Remember your dog is primarily a carnivore and this means his digestive system is designed to digest meat, bones and animal fat.
Recommended Carnivore Ingredients
- Chicken (I like to feed the leg thigh quarters. The cuts of chicken have a good amount of meat, bones, cartilage and fat. The thighs and legs are also cheaper)
- Beef (I recommend shopping the closeout section in your grocery store for anything that fits your budget.)
- Ground Beef (I always choose the ground beef with the higher fat content, 70/30. Dogs metabolize fat well and beef fat is good for dogs.)
- Hardboiled Eggs ( Eggs are very nutrias for dogs and contain highly digestible fats and protein. Hard boiling the eggs deactivates the enzyme in egg whites that interferes with B vitamin absorption.)
- White Rice (I do feed some cooked white rice in many of the recipes to help make it affordable and it also is a good medium for nutritional supplements)
- Nutritional Supplements ( It is crucial to add supplements to all theses diets to supply needed vitamins, trace minerals and other essential nutrients.) I make the dog supplements “Dinovite“and “Lickochops” and recommend using them both to fill in the nutritional gaps in the recipes.
These are the two supplements needed to fill in the gaps in the recipes
How to get started making homemade dog food?
Go to our “Dog Food Recipes” section and check out our recipes. Our recipes are divided into two categories Raw dog food and cooked dog food. We believe the most nutritious dog food is a raw one but we have cooked recipes as well. We have easy, intermediate and advanced dog food recipes. Most people start off with the “easy raw dog food recipe” because…well, they’re easy.
Hi Ed,
Great site! I have been raw feeding for the last 5 years, did not know that about boiling the eggs. Thanks for that info. I use Missing Link for supplements, I have tried many over the years this seems the right fit for my dogs. Keep up with the great info, people don’t realize how easy it is to raw feed.
Camille
Camille,
Thanks!
Hi Ed,
Recently my dog was diagnosed with pancreatitis and cushingtons. We have over come the pancreatitis, thank God and she doesn’t show signs of cushingtons in my opinion so I haven’t done all the extra tests they want. Instead I’ve started changing her food. She’s on a gastro type canned from the vet and I’ve added your cooked combo of hamburger, rice n eggs. I have also added the dinovite but I’m VERY afraid to try the lipochops because of the fat content. It’s my understanding that pancreatitis is triggered by fat so I’ve gone with the hamburger 90|10 fat content too. Do you think I’m being paranoid and hurting my dog more because she’s missing the vitamins you talk about? Or should I stay away from that stuff because of her pancreatitis boughts. Thank so much for your time and sharing your knowledge!
Renee,
Substitute the Supromega fish oil for the Lickochops. Fish oil does not aggregate pancreatitis.
Check on the cooking of eggs. It is not necessary. That information is old. The vet told me that too and I corrected her. She checked her research (called her professor) and called me back to say I was correct. It is not true that the biotin inhibits the protein. Just think about it. In the wild they (and us) ate lots of raw eggs and did not cook them or suffer from them. (Or we would have evolved not eating them) Use common sense along with knowledge.
Kate,
I have personally seen a Biotin deficiency induced by feeding raw eggs to Lizards. They would develop muscle tremors and eventually die. This is with a species known to eat eggs which is also odd. You have it backwards, I’m assuming it’s a typo, but the enzyme inhibits the biotin not the other way around. There is only so much of the enzyme in the egg white and it can only block a finite amount of Biotin.
I personally have added raw egg yolk to puppy formula with great results.
I have read almost your entire site. Including FAQ, do and don’t section, and everyone’s comments (actually questions). I must applaud your patience since everything that was asked was covered in your site somewhere. Although, I do understand pet owners not understanding why after all these years we have ignorantly just bought the ‘best dry kibble’, I mean they are just dogs, right? Well I’m sorry my ‘Rock’z’ means way more than that to me. So, wake up people, if your 4 legged baby means as much to you as mine does to me then feed RAW. Or go do the research until your convinced. I did. And just because we began to bring our doggies inside, take them to school and carry them with us everywhere we go in cute little clothes or bags; does Not mean that we changed their physical digestive system. And just because someone wants to make lots of money putting dressed up garbage in a pretty ‘holistic’ label, doesn’t mean it’s true. These are the very same dog food distributor who is so very good at marketing that they have the Vet( yes even mine) pushing their brand, for a cut of course. Cuz nobody questions a Dr? Right! Well those big band companies are counting on that. I even fell for it, until my poor baby was worse than ever after only two weeks on the Vet approved crap that cost me 2x the amount I have ever paid for her RAW. We ended up in an emergency visit. My baby girl given two medications including steroids. I was just crying, she was so miserable. So my vet and I have come to an agreement, I don’t talk about rock’z diet and neither will she. So, my opinion is just like I don’t need my Dr opinion on whether I’m a vegetarian or not. Don’t allow them to scare you. On the other hand this website is backed by a specialist and includes every thing all in one site. It would have saved me a lot of time and money had I been aware of this site earlier. So, thank you so much for not only consolidating everything into one easy, simple to follow recipes and instructions. I will continue to follow these recipes and purchase the suggested supplements cuz I have complete faith that they are what is healthiest for my baby girl. Who is now off all medications.
Thank you so much
Jen and rock’z
Hi Ed,
Wow! I never knew RAW MEATS aren’t good for your dogs! I just assumed since they’re not good for humans, how can they be good for dogs! Also, we give our dogs raw vegetables & they love it but I will be cooking them from now on. What you have posted WAS/IS GREAT! Thank you very much. I have learned alot tonight reading this. Will share this with my entire family(ALOT) since we ALL HAVE & LOVE OUR DOGS…… I can’t thank you enough for sharing this with ALL of us… Thank you, Thank you, Thank you….. Hellina 🙂
Super! I’m glad you like the site.
Hi Ed, love reading your website, so much to teach folks who really want to learn how to take better care of there dogs, I, myself am a firm believer of cooking as much for my coton’s who are now 13/14 yrs little girls, I have been cooking for all my dogs for over 25 yrs, and my dogs have had very good health, I would NEVER give my girls and pet treats from super-box stores, or from a unknown source. I get great joy cooking, stewing,baking for my dogs, I’m also a pro.,award-winning pet stylist of 35 yrs., and part of my job is to help pet parents to unstand the importants of good canine diet. love your site, kiki
I have a Boston Terrior. She is 11 and she is having seizures which is common in this breed of dog. But I’ve been doing some research, I need to be feeding her a diet that is potato based. I found a dog food that was potato and duck based. Do you have a recipe that is equivalent to this? Please post if you do.
Krysta,
Can you elaborate why your dog’s diet need to be duck and potato based?
I read somewhere that when feeding your dog bones, they must be from a freshly killed animal. Do you know anything about this/why this is?
Charles,
You are right dogs digest raw uncooked bones better than cooked bones. The conventional wisdom states that cooked bones are brittle and can splinter and raw bones don’t. I think if your dog has been on a raw meat and bones diet for a long time cooked bones would not present a problem. This is just from my personal observation of my own dogs who eat absolutely anything without incident.
Raw fed dog’s stomachs have better muscle condition than kibble fed dogs.
My dog is for ever throwing up. The vet tells me to give it a certain canned dog food. It does not seem to work.
Richard,
I suggest trying the “easy cooked dog food recipe” and see how he does. Click here to view this dog food recipe.
Why the cooked food for vomiting? My dog has this problem ever since he got parvo and I was hoping the raw diet would be very good for him (and yes he was vaccinated but apparently got a different strain, poor guy) — He vomits completely undigested food every other day.
We try a food for more than 8 weeks and are at our wits end even though we have worked on very limited diets with novel protein sources but it seems the Easy Raw Food Diet will be the best. I am hoping adding Kefir or yogurt and green beans will help, too?
I have also ordered the two supplements you recommend along with beef pancreas supplement and colostrum (from post-parvo literature).
Please help!
I’m not sure what you are asking.
