Homemade dog food can be the most nutritious food you can feed your dog.
Thank you for stopping in and checking out my site. My goal is to help you feed your dog healthy, nutritious homemade dog food. Nutritious meals you make right in your kitchen. All the homemade dog food ingredients are readily available at your local grocery store. The homemade dog food recipes are easy to follow and simple to make. Most importantly your dog will thrive on these recipes and love the way they taste.
I believe dogs are designed to digest raw meat and bones the best. So I present raw homemade dog food recipes throughout this website as the most healthy and nutritious dog food. That said, I know many of you just can’t bring yourself to feed your dog a homemade dog food that contains raw meat. So I also present cooked homemade dog food recipes that are healthy and nutritious. I believe these homemade dog food recipes are still vastly superior to commercial kibble. Your dog will too!
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Homemade Dog Food Recipe
This is my first homemade dog food recipe video. I hope you like it. My goal is to have a video for each homemade dog food recipe. Happy viewing:)
FAQ About Homemade Dog Food
Question: Some of your homemade dog food recipes contain raw ground beef and chicken Is it safe to feed these items to my dog? What about the bacteria in the homemade dog food recipe?
Answer: Yes, it is safe to feed these ingredients to your dog. Dogs are carnivores and scavengers by nature. Dogs have a short digestive tract with strong stomach acids that protect them from getting sick from bacteria on food. This is how a dog can eat garbage and not become deathly ill.
Question: I’ve also heard they feed cattle antibiotics and other things aren’t these bad for my dog?
Answer: Maybe. I think of it this way. The food in your grocery store is considered fit for human consumption. The ingredients in dog food are considered NOT fit for human consumption! What ingredient do you think are better to include in a homemade dog food recipe?
Question: I notice you don’t use vegetables in your homemade dog food can I add them?
Answer: Like I said earlier, dogs are carnivores and have a short digestive tract. A dog’s short digestive tract is ill equipped to digest vegetables and receive their nutrients. So most just pass through as roughage. If you are determined to feed vegetables they need to be “predigested” so to speak. Cook and pulverize them to simulate them going through the digestive tract of a herbivore. Then add them to the homemade dog food.
Question: Why do you include white rice in your homemade dog food? Isn’t brown rice better?
Answer: Remember dogs have a short digestive tract. A dog’s short digestive tract does not effectively digest brown rice. The vast majority of any nutritional benefit to your dog just passes through undigested. White rice is better because it is easily digest by dogs. Brown rice is great for humans because we are omnivores with a long digestive tract. A human’s long digestive tract digests the brown rice and unlocks the nutritional benefits.
Easy Homemade Dog Food Recipes to Get You Started
- Easy Cooked Dog Food Recipe, click here.
- Easy Raw Dog Food Recipe, click here.
Special note: If you intend to comment about homemade dog food, please be kind. Hostile comments are always a challenge for me to answer:)
I have 2 Pomeranians. I have been feeding them cooked chicken and other cooked meats. I also feed them store bought dog food when they will eat it. They are very picky about what they eat. I am always concerned that they are not getting the nutrients they need. Not sure on the raw meat. I have always been of the belief that raw meat may cause worms. Glad to see your website on home cooked meals for them. Thanks for caring!!
Beth,
Thank you for your comment. Check back I will be posting some cooked dog food recipes.
Actually, I have been hearing a lot lately, that raw meat is better for them than cooked. I thought this was stupid when I first heard it, but it is in fact correct
Hello Ed.
I will be picking up my 8 week old New Foundland puppy on Saturday Oct 13th…the breeder is currently feeding him Eukenuba large breed puppy. I really would like to make my own dog food for him. I just want to be safe because he is a large breed dog and I don’t want to hurt him in any way. I was hoping you would have some advice for me.
Jennifer,
Any of these homemade dog food recipes will work fine and are superior to feeding kibble. Even large breeds. Just make sure you follow the recipes.
I apologize that this comment isn’t connected to the actual post I saw from someone that bought alot of meat and made a large batch of raw dog food only to state that their dogs “wouldn’t touch it but threw up from eating it”. Common sense would tell you to try a small portion of a new food before buying a large quantity of it. I found this site today because I have a Chihuahua/Jack Russell Terrier mix who has developed severely itchy sensitive skin. I discovered that he is gluten intolerant. I’ve been feeding Science Diet small breed for about 6 months with no results. Just read the ingredients and corn gluten is top of the list. Go figure. Mind you this little guy hasn’t been happy with anything I’ve tried to feed him. The light in his eyes when he took his first taste of raw meat was a thrill. He didn’t want anything else. Ed, I watched the video from the vet and she mentions that freezing the raw meat for at least 3 days kills the bacterias everyone is freaking out about. I don’t see that anywhere on your site but thought maybe you could include that. I think the thing that freaks me out the most is including the egg shells.
Hi Ed,
I’ve got a beautiful 15 month old boxer girl and three beautiful but anti-social chi’s. Anyway, I’ve been hesitant on taking the raw food plunge cause I thought it was costly. After reading your recipe I see that it actually seems way more affordable than the expensive dry food I get for them. I’m planning on starting them all on this diet once their overly large container of dry food runs out but I’ve got a couple concerns. First, one of my Chihuahuas has Addisons & takes a daily steroid for his condition and second, is that my boxer has skin allergies that become more aggravated with chicken. Will this raw diet with the dinovite & Likochop be ok for the chi? And, with chicken fat as an ingredient in Likochop be ok for my boxer with the chicken allergies? Please let me know what you think. Looking forward to starting them on raw foods.
If your dogs are sensitive to chicken try using the Supromega fish oil instead of the Lickochops.
Ed and Readers,
I am so thrilled to see that people are finally seeing that our pets are affected by the typical SAD diet that cause all sorts of Western illnesses in humans. We have two new Wire Fox Terrier puppies and we just got back from the vet. I am bothered by the fact that the meds created for them to combat worms, fleas and ticks are filled with toxins that have terrible side effects. But we live in Central Texas and I want to protect my family and my dogs from pesky disease, parasites and insects. I read that someone uses garlic to counter worms, etc. What is your experience and recommendations for heart and worm prevention and combating ticks and fleas, please?
As far as fleas go, I use a Program product and natural flea spray Nomoflea. The program prevents the fleas from maturing to adults and the Nomoflea dries the fleas out. I’ve never heard of any conclusive proof that garlic works. That said a meat based diet seems to not attract fleas as much as a carb based diet but this is all anecdotal. Many of the wormers are very specific on how they eliminate the worms, so I think they are safe if used correctly. Also, dogs as they mature can develop a resistance to some worms.
Beth,
I posted the easy cooked dog food recipe. View this dog food recipe by clicking here.
Hi Ed, I just finished watching your video to see if the homemade dog food that I’ve been giving to my 11 year old 65 lb. dog Bella was similar. The only thing different was the vegetables. Your website is great and easy to understand. I now will be omitting the vegetables and getting the supplements instead. Thank you so much for sharing. P.S. I loved watching Stinky waiting patiently for her dinner. She’s adorable. Hope you have a great day! 🙂
I have been feeding my dog just chicken and rice. She stopped eating her kibble I tried adding some sort food but she developed bad diarrhea. I took her to the get after she had a seizure. So she is eating now and feeling better. Can I just start introducing your chicken and rice diet without doing the fast?
It depends, what are you feeding her now? If it is kibble, I still recommend the fast.
I have a 3.5 lb Chihuahua and have been feeding him chicken and rice. I am concerned about nutrition for him. Was happy to find your site.
Thank you for teaching me this stuff now I know what to feed my dog.
Mouna,
You are quite welcome.
9 year old that is a diabetic for a year know. Started off on dog food and then went to home made. The following has been perfected after a long hard road. Love to know if this is a balanced diet. Thank you
daily food content 302 calories. She weighs 14.7lbs staying the same weight. Needs to loose 1 lb but no luck so far.
1 ¼ cups steamed veggies = Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, green beans = 67 calories
¼ cup beans = black and kidney =52 calories
50 gms cooked fish = 40 calories
50 gms cooked chicken breast = 40 calories
14 gms chicken thighs = 23 calories a little higher in fat
43 gms of extra lean roast = 80 calories
Freeze – dried parsley ½ tsp. a day
Raw garlic small sliver
Unable to get fresh alfalfa sprouts so not feeding at this time
Vitamins given:
Can-c vitamins:
1 pill per day = (vit E 50 IU, zinc 5mg, N-Acetyl-Cysteine200mg, L-Hislicline100mg, L-Camcosine70mg, D-Pantethine30mg, L-Methiomine25mg)
can-c eye drops
Brewer’s yeast ½ tsp.
Zinc 10 mg
Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) 250 mg a day from a (1,000 mg tablet) (adult dose is 1 caplet a day)
Chromium picolinate 1 capsule a day 200 mcg (adult dose is 1 capsule a day)
Burdock root 1 capsule a day 475 mg (adult dose 4 caps 3x a day)
Calcium 150 mg per day from a 300 mg tablet
Magnesium 25 mg
Flax oil pill 1,000mg = ¼ tsp organic
Milk thistle 4 drops a day
Dandelion 4 drops a day
Cod liver oil ¼ tsp. organic and mercury free (adult dose is 1 tsp 1 x a day)
R+Alpha Lipoic 1/5 th capsule = 30 mgs from a 150 mg pill (a very strong antioxidant)
Probiotic 1 cap 5 billion active cells (adult dose 1 capsule 3x a day)
q 10 = 30 mg 1 pill (adult dose 2 capsule 2x a day)
pancreatin ¼ pill 2x a day (adult dose 1 or 2 caplets each meal)
Marlene,
It looks like you have an intense formula. What was your dog fed before this diet?
I think you could simplify this diet by incorporating the dog supplement “Dinovite Liquid” it has many of the nutrients you are adding from separate sources plus more. It has a powerful vegetable nutrient source, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate plus 60 plus trace minerals.
Have you thought about not cooking the meat? Long term that will help the health of your dog.
Dog supplements are not very healthy for dogs. They should get everything they need in a well balanced diet. And raw diets are very unhealthy as well. They can get e coli or salmonella. I would never feed my dogs a raw diet. I cook their meals twice a week. I have done a lot of research on dog nutrition and the only addition I have made is powdered egg shell for calcium which I make from egg shells – organic egg shells.
Rose,
You are entitled to your opinion even if it is wrong. And in this case it is profoundly wrong. The supplements I recommend are whole food supplements that provide many delicate nutrients needed by dogs. Dogs by design are scavengers and meat eaters. Their stomach contains very powerful acids to digest these foods even if they have bacteria on them. If your statement was true, every time a dog ate some garbage he would die. The neighborhood dogs that knock over the garbage week after week would all be dead. Or are you saying there is no e coli and salmonella in garbage?
My guess is you have never tried a raw food diet or supplements like I’m suggesting. Try them, with an open mind. Time to do some more research.
No, dogs need raw meat. Every vet will tell you that.
Katelyn,
Watch this video it is a veterinarian saying something very different.
http://youtu.be/G3wLTlqnMMg
My vet takes a holistic approach whenever possible and when my doxie pup was 10 wks old he was diagnosed with an immune deficiency and puppy strangles. He was a very sick pup but thankfully with alot of prayers and an awesome vet he is now a healthy pup about to turn a year old. Our vet speaks very highly of raw dog food for him now that his immune is back on track. In fact I have fed all 3 dogs BARF raw dog food, but it is very expensive. Ed seems to know exactly what he is talking about from all of my own research since having a sick pup. I plan to start his recipe as soon as the supplements get here! 🙂
i have a 50 pound boxer the vet said he needs to be on a fish and potato diet becouse he keeps getting ear infections and the dog food she wants me to by is $75.00 a bag that is just to much for a 30 pound bag any ideas as to what i could cook him at home???
Lisa,
I assuming your vet thinks the ear infections are caused by a yeast overgrowth or maybe allergies. You can try our “easy raw dog food” and cut the rice in half to further reduce the carbohydrate content of the dog food. Yeast thrives on high carbohydrate content in dog food. I have a “yeast starvation diet” that I will post this week. It is basically the “easy raw dog food” recipe without the rice. It is important to use the supplements in these recipes because they will be deficient without them.
Unfortunately, “cheap” and “good” usually don’t go together. At least when it comes to dog food. That said, I think you can feed your boxer well without going broke. I will try and post my cooked dog food recipe later this week.
I am a new subscriber and new at making my dog’s food. Annie is a 13 lb., 13 year old, mostly Yorkie mix. She is quite spunky for her age yet suffers from occasional pancreatitis and constant yeast infections in her ears. We have treated with Rx. drugs, special diets and spent lots of money trying to overcome these issues. Thus, we are now attempting to create a diet that will battle these two ailments. Any suggestions that you have would be appreciated.
Maureen,
You can view the yeast starvation dog food recipe by clicking here. You may need to cut back a little on the fat but dogs need fat to be healthy.
The vitamins are what a holistic vet told me to use. The food she told me in general the veggies and the beef but never told me how many calories or how much of anything to give. She just said to put in a pot all together and I didn’t feel comfortable doing this. So I experimented and searched till I came up with this. Which vitamins are in your Dinovite that I am already using? Do you feel that the food is balanced? The holistic vet does believe in raw but not for a diabetic. I think it has something to do with the pancreas and liver working harder. Makes sense there are no dogs in the wild with diabetes lol. They don’t get pumped full of vaccines either that can cause diabetes. Have been on many foods always trying to find better. Before diabetes was on a dehighdrated food human grade. Then my conventional vet said Iams and was on that for about 6 months. Had a hard time regualating BG. Is regulated know just a little high at am and pm before insulin and would love that not to happen so trying to get some wieght off that may help.
Marlene,
At a glance dinovite contains these vitamins you are using: B vitamins, zinc, brewers yeast (Dinovite has a better form of yeast), vitamin E, antioxidants, digestive enzymes and the probiotics. It also contains trace minerals, beta carotene and looks like more enzymes, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
To be honest I’ve never personally had a dog with diabetes. I think because I fed raw. I agree with you that it seems odd that a dog would have trouble digesting what he is designed to digest. However, you are working with a dog that has a damaged system so great care needs to be taken when changing anything. Your diet looks balanced at a glance but watch for “nutritional deficiency diseases” then make additions accordingly.
I was also told that animal fat can cause pancretitis in diabetic dogs.
Marlene,
It is important to keep in mind that veterinarians are starting from the position that commercial dog food is what a dog needs to thrive. Many would never recommend feeding a raw diet. Often their recommendations are given with the idea that commercial dog food is the base diet. I’ve not had a good experience feeding raw and commercial dog food together. At least when you make the dog food yourself you can be sure what is in his bowl and then make slow deliberate changes and additions then monitor the results.
Hello All,
I have a 10 month old Aussie Shepherd named Adelaide, who has a very active lifestyle. We walk around 6 miles a day, sometimes as much as 10, and go to the dog park at least once. I eat healthy, so I want my pup to eat healthy as well, especially since I know I feel a lot better when I’m working out when I’m not filled up on Junk-Food. Anyway, here is my recipe for our home-made dog food, which she loves. The recipe makes about enough food for 10-11 2 cup servings.
All food is organic and fresh (not frozen) when possible.
1 Pound Boiled Extra-Lean Beef
4 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
1 Large Can Tuna in Water
2 Cups of Steamed Peas (Frozen)
4 Cups of Boiled Fresh Carrots
1 Cup of Steamed Fresh Green Beans
5 Cups Kibble ( I use Blue Buffalo Chicken and Brown Rice )
3 Can’s Wet Dog Food ( I use Blue Buffalo ‘Shepherd’s Pie )
A Handful of Home-Made Oven -Dried Blueberries
I like adding the Kibble and Wet Dog Food to provide some “nutrients” that are commonly added to commercial dog food, and it also helps stretch the batch so you don’t have to make it every couple of days.
