would be a good one for him? I am giving him a liver supplement and a Chinese herbal capsule that is supposed to help with bleeding, and have switched to Iams Healthy Naturals dry food (I really can’t afford one of the super expensive dry foods). Thanks so much for your help and your devotion to our furry loved ones!!
Kathy,
Ultimately, the easy raw dog food recipe will be the easiest for your dog to digest. That said, if he’s eaten kibble his whole life you may want to start off feeding the easy cooked dog food recipe.
Thank you!
Ed, My 3 dogs all have gained anywhere from 1 to 2 lbs in the past year. I usually feed them some in the morning and evening.What should be the servings amounts for each meal? How much of the nutrients should be added each time? I want to make sure I do this correctly. I would like them all to lose several lbs.
My female silky is 4yrs old and 14lbs(she is very small in size compared to my male silky)the male is 5 yrs old and 19lbs and my cockapoo is 3 yrs old and 23lbs. The Vet did comment on their weight gain and I really want them to stay healthy and not develop other issues because they are overweight.
Thank you.
Barbara,
The best recipe to help dogs lose excess fat is the yeast starvation dog food recipe. This recipe eliminates the carbohydrates and this helps dogs lose fat. If they were my dogs I would feed them 1 cup per day. I feed my dogs once per day but dividing the portion into two servings is fine.
My dog is diabetic and has recently had a serious diabetic episode where h er sugar went out of control and we almost lost her. Now that she is home again she is refusing to eat her diabetic/reduction dog food. She has to eat to get her insulin and its been a struggle to get her to eat enough to get the injection. we’ve added things to it but she still won’t eat it. The vet did suggest Chicken, rice, and veggies which I haven’t done yet and want to use your recipe for cooked food. Any other suggestions for a diabetic dog
Sue,
I’m sorry I’ve never had a diabetic dog. My understanding is that rice does not spike their glycemic index. If this is true, then the easy cooked dog food recipe should be ok. You could cut the rice portion in half. Click here to view the easy cooked dog food recipe.
Great recipe seems really easy to make!
I have a 8yr.old shorthair pointer/retriever mix who has been recently diagnosed with canine addisons disease&while we started with some raw foods for hersevere anemia she is only takibg her food cooked now,my question is what types of raw veggies&fruits r best to feed her? Her adrenal glands are totally shot&she needs injections of petcortin v every21days
Angela,
dogs just don’t digest veggies very well because they are carnivores. Why have you stopped the raw?
Hi Ed,
I have a 14 year old cocker spaniel, who is the love of my life. He has been battling yeast infections pretty well all his life. Lately, I’ve noticed him going downhill. I started a vinegar and water cleansing of his ears a month ago but as soon as I stop, the infections returns. Also, hate to do it as he shakes like crazy as soon as he sees the cup I put the vinegar in. Lately, he’s refusing to eat his food and only wants human food, his favourite is watermelon.
I would like to try your starve the yeast diet but worried that this change might be too much for him. I’ve noted your advice about how to start this but just want confirmation that he will be okay started on this diet after being on a lamb and rice diet all his life. Thank you so much.
Samira,
It sounds like he is going down hill. What will the end result be if you do nothing? If you try the yeast starvation dog food recipe he may get worse initially. As time goes on he should get better.
we used to do this for the winter for the dogs i had over 6 of them we would fix 5lb bag of rice and then do the eggs then add the mean sometime it was d eer meat
I like your easy cooked recipe but I prefer to feed my dog’s chicken, and have previously fed my dog my own form of home made dog food, but I didn’t really know if it was completely meeting her nutritional needs. The raw chicken does not come de-boned and ground so it was more work than buying ground beef. I boiled the chicken until it was falling off the bone, let it cool and then de-boned it. Then I mixed it with cooked white rice and formed it into Sausage size rolls in plastic bags and froze it. I did not use any eggs. If I followed the same procedure but added hardboiled eggs, processed with shell and all to the mixture, and then the supplements at feeding time, would that be pretty equivalent?
Janet,
Yes, it sounds close.
I wish I could find these supplements in Canada. It would cost $60 for me to have them shipped to Toronto:(
Hello
My dog is allergic to yeast. Do you kn ow of a supplement I can add to my homemade dog food that does not contain yeast?
Thx!
Megan,
Do you know what form of yeast?
Hi Ed and thank you for this great website. I now have had my 8 1/2 y.o. Shih Tzu, Moki on the Yeast Starvation Diet for one month. It has been amazing. Her ears and belly are clean and no longer red and irritated AND no paw licking. So far, there is very little dermatitis on her back and her coat looks very healthy. I have a question about her eliminations. Very irregular. She started with loose stool, which I expected, but now goes very little. Sometimes 2 – 3 days without going at all. When she does go, it is small and dry. Should I be concerned? She looks and acts fine.
Elly,
She’s fine. It shows how there is no “filler” in this dog food. Her body is using most of it.
I have two yorkshire terriers, both are around 5 pounds. I’d like to start them on a natural diet because my family is moving to Africa soon. We should have most of the ingredients you used available to us, but not the supplements or beef. We’ll have chicken or fish and the rice, eggs, or even veggies will be easily available to us. What would you suggest for replacing the beef? And is there any other options for the supplements?
JW,
I would replace the beef with chicken or another available red meat. I would try to find a supplement when you get to Africa. Good luck! Sounds like an adventure.
I Have a 5yr old, 175lb English Mastiff that suffers from Epilepsy, I want to change his diet as he is on name brand kibble, constantly licking his paws, etc.. which I am attributing to his diet. What type/recipe do you suggest that would help with both of these problems. Also he is very picky not liking crunchy or hard food, we have made his kibble soft by adding water. But I just know that the “Regular” kibble dog food is just full of things that I do not want to feed him!! Please help.. Thank you, AJ – Grand Junction, Co
AJ,
Paw licking is a sign of a yeast infection. If he has a yeast infection I recommend starting off with the yeast starvation dog food recipe, click here to view this dog food recipe. Keep in mind that sometimes the symptoms can get worse before they get better.
I would like to learn how to make home made dog food that is healthy
Linda,
then you have come to the right place. Try starting off with the easy cooked dog food recipe. This dog food recipe is tasty and nutritious.
Can you make your recipes printer friendly?
Patti,
Yes I will work on it.
Hi Ed,
I actually just posted a question and am waiting reply but I already came up with another question! I saw a post that asked about using dry food for travel and you reccomended against it and suggesteed taking frozen food to feed on the trip…I however, don’t have this option as when I “travel ” with my dog- it is usually on a 1-3 week backpacking trip where we don’t have the luxery of any type of refridgeration. For ourselves, I dehydrate our food and rehydrate it when we get to our camp for the night…would you reccomend doing this for our dog? I suppose it would be virtually the same as what we do!
Kara,
Dehydrating your dog’s food seems like it will work.
I have a13 month old Irish Setter thta is extremely underweight. He unfortunately has many allergies. He is as for food , allergic to eggs, catfish, duck, pork, milk, rice and potato. I have tried about every kibble, top line brands, cans, and he’s been on bravo raw and vital essential raw. He see’s a hollistic vet weekly. He also has sever colitis so he does not tolerate fats or chiken skins or any fat on beef. He is and has been on many hollistic and my regular vet has him on several meds. Can you come up with a recipe for me?
Thank,
RA
RA,
No, if he is actually allergic to everything you mention and can’t “tolerate” fats he is in bad shape and can’t live any long life. I’m sorry to say his condition will worsen as time goes on. What is the underling cause of his “allergies” I would address that, fix it, then proceed with a raw diet.
Hello,
Can you add the Dinovite and Supromega to the cooked food before freezing?
Nicole,
Yes, that is fine.
Ed
I have a Cocker Spaniel with Allergies.
Rice,Lamb,Soybean,Egg,Chicken, ar the top and Molds Penicillium,Alternaria,Aspergillus,
Mucor,Short Ragweed,Plantain,Sage,Lambs Quarter,Willow, Elm, Maple and more.
THanks Michele
Yes very informative info here…….
However you must be aware of the hormones or antibiotics in meats you buy.
Do you buy certified organic meats for your dogs ?
Frank,
I personally don’t worry about it. We do raise our own chickens and the dogs get to eat them. Remember, kibble uses meat ingredients not fit for human consumption.
My vet is totally against homemade food, I have a two babies, both 2years old a Chihauha and a Shih Poo, I have started them on your recipes also I stir fry lamb, ground turkey or chicken breast and add the rice and green beans or peas or carrots. Is this ok I also have had my husband grill chicken breast for them, is this ok. When I first started stir frying the meat and adding the rice and veggies, they started to scratch and the Chihauha began to lick her paws, and they are shedding.
the Shih Poo would never shed. I called the vet and purchased a multi vitamin, but then I saw your website and purchased the dyno and the lico which then will eat the lico but are struggling with the dyno. But they are not scratching as much.
The vet says they must have carotene, or they may die, can’t they get that from the carrots. help!!!
Brenda,
The Dinovite Liquid has beta carotene in it from the alfalfa nutrient concentrate. Your dogs should do great on the homemade dog food recipe.
CHICKEN/POULTRY
can my little dogs have poultry or fish/tuna.
I was thinking of baking chicken or using leftover chicken from our meals, mxing with rice, and
carrots cooked. Can I add olive oil? what about some natural sources for Omega fatty accids?
Thank you!
NOTE: You should go into business and sell your product as a frozen dog food, I’ve seen in safeway a freezer for dog foods although small.
Hi Ed,
I have a question that you can hopefully shed some light on. I have the understanding that the recommendation is for dogs be fed a grain free diet. If we feed our pups this diet, whether it be raw or cooked, isn’t that a lot of grains for them to consume on a regular basis? The other question I have is about the rice being white instead of brown. Brown rice is superior to white rice when it comes to minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals, and it often does not generate as large an increase in blood sugar levels after a meal in humans. I know they have a shorter digestive tract so I am assuming the answer has to do with that in some way but I haven’t been able to come up with an answer on my own.
oh yeah… and thank you so much for all the info you have already provided on your site
Victoria,
Dogs do very well on grain free dog food but it can be cost prohibitive for some. So one of the best grains for dogs is white rice. Dogs digest it well. Brown rice is great for people but a dog’s short digestive tract does not efficiently digest it. So most of the nutritional benefit passes through.
Thank you Ed
I have been using your cooked recipe fo r my two Lhasa Apsos for about a month now. Both dogs really love it. I have used chicken and hamburger, my question is can I use liver or beef kidneys? And how would you suggest I cook it? I was thinking of using my slow cooker. I think your web site has some great information. Thanks so much!!
Jeannine,
Yes, both are fine and so is the slow cooker. Save all the juices and ad it all together.
I have a 10 yr old Schipperke with lifelong ear problems. Vet says it is caused by some kind of allergies. His ears (sometimes just one of them) is very itchy and gross gunk inside, which I can hear sloshing around sometimes. I use ear drops to treat the problem, but that doesn’t seem to help anymore and it is never-ending. I know it bothers him and is probably so uncomfortable. Now he has a new problem…his eyes have a lot of discharge all the time. I clean the goo out several times a day. Noticed lately that the skin around his eye may be peeling. When I clean the eye goo chunks of the skin comes off, it is very dry and hard. I notice a little red on the tissue too. Do you think that is blood? Not sure what to do to help him. Tried benedryl and no change. Both our dogs eat dry food only. Now I am learning so much from your website and I want to do the homemade food for my babies (dogs, I just love them so much). So what are your suggestions?
Brenda,
It is hard for me to say but I always think it is best to feed healthy food to a dog. Often dogs overall health will improve just by them eating healthy. I suggest starting your dogs off on the easy cooked dog food recipe. Your dogs will love it and it is very nutritious.
I am so happy to have found this site and I am looking forward to starting this process. 2 questions …
My 21 lb westie is diabetic and receives 2 insulin shots daily. Is the ‘easy cooked recipe’ a sound option for a diabetic pooch? I am a little concerned about the complex carb nature of the rice. You do mention the dogs digestive tract differs from ours and was wondering if you could comment on that, in others words… do dogs convert complex carbs like we do (does it become sugar)??
My other (22 lb) westie is itchy scratchy, I am testing to determine whether it is food based or environmental At this point… all signs are pointing to environmental, any comments about changing her diet?
Thank you..
Holly,
I’ve never owned a diabetic dog so I’m not sure. I know rice does not spike the glycemic index but I’m not sure how much to feed. You may be better off feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe.
I have a 7 year old poodle who has always been a picky eater. I made your recipe and after 24 hours I fed it to her and she loved it. Now 4 days later she has quit eating it and is throwing up all over the place and acts like she feels bad. What should I do because I do not want to give her anything else. Also, her gums are dark red. Please advise.
Becky,
Did you follow the introductory method outlined in the recipe? Can you tell me exactly what you fed?
Ed, after reading and rereading your recipe and feeding guide lines, I am still a little unsure of a few things: your ingredients list one tube of LickOChops but no where does it say how much to use or when to add it. The feeding guide lines say to add one packet of DinOVite (dog size specific) but again no mention of the LickOChops. Also, can fruits and vegetables be added to the meat mixture and if so which are best? I am seriously considering starting my 9 year old hound/pointer cross on your cooked diet as he recently starting turning away his kibble, and has lost significant weight. My vet has run tests and came back with liver and urine counts being off but no real diagnosis. He has been gobbling up the bland diet (boiled hamburger and white rice) she recomended like it is the best stuff ever so I am hoping your recipe will be as well liked.
Jeanna,
You can mix a whole tube of Lickochops to the recipe and mix it in or ad 1 to 2 teaspoons per cup of dog food as you feed.
Where am I supposed to get Lickochops? and is there anything I can add instead of Lickochops ?
You can buy it directly from dinovite.com or click here and it will take you directly to the product page on dinovite.com. I’ve not seen any dog supplements like lickochops.
I have an 8 year old rescue greyhound. I have her on a low protein diet due to her age. She is very healthy I feed her Royal Canin Adult and I mix steamed vegetables and organic pumkin with meals, but I am seriously considering cooking for her what do you reccomend as far as low protein diets and older dogs. I hate to mess up her kidneys with the ground beef. Also the dinovite liquid is this 1 packet with each meal or 1 packet a day.
Wanda,
The Dinovite serving is one packet per day. The ground meat recipes should be fine. Recent studies suggest that the high moisture content is more crucial to kidney health then low protein.
wondering what might be good proportions to create a renal diet. My 12 year old Dobie has just had an episode of acute renal failure. He’s had 48 hours of iv fluids and antibiotics and his kidney function improved. He’s home now and once we can get him to eat…. anything… at this point, we will need to feed him a renal diet. I just paid $70+ dollars for a 35 pound bag to get him started but surely I could make something more reasonably priced than that. So, I’m asking for economical reasons really, as well as health. If he doesn’t start eating something soon it may be irrelevant. 🙁
Linda,
I think fresh raw homemade dog food would be best. Try and keep the water content high.
Hello Ed, Amazing site.. My Bostons are 4 and 5 years old.. For the past 5 years all i have been feeding them is: cooked white or brown rice along with GREENBeans OR peas/carrots, and I pick 1 type of meat (lean beef, or chicken thighs, or ground turkey).. The get chicken jerky that i make and 2% Low fat REAL american cheese daily.. I have given them NO supplements in 5 years.. The VET is very happy with their teeth, skin, etc, etc.. however I agree with everything u say about white rice, raw food, calicum etc… I feel very guilty i did not research this earilier..
anyways i feel be following your receips. HOWEVER can you post nutirients needed tocomplete homemade food? I am still untrustworthy of supplement companies unless i can buy human grade SUPPLEMENTS..
Thanks
Don
Don,
The supplements I recommend are whole food supplements not synthetic. Nothing to worry about.
Hello,
This mix is very much like what I cook for my VERY allergic Bichon. He also must eat low Oxalate foods because he has already had 2 surgeries to remove bladder stones. One difference is that I feed him barley as an alternative to white rice. BUT, he cannot have anything with chicken of any sort…he’s highly allergic. So, what other supplements could I give him?
Sincerely,
Raphaela Deming
Raphaela,
You can use the Dinovite powder it does not contain chicken and the Supromega fish oil. Both products are very good and can be purchased at dinovite.com.
My 17 year old Jack Russell just had a bout of pancreatitis. Vet started him on WD GI diet. He will not eat it, dry or canned. I made a batch of your cooked dog food minus the supplmental oil and he ate it like he’d never eaten in his life. I need to add the supplements but am unsure of what to add. Should I use the SuprOmega Fish Oil AND Dinovite or just the fish oil?
Michelle,
Yes feed both but start off with just the fish oil then slowly add the Dinovite Liquid. Use the small dog size because the serving is pretty small.
Addedndum to the previous question. I we have switched to yeast starvation diet. But the question of yogurt remains?
Terry,
I would stay away from yogurt because of the sugars. The supplements contain the probiotics and actually contains Lactobacillus acidopholis. The same bacteria in yogurt plus 4 more.
Thanks Ed, for getting back to me.
I have order his supplements but would not endure another meal of yeast-feeding. I put him on yeast starvation 7/15 the result was amazing. On regular dog food he needed distractions, chew toys, Benadryl several times a day, especially after meals. Immediately after his first all protein meal he stopped his painful itching. For the first time since I adopted him he remains drug and itch free.
My comfy sleeping dog and I thank you,
Terry
I have always thought milk is for suckling babies, very unnatural for adult mammals. Thoughts.
