Homemade Dog Food Series
Homemade Dog Food: A Complete Guide to Making Your Own Dog Food
What dogs need from a homemade diet, which ingredients work, where most recipes fall short, and how to prepare, portion and store homemade food safely, from a companion animal nutritionist.
Homemade Dog Food Series
Homemade dog food has moved well beyond the occasional plate of leftovers. More owners are cooking for their dogs regularly, and many want to know how to do it properly. Most of the people who contact me about homemade feeding share the same motivations: they want to know exactly what is in the bowl, they like the idea of fresh food, and they want a diet that suits their individual dog.
Those are good reasons, and homemade feeding can absolutely work. It also asks more of you than most people expect. A homemade diet only meets your dog’s needs if the recipe supplies every essential nutrient in the right amount and balance, for that dog’s life stage and energy needs. A bowl can look wholesome and still fall well short.
Before going further, it helps to separate two very different situations:
- Homemade food as an addition. Toppers, an occasional home-cooked meal or food used as training rewards sit on top of a complete and balanced commercial diet. The base diet carries the nutritional load, so the homemade portion needs to be safe and sensibly sized rather than complete on its own.
- Homemade food as the diet. When homemade food makes up all or most of what your dog eats, the recipe itself becomes responsible for complete daily nutrition. This is where formulation matters.
This guide focuses mainly on the second situation. It covers how homemade diets work, which ingredients are useful, what nutrients dogs need, where typical recipes fall short, and how to prepare and store homemade food safely.
Key takeaways
- Dogs can do well on homemade food, but only when the recipe is formulated to meet their nutritional requirements.
- Meat, a carbohydrate and vegetables rarely make a complete diet on their own. Calcium, trace minerals, vitamin D, vitamin E, iodine and essential fatty acids are common gaps.
- Supplement needs depend on the complete recipe, so generic doses and human multivitamins are not reliable substitutes.
- Feeding amounts should be based on your dog’s energy needs and the calorie content of the finished recipe, then adjusted using body condition.
Why Do Owners Choose Homemade Dog Food?
Owners come to homemade feeding for a mix of practical and personal reasons. The common ones are legitimate, and each comes with a trade-off worth understanding.
Ingredient transparency and control
Cooking at home means you choose every ingredient, its source and its quality. For owners who want to avoid a particular ingredient, or simply want to see what their dog eats, that control is the main appeal. Control only becomes an advantage, though, when it is paired with knowing what each ingredient contributes nutritionally.
Freshly prepared food
Homemade food is made in small batches from minimally processed ingredients, and many dogs readily accept the aroma and texture of fresh-cooked meals. Freshness describes how food is prepared, not whether it is nutritionally adequate. A fresh recipe can still be unbalanced, and a processed commercial diet can be complete and balanced.
Individual preferences and food sensitivities
Some dogs eat better with particular proteins, and some owners need to work around ingredients a dog does not tolerate. A homemade recipe can be built around those constraints, provided every replacement ingredient is accounted for in the nutritional calculations.
Variety and palatability
Home cooking makes it easy to offer different proteins, starches and vegetables, which can help with picky eaters. Variety is not a nutritional strategy on its own, however. If several recipes share the same gaps, rotating between them does not fill those gaps.
Customization for the individual dog
This is where homemade feeding has a genuine advantage. A well-formulated recipe can be built around one dog’s age, weight, activity level, energy needs and preferences, and, working with a veterinarian, around certain medical needs. In a survey of owners whose dogs had recipes formulated by a veterinary nutrition service, most were still feeding a home-cooked diet when surveyed, and the most common reason for choosing it was a specific medical need (Johnson et al., 2016).
The honest trade-offs
Homemade diets typically take more time, planning and money than commercial diets, and they depend on consistency in the kitchen. Despite how often it is claimed, homemade food is also not inherently healthier than commercial food. A complete and balanced commercial diet and a properly formulated homemade diet can both support a healthy dog. What separates a good diet from a poor one is formulation, not where the food was made.
Can Dogs Eat Homemade Food Every Day?
Yes. Dogs can thrive on homemade food every day when the recipe is formulated to meet their nutritional requirements and is prepared consistently. The real question is not whether homemade food can work, but whether a specific recipe does.
