As dedicated guardians to our canine companions, providing them with a well-balanced and nutritious diet is paramount to their overall well-being. One approach gaining popularity is home-cooking gently cooked meals, allowing you to have control over the ingredients and ensure your furry friend receives the best nutrition possible. In this guide, we’ll explore the key components of a homemade diet, including muscle meat, organ meats, bones, vegetables, and fruits, along with the ideal percentages for a complete and balanced meal. Let’s discover why opting for a homemade approach can be a superior choice compared to many commercial diets.

• Control over ingredient quality
• Easy to modify for food sensitivities and dietary needs
• Less expensive than pre-made
• Avoids synthetic additives
• Eliminates starchy grains and carbohydrates that are often included in pre-made diets.
• Keeps your dog safe from commercial foods that may be dangerous due to contamination, synthetic overdosing, etc.

• Time-consuming 
• Ingredient sourcing can be challenging 
• Concerns about balancing the diet
• Requires freezer space for storage

• 60-70% muscle meat, fish, eggs (10-15% fat content)
• 10-15% organ meat +/- fish/eggs
• 10% uncooked bone
• 10% vegetables and fruit
• Added essential fatty acids
• Key nutrients like calcium, Vitamin D3, trace minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, and salt
• +/- pre and probiotic foods or supplements

To enhance your dog’s diet effectively, consider taking the initial step of exploring allergy testing. Utilize testing options provided by reputable sources like VDI or Glacier Peak to streamline ingredient choices based on food intolerance. These tests offer valuable insights into potential sensitivities, empowering you to make informed decisions about the ingredients that align with your dog’s specific dietary needs.

Muscle Meat 

• • Lean muscle meat serves as a crucial protein source in a dog’s diet, contributing to overall health and well-being. The importance of this protein lies in its ability to provide essential amino acids necessary for muscle development, immune function, and various metabolic processes.
  • Muscle meat should make up about 60% of your recipe.
  • Ensure the muscle meat you use is lean – 10% to 15% fat. 
  • The most common animal proteins are chicken, turkey, pork and beef. Chicken can be inflammatory unless it is free range due to the elevated omega 6 fatty acids.
  • Other proteins you can put into the rotation include goat, rabbit, kangaroo, venison or other wild game and fish. The more variety you can add, the better range of nutrients you’ll be providing.
  • Some proteins are readily available but others will take some effort to source. Source these meats through butchers, farmer’s markets, raw dog food co-ops, or even hunters you might know. 
  • Whenever possible and affordable, look for pastured, grass-fed and grass-finished animals. All the essential fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats. Grain-fed animals have 3-4 times less polyunsaturated fats than grass-fed or wild animals.
  • Research shows that grass-fed, pasture-raised meat, eggs and dairy products have higher nutrient levels, higher levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, and better health benefits for your dog than grain-fed options. If cost is a concern for you then shop at the supermarkets and buy meat that is on sale. Feeding any whole food diet to your dog is way better than feeding highly processed commercial foods. 

Key Point: Vary the proteins to support a healthy gut biome.

Organ Meats

• • Organ meats are packed with vitamins and minerals crucial for a dog’s overall health and nutrition. Among the various organ meats, liver, kidney, and heart stand out for their unique nutritional contributions.
  • Each organ has a different nutrient profile, so the more variety you add, the more nutrients you’ll have. The kidney, heart and liver are the easiest to obtain and offer a great range of nutrients. Other organs like the spleen, pancreas, lungs and glands offer more nutrient variety but can be difficult to find.
  • The liver is a powerhouse of nutrients, including vitamin A, iron, copper, and B vitamins. It plays a vital role in supporting vision, immune function, and overall metabolic processes.
  • Kidneys are rich in essential minerals like selenium and provide high-quality protein, contributing to muscle development and repair.
  • The heart, another nutrient-dense organ, contains CoQ10, taurine, and essential amino acids. Taurine is particularly important for cardiac health and overall well-being.
  • You can freeze them slightly to make them easier to slice or chop, or grind them raw.
  • Sometimes you can find a specialty dog food supplier who offers pre-mixed organ grinds which makes it easier.
  • If your dog is not used to eating organ meats then start with a very small amount and gradually increase to the full 20% over 2 weeks.
  • Another option is to use freeze-dried organ and glandular powders.
• Including a variety of organ meats in your dog’s diet ensures a diverse range of nutrients, promoting optimal vitality and supporting specific bodily functions.