I have a 4 yr. old rescue beagle, she had fleas and worms, red skin, hot spots, itching etc when we got her, but she was not necessarily underweight. I started her on a Sojos, a freeze dried raw food mix with raw turkey, I have also been giving her the brand Enzymes, microbial and digestive enzymes and supplements. She has no more itching or hot spots and her coat is smooth, shiny and no odor. The problem is she is underweight, even though I feed her 3 cups of food a day. My vet of 12 years is great, but not a big advocate of raw food diets, I don’t want to go back to dry kibble, which would perhaps help her gain weight. How can I help her gain weight, or is this the sign of a more serious problem. Thanks
Danna,
It sounds like she is doing fine. Does your vet think she is underweight? I would not go back to dry kibble. You can try the “easy raw dog food recipe” and see if that helps. It is hard for me to determine if she is underweight without a picture.
I know you don’t suggest feeding dogs vegetables because it is virtually pointless for their digestion needs, but could you supplement or a type of bean for a portion of the meat or just add bean to the recipe as a healthy filler to stretch it further? I know beans are high in protein, but was not sure how they reacted with a dog’s digestive system.
Shelly,
Instead of beans or vegetables add more eggs and white rice.
Thank you!!
Nursing toy yorkie, should I give her raw chicken and beef?
Rachel,
Can you be more clear? Are you asking if you should fedd a nursing puppy raw beef and chicken? If so no wait till it is weaned from the mother.
Hello,
I have been feeding my dogs pedigree canned food in the morning and the checkerboard stuff in open bins through the day, I spoke with an animal nutritionist in the feed store yesterday and he tells me the canned stuff, even though it has chunks and gravy is horrible for my dogs and the checkerboard stuff is even worse. I am a cattle rancher in my spare time and have plenty of frozen cuts of meat in a large freezer that I will never use. The meat I have has never seen feed lots, hormones or steroids and is higher in omega 3’s since it is all natural.
I would like to create food for my dogs and keep them healthy but since there are five of them (boxers) it’s a little overwhelming considering the size of batches i would have to make in order to not cook it every day. They are pretty much spoiled but never get tomato based food since boxers are known for being gassy and that really sets them off, one even loves to share apples with me on occasion. I would prefer cooking the meat since re-freezing is questionable…
Rod,
It sounds like the commercial food you are feeding is not good. Your dogs will do great fed the easy raw dog food recipe. Click here to view this dog food recipe. Big dogs are always more costly to feed. I have all sizes, I know. I also have horses. Boy can they pack it away. I plan on posting other recipes that can be cheaper but require a little more work and up front investment.
Ed,
Thanks for all the info and doing all the heavy lifting to bring us this information.
I am preparing to move my dog to the raw diet easy recipe. She is a Yellow Lab with yeast issues and all the comercial foods with limited ingredients still havent helped.
I have few questions I hope you can answer.
I have read I can add more eggs in lieu of the rice, I would prefer to eliminate the rice in the easy raw recipe. How many more eggs should I use and do you advise this?
Can ground beef be occasionally replaced by ground turkey when it is a better buy? Any changes to the recipe?
Do you reccomend adding Beef liver, kidneys, or other animal organs? If so, could you suggest a modification to the easy raw recipe to incorporate them?
Sorry for the questions, any help would be appreciated. Thanks GEO in SoCal
Geo,
You are welcome. Take a look at the yeast starvation dog food recipe, click here to view the recipe. I’m not a big fan of ground turkey it always seems too watery. You could quite easily substitute some whole chicken leg thigh quarters. Your yellow lab will make short work of them. The organ meats are all good but I did not include them for simplicity sake. The easy recipes are great for people with many apprehensions and limited time. I actually feed my house dogs both the raw and cooked recipe. My dogs and myself prefer the raw.
I am planning on posting the intermediate recipes shortly. These recipes will incorporate other food sources. We just shot pictures and a little video for the “easy raw dog food recipe” and the “yeast starvation dog food recipe”. I will have them up by weeks end. I’m shooting a different recipe every time we are out of dog food. Lots of fun but time consuming:)
The important aspect of fighting a yeast infection in a dog is to eliminate carbohydrates. I’ve also found it beneficial to feed “direct fed microbials” and fish oil. The microbials (live beneficial bacterial cultures) help displace the yeast. The omega 3’s in fish oil help with the inflammation associated with yeast infections in dogs. I’ve also found it beneficial to bath the yeast infected dog in an essential oil shampoo. Your dog will be purging toxins throughout the process. Keeping his skin clean helps and it smells great. All these products I recommend are on the yeast starvation dog food recipe page.
Ed,
Thanks again…
Any guidance on replacing rice with additional eggs? If advisable how many in the easy diet? Thanks geo
Geo,
I think you could double the eggs without a problem. Sometimes increasing the eggs can cause constipation or very hard stool.
Just curious, why a raw diet? My interest is perked. Another dog I know, a dalmation, is on it.I have two old dogs, mixed breed, medium size, that are 15 and 17 years of age. I started making home food 2 months ago after a nasty diarrhea bug went though 4 dogs…not fun! I have a lively 3 year old German wirehair and am weighing pros/cons to a health home diet.
Lauri,
Raw meat, fat and bones are easier for a dog to digest. They also contain digestive enzymes and delicate nutrients that cooking destroys.
we have recently decided on getting a Leonberger puppy and have just met the breeder. She was telling us about the raw food diet she gives all her dogs. I was quite overwelmed with all she had to say and it made me apprenhensive but having read all your information and seen how easy it is to make your own food I am looking forward to bringing our not so little bundle home. Thank you
Ed,
Quick question on raw Chicken thighs and legs….
Do I grind them up or just give them whole? Not sure if i have to break up bones or not.
I am just starting the easy raw diet, so I would assume I can just add the chicken weight in place of the some of the ground beef weight? I have a smaller yellow lab.
Still a newbie at this! Thanks GEO
Geo,
I have fed the raw chicken leg thigh quarters both ways. I’ve ground them for puppies and small dogs and fed them whole to adult larger dogs. Occasionally you get a dog who doesn’t want to do much chewing and pretty much inhales it. In this case the bigger the pieces the better. Big pieces cause most dogs to slow down and chew. Feeding them whole is messy and is best done out in the yard. Grinding solves the mess problem.
Substitute the meats weight per weight.
Now I’m confused. You say to feel dogs raw meat and bones, but a lady thanked you for telling her not to feel raw meat. Which is it? Thank you
Jerry,
I always advocate feeding a raw meat and bones dog food as the best diet to feed your dog. However, many folks can’t rap their minds around feeding their dog raw meat and bones. So, the next best thing is a homemade cooked dog food.
Hi, i have a 13 year old Shih-Tzu. He has elevated liver enzymes, as a result he was throwing up often. He is taking Demarin for the enzymes. I started him on a chicken/brown rice diet and was doing wonderful. However, when I tried to introduce him back to his kibble (Canidae), he started throwing up again (did it slowly as instructed). I decided to continue with the Chicken and brown rice and the vomiting stopped all together. I have introduced carrots and potatoes to the mixture but I am afraid he might be missing some other nutrients. I saw that hard bolied eggs is also a good choice so I will add that as well. Based on what I am giving him, what is your opinion?
Charo,
Try feeding your dog the easy cooked dog food recipe, click here to view this recipe. I think he will do well on this dog food.
Great site! A few questions and I apologies if they are covered elsewhere.. Why rice? I follow the Paleo Diet (http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/) which is the same idea, I eat what we evolved on and are designed to eat. No grains, no sugar, no dairy. So I think its time my dogs follow suit. So I would assume wild dogs would have never came upon rice. So why include it? My other question is about transition to the new diet. How would you recommend switching from a dry dog food to the raw and over how long.
thanks!
Kim
Kim,
The easy recipes are good introductory recipes to help ease people into feeding their dogs better. The rice helps bring the cost of the recipe down. Many dogs new to homemade dog food have been eating kibble which can be 90% carbohydrates and fillers. So the rice makes the transition easier on them as well. As I post more complicated recipes they may have less rice.
You may want to feed your dogs the yeast starvation dog food recipe it is carb free. Click here to view this recipe.
Jerry,
Is the easy raw diet cheaper than a midgrade dog food like Purina Pro Plan? I want to do the best I can for my dog (Airdale Terrier) on a limited budget.
Gale,
I think so. I know I never have any vet bills.