A complete daily homemade diet has to get several things right at once:
| Requirement | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Life stage | Puppies, adult dogs, and pregnant or nursing dogs have different nutrient requirements. A recipe built for an adult is not appropriate for a growing puppy, particularly a large or giant breed. |
| Energy requirements | Calories determine how much food your dog eats, and therefore how much of every other nutrient they actually receive. |
| Nutrient adequacy | Each essential nutrient needs to reach its recommended level relative to energy, without exceeding safe upper limits. |
| Ingredient selection | Ingredients have to be safe for dogs, suitable for the individual and complementary nutritionally. |
| Supplementation | Most homemade recipes need a calculated vitamin and mineral supplement to close gaps that whole foods cannot practically fill. |
| Consistency | A recipe only delivers what was calculated if it is made the same way each time, with the same ingredients and amounts. |
Toppers and occasional meals versus a complete daily diet
| Toppers or occasional meals | Homemade food as the complete diet | |
|---|---|---|
| Role in the diet | An addition to a complete and balanced base diet | The sole or main source of nutrition |
| Must be complete on its own | No | Yes |
| Main considerations | Food safety, suitable ingredients and small portions | Every essential nutrient, energy content, supplementation and consistency |
| Effect on calories | Adds calories, so the base diet portion may need reducing | Must match the dog’s daily energy needs |
| Professional formulation | Helpful but often not essential | Strongly recommended |
For toppers and extras, a commonly used guideline is to keep them to roughly 10% of your dog’s daily calories so they do not unbalance the complete diet underneath.
Why “meat, veg and a carb” is not a formula
An animal protein, a carbohydrate and some vegetables make a meal that looks balanced in the way a human plate does. Dogs’ requirements are set at the level of individual nutrients, though, not food groups. That combination usually provides plenty of protein and energy while falling short on calcium, several trace minerals, vitamin D, vitamin E, iodine and sometimes essential fatty acids. I explain why further below.
What Ingredients Can You Use in Homemade Dog Food?
Many everyday foods work well in homemade dog food. The useful question is not only whether an ingredient is safe, but what it contributes, what it lacks and how much of it the recipe needs. Suitability depends on preparation, quantity, your dog’s individual tolerance and the nutritional profile of the full recipe.
Animal proteins
Animal proteins usually form the foundation of a homemade recipe. They supply high-quality protein with a complete profile of essential amino acids, along with fat, B vitamins and several minerals. Their main limitation is that muscle meat contains far more phosphorus than calcium, and on its own provides little vitamin D, vitamin E or iodine.
| Ingredient | What it contributes | Formulation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken and turkey | Lean, highly digestible protein, niacin, vitamin B6, selenium | Lower in zinc and iron than red meats. Skin adds substantial fat and calories. Never feed cooked bones. |
| Beef | Protein, zinc, iron, vitamin B12 | Fat varies widely between cuts and lean percentages, which changes calorie density. A recipe should specify the lean percentage. |
| Pork | Protein, thiamine, zinc | Choose lean cuts and cook thoroughly. Fattier cuts raise calories quickly. |
| Fish | Protein. Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel add EPA, DHA and some vitamin D | Cook fully and remove bones. Raw salmon and trout from the Pacific Northwest can carry a parasite that transmits salmon poisoning disease to dogs. |
| Eggs | Highly digestible protein, choline, riboflavin, selenium | Feed cooked. Raw egg white contains avidin, which can interfere with biotin when fed in large amounts over time. |
| Organ meats | Liver is a concentrated source of vitamin A, copper, iron, folate and vitamin B12. Heart and kidney add protein, B vitamins and minerals | Liver is valuable in measured amounts, but vitamin A has a safe upper limit. Weigh it rather than adding it freely. |
Carbohydrate sources
Cooked grains and starches provide digestible energy, fibre and some B vitamins and minerals. Adult dogs have no strict dietary carbohydrate requirement when their diet supplies enough protein and fat, but carbohydrates are a practical, economical energy source that helps keep protein and fat at appropriate levels. They contribute little calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E or iodine.
| Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|
| White and brown rice | Highly digestible when well cooked. Brown rice adds more fibre. |
| Oats | Provide soluble fibre, including beta-glucan. Cook thoroughly. |
| Potatoes | Always cooked, never raw. Discard green or sprouted portions. |
| Sweet potatoes | Energy, fibre and beta-carotene. Cook until soft. |
| Other options | Barley, quinoa, millet and plain pasta can work when cooked and accounted for in the recipe. |
Vegetables and fruits
Vegetables and fruits add fibre, moisture, volume and a range of vitamins and plant compounds. They are useful for adding bulk with relatively few calories. What they cannot do is supply calcium, vitamin D, zinc or iodine at the levels a dog’s diet requires. Cooking or pureeing vegetables generally makes them easier for dogs to digest.
| Ingredient | Notes |
|---|---|
| Carrots | Fibre and beta-carotene. Cook or finely grate. |
| Pumpkin | Plain cooked or canned pumpkin (not pie filling) adds fibre. |
| Green beans | Low in calories and useful for adding volume. |
| Broccoli | Fine in modest amounts. Large amounts can cause gas. |
| Blueberries | A small, low-calorie addition many dogs enjoy. |
| Other dog-safe produce | Zucchini, squash, peeled cucumber, leafy greens in moderation, and apple without the core or seeds. |
Fats and oils
Fat is the most concentrated energy source in the diet and the main source of essential fatty acids. Oils such as safflower, sunflower, corn and soybean oil are rich in linoleic acid, which dogs cannot make themselves (high-oleic varieties contain much less). Fish oil supplies EPA and DHA. Because fat strongly affects both calorie density and fatty acid balance, the type and amount of oil should be calculated rather than added by eye. Very high-fat recipes are also poorly suited to dogs prone to pancreatitis.
Foods to leave out
Some foods are unsafe for dogs and have no place in a homemade recipe: grapes and raisins, onions, garlic, leeks and chives, chocolate, anything containing xylitol, macadamia nuts, alcohol, raw yeast dough and cooked bones. Also avoid added salt, heavily seasoned foods, and sauces or gravies made for people.
What Nutrients Do Dogs Need in Homemade Food?
Dogs need dozens of essential nutrients, each with a recommended amount. Some also have a maximum, because too much can be as harmful as too little. This is the core reason homemade feeding needs calculation: a diet is complete because of the nutrients it delivers, not the number of healthy-looking ingredients it contains.
How nutrient standards for dogs work
Two main references are used in North America:
NRC Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats
The scientific reference, published by the National Research Council in 2006. Depending on the evidence for each nutrient, it gives a minimal requirement, an adequate intake, a recommended allowance and, where data exist, a safe upper limit. Homemade diets are often formulated to meet NRC recommended allowances.
AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles
The regulatory standard for commercial dog food labelled complete and balanced in the United States, and widely used as the reference in Canada. AAFCO has two profiles (growth and reproduction, and adult maintenance), with minimums for every essential nutrient and maximums for some.
Both express nutrients relative to energy, per 1,000 kcal of metabolizable energy, and AAFCO also gives values on a dry matter basis. Expressing nutrients per calorie matters because dogs eat to meet their energy needs. A calorie-dense recipe is eaten in smaller amounts, so every other nutrient has to be more concentrated to compensate.