Fish (can be added daily or can be alternated with organ meats)

• • You can add an ounce of fish for every pound of dog food.
  • Incorporating fish into your dog’s diet is a great way to supply omega-3 fatty acids. These essential acids play a crucial role in promoting anti-inflammatory effects and supporting overall health in areas such as the brain, joints, eyes, heart, and immune system.
  • Optimal sources include cold-water fatty fish like sardines, salmon, mackerel, anchovies, trout, and herring. Fish can be served cooked, raw, or canned  in water (no salt added).
  • Try to avoid fish from the Pacific because of radiation concerns. It’s preferable to feed small fish that only feed on phytoplankton, rather than bigger fish that eat other fish, leading to higher levels of toxins. 
  • Choose wild-caught fish over farmed varieties. Farmed varieties are often fed grains and exposed to antibiotics while wild fish thrive on a natural diet comprising kelp, algae, seaweed, or smaller fish. Various fish species offer essential vitamins such as A, D, and B2 (riboflavin), along with moderate to small quantities of iron, zinc, magnesium, copper, and iodine, depending on the specific species.

Eggs

• • A raw or cooked egg every day or a few times a week is a great addition to your dog’s diet.
  • You can supply 100% of daily Vitamin D needs in just 1 egg
  • Antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin
  • Raw egg whites contain Glutathione
  • Eggs are the best animal source for Vitamin E
  • Up to 140mg DHA in each egg
  • High-Quality Protein
  • Eggs are best if you can get them from a local organic farmer or farmers market. Your dog can eat the entire egg, shell included. For large dogs you can just break it and add it all to the bowl or feel free to grind up the egg shell for small dogs. Don’t feed the shell if you buy grocery store eggs, as they’re often washed with or coated in chemicals. Gently cooked eggs are also fine.

Bones

• • Bones in a dog’s diet are important for dental health and essential minerals.
  • You can grind bones and add them to food after cooking the food or you can feed raw meaty bones 2 or 3 times per week.
  • Cooked bones can be dangerous as they are difficult for dogs to digest and can cause intestinal obstructions or severe intestinal inflammation that can lead to hemorrhagic diarrhea. Raw bones or bone meal are ideal.
  • An alternative way to supply bones to the diet is using a bone meal supplement. Feed adult dogs 2 tsp bone meal powder per pound of food. For puppies, give 4 teaspoons per pound of home-prepared food with 10% or less fat content, 5 tsp per lb for 11-15% fat content or 6 tsp per lb for 15-20% fat.

Vegetables and Fruits

• • Fruits and vegetables should make up about 10%, or 1 lb of a 10 lb recipe.
  • Incorporating a variety of colorful vegetables and fruits adds both nutritional value and diversity to your dog’s diet. These vibrant foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.
  • Dog-friendly vegetable options include leafy greens like spinach and kale, which offer vitamins A, C, and K. Carrots provide beta-carotene, promoting eye health, while sweet potatoes offer a rich source of fiber and vitamins. Fruits such as blueberries and strawberries contain antioxidants that contribute to immune support. You can learn more about healthy vegetables and fruits here.
    • Fruit blog
    • Vegetable blog

• Calcium: Aim for approximately 500 mg of calcium per pound of meat, ensuring a Calcium to Phosphorus ratio of 1.2:1. Sources can be ground bone, ground eggshells or a commercial supplement.
• Vitamin D3: Adult dogs need around 225 IU of Vitamin D3 per pound of food daily. Care should be taken to avoid over-supplementation, leading to kidney failure, or under-supplementation, causing issues like osteoporosis and rickets. Vitamin D3 sources include egg yolks and fish.