Yes I know that Tuna can be expensive, but it really boosts the protein levels without adding any bad fat.
Let me know what you think!
Chris (Addie’s Dad)
Chris,
I think it is great that you are making homemade dog food for your dog. What you are feeding is much better than commercial dog food. I do think your recipe is light on the animal source proteins and fats. It is also a bit heavy on the vegetables.
If you look closely at are “easy raw dog food” recipe you will see how the recipe leans more to the animal source nutrients. It’s about 2/3 to 3/4 animal source. I use white rice as a filler because dogs really can’t benefit from the brown rice due to their short digestive tract. The inclusion of the white rice also helps dogs transition to this dog food. Be careful about limiting fats. Dogs metabolize animal fats very well and use them as a fuel like we use carbohydrates. Fats also help them regulate their body temperature and keep their skin healthy among other things.
The supplements I add to the recipe supply digestive enzymes, direct fed microbials, vitamins, minerals and omega fatty acids. The supplements also have an ingredient call “alfalfa nutrient concentrate” which is basically a super vegetable. It is a very fine particle that the dogs can digest.
I’ve never had a good experience mixing raw dog food with kibble but I think you are cooking most of the recipe. You may want to try the “easy raw dog food”recipe and see how you dog does. I think your dog will benefit from the increased animal protein, fats, delicate nutrients and digestive enzymes.
What is nutritional deficiency diseases ?
Marlene,
Examples of nutritional deficiency diseases would be scurvy (a vitamin C Deficiency), rickets (a vitamin D deficiency) ( and pellagra (a B3 deficiency ). Keep in mind cooking destroys many vitamins and nutrients.
Anybody out there with free dogfood recipes?
All I can find are sites trying to sell recipes.
Thanks anyway.
Bill,
Did you see our “easy raw dog food recipe“? It’s free. You will have to buy the ingredients. The bulk are available at your grocery store. You will need ground beef, eggs and white rice and two dog supplements. You can purchase the supplements needed to keep it from being deficient online.
The supplements I use are:
Dinovite Liquid
Lickochops
I hope this helps.
I watched the video on the recipe and it said and showed 18 raw egss fully blended. The written rescipe says cooked. Which is right or doesn’t it matter. Thank You
I think that is in the cooked dog food recipe. So, they end up being cooked.
I currently own 2 white boxers and in the past I have had weight as well as allergy issues feeding them dry dog food so I have gone to making my own dog food I just now want to make sure they are getting all the nutrients they require. I currently give them a mixture of rice, Chicken, green beans, carrots, potatoes and yogurt or cottage cheese. is their anything els I should be adding to this?
Darla,
It looks like you need a calcium source. I would use crushed egg shell and/or raw chicken bones. You will also need an omega 3 fatty acid source plus vitamins and trace minerals. I would recommend the following two dog supplements:
Dinovite Liquid (This is a great supplement with lots of vitamins and delicate nutrients)
Lickochops (This is an omega 3 & 6 fatty acid supplement with natural source vitamin E)
I have a 21 month old Pug that sheds real bad. What can we do to reduce the shedding?
Mary,
I would strongly recommend feeding your pug the “Easy raw dog food recipe“. Feeding that food to your pug will greatly reduce the shedding. Make sure you follow it exactly, don’t skip certain ingredients and the supplements. They all work together.
I am real worried about my dog’s itching and just begining the food search — so glad to find you
Lin,
I’m glad you found my site. Start making homemade dog food today you will be glad you did. So will your dog. Try the “easy raw dog food recipe”.
Ed,
We have made our own dog food since the scare in 07. In your recipe I do no see any carbs or fruit. We stay away from garlic as it can cause anemia in dogs. Here is what we make. 20Lb turkey roasted, fresh veggies,(spinach,green beans,carrots,broccoli, ect) un-sweeten applesauce, and brown rice. We mix that all together and put into containers for our 6 dogs. It last for a month. We add Merrick dry dog food in case they need something in their diet that we overlooked. Plus it help extend our homemade dog food to last the 30 days.
Linda,
Do you grind up the whole turkey?
I have a 2 year old English bulldog with Allergies. He is a picky eater and we have exhausted every option as far as commercial foods. I tried RAW but he got very sick. He has a sensitive stomach and I think the RAW was just to much for him. I am now cooking his meals. I use either , roast beef, ground beef, moose ground or roast. I mix it with brown rice which he did not digest very well. In his stools there was undigested whole brown rice. Now I use white and he digests it just fine. I have put oatmeal, hashbrowns, lentils in his mix. He gets a veggie choice in the mix and lately he has been eating the frozen mixed but he developed yeast infection probably from the carrots. He will not eat the peas as that is the only thing left in the bowl when he is done. He gets a squirt of salmon oil (or 2 ) and organic kelp as well. What am I missing? and what can I be doing better? How much should I be giving him? He follows me to the kitchen all the time, and I don’t think he is hungry rather he loves his food that much he just wants more. As soon as I put his bowl down he comes to eat and gobbles it up. He is the love of our lives and we will do whatever it takes to bring up a happy and “Healthy” dog. For treats he gets snap peas only (he is like my son, won’t eat cooked peas but raw snap he loves)
By the way our furry childs name is John WAyne.
Looking forward to the recipes, I have an itchy boy(lab)
the vet suggested it could be wheat/corn allergy, so Im weaning
to a food that contains neither one, but would also like to try
fresh foods for a while, again so glad to have found your site.
Helen.
Started my 9 year old Boxer on homemde diet because of all her allergies and yeast infections. Eliminated the Carbs. Have been cooking beef, eggs, veggies and adding supplements. Recently I tried switching to the raw diet because, reading, it seems like it would be so much better for her. She was hit with Diarrhea big time to the cost of $100 to get her better. I read recently that only in the raw diet will the calcium be absorbed because in the cooked diet the acid in the stomach doesen’t kick in to do what its suppose to do for the calcium to be absorbed. Hate to put her back on Kibbles but don’t know what to do. Is there an alternative?
Appreciate the help.
Carolyn,
Have you tried the “easy raw dog food recipe“? Dogs do well on it. It does have a bit of rice but you can cut the quantity or eliminate it all together. I have a section on introducing the raw dog food recipe to your dog. Following the introductory method should eliminate any dietary upset. It is very important to add the supplements many people omit them and get poor results.
I enjoy hearing about homemade dog food – kind of expensive… We have four doggies…Our “Bruiser” almost all Chow, except for his grandmother – a Besinge mix. Our “Biggie – Bottoms,” sometimes we call him “Mr Biggs” or just “Big.” I found out that he is a Coutre’ du te Lear, (sp) he is a prince; then there is our Leon Burger, named “Lonnie Bear” or just “Bear” because he looks like a bear, of course. And last but not least “Pukey Girl” or “Girly,” or just “Pukey.” She is a courgie(sp) mix… very special girly We lost our “Jasper” last year, still in mourning.
Ever since the melonie (sp) scare, which is a carsiogen (sp) and a plastic… to keep dog & cat food on the shelve longer, we cook for them…mostly chicken with brown rice, minus the fat & the bones. We give those to the ferrill cats… We still give them Pedigree. Our doggies are not pets, but, family. How can we keep them healthier, because, they are beautiful & so far very healthy… but, I worry about their teeth.
My 6 year old Pom has congestive heart failure. H e has been doing well, but lately he ha so much fluid all over, it is hard for me to see. He is eating science diet hd dry food only. This comes from the vet. What food recipes do you have for me to feed him. He has been eating cooked chicken but he has stopped eating it. He is on med 2 twice a day. We were told in Oct that he might not live to the next month. I still have him alive. Please help with the recipes.
thank you
Audrey,
If your dog is this ill I’m not sure if I would make drastic changes. However, I can’t imagine the dry kibble is better than human grade foods.
I have a 19 yr old Border Collie. She has been diagnosed with cancer, about 6 years ago, and she is generally just getting older. We recently had some blood work drawn, and she has very elevated creatinine BUN. The vet gave us some kidney diet canned food, but she refuses to eat this, and it getting more difficult to get her to eat. Do you have a suggestion.
Thanks, Sheryl
Sheryl,
I think it is always best to present a dog with a diet that is as close to natural as possible. Dogs do very well on raw meat and bone dog foods. That said your dog is 19 years old so you may not want to change anything.
I have two 15 month old Goldendoodles with very sensitive stomachs. Poop is very soft and I’ve tried several brands of food. The vet says they are perfectly healthy and has recommended at different times adding acidophilus to food, Rx Clay and special dog foods. None has helped. They eat boiled chicken mixed with Nature’s Choice Chicken, Pumpkin & Sweat Potato. I have tried Blue Buffalo, Nutro, Fromms, etc. Vet said keep them off all grains i.e. rice & wheat I thought dog food was expensive but the chicken is running me more than $ 240 a month. Any suggestions ?
Dick,
I’ve had good luck feeding the “Easy raw dog food recipe”. You can click here to view this recipe. Try feeding this as presented and see if your dog does not digest it better. The white rice should be fine and will help bring down the cost of your dog’s food. If your dog is suffering from a yeast infection then you will want to eliminate the white rice or cut it in half or more.
I’ve not had good experience mixing homemade dog food with commercial dog food. When this is done it is common to see digestive issues.
We started making our 2 , 10lb., poodle mix several years ago. One of them was having urine problems. (This was at the time of the big dog food scare) Afterwards the urine problem diaapeared. We make enough for a 2 month supply and freeze it in small containers.
Ingred: 10 lbs browned and rinsed ground turkey and ground beef
6 cans each peas, carrots, greenbeans
2 doz scrambled eggs
12 cups cooked brown rice
We also give them approx 1/2 cup dry Blue Buffalo to help clean teeth
We lost one of them to what the Vet thought might be a stork this past Oct at the age of 12.
So we adopted another poodle that is approx 6 yrs old.
So you think this is balanced diet?
Thank You
Lavina,
This recipe looks deficient in calcium, digestive enzymes and some vitamins. Keep in mind dogs don’t digest brown rice well. I would recommend supplementing with the dog supplements in the easy raw dog food recipe.
I’m sorry to hear about your poodle.
Hi,
I have a 1.65 kg/3.10lbs 3 year old long haired Chihuahua ( iam quite sure she has a little papion in there but I guess that makes no difference). When I first had her I fed her a dry food for Chihuahua. Her tummy was never quite right. So I have in the last year fed her amore raw food. Bascially store ready packets of the raw food diet and raw chicken necks, elks femurs. She does have treats, not a lot and they are the healthy kind. Now I see she had normal poop, it is a bit dry and chalky at times but I have been told that is due to the raw bones. Her coat is very soft and she is bright and healthy. Yet I keep hearing worrysome stories about this diet and I am wondering if it would be better to make meals for her myself. Also just recently her urine has a strong odor?? She is very normal and healthy so I am not concerned but wondered if this is a side effect of any of the items I have mentioned.
Thank you so very much,
Emma
Emma,
I’m sorry but I’m not familiar with the dog food you are feeding.
First off, thanks so much for answering my e-mail. It’s appreciated and I really like this web site you have. I’m going to get brave here and slowly introduce the raw diet once again to my Boxer girl. After her diarrhea incident I put her back on boiled beef, she is back to her old self now. By taking all carbs out of her diet I have mastered the bad yeast ear infections. Halleluiah!! However the itching and licking of the paws still continues. I’m almost convinced its got to be the enviroment. There is nothing else left. I’ve been through the pills, oils, supplements, shots, every processed food on the market and now homemade. Plus the meat,(Beef/Liver), (veggies, and eggs I feed her. I add calcium (ground egg shells), multi-vitamin, a Fish Oil capsule, garlic, and probiotics. All totaled its about 10 oz. of food per meal for a 64 lb Boxer. Also give her Salmon couple times a week. Not sure what else I can do. I think we’re just going to have to live with the itch.
Thanks, Carolyn
Carolyn,
Try the Dinovite Liquid dog supplement it has been known to help with yeast infections and paw licking. Click here to view the dog supplement.
I cook my dog’s food….I boil chicken in chicken broth(cut into small cubes)…then when it is cooked grind it up, add ground up green beans,and carrots…THEN, I cook the brown rice in the same chicken broth I boiled the chicken in…She loves it. Dogs like green beans, and my dog likes carrots out of the can too…
Linda,
My concern with your recipe as stated is it’s lack of calcium and other minerals. this recipe also looks to be deficient in B vitamins, digestive enzymes and omega 3 fatty acids. Also by boiling this recipe you are destroying certain amino acids. Brown rice is great for omnivores with long digestive tract but not so good for carnivores. Carnivores have a short digestive tract and lack the ability to draw out the nutrients in the germ and bran of brown rice.
Have a miniature yorkshire terrier cross with pommeranian having difficulty finding a food she likes. Most hard dog food seems really hard and she does not like and I feel the wet food has very little or no nutrition. Can you help.
Ann,
Start off with the “easy raw dog food recipe”. Click here to view this recipe. This dog food recipe is nutritious and dog love it. It is a great place to start.
Hi Ed,
I have a 14 yr. old pom with diabetis and am having a hard time regulating and feeding. She was on Royal Canine Diabetic kibble (softened with warm water) and home cooked meats and vieggies. Do you have any ideas, because my vet wants her off the RC diabetic which 1st. ingred. is corn and I’m strung out on what to do. Please help, I haven’t found recipes on your sidt yet. Thanks for any help you can give me. Linda
Linda,
I’m sorry but I don’t have any personal experience with diabetic dogs. I do think the diabetes is probably aggravated by the high carbohydrate dog foods. You can view the cooked dog food recipe by clicking here.
my dog needs to lose weight very active 10yr.old DuckToller but simply fed too many bones(marrow) and organic treats by my spouse..My vet promotes raw feeding said feed her as many veggies and legumes as i can plus raw meat but NO peas carrots sweet potatoes rice of any type or potatoes as they are either full of sugar -though natural- and /or carbs…. makes some sense but she is always hungry on raw diet even with sardines here and there tuna and natural yougurt added what can i do? all my three other dogs are always hungry too…probably for human tid bits though..
Ingrid,
If your dog is overweight I suggest the “yeast starvation dog food” click here to view this recipe. It does not contain any carbohydrates. Frankly, I’ve never had an overweight dog. Control what you feed and how much you feed your dog. By feeding in this manner your dog will not have a weight problem. It is simple really.
For treats try these they are dehydrated beef made in the USA. Click here to view the dehydrated beef dog treats.
just an add on my vet said NO red meat like beef or pork too many calories for my Duck Toller
Ingrid,
If your vet is saying NO red meat try to educate him. If this is impossible find another veterinarian. Click here to view a veterinarian with an opposing view.
just read your free dog food receipe and its pretty much what i used to cook for my four dogs all gained weight and they are all walked and run regularly suggestions of beef substitute would be great..no pork or potatoes or rice or noodles either please… all are fed good multi-vitamin which they require on raw food diet and a pill a dy. of Wild Alaskan Salmon..
Ingrid,
I’ve never had a dog gain weight on this dog food but I limit portions. If you feed this recipe as presented it is highly nutritious and not full of bulk fillers. Just limit portions and weight gain will not be an issue. I will be posting other recipes with other ingredients like chicken so you will have options.
I have a 2 yr old nm 4lb chihuahua who has irritable bowel syndrom. His vet ,however, has no diet suggestions that will help. Any help/advice is greatly appreciated. He does not eat dog food in any form.
Lynda,
I would start off with the “easy raw dog food recipe” you can view it by clicking here. See how he does on this homemade dog food. Make sure to follow the introductory method that is presented to prevent dietary upset.
Dogs WILL get pancreatitus when they eat too much fat…that is why Chicken is so much better than red meat, OR pork. I do not believe in all this holistic crap…..that so many people swear by. My dog is healthy, eats my home made dog food great, is not over weight, and needs no supplements OR vitimans, because they are in the food I make her. Alot of people just feed their dogs way too much.
