Easy Homemade Dog Food

Rating

4.9 stars ( reviews)

Keywords

dog food, homemade dog food, dog food recipe

Ingredients

• 6 cups cooked organic brown rice (3 cups uncooked rice)
• 2 pounds ground lean beef, cooked through, fat drained
• 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced small
• 3 medium sized carrots, shredded or thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup minced curly parsley
• 3 tablespoons of olive or safflower oil

Categories

• Gluten Free

Cuisine

• homemade dog food

Reviews

• Michelle on 2020-07-23 (5 stars):
  I have been making homemade dog food for my 75lb American bulldog for what seems like 400 years, but is actually only something like 8 months. I make a similar mix, but add sweet potatoes and cook ground Turkey instead of sirloin. We occasionally mix up the grain with oatmeal. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
• Donna Paterson on 2020-08-01 (5 stars):
  Made this recipe using turkey, fast easy, per day, I costed it out to $2.90 to give my girl a yummy breakfast and dinner!
• Darlene DeLaurelle on 2020-10-07 (5 stars):
  I posted what I make my 5 dogs eat but I failed to mention how much they Love the food! Their coats are shiny and they have stopped shedding. They have actually lost weight even though I am feeding them more. They are pooping less. They are very happy now and can't wait till meal time! Very rewarding to me to know my buddies love the new food! Thanks for your receipe!
• Futouristo on 2020-08-25 (5 stars):
  The dogs love it!
• Ann on 2020-12-31 (5 stars):
  My dog also used to throw up yellow colored bile first thing in the morning. I then started giving him a little snack just before bedtime and the throwing up of bile stopped completely. I read the bile is a sign of stomach being too empty.
• Maggie on 2021-03-20 (5 stars):
  Ah, my questions hv disappeared. Hope u didn’t mind. Xx one minute there then ,,,,gone?
• Sue on 2020-08-31 (5 stars):
  My Staffy absolutely loved this, her head did not come out of the dish until she had eaten the lot.
• Julia on 2021-02-06 (5 stars):
  This is Mika's favorite recipe that we've made for her. She's a husky lab who is even more finicky than my children are at mealtime! Thanks for all the tidbits of information as well! Very much appreciated :)
• Elizabeth on 2020-09-03 (5 stars):
  You are the absolute BEST thank you so much for including Rascal and I in your post, we're honored! I love Hooch's story and you're the best freaking dog Mom! xoxox
• Jayda on 2020-09-21 (5 stars):
  I'm totally amazed with such amazing recipe. I've never tried the combination and most healthy ingredients. It looks interesting. I'll give it a try. thanks for sharing and keep on sharing.
• Robert on 2020-09-24 (5 stars):
  Thank you for this great meal idea! I make my own dog treats with many of the same ingredients, rolled out, cut with a pizza cutter and baked to a safe temperature then dried on low in the oven over night. They love when I add natural ground peanut butter too! My 9yr old schnauzer now has periodontal disease and is having a more difficult time with dry dog food. Thank you for this recipe! I’m sure she is going to love it! I’m going to make it today! 🐶
• CAROLYN on 2020-09-28 (5 stars):
  My dogs appreciate your recipe, Thank you, it was especially helpful to have an idea of how much to feed per pound of weight, my pals weigh 20 lbs so they will be getting 1 cup 2 times a day. Roxie had been having trouble with her digestion and now, a week later she is perky and not throwing up or pooping raspberry jam, not scratching either. I suspected the food I was buyiing and tied "sensitive tummy" but that really did not help like the homemade food has.
• Stuart Bailey on 2020-10-10 (5 stars):
  Our soon to be 19 year old Min Pin rescue has elevated Kidney readings. After the Vet visit yesterday I went shopping and got all of the ingredients to make the recipe. She wolfed it down this morning. She has been on Fresh Pet but the veterinarian say that is way to rich for her. Thanks for giving the world the information to keep our pets healthy.
• Mary on 2020-10-20 (5 stars):
  Thank you so much for posting this recipe! My 14 year old Shih Tzu had become very picky about his food. I have tried several kinds of canned food to go with his kibble only to have him turn his nose up at it(can we say expensive). I stirred up a batch of this for him he ate it like he was starving. It's actually funny to watch him eat because he will take a bite spit it out seperate it (all over the carpet) then eat it like a kid who doesn't want food touching each other on the plate. The only thing I should've done was start him on it slower because he got very loose poops and wasn't a happy boy. I'm going to try some ot the other ideas in the suggestions see how he likes that, but he will never go back to store bought dog food again.
• Dustin on 2020-10-30 (5 stars):
  forgot to rate the recipe :P
• Nean on 2020-11-04 (5 stars):
  First, I want to say that I have been wanting to make my 2 canines home cooked foods for years, I have a 4 year old female Siberian Husky, and a Male mix Pitbull/Black Mouth Curr. The husky can be quite temperamental per finicky eating, the Curr will eat anything. Being a cook myself and knowing my way around a kitchen and preparing wholesome foods for my own family, I found myself being quite intimidated with making my own dog food, Until i came upon this Blog of yours, I want to say thank you, for giving me the boost I needed and resources to break through a new world of cooking for my fur babies. I started them on this home cooked meal (of course I started slowly) and I have to tell you, My husky begs me for her meals in the morning and at night, she loves it so much that she will eat slowly and savor every bit of it. I also made the blend of spices you recommended to sprinkle on their food, neither of them seem to mind it in there diet either. the only thing I have left to do is buy the dog green's. I am looking forward to cooking up the other recipes you've posted. Thank you again for inspiring me to allow my pups a healthier happier life.
