Have you succumbed to the guilt trip of those dog food ads telling you to feed your dog fresh, human-grade food? As an obsessive dog mom, the idea has certainly piqued my interest. I have tried a couple of them, but with an 85-pound Labrador Retriever with a humongous appetite, I’d go broke with most of those subscription-based products. We know that fresh, whole foods are better for us as humans, but is homemade dog food really better than commercial dog food?
I’m honestly struggling with this right now. Tito is my rescue foster failure and while he’s active and healthy, I guess I’m a bit swayed by these marketing campaigns so I’ve decided to give him whole food at night and continue with his high quality dry dog food in the morning. Before I dive in to this post, here’s a bit of my dog history and experiences with homemade dog food.
My first dog Sandie, a husky mix, lived to be 16 eating nothing but traditional dog food (in my young adult years, I could not afford premium dog food). So maybe dry dog food isn’t that bad after all? My next dog, Bella, a yellow lab, was diagnosed with canine osteosarcoma when she was just eight years old. So I searched homemade dog food recipes (and ordered a ton of sketchy snake oil – literally – products from holistic providers and ancient Eastern medicine gurus). Despite a 3-month prognosis, she lived another three years and I do believe it was because of these interventions.
I recently lost Willow, a rescued black lab, who was my person. Seriously! She and I just bonded through my empty nest years and I still grieve for her daily. She was diagnosed with canine lymphoma so I wanted to make my own dog food but never quite found a recipe that worked for her chronic pancreatitis. I switched her to The Famers Dog and she loved it, but her cancer was too advanced and she died just weeks after her diagnosis.
What are the benefits of homemade human-grade dog food?
Making homemade dog food can offer significant benefits for your furry friend, especially when it’s prepared with attention to nutritional balance. Here are some key advantages:
1. Control Over Ingredients and Quality – Many commercial dog foods contain fillers, artificial preservatives, and chemicals but when making it at home, you control exactly what goes into each meal, ensuring only high-quality, whole ingredients. Plus, if your dog has food allergies or sensitivities, you can eliminate specific ingredients. Homemade dog food is typically made with fresh meats, vegetables, and grains, providing a quality that’s often more nutrient-dense than store-bought options.
2. Better Digestive Health – Two of my dogs struggled with pancreatitis so controlling ingredients is key for me. Homemade dog food can be easier on the stomach because they’re free from heavily processed ingredients that can be hard to digest. Whole, natural foods like lean meats, vegetables, and rice can support healthier digestion.You can also incorporate fiber-rich vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin to improve your dog’s gut health.
3. Healthier Skin and Coat – You can also add natural Oils and Omega-3s like fish oil, flaxseed, or olive oil, which provide essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that promote a healthy, shiny coat and can help alleviate skin issues like dryness, itchiness, and inflammation.
4. Improved Energy Levels – Using fresh, whole ingredients can give you a higher nutrient content than some commercial foods, which translates to better energy levels for your dog. You can also ensure your dog is getting the right amount of high-quality protein for their size and activity level, which supports muscle development and overall strength.
5. Safety – There have been numerous dog food recalls over the years so making your own dog food can lower the risk of contaminants and low-grade ingredient sources.
Not that it’s proven, but I like to think that using fresh, whole ingredients will help my dog live longer.
An easy homemade dog food recipe using everyday ingredients
I believe in the KISS – keep it simple – approach to making my own dog’s food. I don’t want to use any weird or expensive ingredients and I certainly don’t want to complicate the process. Just like for us humans, the simpler the ingredients, the better. And easier! So how on earth do I manage to make enough food for an 85-pound overeater? On weekends, I make a huge batch of food for Tito’s homemade diet and put it into individual Ziploc bags or an airtight container to store in the freezer. I defrost one or two portions each day in the fridge.
What are the best proteins for making your own dog food?
I’ve decided that chicken is often the cheapest and easiest protein to prepare in large batches. I boil a whole chicken and once it’s cool, I debone and shred it in my food processor. Ground chicken is even easier if you can find it on sale. A whole chicken will generally make about 7 cups of shredded chicken. When I find organ meats on sale, I include those as well. Chicken livers are generally easy to find. You can certainly use lean ground beef, pork, lamb, fish, or ground turkey, but chicken is just so easy. As long as your dog doesn’t have issues with fat, you an also use peanut butter. Occasionally, I’ll add in egg shells (great for calcium), scrambled or hard-boiled eggs, yogurt for added protein, or leftover deli turkey or chicken meat.