Terry,
The pasteurized milk we all buy has denatured elements that make it hard for our bodies to digest and causes other problems. Whole un pasteurized milk, if you can get it is great. My wife says it never goes bad it just turns into something different:) This is how they get whey, make cheese and other great stuff.
Thank you Ed ,
Today Jasper is off yeast starvation and on to a little rice in each meal. I think he likes it as much as meat for now. He no longer needs meds for comfort or healing.
My stinky, itchy, achy dog is gone, he has been rebuilt from the gut out. He is a bit more trouble to keep up with. He’s now a fiercely protective watch dog, a lets play fetch dog. A happy healthy dog. Heading for a good long life.
In truth watching his recovery makes me think twice about everything I eat as well, Causing me to lose a few unneeded pounds
Thanks for all you’ve done to help us along the way.
Terry and Jasper
All good news! You are welcome.
Hi – I am excited to try your recipe. My chihuhua is extremely fincke. I have tried every brand of dog food! Anyway, I have been making her a concoction of chicken, rice and veggies but have been worried that she is not getting all the nutrients she needs so thank you for the information. My only question is can I put the supplements on warm food? On the video you mention waiting until it is cooled but my Gracie does not really like cold food so I usually warm it up just a bit in the micro before serving. (I know – she is terribly spoiled!) Will it cause problems to have the food a little warm when I add the supplements?
Stacey,
Warm is ok try to keep it under 100 degree F.
Hi again Ed,
I started my little shih tzu/lhasa mix (he is approx 1 1/2 yrs old–rescue dog) on the yeast starvation diet recipe on June 6–so almost 2 wks ago. I followed your recommendations exactly and fasted him for 24 hours, etc. I add the supplements you recommended. He gets filtered water only. He seemed to be adjusting fine as far as I could tell by his stools. But then the last week he has had loose stools—he has only had one throw up and it was very minor yellow stomach juices. What do you recommend I do? —he LOVES the food & licks his bowl clean every time! He has seemed more ‘itchy’ but you said that could be expected as they may get worse at first. By main concern is the stools. Thank you for your help.
Penny
Penny,
The yellow vomit stomach juices, just means his stomach was empty. It sounds like he’s digesting his food nice and quick. Sometimes dog’s stool can be loose or a little hard as they adjust. Everything sounds fine.
When using the dinovite and the lickochops do I still give fish oil capsules also I give a glucosamine supplement daily is this still safe to use. I do not want to over supplement.
Wanda,
You probably don’t need to give the fish oil caps but the added fish oil won’t hurt anything and may even help. Glucosamine is fine.
Sorry about this question you say in the web site that these supplements should not be heated because they may alter the ingredients. What happens with shipping I just received my package today and the contents were really hot the dinovite and the lickochops all turned to liquid is this going to be problem does this mean that I need to pay extra for overnight delivery.
Wanda,
They should be fine. They would have to get to 140 F to destroy the active cultures.
I am interested in switching my dogs over to homemade food, but i was wondering if the dinovite and lick0chops can be substituted for another form of those vitamins or if it has to be those exact ones?
Thank you!
Taylor,
There are no supplements like either Lickochops or Dinovite on the market.
What is the best way to store Lickochops room temp or refrigerator.
Wanda,
It’s best to store the Lickochops you are serving at room temperature. If you buy a bunch you can store it in the refrigerator but it will turn into the consistency of margarine while it is cold.
Thank you for this awesome recipe! Do you happen to know what the 10 to 20 extra ingredients would be if I didn’t want to use the supplements?
Robert,
Sure:
Menhaden oil -Highly digestible source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Omega 3’s help with inflammation and help skin be healthy
Chicken fat- Highly digestible source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids. Omega 6’s help skin and coat be healthy.
Spray-dried chicken liver- Highly digestible amino acids and B vitamins
Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)- A super source of highly digestible amino acids and B complex vitamins
Dried kelp- Natural source of iodine and many trace minerals
Fructooligosaccharide- A complex sugar that is a prebiotic. Fructooligosaccharide passes through the stomach then small intestine undigested. As it enters the large intestine it is available as food for the beneficial bacteria that live in the large intestine. The beneficial bacterial cultures can thus thrive and start to starve out the pathogenic yeast (Candida albicans) that cause yeast infections. *An important note: the yeast we put into our products is not the same species that causes yeast infections.
Zinc methionine complex- A highly digestible form of zinc. Zinc methionine is a zinc atom bound to a methionine amino acid molecule. Body cells love methionine so they readily absorb it and the zinc atom goes along for the ride. Zinc is an antioxidant mineral, essential for many vital enzymatic processes. Zinc is needed for a healthy reproductive and immune system, for tissue renewal, maintenance of the skin and for healthy bones and teeth. Zinc helps maintain the function of the liver and the release of vitamin A. Zinc is required for the development of the skeletal system, nervous system and for brain function. Methionine is an amino acid with antioxidant activity which assists detoxification. Methionine aids the metabolism of Omega-3 essential fatty acids.
Alfalfa nutrient concentrate-Take everything good about alfalfa and condense it, like one giant super vegetable!
Active dry yeast (Saccharomyces boulardii)- A direct fed microbial that has been shown to maintain and restore the natural flora in the large and small intestine. Helps with diarrhea.
Vitamin E supplement (natural source vitamin E)-Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant. Antioxidants protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, which are molecules that contain an unshared electron. Free radicals are harmful and damage cells. Vitamin E is also involved in immune function and, as shown primarily by in vitro studies of cells, cell signaling, regulation of gene expression, and other metabolic processes. Good stuff!
Aspergillus oryzae fermentation product dehydrated- Direct fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Aspergillus niger fermentation product dehydratedDirect fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product dehydrated-Direct fed microbial that help boost immune system, support healthy digestive tract and may help to control the growth of the yeast (Candida albicans).
Lactobacillus casei fermentation product dehydrated- Direct fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Bifidobacterium thermophilum fermentation product dehydrated- Direct fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Enterococcus faecium fermentation product dehydratedDirect fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Good Lord! I see your point. She’s on the recipe and the supplements, and seems to be doing great!
is it ok to use chicken instead of ground mean (beef)
Janel,
Yes chicken is fine.
Ed
is it ok to use bioled chicken instead of ground beef???
Janel,
If you must cook the chicken bake it, save the drippings and add them to the recipe.
Do you have a special homemade diet for diabetic dogs?
We do one know that is half home made, half commercial.
I have a 18 lb diabetic, 14 year old Silky terrier
Meri,
No, I don’t at this time but I would think that the yeast starvation dog food recipe might wok.
I just found your site and I am so happy to finally get this question answered… How much homemade food do I feed my dog? I have an 11 month old Chocolate Lab. After reading Pet Food Nation last year when we got Chessie, I went to homemade food. I love making food for my dog but now that she’s almost an adult I don’t want to overfeed her. She is 69 lbs and seems to be about 4-5 lbs too heavy. Each day, I usually feed her one whole can of salmon (14 oz) with bones or a similar amount of meat (ground, offal or well chopped roast chicken) I also give her a little oatmeal or potatoes or rice. I give her about 1/2 cup well steamed veggies, really well chopped up and usually a mashed banana or berries or apple. For treats, I give her smoked pig ears or raw bones from a grass fed cow and commercially made dog bones. I have made her cooked eggs (for protein) and I sprinkle pulverized egg shells on her food. If this too much? It fills up her bowl nicely and she gobbles it right down. She loves my cookin’ :o)
Lise,
If you are planning on feeding one of the easy dog food recipes on this site then I would start off with two to three cups of dog food per day. If she starts to lose weight and this is undesirable then increase the portion a little.
On the cooked recipe when do you add the LickOchops?
For the raw food recipe can you use ground turkey or is the ground beef better??
Shirley,
I squirt the lickochops on when I serve.
I think ground beef is better than turkey.
I started the diet for my greyhound it has been about 1 week all has been going really well. She is not drinking any water out of her bowl for about 2 days now. I mix about 3/4 to 1 cup water with the meals since I add cooked vegetables but I worry that she is not interested in water. she is getting 2 meals day. so she gets a total of about 1 3/4 cups water daily is this enough?
Wanda,
The reduced water intake is due to all the moisture in the homemade dog food recipe. Everything sounds fine.
Is the Dinovite powder ok to use?
Yes, the dinovite powder was my first supplement I developed and used on my dogs while feeding a raw meat based dog food.
I have 3 dogs. 2 are half boxer and half bulldog. One was diagnosed with hip dysplasia at 1 yr. old. She takes a supplement called dasuqin. We also have a pug that is a little chubby at 25 lbs. Would the cooked food recipe work for all 3 and would it be a good choice for our girl on dasuquin? All 3 are currently eating hills prescription healthy joint dogfood.
Jessica,
Yes, they should all be fine. Check into supplementing vitamin C for your dog with hip dysplasia. A veterinarian did a study and found it to be linked with a Vitamin C deficiency. If you search the internet you can probably read the study for yourself.
Im not a person who believes in “absolutism” and I’ve heard all the reasons why some feel that dogs are adapted to raw food, having survived up until 10,000 years ago prior to domestication. Please consider this: Prehistoric man also ate raw prior to the invention of fire and dogs will never invent fire. Does this mean that prehistoric man should go back to eating raw? Of course not! Being a veterinarian, and having professional training and knowledge about what’s healthy going through the intestinal tract of a dog, I am skeptical that raw is “best” for dogs. Having said that, I have not seen an overwhelming volume of problems related to feeding raw diets, and have seen some success cases. And Im not altogether a fan of what goes into commercial dog foods either. I AM a fan of human grade foods, used in specific balanced recipes, that are cooked to kill pathogens that one day, I predict, will arise in dogs when particular batches become tainted. I DONT believe all this nonsense about cooking “killing enzymes” that are important for digestion in foods. All the enzymes a dogs body needs for digestion are in the saliva, the stomach, intestine and pancreas.
Andrew Kaplan, DVM
Andrew,
I think the best place to start is to compare herbivore, omnivore and carnivore digestive systems. A dog’s (carnivore) digestive system is approximately 4 times the dog’s body length. A human’s (omnivore) is 10 times our body length. A sheep (herbivore) is 20 times it’s body length. Each is specifically designed to digest their optimum diet. Plants are the toughest to digest therefore the longer digestive system of a herbivore. I know this is over simplified. Then look at dentition. A dog’s front teeth are designed the to tear and the molars to crush bone. A dog’s stomach acid is very powerful and able to handle bacteria on the food it consumes.
Once a dog has been a fed raw meat based dog food for a while his body will become stronger as his system adjusts. My dogs can eat whole chickens feathers and all without the slightest problem. We raise some chickens on our farm. They pluck some of the feathers then eat the whole chicken. Their stools are small and there has never been one incident.
It is important to understand that many dogs have been fed these highly processed grain based dog foods for a long time and this compromises their entire system. Stomach muscle will be thinner. Digest enzyme levels will be set to digest grains not meat. Basically their entire system will have been rearranged to digest grains. I think this is why some of these dogs will struggle with food born bacteria and even bones.
Dogs fed raw meat based dog food don’t experience these problems. Honestly, the best way to become a “believer” is to take the plunge and feed raw for a full year. Take a few dogs and try it out. I ran a breeding kennel of 40 plus dogs on a raw meat based dog food recipe for years. The results were amazing!
Now, I realize that many people can’t bring themselves to feeding raw because of the germs so this is why I do also present cooked dog food recipes. Cooking does destroy many delicate nutrients an example is taurine. Cooking typically destroys 50% of taurine. That said, a homemade cooked dog food recipe is still light years ahead of a kibble. Pathogens are everywhere and neither we or our dogs can live in a bubble. There is always going to be the chance of us ingesting a bad germ. Our best defense is a strong immune system.
Let’s also remember, I think when we talk about “historic” food items and eating habits, we must understand, not even a hundred years ago, you could safely eat all sorts of things, that you cannot today, simply because they’ve become this wildly recreated, medicated, genetically mutated “stuff” that God probably wouldn’t even consider an animal anymore?
My grandfather and wife would routinely eat, slightly cooked or even raw chicken and turkey, fresh out of their hatchery. But again, as gross as that sounds, the reason it’s gross/dangerous today has little to do with what’s in a real, pure “original” animal, which, there is doubtfully any in existence now. After we moved to our farm, and now grow all our own food, even our own kids cannot believe the difference, between say, the steaks we ate from inner city stores, to what they’re now addicted to? They get no medications, no “fattening” schemes with unnatural grains, and they eat nothing but grass, year round.
Comparing the two is impossible, there truly is no comparison.
I used to feed my dog raw food. I’m still convinced it is indeed the best for him. But what about the humans he lives with? I used to give my dog raw eggs and raw bones, as per my holistic vet’s recommendation. But I would watch him get his paws, really, half his upper front legs (as he holds the bone) and of course, his muzzle all over that raw meat. Raw eggs, which I would give him in the back yard, still got all over his muzzle. It was a lot of work to soap and wash these parts of my dog in the summer – and in winter in Massachusetts, it was impossible. Just couldn’t stop worrying about him bringing all that bacteria into the house, especially as I have kids. Any thoughts on this?
And by the way, for the cooked diet, is it okay to replace sweet potatoes for the rice? Whenever my dog has rice, he begins to bite himself. And are there any special supplements I should be adding for my 50 pound labradoodle who is seven?
Pat,
The bacteria in raw dog food can be a concern for people depending on their immune system. I personally don’t worry about it but I’m sure I come into contact with a wide variety of bacteria living and working on a farm. Yes, you can substitute sweet potatoes for the rice or eliminate it all together.
As far as supplements go I like the Dinovite supplements. Admittedly, I’m biased because I developed them in an effort to keep my dogs healthy and round out their dog food nutritional content.
hi ed
i read and watched youtube but i am deaf i am confused. my little chihuahua is about 1 year and 6 month. she is getting sick she can’t stop throwing up i took her to go vet and found her throat and took her out of foods and also her stomach & poop. and she refused to eat any dog food only small of piece dog food and also ate pup-peroni she keeps asking more. i try to make homemade but i dont know how. because youtube doesnt subtitles. i need ur help. which i should homemade from raw or cooked i cant tell how to start. please inform me more about this or reccommed.
thank u
Claudia,
There is a printed version of the easy cooked dog food recipe, click here to view. I hope this helps.
Where do I get Dinovite? Does Petsmart have these type things?? My dog has Cushings and I am very worried.
Janet,
The supplements are available at dinovite.com.
Fed the raw dogfood with the supplements for about a month and my dog stopped eating. She was showing signs of being sick….would not eat treats, babyfood or anything. She started eating grass and vomiting. She had gurgling sounds from her tummy and proceeded to produce the most awful gas you ever smelled. Took her to the vet and the diagnosis was gastrointestinal bacterial infection. She had 2 antibiotic injections and Cerenia for the vomiting. We are giving 2 different antibiotic tablets for 14 days. She has difintely improved in just a couple days but now am worried that the raw food caused the problem. Help me.
BJ,
I doubt that it is the food. She could of picked up a bug somewhere. If you are concerned then feed her the easy cooked dog food recipe.
I have a 6 year old golden retriever who I cook for every 2 weeks. She would eat all day long if I would let her. She gets 1 1/2 cups of science diet lite kibble in the morning, and for dinner I cook 1 cup of ground turkey, 3/4 cup of brown rice and a hearty cup of mixed frozen vegetables. She loves it and lost the 8 lbs the vet said she needed to. She has been steady at 67 lbs for about 1 year now. ( he said to keep her under 70lbs)She gets homemade treats everyday also of s dehydrated weet potato, dehydrated chicken, and also fresh apples.
Im concerned if she is getting the vitamins she needs. Should I be adding some. Oh, I also mix some canned pumpkin to her food when I have it on hand.
Joanne,
I think it is a good idea to add some supplements. Try either the Dinovite Liquid or the Dinovite powder both have a lot of great nutrients. Then add some Lickochops for additional omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids.
maybe someone can help me on this, but i’ve started feeding my 7 month old chinese shar-pei the raw homemade diet from dinovite along with all the necessary supplements about 2 months now. at first, she devoured it and loved it. after about a month on it, she no longer seems as excited and actually, seems quite bored of the food. sometimes, she’ll go all day eating less than half of her daily intake. she has gone to the vet during these times and she is happy and healthy, full of life and energy. nothing is out of the ordinary. she just doesn’t seem to like the food anymore. i’ve even caught her once trying to steal some of the kibble of my roommate’s husky but the bowl is now in a separate area that she cannot reach anymore.
i guess my question is, is it possible that a dog can get bored or tired of the raw diet and actually prefer cooked or even kibble food? i found that she looks and seems great on the raw diet (less shedding, hair growing back in some spots where scarring balded, stools are smaller, etc) so she seems to be benefiting from all the good benefits of the raw diet but i’m scared that she’ll end up eating less and less and eventually not care for it at all. as much as i want her to be on raw, it looks like i may have to try the cooked alternative… what do you think?
Anna,
I would not change. It sounds like everything is fine. The recipes are highly nutritious. She is probably eating all she needs and her body has adjusted. Don’t sweat it.
I’m looking for recipe’s that specially support dogs with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I have a four year old British Cocker Spaniel that has IBS. I’m currently feeding him cooked chicken (white meat), rice and green beans. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Tobyn,
Usually IBS is caused by the junk in kibble.
Is it still healthy to cook the meat for the dog? I like that idea better because I am afraid to feed raw.
Stacey,
Yes it is. Cooking does change it and cause some nutritional loss but it is far superior to kibble.
