Making homemade dog food has a lot of benefits, the most important being that it is healthier for your canine companion. You won't need to try to decipher a laundry list of ingredients, and you won't have to worry about the quality of those ingredients.
Unfortunately, making homemade dog food takes a lot longer than just scooping out some dry kibble or opening a can of wet food. If you plan ahead, you can make a lot of dog food in advance. You can keep it in the refrigerator for about 5 days, and you could make extra to freeze and serve on the days that you don't have time to cook.
This recipe uses chicken and rice. As I mention in my video instructions, you can substitute another protein source of your choosing. You can also use oats instead of rice.
My favorite thing about making my own dog food is that you can cater it to your dog's needs and wants. If he has a favorite flavor, you can incorporate it in your recipes. If he has special dietary needs, you can incorporate those too!
MORE IDEAS & VIDEOS: Homemade Dog Food & Dog Treats Recipes
Chicken and Rice Homemade Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 boiled eggs (chopped)
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- 1 1/2 cups puréed vegetables (Make sure they are dog-friendly. I used carrots, green beans and sweet potato)
Directions
First, you'll need to boil the two eggs. If you've never boiled eggs before, simply place the two eggs in a small pot of boiling water and allow them to cook for about 8 minutes. Let the eggs cool and then peel off the shells.
Chop the eggs into small pieces. As I mention in my video, they don't need to be finely chopped. Bite-sized pieces will do.
Once your eggs are ready, you can begin to cook the chicken and rice. I use a large pot to cook the chicken, as it saves a frying pan and means less dishes that I have to wash. You can use a frying pan if you want and then transfer the chicken into a large pot when it's cooked.
ANOTHER RECIPE: Beef and Rice Crock Pot Dog Food Recipe
In a large saucepan, add the olive oil and the ground chicken. Cook the chicken fully. In a small saucepan, add water and cook the brown rice according to the instructions on the box.
When the chicken and rice are both completely cooked, add the rice and the rest of the ingredients to the large saucepan. Thoroughly mix the dog food.
If you're wondering why there are jars of baby food in the picture above, it's because I use puréed vegetable baby food. I don't have a food processor, so it's easier to just buy the veggies already puréed.
If you buy puréed vegetables, make sure to read the ingredients list. The only thing you should see on the list is the name of the vegetable.
You can store this food in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. If you'd like to make a larger batch, you can store it in the freezer in an airtight container or bag until you're ready to serve it.
As you can see, this food doesn't look exceptionally appealing, but I promise your pooch will love it. Our girls devour this food, especially our boxer Chloe who really loves chicken!