• Fat-Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, K): Healthy fats are essential. Vitamin K does not always require supplementation, and sources like liver and organ meats are rich in Vitamin A. Olive oil, green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli) and fish (salmon, trout), and fruits (kiwi, mango) are great sources of vitamin E. Cod liver oil, eggs or seeds like sunflower can also provide Vitamin E.

• Trace Minerals: Selenium, zinc, copper, iron, and manganese are vital for various aspects of pet health. Deficiencies may result in poor coat quality, anemia, impaired wound healing, weakened immunity, and ligament ruptures. Natural sources like spirulina and chlorella can provide some trace minerals.

You can also include the following natural food options in homemade recipes for dogs to be sure you are covering these minerals:

• • Selenium can be found in meats such as turkey, chicken, beef and pork. It can also be found in fish such as Halibut, salmon, sardines and shrimp, crab and lobster.
  • Zinc is present in red meat, particularly beef. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are also a natural source of zinc.
  • Copper: organ meats like liver are high in copper. Shellfish can also contribute to copper intake.
  • Manganese is found in seafood, such as mussels and clams. Vegetables such as spinach, sweet potatoes and kale are another source of manganese.

• • Salt: Sodium, chloride, and iodine are necessary in the diet. While low-salt diets may be recommended for dogs with heart disease, complete avoidance is not advised. Sea salt is a suitable option.

Regular blood testing twice annually, including Vitamin D testing, is important for pets on homemade diets in order to detect any possible deficiencies.

In a homemade dog diet, it’s important to include both healthy fats and essential fatty acids. Healthy fats can come from sources like meat, fish, and plant oils, contributing to energy and overall health. Essential fatty acids, such as omega-3 and omega-6, play specific roles in areas like inflammation regulation, skin health, joint health and more.

While fats serve as a crucial energy source, it’s essential to pay attention to the type of fat, particularly since factory-farmed animals, often present in dog diets, tend to have higher levels of saturated fat. Elevated saturated fat content can result in diverse health issues, including alterations in gut bacteria, compromised immune function, behavioral problems, and a deficiency in essential fatty acids. Choosing grass-fed and pasture-raised meats provides a healthier fat composition, contributing to your dog’s overall well-being.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are crucial fats that the body cannot produce on its own and must be obtained through diet. In a home-cooked diet for your dog, you can provide EFAs by incorporating sources rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Include fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, or sardines for omega-3s, and consider plant-based options such as flaxseed, chia seeds, or hempseed for a balance of omega-6s. Two of my favorite options include; green-lipped mussel oil or Ahiflower oil. Coconut oil and olive oil are additional healthy options you can add to the rotation.

When incorporating fats into your dog’s diet, it’s advisable to add them during feeding rather than blending them into the mixture before cooking or freezing. The recommended total fat percentage for a dog’s diet is generally around 10% to 20% of their overall diet. It’s important to strike a balance, ensuring that fats contribute to their energy needs while considering the specific health requirements of your dog. Adjustments can be made based on factors such as the dog’s age, activity level, and any health conditions ( i.e. pancreatitis).

• Green-Lipped Mussel Oil

While regular fish usually provides two essential fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), green-lipped mussel oil stands out by offering substantial levels of these vital EPA and DHA, along with an impressive count of 30 fatty acids, surpassing the two present in fish and other marine oils. Additionally, it includes ETA, an omega-3 fatty acid renowned for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Sourced from sustainably farmed green-lipped mussels in New Zealand waters, where they feed on phytoplankton, Green-lipped mussels also contain chondroitin. Chondroitin is a vital component for joint health, making them beneficial for dogs with arthritis or joint injuries.

Suggested dose to add is ¼ teaspoon per 25 pounds of body weight.

• Ahiflower Oil

Ahiflower oil is indeed derived from the seeds of the Buglossoides arvensis plant, and it is known for its unique composition of omega-3, omega-6, and omega-9 fatty acids. This plant-based oil has gained attention for its rich and balanced profile of essential fatty acids, making it a valuable supplement for supporting overall health, including inflammation regulation and skin health. With a balanced ratio of 4:1 omega-3 to omega-6, it contributes to maintaining a healthy omega fatty acid balance.