Hi Ed- 1 question: your feeding instructions indicate the daily amount of dog food based on the dog’s weight + 1 Dynovite package daily, but I don’t see where the LickOChops comes into play. How do you recommend using that, just follow the product instructions?
Thanks
Jim,
Lickochops serving size is 1-2 teaspoons per cup of dog food. This will also be on the tube if you forget.
I have a 4 year old lab with chronic ear problems. She also licks her paws continously. We have tried a number of remedies such as zd formula from Science diet, ottomax, prednisone, and bnt (a thick yellow substance to go in the ear). My new vet suggested we move to a homemade food diet. I know you’ll suggest the raw stuff, but as far as the cooked recipe goes is there anything else we should be trying?
Danielle,
It sounds like you are dealing with a yeast infection. I would recommend feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe. This recipe eliminates carbohydrates that feed the yeast. The yeast then overtime die back to normal levels. Use the supplements on that page and follow the recipe. Watch the video it is helpful. Also keep in mind this can take some time and your dog’s symptoms can get worse before they get better.
Hi Ed, I have a 6 year old American cocker who is incredibly gassy…that’s how I found your website this morning. The gassyness is new–just this week–and he is just recovering from being sick (gastrointestinal something) last week. But here is my question, I have had him about one year now and he has ALWAYS had terrible body odor. Actually, I can’t tell if it’s body odor or bad breath…. He is a totally loveable and affectionate dog–but man, he smells!!! I was reading through all the questions and answers here and I was wondering if I should put him on the yeast starvation diet? Do you think that may help his body odor problem. I am definitely considering the raw food diet just for general good health. Also, is it possible to start him on one food (yeast starvation) and then gradually switch him over to the raw food?
Thanks!!! So glad I found this site!! (Oh, I did order the Dinovite individual packets and the LickOchops already….).
It does sound like yeast. Does he smell a little like Fritos? Check his teeth also because if they are bad he will need the teeth addressed. The yeast starvation dog food recipe is a good place to start.
I ordered the Lickochops… can I use that instead of the omega 3 supplement in the yeast starvation recipe??
You can use it but I prefer to use the fish oil for that recipe. The additional fish oil seems to help the process. That said, Lickochops contains fish oil.
Hello Ed,
I started my 6yr. old cocker spaniel and 11 yr. old Golden ret/bichon mix on the raw(sometimes cooked) diet. At first the 11yr. ate it but now will only eat 1/2. She will not touch it at all when the dinovite and lick-o-chops are added. The 6yr. is so-so with it. Can I supplement another way? Perhaps a dog vitamin? We have also just acquired a 17 week old puppy. Currently weighs 14lbs. so her adult weight should be about 42 lbs. Should I feed her raw,cooked, or neither. Also, if raw, how much? She is currenntly eating Natural Planet Organics. As a side, they both will not eat anything that smells of fish. They smell and walk away! Thank you.
Leslie,
I would start off with a smaller amount of supplement and slowly work up to the correct serving. I never have picky dogs. I guess mine all know if they don’t eat they will be hungry because I never cave in.
Hi. I recently decided to start cooking my dog’s meals myself. She’s a chiuaua/bichon mix who does not like any other food and after months of trying to coax her to eat with off and on success the only thing she consistently likes is human food. So I’ve decided to cook for her myself to keep it safe and healthy and make her happy. I’m including lean meats, and a little vegetable. I’m new to this. What else should I keep in mind? What else does she need to be healthy?
Tricia,
I recommend you start off with the easy cooked dog food recipe. This dog food recipe is highly nutritious, tasty and easy to make.
My dog can not eat beef
Then try some chicken, pork, venison or fish.
Hi
I’m pretty new to all this. my dog got so sick, from dog food and I decided that I was going to make my own for him. I picked up a 10 pound bag of chicken but in this video. you used ground beef. guess I’ll have to go out and get that instead. You mentioned a half cup per day. should that be twice a day? or just once a day. I have a little dog that weights only 9 pounds. I’ll make this as soon as I get the chop meat.
Maryann
Maryann,
Chicken is fine to use. In fact you can substitute the chicken for beef if you like or use it 50/50. Make sure you use the eggs with the shells to provide calcium. My best guess is your little dog can’t crunch up the bones.
I just ordered both! the Dinovite liquid dog supplement. and the Lickochops. I’m hoping my Bichon will like it. The vet has him on chicken and rice right now sprinkled with 1 package per day of Fortiflora for 7 days. tomorrow will be seven days. He was also given Metronidazole. and I still have about 3 or 4 days left of that to give him.
My dog is on this because he got so sick from another dog food. and this is the second time this has happened to him. this is why I want to make homemade dog food. I don’t know how long it will take for me to get, after odrering the Dinovite & Lickochops.
in the mean time. can I give him just the chicken and rice for now. until I recieve the Dinovite & Lickochops? I’m leaving on Sunday for about a week and taking my dog with me. that’a why I’m asking.
Maryann
Maryann,
Sure, that will be fine.
I have been giving my dog Vitalite duck tenders (all natural oven-baked duck treats)
Thers no glycerin,chemicals,flavors or salt in them.
crude protein-70%
crude fat-1%
crude fiber-4%
moisture-18%
Can you tell me if these are good or not good for my dog? My dog has colitis and I will cook
your mixture of beef and rice mixture for her.
Charline,
Are these made in China? If so I would not feed them.
After reading about raw, I would like to try the diet withy small 5 lb poodle. My vet is against raw saying the it would be harder to help my dog if she was to get salmonella than a larger dog. Hence I have always been scared to feed raw. After reading more about raw and the dogs digestive system it makes sense. When I told my vet I did not like prescription food (SD l/d or w/d) she asked why. I told her mostly because of the ingredients. Her reply was it has saved many of animals and we eat corn. Why is it so many vets recommend these foods? Also are there more receipes with different meats?
Wanda,
If you are scared and your vet has concerns then why not feed the easy cooked dog food recipe?
This site is so incredible — just the answers to questions leave me amazed (in a positive way). I’ve studied human nutrition alot and never could understand why the 1st ingredient on most dog foods was grain. They’re not horses. However…I wish someone industrious person could organize all these incredible answers into an FAQ, with Headings and make it searchable. I’ve found great answers and then been unable to find them until I’ve searched each page extensively. Also, an easy one, could you please post the yield (in cups) of your recipes? It would help in knowing what to order/buy of your products.
Thanks so much for an incredible site!
Bev,
Thanks. The yield in cups is on the recipes. For quick reference easy cooked and easy raw dog food recipes make about 48 cups each.
Thanks. Missed it somehow!
What are the additional 10 or 20 ingredients? Because I would like to try those before I buy supplements. thanks 😀
Waffle,
Here you go:
Menhaden oil -Highly digestible source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. Omega 3’s help with inflammation and help skin be healthy
Chicken fat- Highly digestible source of Omega 6 Fatty Acids. Omega 6’s help skin and coat be healthy.
Spray-dried chicken liver- Highly digestible amino acids and B vitamins
Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)- A super source of highly digestible amino acids and B complex vitamins
Dried kelp- Natural source of iodine and many trace minerals
Fructooligosaccharide- A complex sugar that is a prebiotic. Fructooligosaccharide passes through the stomach then small intestine undigested. As it enters the large intestine it is available as food for the beneficial bacteria that live in the large intestine. The beneficial bacterial cultures can thus thrive and start to starve out the pathogenic yeast (Candida albicans) that cause yeast infections. *An important note: the yeast we put into our products is not the same species that causes yeast infections.
Zinc methionine complex- A highly digestible form of zinc. Zinc methionine is a zinc atom bound to a methionine amino acid molecule. Body cells love methionine so they readily absorb it and the zinc atom goes along for the ride. Zinc is an antioxidant mineral, essential for many vital enzymatic processes. Zinc is needed for a healthy reproductive and immune system, for tissue renewal, maintenance of the skin and for healthy bones and teeth. Zinc helps maintain the function of the liver and the release of vitamin A. Zinc is required for the development of the skeletal system, nervous system and for brain function. Methionine is an amino acid with antioxidant activity which assists detoxification. Methionine aids the metabolism of Omega-3 essential fatty acids.
Alfalfa nutrient concentrate-Take everything good about alfalfa and condense it, like one giant super vegetable! Lots of different vitamins plus beta carotene.
Active dry yeast (Saccharomyces boulardii)- A direct fed microbial that has been shown to maintain and restore the natural flora in the large and small intestine. Helps with diarrhea.
Vitamin E supplement (natural source vitamin E)-Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant. Antioxidants protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals, which are molecules that contain an unshared electron. Free radicals are harmful and damage cells. Vitamin E is also involved in immune function and, as shown primarily by in vitro studies of cells, cell signaling, regulation of gene expression, and other metabolic processes. Good stuff!
Aspergillus oryzae fermentation product dehydrated- Direct fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Aspergillus niger fermentation product dehydratedDirect fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product dehydrated-Direct fed microbial that help boost immune system, support healthy digestive tract and may help to control the growth of the yeast (Candida albicans).
Lactobacillus casei fermentation product dehydrated- Direct fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Bifidobacterium thermophilum fermentation product dehydrated- Direct fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Enterococcus faecium fermentation product dehydratedDirect fed microbial that help boost immune system and support healthy digestive tract.
Mixed tocopherols (used as a preservative).-These are the natural antioxidants we use to preserve some of the delicate nutrients.
Hello Again,
I just rescued a 5 month old puppy whose adult weight is anticipated to be about 40 pounds. I want to introduce her to the cooked recipe as the other dogs are on it. How much d0 I give her and is there anything else I should know? She is currently eating Blue FReedom Puppy food.
Thank you,
Leslie
Leslie,
She will probably eat around 2 cups of dog food per day, give a take a little for activity level and her metabolism.
i am wondering if on ur cooked recipe can u substitute the hamburger meat for a different meat. i have a toy poodle with Ibs. he has a problem digesting beef, i have been cooking for him for several yrs now but have to avoid high fatty foods and yes his skin stays dry due to this and Vet has no answers. he keeps a constant high BUN all the time, maxing out the machines. he gets bloody runs from high fat foods. i am at a loss, i have tried every meat possible. even raised rabbits just to feed him. any commercial dog food is off limits, i dont knw what it is in it but even the Vet said keep away from it. he spent a week at vet on iv from prescription dog food.i have ordered the supplements u recommend. but i feed ground chicken or turkey and rice right now. any suggestions would be helpful.
Kristeen,
He may be able to tolerate coconut oil. Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid that does not stress the pancreas. What meats does he tolerate?
he eats ground chicken or turkey with rice, but still has upsets every couple weeks. he reacts really bad to duck, lamb and beef. he does well with rabbit for a few weeks too. i dont know what it is but its like i have to alternate every couple weeks to prevent the bloody runs. he has had 6 biopsies done and the only thing they have found is Ibs. even tho his Bun is consistantly high (100-130 normal is between 7-27) his kidneys function normal. they thought he might have addisons but the test came back negative. i also have to give him yogurt every day to help even out his digestion, as a probiotic. i have not tried coconut oil…..
my vet has stopped trying to figure out what is wrong and just treats symptoms as he can now. my dog is 15 and he was normal until age 10. we havent figured out what changed to cause these problems.
Kristeen,
Try the coconut oil and see if that helps the dry skin. At fifteen years old you will want to make changes slowly and in moderation.
i started adding the whole eggs in to his food like ur recipe, when i get the supplements, should i add one then a few days later add the other? or just start adding them both when i get them? since he has already been on meat and rice just not baked, but am baking it now
Kristeen,
Add both supplements when they arrive.
We are bringing our 9 week old Terrier mix home from the shelter tomorrow and I have questions about starting him on the cooked food recipe from your website…
1) At what age can a dog handle the 24 hour fast portion of this diet? (is 9 weeks okay?)
2) Do you need to add anything (or more or less of any ingredients) to supplement a puppy’s needs?
3) Do you feed a puppy (5-6 lbs) the recommended portion size for a small dog?
4) Can you make any recommendations for healthy homemade treats to use while training?
Thank you! I can’t wait to bring this puppy up healthy and happy!
Morgan,
I think if you wait eight hours your puppy should be fine. Just start off with some smaller meals to let the puppy adjust.
Hi
I will be getting a 6 week old puppy and I was wondering when I could start feeding her the cooked homemade dog food. I’m assuming that at that age the puppy would have only been feeding from her mother, so I’m not quiet sure what food I should feed her. I need help! Thanks!
Priscilla,
Yes, the cooked dog food recipe is great for puppies. Your new puppy will love it and it is very nutritious. Make sure you follow the recipe don’t cut ingredients out or you will have problems.
Hello,
I would like to one day own a puppy of my very own. (preferably a small dog like a chihuahua or toy poodle). Now I’m trying to find all the best things I can get for the puppy bfore I get it. I stumbleed across this recipe and thought it was real cool!!! But I wanted to know is this recipe ment for puppies as well or no? And if its not, can you post a puppy recipe, please. Also I noticed that you wrote for small dogs, feed them 1/2 cup of food daily, does that go for puppies too, and how many times a day do I feed my puppy. Sorry for so many questions, I just want to make sure I know as much as possible about taking care of a dog before I get one. Thank you.
Dexiree,
Yes, the recipe is great for puppies. When feeding puppies you will need to vary the serving size a little as they grow but it is really not hard or critical. As a puppy grows you just don’t want him to be thin. Keep him plump and satisfied and all will be well.
Hi I am going to start making this for my three dogs but would like to cut costs a little ( ones 60 lbs ones 65 lbs and ones 26 lbs) so I was thinking of adding the omega 3 and 6 from Costco if I could. I will be purchasing the supplement that come with the tube of omegas you mention in the recipe, but since that will run out quickly I am planning the backup. If I use chicken instead of beef and leave the skins in the chopped chicken, will that cover the omega 6 portion of it?
Selina,
Check out the chicken and rice dog food recipe it may work for you.
I have a 27 pound cocker spaniel/cavaleir hybrid…I feed all natural Orijen, Acana food for the past 2 years, always all natural always grain free. Sometimes she doesn’t feel like eating but I know she is hungry, so I would like to start your program making it myself. I have tried to feed her a raw diet before but she wont eat it. My question is: if she is use to a grain free food, and since dogs are carnivores, why do I need to put rice in her food? I know she likes rice and will eat it, but isn’t grain free better? Should I leave out the rice, and where do I purchase the dog supplements you want us to add to your recipes?
Amanda,
I include the rice to help dogs and people transition from kibble to homemade dog food recipe. Kibble is mostly carbohydrates so a kibble fed dogs system is set to digest carbohydrates. The inclusion of rice is still far lower than the carbohydrate content in kibble and it is human grade and full of water. It also helps lower the cost and people like this as they jump into making their dog’s food.
I do have dog food recipes without rice, click here to view.
So excited to try this recipe! We have a coonhoud/shepard mix and a coonhound/beagle mix that are tearing up our yard. The vet doesn’t have any answers for us and I am thinking it is because of their diet. Didn’t do it until we switched to a vet recommended food. I know there breeds are prone to digging and “hunting” for stuff but ripping out my plants is not hunting. A trainer is finally the one that suggested going to a lower grain diet so I am so excited to try this for them. They are awesome family dogs, loyal, and so gentle to our two year old, but I just am sick of having cratters in our yard. Thank you for all of your work on this website, it has helped us out a ton! I will keep you posted how they like it.
Hi Ed,
Great website & information.
I have a 2 year old Shar-Pei mix that has yeasty paws & ears. Her ears are not that bad & the paws, especially between the toes get red, irritated, swollen, & sores. Itching & licking is not really a problem . We’ve been soaking her feet daily in mixture of vinegar/hydrogen peroxide/water. She gets fish oil, coconut oil, enzymes, & vitamins added to her food. For the past year she’s been feed kibble, grain & potatoe free. At night she gets steamed turkey breast & a bowl of low-glycemic vegetables. In April of this year and after $700.00, the dermatologist diagnosed her with yeast & fungus. I don’t want to give her antibiotics & prednisone. After a recent visit with the vet, I was advised to feed the dog one protein/carb source for one month & not to give the dog anything else, no vitamins/enzymes/supplements.
My question: Is it ok to give her one protein source (venison from local butcher) & one carb (barley, alfalfa, or rice)? Or should I try your cooked anti-yeast starvation recipe with the supplements?
Sorry for the long email.
Thanks, Michael
Michael,
I’ve had good luck feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe. Keep in mind it can be a battle beating back the yeast and sometimes dogs get worse before they get better.
I have a 15 year old lab. he is nothing but skin and bones and I cant get him to eat hardly at all. we have tried mixing several defferent things in his food to no avail. which of the recipies would be best for him. We also have a pug and mutt so I would be giving it to all of them. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Denise,
Try the easy cooked dog food recipe or the chicken and rice dog food recipe. Both are easy to make and a lot like people food. Your dog will love them and they are very nutritious.
Why do you need to add so much rice to meat if dogs are carnivores? And why woundn’t you just give your dog salmon instead of omega fatty acids supplements (unless the cost is an issue of course)? My 8 lb imperial shuh tzu refuses any dog food with an exception of an occasional Primal lamb ($7.50/lb), s0 for me anything that is less than this is OK. She loves salmon, and I feed her occasional salmon, but usually deli meats, like turkey breast or chicken breast for lunch and breakfast, and beef or chicken hamburger patty with finely chopped vegetables for vitamins as a dinner, with fish about 2-3 times a week. She senses any supplements added to her meals and would not eat anything with them, so I am trying to look for something natural, like fish containing omega-rich fatty acids and vegetables to add vitamins
Anna,
Most people are switching their dogs from kibble dog food to a homemade dog food recipe. Kibble is very high in carbohydrates. So the addition of rice helps the transition and also cuts the cost.
