There are many ways to feed your dog a raw meat based dog food. I’ve chosen to present an easy method to start feeding your dog. As time permits I will post additional raw dog food recipes.
- Easy Raw Dog Food Recipe (This is the simplest raw dog food recipe to prepare and easiest to feed. This recipe is also less messy)
Special note: Use the supplements suggested with this dog food recipe to prevent nutritional deficiency disease.
i think it great to no i can make my own dog food because it will save me alot of money bye noing how to make it on my own thank you so much
Vanessa,
Yes, it is a great to make home made dog food for your dog. It is a very healthy way to feed him.
Can I substitute cold milled golden flax seed for the suprOmega?
Nadia,
No, it’s not the same thing.
The Dinovite website does not have the Supromega anymore it looks like. Is their a substitute you could suggest?
Sure they do, click here.
I just recently found out my 8 year old Standard Poodle has lymphoma will this raw food be good for her
I think it is always a good idea to feed a dog a more natural diet like a raw meat based diet. My only pause would be if the chemotherapy destroys your dog’s immune system.
I HAVE A BLACK LAB/BOARDERCOLLIE MIX SHE’S 9 YRS. OLD BUT SHE HAS A LOT OF
ALLERGIES THIS YEAR, WE LIVE IN LAS VEGAS, NV AND THE DRYNESS THERE THIS]YEAR HAS BEEN VERY HARSH TO HER SKIN, SHE IS ITCHING, AND SNEEZING, AND
DIGGING IN HER SKIN, I HAVE GIVEN HER “BENADRYL” AND WAS TOLD TO SPRAY HER LEGS AND IRRITATED AREAS WITH “APPLE CIDER VINAGER” AND WATER
SOULTION, AND ALSO PUT IT IN HER WATER FOR THE ITCHING, IT HAS BEEN WORKING BUT I WONDER WHAT CAN I GET FOR THE BUPS AND SCARS TO RID HER OF THE ALLERGY ITSELF?
TAMARA IN VEGAS
Tamara,
I suggest feeding your dog the “Easy raw dog food recipe”. Click here to view this dog food recipe. Also click here to view a great dog shampoo that can help sooth your dog’s irritated skin.
Hi Ed,
I checked out your “easy raw food diet” but I’m confused…you have cooked egg and cooked rice in there…that is not raw.
Mark,
You are right. Dogs can’t digest uncooked rice and raw egg whites contain an enzyme that binds with a B vitamin. So I recommend cooking them both.
still looking for a raw diet i can put together at home for 10 yr. old pooch on diet of no carrots,potatoes sweet potatoes ,peas pork or red meat of any kind she is on raw lamb with bones in it and all other veggies above just too much added fat or natural fat and natural sugars(glucose) she has lost 2 lbs. in two mths. but needs to lose more…can’t afford whole raw rabbits etc. what would you recommend i feed her raw,frozen fish but she is always soooo hungry so i give her more veggies-cauliflower,beans(gr. yellow) spinach legumes chick-peas lentils etc. need to find more meats to give but turkey is also pricey and hard to find in pcs. this time of year had bison fresh bones with meat on them but got direahea
Ingrid,
I don’t understand your question. Why do you think she can’t eat red meat?
Raw lamb is red meat and so is Bison. You are feeding her these correct?
I’ve found dog that eat a raw meat diet without carbohydrates lose excess weight and are not always hungry.
I love to give my Coton de Tulear treats and she looks forward to them. What do you suggest? I give her carrots, broccoli and apple which she loves, and also some chicken jerky sticks that I purchase at Trader Joe’s, but am not sure how good they are for her. Is there a product I can purchase that is good for a treat, or what do you think is best? I want to be sure I am giving her something nutritional, but tasty. I just ordered the suppliments you suggest and will start feeding her the raw diet you have posted when they arrive. I have been feeding her the natural chicken and brown rice Life Protection Formula BLUE BUFFALO thinking it was the best, now I am afraid to give her anything I having personally prepared. I am DELIGHTED to have found this site and will use it for future reference. Thank you! Mimi
Mimi,
Here is a link to some freeze dried beef dog treats that are a healthy choice. click here to view.
I have a Great Dane (7mths) Pit-bull (1yr) Greyhound Pit-Bull mix(2yrs)
I want to start making them food from home but I am not sure if one recipe is good for all 3 of them. I am also worried on how do i know how much to feed them.
Taylor,
Yes, one recipe is good for all of them. As far as the amount of dog food to feed I suggest starting with with amount you currently feed. If the start gaining weight cut back, losing weight feed more.
