I found it kind of difficult to write the title for this article. The term basic homemade dog food recipe is an oxymoron. There is nothing basic or simple about homemade dog food. In fact, feeding a homemade diet will be the most difficult thing that you have to do when it comes to the daily care of your canine companion.
Finding the recipes is the easy part. But, does the recipe offer the nutrients your dog needs? Does it offer a balanced diet or will you need to use multiple recipes to give your dog the nutrients his body requires?
Is the recipe that you've found even healthy for dogs?
Just because someone posts a recipe on their blog and tells you that it's been recommended by a veterinarian does not mean that a recipe is going to be a good choice for your pet. For starters, they could be making the entire thing up. However, let's say that the blogger is honest (which hopefully all bloggers are).
Just because a veterinarian has recommended a recipe for one dog does not mean that they would recommend it for every dog. Every dog has his own unique nutritional requirements. Even dogs of the same age, sex and breed still have different needs, because their overall health and well-being is different.
Some dogs are overweight, while others could stand to gain a few pounds. Dogs in different stages of life need different nutrition. Dogs also have individual nutritional needs based on their activity level. For example, a dog that stays indoors all day while his owner is away at work will not burn nearly as many calories as a working dog that is on the move all day long.
Where does your dog fit in?
That's a question that only a trained professional can answer. The recommended serving size for this meal is about 1/2 cup per 20-25 pounds of weight per day. Ideally, this should be split into two portions (one in the morning and one in the evening). For example, if your dog weighs 80 pounds, he would need to eat about 2 cups of food per day split into at least 2 meals.
However, before feeding your dog this basic homemade dog food recipe or any other homemade diet, it's important to check with your veterinarian or a trained canine nutritionist. These experts can examine your dog, ask a few questions about his lifestyle, and then recommend the appropriate diet that will meet his nutritional needs without giving too many extra calories or leaving out any necessary vitamins and minerals.
MORE RECIPES HERE: Homemade Dog Food & Treats Recipes
Basic Homemade Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. fish oil
- 1 cup of ground meat (I used turkey, but you can use any protein source that your pet enjoys)
- 1/2 cup of chicken liver (you could also use beef liver)
- 1/2 cup cooked rice
- 1/2 cup cooked (or canned) dog-friendly vegetables
- 1 hard boiled egg WITH shell
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
Directions
If you don't use canned vegetables, you'll need to prepare them in advance before making the rest of this basic homemade dog food recipe.
Add the fish oil to a skillet, and cook the ground meat and liver on medium heat. When the meat is about 3/4 of the way finished cooking, add the rice, vegetables and hard boiled egg to the mixture. I mash the egg before adding it to the skillet, as it makes it easier to stir into the mixture.
Allow the meat to finish cooking, and then you can serve this basic homemade dog food recipe to your pet – once it's cooled, of course. You can store leftovers in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 5-7 days. You can also prepare this recipe in advance, and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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