Hi Ed. I am interested in trying your homemade recipes. I have two German Shepherds, Lilly who is 6 years old and a new addition to our family, Rambo who is just over a year. about a month after we got him he stopped eating and had severe diarrhea and excessive vomiting. we took him to the vet and he came back the next day doing great. two weeks later he started again and we cant afford another vet visit. Hes still not eating and drinking very little liquids. do you have any natural and cost effective recommendations and could any of your recipes help sooth his digestive tract and get him healthy again? If you could email me as soon as possible that would be great.
Stephanie,
Try feeding him the easy raw dog food recipe. This recipe is usually easy on dog’s digestion. The supplement also has direct fed microbials that can help support your dog’s digestive system. Click here to view this recipe. Do you know what caused the first occurrence? Sometimes dogs will behave this way when the get a blockage.
The first time we went to the vet she said that she found a bacterial infection, but did not know the cause. The second time he got sick was the day after he got off of the antibiotics the vet gave him, and we just switched their kibble from Pedigree adult formula to the puppy formula thinking it would help with his digestion. we just recently learned that German Shepherds digestive system is very sensitive. Is that what could have caused him to get sick again? and thank you for your prompt response it is much appreciated.
Stephanie,
German shepherds do very well on a raw meat based dog food. The raw meat contains digestive enzymes that help digest the food. So the raw meat based dog food is easier for a dog to digest. Click here to view the raw dog food recipe. Just follow the introductory method outline in the recipe and you should be fine.
Hello Ed
We could sure use your help! We have a 6 yr old Maltese who is really having a rough time due to collasped trachea. He really needs to drop some weight. We bought some low calorie dry food but it seems the hard food causes him to struggle. Is there a wet food/recipe that you would suggest to help him drop the weight and have an easier time eating?
Denise,
Yes, try feeding the “yeast starvation dog food”. This dog food recipe eliminated carbohydrate and helps dogs shed extra fat. Click here to view this dog food recipe.
Hi, Mr. Ed. i’m thirteen and my family plans on getting a German Shepherd as they are wonderful dogs. When he gets older I plan on using him as a running partner because I’ on my school’s track team. Anyway I have found your website very educational. and plan on giveing my dog homemade food, when i ween him off of puppy food, but i would be much more comfortable giving him cooked meals. Thank you you website is very wonderful.
Kiki,
Thank you. Why wait start your puppy right on a homemade dog food. He will do much better. If you want to feed a cooked dog food, click here to view the easy cooked dog food recipe.
Posted Friday have not gotten a reply. Have a female golden doodle 7yrs old who has had urinary problems in the past. She has done well on the hills c/d prescription dry food. Problems is she will not eat unless I add table food. Normally cooked veggies, chicken, chopped meat etc. Reading your site it appears the raw diet along with the recommended supplements would be worth a try. Given her history would the white rice be a problem? also do you need to freeze the rescipe before feeding to kill any possible bacteria? How about giving her chicken thighs etc along with the rescipe ?
Jack,
You can eliminate the white rice and add chicken leg thigh quarters. Both are fine options. Freezing does not destroy the bacteria just keeps it from multiplying. Dogs by design don’t have a problem with bacteria due to the strong acids in their stomach.
I have a. Male Doberman he is 5 years old and he has allergies if I change his diet will they go away
Bobbie,
I always think improving a dog’ diet will be beneficial.
All,
So I am heading into week two of the Easy Raw Diet for my yellow lab with severe yeast issues (ear infections and paw chewing). I modified the Easy Raw diet by removing rice for the 1st months batch and added more eggs to make up for the missing rice and added Dinoviet and Lickochops as directed. We also followed the yeast starvation introduction pretty much.
So it is too early to tell about the yeast going away but all signs are positive.
The biggest difference I have seen so far, my dog being on limited ingredient high end $pecial commercial food for the past years, she used to just watch me walk away from the kibble I laid down and start to eat a few minutes later….With the Raw food diet and the Dinovite hardly cut in she is pushing to get at the food and eagerly consumes it and licks the bowl. We actually need to buy a heavier bowl because she scoots it around the house while licking the bowl.
We also notice the her bowl movements are fewer and much smaller in size.
So far no gastro distress or vomitting I don;t expect it either.
The next batch I intend inten to use chicken hind quarters with bones and add some beef organs, I think I am goiing to buy a meat grinder to grind up the chicken even though it is not required. Thanks GEO
Geo,
It all sounds good. Meat grinders are nice I just ground up 20 pounds of chicken leg thigh quarters in minutes.
Do you grind the bones as well?
Joy,
Yes, bones and all.
Ed, how much of the food should you feed the dogs? I have 2 labs, 1 red and 1 chocolate. The vet recently told me they are both overweight (83 and 87). I cannot afford the diet food she is recomending, so for now I have been mixing in some green beans and carrots in their food. If I tried the easy cooked food, how much should they get each day?
Tammy,
If you were to feed the “easy cooked dog food recipe” I would start with about two cups per dog per day.
Thank you so much! I had just found your website this morning through Dr, Jon’s emails I get. I am so greatful for all your recipies and ideas!!! Thanks again ~ Tammy, Ginger, and Chloe
HI Ed,
I have been feeding my dog cooked food for 8 weeks. I ususally do rice (or barley etc.), with ground meet and some blended veggies (with supplements). I ntoice you do not include veggies, why is this?
Also, do you have any hypoallergenic recipes?
Thanks
Ashley,
I don’t focus on vegetables because dogs don’t digest them very well. I don’t have any hypoallergenic recipes presently. I’ve found dogs fed healthy homemade dog food tend to not have allergy problems. Click here to view my easy cooked dog food recipe.
Ashley, my dog’s allergies were eliminated when I started feeding her homemade dog food.
I SEE U say it is ok to feed dogs the whole leg bones, I was always told that serving chicken bones waS a big no-no…is this just a myth? I have 4 pomerians and i make all their treats and wet food. their coats are so soft and the vet said they seemed so much healthier. I have an overweight dog and she is loosing weight with the homemade dog food…my question is about bones…can u feed rib and chicken bones….i do give them soup bones and cook then just alittle and leave the rest raw. they have aLL the raw meat all around it…we had an organic cow slattered and so I know they are not getting bi-products from the beef..All I buy is chicken legs and thighs, i cook them in a pressure cooker and the bones get really soft..can i feed those bones to them and should i leave the skin on the chicken , I have been taking it off….tks
Linda,
I’ve fed raw bones to my dogs for years without incident. However, little dogs can struggle to eat them. So for little dogs you can grind them up with a meat grinder. Cooking them in a pressure cooker also works well. I would leave the chicken skin on it contains good fats.
I have been all over your site this day! I am loving what I’m reading and ready to start my pets on the raw food diet, have ordered supplement and treats. I also want to order the shampoo, but am realizing that I am not taking advantage of better shipping prices if I had ordered everything at once instead of one at the time (as I discovered it) Example… the treats cost more to ship than to purchase~
I tried to call the number on the ordering site and it was out of service.
Can you email me with another number or a method of combining my orders?
Thanks
Brenda,
Dinovite, Inc. phone number is 859-428-1000
I have a 4yr old Mini Aussie. She has had many problems in the past with certain dog foods that contained beef or chicken. She seems to have a sensitive system. Our vet said that she is allergic to beef & chicken & that we should get her on something that was lamb or salmon based. After a lot of searching we found a salmon based dog food that does not contain chicken by-product. I would really like to start making her homemade dog food, but since we were told that she has allergies I’m not sure what to do? Also, she gets a rash on her belly every spring/summer, I believe it may be due to an allergy to grass…..do you think changing her diet would help that? Thank You!
Brianna,
I’ve never had a dog actually allergic to raw beef or raw chicken. I’ve seen al sorts of bad reactions to kibble.
Thank You, that’s kind of what I thought! How do you feel about brown rice compared to white? or even sweet potatoes?
Brianna,
I prefer white rice because dogs digest it well. Dog’s will struggle to digest brown rice. Sweet potatoes are fine if well cooked.