Hello, I am really interested in feeding our animals better foods more to their natural eating habits. I am wondering if this is also a good recipe for cats or do you have a recipe specific for cats? Also, the supplements look great, my concern is that all that wasted plastic! Do you sell gallon sizes that could use a pump and measuring cup? Thanks for your work.
Ben,
At the moment I don’t have a cat food recipe. I would feed the “yeast starvation dog food recipe” to a cat. This recipe does not contain any carbohydrates. You can substitute Dinovite Liquid feline for the dog supplement. Click here to view the cat supplement. I share your sentiments on packaging. unfortunately this is the world we live in. Laws, shipping and ease of use all play a part.
I have two large labs (4 yrs old and 8 yrs old) which recipe do you recommend for them? I also have an African Bijan and she is about 16 yrs old. What do you recommend for her? I really want to give them healthy food.
Hannah,
Start off with the “easy cooked dog food recipe”, click here to view.
I have a 1 1/2 year old male shih tzu /lhasa apso mix ( a rescue dog so not really sure). Prior to him I had a yellow lab that lived to be almost exactly 15 years old. That lab almost died once from what we could only conclude was from her commercial dogfood. So I am very leary and wish I had thought of making my own years ago. This little guy, however, is very allergy prone. I am not used to that as my lab never had issues. His feet are constantly pink–and he licks them all the time. And at times, his body will be pink. He is very sensitive to shampoos–so I only use my own homemade oatmeal/baking soda shampoo to bath him which he tolerates fine (has turned pink when the groomer has used a ‘gentle’ dog shampoo). I feed him currently Blue Buffalo kibble—he is on the one that is for dogs with allergies—the protein is salmon currently. I am going to make my own dog food using your recipe for raw dog food—my question/concern is—do I start with beef? I cannot say for certain what has caused his allergies in the past? I am not sure if I ever fed him beef kibble or if it was always chicken prior to switching to Blue Buffalo. He seemed to tolerate it well and had less issues but now they have started up again. We do live in an area where the pollen count is currenlty highter than it has ever been. He gets the once a month med (pill form) for heartworms/fleas.
Penny,
I would start with beef and see what happens. The homemade dog food recipes use human grade ingredients and these are far better than any ingredients in dog food.
Thank you for your prompt response!! I was not sure if I needed to do the Yeast Starvation Diet?
Penney,
If your dog has severe itching and you suspect a yeast infection then feed the yeast starvation dog food recipe.
Hi I have 4 month old shih tzu that weights 8 pounds he scratches a lot and does not have fleas, the vet said it could be allergy but we are still wondering to what he has been eating science diet and I would like to start him with the raw food diet.. the question is witch recipe do u recomend me to start with? Do you recomend me to start til I get the lickochops and the other one on the mail or can I start now if I start now is there any vitamin I could buy at my local pet store to subtitut the ones u mention in the mean time? Thank you for your time!!
Sonia,
If your dog is itching I recommend starting with the yeast starvation dog food recipe, click here to view. This recipe eliminates the carbohydrates and increases the omega 3 fatty acids. Both help with itchy skin. Use the supplements in the recipe. These will work best. This recipe substitutes Supromega fish oil for the Lickochops. Watch the video it is informative.
Hello!
I have been researching and toying with putting my baby on a raw diet. As it is I give her raw ground turkey (poor quality Im sure, the Jennie-O frozen rolls) and she gobbles it up (no pun intended)!! I was laid off so couldnt afford venison which I understand is the best. So here is my question to you; I have a 7.5 yo white pomeranian that is riddled with health problems. She has Cushing’s Disease, hyperthyroidism, raging Diabetes and recently had her eyeball removed due to the massive complications of the glaucoma from the diabetes. She is a hot mess but still kicking! I will buy her the best quality foods like Merrick’s and Natural Balance etc…she is ok with those but she loves what I call ‘doggy junk food’…ie; Ole Roy, Pedigree, Beneful! Its nuts that she will choose a .50 cent pack of Ole Roy over a big juicy bowl of Merrick’s Smothered Comfort or Cowboy Stew!! But she always loves the raw stuff. I am trying desperately to get her to eat more and enticing her is the only way. She eats a lot for her size but is grossly underweight (yes she is under constant vet care and gets mega supplements and NutriCal) I can spend thousands per year on her food alone and tons of it goes down the garbage disposal which breaks my heart in more ways than one!
What do you recommend?
Shae,
She sounds like an absolute mess. Stay away from the cheap junk dog food! It is worthless. Try her on the easy raw dog food recipe and see how she does. Don’t expect her eyeball to grow back but her overall health should improve. Make sure your follow the introductory method presented in the recipe.
does feeding my dog this food help reduce shedding?