Dogs have a difficult time getting the nutrition out of veggies and most veggies are not that nutrient dense. I’m not sure where calcium is being supplied to your dog. You may want to try feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe , this recipe does not contain rice.
I have about a 3 year old 10 pound yorkie and i need short easy homade food she does not like good quality dog food she likes the crappy kind so we trying this what are some beginner meals
Alicia,
Try the easy cooked dog food recipe. It’s nutritious and dogs love it.
Hi, you say to give 1 Tablespoon of Dinovite/1 cup of food; what is the portion of LickOChops per cup of food? I haven’t found that reference yet on your site and I’d rather put it in at every feeding, rather than mix it in when I make the food.
thanks
Linda,
Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of Lickochops per cup of food.
Thanks, I just posted another question on another part of the website, but I’ll ask it here too. The cooked chicken recipe calls for a tube of megafish oil or whatever it’s called, but it comes in capsules. Could you clarify that for me? I assume that which ever omega oil (3 or 6, I get them confused) that comes from chicken fat/skin doesn’t need to be duplicated in the chicken recipe, so I wouldn’t use the Lickochops, correct?
Linda,
Yes you are correct. The omega 6 is in chicken fat. So I like to use the fish oil when I feed chicken.
i started feed all 6 of my dogs the cooked recipe even my problem boy i asked u about last month. after having them on it for 3 wks they r having really soft slimy stools….. their weight varies from 7 lbs to 13 lbs. they get 1 cup of food cause they r very active and i have been keeping track of their weight so i know if i need to make any adjustments. most have maintained their weight 2 have lost weight which is good since they r overweight. should i cut back on the lick o chops to stop the slimy stool? on my older boy with the stomach issues he’s not getting the lick o chops but coconut oil and his is soft but not slimy, which he has always had soft stools so i am not worried about that with him.
Kristeen,
It sounds like they are still adjusting to the change. I would not change anything and just give it some more time. You can add a little bit more cooked rice and that will firm the stool. Honestly I would just give them more time to adjust and maybe feed a little less food because this homemade recipe is rich and full of quality nutrients.
not sure if u can answer this or if u know any1 with this issue. again my old poodle boy 🙂 for the past 2-3 years he has been getting what the vet calls old man warts, lol, they r oozing cysts caused from an oil gland irregularity that is supposedly common in old age, the vet says there isn’t anything i can do to stop them, eventually they bust and ooze, then they refill. my poor boy has about 20 now, they just keep popping up every where and they apparently itch and bother him. he chewed on 1 till it became infected that was on his foot. since he has been on this diet his skin has improved alot, but still has a long ways to go. he has had years of dry flaky skin from poor diet due to his ibs. now i am so optimistic bout his skin that i am wondering if u have had any1 say that the new diet has cleared up this kind of issue.
Kristeen,
These homemade dog food recipes are very nutritious and can’t hurt. I can’t recall and specifics on your dog’s exact problem and a diet change curing it. The dry flaky skin can be cured with diet. Try feeding the easy cooked dog food recipe or the chicken and rice dog food recipe. Your dog will love either.
Hi there, I need some help and found your site. I am hoping you can send me a message and help my boy! I have a 9.5 year old GSD who has been on raw for nearly 9 years. He has been the healthiest dog I have ever had as a result. It didn’t start that way. And, I should mention that in the past year, 2 litter mates died of stomach cancer, 1 (being fed kibble) of bloat (which runs in his lines on his father’s side), and a half-sister to abdominal cancer. Obviously, something is rotten in Denmark with genetic gastro issues with his lines. Anyway, we have had a rough year with my husband suffering a job loss, then a ruptured brain aneurysm, stroke, 6 weeks in a coma, 8 weeks in the hospital, 6 months in rehab, and we lost our home to foreclosure. Needless to say, this year has been the worst for all of us. My GSD has been moved around to a few foster friends so we do not have to place him and in the hopes of getting our lives back and our best friend back. He has suffered through this as well. He has had great weight loss, followed by gaining it back, clostridium that the vet says has come from the raw diet, and stress. Although my vet (as most I have met) hates the raw diet, he has supported it reluctantly. Now, he says that dogs in the wild would never have made it to 9 years of age and that GSD’s have stomach/gastro/absorbtion issues in general but more so at his age. He has suggested moving from a raw to a cooked diet for easier digestion and increased caloric intake. I am in a vulnerable place right now with my whole family to worry about and need some advice. Do I ignore the vet and keep him on raw or does he really need to have a cooked diet? The foster home I have him in is finding both raw and cooked diets are a pain and want to switch to canned or kibble because of money and I feel strongly that after so long and with his lines, he’ll get really sick or bloat. Can you help? Any ideas or suggestions? Money saving techniques? If I can’t make this as inexpensive and easy (as well as healthy for my dog) for this foster home, I will be forced to give him up and the thought of that devastates me and my family, especially after what we have been through and are trying to recover from. If you can help, please email me?? Thank you in advance! Alexandra
Alexandra,
I’ sorry to hear what has happened to you. It is hard to get foster pet owners to feed a dog in a manner that they resist. My guess is they will do whatever they want. Sometimes thing happen that are out of our control. This sound like one of them. It’s not your fault.
My dog has done well on both the raw and the cooked diet. I switch back and forth because she sometimes gets bored with just the one. I love the Dino-Vite products.
You suggest a fast before switching a dog onto this diet. I would like to switch my senior dog to this diet since she has had weight loss problems and she has gotten to be a very picky eater and she gets tired of her dog food quickly. Because of her weight loss and because she must take her pain medication with food…would it equivalent to fasting if I slowly added the homemade food to her serving of canned dog food? Thank you!
Mari,
No, it’s not really the same. You can try it and see what happens but brace yourself for some digestive upset.
Hi Ed,
Just discovered your website. My little Bitzy is a chihuahua/small terrior mix(?). She is about 7 pounds. She is 13 years old and has renal failure for about a year. Vet had her on
renal diet (Purina NF) dry. She is a picky eater. She won’t eat the can stuff. To get her to eat the dry, I had to chop it up in little pieces, add steamed vegetables and small amounts of shredded beef on the top. I don’t like giving her the commerical stuff so I have been cooking a mixture of rice and pasta, adding cooked egg whites, with the shells, ground up really, really fine along with the vegetables and beef and feeding her that instead of the NF. I have searched the internet and I get so confused because some say one thing and some say another. If I keep feeding her this with some of your products do you think that would be ok? What products do you suggest giving her? Any help would be greatly appreciated. PS: Before she had renal failure she was on a home cooked diet her whole life.
Renal failure started after she had major surgery for female problems and almost died
Pat,
I’ve never had a dog with renal failure so I can’t honestly answer.
I have read in many sites that you can put some fresh garlic ground up with the food and it will make it to where the dogs won’t get fleas. Since fleas do not like garlic. Is this true and if so with your cooked food recipe for dogs could I put the minced garlic in with those loafs before baked.
Also I have cats. Do you have any cooked recipes for them that I could add the minced garlic to as well.
I hate using the flea stuff that you get at the vets or stores !!!
Ann,
Honestly, I don’t know.
I would like to know if the recipe works for puppies too. We have a 11 week old peakapoo and i have always homecooked meals for my kids (4) because I consider it a healthier choice and wanted to try the same thing with the puppy however I’m not sure if it is a good idea since he has already been introduced to the commercial stuff what is your advice?
Mariella,
Yes, these dog food recipes are fine for puppies. Puppies love them and thrive on these dog food recipes. It’s never to late to make the change.
If using the raw meat recipe and storing the contents in the fridge, doesn’t serving the food cold cause animals to have upset stomach? If I used the cooked version, I would microwave just to warm up, but with the raw recipe you can’t do that without slightly cooking the food. I was always under the impression that cold food upset the animals stomach. No?
I’ve never had a problem feeding hot or cold dog food.
Hi Ed,
I have read a lot of these comment on here. A few of them have asked about the quality of ground beef to use. They sell the large 10 lb log at my neighborhood big chain store. My question is… Is it okay to buy this for my pooches? I mean with the pink slug in the news thing? I don’t eat this meat, but I also realize dogs have different digestion. Right now I feed them a $60 a bag food. I mean I am sure they don’t use sirloin to make this stuff. Does the fat in meat do the same thing as it does to us. Clogging arteries and such?
Stacey,
I use the ten pound ground beef that is 70/30, nothing fancy. Our grocery does not use the pink slime.
Dogs metabolize fat well. I believe the carbohydrate based dog foods “kibble” cause many health disorders.
I realize every pet is different, as every person is different. However, I’m curious as to the “outcome” of the after effects of eating, if ya know what I mean. I have a 70 pound 1 year old American Pit and a 45 pound 6 year old Aussie/Corgi mix (overweight) . I try to save on my budget by purchasing Meijer brand food equivalent to the pedigree brand. I pay 12.00 for a medium size bag (about 18 pounds) for both dogs for about a little over a week. Will this “raw recipe” be just as inexpensive as well as better for my dogs?
Dawn,
Try feeding the chicken and rice dog food recipe. This dog food recipe is nutritious and economical. However, not as cheap as the low quality food you are currently feeding.
If you decide to feed your dogs a homemade dog food I think you will be pleased with the results and your dogs will love it.
ED, JUST FOUND YOUR SITE. MY MINI DOXIE RECENTLY HAD BLADDER STONE SURGERY. SHE HAD 7 LARGE STONES AND WAS VERY SICK. MY VET TOLD ME I MUST KEEP HER ON S/D DOG FOOD FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE. ONLINE RESEARCH TELLS ME DOGS SHOULD NOT BE ON S/D FOOD FOR MORE THAN 120 DAYS. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE HER FOOD MYSELF. DO YOU THINK I NEED TO ALTER YOUR RECIPES FOR A DOG WHO MAKES BLADDER STONES? THANK YOU FOR YOUR SITE. MY DOG’S NAME IS ROSIE. KIM
Kim,
To be honest I’m not sure. I’ve never had a dog form bladder stones.
Hello. I posted a comment last night asking for a possible replacement for the egg/egg shells for calcium and it disappeared. Can anyone let me know where it went? I know it will take time for an answer just wondering where my questions went. Thank you, Karen
Karen,
I recommend using Dinovite’s calcium supplement fidocal. Fidocal is a very fine powder with calcium and magnesium. It works great.
Thank you. I will check it out!
First time dog owner of a boxer mix, stray rescue 🙂 I started feeding him Beneful when we got him 3 weeks ago. I gave him canned food with a few doses of worm medicine and he LOVED it.
He’s currently 56 lbs and he farts constantly and they smell awful. Wondering if it’s the dog food? Or the treats inside the Kong?
I would like try the homemade food and see if that helps him!!
Danielle,
Yes, try one of the homemade dog food recipes. I think you will be pleased.
i just had to share, i have a 15 yr old poodle that has had an extremely high bun since 2006, been on every kind of home made diet since trying to find a way to get his bun down from 130 to normal (7-27). i have tried cleaning and cooking rabbit, fat free, u name it. his health has been so bad that the vet refused to put him under for teeth cleaning 3 yrs ago and didnt expect him to live as long as he has. he has been on the dinovite now for 2 months with a slight difference that he is getting coconut oil instead of the lickochops. i took him to the vet today t try and talk him into cleaning his teeth (they need it so badly). not only has the vet cleared him to get his teeth cleaned but his Bun is NORMAL! his vet could not believe it and i was only hoping that it was under 100 but it was only 14 🙂 u have no idea how happy this has made me and how unbelievable it is after 6 yrs of trying everything and nothing working to finally find something that works. i am just exstatic, how ever u spell it, lol. Thank you so much! u just have no idea, he is my baby 🙂
Kristeen,
All good news, SUPER!
I have two nine week old Schnauzer/Chihuahua mix pups. How much of the homemade dog food should I feed them–they are about four pounds at present. Your guide starts at 10 pounds. I want to ensure I am feeding them the proper amount.
Thank you.
My guess is they are going to eat about a 1/2 cup per day, give or take a little.
Hi. I just made the Easy Cook Dog Food recipe and it smells wonderful. As my dogs haven’t eaten for 24 hours they are going crazy! I would like start feeding them once a day as opposed to twice like I do now. Should I feed AM or PM? I would thin AM would be better as I work until 7:00 in the evening, thanks for your help and great website!
Bobbi,
I feed my dogs in the morning and it works good.
Thanks so much. They love their new food!
Sorry to bother you, Karen again.
Wanted to ask you one more question. If I am making a smaller quantity than you are making here, such as one pound of turkey ground, do I just reduce all ingredients by 10%?
When I watched the youtube.com video from the show in LA, the ingredient measurements were smaller than your recipe here but different than my math that I used to reduce the recipe. I actually make two to three pounds of turkey ground at a time but I used one pound to do the math to make it easier for me.
Thank you very much, Karen
Karen,
If you are using 1 pound of ground turkey then reduce it by 90% to 1 tenth the amount.
Thank you again! I misspoke in my previous comment (the 10%). I’m glad you understood me. 🙂
i would like to know how does the poop comes out? does it come out soft,medium soft,or running? im hoping not too runny i do hope it helps her scratching
Bonita,
Dogs fed these homemade dog food recipes typically have small well formed stool. It is important to follow the introductory method outline with each dog food recipe to limit digestive upset.
Hi Ed, I have my dogs on the cooked ground beef and rice mixture and they love it! My rotty actually whines now when its time to eat .I was wondering could i alternate to the uncooked ground beef recipe every other feeding or would that play havoc on the tummy’s going from cooked to raw ?
Angie
Angie,
I would not switch every other day. you could mix a batch of one feed it all then switch to another recipe without issues.
Hi Ed, I have 2 small dogs and have cut your recipe in half. It will get me thru about 5-6 days. Is it safe to freeze for that amount of time bc I notice you mention something about only freezing 2-3 days worth of food at a time.
Anna,
Freezing is fine. I freeze it for weeks and keep a 2-3 day portion in my refrigerator.
I found out about 6 weeks ago that one of my dogs, 60 lbs, is allergic to wheat, oatmeal, mixed fish, and peanut. I have been using dog foods that are specially formulated without those products in them but it is very expensive. I found your recipe and I’m very excited to start using it.
My dilemma is this: You say that the dinovite and lickochops are necessary but they contain fish oils and she is allergic to fish. Is there anything else you can recommend to use? Would it be okay to go without the supplements?
Amanda,
How allergic to fish is she? Often it is the protein that causes the allergic reaction. If your dog is severely allergic to fish then just use the Dinovite.
I am going to use the Dinovite and I see that it has a few different ones to choose from depending on the size of the dog. I am going to be using on three dogs. One is small, one is medium, one is large. Can I use the same box on each one or is each different size got different ingredients in it?
Also, my vet advised me to start using a multivitamin. Does the Dinovite take the place of the multivitamin or should I still add the multivitamin?
Amanda,
Dinovite is the same for the different size dogs but it has different size scoops. Dinovite would replace a multi-vitamin. The scoop sizes are 1,2,3 and 4 tablespoons each.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe …. I was just wondering if I can substitute the beef for a different meat like venison,Turkey , chicken ? Maybe a mixture of all 3 ? My one dog is very sensitive and can’t have beef because it makes him get pancreatis. Also can I substitute the rice for something else ? I tried feeding raw for weeks but had no success they don’t like it and it caused very upset Tummies I even used herbs to help them but it didn’t help so I am forced to cook for them . Thanks
Kayla,
Yes you can substitute other meats for the beef. I have a chicken and rice dog food recipe and you can swap sweet potatoes for the rice.
Your recipe say 5 cups white rice which cooks to 10-15 cups …. How much sweet potatoe should I use . The same amount ? Thanks
Kayla,
About the same 10 to 15 cups.
Hi –
I am wondering if any one has figured out the cost to feed one large dog for a month?
Angela,
I would divide it by the number of eggs (ex.2,4, 6) then divide the meat and rice by an equal amount. Dinovite is not available in the UK due to tough importation laws.
Do you have to use the LickOchops and the dinovite cause i have all the other ingredients but the dinovite and the LickOchops are to expencive and hard to get 0nline????????!!!!!!!!!
Yes, the dog food recipes will be deficient without the supplements. You can purchase the supplements at dinovite.com.
Hello,
Is there an alternative to the rice? One of my dogs has an allergy to rice. Also, how long do you think this recipe will feed three dogs ranging from 40-60 lbs?
Thank you.
Todd
Todd,
You can substitute sweet potato. I’m not sure the recipes range from 35 to 48 cups each.
I have 4 yr olds border collie mix and a 4 year old English bulldog. My English its very sensitive and its constantly itching above her tail. Once she even broke out in hives.The very told us she must be allergic to corn but it seems ALL dog food has it.My collie us always itchy as well. Do you have recipe to help them out.Also us there something I can add to repel fleas? Please help. :
Karina,
Try feeding your bulldog the yeast starvation dog food recipe. Also, it sounds like fleas, they tend to bite above the tail. I’ve used capstar and program with great results.
