Yummy! This dog food recipe looks good enough to eat. In fact, I've tried it! This is a safe and healthy recipe that is made with human-grade ingredients. The delicious aroma of this Beef and Barley Stew for dogs won't just entice your pup, you may decide to save a bowl for yourself!
Homemade dog food takes longer to prepare than commercial diets, but its advantages easily outweigh its drawbacks. When making homemade dog food, you can use the best quality ingredients that you can afford. You can make organic, all-natural dog food, and your pet will prefer it over commercial kibbles.
Many commercial diets are made with artificial ingredients, fillers and other junk that does more harm to your pet's body than good. As I'm sure you already know, the top-quality commercial grade dog foods that are made with all-natural and organic ingredients are very pricey.
You can save yourself some money and provide your dog with a high quality diet by making his food in your own kitchen. Oftentimes you can purchase fresh ingredients from your local farmer's market. You may also be able to use food that you grow in your own garden!
Home Cooked Beef and Barley Stew for Dogs
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. stew beef
- 1 lb. pearl barley
- 2 lb. chopped sweet potatoes
- 2 lb. chopped carrots
- 1/2 bunch of celery (chopped)
- 2 quarts water
Instructions
Crock pot recipes are ideal for pet owners who don't have a lot of extra time to cook for their pet. These recipes require little prep work, and you don't have to tend to the meal while it's cooking.
This homemade dog food recipe calls for beef as the protein source, but the best thing about making your own food is that you can substitute any protein source you want. If your dog prefers chicken, venison or bison, you can add that instead.
You can also substitute different vegetables. When I'm planning which homemade dog food recipe I'm going to make, I try to choose fruits and vegetables that are in season. They're cheaper and easier to find at most local markets.
Add the beef, sweet potatoes, carrots and celery to your slow cooker. Cook the ingredients on low for 4 hours. Next, add the barley and cook on low for 1 more hour. Once the beef and barley stew has cooled, you can feed it to your pooch.
The recommended serving size for this recipe is about 1/2 cup for every 20-25 pounds of body weight per serving. This recommendation is for 2 servings per day. So, a 20-pound dog would eat 1/2 cup of food in the morning and 1/2 cup in the afternoon.
Keep in mind that more active dogs may require more calories every day, while lazier pups might not need as many. You can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze them and they’ll keep for about 3 months.
READ NEXT: My Top 10 Most Common Homemade Dog Food Ingredients
