Homemade Big Dog Dog Food - for Sensitive Tummies

Intro: Homemade Big Dog Dog Food - for Sensitive Tummies

This recipe makes a HUGE batch of food. Enough for a big dog for 4-8 weeks.

A few years ago I published a simple recipe for my puppy with tummy problems. She's a big girl now, but still needs extra TLC to keep her gastric issues under control. So I'm still cooking for her. I've been researching and experimenting over the years and have come up with the following recipe that she LOVES.

(This is my recipe from scratch, so please ask permission before reposting, thanks!)

First, I should say that any dog will love this recipe. It helps my dog with bad digestive problems to eat and put on weight, but it's awesome food for all dogs.

Second, here's my disclaimer that I did lots of research, but I'm not a vet. My dog's stomach problems were very bad and everything I did, I did with the vet's approval. Also, I mix my homemade food with some commercial high grade puppy (she needs the extra calories) food to make sure I don't miss any nutrients.

You can see more of my pup at: https://www.instagram.com/skinnydog_ca/

STEP 1: Ingredients

Veggies

1 bunch parsley

2 lbs carrots

3 lbs yams or sweet potatoes

1 lb brussel sprouts (I used frozen)

2 x 12oz bags/boxes frozen spinach

28 oz can green beans

15 oz can green peas

Meats

5 lbs chopped beef

5 lbs boneless chicken breasts

3 lbs chicken gizzards

3 lbs chicken liver

Grains

6 c uncooked brown rice

2 c rolled oats

½ c flax meal

Fats

2 lbs solid beef fat trimmings (OR 1 cup other liquid fat)

Other

¼ c salt

8 eggs

STEP 2: Buying Ingredients

I get all of my ingredients from a regular supermarket. Whether you buy organic is up to you. Since everything will be slow-cooked, it's fine to buy vegetables that are less perfect and wilty. I buy whatever meats are cheapest in bulk or on sale.

STEP 3: Cooking Tools

Very large stock pot. I don't know how many quarts mine is, but it's 10" tall and 11" in diameter. (You might need a second pot if everything doesn't fit in one.)

Potato masher

Long spoon

Ladle

Containers for freezing finished food

Labels and/or markers

STEP 4: Prepare

Wash all the fresh vegetables. Cut off any parts that are not fresh. Don't bother cutting anything else up. Set aside.

Add a few inches of water to your pot.

STEP 5: Root Veggies & Fat

Add the yams and carrots to the water.

Add the solid or liquid fats.

STEP 6: Add the Rest of the Veggies

STEP 7: Add All the Meats

It's okay to add the meat and non-root veggies in layers, if you prefer.

STEP 8: Add the Grains

Add the grains and salt and the add water until the grains are submerged. (About 4 cups)

Ultimately, you will need 8 -12 cups of liquid for the grains to cook properly. But remember all the meats and fresh vegetables will produce liquids, so plan to add more water if needed later, but don't overwater at the beginning.

STEP 9: Add Eggs

Just crack them open and drop right into the pot. Eggs can go in now or after the cooking is underway.

STEP 10: Cook

Using a medium-high heat, bring the liquids to a boil.

Then set to simmer. For hours.

Keep the lids on.

Note: I decided to divide my food into 2 pots so I could manage them easier.

STEP 11: Cook Forever

The idea is to slow cook the food until almost everything is absolutely falling apart. You should be able to mash the chicken with a spoon.

Usually, I add everything to the pot in the morning, let it simmer all day, then turn off the heat overnight.

I check for mashability the next morning. If everything is falling apart, I go on to the next step. Otherwise, I turn the heat back on to a simmer and check every hour or two. You can't overcook this.

Note: Some things, like chicken hearts, will stay whole.

STEP 12: Mix & Mash

When the food is finished cooking and cooled down to a touchable temperature, begin combining all the ingredients.

Use a big spoon to stir everything, making sure to scrape food from the bottom of the pot.

Smash and mix with the potato masher.

Note: If you're using multiple pots, you can combine the batches at any time - Just try to get an even distribution of ingredients. I sometimes even mix them together in my freezer bowls by taking a portion from each pot.

STEP 13: Hulk Smash!

Smash. Smash. Smash. This is pretty good exercise.

You can see the level I mash the food to, but you can make yours chunkier or smoother, if you want.

At this point my dog is pretty well aware it's HER food being made, and likes to monitor my progress.

STEP 14: Dish It Up

Ladle food into freezer containers. Remember to leave room for expansion when the food freezes.