The essential nutrient groups
| Nutrient | What it does | Typical homemade sources | What to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proteinand essential amino acids | Builds and repairs tissue and supplies amino acids for enzymes, hormones and immune function. Dogs need ten essential amino acids from their diet. | Meat, fish, eggs, dairy | Amount and quality relative to calories. Extra protein is used for energy, not stored as muscle. |
| Fatsand essential fatty acids | Concentrated energy, absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, skin and coat health. Linoleic acid is essential. Alpha-linolenic acid, EPA and DHA are recommended for growth and reproduction. | Vegetable oils, animal fat, fish, fish oil | Lean recipes with little added oil often fall short on linoleic acid. |
| Carbohydratesand fibre | Digestible energy. Fibre supports normal stool quality and gut function. | Grains, starches, vegetables | No set minimum for adult dogs, but fibre type and amount affect digestion and stools. |
| Calciumand phosphorus | Bone and tooth structure, muscle and nerve function, energy metabolism. | Phosphorus: meat, eggs, grains. Calcium: mineral or bone-based supplements | Both the amounts and the ratio matter. Meat-based recipes are usually short on calcium. |
| Vitamin A | Vision, immune function, skin and cell growth. | Liver, eggs, fish | Has a safe upper limit, so liver quantities need calculating. |
| Vitamin D | Regulates calcium and phosphorus absorption and bone metabolism. | Fatty fish, egg yolk, supplements | Dogs depend on dietary vitamin D. Few foods supply enough, and excess is toxic. |
| Vitamin E | Protects cell membranes and dietary fats from oxidation. | Vegetable oils, wheat germ, supplements | Requirements rise as polyunsaturated fat intake rises. |
| B vitaminsand choline | Energy metabolism, nervous system function, red blood cell formation. | Meat, organ meats, eggs, grains | Some B vitamins, especially thiamine, are lost during cooking. Choline is frequently low in published recipes. |
| Trace mineralszinc, copper, iron, manganese, iodine, selenium | Enzyme function, skin and coat, oxygen transport, thyroid hormone production, antioxidant defences. | Red meat, liver, seafood, eggs, supplements | Commonly short in homemade recipes. Iodine nearly always needs a supplemental source. |
| Water | Required for every body process. | Fresh water, moisture in food | Fresh water should always be available, even though homemade food is high in moisture. |
Dogs also need sodium, potassium, chloride and magnesium. Vitamin C is not considered an essential dietary nutrient for healthy dogs because they synthesize it themselves.
Why meeting requirements matters more than variety
It is tempting to assume that feeding enough different whole foods will make everything balance out. The evidence suggests otherwise. When researchers at UC Davis evaluated 200 published recipes for adult dogs, so many recipes shared the same deficiencies that the researchers noted rotating between them would not solve the problem (Stockman et al., 2013). Variety has value for palatability and interest, but adequacy comes from calculating nutrient intake against requirements.
Why Meat, Rice and Vegetables Are Not Enough
Picture a typical homemade recipe: cooked chicken breast, white rice, carrots and green beans, perhaps with a drizzle of olive oil. It is made from good food, it is safe, and most dogs love it. As a complete daily diet, though, it would fall short on several essential nutrients.
That is not a problem with any single ingredient. It reflects a mismatch between what these foods provide and what a dog requires.
What the research shows
Two large evaluations of published homemade recipes show how common the problem is.
95%
of 200 adult dog recipes from 34 sources (veterinary textbooks, pet care books and websites) were short on at least one essential nutrient, and most were short on several (Stockman et al., 2013).
100%
of the dog recipes evaluated in a study of recipes published in Portuguese fell below recommendations for at least one nutrient (Pedrinelli et al., 2017).
In the second study, the most frequent shortfalls for dogs were copper and choline (about 85% of recipes), vitamin E (about 83%), zinc (about 76%), calcium (about 73%) and iron (about 68%). Almost half of all the recipes lacked precise ingredient quantities, and many recipes in the UC Davis study were vague enough that the researchers had to make assumptions just to analyze them.
These studies evaluated general published recipes. They show how often recipes written for no dog in particular fall short. They do not show that homemade feeding cannot work.
The nutrients most often missing
Calcium
Muscle meat, grains and most vegetables contain very little calcium. Without a deliberate calcium source, a homemade recipe will almost always be deficient. Over time, the body draws calcium from bone to keep blood levels stable.
Calcium-to-phosphorus ratio
Meat contains far more phosphorus than calcium. AAFCO’s profiles call for a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio between 1:1 and 2:1, and a meat-based recipe with no added calcium can be heavily inverted. The ratio alone is not enough, as both minerals must also meet their absolute requirements. Growing puppies are especially sensitive to imbalance in either direction.
Zinc and copper
Poultry, rice and vegetables are modest sources of zinc. Copper is concentrated in liver and shellfish, so recipes without organ meat or supplementation are often low. The two minerals also interact during absorption, so they need to be balanced together.
Iodine
Iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production, yet very few common ingredients provide enough. A supplemental source is usually needed. Kelp products vary widely in iodine content, so excess is also possible.