Could the allergy symptoms and rash on her belly be a thyroid issue? My dog has suffered for years with allergy symptoms, after eliminating grains he improved but year after year it gets worse. We just had blood work done and his thyroid is low, he too has developed a rash on his underside between his legs and in his arm pits, vet said it is due to the thyroid issue. I am switching him to a homemade raw food diet and believe that it will help tremendously. However, I do believe dogs are meant to have SMALL amounts of veggies/fruits so I am going to include a very little bit of those once I get him completely off the kibble. I like the idea of chicken quarters and I know the dogs will enjoy gnawing on that! I like to try to feed my animals (horses, dogs, cats) as close to natural as I can so it only makes sense that they would eat raw foods. As for me well, I like steak so I’ll continue to cook my food whether it’s wrong or right 😉 Thanks for all of the info here
Chrissy,
Sounds like a good plan. The dog supplement I recommend includes kelp meal. Kelp has been known to support good thyroid health. This may help your dog as well. The supplement also contains beta carotene and other plant derived nutrients from alfalfa nutrient concentrate. This is kind of like powered juice so the dogs can digest it well. Good stuff for your dog.
Thank you, Ed! So glad I found your site! I just adopted a little yorkie mix who seems t be a very picky eater. After about three days, and many dog food samples, I tried cooking her some chicken, carrots, and brown rice which she devoured. Glad to have your suggestions about the supplements, and I have tow questions: Is it advisable to substitute chicken for beef, and is white rice preferable?
Lynette,
I switch my dogs back and forth between beef and chicken and they do great. White rice is always preferable because dogs digest it well and struggle with brown rice.
I have been feeding my 2 labs a raw chicken diet for several months now. I get chicken necks and backs from the butcher 40lbs at a time for 89cents/lb. I am wondering, though, if you think there is enough meat on these bones for the amount of protein they would need. I also give them cooked potato and sweet potato and raw cabbage (which they LOVE). I supplement with fish oil capsules and brewer’s yeast. I have tried using the Dinovite with my one lab who still has horrible licking and itching problems, even with the raw food diet. I gave it religiously for 2 months but did not see an improvement. I’ve also tried every pill from the vet, too, and that does not work either. I have resigned her and myself to using a padded collar to keep her from licking and scratching. I hate to do this to her, but I don’t know what else I can do. Any suggestions?
Jenny,
Yes, it sounds like your dog may be struggling with yeast over growth. Try the yeast starvation diet at least with him. Click here to view this dog food. You could substitute the necks and backs for the ground beef. Or mix it 50/50. Dinovite should help with this diet because of the live microbials.
Ed…can dogs get salmonella and other diseases from raw chicken like humans can? Also, do you have to cut the chicken legs up? What about raw beef bones from the butcher…are they better than the sterilized raw Red Barn bones I buy?
Sharon,
Dogs by design are scavengers. Dogs are designed to eat bacteria laden foods with little consequence. Their short digestive tract and powerful stomach acids prevent them from getting sick like humans. Raw beef bones from the butcher are good. Too cut or not to cut? Or to grind or not to grind? Dogs come in so many shapes and sizes. So this makes this hard to answer. Toy dogs can physically crunch the bone and some dogs swallow them whole. My dog Charlie is an example of the latter. He once swallowed a beef rib bone whole! Charlie has been fed raw meat based dog food his entire life so he just digested it. Charlie is a Boston terrier.
For uniformity sake you could grind them.
My dog lacy is 15 yrs. old and has cushings. Could you give me a homemade recipe to give her.
Nancy,
I’ve not personally had any dogs with Cushings disease. That said I always think feeding a nutrient dense food is the best support for any ailing dog. I think the “easy raw dog food recipe” is the easiest for a dog to digest, click here to view.
Great site! I have 2 beagles (1 full, 1 mixed with it looks like husky/shepard, both a year old) and just started to do the home made dog food last week. I am wondering what would be a good amount to feed them a day. I was doing 1 cup dry food in the morning & 1 cup home made in the evening. Birds would get the dry food, cause the dogs would just lay there & look at it. But when I put out the home made no one was getting it but them! lol! I heard in your video where you feed 1 cup a day, am I over feeding with 2 cups than?
I am now away from the dry food & just feeding them home made, still 1 c in morning & 1 c in evening
Kim,
My homemade dog food recipes are nutrient dense. So just watch your dogs weight. If they start to gain weight cut back a little.
Hello Ed- just came upon your site, and very anxious to give it a try. (3 dogs) My boston keeps licking paws and has horrible summer allergies (raw open wounds on underside all summer long) , so i would love to try the yeast free diet- but do not like giving raw food? any suggestions on this matter? Will def. try the simple cooked diet (the other two dogs have seisures and the tiny one has liver issues) so I am going to give this a big try but very concerned about the boston and yeast free diet right now. Thanks for your help…Lori
Lori,
I have a Boston terrier his name is Charlie. charlie has eaten a raw meat based dog food his whole life and he love it. You should see his coat and skin, beautiful! All my dogs love the raw dog food. The “easy raw dog food recipe” is well accepted and not gross. It looks like you are making a meat loaf. The “yeast starvation dog food recipe” looks like a meat loaf too. Click here to view this recipe.
Ed,
I have a 9 lb standard chihuahua that has been diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease that we’ve been struggling to keep under control. Chicken and rice has worked pretty well but I’m interested in the raw diet. Is it OK to start raw when his digestive system is already compromised?
Question – if, in the wild, canines eat raw meat/bones etc, why are the supplements necessary – since wild dogs do not have supplements?
Thank you for your time!
Lisa,
It has been my experience dog digest raw meat based dog food well. A wild dog would follow herds that fed over many miles, different vegetation and nutrient density. Wild plants are generally more nutrient dense than the commercial varieties. A dog would also eat whole animals. Here is an example how nutrient content can change by the way an animal is raised. Cattle we consume are finished in feed lots where they are fed corn and grains. This makes the meat taste the same and the cattle gain more weight so they can be sold for more money. This beef has a high omega 6 content and no omega 3 fatty acids. In contrast cattle that are grass fed up to processing have omega three fatty acids in their meat. Eggs also vary in nutrient density by the way they are raised and fed.
Supplements fill the nutritional gaps.
Sorry – forgot a question! I’m concerned about eliminating feeding for 24 hours before starting raw for 2 reasons: 1) he tends to get hypoglycemic, and 2) because he has inflammatory bowel disease, I’m concerned about pain due to excess digestive acid when there is no food to digest. I do give him 5 mg of pepcid occasionally when he is having difficulty. He seems to feel best if his stomach is not empty for an extended period of time.
He’s currently on a twice a day feeding schedule – but with his issues, it’s been suggested that several smaller meals a day would be better.
Lisa,
It is best to let the digestive tract empty of the kibble. A dog’s digestive system will empty in 8 to 24 hours. You can try waiting 8 hours and then feed tiny portions to limit digestive upset.
Hi, I just adopted a Shiloh Shepard that is only 58 lbs. He is grossly underweight. I am confused as the proper amount of protein vs. carbs in his diet. I would like to start him on the correct amount of nutritional food that will be optimal for growth he will experience from eating regularly. Since large dogs do have hip issues, I want to make sure he gets enough calcium to protect his hips and enough protein to help build healthy muscle. Suggestions?
Joy,
I think it is best to feed the “easy raw dog food recipe”, if you are apposed to feeding raw then start off with the “easy cooked dog food recipe”. Both dog food recipes are good starting points. Get yourself accustomed to preparing homemade dog food before you bog yourself down with complicated recipes. I will be posting intermediate and advanced dog food recipes in the future.
Click here to view the raw recipe or click here to view the cooked recipe.
Ed, I am not sure if I am opposed to the raw food, I had no idea you could feed raw meat to dogs. We just found out he also has heart worms, in the first stage, so now he will be getting a cardiogram and possible injections, depending on the results. I wish I had a scale to see if he was gaining weight. He has been in my home about 10 days. He is coming around with his personality. I am going to try the cook version for now. My concern is fasting him. The excitement he has through eating regularly is intense.
my dog lost her best friend and play mate. She is still eating but not as much and is getting to skinny what can i feed her to help put some weight back on her quick. we did get her a kitten to play with and it seemed to help but her appetite is still not what it use to be.
Brenda,
It sounds like she is grieving for her lost friend. Animals have a great capacity for emotion. It is sad to see but good to know they are not little robots. Try feeding her a tasty dog food. If she likes the flavor she may start to gradually eat more. Dogs love the easy cooked dog food recipe, click here to view.
Awesome website and information Ed !