Sure does! I’ve found a dramatic improvement in reducing shedding by feeding one of these healthy homemade dog food recipes.
Hi, I need help as to trying fatten my 4.5 mos akita. As I understand it, my vet says he has giardia (however you spell it) and has had it since I’ve got him. They say it’s common for puppies to have. Wondering if there is a recipe for that type of issue or trying your recipe would somehow help get rid of of it. I am trying so many different foods as it is to even get him to eat the recommended amount for his age, but he really doesnt eat much of it at all. I’m really concerned because I cant get him to gain any weight. Please help. Also, for some reason I cant pull up the recipes you have on your site. Any way if having it sent to my email?
Sincerely,
Cynthia
Cynthia,
Try feeding the easy cooked dog food recipe and see how he does. If he does well you may then want to consider feeding the easy raw dog food recipe. Both are easy to make and nutritious.
Hello, do you have any experience or suggestions regarding feeding raw and a dog that has EPI? I would really like to transition her to the raw feeding program, but she currently needs digestive enzymes on her food. Any suggestions or advice? Thanks, Candy
Candy,
I have not personally owned a dog with EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency). That said a raw meat dog food has digestive enzymes in it naturally and should help. You can add additional digestive enzymes and it should be fine. The dinovite supplement I recommend also contains digestive enzymes and live direct fed microbials that should all benefit your dog.
I have a 2 1/2 year old Boxer, she has been diagnosed with a gentic disease that is similar to Colitis in people. She has not had a hard bowel movement for over 2 years. She has been on raw food for one day. Is this safe for her? Will her bowel movements change? She usually gets up twice in the middle of the night to go outside. On her first day of raw food she slept through the night. I am hoping this wasn’t just a fluke.
Marj,
It sounds promising. The raw should be safe.
I have an Austrian Cattle Dogs 2 years and a Springer Spaniel 5 years both just under 60 lbs. I really want to start feeding them, better. I want to switch to home cooked and raw food. But I dont know how much to feed. How would I determine that for a dog? What meat is the best for dogs? Once a day is fine for feeding correct? How would I tranisition a dog from bagged food to raw food; should it be mixed in or given in small portions, or just switched out?
I also plan on getting another Australian Cattle dog, how would I start feeding a puppy?
Martha,
I personally switch my dog’s meats from time to time. Pretty much just between chicken and beef. The chicken is cheeper but requires more prep time and often a meat grinder. I outline how to transition dogs from kibble to a raw dog food on the raw dog food recipe page.
Can you repost the easy raw dog food? I want to try something new for my 4 years old cavashon and also that is less cost effective. Thank you!
Danielle,
Click here to view the easy raw dog food recipe.
Hi. We’ve been doing your easy raw diet for 2 weeks now and my yorkies love it! I was wondering how I could alter the recipe so to include other proteins, like chicken and fish. Is that even necessary? Can I combine different kinds of protein, just as long as I add 10 lbs of it? Should the chicken and fish be raw or cooked? Thanks for helping with my questions!
Amanda,
That is great to hear. Yes, I switch proteins. I just shot three more recipes this last weekend and will post them this week.
Hi. My two daughters and I just got a 9 year old cattle dog from an animal shelter. The shelter gave us Smart Diet to feed her and she wont eat it! I was wondering if you have any suggestions. Thank You.
Denesha,
Try feeding the easy cooked dog food recipe. This dog food recipe is a good place to start.
I have a three year old 70lb Doberman named Ramsey. He has dry skin and terrible gas. Now he is suffering from a bladder infection. I have tried orijen, evo, innova, california natural, medical and now acana, hoping to find something that is easy on his very sensitive system. My in laws feed their chihuahua mix the raw diet and now with all of Ramsey’s issues, I’m looking into recipes. I can’t get any of your links to work and I was hoping to get in on your easy recipe as an introduction to the process. He needs to gain about 5lbs (Drs orders), and I would be making big batches at a time since he would be getting (from what I’ve read so far) between 1.5-2lbs a day. He already gets a squirt of salmon oil at breakfast and dinner and he used to be shiny, but has dulled in the past six months or so. Not sure what the cause would be, but I’m willing to try anything. Any advice would be sincerely appreciated.
Thanks,
Julie
Julie,
I’m not sure why the links are not working for you, try upgrading your browser, doing so may help. Click here to view the easy raw dog food recipe.
Ed
Both the intermediate and advanced raw food recipes say coming soon…..
