Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipes

According to some veterinarians, dogs should eat a balanced diet that includes more than just proteins. Based on physiology, veterinarians will tell you that dogs, unlike cats, are not true carnivores. As such, a healthy, homemade diet includes carbohydrates along with proteins. While there is some controversy over whether a dog needs (or should) eat grains, evidence shows that dogs can digest 100 percent of cooked grains.

  1. For Something Simple

    • Cook brown rice as a base. Add to this some cooked peas and carrots, like those you can get premixed. Frozen vegetables are generally preferable over canned ones. For protein, top this off with cooked, ground turkey meat, or chicken or beef. You can find canned, ready-to-serve chicken and turkey (much like canned tuna). Simply heat it up. Of course, you can also take the chicken or turkey meat directly off the cooked bird, in which case you should use only the meat, peeling off any skin.

    Chicken and Sardines

    • Determine the amount of each ingredient based on the size of your dog. Start with cooked elbow macaroni. Add to this some cooked poultry meat (skinless and cut into bite-sized portions) and a couple of tablespoons of canned sardines in tomato sauce. You might add in a tablespoon of canola oil. If desired, crush and add in a few bone meal tablets (no more than 4) and even a multi-vitamin tablet (crushed up).

    Beef, Eggs and Clams

    • This homemade dog food recipe is a protein-rich one. It starts with cooked, lean ground beef. Add to this half of a hard-boiled egg and 1/2-ounce of clams. As with any meal, you can add in crushed bone meal tablets and a multi-vitamin. Because this is so protein rich, you can also opt to serve it over rice or macaroni.

    Mac and Cheese Muffins

    • Note that some dogs are lactose intolerant, so this recipe may or may not be one your dog can eat. However, many dogs enjoy meals with cheese. Start with a cup of four-cheese sauce. Mix in 1/4-lb. of a mild sausage (cooked and cut into small chunks). Add to this 2 cups of cooked elbow macaroni. Once mixed together, put into muffin cups and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. This dog food recipe makes about a dozen mac and cheese muffins.