Homemade Dog Food
And God said, I will send them without wings so no one suspects they are angels.
If you have an animal in your life then it is a blessing. One way I try to take care of my fur babies is by providing them with nourishing, real ingredient homemade food. It all began when my oldest dog Madie refused to eat her store bought kibble anymore and left her bowl full all day long and not eat a single bite of food. Worried she would starve I researched many homemade dog food recipes and have been making her and Milo’s food every since. They truly love it.
I got the idea from when I was little and use to visit this old lady my father knew and would do work around her house. I use to visit her daily with or without my dad there. I didn’t know it then but she was a hoarder of sorts. She kept a clean house but had a lot of stuff. Her dining room table was full of stuff she treasured including a candy bowl of treats she had for me when I would visit. Getting around her house was like navigating through a maze. I would visit her and grab some candy then sit in her kitchen watching her make homemade food for her dog. She made her dog food everyday. She would peel potatoes, cut carrots and tell me stories. I think I gravitated to her because I didn’t have my own grandparents in the same country as me to visit them. My parents never knew I visited her everyday until they attended her funeral and her daughter mentioned to them it was the highlight of her mother’s day when I would pop in and visit her on my way home from school. She lived down the road from us so easy to visit her daily. Looking back I got as much from those visits as she did. I have always gravitated to older people, and truly love hearing their stories about their experiences in their prime.
There are many homemade recipes for dog food out there and you will need to decide what is best for your dog and do more of your own research but below is what I do for my fur babies.
Recipe
Broccoli 1 frozen bag or two cups fresh
Cauliflower 1 frozen bag or 2 cups fresh
Peas 1 frozen bag or 1 cup fresh
Carrots 1 frozen bag of mini or sliced or several fresh sticks chopped
Sweet Potato 1
Can of pure pumpkin puree (make sure NOT for pie filling mix)
2-4 packages of either lean ground turkey or extra lean ground beef ( I did turkey but found one of my dogs showed signs of allergy by licking her paws and so switched to beef)
Placed vegetables in largest pot you have and cook until water boils then turn off heat. Let vegetables sit until tender enough to mash with a potato masher. Remove vegetables from pot using a skimmer spoon strainer and place in a large bowl. Big enough to hold everything in. Stainless steel bowl is the best. Mash the vegetables and add the can of pure pumpkin. Save the water liquid and leave in pot you cooked the vegetables. Use the same pot and water that is now vegetable flavored to cook your meat. Remove meat with skimmer spoon strainer and place with vegetables. Then voila you have your homemade dog food. I have small dogs so usually give them a 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup twice a day. How much you give will depend on size of the your dog breed and how active they are.
Storage
Since fresh food I usually separate into meal portions in zip lock bags and freeze until needed. Freezing will have it stay fresh longer and avoid waste. I keep two days of meals in the fridge and allow time to thaw before needing.
Nutrition Facts
Broccoli- Good source of fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K and potassium
Cauliflower- Low in calories, rich in vitamin C,K and B6. Good source of fiber, potassium and manganese. Aid in digestion, promote bone health and overall health.
Peas- Rich in vitamin A, C, K and B. Good source of fiber. Support immune system, and digestion. Low in calories. Helps eye health
Carrots- Good source of vitamin A, supports vision and skin health and help with bowel movements.
Pumpkin- Aid in digestion, help manage weight. Good source of fiber and add bulk to stools. Vitamins A, C and E as well has potassium, iron and magnesium.
Sweet Potato- Rich in vitamin A, C and B6. provides potassium, calcium and iron. Contains beta carotene which help protect cells from damage and reduce inflammation.
Ground Beef- Aids in muscle growth, provide energy. Contains B12, iron and zinc. Provides both omega-3 and omega-6
Ground Turkey- Aids in muscle growth and repair. Contains B vitamins, zinc, selenium and omega-6