• Tiffani Pierce on 2020-11-04 (5 stars):
  Just switched my aussie and german shepherd over to this!! my aussie had stomach issues with commercial processed foods and i do not trust what they are eating in them! and my german shepherd needs a highly balanced diet! They have already been on supplements which i’m now adding into this good! truly amazing and they absolutely love it. my aussie eats it right when i give him it, which he never did before. thank you for sharing!!
• Laura on 2020-11-13 (5 stars):
  This recipe looks amazing. I was trying to find ways myself to begin a healthier homemade diet for my 2 Goldendoodles (60lb & 40 lb), 2 rat terrier mixes (18lb & 24lb), and 1 cocker spaniel. (35lb) I was wondering how much food does this recipe yield approximately where I could get a better idea on figuring out what I would need to plan on making for 177 lb's of babies per day...LOL.
• Brooke on 2020-11-15 (5 stars):
  Oh wow! This recipe is magic. My dogs are the pickiest eaters in the world. We have tried so many dog foods, wet, dry, toppers, and nothing has worked, until now. They loved it and were wanting more. This is definitely something that is worth doing, and that I will be doing in the near future. Thank you so much, I am so exited that they are eating and enjoying what they are eating!
• Janice on 2020-11-17 (5 stars):
  I've been thinking about doing this for far too long! Thanks for the recipe and guidelines. I have been winging it for 4 days now using many of the ingredients you have mentioned. Why: Anna the lab mix had the worst breath! She was a poop eater as a puppy, so I kept blaming it on that (maybe she still sneaks a bite or two). But there is no real evidence she is still doing that. We fed her premium dog food. In every way (except her breath) she is ultra healthy. She can run 16 miles with my husband and still want to play frizbee. After only 2 days of "people food" her breath had improved. After 4 days she is so much better. I'm sad it took me so long to finally make the shift, but I'm convinced now!!!!
• Rebecca Gallagher on 2020-12-24 (5 stars):
  Have been making this food for several weeks and my dog (100lb Golden) loves it. Yes, he's (we) on a diet and this recipe has helped...he's probably down 5-6 pounds. He loves it so much that he sits behind me whining, when I'm in the kitchen cooking it. I've made a few adjustments, and all I have left is to buy the vitamins/minerals. I'm learning to double the batch so I can store some in the freezer. Question, tho...do I need to puree the veggies or is it okay to leave them raw/slightly cooked? Thank you!
• Stacy on 2020-12-28 (5 stars):
  I have made this recipe and my rocket just loves it! I do have a question. If I change from hamburger 2 chicken or turkey will it affect his digestion in a not-so-good way?
• Robin on 2021-01-04 (5 stars):
  maybe i missed it, but what is the caloric intake per cup?
• Melissa on 2021-01-08 (5 stars):
  Made this for my pup today, he absolutely loved it! I’m trying to wean him off his dry food and switch completely over to home cooked food, this was the perfect recipe! Thanks!
• Dee on 2021-01-10 (5 stars):
  I made this recipe today for my pups and they love it. I would like to know how long it will be good for in the fridge?
• adeq on 2021-02-15 (4 stars):
  <a href="https://thismessisours.com/product/sweet-potato-dog-treats/">dehydrated sweet potato treats</a>
• Lynn MacQuarrie on 2021-01-14 (5 stars):
  WOW! I adopted a 2 1/2 year old Doberman mix 10 days ago. She is not food motivated. She would barely eat kibble even mixed with wet or a little cheese. A very discerning eater as I couldn't get her to eat even one full meal a day. That is, until I made your recipe (which is very easy to make. I chop the parsley, then cooked eggs in my food processor, grate in the carrots and then add everything to the pot of cooked beef.). Now two full meals a day and not a grain of rice left in the bowl!! We both thank you!!!
• Andrea on 2021-01-24 (5 stars):
  Thank you so much for your hard work in putting together this information for us pet owner's who are caring for our pup's with kidney disease. First, these recipes and related info are super helpful. Second, it is so validating to know that what I have been doing aligns almost exactly to what you are doing. Ted LOVES his homemade food and eats better than he ever did on regular dog food. The one question I have for you is, when you state the amount your dogs eat each day, does this mean your dog eats a total of 8 cups of food per day, or do you mean to say that he gets 4 cups, split into two 2-cup servings per day. I ask because my 15 pound dog gets 1 cup of food, which we split into 4 servings per day (plus natural treats - he is a treat dog, for sure). This aligns to what you are doing, but I just wanted to clarify because Ted seems to be hungry all day. Our vet says it is because he loves the food - who wouldn't love to eat like this? But, he begs worse than ever. I am just wondering if we are not giving enough food. Would love your thoughts (even though I know you are not a vet). Did your dogs enjoy eating more after you switched to homemade? I just don't understand the begging. Thank you again for this supportive content. Ted and I thank you!