Vitamin D
Unlike people, dogs cannot make meaningful amounts of vitamin D in their skin and rely on their diet (How et al., 1994). Fatty fish and egg yolks contain some, but rarely enough. Because vitamin D is toxic in excess, it needs careful calculation.
Vitamin E
Most meats, grains and vegetables contribute little vitamin E, and the requirement rises with the polyunsaturated fat content of the diet. Adding oil for essential fatty acids without accounting for vitamin E creates a new imbalance.
Essential fatty acids
Lean meats and starches contain little linoleic acid, so a chicken and rice recipe with little or no added oil can fall short. Olive oil, a common choice for owners, is relatively low in linoleic acid compared with oils such as safflower or corn oil.
Other nutrients
Choline, iron, riboflavin, vitamin B12 and other nutrients can also fall short, depending on the specific ingredients and quantities used.
Why meat-heavy recipes still fall short
A common instinct is to add more meat. Meat is an excellent protein source, but adding more of it mainly increases protein, fat and phosphorus. It does little for calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E or iodine, and it pushes the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio further in the wrong direction. A recipe can be very high in protein and still be incomplete.
Not every homemade recipe has these problems. A recipe’s nutritional profile depends on its exact ingredients, quantities and supplements. The only reliable way to know whether a recipe is complete is to calculate its nutrient content and compare it with established requirements for your dog’s life stage. That calculation is exactly what professional recipe formulation provides..
Do Homemade Dog Food Recipes Need Supplements?
In most cases, yes. Whole foods can meet many of a dog’s requirements, but a few nutrients (calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E, iodine and often zinc or copper) are very difficult to supply in the right amounts from practical ingredients alone. A targeted vitamin and mineral supplement fills those gaps. The important word is targeted.
Supplement needs depend on the recipe
A recipe built around beef and liver has a different nutrient profile from one built on chicken and rice. The first may already be rich in zinc, copper and vitamin A, while the second is not, so each recipe needs a different supplement. A supplement chosen without looking at the rest of the recipe can leave some gaps open while pushing other nutrients toward excess.
Why generic supplement advice is unreliable
Instructions such as “add a teaspoon per pound of food” cannot account for your recipe’s ingredients, its calorie density or your dog’s needs. Several nutrients, including vitamins A and D, calcium and some trace minerals, have safe upper limits. Nutrients also interact: high calcium intake can reduce zinc absorption, zinc and copper compete with each other, and the amount of polyunsaturated oil changes vitamin E needs. Supplement quantities have to be calculated from the complete nutritional composition of the recipe.
Why human multivitamins are not a substitute
Human multivitamins are designed around human requirements. Their nutrient ratios do not match what dogs need, they typically provide little calcium relative to a dog’s requirement, and the dose needed to cover one nutrient can overshoot another. Some chewable and gummy products also contain xylitol, which is toxic to dogs.
Calcium deserves special attention
Boneless, meat-based recipes almost always need added calcium. Common sources include calcium carbonate, finely ground eggshell and bone-meal-based products made for animal use. These sources differ in calcium content, and some also supply phosphorus, so one cannot simply replace another at the same amount. Too much calcium is also harmful, particularly for large and giant breed puppies, which is why the amount needs to be calculated rather than estimated.
The supplement is part of the recipe
Even with a professionally formulated recipe, supplement use is where homemade feeding most often drifts. In a study of owners feeding homemade diets prescribed by veterinary nutritionists, about a third were not using the recommended vitamin, mineral or amino acid supplements correctly (Oliveira et al., 2014). A supplement left out or used inconsistently removes the part of the recipe that makes it complete. The supplement belongs in the calculations from the start, not added as an afterthought.
