It's easier than you think to start making homemade dog food. And the great news is you can start slowly, gradually introducing healthy whole foods into your dog's diet. You can start with 25% homemade and work your way up to 100% -- or even stay with 50/50 homemade with healthy foods.
If you want to ensure that your dog has good health and longevity, it is time to switch or begin the process of moving toward homemade, human-grade whole foods. You will be amazed that you don't have to cook twice -- once for you and once for your dog -- many of the meals in my book can be shared by both of you.
The bottom line is that good food leads to good energy. Good energy is vitality. And vitality leads to good health and longevity.
There was a time, before commercial dog food when dogs were fed human-grade food, "table scraps." Can you imagine eating the food that dogs are given today? As Dr. Broderick, DVM, states, "Why would we feed our dogs anything we wouldn't eat ourselves."
Are you worried that commercial dog food may be making your dog sick?
You are not alone in that concern. Dr. Marty Golsteim, DVM, said, "When I was in veterinary school in 1970, one in ten dogs would get cancer. But they were always of advanced age. Today, one in two dogs will get cancer and at any age.
In the U.S. today, 54% of dogs and nearly one-third of cats are overweight or obese. This was simply not the norm before these animals were on commercial dog food products. We need to pay attention to what food we give the beloved animals who share our lives. Ann Wigmore states, "The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison."
I learned this the hard way when my Sophia had two different forms of cancer and two oral surgeries. I realized I had to do something! I had to learn how to cook! And I had to learn about canine nutrition. I became a certified Canine Food Specialist and did lots of research to understand basic canine nutrition. Once you learn a few basic principles, it is actually pretty easy to make homemade meals and even healthy treats for your dogs. I cook for them twice a week, freeze the extra servings, and then thaw what I need.
Why Homemade Dood is So Much Better and Healthier
Do you understand the list of ingredients for pet food products? No one does, as they are misleading and confusing. They are filled with mystery "meat byproducts" that are not human food grade. They have many artificial and known carcinogenic ingredients. Even if they list vitamins, they are often synthetic and not bio-available -- which means they are useless. They are filled with carbs and addictive additives. Many of the commercial foods result in food sensitivities in dogs and compromised gut biomes.
When you make homemade food, you eliminate toxic ingredients and replace them with wholesome nutrition that your dog can use to thrive. And even 50/50 homemade can make a big difference in your dog's well-being.
Have you ever heard of "unidentified meat sources" and 4D meats? The term "4D meats" refers to meat that was sourced from cattle who were dead, dying, diseased, or down. 4D animals are not slaughtered; they are animals who were found dead, dying, and diseased or down in the field, feedlot, or poultry lot. 4D meats are often found in commercial pet food products.
According to Keith Zeiler, "Vague and unidentified meat is likely inconsistent in quality, meaning you could be feeding scraps from a variety of (unknown) sources. These ingredients might even include 4D animals. This could include expired grocery store meat, zoo animals, roadkills, and even euthanized or diseased animals."
To make matters worse, according to Mollie Morissette, author of Poisoned Pets, "One of the problems is how to address the nagging problem of pentobarbital popping up in pet food - the drug that is used to euthanize companion animals such as cats, dogs, and horses."
The Basics of Canine Nutrition
Once you understand your dog's basic nutritional needs, you can begin to improvise, although my book has 111 easy recipes to get you started. Start by finding the best-quality protein, which will be the largest percentage of the meal. Then, you will add healthy fats, healthy carbs, cooked vegetables, some fruit and possibly vitamins, and minerals. Depending upon what you are serving, add a high-quality prebiotic and probiotic. In my book, Wholesome Canine Cuisine, I list the best supplements and additives from companies I trust.
Dogs need a combination of vitamins, just like we do. Depending upon the variety of foods you are serving, you may need to supplement the vitamins and minerals. Dogs need Vitamin A, all the B's C, D, E, and K. But as I explain in my book, if you are serving beef liver once or twice a month, your dog will get many of these vitamins, including the vitamin K he or she needs. It is always best to get vitamins from natural, whole-food sources as they often work better in combination with other nutrients.
Dogs also need macronutrients such as Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, and Sulfur. But as my book explains, if you feed your dogs eggs, yogurt, or goat milk, they will likely get all the calcium they need.
Dogs also need tiny amounts of micro-minerals such as Copper, Cobalt, Iron, Zinc, Selenium, Manganese, Iodine, and Chromium. I list all these charts and the foods that contain them in my book. For example, if you serve organ meat, such as beef liver, once or twice a month, dogs will likely get the needed copper, cobalt, Iron, zinc, and selenium.
Do Dogs Need Vegetables in Their Diet?
The answer is Yes! About 15% of their diet should consist of cooked vegetables. New research from Purdue University shows that dogs who get vegetables at least three times a week have fewer health problems. So, consider serving vegetables a couple of times a week. But they need to be lightly cooked, steamed, or pureed as they can't break down raw vegetables as well. Cruciferous, green leafy vegetables provide vitamins C, E & K, giving the most nutritional bang for the buck.