• Neva Edmonson on 2021-01-26 (5 stars):
  So excited to have found this recipe and your wonderful tips! I have a 3 year old Shorkie that has been on Farmer's Dog for about 2 years now. He loves it but it's pricey even considering my pup is only 4 lbs it still costs nearly $100 a month. I'm so excited to try this recipe, his last shipment of FD will be running out soon. One question, in your paragraph about herbs you said curly, not flat leaf parsley but in the ingredient list it says flat leaf parsley. Just want to be sure I get the right kind!🙂
• Tracie on 2021-02-02 (5 stars):
  My dogs are 16 years old. One has severe arthritis and just has no appetite. I hand fed her the top, expensive canned dog food and it's a chore. My other dog wanted the same thing but wad getting tired of it. So I came across your recipe and was very skeptical. I gave it to them and both devoted it! I can't believe Aly (the one with severe arthritis) put her head in the bowl! I was ecstatic to say the least. But was skeptical about the second feeding but it went just as well! They love it! Thank you so much! I am going to try different meats.
• Dennie on 2021-03-09 (5 stars):
  I have a Yorkie Bichon cross named Willow. She is 3 years old. I have tried so many different and expensive dog foods. She would walk away from everything after a week or so. It was so hard to keep her on a,schedule. I found your recipe by chance and I am so happy I did. I followed your recipe exactly as written. She has been on it now for over 3 weeks and she absolutely loves it. What a joy!!!! I am going to change it up once awhile but I could not be happier.
• DIANA on 2021-02-07 (5 stars):
  My Marley, 8 year old Shih-poo has all of a sudden become so picky with his food that no matter what type of DOG food I offered, he'd walk away. This has been driving me nuts. Yesterday I decided, since I was going food shopping, I started looking for homemade recipes. So I decided, what the heck, he loves chicken, carrots, zuccine, and loves loves rice. I bought all the ingredients and gave it a try. so far both times I offered him the new food.... BRAVO, his face did not come out of the bowl until he got every last speck of food. Today I made a medium pot of this new food, portioned it out and made individual baggies and put them in the freezer. keeping my fingers crossed that he continues to love it. I'm looking for some variation because he gets bored of the same food all the time. Got any ideas?
• on 2021-02-09 (5 stars):
  Great recipe but by the time I read the recipe I realized it takes less time to prep and cook the dog food than what it did to actually read everything to get to the recipe.
• Maggie on 2021-03-20 (5 stars):
  Gosh, can’t believe I have just found you. Thank you . You have done all the hard work. Just a few questions if I may, my dog has had cholangitus , high liver enzymes and bilirubin. But after meds and milk thistle it has come right down. I have had to feed her a vet prescription low fat diet ... kibble and wet. (She ate it mo probs, but I wasn’t happy) that condition seems to have resolved itself, but on wed she is having a pancreatitus test And although vet said we cannot go back to raw feeding, and I won’t, I don’t want to feed her this vet prescription diet any more. She is a nine year old cockerpoo, spayed, and full,of life again. So .. vet says I need to feed low ish fat, moderate protein , lowish carbs no sugar, low salt .... can’t remember what else. Do yiu think yiur food could fit the bill or cld I add or take away ... I really like,the recipe. Also, when prepared, can I freeze it in portions like Butternut Box food do ... they light steam their veg .thank yiu so much for all help. Maggie
• Sabrina on 2021-02-26 (5 stars):
  Yesterday we got the devastating news that our almost 5 year old shar-pei/lab mix, Beau, has advanced DCM heart failure, and that the grain-free dog food we've had him on may have contributed to the diagnosis. Sadly enough, we lost 2 other dogs in 2016, both to different cancers, so back then we switched to an expensive venison-based kibble that happened to be grain-free, thinking this was a healthier alternative. In the last few hours since the diagnosis, we've been looking for answers on the internet for possible cures and it looks like changing diet is the best shot at it. Just wondering if you have any knowledge, or have been in contact with anyone who's dealt with this disease and maybe had some success? Or possibly a different variant of your recipie better suited for heart failure. It seems to us that home cooked dog food is the answer, just not sure exactly how to make it work
• Arden on 2021-04-04 (5 stars):
  What as t wo UK ld a wild eat
• Debbie on 2021-03-09 (5 stars):
  I have a 3 years old Yorkie bichon cross who is the pickiest little girls ever. I have tried so many expensive top of the line dog foods on the market. After a couple of weeks she will turn her nose up at everything. I found your recipe after searching for something different I could try. Well I have been using the recipe for 3 weeks now and she absolutely loves it. I plan on changing it up once in awhile but the base is perfect. Because she now is eating it on a regular basis it has made our lives so much easier regarding bathroom times too. Thank you so much!!!!
• Jeanne B on 2021-04-02 (5 stars):
  Looks delicious I’m excited my dog has very itchy skin and gets frequent ear infections. He’s 13 pounds how much is a serving for him? Should I use ground sirloin? Or venison? Thank you!
