Homemade dog food provides your pet with well-rounded nutrition, and it is particularly beneficial for canines with special dietary needs.
Meals like this meatloaf recipe for dogs can cater to your pet's specific nutritional needs. You can make ingredient substitutions based on the advice of your veterinarian or canine nutritionist.
Dogs who are overweight, underweight, suffer with with kidney disease or heart disease and dogs with liver conditions are just a few of the animals who can benefit from homemade meals.
This doggy meatloaf recipe is suitable for most pets, but be sure to discuss any diet changes with your veterinarian in advance – particularly if your dog has a serious health condition.
If not done properly, homemade dog food diets can actually do more harm than good.
Too many nutrients can cause toxicity over time, and a nutritional deficiency could leave Fido with an irreversible health problem.
Meatloaf Recipe for Dogs with Fruits & Veggies
This recipe is not going to provide a nutritionally balanced meal for every dog. In order to meet your dog's needs you may need to add additional supplements or substitute some of the ingredients for a more nutrient dense option.
Meatloaf Recipe for Dogs with Fruits & Veggies
This meatloaf recipe for dogs is made with fruits and vegetables. I use celery, carrots and apples. If these fruits and veggies aren't available in your region, you can use any dog-friendly produce as a substitute. Blueberries, green beans, bananas, squash or peas would all be great substitutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 80 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: about 6 cups of food 1x
- Category: Cooked Food
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Dog Food
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb. lean ground beef
- 3 celery stalks (chopped)
- 2 large carrots (chopped)
- 1 apple (cored and chopped)
- 2 eggs
- 2 slices of white bread (chopped)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup wheat germ
- 6 oz. tomato paste
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350˚F.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients. You're going to need to get your hands dirty for this one. Just add all of the ingredients to the bowl and use your hands to mix it all together.
Once all of your ingredients are thoroughly combined, press the mixture into a loaf pan. Bake in your 350° oven for about 80 minutes.
You'll notice that the loaf turns a golden brown color on the top when it's thoroughly cooked. You could also use a meat thermometer to ensure that it's cooked to the proper temperature, depending on the protein source that you used (ground beef, ground chicken, ground turkey, etc…).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 209
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 84 mg
- Fat: 5.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.7 g
- Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 22.7 g
- Cholesterol: 78 mg
Keep in mind that the nutrition information above is calculated on the basis that you use the same protein source, fruits and vegetables that I used. If you substitute different ingredients, you'll have to use an online recipe calculator to get accurate nutrition information.
How much to feed: I recommend feeding about 1/2 cup of this meatloaf recipe for dogs for every 20 pounds of body weight. This recommendation is for 2 servings per day. This is just a guideline. Lazier pets and senior dogs may not need as many. It is extremely important to consult your veterinarian about the best serving size for your dog.
How to store: You can store the leftover food in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze them and they’ll keep for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that this recipe includes no preservatives, so it won't last nearly as long as commercial dog food.
For More Information
We publish many homemade dog food and treats recipes every month. For more recipes, pet food cooking tips and advice, see our “Recipes” section. If you're new to home cooked dog food subject, I recommend you read more about “How Much To Feed” to understand serving sizes, “What Supplements To Use” to create well-balanced meals, and “How To Store” for tips on simple and easy homemade dog food storing in a fridge or a freezer.
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