The comments seem to suggest they were there at one time? I just bought ground beef and am cooking up the rice and eggs. Would it be a good idea to try fish protein next time for variety? My vet wants my itchy golden doodle off of chicken, cereal grains and dairy. He says they are the skin allergy offenders and he had me put him on sweet potato and fish. Just though it may be a good idea to give variety in his diet beside beef.
Leslie,
I would try the beef dog food recipe for a while before switching. Add Supromega for omega 3 fatty acids. I have shot some other recipes but have not got around to editing them and posting them but I will soon.
Hi
I’ve read on some sites that rice isn’t good, but you use it. What is your thoughts?
Thanks,
Vicki
Vicki,
I’ve never had a problem with rice and it helps make the dog food recipes affordable. I do substitute sweet potatoes or squash from time to time. I plan on posting these dog food recipes in the future.
I have had Enzo (11 week old Cane Corso) for 3 weeks now. He is on kibble which is what the breeder had him on. He doesn’t eat as much as I thought he would. I have been researching raw diet for him but I am concerned about his age. Some of the things I have read say to be careful about putting a puppy on a raw diet. I don’t want to cause any problems but I want him to be as healthy as possible. PLUS I have also read that his stool would be smaller since he is digesting more of the food he eats. (I’m good with that) What are your thoughts?
Tracy,
I have fed many puppies raw ground up chicken with bones for their very first meal without a single issue. The puppies did great and grew well. You can feed the chicken and rice dog food recipe, it is cooked.
Hi, I have a 4 years German shepherd. He had really bad skin problems- itching, hot spots, loosing hair. I changed completely his diet 5 days ago- raw food(meat, bones, and hearts, and liver)+ veggies+ hole egg, small piece of garlic, and tiny bit of turmeric, or raw food + fruits. no tap water, only ozarka+ 1teaspoon raw apple vinegar for 1 litter.. Also, one spoon coconut oil as a treat. I feed him one day raw food with veggie, another day raw food with fruits. After 5 days, the allergy gone, he doesn’t inch, skin became clean, no more hot spots.
I have a question: I heard a lot of benefits of kelp, and alfalfa.
Can I give him it with his raw diet.?
Also, do I need to give him multi vitamins?
And probiotics?
Thank you,
Galina
Galina,
Sounds like a healthy change in diet. The Dinovite I recommend has the alfalfa, kelp, probiotics and vitamins you are looking for and if you add the Supromega fish oil for omega 3 fatty acid and vitamin E you should be all set.
I have a 8 Year old German Shepherd and a 1 year old Pitt Mix. They both had been scratching and had rashes they were both treated for allergies after the meds were gone they was back to scratching again. I found this web site as I was researching for help for my dogs.
I changed their diet over 3 weeks before I received the Dinovite and Lick O Chops. The German Shepherd had some digestive problems but I believe it was due to the new pill given for tape worms. I do cook the meat they did not care for raw meat. I can tell you I have seen a huge difference in both my dogs no scratching less hair loss healthier coats and they cant wait to eat their new food. I am very happy and pleased to have found this web site!
Thank you
Hello,
I have recently become interested in a raw food diet for my 9 year old Staffordshire terrier . I have not started yet but I am wondering if it is harmful to yo-yo between raw meats and cooked meats? Thank you.
Angela,
I switch between cooked and raw dog food without incident.
Hello,
I have a 7 month old American bulldog he is a solid 70 lbs already but recently strayed developing allergies to everything including chicken which he has been on since birth…I tried the easy recipe for about a week and we was almost 100% better only problem is the bad diarrhea…I followed the recipe to a T and only gave rice the first 48 hrs…any suggestions? The Imodium is not working on it and also tried the plain yogurt and pure pumpkin in a can any advice would be appreciated…btw he is allergic to chicken, lamb and salmon for starters 🙂
Lory,
Did you follow the introductory method outlined?
When a dog gets bad diarrhea I fast them for 24 hours and give them access to fresh water. This helps settle their digestive upset. Then i introduce small portions gradually
Hi! im getting a german shepherd puppy and I want to feed him homemade dog food. Is it okay to feed yours right away? Or should i start with kibble? And if i feed him your recipe, how much? Oh and can i add some vegetables? Maybe a few carrots or lettuce leafs?
Thanks a bunch
Lise,
Yes, it is fine to feed a puppy any of these dog food recipes starting off. Any of them are fine just choose which one you prefer. The easy raw dog food recipe is a good place to start
can i add vegetables?
Lise,
Yes, but steam the vegetables first then put them in the blender. Keep in mind dogs have a short digestive tract and do not digest vegetables well.