Cooked vs Raw Homemade Dog Food
Homemade diets can be cooked or raw. Both can be formulated to be complete and balanced, and both can be poorly balanced, because the nutritional principles are the same. The main differences lie in food safety and handling.
| Consideration | Cooked homemade | Raw homemade |
|---|---|---|
| Food safety | Cooking to safe internal temperatures greatly reduces bacterial pathogens. | Raw meat can carry Salmonella, Listeria, pathogenic E. coli and parasites. |
| Household exposure | Lower risk once food is cooked and handled hygienically. | Pathogens can spread to kitchen surfaces and people, and dogs can shed bacteria without appearing ill. |
| Nutritional formulation | Some heat-sensitive nutrients, such as thiamine, decrease with cooking. Formulation should account for this. | Requires the same nutritional calculations. Feeding raw does not make a recipe complete. |
| Digestibility | Cooking makes starches far more digestible. Protein digestibility stays high when meats are not overcooked. | Raw starches are poorly digested, so raw recipes usually rely less on grains and starches. |
| Ingredient handling | Standard kitchen food safety practices. | Stricter separation, sanitation and handling practices. |
| Storage and preparation | Cooked batches refrigerate and freeze well. | Must be kept frozen or very cold and thawed carefully. |
Raw feeding is often promoted for better digestion, coats, teeth and immunity. Reviews of the evidence have found little robust support for most of these claims, while the microbiological risks, including antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, are well documented (Freeman et al., 2013; Davies et al., 2019).
Cooked homemade diets are the lower-risk choice for most households, particularly homes with young children, older adults, pregnant people or anyone with a weakened immune system.
How Much Homemade Food Should You Feed Your Dog?
Feeding amounts for homemade food come from two numbers: how many calories your dog needs each day, and how many calories each gram of the finished recipe provides. Neither can be read off a general chart.
Estimating daily energy requirements
Energy needs are estimated from metabolic body weight, which is body weight in kilograms raised to the 0.75 power. Resting energy requirement (RER) is commonly estimated as 70 × body weight (kg)0.75. Maintenance needs are higher than RER and vary considerably between dogs. Published maintenance requirements for adult pet dogs span roughly 95 to 200 kcal × body weight (kg)0.75 per day, depending on activity, breed and living conditions.
Worked example: a 20 kg adult dog
Two dogs of identical weight can need twice as many calories as each other. These are starting estimates, not feeding instructions.
A meta-analysis of studies in adult dogs found an average maintenance requirement of about 143 kcal × kg0.75 per day, with wide variation. Neutered dogs needed less energy than intact dogs, and pet dogs needed less than working or racing dogs (Bermingham et al., 2014).
Factors that change calorie needs
- Life stage: growth, adulthood, senior years, pregnancy and lactation
- Activity level and type of work
- Neuter status
- Breed and body size
- Current body condition, and whether weight loss or gain is the goal
- Environment, including time spent outdoors in cold weather
- Individual metabolism
Why percentage-of-body-weight rules are unreliable
Advice such as “feed 2 to 3% of body weight per day” ignores the most important variable, which is the calorie density of the food. For example, a recipe made from lean turkey and vegetables might provide roughly 1 kcal per gram, while a recipe based on fattier beef, rice and oil can provide considerably more. Feeding the same weight of each would deliver very different amounts of energy, and therefore very different amounts of every other nutrient.
How feeding amounts should be calculated
The calorie content of a homemade recipe is calculated from its ingredients, typically using the modified Atwater factors (3.5 kcal per gram of protein and carbohydrate, and 8.5 kcal per gram of fat). Dividing your dog’s estimated daily energy needs by the recipe’s calories per gram gives a starting daily amount in grams.
That number is a starting point, not a final answer. Weigh your dog every two to four weeks at first and assess body condition on a 9-point scale, where 4 to 5 is ideal for most dogs (Laflamme, 1997). If your dog gains or loses weight unintentionally, adjust the daily amount gradually and remember to count treats and extras. Monitoring and gradual adjustment matter just as much as the starting calculation.
Preparing, Storing and Handling Homemade Dog Food
Homemade dog food is perishable and starts with raw animal products, so kitchen food safety matters for your dog and everyone in your household.
Ingredient preparation
- Weigh ingredients in grams on a digital kitchen scale. Cups and spoons are not precise enough for calorie-dense ingredients or supplements.
- Use exactly what the recipe specifies, including meat lean percentages and whether weights are raw or cooked.
- Wash produce, and remove bones from meat and fish.
- Keep raw meat separate from produce and cooked food.