I am a greyhound owner (4 now, recently lost one to osteo) and have a 12 yr old who has always had allergies to wheat & soy, we have been through the mill with all the high-end dog foods, each one starts out well, and near the middle to the end of the bag, every one results in an IBS condition, and we’re talking $70 a bag twice a month for one dog. The dehydrated raw diets have been fine, but for a greyhound, they loose too much weight, asking how to increase their weight from the companies who made those brands, they told me to add a cup of kibble !
Arf !
One deleted my inquiry post from Facebook ! Holy Cow ! Not exactly a good endorsement for their products.
The only time Mo Problem does well with any food now is when I cook for her. At her age and in spite of it all, she looks beautiful, switching to a raw food diet, my intuition tells me is asking for trouble….even though I recommend raw food diets to my clients with much younger dogs.
Searching for a recipe that I could make that wouldn’t have to be made daily, seek and you shall find, your easy homemade dog food is exactly what I need 🙂 Plus the supplements…also the info I was looking for !! What would be your daily feeding amount recommendation for a greyhound, being lean dogs with little body fat ?? If they loose weight, it’s takes a bit to get it back on them.
As I am getting ready to change my entire website, to include articles on especially, Pet Foods, from Recalls to the Present and many articles on healthy products, Your website will be highly endorsed 🙂
Thank you, thank you !
Kristine Kamp-Adante
Northwest Animal Healing
Kristine,
Thank you. I’m glad you are pleased. Try feeding around two cups per day. You can start off with the easy cooked dog food recipe and see how she does. If she does well you can try the easy raw dog food recipe. Most dogs do well on both.
Love your website! Great info on nutrition. I have a 9 mo. Min-pin mix(?) and she loves human cooked food. I usually give her cooked chicken breast or ground beef & rice.. The only thing I notice is that she had such flaky skin. So I switched back to dry purina puppy chow and wet food and added salmon oil to dry food and her skin was less flaky but she is always itchy. But she doesn’t like any of the dog food, she only prefers her “human food”. Should I add anything else to the chicken & rice recipe so she can get more nutrition?? And also Ive been giving her cheese b/c she loves it and the vet said its good for them.. is that true? Again, keep up he great job on this website! Most informative website I’ve found so far!
Cece,
Try feeding here the yeast starvation dog food recipe. This dog food recipe helps dogs with itchy skin.
Hi – My 3 year old dog is having seizures. Vet says no apparent medical reasons. Do you think homemade diet would help? Thanks for your time.
P.J.,
I don’t know if it will help the seizure. If the seizures are cause by the junk and chemical additives in kibble then a homemade dog food should help. I always think it makes sense to eat healthy.
Dear Ed,
I was thinking wouldn’t be cheaper to purchase Omega-3 caps at the correct mg for for medium size dog as oppose to the 8 0z liquid at the price of $ 24.00 More than any thing i want to feed them better food . But i am on dis. and a truly tight budget of any more is it food or Drs. visits& life saving meds. my pups keep me sane. Please advise…
Thank You
Donna
Donna,
Not sure where you’re getting $24.99? The 8 oz tube is $8.99.
So I am considering making own dog food and I like all the information here. What are your thoughts in organic vs. non-organic meat? We only eat organic due to the chemicals, GMOs in feed, antibiotics, etc. Buying cheap meat for our dog would certainly end up with these in his food. Thoughts?
Kastin,
As a family we eat very natural and try to buy organic. We don’t eat processed food in general. Our health is great. I believe this is true for dogs as well. That said, any fresh meats, eggs and nutrient rich supplements are going to be far better than kibble. Sometimes you can get overwhelmed and make things much harder than necessary and never start.
I have just stopped feeding my dog, dog food. He seems to have a lot more energy now but sometimes get allergies. What is the best rice to mix his meat and vegetables with. Is that enough? How do I get his calcium in him and are there any pure organic vitamins you might recommend? Thanks you for what you do. Paris
Paris,
Try feeding your dog either the easy cooked or easy raw dog food recipe both are great!
We have two labs we feed the raw diet. they are doing well. the yeast is going away. my question is can I feed raw pork? I have’nt read anything on pork.
Lynette,
Pork is fine.
Hi Ed,
First thank you so much for this wealth of information- we are bringing home our 8 week old Patterjack–Jack Russell/ Patterdale puppy tomorrow- we made your easy cooked recipe and have the supplements you suggest to start her out on the best track- how much do we feed her? She is likely about 5lbs now and will be maybe 12-14lbs full grown.
We have made food for our last dog, an english bulldog- it was a blend of ground beef, cooked barley, cooked beets, string beans, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, and canola oil. He thrived and all the allergies cleared up— what is your opinion to this recipe?
I am thrilled with your recipes- and trust your expertise.
Best regards!!! Christine
Christine,
I use to have patterdales they are full of it. Your recipe looks heavy on veggies and no calcium. I’m not a fan of canola oil, I prefer fish oil and animal source fats like chicken fat. Lickochops has both sources.
My guess is you puppy will start off at about a half cup and work her way up to one and a half cups per day.
Have fun with your new puppy!
So I just found your website and its incredibly insightful. I was just wondering what you would substiure for my dog since shes allergic to eggs and gluten. She has really sensitive skin and allergic to alot of things outside. The store dog food thats gluten free isnt cutting it have any recipes I could use??
Lola,
How allergic to eggs is your dog?
She was pretty severly allergic to them but I havent given her anything with eggs for months but I assume her allergy level is still the same
Lola,
I like to use eggs they are packed with good stuff. Maybe you can get away with using the shell for calcium. If not you will have to feed raw bones.
I thought eggs were filled with Omega 3’s. I know they are when humans eat them.
Andrea,
Some eggs can have omega 3 fatty acids. It depends on how the chicken are fed.
Hi there. I just stumbled upon your site and though I would ask a question here. I have a 12 year old Cocker Spaniel, and I was wondering about Senior food. I’ve been giving him Wellness Senior kibble, but lately the brand has let me down. I had bought a couple bags of Wellness with moths in it and now I believe I seem to have purchased either ‘overcooked’ kibble or maybe it’s just stale. Not sure, but my old man won’t eat it. I suppose I’m just looking for a little advice on what to feed my pal!
Blair,
Try feeding him the easy cooked dog food recipe it is nutritious and tasty. I think he will like it and it’s easy to make.
What a wonderful site!! Thank you!
I have 2 7 year old American Eskimo females. As with most white dogs they develop brown tear stains. This is due to “Red Yeast” in their system. I have tried every over the counter treatments to try to correct this problem, to no avil. I want very much to start my girls on a good diet. My question is with the rice. I know carbs feed yeast and I don’t know whether to go with the yeast starvation diet, or if this “Red Yeast” is contained in the yeast you talk about??
Shelley,
I would feed the yeast starvation dog food recipe. Make sure you give it time to work because it can be a long process. This dog food recipe will change your dogs system to one that is hostile to the yeast.
I love your advice.. I try to give my dogs what I can. I’ve already been using a recipe like yours. But I never used lick chops or anything extra like that. Would you say it’s a horrible thing not to give to your dog?. I am 26 and a lot of my budget goes to my 4 amazing pups. I thought I was already spoiling them by cooking them beef and chicken. But I don’t know anymore. So would it be all that bad not to give them lick chops?.
Also is cooked liver good as well?
Well thanks for your time. Hope to hear from you soon.
Irene,
I’ve found over the years that animals benefit from supplements. I spent most of my life working with reptiles, birds and dogs. Dealing with nutritional deficiencies of one sort or another. So, I would look for nutrient dense whole foods and try to incorporate them into the animals daily diet. I always stay away from synthetic vitamins because their use can lead to toxicity issues.
The supplements I’ve developed and recommend are made of nutrient dense whole foods, nothing synthetic. They work very well.
I’ve just posted a chicken and rice dog food recipee that cuts the cost considerably. Ground beef cost about $2 per pound and the chicken $.69 per pound.
Hello!
So i’ve been wanting to go on this diet for awhile, i did for a short time, but then my dog got really sick and we found out the cooked green beans i was giving him actually gave him inflamed bowels. It was horrible, he had to get an IV cause he was so dehydrated, he couldn’t stop throwing up or having diareahh so they had to give him a shot for that as well, he lost a lot of weight, and now i can just tell he’s scared to eat. He’s got the classic Husky stomach issues, we’ve tried every kind of dog food out there, up to the 90$ a bag ones. He loves hardboiled eggs, but i’m worried about making sure he gets all the supplements he needs in his dinner, what would a good dinner recipe look like?
