Commercial pre-made raw diets offer convenience, but they can be expensive or unavailable in certain areas. Many dog owners are looking for ways to prepare balanced raw dog food recipes at home, ensuring their pets receive the best possible nutrition. This guide provides you with everything you need to know about How To Make A Raw Food Diet For Dogs.
Take Control of Your Dog’s Diet with Homemade Raw
Making your own raw dog food offers numerous benefits, allowing you to:
- Address specific needs and allergies
- Adjust the diet based on life stage
- Control ingredient sources
- Avoid commercial food recalls
- Manage your budget and buy in bulk
Homemade raw feeding can significantly improve your dog’s health. Dogs of all ages can benefit from:
- Improved digestion
- Healthier skin and coat
- Better dental health
- Reduced allergy symptoms
- Firmer stools
- Weight management
Many dog owners want to know exactly what is in their dog’s food. By preparing your own raw food, you can ensure high-quality ingredients and avoid the mystery components found in many commercial kibbles.
5 Simple Raw Food Recipes
Here are five easy-to-follow homemade dog food recipes. Prepare them fresh or freeze individual servings for later use. These recipes include options with bone or calcium supplements, suitable for adult dogs and puppies, meeting AAFCO minimum requirements.
1. Beef & Chicken Neck Dog Food Recipe: With Bone – All Life Stages
This recipe is excellent for puppies due to the chewing benefits of chicken necks, which also provide the correct amount of calcium for growing dogs. It’s also suitable for adult dogs.
If you’re concerned about feeding bones to your puppy, replace chicken necks with food-grade bone meal, ideally sourced locally or from reputable online retailers. Avoid bone meal from garden centers or hardware stores, as it may contain toxic additives.
For the full recipe, visit Raw Beef & Chicken Neck Raw Dog Food Recipe: All Life Stages.
PRO TIP
If supplementing with omega-3s, add the supplement during mealtime to help balance fatty acids and prevent rancidity.
2. Rabbit, Chicken & Beef Dog Food Recipe: With Bone – Adult
Rabbit is a novel protein, making it a great alternative to common proteins like beef and chicken. It’s particularly useful for dogs with food sensitivities and can be used in elimination diets.
Rabbit is lean and high in protein, offering more protein than chicken, pork, turkey, fish, or beef. It’s also considered a sustainable meat source.
For the full recipe, visit Raw Rabbit, Chicken & Beef Raw Dog Food Recipe: Adult.
3. Pork & Fish Dog Food Recipe: With Calcium Supplement – Adult
Pork is highly digestible and, when pasture-raised, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.
However, pork is high in omega-6 fatty acids, so it’s essential to add fish to balance the fats. Whole fish like sardines or mackerel provide omega-3 fats, protein, calcium, selenium, and niacin.
For the full recipe, visit Raw Pork & Fish Raw Dog Food Recipe: Adult.
4. Raw Boneless Turkey & Egg Dog Food Recipe: All Life Stages
Eggs are a simple and nutritious addition to a raw diet.
Opt for free-range eggs from hens that forage for worms and bugs. Sourcing eggs from farmers’ markets or directly from farms ensures higher quality. This recipe combines turkey, organs, and eggs for a balanced meal.
For the full recipe, visit Raw Boneless Turkey & Egg Raw Dog Food Recipe: all life stages.
5. Raw Boneless Beef & Egg Dog Food Recipe: All Life Stages
Combine beef and eggs for a straightforward and nutritious meal.
Visit your butcher for beef heart and liver. Since this recipe is boneless, add bone meal or seaweed calcium as a supplement. Note that seaweed calcium is not suitable for puppies due to its higher bioavailability.
[HINT: Consider adding powdered bone to your dog’s meals. Visit the Natural Dog Store to buy our grass-fed bone powder.]
For the full recipe, visit Raw Boneless Beef & Egg Raw Dog Food Recipe: All Life Stages.
Raw Recipes Meet AAFCO Requirements
These recipes are formulated to meet AAFCO minimum nutritional requirements for adult dogs. Recipes indicated as “all life stages” are balanced for puppies as well.
How Much to Feed
Adult dogs should consume 2-3% of their ideal body weight in raw food daily. For example, a 50-pound dog requires 1 to 1.5 pounds of food per day. Adjust the amount based on your dog’s activity level and weight changes.
Puppies should eat 2-3% of their ideal adult weight, split into three meals daily until they are six months old. Adult dogs typically eat once or twice a day.
How to Choose the Best Ingredients
Sourcing high-quality ingredients is crucial for a healthy raw diet. Meat is the foundation, and while supermarket meats are acceptable, building a relationship with a local farmer or butcher can provide access to a wider variety of meats and organs.
Aim for meat with a fat content between 10% and 20%. Packaged meat should indicate its leanness (e.g., 80%, 85%, or 90% lean), allowing you to determine the fat content.
Buy the best quality meat, poultry, eggs, and produce that you can afford. Consider free-range, grass-fed, or organic options to avoid antibiotics, growth hormones, and harmful pesticides.
It’s not essential to make all changes at once. Start with small, manageable steps and gradually improve the quality of your ingredients as you become more comfortable with homemade raw feeding.
Making a raw food diet for dogs is a rewarding way to ensure your pet receives optimal nutrition. By following these guidelines and recipes, you can create a balanced and healthy diet that caters to your dog’s specific needs.
