Imagine eating the same food day in and day out, all your life. Apart from being painfully boring, it is definitely not ideal to get a wholesome and fully nutritional diet.
Then why would you give your dog the same food, all through their life? Remember, not so long ago, before commercially manufactured dog food became available, dogs pretty much ate very similar meals to humans.
And that’s precisely why dogs beg to eat our food – they need variety and they are meant to eat different foods. Not just kibble all their life.
The good news is that making homemade food for your dog is not only very easy but also a healthy choice in the long run. If you don’t want to switch to homemade food completely, you can start slow by cooking up recipes a couple of times a week to give bring in more variety and balance.
Here are a few handy tips on how to make dog food, some nutrition guidelines, and our top favorite and easy homemade dog food recipes. We promise your pup will love the food and benefit immensely from this change.
Super easy homemade dog food recipes have many benefits
Homemade is definitely better for your canine friends in many ways. Especially if your dog suffers from allergies, gastrointestinal sensitivity or skin issues.
Processed foods lose nutritional value but freshly prepared meals from scratch retain their vital nutrients during cooking. Plus, you also know what exactly you are feeding your dog. No hidden ingredients, no additives or preservatives.
It is also good to have these recipes on hand if your dog is feeling poorly and refuses to eat.
Here are some basic nutrition guidelines you need to know:
It goes without saying that all dogs have their own individuality and so there are no fixed serving sizes. Your pup’s weight, health, age, and activity levels often define what is right for your pet.
But in general, pets require these six basic nutrients to stay healthy: water, protein, fat, carbs, minerals and vitamins.
A good balance of these nutrients will provide the energy and vitality to your dog’s body to metabolize well and develop.
- Protein (derived mostly from animal sources) helps with overall growth and maintenance of cells, tissues, antibodies, organs, hormones and enzymes.
- Fat helps with the absorption of many vitamins and also insulates the internal organs of their body. Fat is also necessary for good skin and hair.
- Carbohydrates are derived mostly from corn, rice and beans. They are necessary for keeping the intestines healthy and providing the glucose to their vital organs, including the brain.
- Minerals such as calcium, sodium potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc give dogs sound bones and teeth among other benefits.
- Last but not the least, the vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K offer many benefits including great skin, hair, overall health and immunity.
You can search for healthy and easy dog food recipes online and there are several reliable sources out there. Here’s one to get you started:
Sweet potato, beans, and rice delight
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato – large
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice + 1 ? cups of water
- 1/2 cup boiled carrots
- 1/2 cup boiled broccoli
- 6 kale leaf stems, broken into 1 inch pieces
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Line your baking sheet with foil.
- Now prick the sweet potato with a fork several times around
- Place it on a baking sheet and bake for about an hour
- Meanwhile, cook rice by bringing rice and water to a boil in a stockpot. Cook covered at a lower temperature for around 40-45 minutes.
- Chop the sweet potatoes into tiny bits once cool.
- Now finally combine the rice, sweet potatoes, beans, kale stems and boiled vegetables into 3 separate servings.
- Serve warm not hot.
You will certainly enjoy this new found vocation as your pup’s chef. Above all, don’t fret if you can’t cook. Start with simple, easy dog food recipes bearing in mind their dietary requirements.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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