There are lots of benefits to making homemade dog food. By far, the best thing about it is being able to cater every meal and snack to your dog's individual nutritional needs. This best homemade dog food recipe is one of my favorites because it's safe, healthy and easy to make.
As I explain in my video guide, this is not a 100% nutritionally balanced recipe. You can either use it as a topper for your dog's commercial diet or use it alongside other recipes to give your pet the proper nutrition that his body needs.
When you make the switch to homemade dog food, it's imperative that you work with your veterinarian or a trained canine nutritionist to create the right diet. Based on your dog's breed, size, weight, activity level and overall health condition, the trained professional that you work with will be able to tell you the percentage of protein, carbohydrates, fat and other nutrients that should be in your pup's daily diet.
The serving size for this recipe is 1 cup for every 25 pounds that your dog weighs. It should be split into at least two meals.
MORE RECIPES HERE: Homemade Dog Food & Treats Recipes
Best Homemade Dog Food Recipe with Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of boneless chicken
- 1/2 cup brown rice
- 1 cup macaroni
- 1 large carrot (chopped)
- 2 stalks of celery (chopped)
- 1 tbsp. chicken gravy mix
- 5 cups of water
Directions
Brown the chicken breast in a pan using a small amount of oil so it doesn't stick. I like to use coconut oil because it has many health benefits for dogs. Coconut oil aids in digestion, strengthens the immune system and aids in skin and coat health. However, if you don't have coconut oil on hand you can use any type of cooking oil.
In 2 cups of water, cook the rice and macaroni together until tender. Shred the chicken and put it in a medium-sized saucepan. Add 3 cups of water and the chopped vegetables.
As I mention in my video guide, chop the vegetables into pieces that are appropriately sized for your dog. I left mine about the size of a quarter because I have a Labrador Retriever. If you have a teacup or small breed, you can use a food processor to chop the chicken and vegetables into smaller pieces.
Boil the chicken and vegetables for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the macaroni and rice mixture. Add the chicken broth mix and stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil and then let this best homemade dog food recipe simmer for another 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
As soon as the dog food has cooled, you can feed it to your pup. Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the food in an airtight container for up to 2 months.