Linda B,
I don’t understand why you feel the need to vomit your hostile point of view on my site. Frankly you are wrong but free to feed your dog whatever you want. After all we still live in a free country.
Special note for my readers: I posted this to give you all a peek into the “underbelly” of this world. Unfortunately, these kind of negative blast are common. These kind of comments try a persons patience and are difficult to answer.
Just have commend you Ed. There is not a single ? In the post above. It’s a statement, a statement I hear all the time. “You spoil that dog, my dog eats store brand dog food, and he’s just fine”. I say great, good for your dog, he can manage to get enough nutrition from what he eats. They don’t understand my dog was dying when rescued. Deaf from multiple infections, skin falling off in puss lined sheets, multiple mast cell tumors.
I truly believe your information has saved my dogs life. I could not have let him suffer through much more. I found hope in your pages, as I told Jasper this better work. In two months I have rebuilt my dog. He’s playful and comfortable. And that ole “rainbow bridge” is much further away.
Ok that’s my rant. Who’d have thought I’d feel the need to rant about dog food.
I have been making my dogs food for years, and also their treats…and under no conditions is a dog to have raw meat…yes it does contain e coli and/or salmonella. it is also bad to give dogs raw garlic, onions. Fish like salmon, trout, shad,or sturgeon contain parasites, that can kill a dog…Because it can poison the dog over time..also Macadamia nut or food that contain them are fatal to dogs, as few as 6 can kill your pet.candy, gum, toothpaste, baked and some diet foods have xylitol which can increase insulin in a dog. dogs should also not have fat because it can cause pancreatitis. the seeds of perisimmons, peach and plum seeds(pits) can cause inflammation of the small intestine. raw eggs are also not good for a dog as (1st.) food poisoning from bacteria e-coli. (2nd) an enzyme in raw eggs interferes with the absorption of a B vitamin..grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure…salt on chips or pretzels can lead to obesity and dental problems and diabetes in your dog or cat…yeast dough before it is baked will raise inside the dogs stomach, causing it to stretch the abdomen and cause severe pain. The yeast can also lead to alcohol poisoning. Also nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder are highly toxic and several other spices as well.
Lean meat of any kind is fine AS LONG AS IT IS WELL DONE..but no fat…apples, oranges, bananas, and watermelons are tasty treats for your dog, but be sure to remove the seeds first…some vegetables like carrot sticks, green beans cucumbers, or zucchini, even a plan baked potato is ok..but never a raw potato…
if you pet has an upset stomach..cook up some white rice or pasta…sometimes it can provide a welcome relief from gastrointestinal upset…these are a few true facts from my Vet, and it can also be researched on line…..
Judie,
Why the rant? You made some good points about toxic foods with this comment. However, you are completely wrong with your comments about raw meat and fat. If you can open your mind just a little bit, watch this youtube video, click here to view.
Let me ask you a question. Where is your proof that dogs can’t eat raw meat, bones and fat? I have personally fed over 100 dogs raw meat diets over the years with no sickness or death. Not to mention the tens of thousands of people doing likewise across this country.Top breeders and trainers have been feeding their dogs raw meat and bones for years. I believe the winning Iditarod team of dogs this year is fed raw meat based dog food. These are facts. If dogs could not eat raw meat because of bacteria contamination they would all be sick or dead. Yet, they’re breeding, performing and winning grueling races.
I have a 3 yr old Bichon Fise that has been fed Solid Gold Wee Bites Bison for the last year. I have notice a great increase in dark tear stains and now red/brown fun around her mouth. I have been told that it may be the pearled barley causing the stains. Are you familiar with this and what do you recommend?
Wendy,
I recommend the yeast starvation dog food recipe or the easy raw dog food recipe. See if that does not help.
Our terrier (cairn mix) is 3 years old and weighs 26 lbs. A couple of weeks ago he was vomiting daily except for one day when he vomited in the morning and again in the evening. Did not apear to feel sick–still wanted his food, playful, energetic, etc. After 4 days of this I called the vet & was told to put him on boiled chicken or beef with white rice and give him some Pepcid. The first night I had only brown rice, so he got that. Even so, the vomiting stopped after about 2 days on the Pepcid and the bland diet & did not recur, so I stopped the Pepcid, but as soon as I tried to add a bit of his regular Beneful back in, he got diarrhea. Again, mostly just once a day, twice one day, and appeared his regular self, not ill. The vet said to give him a little Imodium. The Imodium worked, so I stopped it and am giving him just plain chicken or beef and white rice.
In the past he would get loose stools if he received too many “handouts” (my husband thinks he is being “good” to Cesar by giving him tastes of what he himself is eating). It seems that he consistently gets loose stools if he gets dairy products, and I’ve finally convinced my husband not to share chees with him. He was fine before on the Beneful, but we may have bought a different version of it that he doesn’t tolerate, or maybe the batch itself had some contaminant in it.
He will eat anything off the floor — pencils, clothespins, pens, etc. — that strikes his fancy, and we wondered if he originally got sick from something like that.
I am wondering what to give him now, as it seems his intestines are still recovering, and after he seems “back to normal” I’d like to put him on healthier food. I also am unsure how much to feed him. I do not think he is overweight. We used to leave his dry food down and let him eat at will. Since he’s had this problem, I’ve been feeding him only once a day, with a bit of white rice or a sliver of cooked chicken as a treat after he goes outside (I used to give him a small dog treat). Is there a way to know when he is genuinely hungry vs. when he just wants to eat because he likes it?
I’m going to copy your recipes for dog food. I must admit I’m a little nervous about trying raw meat for him, but I don’t have a lot of confidence in commercial foods either! Can you recommend a recipe also for homemade treats? I’m not comfortable giving the things we buy in stores.
Sorry for the long message. Thank you.
Linda,
I personally don’t like commercial dog foods and especially high carbohydrate dog foods. Beneful is a high carbohydrate dog food, check the ingredients. Pretty package.
If you are nervous about raw meat try feeding the easy cooked dog food recipe. Click here to view this recipe. Most dogs do great on this dog food recipe.
I just recently read that Beneful is not only full of carbs but the grains they use are sub-par as well. They said it was one of the worst dog foods on the market and couldn’t believe people had not heard this and were still feeding it to their pets. I read this on the site of a big Dog Ranch that boards dogs and is also a doggie day care.
I have a 14 year old rat terrier/chihuahua mix. He has gained 6 pounds in the last few years. Currently he is under vet care for weight management, with Science Diet R/D (prescription diet). However, I’ve noticed he seems to be getting “hot spots”, scratching himself and leaving small sores. Also, he has arthritis. He has lost 5 pounds over the last several months. I would like to find a dog food recipe that would benefit him the most.
Thank you for your time,
Katrina
Katrina,
Try the yeast starvation dog food recipe. Click here to view this dog food recipe. Often eliminating the carbohydrates will help dogs with weight problems shed the excess weight.
I am so glad I found your website, and I look forward to using your recipes. I have become increasingly interested in sustainable living, and am a graduating college student just scraping by, so saving money is an issue, as well. You seem well educated in your opinions and advice, but I don’t like to take people’s word on things without knowing how they came to their conclusions. It’s pretty dangerous with all the wrong opinions plastered everywhere. lol. Could you tell me a little bit about your background and the research you’ve put into making your site? Thanks!
Kimberly,
I’ve literally been working with animals my entire life and I’m fifty. My background is in biology and chemistry. I started in the feed industry by developing reptile feeds and supplements. This was about twenty years ago. I developed the first iguana diet ever.
I then started working with dogs and developed Dinovite in the late 90’s. The products I develop spring out of necessity trying to keep my animals in top condition. I am currently working on products for macaws and other parrots. I’m a huge bird lover! I know this is a very quick rundown but I hope it helps.
Thanks so much! It really does help. 🙂
Ed,
I have a 75 pound pure bred German Shepard. She is plagued with itchy skin and ears. I have had her to the vet on numerous occasions for this. He gives her a cortizone shot, and medications. They only work for a short time. At the last visit, he suggested that she must have a food allergy, because it doesn’t appear to be seasonal. He wanted me to put her on prescription dog food but the cost is prohibitive. It was suggested that I use a home made food that is low protein. The recommended proteins are duck, rabbit, venison, or salmon. Do you have any recipes that I can try? I am currently giving her a mix of brown rice, barley, kidney beans, peas and carrots. I make this twice a week. She gets 4 cups 2 times a day. She seems hungry all the time. Any suggestions?
Patty,
The cortisone shots are very bad for your dog. Cortisone is a steroid that messes with your dog’s immune system. It is a vicious cycle. I personally believe if you can repair his immune system your dog will heal himself.
The brown rice, barley, kidney beans, peas and carrots are all not easy for your dog to digest. I should suggest you start feeding your dog the yeast starvation dog food. You can click here to view this dog food recipe. Make sure you reed it completely so you understand how to introduce it and what to expect.
love the recipe!!!! Cant wait to try it out on my doggie!!! Keep up the good work!
Hi there, Nicely done site, great info, however, need to find more recipies (cooked) for my Buglet (AKA) Bentley Oscar (Myer) Newman.
Thanks in advance
Bentley’s Mommy
Man, this looks like a meal my dogs would really enjoy. I have a question about the serving size though. Maybe you could give me a hand. Dog 1, Poppy a 10 yr old Blue Tick Coonhound about 60 lbs.. Dog 2 Little Anne a 16lb dachshund, and lastly by buddy Mouse, a 190 lb English Mastiff. I have heard on a strict raw you want 3 lbs per 100 lbs of body weight but with the eggs and rice I am sure there is a difference. What do you suggest?
Thank you,
Matt
Matt,
With my dogs I feed them the same amount I would feed if it were a kibble. I use this as a starting point. If a dog starts losing weight I increase the amount. If the dog starts gaining weight I decrease the amount. These recipes are very nutritious without any worthless fillers so dogs need a little less to get the nutrients they need to thrive.
Sounds great, thanks!
I always took my eggs out of the shell and put the shells in my compost pile. What a great source of calcium. I will now blend them as you showed in video. Love your recipes. I raise and train performance shelties and with the cost of junk dog food now it is just as economical to feed good homemade food. I am lucky as we raised chickens, rabbits and sheep as well so I have a supplemental source of protein. Thanks again for your great recipes cody kelley–Lion Heart Shelties
Hi, Ed;
I have a 14 pound Chihuahua/Cavalier cross. He is 7 months old. He was throwing up the dry dog food I was feeding him (I got him when he was 4 months old), Taste of the Wild Salmon and Sweet potato. I tried another homemade recipe that I found online. He did okay, but didn’t seem to have much of an appetite for a growing puppy. Then I found your recipe. He is doing great and now has a HEALTHY appetite! He gets a half cup in the morning and another half cup in the evening. For treats, he gets cabbage or yams – he loves both!! I limit carrots, which he also loves, as I understand they are rather high in sugar.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Papi’s mom,
Karen
Karen,
This is all great to hear!
Ed
We have a 6 yr old Maltese, Willie, who has just been diagnosed with collasped trachea. I am very confused as what is the best to feed him, as he also needs to lose some weight. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Denise,
If your maltese needs to shed some excess fat try feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe. Click here to view this dog food recipe. This dog food does not contain any carbohydrates and helps dogs shed excess fat.
I have a 7 yr old Shih Tzu i rescued at 5. She was shortly diagnosed with hemolytic anemia and month later with pancretitis. For past 6 months have been making her dog food
Chicken Breast , white rice, green beans and Bone meal
Potatoes, brochelli, cottage cheese, bone meal
Potatoes, chicken green beans bone meal
Carrots are treats or apples
I stay away from beef due to the pancretitis
I feed her 1 cup AM and 1 cup PM adding 1/3 cup Blue Buffalo holistic
Do you think I am doing the right thing Her weight stays stable. She has not had an episode
for over a year.
Thank You
Penny Stupka
Penny,
This looks good but it’s hard for me to say.
I’ve been cooking for Fred(the wonder dog) for the last 5 years. He gets chicken or ground beef with brown rice and a mix of veggies. He had to have 6 teeth removed when he came to us. He has since had 5 more removed. Is there any advice you can give me?
PS. My vet does not support his diet so he gets half homemade and half kibble.
Judy,
Try the easy cooked dog food recipe, click here to view. Fred will love it and do great!
Thanks Ed, I’ve always fed my dogs ground beef and rice but this really helps me understand the nutrients needed!
Thank you Ed, for your cooked dog food recipe, it looks like something my 2 cockers will love. I really want to get away from commercial food even though they get the limited ingredient high end food. Also great job on the video!
Joe,
Thanks, I’m glad you like it!
This looks like a great recipe except I have a concern about raw meat from the grocery store. If I go buy the ten pounds of ground beef from the grocery store it will have all the antibiotics and steroids that are feed to the cows in it and organic meat is way to expensive. I hardly ever eat meat now because of this problem so I’m concerned about feeding it to my dogs.
Mary,
Think of it this way. The meat that goes into dog food is unfit to be sold for human consumption.
Ed, I’m glad to have been forwarded an email with your Homemade Dog Food recipe as we have been making food for our dogs (2 Silkies&a Cockapoo)for quite some time. They all saw the vet recently & she asked what they ate and I said we made them either chicken&rice or chopmeat&rice and usually they have scrambled eggs in the morning. She never asked if I was giving any supplements. ???on the chopmeat …what do you use? 90/10? or is 80/20mix okay?
Thank you in advance!!
Barbara,
The ground beef is 70/30 I believe.
I have been using your products for a couple of years now (Dinovite, Lick-o-Chop, shampoo, and the snacks). However I have given my dog commercial dog food. She seems to get better, than all of a sudden has a bout where she sheds, scratches, etc., and this will go on for days. I tried the raw diet for a while but did not keep up with it. The cooked diet looks more appealing for me to fix. My question is how much of the cooked diet do you give a dog? My dog weighs about 45 to 50 pounds. My other problem with her is that is does not like the smell of the Dinovite. One of your counselors suggested to mix it with a little cottage cheese, which seems to work. I usually mix the Dinovite with the cottage cheese in the morning and refrigerator it. When it is time to feed the dog I mix it with the dog food. She seems to like this better than just mixing in the Dinovite just before feeding time. Should I keep up with the cottage cheese solution, or do you have any other suggestions for this picky eater? I really want her to stay healthy all the time, not just part of the time. Thanks Ed, any help is appreciated.
Lies,
I think you will be pleased with the “easy cooked dog food recipe”. Most dogs absolutely love it. Mixing some cottage cheese with the Dinovite should be fine but you may want to try it as presented first. Your dog may take to eating the Dinovite mixed with the recipe as is.
Ed, I tried half a recipe of the cooked diet for 3 days just to find out if my dog would eat it, and my dog (a rescued blue heeler) did not eat for 3 days. I have had her for 6 years now and she is a very picky about her food. She did not like the smell of the eggs. I have also tried the raw diet, but the dog (Lady) is a what I call a “closet eater”. I feed her about 6PM, but she often does not eat until the middle of the night or later when no one is watching her. I was worried about leaving raw meat out for so long. Ed do you have any other suggestions?
Lies,
Put a small portion down, about a tablespoon, for about an hour. Then pick it up and refrigerate it. Repeat this process until they eat. I’ve never had a finicky dog. Your dogs won’t starve themselves. Make sure they are not getting food anywhere else.
Dear ED, I’m glad Kimberly asked what your educational background that brought you to develop these products. Now I know my “furry kids” need supplements, just like people.