Hi Ed, I have a 6 year old rottweiler who has a massive garden and goes on woodland walks every day so she is very healthy. I just buy her pedigree chum but want to start making my own meals for her. What do you suggest? She is not a massive dog and like I say she is nice and healthy. Many Thanks
Michelle,
Long term I would try to feed her a homemade dog food recipe. The chicken and rice dog food recipe is cheaper than the beef recipe.
I am looking at getting a new puppy, just over 8 weeks old, and want to start him off right on clean, healthy homemade meals. I am a little concerned about the 24 hour fasting period since he is just a puppy and still growing. Right now he’s being fed Puppy Chow (horrible, I know) by the shelter and so I would like to switch him as soon as possible.
Thank you!
Savanna,
Puppies make the transition easily. An 8 hour fast is fine and should allow the kibble to pass through.
I would lik the list of ‘other” ingredients you recommend… instead of purchasing other supplements. I hve so many individual supplements already. I am fairly well stocked:)
Tracy,
You could try feeding the recipes and use your current supplements until they are gone. Then feed the dog food recipe with the right supplements.
I am writing not to respond, but to ask what you would do with a dog who cannot eat beef. I have a 10 year old female JRT . She has had really bad sensitive tummy issues for years and we have tried everything. Raw, cooked and every kind of kibble. She gets pancreatitis like systems-gas, gloating and yucky diarrhea. She has been checked out and everything is usually fine. We try something different and it works for awhile and then we hit the wall again. I am desperate to find something that works and willing to anything. I have a great vet who is stumped by this as well.
Stephanie,
I would try the chicken and rice dog food recipe and remove the fat. You can also feed some organic coconut oil because it does not irritate the pancreas.
I need recipes dor a diabetic dog who cannot have potatoes rice or pasta because of carbs that
produce sugar> We are feeding her veggies with ground chicken and beef but I think she is in need of something different.Help! Thank you
Simone,
The yeast starvation dog food recipe does not contain any rice, potatoes or pasta, you may want to try it.
Hi I have a question regarding the fasting part. I have 2 dogs and both already do get burger, chicken, eggs and rice in their diet with the regular dog food. Do they still need to fast or would they be alright to switch? Also I just wanted to double check nutrients get added when served to dogs? I am very interest in doing this for my dogs and find this information very helpful!!
Ami,
I like the idea of a fast because it greatly reduces the chance of digestive upset. I know people tend get worried about the fast but dogs are gorgers and fasters by design.
may i ask how much would you feed diferant size dogs
i have 25 lb dog
40 lb dogs
and a chihuahua whos 5 lbs
and also i heard you say you feed once a day , most people feed twice a day what do you recomend
Mary,
Start off feeding the same amount you currently feed. If they start to lose weight feed a little more. You can feed them twice per day.
I have dogs in the past that required rice and hamburger to settle their stomaches after illness. Shouldn’t the meet be cooked and the fat drained before mixing it in the recipe?
Peggy
Peggy,
You can feed it raw or cooked both are fine. I don’t drain the fat because dogs metabolize fat well.
Thank you so much for this great info! Couple questions for you. Can you use brown rice instead of white? What about using flaxseed oil? could that be used in the easy cooked recipe while I’m waiting on supplements?
I have 2 pugs that I switched their food this week with a commercial kibble that ended up with both terrible diarrhoea so I need to switch them to a homemade diet asap.
Thanks again!
I’ve found dogs do better on white rice because their short digestive tract has a hard time digesting the brown rice.
I notice that the Dinovite you use in the video is like a green paste, but the Dinovite website only seems to have the large box with powder. Is there a difference in your opinion?
http://www.dinovite.com/dinovite-products
Vanessa,
I’ve used both with great results. Dinovite discontinued the packets because of leaks that made it messy. I use the dinovite powder it’s easy and a little cheaper.
i have a jack russell terrier, and she will be 16 years old in a few weeks. she has had 2 bouts of pancreatitis in the last 5 years and she almost died both times. last time the vet also told me she had kidney issues, but i changed her snacks and she has done really well since. she has lost weight since the last bout, about 3-4 pounds, but doesn’t look thin or ill. which dogfood recipe do you recommend? she will eat anything, hasn’t lost her appetite, lol.
Jo Ann,
Try the chicken and rice dog food recipe but drain off the excess fat. You can add some organic coconut oil because this will not stress his pancreas and will add healthy fats.
Can I use barley instead of rice? My dogs have an allergy to rice. They do better with dry food that has oatmeal or barley either one in it. I have 6 rottweilers and want to get them on a better, natural and more basic diet.
Michelle,
Sure, sounds good.
Hi, do I put the dynovite and lick o chops into the food when I make it or when I serve it?
Thanks
Hartley
Hartley,
Either is fine, just don’t cook the supplements.
Hello there 🙂
My female boxer is on raw for last 18 months, but still yeast and look like allergy is there. After so many vet visits and tests, she was diagnosed “probably” atopy, no cure for it…She is itchy, stinky, scratch a lot, very lethargic, ear infection all the time. Prescribed antibiotics and steroid helps only for while, after that every symptom come back, worse.
I thought that raw (meat, bones, organs) will help, but so far nothing changed, is getting worse (she in not on medication anymore). After years of fight, my instinct is telling me that everything is”upside down” inside her, I think, her system dose not recognized whats good, whats bad. Maybe only raw is not enough? I add to her food kelp, oil, but maybe the food is too rich? Or still not enough in minerals and vitamins? Smart nutritionist says, raw meat and organs have everything in it ,what dogs need….?
So, what is right? Please if you have any suggestions i’ll be happy to try anything. P.S she was tested for mange, thyroids-everything is fine…
Thank you
Magdalena
Magdalena,
My experience is that raw meat and bones is not enough and that is why I add the supplements. Try the yeast starvation dog food recipe, I had great luck with it.
What are the serving quantities for puppies relative to weight and age, what I have been doing is feeding my little 3 month old 8 lbs. Shiba Inu 1 cup of your “meatloaf” recipe a day. 1/3 cup 3 times a day. (Veterinary recommended feeding her 3 times a day) Is that too much?
Micho,
It sounds good. You will slowly increase it as your puppy approaches adult size.
Hi Ed-thanks for sharing all of your work. I recently got a rescue puppy (we think he is beagle, rat terrier and maybe some pointer). I’ve fed him the cooked food for the three weeks I’ve had him. He’s 3.5 months and currently weighs 10lbs. The vet thinks he may go to 16 or 20lbs. He inhales his food. He’s fed 3 times a day right now probably a 1/2 a cup each time. I’m worried that I may be over feeding him, but he’s just a baby and I hate sensing he’s hungry. Thoughts?
Shannon,
It seems good to me. Puppies eat more than adults because they are growing.
Hi Ed!
My husband and I have two dogs; a little German Spitz and a Blue Tick Coonhound. The Spitz is two (he was a rescue puppy) and the Hound five (we got him when he was a baby, on a farm). Our little one has been getting sick lately so we have been looking into finding alternatives to the dog food we have been buying at the pet store…
We are also concerned because we worry that maybe we can’t have them both on the same diet and, as university students, it complicates things for us. Our Spitz weighs 20lbs and the Hound weighs almost 90lbs.
We were amazed when we found your website and we would love to hear what you would recommend for our two dogs! Thank you!
Lily,
The most economical dog food recipe the chicken and rice. I have found making a bunch at once is the best way to go.
I have a 12/yo 4 lb. Chihuahua, a rescue dog. The vet recently said he has a substantial heart murmur which was found when I took him in to have his bad teeth removed (they’re nasty). The vet says he wouldn’t survive the anesthetic to pull his teeth and consequently refuses to pull them. The dog is a VERY picky eater, so would it be best to add the dinovite and lick-o-chops to the dogfood before baking or will that cause too much nutrient loss?
Sam,
You don’t want to bake the supplements doing so will destroy many delicate nutrients. Add the supplements after the dog food cools.
My 12 year old yorkie has kidney disease (renal failure). My vet has prescrbed Royal Canine Renal LP modified food. How can your recipe be modified to fit her low protein and phosphate diet requirements? thanks
Debra,
Here is a good article on the high protein myth and kidney damage, https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/kidney-disease/
I have been trying to find a dog food that my dogs “love” and have switched several times (gradually). Each time, they were only luke-warm about the food. My last attempt to switch (to Aviderm) left them both throwing up and with diarrhea. At this point, I decided to make their food myself, just like I would with any other member of the family. I use the “cooked” recipe above and they LOVE it. Their upset stomachs and diarrhea went away, and they always look forward to meal time. To give them some variety, I make several different batches using different meat … chicken, beef, and turkey. My dogs couldn’t be happier and I recommend this to anyone.
I also meant to say this in my earlier post … THANK YOU for posting your recipes and all of the helpful info. All of us truly appreciate your ingenuity and effort. Your love of dogs is apparent … and shared by the rest of us! Well done!
Hello. I have a English mastiff 3yrs old. she recently developed digestive problems.she started off with mild diarrhea and occasionally vomiting. i changed her to a very expensive dry dog food with no bi products. all natural called canide. i have wormed. her as well. she has now progressed to more vomit and diarrhea dropping weight and her stool and vomit sometimes consistent of a jelly looking substance that is dark brown almost black color. she is active drinks water doesn’t turn away at food and plays. i removed dog food thinking an allergy. or maybe ulcer? i made white rice with chicken broth just to give her belly a rest. this is day 3 and she has stopped vomitting. but still has cow patty. diarrhea . and the dark stool occasionally. i also had given her pepto and tagament once day . i would like you input on which diet you recommend from here? Thank you!
Samantha,
Try the easy cooked dog food recipe or easy raw dog food recipe and see how she does. Follow the introductory method outlined to limit digestive upset.
Hi Ed!
Brought our new puppy home today and I want to start him off with the correct diet from the beginning. I’m curious about adding Hemp oil as the omega supplement and shredded Kale to improve the nutrition. I haven’t been to all your site yet but I don’t want to add supplements, I’d rather create a well rounded food. Any direction for me?
Nancy,
The supplements I recommend are whole food supplements and great for dogs. TRy the recipes as presented before making changes. I think you will be pleased.
Ok, so I’ve read every single question and answer. I know that people asked a lot of the same questions and I did not want to do that to you! I also know that you are a very busy man, but I do ask that you PLEASE be as detailed as possible when answering because I’d hate to waste both our times and look dumb having to re-ask a question.
1. We recently inherited a miniature schnauzer. He’s 4 and has been feed generic food his whole life. Good dog but seems to sleep a ton for a schnauzer and he’s super itchy. I’ve decided after a lot of research to feed home made food. Now my question is this- I know that you say that feeding raw is better and I get that cooking it kills some of the nutrients. But how much nutrients? Is there a significant difference? I don’t mind feeding raw or cooked but I’d like to be as informed as possible.
2. I read that cooking the egg shells kills some of the nutrients from that, but I know that I need to cook the eggs. Would you personally recommend still boiling the eggs or cooking the inside and putting raw shells into food?
3. I bought, before I came across your site tonight, GNC Ultra Mega Superfood Complex. Now I know that you are the inventor for dinovite so you are probably biased, I would be too!, but I can not see all of your ingredients that are in it or what mg all of the supplements are. I’d like to compare the two or maybe you can compare the two since you know what yours is made out of? I just want to make sure that the GNC is at least equivelant to your product. I’m not looking for who’s better….just if they are both super healthy.
4. Would you say that all protiens are equal? To some you’ve suggested the chicken and rice…. some people say they use turkey. Cost aside- which meat is better or should I rotate it all? No chicken liver or beef liver?
5. Last question, omg I know you’re like Thank God lol, You suggest white rice. I completely agree with that as far as brown rice goes but I was wondering is sweet potatoes or hopefully regular russet potatoes are AS GOOD as the rice. If rice is better I’ll do that. I just know that in the beginning schnauzers were raised on beef, beet pulp, and potatoes because that is what was native to germany at the time.
Thank you SO SO much for answering each of these. I’m sorry to have typed so much!
April,
If your new adoptee has been fed generic dog food for the last 4 years you will see visible results, rapidly. My guess is his system is starving for good nutrition. So it is great you are “going homemade”.
I feed both cooked and raw with great results. I add the Dinovite supplements and all is well. I developed them over 5 years on my staffordshire bull terrier kennel. My goal was to keep them all healthy and in top condition. It worked. I’m not sure about the GNC vitamins. Usually these vitamins are synthetic. Dinovite supplements are “whole food supplements”.
I’m not sure about the exact nutrient loss after cooking. I vacillate between cooked and raw as I feed the new recipes I shoot and post. I cook the eggs to deactivate an enzyme in the egg white that can bind with a B vitamin. It may not be necessary but it also kills any salmonella.
I do think there is a difference between protein sources but you can mix and match with great results. Sweet potato and white potatoes are fine as a rice substitute. If you dog suffers from yeast issues then eliminate all carbohydrates.
Hi Ed,
My dog (13.5 year old cairn terrier) has pancreatitis and has been diagnosed with a mass on her liver (I will be consulting with an Oncologist as CSU in Ft. Collins, CO to determine next course of action). Anyhow, I have been feeding her chicken/rice/green beens and supplements for about a month now and I’m concerned about the levels of arsenic in rice see article at Consumer Reports: https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2012/11/arsenic-in-your-food/index.htm Is there a substitute for rice?
Kindly,
Jo
Jo,
You can eliminate the rice altogether. You can also substitute sweet potato for the rice. Also try feeding some organic coconut oil because it does not aggravate the pancreas. Also the Supromega fish oil is beneficial.
Hi Ed:
I have a 3 year year old German Shepherd (Bucko). I would like to start him on home made food but I have a few questions. Is it possible for me to call you or do I need to type out my questions?
Thanks,
Jan
Jan,
It is best to post a comment. Thanks:)
Hi
My 7 year old terrior mix has been recovering from pancreatitus. She tried the Hills ID and broke in in HUGE red weltas all over her stomach..scary! We have her on ground beef and rice and she loves it. I plan to keep her on homemade and use your receipes..My concern is adding the fish oil and other supplements you recommend…I know she needs the added supplements but I am concerned about the issues with the pancreas…I read several posts and see that you also like organic coconut oil. How much should be added to food? Is the Dynovite ok to use? Thanks
Barb,
Fish oil does not aggravate the pancreas so it is fine. The coconut oil serving wood be about a tablespoon per day for a medium sized dog.
I started feeding my dog using the Easy Dog Food recipe found on your website. She never really was much of an eater and we were buying one of the higher end dog foods! Once I started feeding her this recipe she has perked up and can’t wait for dinner time. Thanks a bunch! I do have a tip others might find helpful. Instead of making the food in the oven as “meatloaf” type of dish, I purchased one of those 18 qt roasters from Target for about $30.00. I cook the meat and eggs in there until the meat is brown, then I just mix in the rice. I let that cool completely, add the Dinovite mix and put into the freezer containers. You can make ALOT of food very quickly and with little cleanup. I was having a hard time lifting the huge trays of meat from my oven to the stove top and this was the perfect solution.
Ed my thin Setter( almost 2yrs) started to put on a bit of weight with the cooked chicken, eggs and rice but when I read you said the rice was not really necessary I started to elimate it and after a few weeks she seems to be losing a bit of weight although she is such an energetic dog “outside”…she has 2 acres to run in and spends most of the day chasing the birds and squirrels…inside she is a couch potato. I don’t think I could get her to eat anymore. She gets about 4 cups a day if not more . I almost envy the people who say their dogs are chubby . Our vet says she is perfect!
Should I go back to putting in the rice?
Elaine,
My border collie Jet sounds the same. I would add the rice back into the recipe, doing so will help.
Interesting that my post does not appear here – I commented early in December. Hmmmmm, I think that Ed makes a profit from the vitamins that he pushes! I asked his advice about cooking his recipes (which I have and the dogs love it!) but also told Ed that I couldn’t afford the vitamins AND all the meat that I have to buy. I didn’t get an answer!!! Hmmmm!
Carla,
This is the first post I’ve gotten from you. Frankly I don’t appreciate the “nasty tone”.
Since when is profit a “dirty word”? Presently, I work 70 and 80 hours weeks and sure hope I’m making some money. If not, someone please, for the love of Pete put me down!
What I surmised from the little content of this crappy comment is that you “can’t afford” the supplements AND “all the meat”. Honestly, what do you want me to say or do with that? Tell you it’s ok to exclude the meat and vitamins? My best suggestion is to try the chicken and rice dog food recipe. Chicken leg/thigh quarters cost me about 68 cent per pound. So, this recipe is the most economical.
Next time try giving someone the benefit of the doubt before blasting away!
RE: Carla’s comment. I have to stick up for Ed (whom I have never met or heard of until I was sent an e-mail with this link). I do a similar thing on the “people” side of nutrition and it really surprises me that people get indignant when someone is selling something. My gosh, we should be grateful that Ed has put all of this time and effort into this blog site and shared his recipes and photos, without charging a cent for his time. He is employed, an entrepreneur and of course recommending his own products. It’s your decision whether to buy or not. I thank you Mr. Ed for all of your efforts on behalf of the general good and a healthy existence for our much loved dogs.
Thank you:)
My dog is prone to flare ups with her pancreas and that’s what happened when i feed her home cooked such as even boiled chopped beef and rice. Do you have a low fat diet for a dog with this condition.
Mona,
You can use leaner meats and then add fish oil and coconut oil because both are fats that do not aggravate the pancreas.
Hi! I am interested in trying home cooked dog food but am curious, budget wise, how it compares to spending money on dog food at a pet store? We have two dogs, one is 22lbs beagle/heeler mix and one 36 lb mut. We are trying to find ways to save money so we can start making babies! I’ve also been looking up dog treat recipes- any suggestions there too? Thank you for your help!
