The Best Homemade Foods for a Dog That Won't Eat

When a dog won't eat, there is usually a good reason. First and foremost, determine the reason the dog is not eating. If the dog has normally been eating a particular food and has suddenly stopped, there may be something more serious going on than a finicky dog. Anytime a dog quits eating for more than one meal, he should be taken to the vet. If this situation crops up regularly and you know your dog is healthy and just finicky, then a few homemade recipes may clear up his eating problem.

  1. Basics of Homemade Dog Food

    • According to many veterinarians, dogs are not true carnivores and require carbohydrates along with proteins in their diet. An all protein diet can be hard on their kidneys. In general, many recipes you would fix for yourself can be fixed for a dog. Simply use a little common sense and avoid fixing them foods with sugar, potatoes or heavy sauces. Good, simple carbohydrates to add into their diet include brown rice and macaroni. The best homemade food for your dog will be very much like a simple meal you would eat.

    Simple Meal

    • Cook brown rice and mix in a tablespoon (or two) of peas and carrots. Use the frozen peas and carrots mix. The actual amount of rice and meat depends on the size of your dog. Add to this any cooked meat choice, chicken, turkey, or beef. You can use canned chicken meat, if you like. One night serve up chicken and another serve up beef. You can even use sausage if you choose a mild sausage and cut it into bite-sized pieces.

    Try Raw Foods

    • Ask your veterinarian if he thinks adding in some (and ask how much) raw meat might benefit your dog and possibly entice him to eat. At www.naturesvariety.com you can find their raw frozen diet for dogs. According to their site, raw foods provide for a healthier dog. The diet is 95 percent raw meat and organs with added fruits, vegetables, and ground bone for minerals. Although their foods do not contain grains, you can opt to serve your dog their foods as they come or try serving them on a dish of rice or elbow macaroni. Either way, be forewarned that introducing a raw diet to dogs can be difficult.

    Try Making Meatballs

    • Try making your dog a batch of meatballs. If the recipe makes more than he can eat in one meal, the meatballs can be frozen and served again later. Use two cups of quick rolled oats, mixed with two large eggs and two pounds of ground meat (chicken, turkey or beef). Add in one half cup of grated parmesan cheese, one teaspoon of oregano and one half teaspoon of garlic powder. Roll into meatballs. Cook on an ungreased baking pan for 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.