You’re very knowledgable and I am so glad your site was brought to my attention. I will definitely be making changes to my babies current cooked diet and adding your products to it. I didn’t know that carrots had too much sugar to give on a daily basis…now I know why they like then so much! Can you just tell me a few veggies that they can have daily without cause for concern. Also ?? about what size packets I should be using one silky is 15lbs, one is 19lbs and my cockapoo is 24lbs…it doesn’t show me by weight what to use. Thanx again.
Barbara,
I think all your dogs fall into the medium category. As far as veggies go I would stick to leafy greens. Remember dogs don’t digest veggies well due to their very short digestive tract. So they need to be ground up fine and cooked well.
Can I switch the white rice for brown rice in the easy dog food recipe without changing the nutrient value of the recipe?
Linda,
Yes, but dogs don’t digest brown rice well so most will just pass through. It is better to stick with the white rice. Brown rice is good for humans because we have a long digestive tract that is able to digest the brown rice and the added nutrients.
What is your opinion on Pat McKay’s raw food proportions and supplements? How different are they from the supplements that you suggest on your website?I have a 6 and a half month old lab doberman mix male dog who has been on kibble since I adopted him 2 months ago. I am curious and at the same time apprehensive about raw food, but want the best for my dog. Can I feed my dog banana or other fruits crushed while he is transitioning to raw food as per your 8 day suggestion for the transition phase from kibble to raw/home cooked meals? (primarily because he gets hungry real fast) Thank you
Baty,
I’m sorry but I am not familiar with the food or supplements. I would follow the introductory method and not sweat it, your dog will be fine. He won’t starve or hate you. His guts will love you.
I have a 3 yr. old peekapoo and shih tzu. I prepared your homemade recipe with ground beef, rice, and eggs. They both loved the food, but after 3 days both started throwing up. The shih tzu was the food, but the peekapoo threw up yellow foam. HELP???
Darnell,
The yellow foam is excess digestive juices. My guess is your dog is digesting the homemade dog food rapidly and his body has not adjusted tp the better food. Did you follow the introductory method? Is anyone feeding treats or other food?
No other food but my 83 yr. old Dad does slip them treats. I did follow the introductory method. Should I continue to give them the food or do I need to buy leaner beef?
Darnell,
Keep feeding them the food it’s only been a short while. Have your dad feed them better treats. Click here to view healthy dog treats.
Hi! I am completely new to the home made dog food thing. I have tried the RAW diet and my dogs loved it but it is just to expensive for me to keep doing it. I mixed it with their kibble which is also a quality brand holistic dog food (wellness). I would really love to just make my own dog food and know exactly what is in it and how its made and handled and to cut out commercial dog food altogether. I have read you can add baby food veggies in dog food, would that be ok? Also I wondered where you get your vitamin supplements from? I have never heard of them….
Wendy,
Why not try the easy cooked dog food recipe or the easy raw dog food recipe. Both are easy to make and nutritious for your dog. The supplements can be purchased from dinovite.com. I have links to the separate supplements in the dog food recipes.
Yeah I was thinking of making that. The RAW diet I always got online was quite pricey! I’ve never made it myself so was kind of leery about it. What do you think of adding some veggie in the form of baby food? I read some people doing that but did not know if that was a way to go…
Also, how would you rate the cost comparison of this to premium dog foods like wellness?
Wendy,
I’m sorry I don’t know how much wellness costs. I’ve never used it.
Wendy,
You can add veggies if they are thoroughly cooked and blended. Keep in mind dogs are carnivores and digest meat, bones, animal fat and predigested greens the best.
I have a greyhound. That breed is very sensitive to different types of food, and I am thinking about cooking my own. Is there any suggestion regarding to greyhounds?
Rosemarie,
I would start off with the easy cooked dog food recipe. See how your greyhound does.
Hi Ed,
I’m thinking of starting with the yeast starvation diet even though I’m not sure it is a yeast infection that my collie has. But because of the 2 courses of antibiotics I know her gut flora has surely been compromised. And I do know that it is not any kind of mites or mange. So, I’ve been reading through your site here and the one thing I haven’t run into yet is how long do you stay with this diet? Do you eventually switch to the easy raw? Or just stay with the yeast starvation diet? Thanks for your help.
Kelly
Kelly,
You can feed this dog food indefinitely. Some dogs with yeast infections can’t tolerate any carbohydrates.
Hi to all ,
It is nice to see how many owners trying to feed their buddies with a healthy homemade food. I’m cooking always for whole my family and our lovely standard poodle Rembrandt is not an exception. Yours recipe is one of his favorite one and he gives us a lot of kisses for yummy food.
Lina
I just got all the stuff to make this dog food. The DinoVite and lickOchops came FAST! I just had one question. I feed my dogs twice a day. I just divide their daily intake into 2 meals. Is it ok to put the DinOvite and lickOchops in just one of their meals and feed the 2nd without it?
Wendy,
Yes, it is fine to put it in one feeding.
One last question, when buying ground beef, do you recommend the lean 90 to 95% or lower? I have to mini doxies and a beagle. Also, do I just add about 1 tsp of Lickochops for all 3? They weigh, 8 pounds, 15 pounds and 25 pounds
Wendy,
I buy the regular ground beef. I think it is 70/30. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of Lickochops per cup of food.
Hi Ed,
I have a 7 month Maltese-poodle puppy who has been on your cooked diet for about 4 months. I am using the supplements as well (Dinovite and LickOchops). After bouts of diarrhea and other intestinal problems trying to get her switched for Purina Puppy Chow, she now seems healthy, happy and full of energy. She is a very picky eater but seems to be doing well on the Home Made cooked diet.
I ordered Dr. Becker’s book (Real Food..) from Mercola looking for additional recipes. After reading it, I am horrified that I have done my dog irreparable harm to my dog and am so overwhelmed with the concept of “balanced” that I am ready to give up entirely.
My question is this: Is the Cooked Home Made recipe ok for growing puppies (with the supplements)? I am concerned about the calcium/phosphorus ratios needed for forming bones at this stage. I just bought another pup I want to get off of Puppy chow but an afraid. Help, please. I’m really scared.
Bonnie,
Yes the recipe is fine for puppies. If you are feeding the recipe as stated it should be fine. Make sure you include the eggs with shells because the egg shells supply the calcium. As time goes on you can start to incorporate some ground up chicken with bones. I plan on posting a recipe showing a raw and cooked version soon. My life has been crazy busy lately and I’ve just not got around to shooting the video.
Howdy Ed,
I’ve heard that beef is not good for Akitas. Do you think your raw recipe would work with fish instead? Supposedly that’s part of their natural diet in Japan. I’ve got one that I just rescued, and I would like to do the best I can for this lovable boy.
Jeff,
I think you could substitute fish.
I would really love to switch my dogs from meat to fish or chicken off and on. Should I cook the fish first or feed it raw? Also, would the rest of the ingredients be the same as the easy dog food recipe? I find chicken is kinda hard to cut up when raw. Should I cook that first or boil it or something?
Wendy,
It is a good idea to cook the fish. Chicken is best raw with the bones. I use a meat grinder and grind it all together. It works well. If you cook the chicken and debone try to include the cartilage. Also add the hard boiled eggs with shell for calcium.
My son feeds our dogs a raw vegetable diet with the left over greens and carrots from juicing each morning. He also adds canned tomatoe paste, a sardine, and oat of some sort as well as
vitamins and soy nuts. They eat twice a day and are both large dogs (lab/ golden and a golden. huskey/chow mix) I keep saying they need meat he says they do not – what will happen to them if they continue to not eat meat?
Cathi,
Their health will progressively deteriorate. You can lead someone to wisdom but you can’t make them think.
I have a 6 yr. old pit and she keeps ear infections. My vet says she has yeast I am going to try the yeast starvation dog food with the dinomite but I was looking at the bullymax.com vitamins for pits. Can that vitamin, which helps build muscle be used with the dinomite and lickochops? My vet bill is out rages for the ear infections.
Ola,
You probably won’t need any muscle builder when feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe. I raised stafordshire bull terriers on raw dog food and they all were ripped and well muscled.
My dog is 13 lbs and i feed him 1/2 cup 2x a day. Is that enough food and do I add the suppliments in each meal or just one time. I put 1tsp of both liquid suppliments that you suggest.
Elaine,
The best way is to give a little with each meal. So, just divide the serving in half.
It would be useful to have a cost comparison between homemade and a high-grade kibble. It might be more, the same ??? I could see myself feeding raw at least part-time but needing to fall back on kibble during a busy part of week or other times, so the suggestion to not feed kibble WITH the raw as if that’s too trying on the dog’s system is problematic. If dogs are scavengers, etc. seems they would be fine with that. Scavenging involves eating everything, not one type of food. My dog seems to have no problems when I switch his food, which I do often, i.e. I don’t feed him the same food over and over and over again–I think that must surely not be good. Anyone have experience with feeding kibble AND home-made? Costs might make that the only solution, i.e. better some home-made than none at all.
Marca,
I’ll do my best:
10 pounds ground beef $20
5 cups rice $1.5-$2.5
18 eggs $3
recipe makes approximately 48 cups
1 tube lickochops $8.99 (can be as low as $4.99)
Let’s say a medium dog eating about 1.5 cups per day. So this recipe is 30 days worth for that size dog. Then add the supplement Dinovite liquid @ $16.66 for 30 days worth.
$25 ingredients
$25.65 supplements
Total $50.65 for 30 days dog food for a medium dog.
I’ve not had the best results switching back and forth between homemade and kibble. The switching lends itself to digestive upset
I have 2 Danes, both seniors. One of them recently had some gastric distress and the vet suggested rice and chicken breasts. I used the opportunity to take them both off commercial food and they are enjoying your recipe for cooked food, using chicken instead of beef. I am getting ready to add fat into the recipe mix (since the breast do not have much). Since I ultimately want to feeding your raw recipe, I wonder how I should make this transition. Should I add a bit of raw beef with each feeding of cooked chicken recipe or what do you suggest?
Luise,
Yes, mix a little with each meal and slowly increase the amount and see how they do.
Hi. I’ve been feeding my cat home cooked for about six months. She is doing much better. Now my 9 month old puppy has started to have issues with both her canned food and multiple dry foods. I’m 99.9999 percent sure it is an egg allergy. I’m moving her to home cooked and feel like your recipe will be super easy for me to do. I’m supplementing with solid gold vitamins plus a few others and using cooked and ground brown rice instead of white. The eggs of course are left out, but I am adding in bone meal calcium. Should I substitute something for the eggs or just add more meat?
Thanks for your great information.
Jen,
I would try the recipe as listed and see how she does. You have too many different variables for me to speculate.
Hi, I have 2 med to large mixed dogs. We have issues with shedding and gas. And the my daughter is allergic to gluten, peanut, tree nuts, and eggs. Trying to find dog food that won:t cause reactions for the dogs or my daughter is impossible without breaking the bank. your raw food recipe looks promising. So glad I happened upon your site. Thank you
I noticed in one of your previous comments that you stated dogs are carnivores, I would like to correct this statement, considering that dogs are NOT carnivores, they are omnivores, unlike felines, canines can live off of strictly vegetarian diet. Please correct this statement, other than that, this is a very helpful site and I would like to know if you have any suggestions on a diet for coydogs instead of regular domesticated dogs? Thank you for your help.
Rachel,
My statement that dogs are carnivores is correct as needs no correction. However, I can go into more detail that may prove helpful.
You are correct that dogs and cats are not the same kind of carnivore. Cats are considered obligate carnivores and dogs are considered hyper-carnivores. Obligate carnivores don’t have the ability to digest fruits and plants. Hyper-carnivore do best on a diet that is at least 70% meat and bone. When you look closely at a dog’s anatomy you quickly see how they are designed to crunch, gnaw, and gulp animals. Dogs also lack salivary amylase to start the digestion of starches. Humans and other omnivores have this enzyme.
Yes, dogs can benefit from eating some fruits and vegetation but their health will severely suffer from an entirely vegetarian diet. Humans also suffer from completely vegetarian diets. This is due to required nutrients that are lacking in vegetarian diets.
I hope this helps. Glad you like the site.
I am starting my dogs on the raw food diet. I am confused about the Dinovite. What is the difference between the powder and liquid? You talk about putting the liquid on the food but does the powder give the same benefits?
Linda,
You can use either the powder or the liquid, they have similar benefits.
I was wondering if you have any recipes for cat’s. I love the raw dog food recipe my blue healer loves it.
Sean,
You can feed the yeast starvation recipe it will work well for your cat.
Please disregard my first post I copied and pasted only part here is the CORRECT question:
Dear Ed,
We have three dogs (Poodle/Maltese crosses), two of which have sever dental issues and can no longer eat their kibble. So we went on the hunt for canned food. There began my education in dog food. We purchased what we assumed was a high quality canned food called Lean Cuts:
Ingredients:
Fresh ground lean red beef roast and steak meat,
fresh beef liver and kidney,
water sufficient for processing,
carrots, and vegetable gums.
No by products or rendered Meats
No cereals, grains, starches,
artificial colour or salt added
GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Moisture: 84.5%
Protein: 10.4%
Crude Fibre: 0.2%
Ash: 00.9%
Fat: 06.3%
Our dogs LOVED the first flat we bought at Costco. We purchased a second flat a month later and all three would NOT touch it! So I had one can left from the first flat and we did a test. We used TWO different plates, put one can manufactured in May on one plate and one can of food manufactured in June on another. All three dogs devoured the May food and refused the June batch. We concluded that there must have been something wrong in manufacturing of the June food.
Our dogs are STARVING, so I went online to learn how to make our own dog food, when I ran across your site. I’m all gung-ho to start whipping up a batch ASAP to get my girls feed.
I will most certainly be placing an order of the Din-O-Vits and the Lick-O-Chops. Being that we live in Canada and the shipping time may be much longer can you recommend some natural alternatives to replace the supplements, so that I can add to their food to temporarily till their supplements arrive.
I was considering broccoli and olive oil, your advice would be most appreciated.
Lauri,
I don’t know of any substitutes for the supplements in Canada so just feed the recipe without them until they arrive. Just don’t let it go too long (a few weeks.)
I have been feeding my bichons the cooked food diet. They weigh 15 lbs each. I have been feeding 3/4 cup daily (half in am/half in pm). They act like they are starving – going to feeding location and whining for food. I have been feeding some treats to see if that helps but they continue to beg for more food. This has been going on for six days now. I include the lick-o-chops and dinovite liquid. I am concerned they are acting so hungry. I don’t want to do anything to cause weight gain but can’t stand to see them beg. Any suggestions?
Barb,
It sounds like they like their food! My dog Stinky would eat till she was as big as a whale! I just ignore her. Heck I don’t get everything I want why should she?
They definitely like their food. Today when I told Bella “no more food” she fell over and played dead! It was so pitiful….but didn’t work. Do you think the raw diet would make a difference? If so, would I need to do a gradual change? I also have an 18 month child in the home so is feeding raw a good idea since the dogs like to give lots of kisses reciprocated by my granddaughter?
Barb,
You may want to feed the easy cooked dog food recipe or the chicken and rice dog food recipe. Toddlers can get into dog bowls and if you feed raw the bowls could have harmful bacteria.
Whenever switching from kibble to a homemade dog food recipe I recommend following the introductory method outline for the dog food recipe. Doing this will greatly reduce the chance a digestive upset like vomiting and diarrhea all over your house. Some folks don’t like to see their dog’s sad face and find it hard to do and desperately want to skip the process. However, this usually disappears after they have to clean up stinky dog diarrhea and vomit at 2 or 3 AM 🙂
Dear Ed,
Sadly, one of my 6 year old labs has been diagnosed with lymphoma. The vet has put him on Prednisone which of course has made him extremely hungry (at all times). I have been reading extensively about nutrition (and ingredients) in commercial dog food. I believe his diet probably has a lot to do with contributing to his overall condition. I would love to change his diet from commercial food over to your cooked homemade diet, but I’m afraid to have him fast for 24 hrs. Poor guy is so hungry all the time. Is this a change I should make for him at this time? Should I talk to my vet? I’m sure he’ll say just keep him on the Hills prescription diet. What is your opinion. Going to start making it for his litter mate.