-the Bergholz Bunch
Libby,
I’ve found the dog food recipes comparable to a good dog food. They start saving you in vet bills. So there is added saving there.
I am looking forward to making this home make cooked dog food. My 12 year old pug had developed 2 Urinary Tract Infections in less than 6 months. She hates the Prescription C?D diet food…both dry and wet. I am looking to make a food low in ash. Will your recipe be low ash? A response would be appreciated.
Sheri,
Yes, these recipes are low in ash and highly nutritious.
Hi, Ed. Well, I’ve had Roxie on the Yeast starvation diet now for at least 4 months, & though some of her licking & scratching has lightened up, for the most part, she’s still at it a lot. Even so, she has gained some needed ounces -from 10.3 lbs. to 10.8; & nutritionist vet says she’s perfect at this weight. She was an adopted/rescued dog & her appetite, weight, & coat were all in great need of repair … and the homemade diet really helped! She is so soft & fluffy now; just adorable, & has a wonderful appetite. Everyone was so skeptical & gave me a lot of grief about going through the “trouble” of preparing homemade food & using online supplements (they were really freaked out about the egg shells!); but they now all agree that YOU are right and I was right to follow your advice & instructions! However, I had some trouble w/the Dinovite website: I needed more of the Fish Oil for a new batch I was making her, but the online site wouldn’t recognize a $5 coupon code that came w/my previous order & was due to expire the following day. So, I called the phone line instead & an answering tape asked me to leave my # & someone would get back to me; but no one ever did. I missed the deadline for the coupon & also was in a bind time-wise cuz I needed to make her new food. I ended up reluctantly getting her some Omega 3 oil from the pet store, which I would rather not have done; it’s much more expensive than your product & she hasn’t been quite so enthusiastic about eating since I’ve been using it – no doubt, she likes your product better. Now, I want to put her on your cooked beef diet w/rice recipe. I need to make her food tomorrow & was going to just use the store-bought Fish Oil, but then I noticed that this recipe calls for the Lickochops rather than the fish oil. I don’t have time to get the lickochops for this batch; can I go ahead & just use the Dinovite & store-bought Omega 3 until I have time to order Lickochops? BTW: In response to Carla’s remark about cost of supplements; yours are actually much more reasonable than anything I can get elsewhere … online or in stores, & as I said, Roxie really seems to prefer your product. Chicken isn’t all that costly, & even decent ground beef can be found on sale at reasonable prices. If she reads this, I would like to encourage her to try and at least make one batch w/your recipe & supplements, & see if her pet’s health & appetite improve. Thanks again for all of your hard work & support, Ed! Cyd K.
Cyd,
Dinovite is short staffed now due to the economy so everyone is pretty over worked. Sometime they get a flood of calls and then they spill to over-flow. This may be what happened. If it’s OK call again and explain what happened and they will work it out.
If your dog is still experiencing itching then substitute Supromega fish oil for the Lickochops, and double up on the fish oil serving. Doing so usually will help.
Hi Ed,
I have a 2 year old Siberian Husky and we have always had trouble with irregular stool and upset stomach. I now keep her strictly on chicken based grain free food but i really want to try making her food myself, as I have heard that it would be better for her. Can tell me which recipe to start with? Raw food or cooked? Please let me know your thoughts, thanks!
Alaina,
Try the chicken and rice dog food recipe and see your dog likes it.
HI,
I am looking for my Diabetic Chihuahua /Beagle mix. I am going to use the cooked option, because the raw option gives me a upset stomach. Is the rice good for her? Should we try black rice instead of white or brown rice? Any ideas.
Cheryl,
This is hard for me to answer. Dogs with diabetes will need some carbs but it is different for each dog.
Hello Ed. I have a 2 1/2 month old poodle/terrier. I’ve had her for 24hrs. She has not eaten anything since I’ve had her but has had plenty of water. She is maybe 3lbs. I was hoping you could answer some questions for me.
What recipe should I use on her? Do you have a “sample” recipe that I could make her incase she doesn’t like it (Although I see most dogs are liking it)? How much a feeding (morning and evening) should I give her since she is so tiny?
Amanda,
Try one of the easy cooked dog food recipe. I like to feed puppies twice per day.
Hello, I’m just curious if I may be doing something wrong. I’ve been making my now 9month old female jack Russell/rat terrier mix homemade food since I first got her. I used Whole grain rice in the begining but noticed a lot of itching so I switched to white. And I go back and fourth between turkey & chicken and use frozen peas and carrots and chicken bullion for flavor. She used to eat really good till recently. I’ve noticed she doesn’t like it if it had been frozen so now I’m not making as much at once. But now she just seems to not be interested anymore and if she does show interest its usually when it’s super fresh. But the other day when I made a fresh batch she didn’t touch it. And the past week or two she has been itching SO bad that she has a sore on her hiney . She is very clean, no fleas, sensitive skin puppy shampoos only. I was told to add a TBLS of veggie oil to her food to help with dry skin… nothing is doing the trick. I think maybe she’s been being fed other foods by my children which might explain the itching but I don’t know what to do about her appetite. Is she simply bored of her food? Should I switch it up with other recipies? Hamburger also makes her itch. I tried an egg once but that was before her appetite change. Any suggestions? Especially for the itching. .. she’s causing herself to bleed… it’s so important that I help her as( obviously) she can’t help herself. She has got to be miserable. Thanks for reading!
Desirae,
You have lots of variables here that can cause all the problems your dog i experiencing. Try one of my homemade dog food recipes as outlined and see how she does. Try the chicken and rice dog food recipe as outlined for starters.
I am trying this recipe with my dogs this week. One concern i had is the supplements i add with the recipe. If i personally choose so, nothing against the dinovite brand, could i use a different source of omega and vitamin supplements to add to the diet? I think it would be easier to go to my local pet store and purchase a all in one powder to add to there required daily intake with the homemade recipe rather then continuously ordering from the dinovite website. Regardless of your love for dinovite, i dont see any big risk in using a different source of omega and vitamin supplement. What do you think?
Matt,
I’ve not found any dog supplements like the Dinovite brand.
Dear Ed,
Thank you so much for all your dedication to educating people on feeding dogs so they can once more lead healthy lives …I purchased your Dinovite, as soon as I heard about it, but give fish oil capsules from Trader Joes that I use as that is what I had been feeding…is that ok? (right now it Omega-3 fatty acitds that contain gelatin,glycerine, purified water, natural tocopherols (soy), fish oil derived from anchovies and sardines..fish oil is 1100 mg. marine lipid concentrate, and epa 300mg. and dha 200 mpg..Or I could give him the antarctic Krill oil at 500mg. a cap..I have this for myself and thought it a good idea to give to him since I have had him…. I give full fat yogurt in the am…just a few spoonfuls, and is it ok to add full fat cheese for treats? He is a few lbs overweight, but should be about 20 lbs at most, is it ok to feed 1cup total food a day with 1tablespoon Dinovite, and 2 teaspoons pure coconut oil? By the way, he loves the Dinovite…must know what is good for him!
Carole,
Good to hear! It sounds like the omega 3 supplement you are feeding has unneeded fillers. When it’s gone or before, try the Supromega. Supromega is just fish oil and natural source vitamin E. Coconut oil is good for dogs, keep up the good work!
Hi Ed
I have a new puppy – she’s an 11 week old Australian Labradoodle. I cooked homemade food for my last Labradoodle who passed away peacefully at a ripe old age last year.
Can I use the cooked beef recipe for my young puppy? She’s about 10 pounds and I want to make sure she gets all she needs to grow up properly. Also, I’m a bit concerned about fasting her for 24 hours and reducing her food consumption because she is in her critical growth phase.
What do you think?
Joanne,
Any of the dog food recipes on this site are fine for puppies. You can usually get away without fasting puppies.
Several weeks go my 10 year old lab was diagnosed with kidney disease. I have been feeding her the easy recipe but I do cook it. Also I give her omega 3, vitamin b, aspirin, and her thyroid medication daily. Would the supplements you recommend replace the omega and vitamin b?
Thank you
Vanessa,
Yes, they would replace both and add more nutrients.
Thank you. Any other tips on feeding or supplements??? Headed to order your recommendations now 🙂
Based on the kidney disease – didn’t know if you had anymore tips.
have been checking out something called Orapup…for tartar control…is this ok for a dog with yeast problems? Seems a lot easier than using a brush…and it proports to cause less plaque…and I would be using it for that as recently my dog had dental surgery and I had to give anti biotics which had a terrible affect on his yeast problem ofcourse…So I wanted to check with you about this or is there a better way to handle plaque?
Carlole,
I’ve found dogs fed these homemade dog food recipes have clean white teeth.
Hello! I have a dog with Addison’s Disease, he takes daily Prednisone and has monthly steroid injections… do you see any issues or complications with feeding him these recipes?
Mel,
No, I always feel it is best to feed the most nutritious food.
Ed,
I am interested in starting my dogs on a homemade diet, not sure if raw or cooked yet, im ok with either, but I have a question about gas…
I have a boxer, and she has the WORST gas ever, constantly farting all day every day- embarrassing me in front my friends, and actually making my other 2 dogs get up and leave the room its so foul. She actually didn’t even have solid stool until she was 1 year old. She had a horrible cause of intestinal parasites as a puppy, but now at 2 years old all her tests are fine. I have tried sooo many types of food, organic, gluten free, etc. and finally she finally got solid stool with a “grain free food” but her gas is horrendous. The vet just keeps saying “she’s a boxer, that’s what they do” but I’m sure its her food.
Have you found that with a raw diet, or homemade cooked diet, dog’s gas is better or worse? I have heard with humans for example a vegan diet makes them more gassy, so just wondering if this would even help.
Thanks!
Chrissy,
I’ve not had my dogs be gassy on any of these dog food recipes. However, some dogs may experience temporary gassiness as their bodies are adjusting to the new food.
hi,
i really want to try this food, i have a pit wolf mix and i feel he isent getting the right nutrients.. i want to feed him the raw food diet but i have a couple of concerns.. should i gradually ween him off of the food hes been eating? and also, my dog is kind of aggressive when it comes to treats with meat on them like soup bones and such.. should i be concerd that he would become agressive with my cat or with people while hes eating?
Cassie,
Follow the introductory method outlined on any of the recipe pages. It sounds like your dog is food aggressive and this is usually a training issue.
my dog was just diagnosed with lymphangectasia
doctor recommend a diet that is both low fat and hypoallergenic. For the last few days the only thing i have been able to give her that she will eat is white fish. when i try to add potatoes or rice she will not eat it. She is also very thin so she can not afford to Not eat it so I cannot starve her. Can i give her suppliments or is there a recipe for her. She would eat the hamburger and chicken dog foods but they are not hypoallergenic.
Linda,
I’m not familiar with your dog’s illness so can’t honestly answer.
My dog is allergic to beef and can only eat poultry. Can you please post a cooked homemade dog food mde with chicken?
Thanks!
Shelly,
Check out the chicken and rice dog food recipe. I think you will like it.
With your help, my terrier (8years) is in the middle of his cleansing anti yeast diet…He is on the diet you suggest as well as the Dinovite. He was suffering with terrible itching and I found a product locally that has enzymes and vit D in a shampoo and rinse that supposedly breaks down or digests the yeast..the rinse is what I chose and it can be used diluted or straight between baths right on the skin to relieve the iching…seems to help …what do you think of enzymes that can be applied in a creme rinse to bring down the yeast irritation…Have you heard of it…made by Zymox? I do not want to add to the problem, but this seems to be a natural approach. When the yeast shows up in the skin is it dead or active…do you suppose that the enzymes break it down or cause it to be inactive or actually digest it ? Should I have my carpet steam cleaned once this cleansing crisis is over in order to destroy any possible yeast, or is this something that resides only on the dog from his internal condition…. a lot of questions, but I want to cover all basis to protect as well as comfort my best friend! I must say that after trying the raw and the cooked diet, I find that the raw is so much easier to make, he loves it, and it is better for him, why would I ever cook it again!
Thank you so much for answering me and for your committed and caring work.
Carole,
I’ve never heard of the product you are using but if it offers some temporary relief I think it is fine. Yeast is not a contagion but a systemic problem. So, by changing your dog’s diet you are attacking the yeast at the root so to speak. Your dog won’t catch yeast like a cold or the flu. It would only return with a diet change back to carbohydrates or an immune system problem. Botha re prevented by a healthy, meaty, carb free diet.
Hi,
I’d like to start my dog on raw foods with your supplements. He’s a 12 year old Chihuahua. He is currently on phenobarbitol for seisures, has cushing’s disease (the tumor is on his adrenal gland) and back in June, had acute renal failure. Thank God his kidneys are doing very well but he has to take sub q fluids every other day. His liver is enlarged now, probably because of the pheno. My question is, are these nutrients ok for his kidneys? I read somewhere that dogs with or who had kidney issues should avoid vitamin D, some diruretics that are fund in some greens and vitamin A. Also (this is the most important), are any of the ingredients in any of your supplements sourced from China? I know they are manufactured in the US, but where are they sourced from? Thanks a lot. Great site!
All the ingredients in the supplements are USA source. The high moisture content of these homemade dog food recipes is helpful for a dog’s kidneys.
One more question…. Are all the ingredients in your supplements non synthetic?
Yes.
Hello. We are about to get a puppy (pit) and I’d like to start him on homemade dog food. Your introduction method says to fast the dog for 24 hours … Is it okay for a puppy to fast? He’ll be about 8 weeks old when we get him and the people we’re getting him from do feed him bagged puppy food. Also, because he’s a puppy, does he need additional nutrients or a different ratio of meat to rice to eggs than a full-grown dog? Anything you can tell me would be helpful. Thanks so much.
Laura,
You can cut the fast down to 8 hours for a puppy. Any of the the dog food recipes are fine for pups.
Thank you so much for your clear answers…glad not to worry about my boy picking up yeast anywhere…as his internal environment is always going to be balanced with your raw recipes, and the Dinovite…I notice his feces have some undigested Dinovite and or egg shell in them, which is new. Will he eventually absorb all that goodness? Am I overfeeding the Dinovite…I give a tablespoon with each meal, (am and pm)…with a packed 1/2 cup of your raw yeast starvation diet…he is about 23 lbs and could probably loose a little. I am ordering the supra omega today along with the dog o suds for comfort…
I feel as if I should shout about your products and recipes from the roof tops…so many people are feeding their dogs poorly and do not know it…
with appreciation,
Carole and Yogi
Carole,
I have found over time the dogs digest all the items better. You can blend the eggs and shells in the blender to pulverize them more, this works good too.
Hi…my dog has a yeast problem. Do you have any recipes for this problem?
He is a 100 lb long coat german shepherd that has gone misdiagnosed with a food allergy since he was 4 months old. His birthday is 12-25-2011. On and off of steroids and antibiotics and different food with no luck. He is a year old now and he is just starting to loose hair from his chewing, he has some red bumps and rash in his groin area, arm pits rear end and very red ears that come over him like a heat wave. I noticed an odd smell and read up on that only to find it may be yeast. Off to the vet for a skin scraping and it is an overgrowth of yeast due to his poor imune system. I am very upset that this may have been his problem all the long. I want to cook his food but do not have a recipe that I know for sure will be correct. I have read so many cotridicting articles. I am just lost.
I have washed him in an antifungal shampoo to remove the yeast from his skin. This should be done twice a week. I also cleaned his ears with witch hazel and have ear product for the yeast. He was also put on antibiotics that I read are more harmful then good. Now I have to get him off of the Royal Canin…..(Annalergenic) perscription dog food he has been eating with no progress in helping his condition. I was told he more than likly has a food allergy. He has been eating this food for over two months but his symptoms are all still here with the new addition of hair loss now. We have been going back and fourth with this for 8 months and no relief for this poor animal. Switching foods and depriving him of treats and bones etc…..I have no idea what to feed him.
Can you help us?
Thank you,
Cathy P
Cathy,
Try feeding him the yeast starvation dog food recipe, it works great. Keep in mind that the symptoms can get worse for a couple weeks on this recipe and you will want to give it about 6 months before deciding if it did or did not work.
Thank you so much for the speedy reply. I had asked my Vet about the raw diet and she advised against it because of the bacteria that could be on the raw and the fact that his imune system is compromised. It’s so confusing. But on the other hand they were wrong all this time about what it might be he has suffered for 8 months. Any treats for yeast dogs?
Thanks again,
Cathy
Cathy,
If you are worried about the bacteria just cook it and add the supplements after it has cooled. Try these all beef dog treats they are great!
Dear Ed,
I have been spreading the word, and it is amazing to me that some people just do not want to change from dry food at all….considering the longevity, comfort, and freedom from so many problems caused by poor feeding, and all the vet bills and dentist vet bills, (they could avoid), you would imagine that people would want to change the way they feed their dogs immediately…My son is watching closely as I feed this new way, both of us had the benefit of a natural vet who is no longer practicing…We have always given half raw and the rest FFR which is one of the better dry foods…I know once my guy (with the help of the raw yeast starving diet and the Dinovite), stops itching that my son will be on board also…I am so excited about all the information you know and share, and want to say that for all the non believers and brain washed dog owners out there, there are hundreds more who cherish this site and all of the products you have developed for the love of our best friends…There are always people who are arguing for their limitations, and the status quo…which frankly is dreadful .. ( dry foods alone). Remember there are many more of us who are experiencing the aha of the truth here, and that you are are truely about healing the whole dog…We appreciate all you and Cindy and the staff do.