Cooking methods
Simmering, baking, steaming and pan-cooking without added fat all work well. Leave out salt and seasonings. If your recipe tells you to include the cooking liquid, do so, because some water-soluble nutrients move into it. Use a food thermometer to confirm that meats reach safe internal temperatures.
| Food | Minimum internal temperature (Health Canada) |
|---|---|
| Ground beef, pork, lamb and veal | 71°C (160°F) |
| Pork pieces and whole cuts | 71°C (160°F) |
| Poultry pieces and ground poultry | 74°C (165°F) |
| Whole poultry | 82°C (180°F) |
| Fish | 70°C (158°F) |
| Egg dishes | 74°C (165°F) |
Kitchen hygiene
- Wash your hands before and after handling raw meat.
- Use a separate cutting board for raw meat.
- Clean and sanitize counters and utensils after preparation.
- Wash your dog’s bowl after every meal.
Cooling and refrigeration
Cool cooked food quickly by dividing it into shallow containers, and refrigerate it within two hours. Keep your refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below. As a practical rule, I recommend using refrigerated portions within three days.
Freezing and thawing
Portion food into daily or meal-sized containers and freeze at −18°C (0°F) or below. Label each container with the recipe name and date; most homemade batches keep their best quality when used within two to three months. Thaw portions in the refrigerator, never on the counter, and use thawed food within the same timeframe as fresh refrigerated food. If you warm food in the microwave, stir it well to remove hot spots.
Batch preparation
Batch cooking saves time but adds one important step: distributing supplements evenly. Many recipes call for supplements to be added after cooking, once the food has cooled, because heat can degrade some vitamins. Mix the supplement thoroughly through the whole batch, or add the measured amount to each daily portion, so every meal delivers what the recipe intends.
Common Homemade Dog Food Mistakes
Most homemade feeding problems come from a small number of predictable errors. None of them reflect a lack of care. They reflect how much detail a complete diet requires.
01
Following unverified internet recipes
Online recipes rarely state who formulated them, which standard they were checked against or which life stage they suit. Research consistently finds that most published recipes fall short.
02
Using proportions instead of calculations
Rules like “40% meat, 30% vegetables, 30% grains” describe how a meal looks, not what it delivers. Two recipes with identical proportions can have very different nutrient profiles.
03
Omitting supplements
Leaving out the supplement, or adding it inconsistently, removes the part of the recipe that closes its nutritional gaps.
04
Substituting without recalculating
Swapping chicken for beef or rice for sweet potato changes calories, fat, minerals and vitamins. In one study of dogs fed professionally formulated recipes, only 4 of 30 diet histories showed exact adherence to the recipe (Johnson et al., 2016). Small changes add up over months.
05
One recipe for dogs with different needs
A recipe built for a sedentary adult is not appropriate for a growing puppy, a pregnant dog or a hard-working sporting dog, even in the same household.
06
Forgetting treats and extras
Treats, chews and table scraps add calories and dilute a balanced diet. Keep extras to around 10% of daily calories and include them in your feeding amounts.
07
Not adjusting as weight changes
Energy needs shift with age, activity, season and neutering. Regular weighing and body condition checks keep portions on track.
When Should You Work With a Companion Animal Nutritionist?
If homemade food is, or will become, your dog’s main diet, a professionally formulated recipe is the most reliable way to make sure it is complete and balanced. Professional formulation is particularly valuable for:
- Puppies, especially large and giant breeds
- Pregnant or nursing dogs
- Senior dogs
- Dogs with medical conditions, where the recipe should be developed alongside your veterinarian
- Dogs with food sensitivities or a short list of tolerated ingredients
- Owners already feeding a homemade recipe who are unsure whether it is complete
What a nutrition professional does
- Evaluates your existing homemade recipe against established nutritional standards
- Develops a personalized recipe around your dog’s needs and your preferred ingredients
- Calculates your dog’s energy requirements and the recipe’s full nutrient content
- Determines appropriate supplementation in calculated amounts
- Checks every essential nutrient against NRC and AAFCO standards for the relevant life stage
- Provides ingredient amounts in grams and kitchen measurements, preparation and storage instructions, and individualized daily feeding amounts
How I can help
I’m Andrea Geiger, a companion animal nutritionist with an MSc in Veterinary Toxicology and Nutrition from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. My background includes canine nutrition research and years of developing and evaluating commercial fresh-cooked, raw and extruded diets. I apply the same formulation standards to recipes for individual dogs.