Hi,
I have a 9 month old Belgian Malinois female. She’s been obedience trained, we just started agility and she will be doing protection work in the next year. We have been battling loose stools since I got her and I have had her checked and treated and she now has a clean bill of health. But still loose stools! I’ve been assured that it’s probably because of her intensity and high drive, but I’m very interested in making her food myself. I breastfed my child and made all of my baby food at home, why not dog food? What would you suggest I make for her? Do I need to supplement any fish oils, minerals or vitamins? I want to do what will be absolutely the healthiest option for her.
Thanks!
Tabitha,
Try starting off with the chicken and rice dog food recipe. This recipe is easy to make, economical and has the recommended supplements.
Hi there, I have a 3 year old golden retreiver. She’s eating dry dog food now. If I switch her over to either the raw or cooked diet, will that upset her stomach? I don’t want to come home from work and see that she’s had accidents all over the house. (gross for me, and upsetting for her too) Also, I am wondering on cost? I’m assuming it’s more expensive to feed them like this. Right now I buy a huge bag of dry food and it’s only $30/month. Are you able to give a price comparison?
Heather,
Feeding a healthy diet usually costs a little more up front but saves in the long run.
Id like to add that I just went and bought all my supplies lastnight to start my Rotty on his raw food diet. I figured up all the numbers and its quiet a bit more $$$ than I thought it would be but I use a lot of high end supplements and didnt buy my meat and eggs in bulk like I should have ( obviously its much smarter to buy in bulk) . Now keep in mind that I have a rottweiler and he eats ALOT and is a growing boy so I feed him 4-5 cups a day. Raw food by itself is $3.79 a day for my dog and with all my supplements that I feed him on top of that its $6.52 a day total .
So for 4 1/2 cups of raw food with all the proper supplements a working dog needs its $6 and 52 cents a day. That may sound like a lot to some people but id pay twice that to keep my dog healthy. If your a person with a smaller dog that doesnt need but maybe 1 1/2 to 2 cups a day your looking at $1.90 a day plus supplements. Well worth it in my eyes…
Just thought Id throw in my 2 cents, hope this helps
Kyle
Kyle,
The prices will vary depending on where you live. The price can be brought down by substituting chicken for the beef. Chicken is usually a third the price.
I pay about $22 per ten pounds of ground beef
the rice per batch is about $1.50
18 eggs are $2 or $3
Chicken legs and thighs are $6.90 per ten pounds.
The powder supplements are:
small dog $.28 per day
medium dog $.56 per day
large dog $.83 per day
giant dog $1.10 per day
Dinovite in the 5 gallon pail is about 50% less than the above.
Supromega or Lickochops @ $.11 per cup
Whatever the price, you are right it’s worth it.
Any recipes for cats?
Lisa,
Not yet but you could use the “yeast starvation dog food recipe” with good results.
I have 2 toy poodles. One female 9 lbs, one male 7 lbs. We do not feed table scraps but occasionally we give a very small amount of chicken or bit of egg, both cooked. we give small piece of apple or carrot, pear, approximately a Tbls of this as a treat. We have changed our dry dog food many times, they started on Royal Canin from the breeder, we changed to Wellness, then Now, Taste of the Wild, Back to Basics, Go, we are now on Performatrin Ultra small bite. The female never gets sick, the male has had yellow/green bile issues on all of these foods. I would put both on the raw diet, but need info on how to start.
Jill,
You can try the easy raw dog food recipe it is very nutritious. To introduce this to your dogs just follow the introductory method outlined.
I am going to make this as soon as I can. I am excited to try this. We have a 7 yr old blue Australian shepherd. Love her to pieces, but my poor girl has a horrible itching problem. Very bad. Vets have said allergies or fleas. They are wrong. Nothing I’ve tried has helped her and all of the itching is relieved by gnawing the area which has worn her teeth down, so sad ! I’m hoping changing her food will help. Starting to believe it’s an internal allergy. You seem to know your stuff, so besides changing her food, would you have any tips? Thank you ! Amber
Amber,
You might want to try the yeast starvation dog food recipe and see if that does not eliminate the itching.
Hi I have been feeding my 3 Shar pei a raw diet for several years. When I say raw I mean right from the cow, deer or turkey (one has allergies to chicken so nobody gets chicken) I do feed them veggies also and I make a fish head soup with all the guts, head and tails of the 90 Sockeye Salmon I buy every year. Therefore they will be getting all their oil supplements. I will try your raw diet (not cooking it in the oven)I am thinking I will only have to use the one supplement as they get all their Omega vitamins from the Fish soup. Also the one dog that is allergic to chicken, will she react to eggs? I’m thinking maybe yes.
Thanks for your informative site.