• Jenny Llacer on 2021-04-22 (5 stars):
  Thank you so much for a balanced and straightforward doggie food recipe! Our Willie is 9 or 10 years old and is usually a very playful and affectionate Maltipin rescue. We just nursed him through a sad month of pain and lethargy from his first bout of hip osteoarthritis. I’m so grateful that he got through it and now I can make him healthier food that I’m hoping will help to spare him from other illness down the road. Maybe he will also keep up his exercise and lose a pound so he doesn't need to carry excess weight. He is 17 pounds and I add the Dog Greens, his CBD and a joint supplement. I freeze 2 cup portions to feed him 1 cup twice a day. And now he loves his food so much, no more coaxing to eat processed food! At first he balked as if he couldn’t believe I was letting him have all this “human” food! Once he realized it was really for him he dove right in and we never have to worry that he won’t love it! What a relief for all of us to get away from processed dog food. I’ve made 2 batches already and even though I don’t love to cook regularly I love doing this.
• Katr on 2021-05-30 (5 stars):
  I was burned out on cooking after 50 years of it so cooking for my dogs was something I was determined to avoid. However the gross inconsistencies in the quality of foods I'm seeing in overpriced, over marketed foods from one case to the very next has me convinced manufacturers are messing with batches for their bottom line. I no longer trust any of them and my dogs have been trying to tell me that for over a year. So cooking I am and maybe I'll even get back to cooking for myself again. Thanks for uncomplicated, healthy recipes and my dogs send a tail wag to you!
• Kelly on 2021-05-05 (5 stars):
  My dog is 7 years old and about 4 pounds overweight. I just got him a few months ago so I'm learning that he is picky and doesn't like kibble. His vet said the wet food i was feeding him was too high in fat. I live next to farmers who have 100% grass-fed meat. When cooking it there's hardly any fat and its delicious. I knew I needed to feed him something better. I found your recipe and I'm so glad I did! I didn't have parsley or oil (I don't cook with oil) so this go round I didn't use herbs. I did lean beef, carrots, peas, and green beans, oatmeal (was out of brown rice), boiled eggs, and hemp seeds for the omegas. He gobbled it up so fast! I am sooo so so so happy for this!! Thank you!
• T.J. on 2021-06-14 (5 stars):
  I’ve made this many times now and it’s always a hit.
• Jeanett on 2021-06-15 (5 stars):
  Oh my gosh the difference this has made with just one feeding! I have a very picky rescued yorkiepoo, he gobbled this up and didn't experience a tummy ache or bathroom problems. This has been a godsend since I have spent SO much money on dog food he refused to eat. He has more energy and he slept well last night. I did have a problem finding curly parsley though. The store offered flat and Italian parsley. Is it ok to use Italian parsley? Again the biggest thank you for helping me to feed my prescious dog correctly. LOVE.
• Susan Barrett on 2021-06-22 (5 stars):
  Fantastic recipe! I made it for my jack russell terrier and she loves it! Thank you for sharing it!
• jodi m hassett on 2021-06-28 (5 stars):
  Thank you! It may have already been said, but i am grinding up the shells as i speak to use as calcium in this recipe.
• Christie on 2021-06-28 (5 stars):
  Hi there, I've been stalking your dog food recipes for a while and decided to for it today! Question - can any of these recipes be frozen? I would like to make a large batch, if possible. If not, how long can they keep in the fridge? Thank you!
• Mary Jane on 2021-07-12 (5 stars):
  Hi Meg, I love your recipe, plus all the variations that can be used. Our 3 yo, 40 pound pup, Remi, loves this. I make a big batch and freeze it in sandwich bags. Works like a charm. I usually warm it a bit in the microwave before giving it to him from frig. He loves it. I hope to stop using his kibble—Blue Mtn—but so far we use it to supplement his meals, though lots of the time he doesn’t eat it. I plan to start him on the yogurt pumpkin morning bowl and the treats during the day you mentioned. Thank you for this blog—it is so informative. My one question is about serving size. I get that he should have four cups per day given his weight. Do you have a grams measurement for 1 cup, because depending on how compact it is, the weight can vary. Thank you.
• Ada Alfaro on 2021-07-21 (5 stars):
  Hi Meg I'm also tired of buying dog food and I'm looking for an alternative, I love these recipes. Thank you for taking the time to share your recipes. I do have a question how long can these recipes be refrigerated for. thank you Ada Alfaro
• Lane Plummer on 2021-07-25 (3 stars):
  Olliver loves this recipe, but he has runny poops. Not good.
• Mimi on 2021-07-30 (5 stars):
  Hi! First off thank you for all the post you have taken time to make ! Your information is so helpful and saved me lots of time of doing the same research! I started transitioning my 2 year old rescue and my 10 year old malitpoo this week. They absolutely love it ! 5 days in with no belly aches or potty accidents. But I have noticed their stool is obviously a lot softer. I know for the first few days to expect softer stool. But I’m not sure how long that should last or if I should add something else to get the stool a bit more firm. Overall they have been extremely happy with this change of food! Can’t wait to try the yogurt and pumpkin recipe!
• Patty on 2021-08-01 (5 stars):
  Thank you for taking the time to create this recipe. My 14 year old dog absolutely loves this homemade dog food recipe. It is gone in a heart beat. Out of curiosity, can I use dried curly parsley (using your DIY recipe) in place of fresh parsley? If so, how much? Thank you again!!!