STEP 15:

STEP 16: Interlude - Feed the Dog

Remember to leave some food for the next 4-5 days, not frozen.

STEP 17: Food for at Least a Month

This lasts me about 2 months as long as I add some dry puppy food when I serve it. (My dog eats about 4-6 cups total a day.)

STEP 18: Defrost

I always put a container in the refrigerator about 2 days before I need it, so that it's defrosted in time to serve. In a pinch I microwave defrost, but it's not ideal.

The food will keep about 5 days in the refrigerator after it's defrosted.

Important Note: This food has no preservatives, so it can't stay out in a dog dish as long as canned food. Treat it like people food.

STEP 19: Nom!

I hope you and your dog love this food :-)

Feel free to adjust the recipe to your dog's needs and likes.

Let me know how it goes - And please post pics of your dogs!

More of my pup on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/skinnydog_ca/

Comments

[sarah50158]

I was wondering if there is any way to make this into a dry dog food recipe?

[Rhonda Chase Design]

I think you could use more grain and less liquid, then form the cooked mix into bars and bake them. This would be more like biscuits and you could bake a lot of the moisture out. I have no idea how to make truly dry food.

If you learn anything about making dry food please let me know :-)

[sarah50158]

I absolutely will. Hopefully I can make my first batch in the next week.

[Davilyn2]

I make about the same recipe except instead of rice I use bulgur. I make one batch a week in the 14 quart electric pressure cooker - done in no time and a huge savings vesus cooking it on the stove. Plus there is an added benefit to pressure cooking - it kills E.Coli and salmonella where even regular cooking can miss. Yes, organic all the way.

[Rhonda Chase Design]

Sounds good! Thanks for sharing :-)

[loneknucks]

My Dog is a very picky eater. I would gladly send you some money for 1 serving. To see if she likes it before I make it.

[Rhonda Chase Design]

p.s. You also can try making a very small batch by reducing the quantities (by a tenth?) If your dog hates it, well... It's people food!
Please let me know how it goes
:-)

[Rhonda Chase Design]

Hmmm...I don't know how I would send it. Where are you? I'd gladly share some (for free) if we could connect :-)

[KathyH106]

What would you recommend as "other/liquid fat"? My dog is allergic to beef. Would coconut oil do? I think I would either double the amount of chicken, may with boneless thighs, or ground turkey to replace the beef. Thanks, I'm going to give this a try.

[Rhonda Chase Design]

I've made this with chicken, pork, and or turkey, so switching up the meats will be fine. Remember that turkey and chicken are lower calorie and lower in fat than beef, so you probably want to leave on the skins. Some oils are better for dogs than others. I usually try to stick with a mix of animal fats, sunflower oil, and/or olive oil. The internet says coconut oil is good, but I'd run it by the vet first. (I know coconut oil is fine on occasion, I'm just not sure about it being a main diet staple.)

[AlwynF]

Goody good. Nearly looks better than my one-pot meals.
Maybe you can also try to raise the bowl onto a platform, say about 12-15" high. A vet once told me it aids the dog with digestive and swallowing problems.

[Rhonda Chase Design]

I've heard this too, and happen to have just bought a raised dish set up just for neatness. I haven't noticed any digestive difference yet, at least with my dog. Though, admittedly, she's not one to bolt her food :-)

[lionelrees]

Thanks for sharing. I would like to make your recipe but
this is too large of a quantity for my little Yorkie. Is it ok to
divide the recipe by ¼? Thanks, best wishes.

[Rhonda Chase Design]

Of course! You may want to make even less, though - This really is a LOT of food.

[CharlesD82]

Absolutely! You can also omit some ingredients if your dog is fussy...Though I can't imagine any dog passing up any of those ingredients. FWIW, my father (a veterinarian) would make variations of this recipe to feed dogs with sensitive tummies or needed to lose weight.

What you'll find sometimes is that because the food is so nutritionally dense, the dog ends up needing to eat less food.

[CharlesD82]

What's cool about this recipe is that if you spread it out on a greased cookie sheet and stick it in the freezer, you can make some phenomenal frozen dog treats!

[Rhonda Chase Design]

What a great idea! Thanks!
(Also, freezing it in Kong balls :-)

[rozzieozzie]

What a lucky dog, to have an owner that's such a good cook!

[Rhonda Chase Design]

Thanks! I happen to be an okay cook, but no cooking skills are necessary for this recipe!

[AnandM54]

Delicious ( dog says )........