Sandy,
Eggs are a great source of many nutrients and would try to include them in the recipe.
Hi Ed,
I am an avid Rottweiler lover and owner ( I love all dogs though) and I am after a healthier option for my Zeus. He is 6 1/2 months old and already 86 lbs. Has good genetics and is healthy but I will start feeding him a raw food diet in a day or two. I made my first batch last night and felt the need to come back and browse your site one last time before fasting him for his intro period, what ive noticed today is that I watched the video for COOKED food and didnt notice that for RAW food you are supposed to hard boil the eggs, so will this harm him in any way? I made his food using
5.5 lbs raw hamburger – 2.5 cups uncooked white rice (then cooked it) – 10 eggs just crushed up and thrown in. Mixed it all very well and added my supplements. I plan on fasting him today and starting him on it tomorrow but after seeing my mistake I wanted to know if this is ok to feed him.
Thanks in advance and im sorry for the long post!
Kyle,
It sounds fine.
Hi Ed, I have just happened on your website and am very interested. In Canada raw foods diets are just starting to come in and I don’t know which are right for my 10 lb.(overweight) long-haired Chihuahua So I’m wishing to try and make yours. Problem is…I can’t find Dinovite and Lickochops here and although I’ve sent e-mails to their website receive no response. Would you happen to know if I can buy their products anywhere in Winnipeg Manitoba or if they would ship them to me? I would like to conatct them.
I have recently given something called fortiflora to my dog as per vets instructions and Buster was sick for 2 days. I should have done your introductory method to something new to avoid this terrible tummy upset. Any info you can provide for me will be appreciated. Thank-you, leslie.
Leslie,
Dinovite can be shipped into Canada without much problem. I’m not sure why you did not get a response to your email, perhaps it got lost in cyberspace?
We’re a mini-farm & we also actively hunt & fish, we always have fresh eggs, chicken, duck, turkey, venison, beef, goat, lamb & fresh water fish. Any recipes or recommendations for using these meats & fish, other than the raw beef version? Any of these that we should ‘not’ feed our dogs?
Should all eggs be cooked & is it harmful to feed raw eggs, I noticed a comment about raw egg binding with Vit B? I ask because years ago our ‘older’ veterinarian told us to give our farm dogs a raw egg every other day for their coats & to add brewer’s yeast & raw garlic (spring to fall) to their food to naturally repel ticks & fleas. We’ve always done this and have never treated them with chemical flea treatments and have only used natural organic shampoo when we do bathe them, which truly is very infrequent. What is your opinion on raw eggs, brewer’s yeast & raw garlic, we certainly do not want to feed our animals anything that may be detrimental to their health?
Also are there any vegies, fruits or nuts that should ‘not’ be fed to dogs? We have one dog in particular who will dig up garlic straight out of the garden, nabs green tomatoes off of the vine, snatches apples as soon as they hit the ground, robs the nut bowl during the holidays & begs for orange or tangerine slices when we’re eating them?
Thank you for your advice!
~TLC
TLC,
You can substitute any of the meats list for ones in the recipes without a problem. Raw egg whites contain an enzyme that binds with a B vitamin, so at least cooking the whites is a good idea. Nuts can be a problem depending on the type. Macadamia nuts can cause a toxicity problem, temporary paralysis.
We are bringing home a 4 mo old golden puppy and I want to switch him to raw food but don’t want to terrorize him with all the change at once. How would you recommend making the switch? And would you do chicken, beef, or both right now???? Thank you!!! Love you site.
LV,
I’ve found it best to just follow the introductory methods I’ve outlined on each dog food recipe page. I would use one recipe at a time before switching it up. This is also easier for you starting out.
My 6 mo old Bichon Fries does not like the raw receipe. I only made half the receipe but still have a lot in the frezzer. Can I thaw & cook the raw even though the eggs were already cooked? I also use “Angel Eyes” for her tear staining. Can I mix it ino the cooked food? Thank you so much. I have never owned a dog before so your site has been very informative
Nancy,
Yes, you can cook it if you have not added the supplements. I’m not sure about the angel eyes.
One more comment. What little of the raw she ate, as I did not feed her anything else, gave her a ver yhard stool. She has been on raw for 2 1/2weeks. She also doesnt seem to drink as much water or need to go out as often. Is that from the raw diet? Thanks again I really as new at this dog stuff.
Nancy,
The small hard stool shows how little waist is in the recipe. Drinking less water is also normal because the raw recipe contains lots of moisture and this is healthy for your dog.
Dear Ed, I hope you’re well!