• Deb B on 2021-08-04 (3 stars):
  Hello, I’m only giving this recipe 3 stars because all three of my dogs have horrible diarrhea after eating this food for 2 days. I substituted the ground beef with ground turkey and I left the shells on the eggs but chopped them up in my ninja food processor. Did anyone else have this issue? My dogs love the recipe, but not sure if I should continue to feed this due to the diarrhea.
• Lynn Peabody on 2021-08-05 (5 stars):
  Hello! For your homemade dog food recipe that calls for minced sage, would it be ok to use dried sage like McCormicks seasoning or bulk sage from Amazon? Same with the Parsley, dill, rosemary and oregano? What would the portion size be vs the fresh minced herbs? Love your dog recipes! Thank you for sharing! Lynn Peabody Leland, Mi
• Paula M Jones on 2021-08-09 (5 stars):
  I have a 15 yo Boston mix and a 7 yo, I’m unsure of her breed mix (both are rescues). They love, love, love the meat, egg and veggie mixes I have made using your recipe as a guide, based on what I have on hand. But, they barely tolerate the baked sweet potato treats and so far won’t do more t smell the apples I try to feed them, even if I am eating the apple. Tried the pumpkin and yogurt bowls this morning and the older dog won’t touch it and the younger one barely tasted it before walking away. I mixed dried herbs (wasn’t able to plant anything this year as I was dealing with chemo and radiation earlier). I did add some weak chicken broth to the last batch of food I made, just because it seemed so dry without liquid, even with the oil. I have enough for 4 or 5 days in my refrigerator and portioned meals for 5 days more in the freezer. I may be feeding them too much, but they seem to be tolerating the change well. I still have plenty of dry kibble on hand for.supplements if they need it later in the day. Love being able to spoil my babies just a little since I can’t do much with them right now. After all, this is their house and they just let me stay here!
• Katie on 2021-08-10 (5 stars):
  Let me start by saying that I have the least food motivated dog I’ve ever heard of. He thought twice about eating bacon- BACON! That same finicky German Shepherd also has a lot of skin issues- allergies and the like. This year, they’ve been exceptionally bad, and I wanted to see if proper food could help him out while we experiment with medications from the vet. So, I’m slaving away making this recipe (much harder than simply scooping food into a bowl), and in the back of my mind I’m thinking, “what if he doesn’t even eat it?” That picky little boy ate this up so fast. The real test will be the next few days when it’s less fresh, but I am astounded. So much so that I had to write a review. Thank you for this recipe. I did some crappy math, and it comes to about $4 a day to feed an 80 pound gsd- super affordable, super great!
• Dogs dudes on 2021-08-15 (5 stars):
  Thank you for the important content.
• Patty on 2021-08-18 (5 stars):
  My dog loves this recipe. Out of curiosity, have you ever tried using dried curly parsley in place of fresh curly parsley?
• Liz on 2021-08-20 (5 stars):
  Thank you for this recipe! I just started making food for my 2 Pitts and they absolutely love it! I have a questions about the breakfast bowl. Is that something you give your dogs everyday? Can I use herbs that are already packaged, like a McCormick brand?
• Ashleigh Schultz on 2021-09-04 (5 stars):
  Hi! I am new to homemade dog food and plan to make this recipe tomorrow! Question though! I have read for humans that freezing hard boiled eggs can be not good (not sure if that’s just due to taste or actual safety) can you confirm that you freeze some of this recipe to use for later times and have no issues?!
• Chris on 2021-09-12 (5 stars):
  Hello, Does this work well with a senior dog? My senior dog has very bad arthritis so isn't very active do I still do the 1 cup per 10 pounds. Also how long is this good for in the freezer
• Holly L Eubanks on 2021-09-26 (5 stars):
  What a wonderful gift this is to those of us having food-related problems with our dogs. My 15-year-old Aussie developed a red, ulcery, swollen lip several months ago, and three veterinarians have not been able to source the problem. Yesterday Roland (Aussie) had diarrhea during the day, and so I gave him only white rice and organic chicken broth for dinner. Amazingly, his lip was pink this morning instead of cherry red, so I am thinking he is either allergic to his kibble or to chicken. Since there is also chicken in his kibble, I have to do some more work limiting the variables...but I am very encouraged. If he turns out to be allergic to chicken, does turkey tend to work as the meat base? Such a wonderful page! I'm bookmarking it!
• Sheryl Johnston on 2022-02-13 (5 stars):
  Thank you so much for an easy dog food recipe! You’ve inspired us to try making dog food again to help combat our Golden’s allergies and help keep him healthy. Really appreciate your time sharing this with all of us :)
• Danna Friedemann, Duke and David on 2022-03-26 (5 stars):
  Aloha, seeing your video has given us a lifeline of hope. Our adopted puppy was diagnosed with Stage 4 Chronic Kidney Failure three weeks ago, and our world turned totally upside down! Our primary care vet gave us a few months-to-a-couple years prognosis. The emergency vet gave us a one-month prognosis. Duke was in the hospital for over a week, and now he is at home with us, we are seeing improved results since he's been home. We will not give up, and we have not given up any hope! Like you, we are doing as much research as we can. We are searching for more fitting vets and internal medical doctors that can help us, as our Duke is only one and a half years old. There are only three active internal medicine doctors on Oahu currently, and we are going to be seeing two of them. We are working with a holistic vet out of Kauai, and he has given us the most help and best treatment plan, similar to what you have given your Hooch. Thank you for sharing your story -- if I did not see your video, I would have had no hope. I appreciate your video and blogs! I also sent your page to our dog trainer, she is an amazing dog trainer out of Hawaii. What did you do for heartworm medicine after Hooch was diagnosed? How often did you do bloodwork? Did you administer subcutaneous liquid? How much exercise do you give for Hooch? We purchased the water bowl you recommended, and Duke seems to like drinking from it. We weren't certain about the curly parsley, but I would like to know more about that. One of the recipes from our holistic vet has parsley, but we left it out for now. What were Hooch's first kidney values? Any underlying cause to be found for his kidney failure? Please let me know if you have any further information, anything would help us at this point. Mahalo for all that you do and all that you are, smooches to Hooch.
