My Experience with Commercial Dog Food
Purchasing the right commercial dog food can be difficult, as most foods have too many unknown ingredients and by-products. For a time, until I could understand the dog food market, my dog ate food from popular dog food companies. During this time, Winston had skin irritation and needed his anal glands expressed monthly, so we switched to a food brand that touted “all-natural ingredients”. However, his irritation continued. Nothing against pet food manufacturing companies; it’s just not for my pooch, and frankly, watching my pet struggle created unnecessary stress.
Hunting for Answers
I started searching the internet for answers to my cockapoo’s food trauma and found that my dog can eat some of the food I serve my family. I talked with my vet about my decision to make homemade dog food, and so a food list was born.
Now that Winston is consuming a home-prepared balanced diet, the intense scratching decreased, and his anal glands aren’t a problem anymore. With eight basic ingredients, my dog eats much healthier and has fewer vet visits. I normally prepare enough food to last about six weeks. At 24 pounds, Winston eats one cup of food daily, divided into three meals (1/3 cup each). I fill six 1.2-liter containers and store five in the freezer.
Preparing Ahead of Time
When I have extra time, I prep 6 months of food by precutting the vegetables and dividing them into 6 freezer bags. Preparing ahead of time makes it easy to take a bag of pre-cut vegetables from the freezer and add additional ingredients to the pressure cooker. With these changes, a daily multivitamin, and ¼ teaspoon of egg calcium, Winston is healthier and happier, making me a happy mama. Check out my recipe for Winston’s calcium supplement!
Enjoy my homemade dog food recipe and let us know in the comments what your dog thinks!
Pork and Veggies Homemade Dog Food
45
minutes25
minutesIngredients
2 tablespoons olive oil or canola oil
9 small to medium carrots, cut into small pieces (~4 – 5 cups)
2 or 3 sweet potatoes, cut into small squares (~4 cups)
4 cups greens** – pick 3: peas/ kale / string beans / broccoli* / zucchini / spinach
2 eggs
2 cups filtered water
2 cups brown rice
1 can of pumpkin puree
5 pounds ground pork
Directions
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the bottom of the pressure cooker
- Layer sweet potatoes and carrots, green vegetables, and brown rice. Rinse thoroughly before adding.
- Add water, eggs, pumpkin puree, and meat
- Click the chicken/meat button and add 10 additional minutes. If the meat is frozen, add another 10 minutes.
- After cooking the food, let it cool down and store it in the containers. Refrigerate what your dog will eat in a week and freeze the rest.
Notes
- *Do not add more than 1 cup of broccoli to your dog’s food because too much can cause gastric irritation in dogs
- **Kale and spinach have some calcium, but your pet may need additional calcium. Check your dog’s weight and age with your veterinarian for the correct multivitamin and supplements.