Has Anyone Ever Tried To Make Their Own Dog Food?

[Guest K9Mom]

I've made dog treats before, and it was pretty easy. I've been looking into making homemade dog food, and I'm wondering if it's really worth the trouble. Has anyone had any experience? Can anyone direct me to any good recipes that you've tried?

[Brindles]

It can be worth the trouble if it's done right. I wouldn't do it without consulting a canine nutritionist first.

[MaryJane]

I tried years ago and I gave up because all the recipes were just too complex and it took too long. Currently, I just give home-made food like rice, meat, and vegetables but, it would be great to have a food that I can travel with easily.

[cleptogrey]

i've posted this on gt before. it was passed on to me by a saluki person i know. just feed more according to your dog's weight:

 

Here is the basic Saluki diet recommended by my holistic vet - to be fed twice daily - this is for about a 50 lb dog - feed more or less according to the dog's activity level and needs - take a week to 10 days to switch over to this diet from commercial food to avoid upset tummies.

 

at each meal feed;

 

1 cup meat (lean lamb (broiling removes most of the fat); beef, chicken, turkey (alternate meat sources every few days so dog received optimum nutrition)

 

3/4 cup organic cooked brown rice or cooked whole oatmeal or 1 sweet potato

 

1/4 cup steamed, finely ground vegetables, i.e. carrots, broccoli green beans, cabbage (organic preferred)

 

2/3 tsp Animal Essentials vitamin powder

 

2/3 tsp Solgar Bone Meal (for humans)

 

1 tabelspoon extra virgin olive oil

 

Then - once or twice a week add a hardboiled egg and a couple of tablespoons of organic cottage cheese

 

you can also add grated cheese, a few sardines, some salmon, etc. as additional nutrition

[tbhounds]

I have home cooked before, however, I had a veterinary nutritionist prepare a custom tailored recipe for my girl.

It was a lot of work but, I would do it again if needed.

[LuvAPuppy]

I have, it was a recipe I found on here way back when. It went something like take chicken leg quarters and cook them in the crock pot for 48 hours. For about the last hour or two of that time add your carb (rice/potato/oatmeal) and your veggies/fruits. Cooking that many hours in the crock virtually cremates the bone so it's safe to feed because it just dissolves when you stir the finished food before you freeze it. Mousie loved it but I stopped because the cat kept trying to get at the hot crock pot and I was afraid he was going to burn himself or pull the whole thing over.

[MaryJane]

I tried years ago and I gave up because all the recipes were just too complex and it took too long. Currently, I just give home-made food like rice, meat, and vegetables but, it would be great to have a food that I can travel with easily.

 

 

I may have misunderstood - were you looking for a home-made kibble recipe or just regular home made food?

[RedHead]

I feed a bit of kibble, but have fed mostly homemade for 10 years. I've read every book and done it all...cooked, raw, combined, etc. Now I feed mostly raw, but also add some cooked mixes/table scraps and kibble to save on costs. I don't find it overly difficult, but I love cooking and being in the kitchen anyways! I try to make big batches on weekends and freeze it so it is easy to feed throughout the week. All of the 5 dogs I have fed have had improvement on homemade, I would never go back!