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5 Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Small Dogs

Jack Russell Terrier waiting to be fed

Although some of the commercial dog foods are quite nutritious, nothing could beat the benefits of a balanced home-cooked meal. Cooking food for your pup means that you have complete control over the ingredients that your dog is eating. Similarly, feeding your canine homemade food allows you to save a lot of cash. The following are some delicious homemade dog food recipes, especially for small dogs.

NOTE: You should always discuss with your vet before feeding any homemade recipe to your dog.

Homemade Dog Food in the Crockpot

slow cooker, plugged in and turned on, with food cooking.

Are you looking for a healthy and cost-friendly crockpot dog food? This nutritious recipe is the perfect meal for your pup as it offers a balanced mixture of different useful ingredients. The mentioned quantity of ingredients is sufficient for making 12 cups.

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ pounds ground beef
  • 1 ½ cups brown rice
  • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 ½ cups chopped butternut squash
  • 1 ½ cups chopped carrots
  • ½ cup peas, frozen or canned

Directions

  1. Stir in ground beef, brown rice, kidney beans, butternut squash, carrots, peas, and 4 cups water into a 6-qt slow cooker.
  2. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or high heat for 2-3 hours, stirring as needed.
  3. Let cool completely.

Thank you to Damn Delicious for this recipe.

Homemade Dog Food with Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

sweet potatoes spilling from a burlap sack onto wooden table

Just like our diet, balanced dog food must have an optimal quantity of all the essential nutrients. The nutritional requirements of canines are different from us and that’s why slight variation in the ingredients is observed.

For instance, homemade dog food should have a lot of protein and very little carbohydrates. Likewise, essential fatty acids should be included for healthy coat and skin. The following recipe offers exactly what small dogs need and is too tempting to resist. The stated quantity of ingredients is for 48 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 2 pounds ground turkey
  • 14 ounces tuna (2 cans, in water)
  • ½ pound chicken gizzards
  • ½ cup cottage cheese
  • 3 Eggs
  • 6 ounces sweet potato
  • 6 ounces green peas (cooked)
  • 1 cup white rice (cooked)
  • 6 ounces cauliflower
  • 6 ounces broccoli
  • ½ apple (medium size)
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions

  1. Cook rice per label instructions. In a second pot, boil the chicken gizzards until cooked thoroughly (about 10 minutes). Add eggs to this pot for the last 5 minutes (hard boil).
  2. In a third very large pot, cook the ground beef and ground turkey until browned. Drain off most of the fat and remove it from the heat.
  3. Use a food processor to grind the peas, broccoli, cauliflower, ½ apple (cored and seeded), cooled gizzards, and peeled eggs. This may take two batches.
  4. Microwave sweet potato for 3-4 minutes until soft.
  5. Add all ingredients, including the canned salmon or tuna, to the large pot with the beef and turkey. Add cottage cheese and coconut oil at the end. Mix well with a wooden spoon to incorporate.
  6. This will make two weeks of food for two nine-pound dogs. Place in freezer bags, label, and date.

Thank you to Tasty Low Carb for this recipe.

Homemade Dog Food with Ground Beef

raw ground beef with a basil garnish surrounded by herbs and spices

Animal protein is incredibly healthy for dogs and beef is the most nutritious of all. Simply add a few other ingredients into ground beef to cook this scrumptious recipe for your companion. The given quantity of ingredients is for 24 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 3 quarter cups of grated veggies (sweet potato, carrots, broccoli, zucchini)
  • 2 lbs. of ground beef (the leaner the better)
  • 1 ½ cups of old fashioned oatmeal
  • 2 eggs
  • Half cup of cottage cheese
  • Ground flax seeds

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F°. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Lightly butter two meatloaf pans and place ingredients in the pans. Bake in the oven for 20 to 24 minutes. Note: Remember in the wild dogs eat raw meat. You don’t have to fully cook the meat. I cooked it for 20 minutes and the meat was just slightly undercooked and the veggies were cooked, but a little crunchy still.
  3. Divide it into 24 servings. You can place wax paper in between each piece, stuck them into a large zip lock bag, and place them in the freezer.

Thank you to Pet Helpful for this recipe.

Homemade Dog Food with Chicken Liver

sauteed chicken livers in a black dish with parsley garnish

These homemade liver bites are not only simple to make but are also quite delicious. This recipe requires only 5 ingredients and can be used to tempt those canines who have lost their appetite. Likewise, they can also help you in feeding pills to your pup. The mentioned quantity of ingredients is for 50 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • ½ pound chicken livers, rinsed and trimmed
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch square baking dish and line with parchment paper.
  2. Add oats to the bowl of a food processor; pulse for 10 to 15 seconds until finely chopped. Pour into a large bowl and add flour. Add liver to the food processor and process until smooth, 10 to 15 seconds. Add eggs and blend until well combined, about 10 seconds. Add oil for a little flavor and process.
  3. Add liver mixture to oat and flour mixture and stir until well blended. Spoon into prepared baking dish.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven until firm to the touch but not hard and crispy, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into doggy-bite-sized pieces.

Thank you to All Recipes for this recipe.

Homemade Dog Food with Chicken and Vegetables

Raw chicken and vegetables on a cutting board

A bowl of chili is an ideal meal for your small dog with all the protein and vegetables it contains. This nutritious homemade recipe could be a great addition to your inventory if you cook regularly for your pet. You can also store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Ingredients:  

  • 4 sliced chicken breasts
  • 1 cup of drained black beans
  • 1 cup of drained kidney beans
  • 4 cups of chicken broth
  • 1 cup of diced carrots
  • ½ cup of tomato paste

Directions

  1. Cook chicken in a non-stick skillet on medium-high heat until it is no longer pink.
  2. Then, add the cooked chicken, beans, carrots, tomato paste, and chicken broth into a pot. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Allow mixture to cool and then serve.

Thank you to The Dog Bakery for this recipe.

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