Plenty of people make homemade dog food. Favorite dishes range from turkey casserole to crunchy and chewy cookies.

When contemplating homemade dog food, consider the range of nutrients your dog needs. Pet food manufacturers formulate their product to include the full range of protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and fiber to keep a dog healthy. If you are thinking of shifting your pooch to home-cooked meals, check with your veterinarian first to make sure that your meal plan will cover all the bases. You might ask your vet for a good dog cookbook while you’re at it – there are plenty of them out there, but some may not be vet-approved.



One popular trend in dog nutrition is the BARF diet (refers to Bones and Raw Food, or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), which includes bones with meat on them (not chicken bones, of course), organs, eggs, yogurt or cottage cheese, vegetables, cereals and vitamin supplements to complete the nutritional package. These ingredients can be mixed together casually, or baked into an elaborate dish for your pup. Whatever you do, make sure the temperature is appropriate by the time you serve it.

Most dogs we know of would prefer some meat in their diet. Lean meats are better than fatty meats (for them and us), but dogs do need a bit of fat in their diet, too. Please make sure to pick out bones, especially bird bones, which can splinter and cause internal damage.

There seems to be general agreement that dogs can live on a vegetarian diet, as long as all necessary nutrients are included. Plenty of owners feed their dogs grains and cooked vegetables only. Rice and oatmeal are common staples, as are brown rice, bread, carrots, apples and lentils.

Cottage cheese or other calcium-rich ingredients may be more important in puppy food, to help those growing bones. As with all issues related to diet and care of your pet, consult your veterinarian for their suggestions before you start your dog on homemade dog food.

Plenty of dogs have food allergies of one sort or another, keep track of your pet's reactions to the food you make. If you notice behavioral changes (energy levels, changes to feces, etc.), try cutting out dairy or wheat-based ingredients for a week to see if the change helps.

Nutritional supplements are available through retail stores and veterinary offices. They range from vegan and holistic pills to powders composed mainly of ground up organ meats that provide essential vitamins, amino acids and other important dietary components. Depending on what you other ingredients you are putting in your dog's homemade meals, you may need different supplements. For example, if your dog is getting plenty of bones, he may not need a calcium supplement.

There are, of course, prohibitions: do not feed a dog chocolate, macadamia nuts, raisins or coffee. Save those treats for yourself.

Please visit the Dog Food section of our Forums to share your favorite recipes.

Bone Apetit!



We try to provide you with the best information we can find, but please consult your veterinarian for issues related to your pet's health an nutrition.