Felicia,
Try the easy cooked dog food recipe or the chicken and rice dog food recipe. Dogs do well on either dog food recipe.
I have been visiting your site for a while and have tried cooking my Yorkie’s food which is working well except when I try to put his multiple vitam in. He does not care for the taste. I’d really like to order the LickOchops™. Is there a less expensive than UPS for shipping. After I had filled out the order I found that the shipping was going to cost more than the product. Did I not fill out things correctly? That seemed a little excessive. I enjoy your site and it has been a great help with his diet.
Thanks
Ann,
I love ordering products through the internet it is fast and easy. In fact I rarely shop in stores. That said, shipping companies still move through space and time. Gas prices keep rising. Often shipping 1 item or ten items is about the same price. Buying one tube of Lickochops is the most expensive way to purchase the product. If you purchased more items it spreads the shipping over more items. Dinovite also has flat rate shipping of $4.99 on orders of $59 or more. Seems good to me.
Hi Ed , I have a 5 yr old rotty and he has been thru every commercial dog food both dry and canned on the market he has always been a picky eater. I cooked up your ground beef,rice and egg recipe and he LOVES IT !!!( also giving the vitamin and omega 3 supplements) the only problem is explosive and very loose stools. I know you are suppose to gradually switch the food but since he really wasn’t eating it there was no need to do the gradual switch. Any suggestions?
Angie,
The gradual switch was to prevent what happened to your dog. Switching gradually allows a dog’s digestive tract time to adjust to the diet change. The best thing to do now is fast him for 24 hours and follow the introductory method:)
Thank you so much and will do that…
sorry to keep bothering you just one more question once i get my rotty’s “tummy troubles” under control ( i knew better to but I was so happy to see him finally enjoy food) can I occasionaly give him a raw chicken as a treat ?( not the whole chicken)
Thanks again !!!
Angie,
It is good to hear things have settled down. Yes, you can feed chicken.
Hi Ed,
I have 4 small dogs, yorkie-pom-maltese mixes and a chihuaha mix. One of the yorkie mix, 10 years old, has just been diagnosed with kidney failure and I read that protein should be limited for him at this point. I am excited to begin making your homemade, healthy food and I’m wondering what your thoughts are regarding the protein/kidney failure issue.
I’m really looking forward to your response!
Thank you for this website!
Luna,
Here is a link to a great article on low protein dog foods and kidney failure.
I am at an impass. We recently switched our two bichon/shi tzu’s to high end, no grain dry feed. They appear to like it very much and it hlelped with my one dog’s soft stools. We are currently watching my mom and dad’s boston/beagle mix. He has awful (beyond the normal for the breed) gas, very soft -> drippy stools. We tried switching him over to our dog’s food gradually in hopes that it would help him as well. It has helped some with making his stools a bit firmer (which helps because he squats/walks in circls as he goes) but no effect on the gas. While at boarding he developed diarrhea and they put him on rice until we picked him up. I am now starting him on rice and 25% food. What I have noticed is that in the few days of not eating much at all he obviously has no gas, but his eyes which are always red are no longer red. Do you think that he could benefit from the raw diet or at least the cooked. I’d like to resolve the stool issue and eliviate the gas problem and if his eyes aren’t red anymore all the better. What are your thoughts?
Kim
Kim,
I feed either cooked or raw dog food with good results. I just posted a chicken and rice dog food recipe that dogs love.
We are going to get a 8 week old Great Dane female in a couple weeks. I have been reading about how imperative good diet is for their digestion and bones especially in the first two years and I am concerned about what and how much I should be feeding my dog. Help?!
Maria,
Try feeding your Great Dane the chicken and rice dog food recipe. This dog food recipe is nutritious and dogs love it.
I could use some help… we have a 6 year old Italian Miniature Greyhound mix who is diabetic. We feed her a low carb, high fiber diet and she receives insulin 2x per day. She is an active dog, but always seems to be hungry and never satisfied after she eats. In addition, she doesn’t seem to digestive her food either. She has approximately 7 bowel movements a day.
I am searching for a homemade food, that will help with her hunger and digestion.
Anything you can suggest would be helpful.
Thanks,
Sheryl
Sheryl,
I would think a homemade dog food recipe would be more nutritious and better digested.
Do I have to do the fasting if I go between the cooked and the raw recipes? The dogs are on the cooked now. Loving it. Still pretty loose bowels however. Kind of want to try them with the raw recipe. Thanks!
Kelly,
No, you don’t need to fast them between recipes.
Great Site:) What about adding Quinoa?
Stephanie,
I’ve never personally fed Quinoa to my dogs but can’t see any problems in doing so.
I am so happy to have found your website! After the death of my chinese shar pei Peanut from a host of ailments (unfortunately fed mainly kibble) I read your website and started my lhasa apso and my other 12 yr old shar pei Daisy on raw chicken and an egg. They both inhaled the food like it was the best thing ever! I will try to dismember the chicken leg for the lhasa Tashi as he had only eaten a bit of the bone when I gave it to him. Or do you think that he will get used to the whole piece.. Anyway, so glad I started this way of feeding. Thanks again.
My wife and I are going to be getting a Pug Puppy this weekend.
I was curious to how often we should feed him and the amount of food per meal.
What would you recommend at his age(2 months) and going forward?
Thank you
Ryan
Ryan,
I feed puppies twice per day around the same time each day. A strong schedule will help with housebreaking. He will probably eat around 1/2 to 1 cup per feeding at his age.
We are told that the reason raw is best for our dogs is because ….that is what they ate in the wild. Well, That was meat and bone, most likely. It wasn’t stuff from tubes and packets claiming to be must have dog vitamins or you will have to add 20 more ingredients if you don’t use. What are all these needed ingredients that your so called vitamins replace, and how did our dog’s forefathers manage to get these ingredients when they ate raw? I have never taken vitamins in my life, I grew up with the knowledge that the only vitamins your body can absorb comes from food sources. Buying vitamins in bottles (or tubes in this case) is a big waste of money.
Shelby,
The vitamins I incorporate in these dog food recipes are “whole food supplements” not synthetic. I think you are referring to synthetic vitamins. The ingredients in the dinovite supplements are known concentrated sources of many different nutrients. You can buy the different ingredients separately and supply the nutrients yourself. The separate ingredients are on the label in the ingredient list. One example is kelp meal. Kelp meal supplies 60 plus trace minerals. Alfalfa nutrient concentrate is another that supplies many phytonutrients, beta carotene and vitamin K.
How did our dog’s forefathers manage? My guess, is by following herds that covered great distances and ate a super wide variety of vegetation. Quite different from today’s agricultural practices.
Sounds like you have bought into the medical industries mantra that the only thing supplements do is give you expensive urine. Too bad because it is bologna.
There are countless studies on how supplements benefit livestock, you just have to read them. I think one of the earliest was done on pigs with vitamin A. Cattle, horses, pigs, poultry, fish, dogs, cats, you name it you can read studies on the effects of different nutrients and their deficiencies.
Try any of my dog food recipes and see for yourself. The results you will see are undeniable.
Hi Ed,
I was checking to see if I could find a good recipe for my 5 1/2 year Yorkshire Terrier who has problem with her liver and pancreas. First her vet suggested to feed her low protein diet due to liver problem. Then she had pancreatitis, so now she is suggested to have low protein and low fat diet. She had another pancreatitis symptom few weeks ago, so I started to feed her home made food, but periodically she still vomits and has loose stool, so I need to improve my home made food for her. I was checking your site and I would like to try your recipe, but I wanted to get your opinion about her need:low protein and low fat diet. What should I alter your suggested recipe in order to fit my dog’s condition? Thank you so much for your time and knowledge to help me and help my dog.
Fuyu,
You could try the chicken and rice dog food recipe but strain of the excess chicken fat. Add some organic coconut oil because it does nut aggravate the pancreas. The Supromega fish oil also helps the pancreas.
My dog was just diagnose with laryngeal paralysis. He just went through the surgery and now he can only eat can food which I have to make into a meatball the size of a quarter. What is the best to make him?