• Synthia on 2022-04-10 (5 stars):
  My 14 year old dog was recently diagnosed with kidney disease and this was all he would eat for 2 weeks, however he had to get dental work and almost all his teeth were pulled. Now he has a difficult time with it even if I grind it up. He likes cream of rice and cream of wheat, is that something I could use to replace the rice? My vet just keeps pushing the commercial Rx diets but my dog will not touch the stuff!
• Irene Contrades on 2022-04-11 (5 stars):
  My two little fur babies are such finicky eaters. And my chihuahua always seemed constipated. Well, I found this recipe and tried it. Being that I have little 8 lb dogs I pulse it about 4 times in my food processor. I had to give it a week to see if they were going to continue to like it. I am soooo happy to say that I no longer have a problem feeding them. They hear the bowls and come running. And my little Chica is now starting to have normal bowl movements. Thank you soooo much!
• David on 2022-05-04 (5 stars):
  My dog is going to benefit a lot from this. Thank you for your taking this to many households, where many pets will love their food even more and us parents love the health benefits this recipe provides. Although I believe human food should always stay on our plate; the ingredients we use to cook our food, are also ingredients that your best friend could benefit from. Thank you once again. I hope that you continue to share your amazing ideas, tips, and knowledge with us.
• ossie on 2022-05-21 (5 stars):
  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! You are a life saver. In this particular case, the life of our 17 and half years old Max, a mixed breed Miniature Pinscher we rescued when he was six months old after being run over by a car and breaking his leg. Max's teeth are in bad shape, and due to his age started developing some renal issues. Our vet does not want to anesthetize him to deal with his teeth because of his age and the renal issues. He cannot eat kibble any more - too hard for him. Spent a fortune on prescription diet wet food - he hated it. Simply refused to eat it (I donated the unopened cans to a local shelter). Tried every other wet food - most he wouldn't touch, and the two or three types that were "passable" in his opinion he would eat grudgingly when he realized there was no other alternative. So I decided to try homemade food. Tried a couple of recipes I found online - still not it... Then I came across your site. Gave this recipe a try, although I wasn't very optimistic. OMG. I have to give him small portions several times a day, otherwise he gobbles everything up as soon as I put it in his plate. We just finished the first batch. Going to try different types of meat to see if there is any particular one he likes best. Now I'm looking for the right treat for him - has to be soft, he can't chew on anything hard. Luckily, despite his advanced years, Max is still pretty active. Once again, on behalf of Max (and his mom ;-), thank you so much!
• Iain on 2022-07-07 (5 stars):
  What can I say! Murthy my black nosed curtail hound is the smartest I have ever had. Should loves your recipes..chows down like it's a speed challenge! She's still a 20 lb puppy so she's got huge energy. At least 8 walks around our pasture every day! Keeps me fit since I'm retired. I recommend your recipes to everyone. Murphy was so board with her high quality dry bought dog food. No more of that. It's homemade all the way now!!
• Dee Pritchett on 2022-07-12 (5 stars):
  I’m going to start making my 4 black labs food, is there a rule of thumb on making large amounts and freezing for big dogs? Can you add some herbs like Flax seed and Tumeric? Any suggestions would be awesome, Thanks
• em on 2022-10-11 (5 stars):
  I add tumeric . Your flax will need to be ground (fresh , or it will oxidize) to get the omega oil from it .
• BlessedMom on 2022-07-23 (5 stars):
  First time making dog food from scratch and this was a perfect start out. So easy and the best part???? My fur baby didn’t even hesitate and ate it. Thank you for sharing this!
• Audrey on 2022-08-01 (5 stars):
  I found this site about 5 weeks ago and started making this recipe 4 weeks ago on a weekly basis for our dogs. Our dogs look forward to eating now! In the past our Boston would pick at her food and often not eat but once a day, even she sits at attention when I get ready to feed them. We still had some dry food that we were using up so we started out by mixing the two and made the transition to just homemade two weeks ago. The only tummy issues we had came from the Bassett eating too fast so we had to move to a slow feeder bowl for her. We did not do this because of an illness, but because they are on up there in years and thought we would try something to keep them healthy and going as long as we could keep them. Our Boston Terrier is now facing some arthritis issues and while looking for vegetables to add to help with inflammation found the Anti-Inflammatory recipe that I look forward to using for her! Thankful for this recipe for the simplicity and the ability to make it in bulk.
