Instructions
Research your dog's daily requirements. A Science-Based Guide for Pet Owners offers information on the daily caloric, mineral and vitamin needs based on a 33 lb. dog. You may need to make some calculations to determine the correct amount for your own dog based on its weight. Consider whether your dog is sedentary, obese, underweight, active, very active or has any health issues as this will shape how many calories, the amount of fat and protein that should be in your dog's diet. An average healthy adult dog should have 18 percent to 20 percent protein and 9 percent to 15 percent fat. Keep in mind the ratio of calcium to phosphorous, which should be 2 to 1, as well as sodium to potassium, which should be between 27 to 1 and 40 to 1.
Select foods for protein, fat and carbohydrates. There are a variety of meats, starches, fruits, vegetables and dairy that you can include in your dog's diet. Choose from beef, chicken, turkey, hamburger, liver, gizzards, hearts and even fish such as salmon, haddock, tuna or scrod. Liver and salmon should not be included more than twice a week as they are packed with nutrients and too much can have adverse effects. Meat should be lean cuts unless your dog needs to put on weight. Include starches like rice, potato, pasta or whole grain bread. Stay away from processed or flavored rice or pasta. Vegetables healthy for a dog are carrots, broccoli, spinach, pumpkin, green beans, celery or cabbage. Provide fruit such as apples, bananas or pears. Pick dairy items like yogurt, cottage cheese or eggs to help round out the diet. Yogurt and cottage cheese should be low fat or fat-free.
Design a menu that encompasses a variety of foods for your dog to eat. Figure out the amount of each food that is compatible with your dog's daily requirements. Start with the calorie intake your dog needs. Depending on your dog's energy level and exercise, its diet should consist of mostly meat, then carbohydrates, vegetables, fruit and other items such as dairy. A 65 lb. active dog should have about 1,750 calories a day. An example of a well-balanced menu for this dog includes 2 cups of meat, 1 cup of starches, 1 cup of vegetables, 1 egg with shell, 2 tbsp. of cottage cheese, 2 tbsp. of yogurt, 1 apple and 1 banana.
Feed your dog its main source of food two or three times a day. Cook the meat by boiling or baking, adding a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the water if desired. Both eggs and olive oil contribute to the health of your dog's skin and coat. Fresh or frozen vegetables do not need to be cooked but frozen vegetables should be thawed. Cook rice and pasta according to package directions but refrain from adding any salt to the water. Cook eggs either by scrambling or boiling. For a 65 lb. dog, a morning meal could consist of 1 cup of chicken, 1/2 cup of rice, 1/2 cup of green beans, 1 boiled egg with crushed shell and 2 tbsp. of cottage cheese mixed together and heated to room temperature or slightly warm. Dinner could be 1 cup of chicken gizzards, 1/2 cup of spinach and 1/2 cup of rice. Give an apple as an afternoon snack and a mashed banana with 2 tbsp. of yogurt for a nighttime snack.
How to Make Homemade Dog Food & the Amount to Feed
There are many dog owners who wish to feed their pet an all-natural diet. But it's not as simple as just feeding Fido what we eat. A dog's daily requirements differ greatly from a human's. There are many foods dogs can eat and some that are lethal. Whether raw or cooked, the list of foods your dog can have holds a variety of nutrients, textures, colors and taste. Because not one dog is the same as the next, its diet should be catered to its individual needs.