I have 5 dogs and 2 cats. Of the dogs, one has a hard time gaining weight and one has a hard time losing weight. How can I adapt the recipes so that each has the caloric/nutritional balance to correct their respective weight issues? Also, will these recipes work for cats as well, pwehaps with some slight tweaking?
Thanks for your commitment. Cheers! ~Beverly
Beverly,
I maintain my dogs weights mostly by portion control. If I have a dog that is over weight and seems to pack the weight on with small portions I then eliminate carbohydrates from the diet. You can eliminate the carbohydrate (rice) from these diets and feed them to your cats.
Hi Ed,
I am trying out the raw food diet for my 4yr old lab mix who has bad food allergies. Is it okay to use scrambles eggs (with crushed shells) instead of boiling the eggs? Also, note that the water from boiled eggs is good for plants. Just FYI. Thanks, Mark
Can I use supromega instead of lickochops. My dog doesn’t have any allergies.
Corynne,
Yes, this is fine.
The link to the recipe does not work. Can you post the recipe in the Comments on this page? Many thanks!
I’m not sure what happened but it is now fixed.
Ed
Glad to have found your site, I have a 14 year old lab with many tumors and arthritis and we have a little 5 lb mix breed with a finicky palate. My question is do you recommend raw organ meat like liver, heart and kidneys.
I also want to mention that we include wild game elk and deer meat into their diets. Being in a region where there are wolves and coyotes we see the natural diets of these animals. Wolves tend to eat the viscera out of elk and deer first and unfortunately the fetus’ of unborn calves and fawns. So the tendency for carnivores to eat the semi digestive vegetative matter from their kills is easily observable.
John
John,
Yes, feeding raw organ meat is a good thing.
I have a 6 1/2 year old English stafforshore bull terroir .. She is fairly typical of her breed and very hungry! Over her short life she has experienced a number of medical mishaps. One of our over lying concerns is her teeth (and consequently breathe). At recommendation of vet I put her on dry food dental diet. Quite frankly this has not improved matters and she also continues to be slightly overweight (now I understand this to be because dental feed is layered with fat to make it more palatable ). That said after having her teeth cleaned twice within the space of 16 months I am very keen to introduce he to a diet that will help with her dental hygiene. On a side note at last op (to remove infected grass seed and when 2nd dental clean occurred) they removed a lump from her breast tissue area which may or may not have been “suspect “. Unfortunately I can not consider the expense of any form of chemo for my dog however I am now searching for a good diet for her going forward ie teeth and ” good health” ongoing. There is a lot of info on this site and it is difficult to digest it all….is raw food diet your recommendation even though I haven’t feed it to her before?
Yes, I think raw is the best way to feed a dog. I raised staffs for years on raw food and they all did great!
I’m getting a havanese puppy soon, will this diet be okay for him? He will be 8wks. Does he need to do the fasting first? And how much of it do I give him since he will eat 2-3 times a day?
I’ve fed puppies raw food recipes for their first meal without any problems. Feed the puppy the same volume of raw food as you would feed kibble. Puppies adjust to raw pretty rapidly but you may still want to feed 2 or 3 small meals at first.
Would it make much of a difference of I used a 50/50 ratio of ground beef and ground turkey?
No, it should be fine.
Hi, I can’t seem to find any other raw recipes on this site. Every time I go to the recipes page, the “easy” recipe is the only one I can fnd a link to. Are there any others I’m not finding? Thanks.
JP,
I’m not sure why you are not seeing the other recipes but they are there.
My lab/pit mix was just allergy tested and the only negative foods were pork, liver, oats, pinto beans , soybean and ground flaxseed. Do you have any recipes you can recommend? I’m at a loss!
Try feeding the easy raw dog food recipe but substitute “Dinovite Liquid” for the “Dinovite powder”, the liquid doesn’t have ground flax.
Hi I found your recipe for the yeast starvation diet I have a 16 month gsd female she had to bad ear infection this year and has been chewinv her paws . How long should I feed the yeast starvation diet ?? After the yeast starvation diet what do you recomend I feed ?? Right now she is on Diamond naturals grain free beef n sweet potato formula.
You may have to feed it indefinitely but at least for 6 months. After your dog clears up you can slowly add carbs but watch and see her reaction. If she starts flaring back up then back off on the carbs. Each dog is different.
I have a two year old boxer who, up untill the past few weeks, has been really hyper and energetic( as per usual for boxers) he is not fixed.
Also, for the past few weeks he has not been eating regularly or drinking water as much. Technically, he is my fiance’s dog. Pig(our dog) has a very strong connection with devan( the fiance). But, unfortunatly devan works construction and isnt home during the week. Because pig hasnt been eating or drinking water latley, hes been losing weight rapidly. I have no idea what to do, i need your help!