• Jesy on 2022-09-24 (5 stars):
  I love the recipes and my dogs love them. I have one issue though and I can't find a solution. I make a months worth at a time for two dogs. I strain the meats and rinse and I let completely cool down and then put them into freezer bags and freeze. Every time we open up a bag it gets slimy the first day. I don't get what we are doing wrong. We incorporate a lot of your recipes into one. Some beef, and turkey meat, some eggs, two or three kind of vegetables that we have, some canned pumpkin, and sweet potatoes. Though, we do add in a handful of blueberries into the mix and smash them up in each batch. A little olive oil, some flaxseed as my dogs are allergic to both fish, fish oil and chicken. The food, smells and tastes fresh even though it does feel... maybe slimy isn't the truest word but a little slimy is the best way I can think of to call it. What can I do to keep that from happening? How does it stay drier and crumblier for your dog food?
• Barbara on 2022-09-25 (5 stars):
  Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I've prepared it for my dog and she absolutely loves it! Now there is one confusion for me: is the described weight of the meat before or after cooking? The weight can be quite a difference between before and after when it's minced frozen beef.
• Jeff on 2022-10-05 (5 stars):
  Do you include raw veggies or cooked?
• Valeta on 2022-10-05 (5 stars):
  Her symptoms surfaced a few weeks ago when her symptoms surfaced. I didn't take her to the vet this time, but I went to the Dog food specialty story to get her food and mentioned this issue. The lady there pointed out that the brand we were using had no chicken, but it contained eggs. I had never thought of eggs as chicken. So a light bulb moment. I decided to remove all chicken and poultry foods from her diet, which meant I needed to make it myself. Thank God I found your EASY recipe. She loves it, and it seems to have resolved her symptoms. However, I have a few questions. 1. When I follow your recipe minus the four eggs, I do not get 13 cups of food. (more like 10 cups) do you have any idea why that would be? 2. Why do you recommend curled leaf parsley over Italian leaf? Also, I used dry parsley and cooked it with my rice. Is the dry parsley a problem? 3. Could I use your dog seasoning mix and cook it with our rice to distribute it throughout the recipe? 4. What amounts of other veggies (green beans, canned pumpkin, sweet potatoes...) do you recommend using or switching up the recipe? 5. Since making her food, she has returned to poop eating even though I use a probiotic. When I first got her, this was a bad habit, and I got her to stop by using a probiotic. Yes, I keep up on the poop in the yard and try to pick it up as soon as I see her poop. 5. I feed her 1/2 cup in the a.m. and 1/2 cup in the p.m., but she seems hungry. How do I figure out how much she needs? Sorry, I know it is a long story. But your thought are very much appreciated.
• Adina on 2022-10-09 (4 stars):
  Hey there! I have a question about this recipe. I calculated the percentage of protein, and it appears to be only 7.95% protein of total calories. Using your 1 cup serving size of Calories: 288 and Protein 22.9 (22.9x100 divided by 288). Im cooking for my senior pup who also has kidney issues. From my understanding the pups are supposed to get at least 15-20% calories from protein on the low end. I was wondering what your opinion is and if you've addressed this with your vet? Also just to know for myself. Thanks!
• Rebecca on 2022-10-15 (5 stars):
  Just found your Most Excellent site &amp; plan to start making food &amp; home made treats for Khaleesi, my Yorkshire terrier princess. I pay close attention to anything that goes in or on her &amp; question that her high end kibble might be causing skin issues. Started a home delivery service but that’s quite costly. I feel better having control &amp; your site is concise &amp; so helpful in building my confidence. Retired now, have time &amp; tools &amp; want the best for my little lass. Thank you for an informative &amp; generous site. Hugs from Khaleesi &amp; Rebecca
• Gina on 2022-10-15 (5 stars):
  I just started using your recipe for my 2 small dogs. They absolutely love it! They both have very sensitive stomachs and have frequent diarrhea. The first week I used white rice and they seemed OK. The next batch, I switched to brown rice and I noticed very loose stools. Do you think the brown rice has too much fiber? Also, (sorry to be gross) even though I chop the carrots very fine, I still see a lot of carrot in their stool. Is that normal? Should I try green beans or peas?
• Sandi on 2022-10-25 (5 stars):
  A little over two years ago, my small miniature poodle was diagnosed with the beginning stages of kidney disease. I showed my veterinarian the recipe you make and asked if I could try this for Buffy. He gave me the go ahead. Well here we are better then two years later, the kidney disease has not progressed at all. Did I mention that Buffy is almost 18? I usually make two batches at once. One of the ground beef and one of ground chicken or turkey. I portion it out into 1 cup containers and freeze it. She is one happy little girl and I am one very happy pet owner. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
• Denisse on 2022-11-14 (5 stars):
  Hi, Thank you for this recipe. I do have a question, I saw in a comment that you feed your dogs 14 cups a day and you make a new batch every 2-3 days, meaning you get between 28-42 cups in one batch since you make it every 2-3 days, but I made a batch today and it gave me 24 cups. I followed the recipe to the tee and I’m using a measuring cup. Please help me figure out what I am doing wrong 🙏🏼
• Kerri on 2022-11-16 (4 stars):
  I have two dogs one us 70lb rottie and a King Sheppard who is 110lbs, but he is 20 lbs overweight and 10 years old. How many servings does this recipe make? I have tried all sorts if diets for him and he just isn't loosing. I think this might work.
