HOMEMADE
DOG FOOD
Do It Yourself Instructions
Balanced dog food recipes
Makes 5 lbs of dog food at 865 calories per lb.
To make 10 lbs, double the ingredient list (use 2 vitamin packs).
Ingredients
| Ground beef +85% lean. If less than 85%, please inquire about a new recipe | 2.75 lb |
| Organ meat Beef liver - preferably chopped/ground | 1/4 lb |
| Vegetable Group 1 Fresh or canned puree sweet potato | 3/4 lb |
| Vegetable Group 2 1/2 lb carrot + 1/4 lb spinach or kale | 3/4 lb |
| Legumes Lentils, sprouted or raw | 1 cup |
| Safflower oil | 1 tablespoon |
| The Farmer’s Dog Nutrient Pack | 1 pack |
| Contains 9 essential nutrients to complete the recipe. Our nutrient packs are in development and should be ready by Fall 2019. Click here and register to get notified when they are available. | |
| Optional fruit 1 handful of blueberries, bananas, or sliced apples (no seeds) | |
| Optional herbs 1 small bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley | |
| Optional oils 1 tablespoon of pure omega-3 fish oil (We recommend pure wild salmon, or anchovy/sardine oil) | |
| Optional supplements Additional supplement (fibers, turmeric, chicory root, glucosamine, milk thistle, spirulina, coconut oil, etc). | |
Utensils
| Bag Ziplock/freezer safe bags to portion and store in freezer |
| Bowl Large mixing bowl/pan |
How to make home-made dog food
1Bring water to boil
Use this water to boil organ meat and sweet potato together (unless using canned/puree). Boil organ meat until cooked - if boiling whole organ meat, cut into small pieces after boil.
2Cook sweet potato and lentils
Boil/bake sweet potato whole and mash – or use canned sweet potato puree. Boil lentils according to instructions.
3Prepare greens and carrots
Finely dice/blend greens. Chop carrots/pulse blend.
4Cook ground meat
Cook ground meat in non-stick skillet or large pot on medium heat (no oil), stir frequently. When meat is still slightly pink, add in greens and carrots. Cook until meat is done, carrots are soft, and greens are wilted (breaks down cell walls and allows for nutrient absorption).
5Add oils and nutrient blend
Take meat and veggies off of heat and let cool (until warm/no longer cooking temperature). Transfer meat and veggies to large mixing bowl. Add oils and entire supplement pack (without this pack the recipe is nutritionally deficient). Mix.
6Finish
Add in cooked sweet potato, lentils, cooked liver, and optional additions (fruit, parsley, etc). Mix thoroughly. Separate to individual servings.
Make it easy
Pro tip: Can consider making as a stew, or all in one pot. Add oil and supplements when stew is taken off heat and nearing room temperature. Strain excess water before adding ground meat - do not strain after adding ground meat as you will lose the fat.
1Pack
Treat this just like human food. Food lasts up to 5 days in refrigerator. Use for feeding in that timeframe, or pack into freezer safe bags and store in freezer. Recommended to pack into daily meals.
2Thaw
To thaw frozen packs, let defrost in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, or place bag in hot water. Do not microwave.
3Serve
Serve cold or warm. To warm, heat up in oven or conventional oven. Do not microwave or recook.
Bone-Appétit!
Disclaimer: This may need adjusting based on your dog’s activity patterns. This is for a moderately active adult dog. The diet when done according to these directions will have a complete nutrient profile. Any variation from this recipe will likely not be balanced and puts your dog at risk of malnutrition.