With Appreciation,
Carole and Yogi
Dear Ed,
I need your help. I have two pugs that are my babies. One of my pugs this last week was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. After months of going to the vet, and him saying is was an infection we finally got an answer to her shortness of breath and coughing. She also has bad allergies since birth. I was hoping to switch them to a good health food to hopefully slow down the progress of the cancer in my one pug and hopefully keep the other pug healthy. What recipe would you recommend? Do you have any other recommendations on supliments i should be giving my pug with cancer?
Thanks for your help!
Heart broken pug parent
Deanna,
I’m sorry to hear your pug is not well. Try feeding the chicken and rice dog food recipe, dogs love the taste and it is very nutritious.
Hi I was just wondering which dinovite you use and if you use their scoop to measure out. I am trying to calculate cost of making this for our new puppy. Awesome blog btw 🙂
Jessica,
I’ve used both but gravitate to the powder. I’ve found it’s easiest to mix it in the batch all at one time, 1 to 2 cups dinovite per batch depending on the severity of your dogs nutritional deficiency disease symptoms. I think there is a bout 6 cups of Dinovite in the “small dog box”, $24.99. I hope this helps.
How much would you say it costs you for 1 batch?
Jessica,
I’m not sure I’ve never figured it out and it would be different in all parts of the country due to ingredient cost differences.
Is it ok to use pumpkin instead of the rice, or maybe to use both? I have read that pumpkin is good for dogs, and have seen recommendations for adding pumpkin to a dog’s food.
Lorna,
Yes, you could replace the rice with the pumpkin or use them 50/50.
My German shepherd is facing several health problems. Recently diagnosed with an auto immune problem she is now showing signs of diabetes.
I recently put her on your cooked food diet but she has developed terrible diarrhea.
Do you have a recipe specifically for diabetic dogs ? And could you please explain the nutritional pros and cons of white rice versus brown .
Thank you for your time…..Allan in Dallas.
Allan,
Did you follow the introductory method outlined in the recipe? Brown rice is better for humans because we have a long digest tract. White rice is better and more easily digest by a dog’s short digestive tract.
I have three pitbulls that can not have corn wheat or chicken(to the point they can’t have eggs).I have been making my dog homemade wet dog for the last few weeks. Is ok that I have been cooking their food in a slow cooker so that their veggies can be cooked with it(as my crazy dogs won’t eat food that does not have veggies in it)? Most of the time I use what ever beef I can get my hands on as cheep as possible or venison(when I can get my hands on it). I still feed them there store bough dry food. With this being said do I still need to put the supplements in the wet food? I do give them fish oil everyday and there is olive oil in the wet food also I also put ground flax seed in. And the vet I use was telling me to use well cooked brown rice in there food or should I change that to white rice?
Sandra,
I have found mixing kibble into the homemade dog food is counter productive. Yes, I would add the supplements and if you are not adding the eggs make sure you add calcium by adding the Fidocal calcium supplement.
Hi! Ed
I wanted to ask you about feeding this cooked meatloaf you have on video that I just saw. My Little Princess is a Chiwini -Very tiny Chihuahua,she is 5 month old puppy weight 16. oz. She hates dog food from cans, from bags, dry food also eats very little.
She wants my food!! all the time I have heard this is bad for them I am very scare. I have been giving her poached eggs and boiled chicken. Can she eat this cooked food on video?
If so can you tell me how much to give her as the recipe are for dogs of 10 lbs. and UP and my puppy is only 1.1 lbs. I appreciate some feedback please I am new with dogs and very scare I might unintentionally upset her tummy and not feeding right way.
Thanks,
Vivian
Vivian,
Yes, you tiny puppy will do well on the easy cooked dog food recipe. I would blend the eggs with shells in the blender to pulverize the shells. I would feed her approximately the same portion you currently feed.
Since rice isn’t recommended for dogs with chronic yeast infections. What other food product can be added to the cooked food to reduce the cost?
Valarie,
If your dog has a yeast overgrowth then try feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe as is. You could add some chicken because it is cheaper than beef.
Hi Ed,
Yogi is now about a month into his yeast away diet. He has periods of itching that come and go and I have been using essential oil on the areas and that seems to work the best for easing the itch. I started him off with more Dinovite , thinking that after eight years, four with me filled with scratching and chewing himself, an extra amt. would be called for. I am now using the half tablespoon per half cup of raw food for him 2x a day (he should be about 20lbs)……is that correct ? Can it take several months to calm the sudden itching fits? I am seeing that he is clear in the eyes, filling in on the paws and only having the problem with his inner thighs (?) haunches… They seem blackened and that seems to be breaking up a bit but otherwise a happy guy and recently he went to the chiropractor who said he seemed so much stronger!
in the spine where he is adjusted..Anything else along with TIME that I should be doing to hasten his healing?
Thanks,
Carole
Carole,
You can double the amount of Dinovite and often this helps.
Thanks Ed, I will happily do that…anything for my best boy! Is the blackspotted inner haunchs and belly due to the yeast cleansing?
Carole
Carole,
It sounds like it.
Hi, I have a 7 month old shepherd/ Welsh Corgi she was 47lbs on December 29 so I believe she’s about 52-55 lbs now. I was feeding her 1 can wet and 3 cups dry a day. I was following your guidelines and felt it was too little especially since she’s seems to be hungry all the time. So I still added 3 cups a day along with 2 and a half cups a day of your cooked homemade food( medium done). Am I over feeding her? She’s very active and she runs everyday in the park.
Ada,
I don’t recommend mixing kibble or canned dog food with these recipes. Yes, it sounds like you are over feeding her. I feed my border collie 2-3 cups of food per day and she is very active.
Thank you
Hi guys,
I have GSD and she has always had yeast infections in her ears to the point of scratching them bloody. The only concern I have with the raw diet is in nature from my limited understanding dogs don’t have to be concerned with salmonella like we do with our processed raw meats. This has been my main concern with switching her over to a raw diet. We have 4 dogs, but she is the only one that is not doing that well on Fromm.
Hi Ed,
I found two bowel movements that had clear mucos in them yesterday…otherwise normal but a large amount of jelly like white mucous…is this part of the cleansing of yeast or is giving twice more dinovite as I have been doing the cause? Actually at first I doubled up on the Dinovite,(there was no mucous then), and then about a week ago cut back to correct amount, and then doubled again…when you suggested it might help the itching, What if anything to do here? Otherwise Yogi seems well with energy and itchy fits that come and go that I treat with the cedar oil.
Thanks as usual for your help here,
Carole and Yogi
Carole,
Yes, it’s fine, part of the cleansing.
WHY can’t I print off the recipes. I have a short memory and cannot remember what to do?????
Ann,
I’m not sure, they should print.
I have been making my own dog food for my Westie since the dog food scare in 07. I am fortunate that my husband is an avid deer hunter and we have plenty of ground venison in our freezer. I have been adding home grown garden vegetables, rice (sometimes oatmeal), wheat germ, eggs and cottage cheese to my cooked recipe. I am wondering if this is sufficient for her diet or if I still need to add the supplements. She had terrible allergies years ago, and we had to give her shots to keep it at bay. She no longer takes shots since we quit feeding her commercial dog food and the vet says she has the best coat of any Westie in his practice. I feel like I’m doing something right but after reading your wed site, again, I wonder if this is sufficient for her diet.
Joy,
I’ve fed my dogs venison from time to time and still supplement. The supplements I recommend are whole food supplements, not synthetic, and are great sources for needed nutrients. I recommend using the supplements.
Ed,
I need to make my dogs food….he is allergic to rice, brewers yeast, potato’s , rabbit, turkey, whey, milk and venison. Can you give me suggestions. Help!
Diana,
Feed the yeast starvation dog food recipe, it does not contain any items your dog is allergic to, the dinovite contains a couple forms of yeast but not brewers yeast. The ultimate goal here is to build your dog’s immune system so he is not allergic to so many items.
Thank you! I feel so bad for him. I have 3 white shepherds….is it ok to feed them all the same…Nova my female is the sister of males (Magnum) mother….and we have there son Teddy.
I have not had Nova and Teddy tested but I fear they all have the same allergies.
Nova licks and itches a lot….we always thought it was hormonal, but she is now spade so I don’t understand the licking…..
Magnum is my male with the allergies…..we had a blood test done which showed the items I listed earlier. Magnums father has an allergy to rice the same as Magnum.
I will look the diet up that you suggest and hopefully start them all on the same.
Magnum is currently on medication because of blood in his urine….they found crystals and it was waxy ….should I wait til he is finished with the med’s to start the new diet? Also this is a raw diet….can I cook the meat?
Thank you.
Diana Theilgaard
Diana,
I would feed them all the yeast starvation dog food recipe and see how they do.
Ed,
On the yeast starvation diet, can I cook the meat? I have a thing about raw meat…..I use to feed my Nova a raw diet…..until we got a bad piece of chicken….I almost lost her she was so sick.
I plan on putting all three of my dogs on the same diet….they are related and may have the same allergies….they all have the itching ….. We thought with my female it was hormone related but she is now spade and we still have the itching/licking.
My male Magnum is from Nova’s sister.
And then we have Teddy which is from the one and only Magnum/Nova litter.
So, back to the original question….can I cook the meat….and can the dogs stay on this mix for all time? Thanks!
Diana,
Yes you can cook the meat but try to have it on the rare side.
I currently feed cooked turkey,potatoes and veg. Would I still need to fast my dog to switch to your yeast free cooked recipe.
Susan,
It’s probably not necessary but would not hurt.
I feel so bad for feeding my Chihuahuas a mix of brown rice mixed vegetables and cooked chicken or beef for the last 6 months. Do you think I have hurt them nutritionally? I switched from the plastic containers single serve dog food because my 7 year old dog weighs 11lbs instead of 7lbs but she has not lost weight. I feed them twice a day about 1/3 cup each time. With the cooked recipe do you heat it up before serving from the refrigerator?
Amber,
I’m not familiar with the food you are feeding. It is not necessary to reheat the dog food.
Hi Ed,
So glad to have found your site, I am done putting my trust in strangers to make my dogs food.
Should the ground meat be regular or lean … what is best for my dog? Thank you.
Sharon,
I use 70/30 ground beef with good results.
Hi!
My dogs absolutely LOVE the “Easy Cooked Dog Food” recipe. We had been feeding them store bought bagged food for about a year and they ate it, but they weren’t excited about it. Since we’ve started making our own food about six months ago, they go nuts over meal time. We’ve also noticed a huge change in how much water they need (our bullmastiff used to go through gallons per day, I swear), how often they #2, and general happiness. THANK YOU for having this awesome website =)
Margaux,
You are welcome, Im glad you enjoy the site!
i have a medium size dog and aussie, she is about 7 to 8 years old. i can not find a decent dog food to feed her. i gave her some turkey one thanksgiving and she almost died .she spent three days at the vets with iv to get her healthy . is the dog food they sell at the vets any better than what you can get at the grocery store? also can they eat wild game?
Terry,
I’m not sure why turkey would make your dog deathly ill unless you are a terrible cook;). Vets usually sell science diet in their offices and I’m not a fan of their food. I think the best way to feed dogs is a homemade dog food. Wild game like venison is fine.
I have a standard schnauzer that I have raised from nine weeks old. His name is Max and is now two years old. Max has had problems with his stomach from the beginning. His stomach will make these loud growls and rumbles for awhile which leads to very loose and runny bowel movements. This seems to happen about once a month. He has been to numerous vets which have been no help. I came upon your site and have been using the chicken recipe and now he has runny stools all the time. He don’t seem to feel bad and he eats good but stools are very loose. Any ideas??
Roger,
you could increase the rice content and see if that helps. If not then try the yeast starvation dog food recipe and see how Max responds to it.
My dog has been diagnosed with kidney disease and I was wondering if the recipe with ground me would work for her? She is 7lbs and is a shih-zu. Thank you for any help.
Kenda
Kenda,
Any of these homemade dog food recipes would work because they have high moisture content and this helps to flush the kidneys.
Thank you! I’ll do your recommendations and see how it works.
My wheaten terrier has horrific yeast………ears…..skin!
The smell is very disturbing.
I’ve just spent $23 on a 5lb bag of bison & sweet potato food.
She takes 1 injection monthly and oral prednizone daily.
Will this raw food recipe help?
Rhonda,
The yeast starvation dog food recipe works great. The steroids you are currently doing will continue to degrade your dog’s health.
Hi there I am gonna make this for my dogs they love human food and I know they will do good.. I’ll let u know how it works out. I have 6 dogs shepard mix with lab and great dane… Cant wait!
I have a 4 month old catahoula pup. I am concerned about the 24 hr fast you recommend seeing how he is a pup and needs to eat 3 times a day. Will he be ok without food for 24 hours? I plan to do the beef cooked diet. Thanks.
Yvette,
An 8 hour fast for your puppy will be fine but still start off slow with the new food.
Also, do you have a serving size of the cooked diet for puppies? Could I maybe add an extra 1/2 cup of food to the serving size according to weight?
Yvette,
I typically “eye ball” serving sizes for puppies, watching how full their bellies are and adjust accordingly.
Ed,
My dog is 11 months old, and he gets diarrhea about once a month. I have taken him to vet. They gave him medicine for parasites(even though none were detected in his stool) and they gave him medicine for an intestinal infection. I have changed his food to Simply Nourish Lamb and Oatmeal, but he still gets diarrhea frequently. Which one of your recipes do you think would be the best for my Aussie?
Kara
Kara,
Start off with the easy raw dog food recipe and use the dinovite powder instead of the dinovite liquid.
I have two Mini Schnauzers. One was just hospitalized for pancreatitis. We are advised that he needs to be on a low fat diet. So I am considering the cooked chopped meat w/white rice. However, several years ago we had an adisonian dog who refused to eat her food & lost a lot of weight. We went to a specialist who advised us that she could eat not just white rice but plain yogurt, & small curd cottage cheese. She gained all her weight back and then some. Unfortunately she lost her battle to complications from the medications and not eating.
During this we were told that any meat eaten should be boiled and drained to get rid of the fat. Being my schnauzers need to be on the fattest free diet possible I intend to boil the meat before adding the eggs & rice .. I guess I would then cook it all together there after?
Laurena,
Yes, draining off the fat is fine. Try adding about a 1 tablespoon of “organic cold pressed coconut oil” and Supromega fish oil to his recipe. Both are good fats that do not poorly affect the pancreas.
Thank you for the great information. I’ve switched my [greyhound] dogs to the Easy Cooked recipe, but will transition to the raw one when mentally there. Intellectually, I know it’s the better choice. Your generosity of sharing is also benefitting my cats as am switching their diet too but w/out having to grind the bones the recipes were calling for, I didn’t know how to get the bone in their diet. Your [super] easy bone stock recipe solved that problem. Thank you!!
Two questions:
* I have Nupro dog suppliments that I currently add to their food (only because I had it on hand). What’s the advantage of the Dinovite and Lickochop, over the Nupro. They “appear” to have the same vitamins, minerals, amino acids. Price is relatively the same too. Just wondering if I need to make the switch now or there’s no harm in finishing the Nupro before I switch?
* one of my hounds takes Glyco-Flex as well. Any issue with giving Glyco-Flex, Dinovite and Lickochops at the same time (or better yet can the Glyco-Flex be eliminated using Dinovite and Lickochops)?
Thank you.
Cindy,
I’ve never used Nupro so can’t honestly answer. The Dinovite and Lickochops are great and you can eliminate the Glyco-Flex.
Can you alternate between the cooked & raw diets?
AJ,
Yes, this is fine.
Hi Ed:
Quick question that I could not find ask…or answered in the first 100 q&a’s. what is the fat to beef ratio that you use? 80/20? 90-10? 70/30? Thanks
Jeryl,
I use 70/30.
Hi Ed
Can I use brown eggs instead of white?
How do I cook the sweet potatoes?
Thanks for your time.
John,
Yes, the color of the eggs does not change them. I boil the sweet potatoes, cool, then peel. The skin comes right off after cooling.
I have a 6 yr old shi tzu, female who for 6 yr ate same food then started vomiting & eating grass
to throw up nearly every day. Vet checked blood for everything – found nothing. Gave some
food for GI upset but she wouldn’t eat. cooked chicken & rice. She ate it once or twice – then
quit. Tried giving cooked potatoes w/a little beef broth for flavor. She ate it. She also has yeast
problems w/ears & body odor even after bath. So – will try staying away from carbs & try your recipe for bone broth. Is a little peanut butter for flavoring food or treat or to get pills down?
Other recommendations.
Suzzette,
Try feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe. Instead of peanut butter try plain butter to get pills down.
I was wondering, I half this because I do not have enough pans nor a large enough blender for 18 eggs, and i only get about 15 days worth. Is that where the “approximation” comes in? I have never had 20 days worth. I have a 40 lb dog so i feed her 2 cups daily.
Becky,
I’m not sure what you are asking, can you re-phrase the question?
