Sarasota Dog

•

Healthy, homemade dog food from Dr. Wendy Ying

Welcome to Dr. Wendy’s homemade dog food recipe, a balanced meal that is both nutritious and economical! This recipe combines proteins, vegetables, and grains to ensure your furry friend gets all the essential nutrients. Not only is it cost-effective, but it also allows you to control the quality of ingredients your dog consumes. Let’s dive into this delightful and healthy meal prep for your canine companion. Fair warning – this recipe makes a lot of food. Feel free to halve it. It freezes perfectly!

Ingredients

Proteins

  • 3 lbs ground beef
  • 3 lbs ground turkey
  • 1 lb chicken livers

Vegetables

  • 3 lbs sweet potatoes
  • 2 lbs frozen green peas
  • 2 lbs green veggies
  • (zucchini, spinach, kale, etc.)

Grains

  • 2 cups rice. (white, brown, or barley)
  • Kombu/kelp flakes
  • ½ cup dried mushrooms

Optional

  • 2 teaspoons bone meal
  • Toppers (hard-boiled eggs, sardines, golden paste)

Equipment

  • Large frying pan
  • Food processor
  • Pot
  • Foil trays
  • Freezer-safe storage containers or freezer bags

Instructions

Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef

  1. Cook the ground beef in a large frying pan until browned.
  1. Line a foil tray with paper towels. Pour the cooked beef onto the paper towels to drain the fat. Discard the paper towels.
  1. Divide the drained ground beef equally into two foil trays and spread it out to cool.

Step 2: Cook Rice/Grains

  1. Add a few kombu flakes and ½ cup of dried mushrooms to the rice or barley in a pot with water or broth.
  1. Cook according to the package directions (approx. 25 minutes for white rice, 45 minutes for brown rice or barley).

Step 3: Brown Ground Turkey and Chicken Livers

  1. While the rice is cooking, brown the ground turkey with the chopped chicken livers in the same pan.
  1. Add this mixture to the ground beef in the trays and mix well.
  1. Optionally, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of bone meal onto each tray of cooked beef and turkey.

Step 4: Prepare Vegetables

  1. Using a grater blade, grate the sweet potatoes.
  1. Add the grated sweet potatoes to the pan with 2 cups of water or broth. Cook for about 15 minutes until tender.
  1. Spread the cooked sweet potatoes over the ground beef and turkey mixture in the trays.
  1. Depending on the green veggies you are using, grate or chop them into small pieces. Add them to the pan with the frozen peas.
  1. Cook until the vegetables are soft and the peas are defrosted (approximately 5 minutes).
  1. Add this vegetable mixture to the trays with the other ingredients.

Step 5: Combine and Cool

  1. Add the cooked grains to the trays and mix everything well.
  1. Break up any large pieces of ground meat or chicken livers.
  1. Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes.

Step 6: Storage

  1. Pack the food into storage containers or freezer-safe bags.
  1. Fresh food will keep in the refrigerator for approximately 5 days and in the freezer for 3-6 months.

Serving

Serve this dog food as is or as a topper.   You can also add things  like hard-boiled eggs, sardines, and/or golden paste according to your dog’s condition and activity level. This recipe yields approximately 15 lbs of dog food at a cost of around $3.50 per lb.

Dr. Wendy always advises changing dog food SLOWLY!  Give your pup time to adjust to the new ingredients.  Start by mixing some in as a topper.  Too much cooked food, too soon,  after a steady diet of kibble can lead to tummy upset.    

Your serving size for an active  20 lb dog with a high activity level,  would be a very loosely packed cup, twice a day.   Modify this to your dog’s weight and exercise level.  

Freezing this in one cup portions will keep it fresh in the freezer for about 90 days.

Conclusion

By preparing this homemade dog food, you are ensuring that your pet receives a well-balanced diet free from unnecessary additives. Not only will your dog thank you for the delicious meals, but you’ll also enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what goes into their food. Happy cooking!   To learn more about Dr Wendy Ying, visit https://www.facebook.com/HolisticVeterinaryHouseCalls or DrWendyYing.com.