Other vegetables you can add are asparagus, beans, beets (in moderation), broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, garlic * (see below), green peppers, kale, lettuce, canine mushroom powder, peas, baked potato (not boiled), pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato, and zucchini. If your dog is new to veggies, saute them and serve them with beef broth. You can also puree them. Remember that protein should be the foundation of the meal -- with some veggies added.
Dogs also benefit from a small amount of fruit (5-10% of the meal) in their diet. In Wholesome Canine Cuisine, I give a list of the "dog-approved fruits" (watch out for pits that are toxic!) and what vitamins and minerals each contains. You can start with some apples, bananas, berries, figs, melons, pears, and more.
Busting the Garlic for Dogs Myth
Many people have been misled by the misinformation that garlic is not good for dogs. This false information was presented in 2000 based on a study done with eight dogs for seven days. Four dogs were given 75 gloves a meal every day! Any animal or human would suffer from such a high dose. The truth is, for thousands of years, garlic has been used to support health. A ten-pound dog should be given 1/3 of a teaspoon. A thirty-pound dog should be given one teaspoon.
The health benefits of garlic are well documented. They include prevention of blood clots, decrease in cholesterol, widening of blood vessels, prevention of tumors, stimulation of the lymphatic system to release toxins, antibiotic, antifungal, antiparasitic, and anti-inflammatory properties, may help prevent fleas and ticks, and overall immune strengthening.
It is best to use organic, fresh garlic (not the garlic in a jar) made in the U.S. You should finely chop the garlic and let it sit in the air for about ten minutes to release the healing properties of the allicin. Then, you can insert it into the protein you are serving and add broth if desired.
Should Dogs Have Grains in Their Diets?
Yes! It has been a very hyped marketing fad to offer grain-free diets for dogs. There is some concern from veterinarians that this unhealthy fad has led to a significant increase in cardiomyopathy in dogs. Healthy grains in moderation (about 10% of the meal) have many positive health benefits, including stabilizing energy levels and blood sugar and possibly preventing diabetes. Some of the healthy grains you can explore are amaranth, barley, couscous, millet oats, and Quinoa. I mention others in my book Wholesome Canine Cuisine. Quinoa, in particular, is high in iron and zinc and supports blood health, oxygen levels, and immune function.
Transitioning to Homemade Healthy Dog Food -- Go SLOW
Consult with your veterinarian or canine nutritionist before you make any major diet changes, especially if your dog has any specific health issues. Every dog is unique, and transitioning to a healthy, homemade diet will be a process of experimenting, observing, and adjusting. You'll want to pay close attention to your dog's weight before, during, and after. As well you want to observe your dog's poop (in my book, I have a chart to help you understand size, shape, texture, color, and frequency.)
Given that every dog is unique, here are some general guidelines for the timing of the transition. Don't be afraid to go slower if you feel more comfortable.
Day 1-3 -- about 25% of the new healthy food -- 75% of current diet.
Days 4-6 -- about 50% of the new healthy food -- 50% of the current diet.
Days 7-9 -- about 75% of the new healthy food -- 25% of the current diet.
Day 10-14 -- 100% healthy homemade food.
The good news is that any amount of healthy food will benefit your dog. If you are not ready to make 100% homemade food, I recommend many good dog food products in my book in the resource section to mix and match. So be kind and gentle. The good news is that since you are using all-natural, human-grade ingredients, you can also eat the food you make for your dogs, so you don't have to cook twice!
Ready to try a simple recipe? Here is the first one I made for my three dogs: boiled chicken, kale, steamed carrots, brown rice, and chicken broth.
Choose your protein, add your veggies and grains, toss in a blueberry or other piece of fruit, and you have your first meal.
Be sure to vary your protein source and your veggies and grains to ensure a good mix of nutrients. My book has 111 recipes, most of them simple, including stews, desserts, and treats. You can get fancier if you want, but this shows you how simple it can be.
This was another simple meal with three ingredients:
Chicken,
Cooked sweet potatoes
Steamed spinach
Look for foods with a variety of colors, as that is a good way to make sure you are getting a variety of nutrients.
Easy Doggie Ice-Cream
A favorite Doggie Ice-Cream Treat with Sophia, Harry, and Bailey is a three-ingredient delight.
one cup goat milk
half-cup frozen strawberries
half-cup frozen banananas
Whip in the blender, and you have a creamy, cold treat that you and your dogs will adore. Some times I add a date for texture and taste. This is one you can vary according to what strikes your fancy and what you have at home. Here's a little video of us all enjoying.
As Sophia says,
"Bone appetite!"
Wholesome Canine Cuisine—Homemade Healthy Dog Food and Treats is available on Amazon in paperback, ebook, and audiobook (without the recipes). Let us know how your dog is doing with Wholesome Canine Cuisine.
If you enjoy the book, it would be so helpful if you leave an honest review. All proceeds from this book go to support our non-profit organization, The Human-Animal Connection.
Genie Joseph, PhD
Executive Director
The Human-Animal Connection
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