Yvonne,
Try the easy raw or cooked dog food recipe. I would recommend blending the eggs in the blender to pulverize the egg shells.
can the dog get saminella? or any other diseases from the raw chicken? and raw rice or cooked rice?
Kristal,
Dogs actually have salmonella in their systems naturally. Dogs are scavengers by design and have very strong stomach acids that keep them from getting sick with germs on food.
Hey, is it okay for a dog to consume chicken bones? I’ve heard that they can splinter and lead to choking.
Blake,
Dogs do fine on raw chicken bones.
Hi Ed,
First of all thank you for all of your posts. I have been researching switching my 6 year old Chihuahua mix from Blue Buffalo to a homemade dog food and found your site most helpful. Diesel has been on prednisone going on 5 years now due to him having Masticatory Muscle Myositis and recently we’ve had to up his dose. In any efforts to do what I can to help his situation I would like to start him on homemade cooked food and hopefully ease into raw. Do you foresee any dangers of feeding raw with his condition? Also, when going from cooked to raw is it still standard to do the 24 hr fast you suggest? Thank you again.
Bobbi,
Dogs do well on raw dog food, I don’t see an issue. Switching between cooked and raw homemade dog food does not require the fast.
Ed, I have two chihuahuas that I have been trying to switch over to a raw diet. They love chicken but they are getting a little bored. So, I tried feeding a frozen beef commercially made raw food, and one of my Chis became very sick with an allergic reaction. Do you find some dogs are allergic to beef? My vet said this was a pretty severe reaction and to not try beef again with this particular Chi. Can I try other meats? This commercially made raw food was made in my local area and sold at a small business pet store. I talked extensively with her and she was surprised to hear of his allergy to beef. I want to keep feeding them raw and will use your chicken and rice recipe when I receive the supplements in the mail.
Teri,
I think you will like feeding the chicken and rice dog food recipe. There may have been an additive in the commercial diet that your dog had a reaction to and it may not have been the beef.
Hello,
I looked around on your website, and I couldn’t find any venison recipes. Do you have any, and if you don’t, is there a reason?
Thanks
Magen,
Venison is fine and you could substitute it for beef.
Hi, I went on Dinovite website, but they do not have the little squeezable tubes you used in your video. What do you suggest I use for her she is a 10lb Pomeranian.
Mariya,
I would use the Dinovite powder instead. It is easy to use and works great.
So glad I found this site. I have a rescued shepherd mix that seems healthy overall and doesn’t have a problem accepting any kind of dry food that I give him, however I’m so confused by the ingredients. I buy him expensive brands like Blue Buffalo or Nutro Natural Choice. These brands are all on a an anti-filler kick, which is mainly against corn and grains. But the anti-filler alternatives have whole grain brown rice or potatoes instead. Correct my if I’m wrong, but corn is a starch. potato is a starch. whats the difference between the two? But apparently corn is a ‘bad filler’ and potatoes and rice are healthy for dogs. The expensive food I bought also includes beets, blueberries, etc. Do dogs even eat fruit?? I dont want to assume it’s not good for them simply because they dont get it in the wild, but it also seems to me that these dog foods are catering to the humans buying the food, not the health of the dog. I asked a blue buffalo representative about the ingredients and he wasnt able to answer any questions, only tell me that blueberries are great for kidneys, potatoes are as good for dogs as they are for humans, brown rice is very nutritious, you want to feed your dog the best. what?? Can you tell me how we KNOW what’s good for dogs and what’s bad for dogs? Are there studies?
Randi,
Your questions are beyond the scope of this page. Try one of the dog food recipes on this site and see how well your dog does. He will love you for it.
Hello,
I have a 9 year old Coton who I’ve been feeding California Natural dog food. I’ve recently switched to a grain free version as I have read in many places that grains are not good for canines (not part of their native diet in the wild). Can you elaborate on why the use of rice in your recipes? My dog also has a tendency to eat very fast and then vomit up his food before its digested (often still in whole pieces of kibble). Because of this, I am considering making his own food. Look forward to your thoughts in these.
Hillary,
The inclusion of rice in some of the recipes is there to reduce the cost of the recipe and to ease the transition from kibble to homemade dog food. You can simple omit it if you like or swap out sweet potato for the rice. You will be pleased with feeding homemade dog food and your dog will thank you.
Hi Ed!
We’ve had our 2 newly-adopted Pekingese doggies (age 3 and 4) for 10 days now and they are doing great! I started cooking for them right away (chicken and rice) when I realized that they were not too keen on the Science Diet they came with…nor the Kibbles and Bits I sprinkled on top … (not to mention all the recalls and bad press lately). A few days later I discovered your website — have read almost everything— and ordered the Dinovite liquid, Supramega, LickOChops, Essential Oils shampoo, and some freeze dried beef treats last weekend! In the meantime, I have added the boiled eggs with shells to the Chicken and Rice, and finished making a batch of the chicken bone gravy early this morning. We have done very well with feeding homemade, except last night “somebody” had a little upset on one of the rugs in the bathroom. It seems Hubby bought them some “treats” yesterday, and no telling how many he gave them (no…he didn’t fully understand why I was feeding homemade, and plus he loves to give treats, so thank goodness I had already ordered some from you!)
I am so excited about receiving the supplements soon, and can’t wait to bathe them in the shampoo!
I might add that the little boy came with straw-like hair, and it is already starting to look better just being on a better diet! I knew they would need “vitamins”, and am so thankful that I found your site! Thanks so much and I’ll keep you posted!
You are welcome.
Hi Ed,
I’m interested in the cooked homemade dog food recipe that you have on your site however I have a chihuahua who just went through a vomiting/diarrhea episode which ended with her at the emergency vet with very low glucose levels from lack of eating. My question is if I start her on this diet, can the introductory period be adjusted as I am fearful that she might get sick again from lack of eating? I’m trying to get her on a new food plan since she is seemingly fed up with her grain-free kibble (and the one before that!).
Thanks for your advice,
Tina Clark
Tina,
You can fast her for eight hours and start off slow to give her body time to adjust.
Hi Ed!
I received my supplements order yesterday and am so pleased! Gave each dog a little of all three (Dinovite, Supermega and Lickochops) mixed in their chicken, rice and egg w/shells mixture for dinner. The little girl ate it right away but the little boy was a bit hesitant and had to “think about it” for awhile (which surprised me…I would have thought it would have been vice versa as he is the bigger eater!) He did eventually eat it all after I put another spoonfull of the plain chicken rice on top.
So, this morning I tried another of your suggestions: putting the supplements in the bottom of the bowls and topping with their food. I believe I will go back to the mixing-it-in method, as I forgot he has a tendency to want to finish whatever little bit she has left in her bowl (so he’ll get ALL the supplements LOL!) and they both left some in the bottom today.
I will just take it gradually with adding the supplements and I am sure they will be fine with them!
And this weekend I plan to try out the Essential Oils shampoo!
Thanks so much for everything!
Hi Ed,
I purchased the dinvoite powder, super omega, and shampoo for my 6 yr old 80 lb pitbull with severe allergies and she started it 3/21/13. Since starting the supplement she has had zero energy and seems sick. Your staff assured me that she is simply detoxing and should feel better soon. I am patiently waiting for her system to rebuild as she has been on steroids, antibiotics and allergy shots for 2 yrs. My husband does not want to feed her the raw beef recipe on your website because of the cost, so I am exploring a few low cost options. Here is my question:
-If I feed her raw whole chicken legs with boiled sweet potatoes and pinto beans (suggested by my vet) mixed with your supplements would she be getting the nutrients she needs?
Also, she is allergic to eggs.
Kaleigh,
It sounds like your dog has been through the wringer, steroids, antibiotics and allergy shots for 2 years, wow!
I can say your dog’s immune system is in bad shape. I would suggest the yeast starvation dog food recipe on this site or a slightly modified one. You can substitute chicken leg/thigh quarters with the bone for the beef. The eggs are nutritious but you say your dog is allergic to them.
How allergic to eggs is your dog? Has she been tested positive for an allergy to eggs? If it is mild you may want to try and introduce the eggs down the road.
I would not add any carbohydrates for at least 6 months. The lack of carbohydrates will starve out the yeast and change your dog’s body chemistry to one that is hostile to the yeast. Also buy some Bragg’s apple cider vinegar and add a tablespoon daily to his food. This vinegar still has the live component called the mother and will help the whole process.
