Home Made Dog Food

Please remember this dog food recipe is NOT intended as a primary source of nutrition for your dog – this is my own recipe.   It is not “scientific” and I am not a Veterinarian or canine nutritionist. 

If you have questions or concerns about this recipe - please follow the advice and recommendations of your Veterinarian.

I have tried countless varieties of canned dog food and never felt entirely satisfied with any one type or brand. I wanted the food to be fresh, not over processed, and to use ingredients I liked without “mystery meat” by-products and unknown animal fats.  I was looking for something that was high in quality, wholesome, economical and easy to mix with kibble and take the place of canned dog food. 

I came across a recipe for making “home made” food on a Greyhound website* and adapted it to what you will read here.  The only equipment required to make this dog food is a crock pot (slow cooker). 

I have found a variation of the original recipe works best for me. I no longer use whole pieces of chicken with bones (I did not feel comfortable with the bones) ** and the skin produced far too much fat.  I now use boneless chicken breast, stew beef, or ground turkey as my base. I avoid lamb since so many dogs have sensitivity to it. I add the quicker cooking ingredients (see below) last.  I can still stew everything in one pot and cooking time is faster when you are not trying to soften those bones!  I have also learned that you must be careful to combine your ingredients in the correct proportions to achieve nutritional balance.  This means:  40% meat, 30% Vegetables, and 30% Starch. 

Using this recipe you could spend (for example) $4 for chicken quarters, $1 on pasta, and $2-3 on frozen veggies.  One “batch” will last for a week or more depending on how much you feed and number of dogs fed. 

My average cost using one cup for each dog fed is about .40 - $1 per day (depending on the ingredients used).  If you typically mix 1/2 can per bowl of kibble in its place use about 1/2 cup of the home made food. 

The food can be stored in disposable plastic storage containers and kept in the fridge.

If you are feeding several dogs or would like to make a larger batch try pouring the stew into a large non-stick muffin tin(s) and freeze.  Once frozen in this way remove from the tins and you will have individual "dog food muffins.”  The frozen muffins hold their shape very well and can be put into giant gallon sized Ziploc freezer bags. When you’re ready to feed just pull out a “muffin”, thaw, add your kibble and along with whatever supplements you like and feed!

The Original Recipe found on the website I have credited at the bottom of this page used whole chicken legs, thighs, and backs, including bones in the following manner:

Fill the crock pot with chicken leg quarters, thighs, necks, drumsticks, or backs to the top of the pot. Pour water over the chicken until completely submerged in water. Turn the pot on LOW and forget about it for 24 hours.  

After 24 hours, you've slow cooked the chicken to the point the bones are soft. You can literally reach in and mush up your own chicken and chicken meal.  Finally, add all additional ingredients to the chicken and continue to cook for another 6-8 hours.   You’re all done! ** (Please see note at bottom of page regarding bones).

What else should you add to the chicken?  Whatever sounds good!  Remember to combine your ingredients using 40% Meat, 30% Vegetables, and 30% Starch to try to achieve the best nutritional balance for your friends.

Pasta (wheat free if you can find it) brown rice, oatmeal or barley are all good starch ingredients to thicken your stew.  A bag of frozen mixed veggies (remembering to avoid onions & corn!) is an easy way to add vegetables.  Also try adding zucchini, frozen spinach, collard greens, celery, sweet potatoes, green beans or even fruit (we like apples).  Chop up some garlic and celery and add a bay leaf to give flavor to the mixture as it cooks. 

Ground beef, ground turkey, and pot roast (a favorite here) are popular additions.  Ground bison is great if you can find it and have a hound with a sensitive stomach.  If you really want to spoil your hounds cook a little duck in with this recipe (but remember to be careful about too much fat). Chicken liver and other organ meats like heart are great additions but not too much!   Add some Fish (try a 14 ounce can of salmon, or sardines) as an alternate protein source.

**A note about chicken bones:  Although the original recipe adapted from posts on the GreyTalk forum had no feedback from anyone experiencing problems with sharp chicken bones – I have found that some of the bones DO NOT get totally soft after 24 or even 36 hours.  I suggest if you decide to use chicken with bones for your stew check the bones!  They can be picked out easily and checked with your fingers.  You can add back into the mixture only the parts of the bones that are totally soft.  It just takes a few minutes and I would rather be safe than sorry!

* This recipe was adapted from posts found at Greytalk.com 

I am grateful for the suggestions I found there and the experience of those who have used this recipe to feed their dogs.