Suggested dose: Provide ¼ tsp per 20-25 lbs of body weight.

Adding probiotics and prebiotics to your dog’s homemade diet is beneficial for supporting the gut microbiome, a diverse community of microorganisms crucial for digestive health. Probiotics, found in foods like raw goat’s milk, yogurt, kefir, and fermented vegetables, contribute to digestive support, help alleviate diarrhea, boost immune function, and help with allergy symptoms. Prebiotics, obtained from sources like garlic, dandelion, bananas, mushrooms, and chicory root, serve as food for beneficial bacteria, enhancing the effectiveness of probiotics in colonizing the gut and maintaining a balanced microbiome.

Testing your dog’s gut microbiome at animalbiome.com is a great way to understand your dog’s microbiome and determine the need for supplementation based on the results. If supplements are needed, gradual introduction and careful selection of products with diverse strains ensure successful incorporation into your dog’s routine.

Dogs don’t have a biological requirement for carbs. Any carbohydrates that dogs receive should come from non-starchy vegetables and fruit, not from grains, legumes or starchy vegetables like potatoes. A small amount is O.K. but large amounts of starch can increase insulin levels, cause obesity and negatively impact gut balance. 

Calculating percentages can seem overwhelming but is not as hard as you might think. And if you follow a balanced recipe, the math and ingredient lists will have been done for you.

Here is an example of how to formulate the diet:

If you make 10 lbs of food, you will have enough food to feed a 50 lb dog for 10 days.

You’ll need:

• 5 lbs meat
• 2.5 lbs organs +/- fish,eggs
• 1.5 lb bone or a bone supplement Better Bones from fourleafrover.com (Mix 2 teaspoons with every pound of home-prepared food)
• 1 lb vegetables & fruit
• Added essential fatty acids

For smaller dogs half the recipe or make the full amount and freeze in meal-sized portions. And of course you can double or triple these amounts to prep meals for extra large dogs.

Add everything to a large bowl so you can mix it well, portion it out and freeze. You can keep fresh homemade dog food in the fridge for 3 days.

How Much To Feed

Most adult dogs should eat 2-3% of their ideal body weight per day.

For puppies, feed 2-3% of your puppy’s expected adult weight or feed 10% of his current weight. Feed your puppy 3 times a day until he’s about 6 months old.

Feed more for young and active dogs, less if they’re older and less active or need to lose weight. 

These numbers are just a guideline, so if you find your dog is losing or gaining weight, adjust his meal size as needed.

You don’t need to feed a perfectly balanced diet at every single meal. Balance over time is what’s important.

Compared to pre-made commercial raw or cooked dog food, you should be able to save money by making homemade dog food. But you’re adding your own time to do the sourcing and the preparation work. You can save money if you watch for sales, develop good relationships with farmers and butchers or team up with other raw feeders to get bulk discounts. 

Adding a holistic veterinary nutritionist or certified canine nutritionist to your dog’s tribe of professionals is a great way to gain support and helpful advice for your home-cooking journey. 

In conclusion, venturing into the realm of home cooking for your dog is a rewarding journey that puts you in control of your furry friend’s nutrition. While it may come with challenges like time investment and ingredient sourcing, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Providing a balanced and nutrient-rich diet tailored to your dog’s needs can result in improved well-being, from a shiny coat to vibrant energy levels. Key considerations such as high-quality protein sources, essential fats, and supplementation ensure a comprehensive and wholesome meal plan. Regular monitoring through blood tests and physical cues adds an extra layer of assurance. Remember, seeking guidance from a holistic veterinary nutritionist can further enhance the success of your homemade dog diet. Ultimately, the joy of witnessing your canine companion thrive on a personalized, homemade culinary experience makes the effort truly worthwhile.

Join us at The Dog Mom Society, where you’ll receive unwavering support, expert guidance, and the essential information you need to make informed choices about your dog’s wellbeing.