Home made dog food?

Question

I've been struggling with most prepared commercial dog foods and my dogs skin issues. I need a simple recipe that's complete in nutrition that I will make in my slow cooker. I would like to use ground turkey, any ideas what to add for a well balanced diet?

I'm not looking to do the BARF diet at this time. I need to know what else I need to add to cooked ground turkey. What veggies? What grains?

Answer 1

Home cooking can work but you need a balanced diet of meat protiens,bone meal,offal etc to make it complete. Visit www.barfworld.com for further info

Answer 2

Food allergies are commonly caused by chicken, beef, corn, wheat, soy and artificial preservatives. Home cooked and grain free will cost about the same. If you are not knowledgeable about canine nutrition you may make the situation worse. Consider Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon. It avoids the common allergens. In 2 - 3 months the dog should have healthy skin and a beautiful coat. It may seem more expensive but you feed less and avoid costly vet bills. Allow 2 - 4 weeks for the transition from the old food to the new. If the food does not resolve the odor problem the dog may have a bacterial or fungal infection of the skin. Bathe with Malaseb or Zymox shampoo. Both treat bacterial and fungal infections and are available online without a prescription.

Answer 3

Hi There! I have a shih tzu with a very sensitive stomach. I have tried every dog food out there including perscription from the vet. I finally started cooking for her. I make chicken hamburger or turkey and add rice with chicken broth. I also add shredded carrots. She has been eating and keeping her food down since I started this diet. I ordered supplements from a dog site and add that to her meals.

Answer 4

This recipe can be made with chicken, turkey, ground beef, or ground turkey. The proportions depend entirely on how much you want to make at a time (you can freeze it) and how large the dog is, so you are on your own with amounts.

For chicken or turkey: boil either breasts (boneless simplifies things) or thighs (keep in mind that thighs have a higher fat content) until cooked and tender, simmer as long as an hour or slightly more. Remove from the water, and use all or a portion of that water to make rice in. Set the rice aside. Remove the bones from the thighs, chop or shred the meat into bite-size pieces and put them in a large mixing bowl. Important turkey note: It is reported that turkey skin can cause pancreatitis in dogs. If you are using turkey, be sure not to include the skin! Do not include skin in those table scrap treats at holiday times!

For ground beef/turkey: brown the meat. Prepare rice as above, only in canned beef broth (later you will have enough left over from other preparations to not have to use canned stuff. Do not use canned broth if you are treating any sort of heart problem, and always be aware of the fat and salt content in your broth). If you used ground beef, drain the fat before putting the meat into a large mixing bowl. The meat and rice (plus any of the rice additions listed below) should be nearly equal in proportion, with the meat always slightly predominant when you are finished.

Add a bit of garlic (I like that minced stuff in a bottle, to be added sparingly).

Optional: Prepare some oatmeal. Mix with the rice and meat. The oatmeal tends to make everything hold together better--but don't use too much or it gets gloppy. Another option is to reduce the rice amount by a little and add some sort of pasta to cook along with the rice.

To this concoction you can now add canned or well-cooked frozen peas, or assorted mixed vegetables, with the exception of onions, which are not good for dogs. Do not use any canned veggies if your pet has a heart problem -- you want to avoid all salt. Barley is also recommended, I often cook some in with the rice. I also just discovered a wonderful sodium-free pasta to cook with the rice, the one I found is by Ronzoni and is called Orzo 47. You can add whatever you want once you have ascertained that it is okay for older or sensitive dogs or cats to eat. I have found other recipes which recommend a very small amount of vegetable, sunflower, or other light oil.

Birgit made the jump from canned food to this diet with great enthusiasm and no intestinal/digestive disruption whatsoever. In fact, this cleared up the recurring "gas" problem she often experienced from commercially-prepared food. The cat is also very old, and not only did her appetite improve considerably, but her coat became thicker and shinier. (She is my official "taster," making sure the ingredients are in the right proportions while it is still in the pot on the stove...)

One note: While this diet is beneficial in terms of being low-sodium, all-natural, and nutritionally sound, it offers nothing for canine dental upkeep, which is vitally important for all dogs. There are many products on the market for dogs to chew on, and regular professional teeth cleaning by your vet is highly recommended. Dental problems and gum disease can lead to heart problems if they are left to develop. Don't ignore their teeth; supplement this food with something they can crunch.

Answer 5

research the all natural BARF diet.

Biologically Appropriate Raw Food


Raw food,....it is very healthy if you are willing to put in the time (sounds like you are!)

http://www.barfworld.com/

Answer 6

Cooking is for the Dogs! http://www.hua.org/Cooking.html

Answer 7

do NOT cook the meat it take a lot of the nutritional value out when cooked.

Answer 8

see here for all your puppy queries.

http://www.freewebs.com/bringing-pet/

Answer 9

Ground cat is delicious.