Sharon,
I always think feeding a highly nutritious homemade dog food is best. You can try fasting him for twelve hours then feed a very small portion for the first couple feedings.
My dog has some liver issues and I can’t find a good dog food so your receipe looks great. I need to watch the fat content so I will use extra lean mince meat. She is about 47 lbs. how much should I feed her. please email me so that I can start. Do you also have a chicken receipe
Can I use vegetables as well.
Thank you.
Dorothy,
I have a chicken and rice dog food recipe. If fat is an issue you can drain off the excess fat. Use the Supromega it will help. Also you can add organic coconut oil because this will not stress your dog’s pancreas.
I just ordered the dinovite and lickochops so I can make this for my 10 year old poodle and 8 month old terrier, is there anything I need to change for the ages? Also we are avid hunters, I can only assume that wild game will be better than processed beef, do I need to add anything while using the wild game (usually deer or elk). Thank you.
Audrey,
No, I feed puppies and adults a nutritious meal. Wild game is fine.
Another question – if I am feeding them homemade dog food should I cut out store bought treats such as meaty bones and milk bones, and what about table scraps, not they they get them alot, but my poodle loves turkey and vanilla ice cream. And the puppy will eat anything that is dropped on the floor. Thanks.
Audrey,
I would not feed the meaty bones and milk bones they are full of cheap fillers and chemicals. Table scraps will depend on how well you eat:)
For healthy treats try the Nubonubs, they are freeze dried beef. No fillers, dies or chemical preservatives.
Hello My Name is Annette. I have 22 month old lad who has become bored with his dry food. I would like to try your cooked recipe, however I dont want to make that much in case he doesn’t like it. How would I revise the recipe for about a weeks worth of food for a 55lb dog? Thanks in advance for your help! SO GLAD I STUMBLED ONTO YOUR SITE!!
Annette,
My guess is your dog will love the homemade dog food. But you can make half as much just split the recipe.
Hi Ed, I have a 9 yr old, 11 pound Pomeranian named Sassy. I’ve switched from kibble over to your raw food diet for about 10 days now. I’m currently giving her 1/2 tsp of your recommended Lick-O-Chops with 1/8 Table spoon of DinOvite powder with every 2 ounce serving of raw food that I feed her twice a day. Since on this diet, she only has a bowl movement, once every 2-3 days (previously 2 times a day) and it’s usually very soft. I’ve also noticed she’s developed a lot of flatulence since on this diet. I’m a firm believer on feeding my little girl a raw diet, but I’m concerned about the issues I’ve mentioned. Are these symptoms normal and will they go away as her system adjusts to the raw diet? Are there any recommendations you could make to remedy these symptoms?
Thank you kindly
Eddie,
This is normal. The homemade dog food is more nutritious with no fillers so she will produce less waste. The gas is due to her body still adjusting to the new dog food. It should all work itself out.
Thank you so much my dog loves the food. She wouldnt eat anything before this.
Jake,
This is good to hear!
Hi Ed, I am new to this site and I love the idea of making your own dog food. I am ok with raw and cooked diets and have been doing some of each with my 9yr. old German Shepard. I got a GS puppy last week (7weeks old) and found out he has Megaesophagus. He is underweight from his condition but is a happy puppy otherwise. I was hoping you could recommend a good diet for him. With MegaE he cannot eat or drink anything in the horizontal position as the food/liquid pools in the esophagus instead of going to the stomach. Rukin sits in a “high chair” Bailey Chair to eat and then must rest in this chair for about 30min to convey the food to his stomach. I feed him 4 times a day and he seems starving each feeding. The food is a gruel consistency made up of cooked chicken or beef, white rice and soaked kibble. He gets about 3/4 cups 4x daily. Am I feeding him enough. I would also like you to recommend some of Dinovite’s supplements for puppies. I searched your site for megaesophagus but found no matches. Can you help???? kd
If he is losing weight you need to increase his calorie intake. The Dinovite supplements are fine for puppies.
Ed, Where in my question does it say anything about him “losing weight”???
Are you not wanting to comment on the Megaesophagus or what??
Thanks for letting me know the Dinovite Supplements are fine for puppies but I can’t say you were much help.
I would not recommend this site.
kd,
You commented the following:
“He is underweight from his condition but is a happy puppy otherwise”
“I feed him 4 times a day and he seems starving each feeding.”
“Am I feeding him enough?”
Did I miss something?
Since I didn’t say anything about him “losing weight” he is not losing weight. I was hoping ( by asking if you could recommend a good diet for him) you could guide me to a diet that would “increase his caloric intake” as you put it. Thank you for clarifying the Dinovite supplements are ok for puppies. I could not find any reference to puppies on the Dinovite website.
Kd,
Try feeding the chicken and rice dog food recipe. You should be able to blend it and feed it to your dog. This dog food recipe is a little soupy. Its highly nutritious.
Thanks Ed, I appreciate the reply. I am going to make up a batch today. The soupyness is great as he needs a very soft diet because of his condition. He had his 10wk check up and is 20lbs and Vet. says in good condition. kd
is it okay to use only eggwhites as my dog has some liver issues?
Renee,
What part of the egg yolk do you think is a problem for your dog’s liver?
Dear Ed,
A friend recommended your site to me. I am convinced and will take steps to change my Shelties to your raw diet. My last Sheltie came to me as a rescue with what was thought to be mange. It turned out after some experiments and finally allergy tests, that he was allergic to almost everything. We fed him white fish and sweet potato kibble which finally worked and he grew a beautiful coat and was a happy dog. If I’d known then about your site, I would have tried making my own version. He died last Fall from cancer. Additives in the foods? Environmental issues? who knows? But your diet supplements and raw or cooked basics might have given him more time. My little girl and boy now are 1 yr. old and I plan to see them get very old with me. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience.
Hi Ed,
I’m ready to switch to a homemade dog food. I’ve tried too many “healthy” processed dog foods that my dogs won’t hardly eat. My maltese suffers every day from severe allergies and I am convinced that she has high amounts of yeast in her system that are contributing to her misery. What ratio of fat content do you recommend for the raw hamburger meat? 70/30, 80/20? Also which products should I purchase for the extra nutrition for severe allergies?
Samann,
I use 70/30 ground beef. The dog supplements I recommend are Dinovite and Supromega. If you buy them together you get the Supromega for almost 50% off.
Hi Ed!
I have 2 pugs. Harley is 9.5 years old and Lily is 6 mos old. I feed both Blue Buffalo dry food, him adult food and her puppy blend. I want to start feeding them your cooked version. I was looking at the supplements you recommend but want to know which one to buy. Harley is 18 lbs and 9.5 yrs old, Lily is 10 lbs and 6 mos old. Do you consider them small dogs or small and medium. In addition, Harley is fussy and not food motivated. He’d rather graze (always has) but with competition he is eating like a real dog now. Lily is like a Hoover, turn around and it is gone!
Carole,
It sounds like they are going to be both around 18 pounds so I recommend purchasing the medium dog size dinovite. Try feeding the chicken and rice dog food recipe I thin k your dogs will love it.
I am feeding our dogs ground chicken with the bones and the skin (thighs). Do I still need to add the eggs and the Dinovite and LickoChops to the recipe? I am not sure if they need additional calcium from the eggs (shell) and the added oils from the LickoChops. I look forward to your reply.
Thank you.
Claire,
I would add the Dinovite and Supromega fish oil. Both these supplements will round out what you are feeding nicely. If yoou are feeding the chicken bones then the egg shells are not necessary but the eggs are beneficial.
where do you buy the supplements? I am in Canada, can you get them from the vet?
Bonnie,
the supplements can be purchased online from dinovite.com.
one more question! i forgot to ask you how much to feed my 20 lb Pug. i would like her to lose a little weight so what is the recomended portion? Are you suppose to feed them twice a day because that is what i have been doing. 1/2 c twice a day. Thanks for the advice.
Bonnie,
A portion for a 20 pound pug would be about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of dog food per day. Adjust the serving up or down a little to lose or gain weight.
thanks very much i just ordered the supplements and as soon as they come i will start making my own.I think my dogs will really enjoy it.
hi Ed, made my first batch of food, now just waiting for supplements to come.I feed my dogs 1/2 cup twice a day so my question is: Do i have to put supplements in each half cup or just once a day? I gave my dogs a sample without supplements and they loved it! thank you so much. I think my one dog will benefit from it a lot. she has had itchy skin and been on fish oil and benedryl and i would like to get her off of the benedryl at least. i know the fish oil is good for her but her coat isn’t the way it used to be, so i can’t wait to see how they do on this diet. I am so glad i found your video, I can’t thank you enough,My dogs are family to me! 🙂
Bonnie,
It’s best to mix a little in each meal.
My 12 yr old shih tzu has severe allergies, probably food. I want to try cooked recipe with ground turkey and potatoes. Don’t want to maybe use the eggs to limit the ingredients . Need substitute. Need help badly. 281-343-1213
Lori,
Is your shih tzu allergic to eggs? Have you seen the chicken and rice dog food recipe? You could use this recipe and substitute turkey. If you don’t want to use the egg shells for calcium you can use Fidocal to supplement calcium.
Hi
I have two 9 mos old 70lb shepherd/wolfhound/retriever mix puppies. I have been warned by my vet not to feed them regular puppy food as the higher calcium/calorie content will encourage them to grow too fast to the detriment of their skeletons and joints in particular. I feed them large breed meat based food that is very expensive and they still do not seem to tolerate it particularly well (repeated bouts of vomiting & diarrhea, nothing specific found by vet). I am considering switching to your raw recipe but am concerned about getting the vitamins & minerals right for their development. Any suggestions? My apologies if this is addressed elsewhere – I searched the site and didn’t find it but who knows.
Thanks!
Rivka,
I’ve had good experience feeding these homemade dog food recipes to puppies. I think you will be pleased.
I use to make all my dog food at one time. I since changed to a good bought dog kibble without grains. I am very much considering going back to home made. That way I know what my dog is ingesting. The only thing I did not do is add dinovite and lickochops. I did give them all supplements though. Could you tell me if there is anywhere in Canada that sells the dinovite and lickochops.
Thankyou so much
Susan
Susan,
Dinovite is not sold in stores but you can have it shipped to Canada.
Hi, Thank you for sharing all those great recipes. It’s my first time trying homemade dog foods ever. I’ve been forced my dog(he’s about a year old) to eat kibbles several hours ago, and got tired.. haha. I’ve tried can food which caused diarrhea.. oh and I think he’s digestive system has been damaged when I brought him from previous owner at the age of 6 months.. he did diarrhea a lot and sometimes vomitted. He LOATHES Kibbles and even canfood – he ate it first time but hated it couple days later- that I and my family worried about.. And I found your website and tried it tonight; he loved it. If it makes his digestive system healthier, I would be really happy, and I believe it would work. By the way, I wonder if there’s a recipe for treats.
As a family we commonly purchase beef in bulk. I have recently recieved beef liver. Is this something that would be healthy to incorporate into the Cooked dog food recipe?
Lori,
Yes, you can incorporate some liver at 10-15% should be fine.
Hi! I’m about to get one (maybe two) St. Bernard puppies, 6 weeks old. They are eating dry commercial dog food now. I would just introduce them to the raw dog food in the manner you suggest correct? Also, I would just increase the amount based on their weight as they grow?
Can you substitute ground chicken or ground pork for the ground beef? Is switching between beef/chicken/pork hard on their digestion? Same question for switching between raw and cooked? I assume that all being natural, they would adjust to the different meat without problems?
Thanks!
Sara,
Puppies adapt well to homemade dog food recipes. switching between different meats does not present a problem. I have a chicken and rice dog food recipe that dogs love.
Hi Ed,
Thanks so much for this website. My dog recently had emergency surgery for calcium oxalate bladder stones. He is a rescue so I have no idea what he went though the first 8 months of his life. He is now 2-1/2 years old and such a great dog. My vet suggested I change his food to Royal Canin SO to help prevent recurrence of the bladder stones. Unfortunately he is not a big fan. I have also spoiled him with many treats and now he can have nothing :(. I think your recipes sounds great and would like to try them. Have you heard anything about this type of bladder stone and do you think this diet would be ok for him? Also, any recommendation for treats. He is average weight and somewhat active. Thanks for your help!
Stephanie,
I’ve not personally had any dogs with bladder stones. I do think the high moisture content of all the dog food recipes on my site are beneficial to flush the kidneys and bladder. I like to feed Nubonubs dog treats they are just made of dehydrated beef nothing more and dogs love them.
I started my dog on the cooked hamburger and rice recipe. He LOVES it. He has been on the new food for about 10 days. I have noticed he hasn’t pooped for quite a few days. Should i cut back on the white rice for him? Or is this just part of the adjustment to new food?
I have one more question. My dog is a 14 year old shih tzu. Over the past year, he has developed problems with his hips. They give out when he walks occasionally and he seems stiff. I have heard that red meat can further elevate inflammation (in humans, that is…) . Is this true for dogs as well? Should i try the chicken and rice recipe for him instead? Thank you!
Manda,
you can cut back on the rice a little, it won’t hurt, but his bode is probably just adjusting. Try adding the Supromega the added omega 3’s and natural vitamin can help with inflammation.
Hello,
Thank you for recipes. It’s really helpful, and my dog loves it.
Do you have any recipes for treats?
I have some but have not posted them yet. I do like to feed the dehydrated beef treats Nubonubs. Dogs love them and they don’t contain artificial dyes or fillers.
Hi Ed,
I have to wait for the supplements to arrive. But I can’t wait to get started. I was wondering if it’s better to give my dogs the raw food in the evening and than dry kibbles upon rising or the other way around? Or skip the dry altogether? Also my oldest dog is a 10 year old malteze/shih-tzu/terrier mix who has had all kinds of issues with allergies and hot spots. He is the main reason I’m trying the Raw Food, but a pet store owner once told me that the reason he had so many allergies was because our meats are loaded with hormones. Do you agree? If so, what kind of meat do you normally use?
Dre,
I recommend skipping kibble all together because feeding both tends to lead to digestive upset. You dog may be suffering from a yeast infection. You may want to try the yeast starvation dog food recipe. I personally don’t worry about meats when feeding human grade meat to dogs. This grade is always better than the not fit for human consumption meats added to kibble.
Thanks Ed, even though I still haven’t received the Dinovite supplements , I’ve been feeding all 3 of my dogs the Yeast Starvation diet, but they seem to be starving. Today was the 4th day and I almost gave them a treat before bed. Can I give them dehydrated duck meat during the starvation diet?
Dre,
I’d stay away from the duck meat it could be a product made in China. Lot’s of problems with these treats.
Hello, I want to know if I can add fiber. Is there any thing like a lickochops that contains fiber, too?
You can add some psyllium powder if you like but it is not needed.
hello-
what a great website, excited to spend more time on here! quick question. i’ve been cooking food for my italian greyhound bc he has a grade 2-3 mast cell tumor. he’s 10 so i want to keep him around as long as possible! i’ve found a few recipes online that i’ve used but have realized he isn’t drinking as much water as he used to. i’m assuming that conventional dog food has a high sodium content but wondered if i should be adding some to his food.
thanks!!
Christ,
Yes, dogs fed these homemade dog food recipes drink less water because of the high moisture content.
my two Poms age 13 & 14 will be getting home cooked meals from now on that i found it to be so easy to do. My lulu thats 13 has thyroid trouble and takes soloxine .01mls (6lb 6)z) when the vet does the blood work its not reflected on the test, she has lost most of her hair and all of her undercoat should I give her any extra vits?