Thank you so much for responding!My vet tested her and she had a low positive on eggs, soybeans, venison, and carrots. She was a high positive for milk. I will definitely add the apple cider vinegar to her food. I can already tell she has improved, seeing as I bathed her tonight and she barely shed at all. I will begin the yeast starvation diet with chicken, ASAP! When would you suggest adding in the eggs? I want to make sure she gets plenty on protein.
Kaleigh,
Some dogs will eat the Dinovite out of the bowl when mixed with a little Lickochops or Supromega.
I don’t have a meat grinder. I assume I could feed her whole chicken thighs and just mix the dinovite, super omega, and vinegar with the eggs. If I can’t use the sweet potatoes (because of the yeast) then I need to mix the add ins with something.
Hi Ed,
I have a Pit Bull mix that has become overweight over the past few years as I have battled illness. He has suffered from illness from the day I found him I the sidewalk dying from parvo. He has allergies, hypothyroidism and has suffered seizures due to low blood sugar. I have tried everything possible to lower his weight but we seem to Yo-Yo. After trying every helth food on the market I have decided to start making his food. I know I need to go grain free, we are a gluten free household. Harley needs low protein, lots of fruits and vegetables and no grains. I will be adding chicken and lamb. As this will be the first time for me in making his food I want to make sure I get the proper measurements and supplements included in his food. My ingredients for his first batch are, chicken, carrots, green beans, grean peas, blue berries, pumpkin and eggs. Can you help with a recipe?
Katie,
Try feeding the “yeast starvation dog food recipe“. This recipe helps dogs shed unwanted fat.
My dog is staying at the kennel for a week. Can I add dinovite and lick0chops to her food ahead of time?
Doug,
Yes, you can mix it in ahead of time.
I am concerned that most rice is now GMO. Do you use organic rice or have you ever used oatmeal instead?
Ann,
You can use oatmeal, potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Hi,
My dog is suffering ( and so are we) with her incessant itching, scratching and chewing…
I’ve started her on the raw food diet ( ground beef, dinovite, eggs) and I try to keep the rice out.
I’m concerned she has allergies to rice. What is a good substitute for the rice.
And I’m wondering how long I should keep this up…? We are 2 weeks into the change and she is still developing itchy, scabby spots all over her body.
Carol,
Try adding some of the Supromega fish oil, the additional omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E can help your dogs itchy skin. Plan on feeding indefinitely. You should start to see results in 90 days.
If I am feeding my dogs the cooked chicken & rice diet, can I occasionally give a raw or cooked chicken leg to them (to kind of break up the monotony or as a treat)? Is there a preference to feeding the legs raw or cooked? also, do you yet have a treat recipe that is homemade? or chicken based?
Thanks for your help!
I would offer a raw chicken leg.
Hi Ed!
Have a 3 year old, 57 lb german shorthaired pointer and he means the world to me. Currently using blue buffalo wilderness dog food and not hearing the best of things. Also, I believe he has developed an allergy to it. I stumbled upon your website and I’am very interested in what you have to offer. I believe I will be following the hard broiled egg, beef (raw and cooked) and white rice recipe. What are the portion sizes? Any other things to follow?
Hello,
I am new to home made dog food. I have a 5 month old chocolate lab who I am starting to believe may just not have the stomach for commercial food. For starters he seems to get really itchy off and on, has gotten an upper respiratory infection and yeast infection in his ears, All of which he has been on antibiotics for each time. That makes 5 times he has been on some sort of antibiotic since I got him at 9 weeks old, one of which he had to be hospitalized for two days. This last time he tested positive for coccidia which I know causes diarrhea, but had never In the past tested positive for any parasites. He has been on a chicken and rice diet for the last 7 days and after 5 I tried to add just a little of his dry food 1/4 cup (merricks grain free buffalo) back to his diet and immediately got diarrhea again. So needless to say we are back to the chicken and rice or ground beef and rice. Sorry for the rant… but my question is which one of the recipes do you suggest I start him with first? Is any one better than another for sensitive stomachs? Thank you so much for your time and help.
Start off with the easy raw recipe it is easy to make and will get you off on the right foot.
Question? When I was growing up. My dad always said; “Never give a dog raw meat because it would make the dog mean.” So, how can you feed a dog raw meat, without making them mean?
Mary,
This is an old wife’s tale or in your case “an old dad’s” tale. Feeding raw meat will help them get healthy not mean, no worries.
I have a 7 yr old St Bernard short hair, she has always been thin, but recently she started loosing weight, the vet took xrays and found that her stomach was full of gas. he said that he thought that she had gastronomical problems. he started her on id prescription food, and b12 shots weekly its been about 3 weeks and she has gained about 2 lbs. would it be wise to start her on the chicken dog food now or wait till shes gained some more weight.
Sharon
Sharon,
Feeding a raw diet is the most natural, so I think it would be best at any time.
My dog vomits or regurgitates completely undigested food. He has been on canned food for over 4 months since the vet said it would be easier on his stomach — but then I read somewhere that the canned food might be too rich? So, I am going to do your Easy Raw Food Diet. But, I am also wondering if I can exclusively feed the Easy Raw Food Diet with hamburger or if I am supposed to do it sometimes with chicken? Foods we have tried unsuccessfully include Blue and Avoderm. Oh — I have also been adding pumpkin to my dog’s food — 1/3 cup since the vet did x-rays and said he was constipated “from one end to the other”. This last time with Avoderm he went 8 days without vomiting. I have fasted him and started him on just kefir and a raw egg with colostrum supplement and Primal Defense Ultra. He also eats grass ALL THE TIME — even looks for it in winter — so I got this stuff that is supposed to replace the stomach contents of a prey animal — Gastro ULC. Please help! Thanks in advance!
~Rhea
I would try the easy raw dog food recipe and see how he does, he may be fine, most dogs do quite well eating this diet.
Also — do you have any idea how much this comes out to per cup? I am trying to compare the cost to canned food. My pup is worth the world to me but money is a concern, of course. The canned food we have been getting is about 2 dollars a can plus now supplements we would continue like the Dinovite, etc. I haven’t made the Easy Raw Dog Food yet and I can’t quite estimate how much it will make in cups. Right now Jack was eating two cans per day — he weighs 55 pounds (black lab mix). If you state the amount in your recipe please forgive me asking again!
I’ve not figured out how much per cup, sorry.
Hi Ed,
Easy recipe! Love it. I have a puggle who weighs 50 lbs. She’s quite a little heffer. I want her to be on a raw diet for her weight and her allergies. Do I just limit the quantity I feed her or do I not add rice and add veggies such as squash, carrots, sweet potato? Because everybody in the house takes turn feeding her I know that they are overfeeding. So I am taking charge of her feeding and exercise. I want her to lose weight. The vet said she should only weigh like around 20 lbs.
Yes, I would eliminate the carbs to help her lose weight and start using portion control. Let us know how she does.
Hi Ed –
Do you only feed chicken or beef to your pets? Are there other meats that you recommend. I was thinking of doing a rotational diet.
Thanks!
I do chicken, beef and venison on rare occasions. Other meat sources are fine. Pork is also a good choice.
Hi, I’m just getting ready to thaw the meat I will use to make dog food. We just had our cow butchered and I saved the organs, including the tongue and heart. I’m a little unsure about using them raw. What would you do?
They should be fine raw.
Further to the above question.
I read on this site that you shouldn’t mix pellets with the raw food.
Does this mean in one meal combined or can I alternate meals between pellets and a raw meal.
The pellets she eats are from Accana – https://www.acana.com/en-US/homepage which I would still like to feed my baby.
I would like to hear your thoughts on this.
Just some side info. She has been on a raw diet for quite some time that I buy pre packed but all of a sudden she has started to dislike it and does not eat so keenly. This recipe seems to be a lot nicer so I thought would give it a try. In the mean time I bought the Acana pellets which she does seem to like.
I don’t recommend switching back and forth between raw and kibble because it leads to digestive upset, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
Hi Ed, do you have a good recipe for dogs with anal gland problems? Perhaps one higher in fibre?
I’ve not seen any anal gland problems while feeding these diets.