Elizabeth,
I would take him to the vet and have him checked out.
I love your site. I have been asked to cook food for a kennel and the owner is asking for all gmo free organic ingredients. I see that the supplements you use are not organic. Can you recommend organic supplements that would cover the same nutritional needs as the supplements you use?
The supplement I recommend have organic components but some ingredients won’t fall into the organic category no matter what you do.
How is this raw if the eggs are cooked?
I recommend cooking the eggs to destroy the enzyme that can bind with a B vitamin and cause a deficiency.
Would Venison work as well as beef. My husband and I both hunt and do not buy beef with all the crap added? We process our own and it never leaves us, we harvest and process with knife and grinder.
Yes, venison is fine.
I am going to be getting a Lab this winter and will be training him to be my hunting partner/retriever for waterfowl and upland game birds. What do you think would be the best recipe to start a pup out with and then to continue on throughout adulthood in order to keep up with the activites?
I prefer raw diets over cooked. Seeing that your dog is going to be large you may want to feed chicken leg thigh quarters w/bone as the meat source for economy.
I plan to make the raw recipe with beef. We have three large 60 lb. plus dogs. I have been feeding them grain-free dog kibbles (Taste of the Wild Lamb or Salmon, sometimes Evo Chicken and Turkey) mixed with raw beef, chicken livers, and gizzards, with water added, in a ratio of 1 3/4 cups kibbles and 1 cup of raw meats, sometimes a raw egg (which will change to cooked now). Is this grain-free kibble remotely acceptable? The kibble contains a certain amount of vitamins and vegetables. I’m looking at expense as well as labor here! Also, would they have to fast if I switched them to all raw? The only time one of them throws up is when she munches too much grass or raw greens outside. Will this diet and its supplements help prevent the urge to eat too much grass? Thanks, Ed. Love your site. I think I have read every comment and all your answers!
Feeding 3 large dogs you may want to look into a good meat grinder like I use. This meat grinder can grind up chicken leg and thigh bones without any trouble. Chicken leg thigh quarters run me about 69 cents per pound, so they are affordable. It will pay for itself rapidly. Yes, I have found the supplements help with the urge to eat grass. I think a fast is a good idea because it helps with digestive upset.
Thanks! I think I’ll pass on your $750 grinder (that would buy a LOT of 69 cent chicken!). But on the same site, Nesco has some home grinders for $85 to $199 that look good. Any experience with those? Also…is grainfree dog food better than the high/empty carb stuff? The protein content is about 26 to 32 percent and the first ingredient is lamb or salmon (not meal).
With big dogs you can let them chew and crunch up the bones themselves, I fed many dogs like this for years without a problem. My guess is the cheap grinders won’t grind up the bones. Just about anything is better than the “high/empty carb stuff”.
Hi Ed,
When preparing a raw food diet, someone suggested that I mix in Honest Kitchen Grain Free Base Mix (rehydrated) to obtain the vitamins and minerals for a healthy diet. In your opinion, would this suffice in place of the Dinovite and LickOChops supplements that you recommended?
I’ve never used it.
Ed, please help!
My 6 month old pointer mutt Olive has had terrible digestive problems – mostly ongoing regular/ intermittent diarrhea. After multiple vet visits and having the kitchen sink thrown at her in terms of anti-worm, probiotic, antibiotic, etc, etc she still didn’t improve. A high fiber (weight control) diet helped but not totally. I switched to your chicken and rice recipe about a week ago and she has gone from pooping pudding to pooping rocks! Should I give her more time to adjust or switch her over to the raw food recipe? If I go ahead with the switch, should I follow your typically adjustment procedure or do something differently?
Thank you so much. Love the site and all your advice!
Giving her time is probably the answer. Also, add some water to each meal.
Good Day Ed,
Thank you for all your knowledge and help with recipes. I recently started my 2 Monterey Jacks. (Here in Monterey Bay we call Jack Russel mixed with Norfolk terriers, yorkies, chihuahuas, poms, or any other small dogs that show up at our shelters “Monterey Jacks.”) on the cooked recipe along with the the Dinovite, lick o chops, and the super omega fish oil. As I was reading several of the comments and answers I realized I’d purchased the Dinovite powder for the small dogs and I’m now thinking I should have purchased the Dinovite for the medium dogs being as Cash weighs 13lbs and Chewy weighs 18lbs. Should I increase the amount of the powder Dinovite? or purchase the box for medium size dogs?
Best Regards,
Michelle
Just double the amount you feed to two tablespoons, its all the same supplement with different size scoops.