Frankie,
Try adding the Dinovite and Supromega to your dog food recipe. The dinovite has kelp meal in it and the iodine in kelp has been shown to support healthy thyroid.
great info. Wanted to know if you thought there was much benefit to feeding your dog canned food or do you think that is causing them long term harm and should stick to raw foods alone?
Edward,
I would stick with a homemade dog food recipe because you will know what’s in it.
Hi, this is a great website full of information on pet nutrition. I was wondering if you think it would be ok to substitute the ground beef for ground turkey sometimes. There seems to be a lot of controversy surrounding turkey and dogs. I have two adult long haired doxies and one that is a puppy doxie. Also is the beef/rice/egg recipe something we can use on a regular basis? I also have been to the website where the supplements are sold as well checking those out. Thank you and God bless!
Jennifer,
I’ve not used the ground turkey because it always seems watery. You can feed the beef recipe on a regular basis. You can also switch it up and feed the chicken and rice dog food recipe.
I am curious why the eggs are boiled in the raw version of the ground beef recipe but raw in the cooked version of the ground beef recipe.
Carol,
Because they end up being cooked, I didn’t think it made sense to cook them twice:)
I am worried about my 7 month old puppy. He has been on cooked for about a month and he has very loose watery bowels. What should I do?
Kelly,
Can you describe exactly what you are feeding your dog?
Thank you for posting these, I wish more people woud get away from commercial dog food as it isn’t very good for their dogs. I have a 2 year old pit bull that we adopted from a shelter, she has TERRIBLE food allergies, I switched her to a raw formula and we have no skin issues, and I must say her gas level is WAY down thank goodness!!! Thank you for putting out there that there is a better way to feed your animal!!
Ed, I was so pleased to find your website – I can’t tell you how frustrated I have become! I have 2 Chihuahuas both with their own feeding dilemmas. My 9 yr old male long hair (@ 10 lbs) has had a terrible struggle. We rescued him from a shelter @ 1 -1/2 yrs old and since he has been through 2 operations for calcium build up in his bladder and an ongoing battle with skin allergies. His allergies were so severe that he was going through an onslaught of medications to prevent the itchy and scaly skin irritations that caused him to smell and end up with an Elizabethan collar on for months on end! The medications made him lethargic and were in turn causing the stones in his bladder (due to prednisone, a fact we discovered after a lot of trial and error). We’ve been on various diets prescribed by the vet and nothing seems to help. My 4 yr old female short hair (@5 lbs) has been in excellent health until earlier this yr when she had a bout with Pancreatitis – (which we attribute to the fat in the dog food she was sharing with our other dog -Urinary So by Royal Canin) recommended by our vet. I can’t tell you how much time and money I have spent going back and forth to the vets only to find out that the very food that was supposed to alleviate their problems was causing even more! I have become very suspicious of anything that goes into their bowls! So here is my question – if I put him on the yeast starvation diet for his allergies the egg shells will surely cause him discomfort in his bladder, how do I avoid this? Also what is the best low fat recipe you have that will keep my female on track? Any light you can shine on this will be much appreciated.
Deb,
I don’t think the egg shells will be a problem, dogs need calcium and will become diseased without it. Blending the hardboiled eggs in the blender works great! The eggs turn into a sort of fluffy pudding. The Supromega fish oil is a good fat source that won’t stress your dog’s pancreas. Also, organic coconut oil is a super fat that won’t cause pancreatitis.
Thanks for your help, Ed! I have tried the dogs on both your recipes (chicken & raw beef) They LOVE it! Just waiting on supplements. How do I use the coconut oil? I have some but it needs to be refrigerated and it goes hard?
Deb,
Just spoon out a teaspoon or so for each dog. Most dogs just gobble it up.
Hey Ed,
Can you tell me what are good treats to feed my Shih Tzu’s? Do you have any recipes for homemade treats?
Blessings,
Lisa <
Lisa,
I like Nubonubs dog treats. They are 100% beef no fillers and dogs love them!
Dear Ed,
Help! I have a 7 y/o female Akita with food..? allergies, or so the vet tells me. I have been told environmental allergies could be the possible culprit. I have spent close to $1000 that included 4 rounds of strong antibiotics given 2 weeks at a time. Shots to keep Savannah from scratching and flea liquid applied to the back of her neck and lastly, ear wash and drops for the strong odor and oozing. Symptoms: Raw swollen oozing ears, red blotches all over her body causing hair loss and intense scratching, licking in between her toes and very bad breath ~ going on 9 months!!!
Before this began I had her on Neutro brand dog food that she had no problem with until 9 months ago. Vet put her on 3 other brands that excluded grains ~ still no relief. The antibiotics did clear her completely but only (temporary) symptoms start shorty after each round.
I took the liberty to put Savannah on a raw food diet ~ mosty chicken as the protein and peas or broccoli ~ no vitamins yet and I am concerned about giving her rice since potatoes seem to be problematic and she doesn’t eat all of what I give her.
Now that the last shot to help relieve the itching wore off and I refuse anymore antibiotics, we are back to square one. Will you please advise since it is heartbreaking to see her so miserable and suffering for so long.
I have scoured the Internet but get conflicting suggestions. I am confused, and feel I am out of options. I am desperate!
Thank you for any help you can offer,
Linda
Linda,
It sounds like your Akita is suffering from a yeast infection. Try feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe, I think it will help. Keep in mind, dogs sometimes get worse before they get better. the process can take 6 months but usually less.
Why does the homemade dog food need any rice at all?
Kim,
It doesn’t need it but it helps make it more affordable for people to feed their dogs. It also helps the transitions for kibble to homemade dog food.
Hello!
My 11 month old English bulldog is allergic to beef, pork, lamb, rice, white potatoes, etc… I saw where you can substitute the beef for chicken, but can I substitute the rice with sweet potatoes since he is neutral to them? Also he is highly allergic to cow’s milk. Do the supplements contain any dairy such as lactobacillus?
Melissa,
Yes, you can substitute sweet potato for the rice. The supplements don’t contain dairy but do contain live Lactobacillus.
Our very active yr old English Setter was so thin her ribs were showing. She refused to eat the kibble and I tried them all . She didn;t like the raw or the cooked hamburg but gobbles up the cooked chicken recipe twice a day and after a month finally is puttting on weight. I also give her some yogurt which she loves.
/Finally a healthy dog. Thank you!
Hi,
We’ve been feeding our dogs (shepherd mix and french bulldog) a home cooked diet for a couple years now. We were following a similar recipe to yours but were having to make it fresh every morning and night and this is wearing on us. We would like to make it in bulk for the week but our shepherd mix is allergic to rice and so we are using potatoes instead. Is there anything else we can use instead of potatoes and rice? Maybe oats? Our dogs both did not do very well on a high protein diet so I think we need some sort of starch. Thanks so much! Enjoying your website.
summer
Summer,
I make the dog food in batches and freeze it to save time and have a life. You can use squash or sweet potatoes instead of potatoes. I’ve not used oats but they should be fine.
FYI–as a veterinary technologist I have to say dogs are not carnivores, they are omnivores and NEED vegetables…the only true carnivore is a cat.
Melissa,
It is true cats are obligate carnivores which means they can’t digest plant material. It is true dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats but dogs do not NEED plant material. They can digest it in certain forms and varieties. An example would be fresh horse manure, berries and stomach contents of prey.
A pig or human is a true omnivore. Different dental design and much longer digestive tracts.
FYI there are many more carnivores besides cats.
I made the cooked version of the hamb/rice, one dog loves it, the other not so much, or at least he doesn’t seem to eat as much, this is only the first week so we will see how he does, I have a few questions, I put the tube of Lickochops in the food before I cooked it, is that a bad thing? I also noticed that the food seems a little dry, I might have cooked it for too long? You talk about dogs and vegetables, what if your dog likes vegetables/fruit, is it okay to give them to him, my little dog loves raw carrots, he is just over a year so not sure if they feel good on his teeth or what. He also loves ice cubes. One last question can I still give them homemade peanut butter dog treats? Thank you.
Audrey,
You don’t want to cook the supplements. I think the dog treats are fine.
Hello, I am sooooo confused. I adopted a buddy about five weeks ago. I say buddy because that’s what he is and always will be. Ha is an Australian shepherd and border collie mix, 11 weeks old now. I had a border collie that lived to 15, and a chow, shepherd and lab mix lived to 8 , put down because of severe hip displasia. Both of these dogs were fed homemade food. Not from recipes, just meat pasta, potatoes, rice, cheese and veggies in a mix of mostly protein then rice then veggies with little cheese and pasta mixed in. Various non acidic fruits for variation. My problem is that I cannot find a vet that will support a homemade diet for Sammy. One wants me to feed him nutrisource, one royal canin, the other hills brand. They tell me I can’t possibly meet all Sammy’s needs with what I can make for him. What do I do?? He is going to be a fairly big dog and I don’t want the problems with his hips I had with Dair. Him going down was a VERY bad thing. I also want what is best for him. He is crated from about midnight to six am, then out for whatever time we can stay home before work, then crated for two to four hours while we work away from home. He is very a active and playful with a few naps while we are home. Seems to be listening and learning well, has an attitude already and us almost wrapped around his sizeable paw. Please advise on the best thing I can do for him food wise. So far he has been on a diet that consists of mostly protein, ( hamburger, chicken, beans) brown rice, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, beans, cheese(litely) and apples. I haven’t had any problems with toilet training, he eats three times a day, about a cup and a half, and poops twice daily, nice poop too! He seems to be growing fine, now at sixteen pounds after a really bad case of worms left him at 7 pounds at 7 weeks, has a waist a chest and lots of energy. I eagerly await on a reply as to what will be best to keep him healthy. Thanx in advance, Tina and Glenn schatz
Does giving him the raw bones provide him calcium? I’ve never used supplements before. I don’t mind to, but I’d rather not if I can incorporate what he needs in his food.
Tina,
The supplements I suggest are whole food supplement and great for the dogs.
Tina,
It is not surprising that your vet does not support a homemade dog food recipe, most don’t. I think this is because of the way they are schooled. I’ve had great results feeding any of the dog food recipes listed. I mix and match. Whenever I shoot a new recipe for the site my dogs get to enjoy the fruits of my labor.
Try feeding the chicken and rice dog food recipe for starters and see how you dog does.
He is doing great, I’m worried he’s growing too fast??? Thanks for the reply, he’s been on homemade food. I’ll try the supplements if I have too??? Do I???
I would because you will see GREAT results!
Ok, so I did. He still loves his apples and cheese ( in moderation). He is now 25 pounds at three months. I’m worried he’s growing too fast? He is really doing great! Thanks for the advice. Also, pleez answer about the hip displasia and what I can do to prevent it? I’m terribly worried bout that. Thanks
Tina,
There is an interesting study done by a veterinarian on hip dysplasia. The vet believed it to be a vitamin C deficiency. Now, dogs are supposed to be able to synthesize their own vitamin C, so it didn’t make sense. But it is possibly that this ability is lost when fed kibble or perhaps lost, to some extent, in certain breeds. I don’t know.
The study took severely dysplastic dogs and bred them. While the mother was pregnant she was given vitamin C. Then the puppies were also given vitamin C for the next two years. Then everyone was screened. All the resulting puppies should have been dysplastic but were not. The mothers had also improved!
I would add some vitamin C.
Discovered your website yesterday, ordered a few of the products and cooked up a batch of the chicken and rice recipe last night. (My dog loves it, by the way) The instructions say to add all the meat and juice. My only concern is that the skin seems to be very fatty. The “grease” from the 10lbs of chicken was almost 3 cups. Can a dog handle this much fat in his diet? I thought I saw where you recommend extra lean ground beef in that recipe……
Patrick,
My dogs handle the fat well. Your dog could take a little time to adjust but over time should be fine. I use 70/30 ground beef not super lean.
Do you heat the meatloaf that you have stored in the fridge before feeding it to the dogs or should it just be served cold or at room temperature?
My dogs don’t have a preference. I find it good to keep my fingers out of they way:)
I have a Weimaraner Mastiff Mix that weighs roughly 102 pounds (all muscle). I’m just curious if these recipes are good for bigger dogs and if it is good for them, how much to feed her?
Haley,
Yes, all the dog food recipes are good for all sized dogs. I would start off feeding the same portion of food as you would kibble.
I have a large breed lab and spaniel mix who has a major food allergy and noting seems to work for him how much would it cost to make him his diet for the month does it cost more then feeding him kible!!!
Tracee,
It seems about the same price as good kibble. The chicken recipe is the most economical.
Hello Ed,
I like your site. You seem to have a lot of experience with balancing dog food. I have here a wonderful Bernese who has an extra sensitive bowel. Although I like the idea of homemade food, I am frightened by how much more clean up I would have to do since even the slightest bit of «real» food sends him in a liquid frenzy. I have quickly looked over your site, but did not see anything regarding the use of probiotics for canines. For a month now, I have been using a marketed probiotic, and this seems to help him. I was wondering if there would be a way to safely grow my own version of canine probiotics…do you have any experience with that? ( I am already well versed in human cultures — I grow my own kumbucha and yogurt — but would now like to venture in the canine world. I am not sure that yogourt would be a good choice for Meeko since he seems to be so sensitive to diet changes. The culture that is used in his supplement is the Enterococcus Faecium. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you
CDP
Chantal,
Five probiotics are contained in the Dinovite. My wife cultures different food stuffs including kumbucha, all very healthy. If I were working with your dog I would definitely follow the introductory method I outline. The fast will clean out his digestive tract and the very small initial portions will allow his system time to adjust with less chance of horrendous mess.
I would love to try your homemade dog food recipe, however, to ship the Dinovite & Lickochops to Canada is very expensive. Are you aware of any alternatives that I can purchase in Canada?
Thanks!
Monika,
Sorry, I don’t know of equivalent Canadian supplements.
Hi. My poor dog (12 years old) has had really bad seasonal allergies in the past and has only had commercial food her entire life–is it okay/safe to switch her over to this kind of diet at her age?
Victoria,
Yes, just do it slow and follow the introductory method outlined.
Hey Ed,
My wife found your site and I was interested. I have a 15 month old golden retriever who weighs 50 pounds, whom I care for and love very much. He has been on Pedigree puppy nearly the whole time I’ve had him since about six weeks old. I’m a chef and I wanted to know, since he eats about 2 cups of dry food a day with the exception of cooked meat depending on what we are eating that night, how long will your raw hamburger recipe last him. Ballpark figure
Tony,
I don’t know off hand. Most of the dog food recipes on the site make approximately 30-48 cups. I would start feeding the same portion s you currently feed. My best guess is a week or two per batch.
Hey Ed,
So I started my 1 yr old golden retriever on the raw dog food, and he doesn’t eat the chicken like he does the hamburger. I put grinded chicken feet and gizzards with rice and pork neckbones all in the same batch. Can you help me please?
Tony,
He seems to like the beef so feed him the easy raw dog food recipe.
Hey Ed,
Ya he does like the beef. So my next question would be, is it ok to just feed him the beef with some bones? I’m trying to give him variety so what else? Is raw pork neckbones, or pork ribs, things like that ok?
Tony,
Yes, they are all ok.
So, a grain free diet IS BEST for dogs. Why the rice?
Lisa,
It is just one of many options to help make the dog food recipe more affordable for people. You can eliminate it or use potatoes or squash in it’s place.
I am fully on board and have ordered your supplements to begin this diet. Just one quick question please. I have a friend that feeds her dog raw eggs and I am wondering if there is any reason as to why you hard boil your eggs for this recipe? Can I use raw? I would think the more nutrients the better. Please advise.
Thank you,
Jennifer
Jennifer,
I boil the eggs to destroy the enzyme in them that binds with a B vitamin. You can feed them raw it should be fine. The enzyme is in the egg white.