How to choose best whole grains and veggies for homemade dog food
I found that Bella had trouble digesting rice so I used quinoa in her dog food and she tolerated it well so I’ve stuck with that. But you can certainly use white or brown rice if you choose to use grains in your dog food.
Be sure you do your research and understand what fruits and vegetables are safe for dogs. While blueberries are good, grapes are not. Broccoli is safe for dogs but you should avoid asparagus. I boil sweet potatoes and use frozen green beans. Pumpkin is really good for dogs if they have digestive issues so you can add it in as needed. I save all of my veggie scraps – or things that are starting to wilt in the fridge – when I’m cooking and pop them in a plastic bag in the freezer to add to my mix – broccoli stalks, potatoes, carrot peels, apples, spinach, and more. Just be sure you know which foods are safe for dogs.
Using vitamins and supplements to meet your dog’s nutritional needs
One of the biggest risks of making dog food at home is not meeting all the nutritional needs of your dog. When you’re crafting your own recipes, it’s difficult to properly manage and track the nutritional values. I did tons of research on this topic and settled on Wholistic Canine Complete as a vitamin supplement to add to Tito’s food.
Can I feed my dog bone broth?
Let’s be honest. Bone broths are pretty hot right now. And they’ve been shown to be beneficial for dogs just like they are for humans, especially for joints thanks to their fatty acids. Bone broth is really simple to make. Once I’ve deboned my chicken, I put the bones in my crockpot and cover it with water. If my grocery store has chicken necks (they’re often cheap – I’m guessing because, who eats these?), I’ll add them to my existing bones. Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to help break down and release all of the beneficial collagen in the bones. I set my crockpot on low and let it go for 24ish hours. Once it’s cooled, I strain it and store it in freezer-safe containers. If I visit the butcher, I’ll ask him for any leftover beef or marrow bones which make an excellent bone broth. I pour the bone broth over Tito’s dry dog food in the mornings just for a little extra nutrition and enticement. You can also make bone broth in the oven or in an instant pot.
Feeding amounts and transitioning your dog to homemade fresh food
Honestly, I found determining the appropriate serving size to be the hardest thing. I read many homemade dog food recipes but in the end it was trial and error. Fortunately, the ratio of protein to grain to veggies I created seemed to work perfectly. Just be sure that when transitioning from or adding to your existing dry dog food, start with small amounts to see how your dog tolerates it.
Save money by making your own dog food
That depends on what you’re comparing the price to. If you’re feeding a lower grade commercial dog food, then the answer is probably “no.” Premium foods can be pricey, and human-grade dog food subscriptions can be even pricier. I decided to supplement Tito’s dry dog food by feeding him kibble in the morning and fresh dog food at night so it cuts my cost of homemade dog food in half. For my recipe above using chicken, sweet potatoes, green beans, and quinoa, it cost me about $15 per week. That does not include the supplements or my time. But in my estimation, this is WAY cheaper than many of the subscription services.
Homemade dog treat recipes
There are some great recipes out there for homemade treats and I often make them to take to the dogs at the shelter where I volunteer. Many of them use peanut butter and since I’ve had dogs who could not digest fat, I prefer the treat recipes that use pumpkin. Just beware of any recipes that have ingredients your dog might be allergic to like oatmeal and eggs.
I am certainly not a veterinarian nor an animal dietitian so do your research and talk to your vet before you start making homemade food for your furry friend to ensure that it provides all the necessary nutrients. And naturally, if your dog has any food allergies, make sure you talk to a professional. There are tons of companies and products out there that specialize in fresh dog foods.
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I have a (healthyish) 20-year-old cat so I haven’t yet delved into making food for him. And I haven’t researched all of the companies out there making human-grade cat food (it certainly would be less stinky than traditional canned cat food!). I do indulge with the can of fresh tuna often so he’s not complaining.
Have you tried any of the subscription dog foods or have you tried making your own? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments section below.