Simple Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Active Dogs

We have fed our dogs raw and human grade food over the years- just look at our almost 18 year old rescued Pomeranian & Tibetan spaniel mix.  It's why we believe he continues to frolic along in good health with the 10+ year old Basenji pound girl.  From Fresh pet to Oma's pride, specialty kibble to raw dogfood, air-dried and the fancy Farmer's dog type to frozen specialty, we keep coming back to homemade dogfood. It makes the best fiscal and nutritional sense. From the stovetop, slow cooker, oven pup-loaf and Insta-pot, homemade food is still preferred and so much more nutritious than canned wet or various dry slop kibble. We REALLY got into it a few years ago when a family of multiple dogs fed the whole entourage, great Dane mix to tiny toy fox boy raw dogfood.  Take note!  Then our journey began.  We have come round after research to some basic elements for recipes.

• Base of Bean protein AND some kind of starch such as rice, oats, quinoa, potatoes and sweet potatoes (This provides fiber and starch necessary to fill bellies, same as for humans and it's a low to process.)  We typically mix the two, let it soak at least 4 hours, drain then put in more water to soak overnight.
• MEAT! - This is the bulk of the recipe.  We prefer organ meat and ground which will include some bones. Examples are chicken livers, gizzards (but not feet/paws or ANY COOKED large bones which can't be broken down and cause internal blockages) to hearts, beef tripe, tongue, ground round turkey, hamburger beef or pork, pork chitlin's/intestines though they smell to high heavens cooking.  Most of these can be found in the meat section of a local grocer and if not try the local Hispanic market which may also be cheaper. 
• Vegetables - Any and all leaning on the greens but stay away from anything shallots and onions which can be poisonous to dogs, similar to grapes.  We like canned spinach, collard greens, green beans, peas, mixed vegetables frozen or from a can, broccoli, carrots, squash, and pumpkin in particular.
• Fruit - apples without the seeds which may bother some tummies, blueberries, pears and most anything that isn't citrus as they don't digest it well.
• Fish - Sardines, salmon, tuna, something with Omega 3's
• Eggs - we ground up the whole egg, yes with the shell as it provides a great source of calcium.   A large stew pot full of the above with meat and the beans with starch in it should take 4-5 whole eggs, beaten up in the stirring. 

Some prefer to further supplement with added magnesium, potassium, calcium and other additives.  We generally prefer to get all of our nutrition from whole foods rather than supplements if at all possible.

All of this goes in the largest stew pot you have and with water to make it not quite a soup consistency, bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat thereafter to a nice simmer and stir until it thickens.  Package up the food into containers and freeze to eat later in the week or throughout the month depending on the size of dogs and portions. 

Bon Appetit!  Send us pictures.  We would love to see how your pups like it.  Checkout our multiple YouTube videos to see how we have made it at home for our two small pups.