Hi Ed,
We are rounding the bend on a month of yeast starving and though my Border Terrier still tears out hair, he no longer raises welts and sores on the bald spots…I am hoping that this crisis of yeast die off will end soon, and I must say that his eyes are clear now, and there is fur on his paws…which used to be licked bare. Just the inside of his haunches and the sides of his body are showing bare, but not bruised. I find that the raw diet is much easier to prepare, and I think it is better for him anyway…why cook for them when they get more from the raw?
It is a shame that there is so much mis information about animal feed these days…One of the dogs I had years ago was on a diet that I bought at the vets, and when his blood work showed up to be very iron deficient the vet had to look to his product for the problem…People think dogs and humans chemistry is the same, ..not so.
Thanks again for the great products and all the info,
Carole and Yogi
Carole,
This is good to hear. You can try some Dogosuds Essential Oil Dog Shampoo. This can help sooth itchy skin as your dog gets the yeast under control.
Dear Ed,
Thank you for your reply. I am hopeful that the yeast cleansing phase will be over soon, however my dear boy came to me with this problem, going on four years now, and then I finally found your site after praying for a remedy, as he had some teeth extracted and the vet had him on an antibiotic and all hair broke loose! Als0 he had been on prednisone off and on for years before I got him at age five.
Does the cleansing period last longer if the dog has had the yeast problem longer, or is this just a matter of individual ability to heal? (I had always given him half raw meat with his dry food, so atleast he was getting some value….Night time itching is the worst for us both but I am so committed to healing him, nothing will get in the way! I had thought that unsweetened high fat yogurt with extra probiotics was a good idea and would help (a tablespoon in the am) but now I think I must omit it also and that will be painful for him, as it is such a habit now. Cheese without any carbs ok? I want to be over this asap, so I will do as exactly as you suggest. I have been clear for years about the lack of information that medical doctors have about diet, but now I can see it is a dreadful limitation in the education of vets…so sad, as really all this allergy nonsense is essentially the result of a poor immune system and that goes directly to the lack of a healthy diet… I found an enzyme rinse for the itch that I can slather on when he is miserable….next time I order my Dinovite, I will order the shampoo you have.
Many Thanks,
Carole and Yogi
Carole,
Every dog is different but it does seem to take a little longer if the dog has had the yeast infection for a long time. I would stick to the recipe and not add items and different variables.
My 10 week old English Setter puppy loves the cooked chicken so I tried the hamburg cooked which she gobbled down but she now has very loose stools. Is the hamburg too fatty perhaps? Also she seems to be starving most of the time but I hate to over feed her. Right now she is getting about 3 cups a day if not more , is this enough?
Elaine,
She is probably just adjusting to the ground beef. Are you feeding the recipe or just hamburger? If just hamburger that could do it.
I have a few questions. Since the supplements come in a liquid form, do they change the taste of the food? I’m concerned because when I put something like a paste (dog medication or whatever) on a piece of chicken, turkey or whatever, my dog’s won’t eat that piece. I don’t want to cook the food and then put something on it, that changes the taste so they won’t eat it. I also heard that you can crush up a regular vitamin like calcium and mix it up with the homemade dog food. What is your thoughts on that? What are the different vitamins/supplements needed to crush up for them? Does it depend on the formula of dog food that determines what vitamins they need? If I use chicken instead of ground beef, do I still need to add the omega 3 fatty acids? Is brown rice bad for dogs? That’s a lot I know but I have been making homemade dog food for my dog for awhile and still unsure about the whole thing since, I’m not a dog food nutritionist. Love your video!
Joe,
The supplements are whole food supplements and don’t have a medicine like taste. Mixed in the batch dogs dig right in and eat heartily. I would definitely recommend the Supromega or Lickochops in addition they add needed nutrients to the mix.
Hi Ed,
We are now in about the sixth week of your no carb diet, and after doubling up on the Dinovite and the last bath, my border Terrier seems over the worst of the terrible itching and licking, and crying as he spins on his bottom. The black skin inside his haunches is getting lighter too…I know his skin is still sensitive, as when I brush him he sometimes shivers…When, ( if ever ), would I include some white rice or millet into his diet.. and how much would you start with safely? ..I would never want to go back to all that misery…
Thanks for all your input, and please know we are thrilled at his progress, he seems so bright and happily comfortable.
With deep Appreciation,
Carole and Yogi
Carole,
Some dogs who suffer with yeast infections never can tolerate carbohydrates but others do, only time will tell with Yogi.
I have a new Shih Tzu puppy. I got him when he was 8 weeks old. About 1 month after I purchased him, he started to develop problems. He has been on antibiotics and other things and nothing helped. He was put on a different antibiotic and an antifungal. When they said, he has that “yeast” smell….I thought, I bet he has allergies. I’ve been down this road before and I was excited to see your Yeast starving diet. I will start my pup on it right away. Do you think it will help with the terrible tear stains on his face too? How long can the dog stay on this yeast starving diet? When could I switch him over the the other diet with the rice?
How do you think this diet compares economically to say other dog foods like a Science Diet, a Blue Buffalo or even Royal Canin? The price of dog food is just killing us right now, and I would love to use this on all my pets on this “Homemade Dog food”. Thanks for your help and for your wonderful site!
Mary,
I think you will be please with the result of feeding the yeast starvation dog food recipe. I don’t think the price is bad.
I have always had it programmed into my head that if your dog is unable to eat grains because of an allergy, you can’t feed food like rice and some of the other ingredients in homemade dishes. And what if your dog is unable to eat any kibble that is meat related??
Jill,
I’m not sure exactly what you are asking, can you rephrase the question?
Hi Ed,
We are now in week nine or so (on the yeast starving diet), and this is the third time we are having a yeast die off…Yogi is having another attack of itching rubbing biting and spinning on his bottom…once again miserable.
I know this will end eventually, but am wondering about giving him some help with a product that is human grade called Candex. A friend of mine takes it and swears it ends her itching, burning discomfort, and since I am giving twice the amt. of Dinovite, and staying on the homemade raw diet without any carbs, I just wondered if you think we could shorten the discomfort when these die offs occur…What do you think? I know Yogi has had this problem for years, and anything to clear him quicker would be wonderful.
Thanks for your input,
Carole and Yogi
Carole,
I don’t know, I’ve never used the product.
Just found this site..great info..Iam going to try the yeast diet as I have 2 dogs who like their paws and scratch often…Is Fish oil found in the local drug store ok to use?
One of my shitzu’s has a bad cough..I took it to the university vet school, told his bronchial tubes close up and thus the cough..gave him tussigon..yes, it calms it down for a short while..but nothing more..if i massage his back at the lung level, he seems to stop..now and then he expels a clear mucous…any suggestions on supplements or the likes? I do cook for them sometimes liver and kidney,chicken and beef..never tried raw bones..I have cooked beef bones, should chicken bones be ground up and added to cooked food? surely no raw chicken bones???? Should they be fed an organic meet diet?
Many thanks, J
Jacky,
I like the Supromega fish oil because it has added vitamin E (natural source), this helps on many levels. Try one of the recipes on this site as presented, they include the supplements needed. You will be pleased with the results.
Hi Ed,
I am going to try using an empty olive oil bottle for the fish oil…they have an opening that stops drips on them …a sort of plastic inner lid that acts like a cup and stops drips….A pump bottle would work too, but perhaps would add to the cost. I do know that the addition of the fish oil has been a delicious and calming one for Yogi, as his skin seems less sensitive after a week of giving it to him. I will give you some feedback if this works.
With thanks for all you do,
Carole and Yogi
Dear Ed,
Hurray, the olive oil bottle works, and no drips. I used a funnel and put almost two full tubes of the Supr Omega into the 16.9 fl. oz empty bottle of olive oil…used it and no spills or drips…most of the olive oil bottles do have this inner plastic cup and that stop drips… I will continue to refill this as I keep it in the refrigerator and I should have no rancid problems using this way.
Hope this helps others. Did not bother to wash out the freshly used olive oil bottle as I know that it is also good for them. Now, anyone out there found an easy way to mix the eggs and ground beef besides hands and fingers, as they are a bit stiff…please share if you have found a way. Thanks!
Carole and Yogi
Hi Ed,
We are now just over the third month of the yeast starvation diet, and suddenly again, terrible itching break outs and complaints from Yogi. Only change is I choose to cook chicken thighs this time as the cost was a half of the ground beef. Used your recipe, so no carbs at all, but I noticed right away, more bowel movements and mucus with this food, and then the break out of pustules some of which are large and worrisome. I wonder if it is just another cleansing or if the change to chicken and cooked food is not as yeast killing as the raw beef recipe…What do you think? I will change back pronto if you think the cooked chicken might be part of the problem… I know this could take a long long time, as Yogi has had yeast, called allergies treated with prednisone, antibiotics for years before I got him and years since…I remember a naturepath telling me that it takes a month for every year (one had the problem), to heal something naturally. The good news is that his coat is much heavier, and when he licks his paws, no staining and he is not ripping out hair…(the way it was in the past)…could he have an allergy to chicken? (I had begun to think this allergy business was really all yeast and immune system trouble from the prednisone and anti biotics…) We await your reply…and thank you from us both.
Carole and Yogi
Carole,
Yogi may be a dog that does better on raw meat than cooked. Cooking meat does change it. It could also be him adjusting to the new food, possible another yeast die off. Him being on prednisone for so long plays havoc on his immune system. It does sound like he is making progress.
I have a 9 year old standard poodle who is plagued with chronic ear infections. I decided to start making homemade dog food to see if it would make a difference. Since this is all new to me, less than 2 weeks, is there one recipe over another you would recommend that would help her particular condition?
Cindy,
Start with the yeast starvation dog food recipe.
Dear Ed,
I started back on the raw ground beef recipe… and I am now adding a food grade Bentonite clay I use for my health to Yogi’s food regularly as well as making a paste with it and slathering it on his hot spots and break outs…..all of this has had promising affects..red raw looking spots clear up much more quickly. Less itching and complaining and hair growing in thickly…I can see clearly how this is such a personal journey for every dog, (and owner) but I feel that the raw diet along with the Bentonite clay have eased our problems considerably …
Thanks and Love,
Carole/Yogi
thank you so much for this website and all the comments posted. I have 5 dogs and recently started making all their food at home. They love it but portion control has been quite a challenge. You have all been of great assistance and I will continue to follow you.
Hello, Ed. Hope you’re having a lovely day. Would you be so kind as to tell me if feeding my dog either a cooked or raw diet, as you have prescribed, would make it necessary for me to brush his teeth regularly? He’s 4 years old, and has always eaten kibble (though for the last several months it’s been an especially healthy, easily digested salmon/rice formula because of allergies). Since he was adult-size we’ve given him 3 Milk Bones a day. We’ve never brushed his teeth once, and the vet says his teeth are in great condition.
Helen,
The raw diet actually keeps a dog/s teeth very clean.
Helen,
These diet actually keep a dog’s teeth very clean. I’ve not had to brush my dog’s teeth.
My 14 year old canan, ridgeback mix just developed some kidney issues. For a few days it seemed like maybe it was the end for him. We radically adjusted his diet, gave him some herbal supplements and he made a turn around. He is doing so much better. But now all he will eat is raw ground beef. I know this is not a balanced diet, but any time I try to mix in anything (even a Merricks wet food he enjoyed before) else he won’t eat. I am thrilled he is eating, but I know this wont be good for him in the long run. Any suggestions? And how long will it take before we start seeing ill effects from his lack of nutritious balance? Thank you for any assistance you can give us.
Not too long, maybe 3 months or less. Have to tried the easy raw dog food recipe it is made with ground beef, eggs, rice, Lickochops and dinovite. My guess is your dog will love it.
Hi, just found your site and have a couple of questions concerning the raw diet. First Blane is handicapped and has to have assistance with using the bathroom. Does this diet cause loose stools? Second if you used several meats such as chicken, seafood, liver along with the beef to total 10 lbs what would your measurements be for your additives?
I’ve not had any loose stool problems feeding any of the raw dog food recipes. It is very important to follow the recommended introductory method or your dog can have explosive digestive issues. I would not add the seafood it is unnecessary and if fed raw could introduce parasites (raw salmon can contain liver flukes).
I have recently adopted a 10 year old Bichon Frise. He had surgery for Calcium Oxalate stones. I would like to find a recipe for him.
Try feeding the yeast starvation recipe because it will help acidify your dog’s system.
Hi I have been cooking the chicken for my dogs for about a month and they are starving. I give them each 3/4 of a cup in am and in pm. They weigh abt 21 lbs each is there something else I should be doing. Thanks for help angela
Angela,
Are you using one of the recipes from this site? If not, try one of them they work well.
Hi. Thanks much for sharing your information. I have a nearly 10-year-old German Shepherd who had surgery for bloat and torsion about 3 weeks ago. After the surgery, I vowed not to feed her kibble anymore, so I was feeding wet food. I added in some homemade food using rice for two days and oatmeal for the third. She ended up bloating again (but couldn’t twist because of her stomach being tacked), and I question the use of any type of grains or even potatoes. Where can I find recipes that are grain-free? I keep looking but can’t find anything. Her holistic vet doesn’t recommend a raw diet because of her age (although she thinks they’re great), so I have been heating the raw Vital Essentials I have bought for her. She’s also eating dirt a lot (has been doing this since last summer, and my other dog eats it, too). Do you have any resources as to what I can sustainably feed Bella from a financial standpoint? I want the best for her and feed her two to three times a day. I’m very confused and appreciate any insight you may have. Many thanks, Susan
Susan,
You can feed the “yeast starvation dog food recipe“, this recipe does not have any carbs. It is best fed raw but you could slightly cook it. After it is cooled add the supplements.Start off here and see how your dog does.
When you make the raw food recipe, can both supplements be added when the food is made, or just the dinovite?
I add both at the same time.
Hi,
I am new to this site. I found out yesterday from our vet that my dog is allergic to Salmon, Tuna, cows milk and lamb. There are not many foods out there designed for this and I wanted to make my own. do you have any recipes that could help me please.
Thanks,
Kerry
Try starting off with the easy raw dog food recipe. It is easy to make and dogs love it.
Hi,
I worked in a Vet for a year, and saw too many sick dogs, cancer, etc.
I am getting a puppy and want to start her on homemade meals I can make once every other week and freeze. I have a big freezer in the basement.
I was wondering what your opinion is on Quinoa as a substitute for rice. It’s rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Can the dogs digest it? Has anybody here tried it?
I’m getting a standard poodle by the way which are known to be lean dogs.
How long have you fed your dogs the raw diet? just wondering if anyone here has tried it for over 15 years? Thanks for the info.
I’ve not used Quinoa but I think it should be fine.
Thank you for your website. I have two senior toy malti-poos. The 13 year old is 5 1/2 pounds and the 11-year-old is six and 1/4 pounds. I believe the older one has chronic yeast infection.
How do I start them on the yeast starvation diet? Your instructions for quantity start at 10 pounds. I’m not afraid to fast them one day but the idea of only giving a partial meal for the first few days….they are so tiny!
Thanks
Dogs handle fasting very easily. The small meals allow their systems to adjust to the new food without a lot of digestive upset. You can watch and see how they are digesting the new food and increase it if they are doing fine.
PS The younger one chews her paws and nails a lot so I feel it can’t hurt to give it to them both. She is much more active – her caloric requirements are probably twice that of the older one Who is mostly a couch potato because of bad knees
I started my westie on the Raw Chicken and now my poor little westie stinks to high heaven. He loves the dog food but this is unbearable. I have to put a towel down before he can sit on my lap. I thought this would be the way to go but boy was I wrong. I wondered if all of this” positive” was too good to be true. In my case it definitely was.The poor little guy started life on the west coast now he’s on the east coast and it is my intention that this will be his forever home but right now i don’t think I’m doing him any favors at all. Back to square one
What does he smell like? Does he smell like Fritos? If so it could be a yeast infection.
