Preparing homemade raw dog food recipes takes time and patience on your part. The mere fact that your dog loves the homemade raw diet doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for them. The fact is that dogs will eat anything, and as dog owners, your job is to make sure they’re eating a balanced diet.
Unless you are using homemade raw dog food recipes vet approved, is it really safe for Fido? This is, after all the safest way to go if you’re serving uncooked food. But why choose raw homemade diets in the first place? As a pet parent, here’s what you need to know:
Why Raw Food?
Feeding dog’s raw diet is done according to the BARF Diet. This stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food which is supposed to serve muscle meat in the same way wild dogs used to eat. At the same time, the raw meats still contain all the natural enzymes and essential vitamins your dog needs for a healthy life. Raw fed dogs are often credited to have better skin and firmer poops. Raw feeding can also help manage a dog’s weight or help them lose weight. For busy pet parents, dog food delivery service platforms are a life-saver. Only a few, however, offer raw meals and one of them is We Feed Raw.
Raw Food Diet Recipes
Just because the food is “raw” doesn’t automatically make it better than the food you buy from the local grocery store. Unless you are using high-quality ingredients and following your dog’s unique dietary requirements, you cannot be 100% sure of its health benefits. Here’s a raw vs fresh dog food comparison to guide you in comparing it to another type of pet food.
Homemade Raw Meal by Rodney Habib
The ingredients include:
- 14 oz of lean ground meat—preferably beef
- 1 oz of beef liver
- 1/2 can of sardines in water or 1/2 tsp of cod liver oil as a substitute for the essential fatty acids
- 1 egg
- 1/2 eggshells
- 1 oz each of broccoli, spinach, and red bell pepper
- 1/2 tsp of ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp of kelp powder
- 2 tsp of hemp seed oil
Preparation: to prepare this, grab a bowl and mix together the beef eggs, kelp, hemp seed oil, sardines, ground ginger. Take the rest of the ingredients and put them in a blender or processor until smooth. Mix both thoroughly before partitioning the food into airtight containers. This should last anywhere from 3 to 4 days with proper storage.
Raw Dog Food Recipe from the Food Network
Ingredients are:
- 2 lbs of turkey
- 1 lb beef heart – chopped
- 1/4 lb beef liver – chopped
- 1/2 lb haddock
- 1/4 lb each of kidney, gizzard, and beef fat
- 3.4 lbs of lean ground beef
- 2 tbsp bone meal
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp fenugreek
- 1.5 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves, you can also use dried but reduce the amount
- 1 cup of chopped parsley leaves
- 1 cup of dandelion greens
- 1/4 cup marigold petals
- 1 cup of broccoli florets
- 8 oz of any dog-friendly fruit
- 1 squash, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1/2 cups olive oil
- 4 cloves of pressed garlic
- 1/2 cup dried organic seaweed
Preparation: Grab a bowl and mix the bone meal, rosemary, fenugreek, parsley, and marigold petals together. Now combine this with the meat mixture of ground turkey and beef. Set aside and take a food processor. Put in the apples, squash, carrots, broccoli florets, and dandelion greens before mixing completely. You should get a puree-like mixture. Put this in with the meat mixture.
Next, take the liver, kidney, gizzards, haddock, and beef fat and combine them together. Put in the eggs, olive oil, seaweed mix, and garlic and combine thoroughly. Serve to your dog in generous helpings and feel free to add digestive enzymes or other supplements as needed. This recipe should be good for two dogs for 15 days. If you only have 1 dog, this will last you full a month.
Feeding Raw – How Much Food to Give
Ideally, to know how much raw food to feed a dog, raw diets should be served depending on your dog’s size. Daily consumption should be around 2 to 3 percent of your dog’s mass and then divided by two for each meal. Note that you’re not limited to the recipes given above. There are tons of possible mixes and substitutions from raw boneless turkey, raw chicken, brown rice, chicken livers, raw bones, and fish oil.
Whenever you’re trying out new homemade dog food recipes, make sure to observe your dog for the next few days to see any reaction. If there are any pre-existing health problems like obesity or bladder stones [1], consult your vet first just to make sure you’re not feeding raw dog food that can be harmful to your pet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do vets say about raw diet for dogs?
The main argument against raw diets is the fact that they can contain pathogens. Homemade dog food may be made in poor surroundings or handled incorrectly. Since there’s no cooking involved, any bacteria in the raw meat isn’t killed off by the heat. Hence, poorly prepared raw dog recipe can actually do more harm than good.
Do dogs really need raw food?
For years, pet owners have been giving their pets commercial dog food or cooked after buying the local butcher shop. While the dogs can definitely survive on dry food, they’re not getting the best when it comes to vitamins and minerals. Hence, a poor pet’s diet may cause your dog to have weight gain, poor skin, allergy issues, and other health problems. Raw food can help limit some of these symptoms and provide additional health benefits.
How much raw food should a 30kg dog eat?
The rule is that you should serve your dog anywhere from 2 to 3 percent of his body weight per day. So if your dog weighs 30kg, the 2% of that would be around 0.6 kilograms. This should then be divided into two meals. If you have an active dog, then serving 3% may be better.
Can you mix raw and kibble?
Yes, mixing these two types for adult dogs is perfectly possible. Adding kibble into your dog’s diet should help minimize the cost of buying raw meat. At the same time, the hard kibble can contribute to your dog’s dental health.
What are the best ingredients to put in homemade dog food?
Following AAFCO standards for a balanced diet in dogs is usually the best way to proceed. Aside from good quality animal protein, you’d want to include necessary vitamins like Vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin K, among others. Note that AAFCO standards vary depending on whether you’re feeding a puppy, a pregnant, or an adult dog.