I have been trying to introduce my dog to Dinovite for a week now. He’s a very finicky eater, so I was prepared for some issues, but…. I have tried everything. Almost all the suggestions dinovite has given- peanut butter, yogurt, raw hamburger meatballs, his regular food….
homemade food (raw), homemade food (cooked)…..He should be eating a tablespoon daily by
now. I’m lucky if he gets 1/4 of that in him. I have divided the serving into morning and evening meals. He sniffs and walks away. The only thing I haven’t tried that has been suggested is cottage cheese. I doubt he’d like that. This is definitely not working for me! I’m at a loss as to what to try next. Any suggestions would be welcome. He likes ice cream (but doesn’t get it) and I know there is such a thing especially mad for dogs. Would that be okay to try?? Please, I’m desperate. It’d be best to email me if possible as I check that three times daily.
Rachel
Rachel,
I would just put a pinch of Dinovite in the bottom of his bowl and put the food on top. Let him eat down to it. Do this for a couple of weeks, then slowly increase to the correct serving. I mix it right in the whole batch and all my dogs gobble it up.
Don’t sweat it, take your time to let him get adjusted to it. For some reason one or more of the scents in Dinovite are taking it out of the “food category” in your dog’s brain. With a slow introductory period this will change. Also, fast your dog for 24 hours it’s good for him and will discourage finicky behavior. Dogs are fasters and gorgers by design.
Dogs aren’t big on taste but have a powerful sense of smell. Think about how they can detect drugs, cancer in peoples bodies and track people and animals for miles just by smell.
Try offering his food for two minutes, if he doesn’t eat it then pick it up and put it in the refrigerator. Repeat this process the next day and make sure no one else feeds him. He will not starve himself but will start developing better eating habits. Offer plenty of water through the whole process.
My dogs eat their meals in 15-30 seconds. My dog Stinky then spends the next 30 minutes licking all the other dog’s bowls.
is there an alternative to cook that recipe ? because i don’t have an oven.
Apollo,
Yes, the easy raw dog food recipe, click here to view.
I would like to do something like this, but I have a couple of problems. My is very sensitive to fat. He can’t do any poultry. The only meat I have been able to give him is beef. I have to buy the extra lean and then I have to boil it and drain the water. He also can’t have egg yolks because of the fat. I am looking for a way to use the boiled ground beef and add supplements to that to make a balanced diet. He also tolerates sweet potatoes very well. I actually have a recipe that was made up for me, but it requires buying about 20 different supplements to add to it. I was hoping to use something like the dinovite but I want it to have all the calcium and such that he needs. any suggestions?
Kathy,
Dogs need fat so you will want to add fat that can be tolerated. Try organic coconut oil and fish oil both are tolerated well. Also use the Dinovite for vitamins and minerals and Fidocal for the calcium and you should be fine.
Can you replace the beef with chicken and use the same amount? I would think any type of meat protein would be the same.
Yes, or just feed the chicken and rice dog food recipe.
Hi Ed,
Today I’m just devastated because yesterday I took my 9 month old Collie to a specialist. He started limping about three months ago and nothing we did helped. It appears he has developed elbow dysplasia in both front legs. I started feeding him the raw diet, added the dinovite and lickochops along with some veggies at 12 weeks old. It appears that I could have contributed to this condition by feeding a large breed puppy too high of a protein content which causes rapid growth and thickening of the bones in the joint. This can also be a genetic issue but until yesterday I wasn’t aware how minimal the protein levels must be for a puppy. If I could turn back the clock six months I would rethink the carb to protein ratio. I followed your recipe to the letter except for adding a little peas and beans. From my calculations the recipe delivers twice as much protein as a growing dog should receive. What are your thoughts?
Dave,
Puppies should not have minimal protein, bottom line. Which recipe are you feeding? The recipes on this site are 12%-18% protein. Most often these ailments have more of a genetic component. Some breeds and lines have a higher requirement of certain nutrients or a lesser ability to metabolize certain nutrients. Try adding some vitamin C and fish oil to your dogs diet both can help.
Dave,
Can you tell me what exactly you are feeding because you said you modified the recipe with peas and beans? This will help.
I have a Teacup Chihuahua an is a totally picky dog. she’s spaded, she’s 2yrs.
she will smell an turn away. I have tried every kind dog food from Pet Smart.
an even her Doctor. Nothing helps. Even chicken broth in her food dripping’s
from turkey, chicken. I don’t know what else to give her. She’s 5 lbs.
Thank You,
Barbara
I make my own dog food for our little Tibetan spaniel/lhasa apso mix. He’s a very picky eater with digestive issues. Cooked chicken thighs, brown rice, science diet small bites and eggs blended together in mixer. Some days he loves it and eats well. Some days he isn’t eating anything. Can I add vegetables, squash and green beans? He also loves, loves, loves bread? From you, I gather bread isn’t good?
Starting a new batch today and planning on not using the kibbles, but would like to add vegetables since I do not have the supplements. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you for your input and thoughts. this is a GREAT site.
I recommend feeding one of the recipes as presented on the site.
My dog is fat but very picky — he spends all of his time snarfing for something more edible than dry dog food. He LOVED this, like….about passed out delirious loved it. There will be more in his future. I think he is probably too old to switch to raw, but he sure does like this recipe.
my Chihuahua is the same fat/picky always on the food hunt until desperate and she eats dry food. thanks for the positive post I am going to try it.
I am just wondering why you add rice. Does rice replace a nutrient that wild animals have access to? I also use coconut oil and salt my dogs food, are both of these ok? thanks Jeannette
Jeanette,
Coconut oil and salt are fine. I get asked about rice a lot and have answered the questions on my FAQ page.
Our Bernie’s mountain dog has cancer. It is effecting his digestion. He was throwing up a lot or just not eating. I have started to make his food and his appetite has improved and he has not vomited since. Question: Is there any harm in including a liquid form of vitamin supplement designed for humans into my dogs food. I have also been adding flax oil and coconut oil. Your advice please.
Stacey,
Try the Dinovite and Supromega fish oil, you will see great results.
What would you suggest as a serving size for giant breed dogs? We have 2 saint Bernard’s weighing about 160lbs each. Also have 2 French mastiff puppies about 40 lbs now.
Chloe,
I would start off with about 4 cups of food per day, then adjust up or down as they lose or gain weight.
I tried to feed the raw diet to my dogs (Cocker spaniels). They just sort of played with it but wouldn’t eat it. So I have been making a cooked version with all sorts of meats (chicken, beef, pork). I add some raw broccoli , carrots, spinach and put it all through the food processor. They seem to love it. Am I missing an important ingredient. The opinions are wide and varied about including things like grains and fruits such as cranberries.
Ray,
Try feeding the easy raw dog food recipe and see how they like it, it covers all the nutritional bases.
hi i saw your recipe for the cooked homemade dog food i would love to try this but i had a question is the black tube that you are using in your video is that the same as the dinovite power? because i have that and i would love to get my dog Pete on this homemade stuff as soon as possible.
Melissa,
The Dinovite liquid “tube” and powder are not the same but they are interchangeable.
My small terrier mix has a bad itching problem for about a year. She is about 4 yrs old, a rescue, and we have tried Dynovite for several months. No problem with her eating it but when she does her stools have much mucous and sometimes blood as well. Any suggestions? We have 2 other small dogs that are not bothered by the Dynovite.
Thanks for you help.
Allen
Allen,
It sounds like this dog digestive system and immune system is still adjusting/healing.She may also be suffering with a yeast infection and if so you may want to feed her the yeast starvation dog food recipe.
I’m so happy to have found your website. I searched for a while til I landed on your site, and you have me convinced. I’m starting off with the cooked food diet and basically just eased off the old food over time by portioning more and more of the new recipe, and less of the old over a period of a week. They did not eat dry kibble… they ate that Freshpet refrigerated dog food and did well on it (w/ dinovite supplements of course!) until my 6yo pug decided she didn’t care for it anymore. So, it was Abbie (the 6yo pug) who convinced me to find a good natural alternative. Once they have adjusted off the Freshpet and onto the cooked for a while, I’m going to switch to raw. I read much of the comments, but can’t find anything about any fasting required from your cooked recipe to your raw. Or maybe I missed it. I was going to essentially do what I did w/ the Freshpet… and just slowly add the raw and reduce the cooked until they are 100% on the raw. Any feedback or experience to say I should do otherwise? Thanks!!
Your site is SO easy to navigate and understand. It makes so much common sense that our dogs have survived for hundreds of thousands of years on raw meat. How strange that people would freak out over the idea. I think my initial problem w/it is that OUR food industry is suspect, and I worry more about how our industry is creating/handling the food more than the idea of raw itself. I think I am going to go with grass fed bison to stay away from that GMO corn and all those antibiotics. Same w/ chicken… free range. I use cage free eggs as well. It just FEELs better doing this for my pugs.
Cheers to you!
DO NOT ADD DINOVITE OR LICKOCHOPS BEFORE YOU COOK YOUR FOOD. Make sure that you add the nutriants to your food after it’s cooked and cooled. It is not clear on the recipe or video when to add them and I have been advised bt Dinovite that cooking the nutriants can ruin the effectiveness of them. Hope this helps
Our two small dogs – who had stopped eating any and all organic canned food or “natural” kibble, scarf up this recipe. My wife and I are vegans – and don’t like dealing with the ground beef and eggs, but…you have dogs, and you have to, right?
Hi Ed,maybe I missed it but,on the cooked recipes do I put the supplements in after I cook the meal.
Thanks
joe
Joe,
Always add the supplements after the cooked food has cooled.
I’m thinking of putting my dog on a raw diet (he had yeast infection issues, so I already put him on grain free, high protein dry food with dinovite products)..
Raw/meat just makes sense – as much as people want to humanize our dogs, they are dogs – and dogs would have no way of cooking meat, veggies, etc.. which brings up my question:
why the cooked rice?
it seems logical to me that a dog in a wild environment would not have ever eaten cooked rice. Or any rice at all. Or even veggies in general. I always assumed they were pure carnivore, eating what they hunt.
I have a new order of dinovite supp’s coming this week, and I’m going to pick up hamburger this week to get him started on this – I’m just confused about the rice.
Jason,
Check out the FAQ page, I get this question a lot and answer it there. Thanks.
I absolutely love this homemade dog food recipe the only thing is that from the above instructions it falls short of about six cups of the 40 it says that it makes for the ratio:: other than that it’s a complete winner!! You need to add more product to get the 40 cups of food.
I have a Whippet, a breed that tends to have a sensitive digestive system. When switching food brands, he usually has soft stools while he acclimates, but it doesn’t usually last more than a day or so. I made the recipe for cooked dog food and followed your feeding schedule to the letter. It’s been 9 days, and my dog is still having liquid stools. They’re not as frequent or as runny as it was at first, but I haven’t seen a real improvement overall. I’m wondering if it’s because of the eggshells? Or perhaps I need a lower amount of fat? I’m using 80/20 mix of ground beef. I’ve tried processing the egg shells to get them as ground up as possible, but they’re still big enough to see in the mix. My dog is 10 years old. And despite the runny stools, he LOVES the food. I’ve never seen him eat food up like this before.
Kim,
You may want to switch to the easy raw dog food recipe, this is the easiest for dogs to digest.
Hi Ed,
I have been making both your chicken and hamburger cooked recipes since probably October 2012. I just wanted to confirm that I am doing the right thing. I add about 2 cups of bone stock to the recipe and after everything is mixed thoroughly and cooled I add 2 cups of the dinovite supplement and a bottle of lickochops or supromega depending on what Recipe I am making. I just find it easier to do than to have to add to their food daily, is that okay?? Also this Saturday I will be getting a boston terrier puppy, I am going to have the breeder fast her so she will be ready to eat her new food when I get her. Is there anything I need to know or do for her?? Your answer would be greatly appreciated! I’m glad I found your website. Thank You!!
Julie
Julie,
It sounds like you are doing everything fine. Start the puppy off will a few small meals throughout the day to make sure she is digesting ok.
Okay, now I’m getting confused. First you say feed raw then your cooking the chicken and I can’t find a raw chicken recipe on this site. I’d rather feed raw, am tired of paying over 50 dollars for grain free foods.
Pat,
Some folks will never feed raw to their dogs so I offer both. I have a raw chicken recipe but have not posted it yet.
Hi Ed,
I have a 5 yr old Portuguese Water Dog who has been having horrific “allergy” problems since I moved her across town. She has always had allergy problems but they are usually once a year, short lived and easy to control. I switched her to a grain free diet when she was about a year or 2 old and that really helped w/her allergies. However, since moving 6 months ago she has had constant skin rashes, dry skin and allergy problems. I have not changed her food. When I take her to the vet, all they want to do is put her on steroids (which i do not approve of). I’m thinking about making her food from now on to see if it will help because I feel like she may be lacking certain nutrients in her food which may be contributing to her skin issues. Do you have any suggestions as to what recipe would be best for her?
Thanks!
Lindsay,
Start off with the yeast starvation dog food recipe and feed it for at least 6 months and see how she does.
Hi Ed,
How much dinovite would I add if I was adding it to the whole batch for this cooked recipe? I understand that I need to add it after it is cooked and cool. Thanks!
Jennifer,
I add 2-3 cups per batch.
Hi Ed,
I have an older chow mix that came to me from a shelter a little over a year ago (vet guesses 5-8 yr old). He is not food-driven at all and will go days without eating. Then, when he finally does eat, he gets horrible diarrhea no matter what brand food. After several unsuccessful attempts at transitioning him onto a better brand dog food, I just gave up and started making his food. I was basically just giving him chicken and rice. Fortunately, I heard a Dinovite commercial on the radio and started adding that to his food a couple months ago.
With all the reports of arsenic in rice, I became concerned about feeding him all that rice. I wanted to try your raw food recipe, so instead of the rice I substituted cooked oatmeal, cooked potato and cooked sweet potatoes (in equal parts). Is that acceptable? I did add the dinovite and lickochops to the mix prior to freezing, but Mr.Picky will only eat it if I drizzle some of the lickochops over the food right before I give it to him ( he LOVES that stuff!!). Is that ok to do since I already have it added to the batch of food? I was just concerned about giving him too much. I must say, that since adding the dinovite, his coat is so much more shiny and so soft and the shedding has improved DRASTICALLY. Also, no diarrhea, in fact his stool has been consistently optimal since switching to the raw diet (it’s been about 2 weeks now)
Thank you for your time and providing us with these great recipes and supplements!
Marianne
Marianne,
Yes, swapping out the rice is fine, as well as drizzling on extra Lickochops. I’m glad to hear he is doing well.
Still waiting for a reply from recent questions. Why dark meat chicken and not white? I was told that the dark meat had too much fat. Can I use mashed potatoes instead of white rice as I have heard that white rice doesn’t digest as easily? I have an 8 month old Australian Shepherd/Golden Retriever mix. Would I use dinovite, supromega & lickochops? What about kelp and probiotics (both powder). I have been giving Tucker 1/2 tsp daily of the mixture.
Tina,
I think I’ve already answered most of your questions. As far as kelp and politics, Dinovite contains both.
I have 3 year old golden retreiver/shepherd mix, has had paw chewing, scratching, etc. I switched to expensive brands, grain free. She started having vomiting. Then she had what they believed to be tickborne illness. Doxycycline for 5 weeks. During this time, we went on vacation. Boarded at vet for 1 week. Doxycycline given on empty stomach. Started regurgitation. Vet put her on carafate, reglan, pepcid. Seemed to improve. Then, she started vomiting what smelled like poop. Took her to Pet ER. They kept her for 3 days. Diagnosed as INFLAMMATORY Bowel. I changed diet to your chicken and rice, but had added some veges as well, and had not yet added the supplements, just chicken, peas, carrots, rice, sweet potatoes, etc. All of a sudden, in the middle of the night, she developed diarrhea. By morning, she was pooping blood. Actual red blood. Back to vet. They have put her on Reglan (10 mg, 3x daily), Flagyl (500 mg, 3x daily), and Pepcid (40 mg, 2x daily), and have her on the Hills Science Diet i/d for the past few days. Now, getting ready to go back to homemade, but what do I do? Shes been ok now since Saturday (5 days). Could the chicken and rice have CAUSED this? Should I go to the starvation diet? Thanks!
Carolyn,
I would start with one of the recipes on the site and feed it as presented and also follow the introductory method outlined. It doesn’t sound like you have done either. Also, dogs can have a difficult time digesting vegetables. The digestive upset is probably due to the ” peas, carrots, rice, sweet potatoes, etc” and skipping the supplements. The supplements contain digestive enzymes and direct fed microbials, all help support proper digestion. I know as people, when we want to eat healthy we think “eat your vegetables” but dogs are different.
I would mix up a batch of the yeast starvation dog food recipe as presented then fast your dog for 24 hours and follow the introductory method outlined. What you describe sounds like a yeast infection and this recipe can help.
Forgot to mention, chicken, rice, and veges due to suggestion by vet. Had not added supplements bc I had just found your site. Could pooping blood mean shes allrgic to chicken, vitamin or mineral deficiency (i had done the chhicken and rice about 3 weeks, or could she maybe have eaten something that could have done this while she was outside (not long but HUSBAND was watching……well, supposed to have been. Lol). Have you ever seen this?
Carolyn,
The blood in the stool usually because the bowel is irritated. Fasting helps settle the bowl. Then try feeding an all meat recipe like the yeast starvation dog food recipe. Start off slow as outlined. Often, dog’s can get worse in the process as yeast die off, so try not to be alarmed.
Can you substitute another Carbohydrate in place the of Rice? If so what will help maintain the nutritional value for my dog. She likes both Chicken and Beef so I thought that maybe I could introduce a different carb.
You can substitute potatoes or sweet potatoes.
How many sweet potatoes would you cook to be equivalent to the 5 cups of uncooked rice?
About 10 cups worth.