Homemade puppy food can be an ideal option if it meets all the necessary nutritional requirements for each breed, age and stage of development. Remember that every breed, age and stage has specific dietary needs that need to be met for optimal growth.
This recipe yields 60 servings for a small dog. Prepare brown rice according to package directions while washing and piercing yam(s), cooking in the microwave for 7 minutes while rotating halfway. Once cool, cut into cubes.
Contents
Meat
Dogs are carnivores, meaning they rely on meat to obtain essential vitamins and nutrients for good health. This recipe from VE&CC Vets features turkey as its main protein source, but it also includes plenty of other healthy ingredients that your puppy will love!
This recipe for large-breed puppies provides two servings (or one day’s worth) for dogs that weigh 50 pounds or more. To prepare this food, cook chicken, then combine cooked chicken with brown rice, tomato sauce, yams and raw spinach in the final step.
Be sure to use separate utensils and preparation areas, in order to prevent cross-contamination of food items. Also keep an eye on their weight; an inadequate diet could result in nutritional deficiencies which lead to lasting health problems or even death for their pup!
Vegetables
Puppies have very specific caloric and nutritional needs and require various nutrients in their diet in order to grow properly, so it is wise to speak to your veterinarian about changing from commercial food to homemade diets.
Vegetables provide an easy and cost-effective way to add essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to your dog’s meals. Options can include dark leafy greens, colorful vegetables with various nutrient profiles or low sugar fruits like berries.
Eggs are another excellent source of protein, whether cooked to add richness or fed raw for their variety of essential fatty acids. Fish oil also provides Omega-3 fatty acids which aid brain development in puppies; try including small portions of sardines in his meals occasionally!
Fruits
Puppies require an abundance of essential nutrients for healthy development, making homemade food with balanced nutrition an attractive alternative to commercial dog food brands.
VE&CC Vets’ easy recipe features ground turkey as the main protein source with plenty of vegetables and fiber-rich veggies like zucchini and spinach for extra fiber content. To create this puppy-friendly dish, cook brown rice according to its package directions before mixing in cooked ground turkey in a pot with olive oil and vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, spinach or any wilted greens as desired.
Eggs should make up 10-11% of any home-prepared diet. These eggs, whether from your own chickens or from farmers markets, are rich in DHA and omega-3 fatty acids – important nutrients to consider for overall wellness.
Dairy
Puppies have unique nutritional needs that may be difficult to meet through homemade dog food recipes alone. Puppy dog foods must contain sufficient proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins and minerals for their optimal growth and wellbeing.
Many pet parents create homemade diets for their puppies or kittens themselves, which can be challenging. If you choose this route, make sure that you consult a veterinarian or canine nutritionist first for advice regarding recipes and diet.
This homemade low-fat puppy food provides 12 servings and contains healthy ingredients such as ground turkey, brown rice, vegetables and leafy spinach. Heat and stir the ingredients together until all the vegetables have become tender – remove from the stove once this process has completed before leaving to cool before giving to your pup!
Eggs
Many owners provide their dogs with cooked eggs as a source of protein and vitamins in their home-prepared diet, but it’s best to consult your veterinarian first if adding an egg-rich diet on a daily basis as eggs have different digesting capabilities than most foods and may upset their gut if given too frequently.
Cooked eggs are an excellent source of calcium, but raw meaty bones provide even greater benefits to pups’ growth and development. Puppies require plenty of calcium for healthy development so be sure to give yours raw chicken wings, necks, backs, legs, rabbit rabbits or pork riblets daily to meet their calcium needs – or add dried eggshell powder into their meals to further increase calcium consumption.