• Erin on 2022-11-21 (5 stars):
  Thank you for this great info! Our 11.5 year old lab/pitbull mix (also 80 lbs.) is having some motility issues - throwing up undigested kibble 10-12 hours after eating. After taking him to the vet with no underlying issue determined, I have switched him over to a homemade diet and feed 3x per day. I have gotten pretty efficient with this - crockpot for chicken, once chicken is done cooking I put the rice in the chicken water and cook on low, I use the remnants of my carrot and celery in his food when I make myself juice, and a food processor is an absolute must! He's keeping his food down and seems to be much more lively. Thank you for the portion recommendations. I was having a hard time finding the sweet spot.
• Catie on 2023-05-23 (5 stars):
  Hello! I’ve been feeding my dogs this recipe for the last 2 weeks and already noticed a big difference with my dogs! They seem healthier and happier. I think one of my dogs might be sensitive to the hard boiled eggs though, so I was thinking of leaving them out next time. Is there anything that I should substitute in place of the eggs? Thanks!
• Whitney on 2023-06-02 (5 stars):
  My dog was recently diagnosed with cancer. And we started her on this homemade dog food today with a Chinese medicine supplements. She loved this recipe so much. She didn’t hesitate. For those concerned about calcium. The blogger writes about bone broth. 1 cup of homemade bone broth contains 9-14 gram. I love the eggshell recommendation as well. My dog also loves beef liver and she loves bone marrow from the freezer section at the pet store. I can’t wait to try the other recipes ♥️♥️
• Catie on 2023-06-13 (5 stars):
  Hi! Is there anything you would recommend to replace the hard boiled eggs? My dog seems to be sensitive to them. Should I add more meat to supplement the protein? Thanks!
• Mark, Tim &amp; Boss on 2023-07-18 (5 stars):
  I was searching the web because I wanted to give my dog Boss, a Red Healer who is a little fussy, something different, something healthy and I came across this recipe. When I saw the herbs being sprinkled generously, I was a bit unsure if Boss would ever like this taste added but I followed it to the end and served it to my him. Well I'll be! He ate it all. I had to give him another cup full and that too went down a treat. The next day I served a small portion for breakfast and he just loved it. I have made this now every second week and he just loves it so much. Thank you for providing such a recipe with interesting texture and flavour - For us it's a Five Star Winner. Mark, Tim and Boss.
• Kim C. on 2023-08-05 (5 stars):
  Our Max, an older hound stray, has been with us for four months and every day has been a struggle to get him to eat canned or kibble food. This week I found and made your recipe and WOW! It’s such a relief to see him enjoy his food and such a weight off my mind. The batch took little time to make too. Thank you SO much for allowing us to benefit from your research.
• on 2024-06-26 (5 stars):
  I totally agree. I rescued my dog in January off the street. He has refused to eat any type of dog food. I finally started doing a raw diet, but his poop was looking kinda funky and his breath started to smell, which told me something wasn’t right. Switched to this and he loves it. It does kinda seem like he isn’t really always digesting the rice. But aside from that, he’s fine!
• Whit Hoffman on 2024-02-10 (5 stars):
  My husband and I wanted to switch our dogs to homemade food, especially because of their allergies and yeast infections, but were worried it would be too difficult. Then we found your recipe. Both dogs absolutely love it, and it couldn’t be easier.
• Holly on 2024-08-02 (5 stars):
  This recipe/blog has a lot of great insights &amp; ideas! I tried it with my 80lb German Shepherd and my 20 lb Jack Russell. My German Shepard loved it! My Jack Russell loved the taste but ended up having to use the bathroom several times and I’m pretty sure it’s because he not used to eggs &amp; carrots so for now I’ll be omitting those for him. Regardless, this is so informative &amp; awesome! We plan on continuing it as an every few days supplement for my German Shepherd!! And I cannot wait to make these treats &amp; bone broth! Thank you so much !
• Mamma5 on 2024-08-18 (5 stars):
  Is the parsley cooked or dried?? Sorry if my question sounds dumb... I read u said don't give to them raw ....
• IH tanjir on 2024-12-23 (5 stars):
  "This easy homemade dog food recipe is a fantastic way to ensure your furry friend gets a nutritious and delicious meal made with love. It's simple to prepare, and you can customize it to suit your dog's dietary needs. Your pup will thank you with wagging tails and happy barks!"
• jimin kim on 2025-08-13 (5 stars):
  This is such an inspiring post! The level of care you put into Hooch’s diet really shows how much love you have for him. I think it’s a great reminder that health isn’t just about what we eat — for both humans and pets, overall wellness matters. In my own life, I’ve noticed that pairing good nutrition with regular massage sessions (even gentle pet <a href="https://aqamassige.com/" rel="nofollow ugc">https://aqamassige.com/</a> for dogs!) can work wonders for reducing stress, improving circulation, and boosting overall quality of life. Your homemade recipes plus a little massage time sounds like the perfect combo for a happy, healthy pup!
• kwonhanul on 2025-09-12 (5 stars):
  Wow, this homemade dog food recipe looks amazing! It's great to see how much care you put into your pup’s health.

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