Top 3 Healthy Recipes for Homemade Dog Food (And One Dessert)

Our dogs have different nutritional needs at different stages of life.

Vets explain, and science shows how crucial it is to adjust your dog's diet based on his age.

You can easily do this simply by picking age-based dog food formulas, but if you want to know exactly what goes into your pet's bowl, there's no better way than using healthy recipes for homemade dog food to cook for the dog.

Life stages are important to pay attention to.

As puppies, canines need calcium and vitamin D for their growing bones.

As seniors, they have lower protein needs. Adults are the easiest to accommodate.

If you're into cooking for your Fido, here are 3 healthy recipes for homemade dog food for each stage of life, plus one dessert tailor-made for your pet.

MORE FREE RECIPES: Homemade Dog Food Recipe Videos

Puppy homemade dog food recipe

Healthy Recipes for Homemade Dog Food

Young Puppies

High in protein, balanced, healthy recipes for homemade dog food like the one below are particularly useful for a growing puppy.

When completed, you'll have small bites — perfect for your little pup's mouth to consume.

The below recipe will make about 40 servings depending on the size, breed, and appetite of your fur-ball.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Pounds Beef Trimmings
  • 4 Medium Eggs – With Shells
  • 4 Medium Carrots
  • 1 Pound Brown Rice
  • 1 ½ Quarts of Water

Supplies:

  • Food Processor/Blender/Stick Mixer
  • Cutting Board
  • Knife
  • 4 Quart Saucepan
  • Freezer Bags
  • Measuring Cup

Directions:

  • Place thawed meat in a saucepan. Pour in the water. Cook fully (about 20 minutes).
  • Chop carrots (leave peels on).
  • Remove the meat from the water to cool.
  • Add rice and carrots to the water and boil. Cook until carrots are tender.
  • When the cooked meat has had time to cool, cut it into chunks and grind it up in the food processor. Make several small batches so the ground is even.
  • On your last batch of meat, add the 4 eggs and ground that in as well.
  • Use a mixer to chop the rice and carrots while still in the pan.
  • Add the chopped beef/egg mixture to the pan.
  • Mix well.
  • When cool, form baseball size clumps, put in freezer bags, label with item and date and freeze.
  • 1 clump is usually 2 meals.

For variety, you can make other batches of similar healthy recipes for homemade dog food adjusted for puppies only using different vegetables and/or different meats (but similar amounts).

ANOTHER RECIPE: Homemade Dog Food for Puppies

Adult dog homemade food recipe

Healthy Adult Dogs

Healthy adult dogs do not need as much protein as a puppy, but they still need more protein than a senior dog.

They are the easiest to accommodate, and most recipes for homemade dog food published on Top Dog Tips are aimed at adult dogs.

Here is yet another recipe that has the perfect balance of nutrients for your four-legged pal.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Pound Lean Ground Turkey
  • ½ Cup Chopped Carrots
  • ½ Cup of Peas
  • ½ Cup of Oats
  • 2 Eggs – Beaten With Shells
  • 3 Hard-Boiled Eggs – Remove Shells
  • Olive Oil

Supplies:

  • Knife and Cutting Board
  • Food Chopper/Processor
  • 2 Quart Saucepan
  • Loaf Pan
  • Measuring Cup
  • Blending Spoon or Mixer
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Freezer Bags

Directions:

  • Boil eggs in a 2-quart saucepan.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix chopped carrots, chopped peas, and ground turkey together in a bowl.
  • Add oats and the beaten eggs to the bowl and mix again.
  • Grease loaf pan with olive oil.
  • Pour half of the mixture into your loaf pan.
  • Place the three hard-boiled eggs (shelled) in a row.
  • Pour the rest of the mixture in to cover the eggs and finish filling the loaf pan.
  • Bake for 45 minutes.
  • When cool, cut into 12 slices, place in a freezer bag, label bag, and place in freezer.
  • Makes approximately 12 servings, depending on the size of your dog.

Canines are omnivorous carnivores, and even though their diet consists mostly of meat, they still love (some) vegetables.

Feel free to make different batches with different vegetable combinations to give your fur baby optimal taste and nutrition.

MORE RECIPES: 50 Best Homemade Dog Food Recipes

Senior homemade dog food recipe

Aging Senior Dogs

In the latter stages of life, mammals are no longer growing, and their life cycle is starting to wind down.

At this time, high protein diets are hard on the stomach and kidneys of a senior dog, and most senior dog food brands will be adjusted for this ratio.

Here is a great low-protein soup recipe for your senior dog to try.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Pound Ground Turkey
  • 6 Cups of Water
  • 8 Ounces of Vegetables (can be a frozen blend – Broccoli, Carrot, Cauliflower – or canned with no sodium or additives, or fresh)
  • 2 Cups of Brown Rice

Supplies:

  • 8 Quart Saucepan or Dutch Oven (smaller is fine. Just make sure to evenly divide all ingredients and make more batches)
  • Cutting Board and Knife (if using large-size vegetables)
  • Large Stirring Spoon
  • Measuring Cup
  • Freezer Bags or Containers

Directions:

  • Place the water, rice, and turkey into your pot.
  • Bring to a boil while stirring frequently to avoid clumping.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Chop your vegetables into small bites.
  • Add your vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes. Adjust if you are using fresh vegetables. They need to be soft, so you may need to cook them separately before starting the mixture.
  • Remove from heat and allow cooling before serving.
  • Freeze leftovers in a bag or container. Whichever works best for your ability and storage space.
  • Makes 10 servings for the average dog.

As with the other healthy recipes for homemade dog food, feel free to rotate in other vegetables for variety as long as they're safe for dogs to consume.

Always make sure you steer clear of certain foods dangerous to dogs, some of which may include (a specific amount of) vegetables.

SIMILAR RECIPE: Homemade Food for Senior Dogs

Healthy dessert recipe for homemade dog food

Simple & Healthy Dessert

Don’t forget to make healthy, homemade dog treats for your pet's snack time.

Here is a healthy recipe that is great for fur babies of almost all ages.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Dry Old Fashioned Oats
  • ½ Cup of Creamy Peanut Butter

Supplies:

  • Food Processor or Mixer
  • Rolling Pin
  • Baking Sheet (non-stick)
  • Spoon or Baking Spatula
  • Cookie Cutter (treat amount depends on cutter size)
  • Knife

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Grind oatmeal with a processor or mixer until it is a fine powder.
  • Add peanut butter and mix until doughy.
  • Place dough on a non-stick surface and roll it out to about a ½ to ¾ inch thickness.
  • Cut out treats with the desired cutter. If you don’t want to use a cutter, just cut into 13 or so equal squares.
  • Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown on top.
  • Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
  • Store in a dry, air-tight container for 5 days unrefrigerated or 7-10 days refrigerated.
  • Garnish with a slice of Banana or mix 1 Banana into your dough before rolling out.
  • Makes about 12 servings, depending on the treat size.

Do not use this recipe as part of your dog's regular meals.

These are specifically dog treats to be included in addition to a well-balanced diet and fed to your dog only on occasion.

Your dogs will love eating freshly cooked meals that come from their human's kitchen.

As always, check with your veterinarian before making changes to your pet's diet and using any recipes for homemade dog food that you are not familiar with.

FREE eBOOK: 25 Vet-approved Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Different Health Problems

The 3 Healthy Recipes for Homemade Dog Food (And One Dessert)

Amy Downs
Amy is a writer who lives with her husband and daughter on the United States Gulf Coast. She has a BA in Behavioral Sciences, and volunteered for shelters through various activities, as well as fostering animals. Amy currently has 3 dogs and 5 cats.