Hi. I think my puppy (well she is over a year now) has some digestive issues. she has been to the numerous vets over the year. They tend to ask the same questions and check for the same things: temperature, pain in the abdomen and heart beat. All of the vital signs are good and they conclude that its either she eat something or that she is changing and not liking her food anymore. She already had two x-rays because the vet thought there is an obstruction in her tummy. it was only gas. She tends to stop eating and has been having and on and off diarrhea (sometimes with blood)also her stool sometimes is all covered in the weird color mucus. she has thrown up a few time over the year and there is blood visible sometimes. The issue is that she has these bouts for a few weeks and then all goes back to normal. I have never exclusively tried home cooked diet. She has been on orijen and honest kitchen food. For some reason I do think that all her tummy and other immune ( she picked up a papilloma virus) issues are related to food. do you have any ideas. should i try changing her diet or do an allergy test first. thank you for your time.
Rasa
Rasa,
Try mixing up the easy raw dog food recipe and see how she does. Substitute the Supromega fish oil for the Lickochops when you do the recipe. It could be the kibble giving her problems.
Hi, I’m about to receive a 7 week old Puddle-pointer she will be conditioned to be a hunting dog in which I’m looking for a raw-food recipe that would fit her. My only concerns are if the recipe/recipes will be suited correctly for her since we do not want her gaining weight in which many store bought dog foods aim to do for puppies. Also I am aware that a raw food diet is more natural but as a first time dog owner with a new puppy I am a little worried dew to developing organs. Much thanks!
I’ve fed puppies raw homemade dog food for their very first feeding with great results. Start off with the easy raw dog food recipe, it is easy to make and dogs do great on it.
I have a 60lbs pitbull mix. I’ve decided to switch her over to raw food. I plan to start her on ground beef for a week (slowly of course). When is it safe to start introducing other meats and how often should I change it up?
I personally with from beef to chicken without any problems. I would feed them the same recipe for a month before making your first change.
I have been doing a lot research, not only on making home made dog food but also using raw meat. That is when I found your website and I just want to say thank you for sharing! It has been very helpful. I do have a question though. I know giving your dog raw meat is healthy but the only thing I was wondering is if I have to worry about her spreading any kind of bacteria after she eats the food? Meaning if its on her mouth and she touches me or something in the kitchen. Am I being to paranoid?
I might be concerned with babies, elderly or someone with a compromised immune system. That said, I have fed raw for many years without the slightest problem. Not to mention dogs are always eating or getting into odd stuff (garbage)and not spreading it to people. A dog’s saliva also has antiseptic properties.
Love the chicken and rice homemade recipe but am thinking of taking it to the next level and switching to the raw homemade recipe. How do I switch from cooked to raw? Do I follow the same plan as when I switched from kibbles to homemade?
Mine switch back and forth without a problem but every dog is different. You can take the transition slow, it won’t hurt.
HI Ed,
Would it be possible for you to condense/reduce the recipe for only last week to see how my dog reesponds to it.??
I have a Lhasa do you recommend anything special in the diet??
You can cut it by 1/4 and that should suffice.
I am getting ready to have a cow butchered and would like to use what I can for my 4 dogs under 30 pounds. I am assuming to get the heart, liver,kidneys, beef cheek meat and stomach. I have read your website and others but seem most are for larger dogs. I would appreciate any suggestions.
You can feed any meaty portion of the cow and organs. If your dogs struggle because of their size, try a meat grinder. I have two dogs with missing teeth and we find up their food.
So glad to have found your site. I have a 14 year old Doxi/Chihuahua mix that has been loosing weight over the last few months. All blood tests from vet have come back ok, so vet just think she is loosing muscle mass, due to old age. I am wanting to put at least a pound or two on her. What cooked recipe would you recommend, and are there any other additional supplements that could help?
Try feeding the “easy raw dog food recipe” because your dog will digest it better than the cooked. Just follow the recipe and the introductory period and you should be fine.
I’m so glad I stumbled across this website. I have an 8-year old Cocker Spaniel. I took him to a dog dermatologist when he was 2 or 3 years old because he’d been breaking out in a rash that wouldn’t seem to go away. The dermatologist suggested I either get an allergy test done (which was financially not feasible for me at the time) or switch to a dog food designed for dogs with allergy issues and give him nothing outside of his food except carrots. Apparently it’s very unlikely for a dog to be allergic to carrots, so they became “treats” for my dog. He was still having issues on and off despite my best efforts to stick to the restricted diet and he would often end up on antibiotics and steroids to deal with his symptoms. Recently, I decided to finally go ahead with the allergy test. Turns out he has a host of allergies – both environmental (grass, dust mites, fleas, etc.) and also food. Food-wise, he’s allergic to potatoes, rice, wheat, and – believe it or not – carrots. He was surprisingly not allergic to any of the meats/fish he was tested for. It seems impossible to find a dog food that would be suitable and my vet recommended ONLY feeding him ingredients that he was found NOT to be allergic to (instead of picking a few that he wasn’t tested for and assuming he wouldn’t be allergic). This means I can only feed him a variety of meat/fish, eggs, and barley. Still contemplating whether to go raw or cooked (tried gradually introducing raw rabbit treats last year to see how he’d react and he got very bad diarrhea). Very glad I found this website – thanks for all your excellent advice!
It sound like you could feed him the yeast starvation recipe without a problem. Try starting there.
Hello, Ed,
My 14 yr old beagle mix had an episode, vertigo, stroke, brain tumor, I heard it all. Anyway, she was very dizzy, weak, and vomiting. Just trying to get her to eat something, I made her a mix of rice, chicken breast, sweet potato, and scrambled egg. That worked and she began eating again. That’s when I found your site, as I was looking for how much a dog her size should be eating. Long story short, I’m converting her to your chicken and rice recipe. When I get the Dinovite, do I need to gradually add it to her food?
I recommend you mix the recipe as it is presented and also do the introduction method, starting with the 24 hour fast. If you follow this method it should work out fine.
I have a very healthy 6 year old Chihuahua and want to keep her that way so I decided to go the route of homemade dog food. I have already made a batch and she is eating it. Slowly at first but better now. I added some canned string beans and carrots finely cut but I read that it is necessary and will do nothing for her. I do have a couple questions. 1. I added the Dinovite and Lik o chop to the cooked batch (after cooling to room temperature; I normally warm up her dog food in microwave; will that negate the contribution of the Dinovite? 2. Would it be better to add the supplements at the feeding or was it OK to add to the batch?
It is best not to heat the supplements to high temperature but ild warming is ok. I add the supplements at the batch level but at the feeding is fine too.
Is it common for dogs to be egg/diary sensitive…..my Rylee is on a grain free dog food because of a sensitive stomach so I’m concerned about introducing eggs if I try the recipe.
I’ve not had any problems with my dogs and eggs.
Hi Ed. I have a 12 year old chocolate lab with multiple lypomas. They have stopped growing and I have been advised by my vet to not proceed with surgery due to her age. She is still mobile and shows no signs of suffering from them. Do you feel the raw diet will be helpful? Is there any chance the diet will help to shrink the lypomas? Thanks for your feedback.
I always think feeding raw is the best thing to do because it is the most natural. I’m not sure it will shrink the lipomas but it is a very healthy diet.
Hello-
I have two dogs. A 12 y.o. chow/lab/pit mix who was diagnosed with cancer last year and has already outlived his prognosis. I also have labradoodle who was struck with a severe Neuro condition and had to re-learn basic functions..walking, running stairs erc. I am adding a new puppy to the mix and am admittedly a little intimidated by raw food diet but, am researching it. Your site is the best so far..easier and more “digestible” information. I would need to grind the food for my two dogs. Do you just use traditional whole chicken and grind it up bones and all? Would adding coconut oil be beneficial? Would I grind up a whole turkey or purchase ground? Do you give your dog’s raw beef bones? There is allot of evidence supporting healthy nutrients and enzymes in goats milk. Your thoughts? Would supplements still be necessary?
Yes, I use chicken leg thigh quarters and grind them bones and all in my meat grinder. Coconut oil is a fine addition. Yes, I feed my dogs raw beef bones. I’ve never fed goats milk to my dogs but do feed raw cows milk when it separates into curds and whey and the dogs like it. Yes, use the supplements.
Hi Ed, I have a little yorkie 4-5 y.o. & 13 y.o. maltipoo. I was looking for a better and healthier way to feed my dogs, and I read your recipe cooked and raw. I would like to try this out for my two dogs because they are developing skin allergies itchy dry skin and i want to try to feed them with more natural food. Is this diet okay for my yorkie? Thanks!
Yes, dogs do well on these homemade dog food recipes.
Hi!
I’ve found an incredible recipe I’m sure my boy will love, but i’m a bit confused as he is fed two meal everyday – breakfast and dinner – and I think feeding him on a full two meal portion would be extremely high in calories. Do I just half one full portion between both meals?
Thank you, Corah 🙂
Yes, just 1/2 the meal.
Hello Ed
I have a 1 year old Beneese Mountian dog who has been diagnosed with a paracite that apparently can not be cured and will always cause him digestion issues? (Sever diarrhea and vomiting) Was told by my vet that he must eat vet brand dog food at 120$ a bag!! I’m hoping to find a better alternative as that just doesn’t fit our budget. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Lisa79
What parasite?
Hi, Ed
I’ve had dogs and lots of other animals for over 60 years. I just found your website today and have spent over 4 hours reading! Thank you for all the information. I’ve been making my own dog food for a while, without a recipe, using my own common sense. I cook up chicken, rice and veggies, usually, but sometimes use pasta instead. Now I see white rice is better and I can add EGGS, fruit and probably yogurt after it has cooled. My 15 yr old doesn’t like tuna. I think I’ll start adding the bones, too. I MAY try the raw meat diet, we’ll see. 🙂
Thanks, too, for the insight on itchy skin causes (no more pasta and other carbs!)
Do you have information on birds, too? I give mine some of the homemade pet food I make, as well as everything I eat. Seeds are a treat item.
Again, thanks for all your wisdom!
My husband is a hunter and we are firm believers in eating our kill. Can Venison be substituted for ground beef? Should any changes be made to the recipe?
Thanks,
Lisa
Lisa,
Venison is fine but very lean so make sure you add the Lickochops for additional fatty acids.
Hello, my first time here and I have a question. I had been feeding my dog raw the first two years for his life and I struggled to keep weight on him , other than that he was doing great his a big dog. Then he got real sick vomiting, diarrhea, stopped eating and drinking. It was bad well turned out he had gotten bad meat bacterial infection so I started cooking for him my question is what could have cause that was it something I didn’t do right, also now that I have been cooking he has gained weight which is good his back bone is not so noticeable,why when he was on raw we had a ruff time to get him to eat it never could figure that out. What would be good in his cooked food besides rice he doesn’t like rice. Thank you.
Your can replace the cooked rice with cooked potato and see how he does.
My dogs have been on a raw diet for years but want to mix it up a little with homemade for breakfast. I am going to give your beef recipe a try but wanted to know if I can change out the beef with chicken to give a little variety. Thank you.
Sure you can mix it up.
Hi Ed, 2 months ago I had my 5 year old Pug and 4 year old Chihuahua castrated. They are both gaining weight rapidly, I have had them on a complete dry dog food which I want to take them off because I highly believe this is the reason they are piling on the pounds.
After much googling and looking into making homemade dog food I think this will help reduce their weight and make them healthy.
Are your recipes good for a little weight loss? Could you please give me some idea of amount per day I need to feed each of them. I really want to make the Ground Beef and White rice with the supplements. I live in England so may have to find an alternative to what you show in the video.
I also have a large rescue dog who is 12 years old he is a staffie x Lab and will also want to put him on this diet but not to loose weight.
Please help me as I feel so distressed my little boys are putting on weight the Pug weighs 8kg and the Chihuahua 5.5kg.
Many thanks in advance
Debra
I’ve found a raw meat diet helps dogs lose the weight. Just make sure you don’t load up on the carbohydrates if they are gaining weight. When you feed a highly nutritious food you can just cut back on the quantity a little till your dogs hit the desired weight then slowly find the happy level to maintain their weight.
How long can you store the chicken and rice in the freezer
I think months but I never seem to have it long because I make about a months worth at a time and feed it regularly.
Hi Ed and thank you for sharing such a wealth of information. I’m interested in using Dinovite and Lickochops but it seems they aren’t shipped to consumers outside North America. Are these products distributed by any retailers in Australia? Thanks. jMac
Not that I know of, the problem with exporting the Dinovite is all the live microbes in it. Every country has different regulations in this regard.
We have a large malamute mix puppy, he has just turned 7 months old, and is 80lbs and a little under weight. Vet says he should be well over 100lbs fully grown. He has had digestive issues ever since we have had him. We have tried everything and many different brands of food. We feel a more natural diet would be best to try??
I agree a nutritious homemade dog food would be great! Also, Huskeys and Malamutes can have trouble absorbing zinc, Dinovite contains a highly absorbable form of zinc that can help this problem.
Thank you for all the good information. I have ordered the supplements and will get started on Max’s new diet plan once I receive them. Am I right that vegies are not recommended?
Yes, veggies are hard for dogs to digest because they have a short digestive system designed to digest meat. You can ad a small amount of cooked pulverized greens.
I have been feeding my rescue 1 year old your recipe of cooked beef food. His poops are tiny, barely a poop at all compared to the huge ones when he was on kibbles. Is this good and is this normal? Thank you
This is because there is not much filler in this diet. It’s normal.
Hi Ed,
Really impressed with your site i have a 3 month old rottweiler should i start him off with cooked dog food recipe or raw dog food recipe.? i am a breeder so I want him to look as attractive and healthy as possible. Also what is recommended serving for a puppy this age per day.
I always prefer raw over cooked. The only time I prefer cooked is when there are small children or people with weakened immune systems in the house (the old or people undergoing cancer treatments), possibility of getting sick by licking dog bowls etc. Also, when people have an aversion to feeding raw, then feed cooked.
B Edwards
Oct 15, 2019, 7:15 PM (13 hours ago)
to customersupport
Hi there……..been feeding my 2 solid black German Shepherds my own dog food mixture for about 9 months. I started with the info on your you tube video and expanded from there.
Here’s the ingredients
20# of 73% lean hamburger
1# beef liver
3# chicken livers, hearts and gizzards
1# ground turkey
24 whole boiled eggs pulverized with the Cuisinart
1 quart of dinovite
16 oz of likochops
1/2 cup gelatin powder
1/4 cup garlic powder
I mix this with 20 cups of cooked white rice
Then pack into quart plastic containers about 3/4+ full and freeze. This makes about 2 weeks worth as I feed one per day per dog. They weigh 75# and 90#.
The smaller is a 3 yr old male and the larger is a 7 yr old spayed female.
No allergies of any kind. I have a $100 bottle of skin allergy pills I quit using 10 days after starting them on this diet. Their coats are absolutely stunningly shiny black, thick, and gorgeous. Their breath is pristine. Teeth are white with no brown tartar build up. They run around the farm like driven by the wind chasing whatever they deem to not belong. They never fart. Their stools are firm, relatively small and not too dry or wet.
I supplement with 2 drumsticks each in the early morning. There weight is stable.
I’m totally pleased with the procedure and results, although the prep is about a 3-4 hour process.
I’m soliciting your comments, suggestions, recommendations and advice since this is my first venture with homemade dog food after having dogs for 60+ years.
My cost is roughly twice dry dog food which I consider all in all to be a real bargain. I really don’t see vet visits in the future except for vaccinations.
Thanks for your time,
Bill
Bill,
This looks good to me. I’m glad to see you didn’t overdo it on the rice and you have a decent amount of meat, organ and eggs. Are you pulverizing the eggs with the shells? If so that is good for the added calcium.