Through my pet owner nutrition services, I develop individualized homemade recipes with complete nutritional breakdowns, calculated supplementation, daily feeding amounts, ingredient quantities in grams and kitchen measurements, and detailed preparation and storage instructions. For dogs with medical conditions, I work alongside your veterinarian.
Want a homemade recipe built for your dog?
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Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Dog Food
Is homemade dog food healthier than kibble?
Not inherently. A complete and balanced commercial diet and a properly formulated homemade diet can both support good health. Homemade food offers ingredient control, freshness and customization, but whether it is better for a particular dog depends on how well the recipe is formulated and prepared, not on the fact that it is homemade.
Can I feed my dog homemade food every day?
Yes, as long as the recipe is formulated to be complete and balanced for your dog’s life stage and energy needs, and it is prepared consistently with any required supplements. Unbalanced recipes fed every day can lead to deficiencies or excesses over time.
What is the easiest homemade dog food recipe?
The easiest recipe to make well is a simple one that has already been formulated and checked against nutrient standards. A lean protein, a cooked starch, a vegetable, an oil and a calculated vitamin and mineral supplement can make a complete diet when the amounts are right. Simplicity in the kitchen does not remove the need for calculation.
Do I need to add vitamins to homemade dog food?
In most cases, yes. Calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E, iodine and some trace minerals are difficult to supply in the right amounts from whole foods alone. The type and amount of supplement should be based on the complete recipe rather than a generic dose.
Can dogs eat homemade chicken and rice every day?
Plain chicken and rice is often used short term for an upset stomach under veterinary guidance, but on its own it is not a complete diet. Fed long term, it would fall short on calcium, several trace minerals, vitamins D and E, iodine and essential fatty acids. It can be the base of a balanced recipe once the missing nutrients are supplied in calculated amounts.
How do I know if homemade dog food is nutritionally complete?
The recipe’s nutrient content has to be calculated and compared with established standards, such as NRC recommendations or the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles, for your dog’s life stage. Looking at the ingredients, or at how your dog seems in the short term, is not enough because many deficiencies develop slowly.
Can I mix homemade food with commercial dog food?
Yes. If homemade food is a small topper, keep it to roughly 10% of daily calories and reduce the commercial portion so total calories stay appropriate. If homemade food makes up a larger share, the combined diet needs to be evaluated, because a large unbalanced portion dilutes the balanced commercial food.
Is homemade dog food more expensive than commercial food?
Usually it costs more than dry commercial food, and it takes more time to prepare. The difference depends on your dog’s size, the ingredients you choose and the supplements the recipe requires. Larger dogs and premium proteins raise costs quickly.
The Bottom Line on Homemade Dog Food
Homemade dog food can be a sound way to feed a dog. It offers control, freshness and the chance to build a diet around one individual. What it does not offer is a shortcut. A complete homemade diet depends on calculated nutrient levels, the right supplements, appropriate portions and consistent preparation, not just good ingredients.
If you are cooking for your dog, or thinking about starting, a recipe formulated for your dog’s life stage, energy needs and preferences takes the guesswork out of the process. You can learn more about personalized recipe formulation on my Pet Owner Nutrition Services page.
References
- Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Official Publication: AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles. Current edition.
- National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2006. https://doi.org/10.17226/10668
- Stockman J, Fascetti AJ, Kass PH, Larsen JA. Evaluation of recipes of home-prepared maintenance diets for dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2013;242(11):1500-1505. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.242.11.1500
- Pedrinelli V, Gomes MOS, Carciofi AC. Analysis of recipes of home-prepared diets for dogs and cats published in Portuguese. J Nutr Sci. 2017;6:e33. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2017.31
- Johnson LN, Linder DE, Heinze CR, Kehs RL, Freeman LM. Evaluation of owner experiences and adherence to home-cooked diet recipes for dogs. J Small Anim Pract. 2016;57(1):23-27. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.12412
- Oliveira MCC, Brunetto MA, da Silva FL, et al. Evaluation of the owner’s perception in the use of homemade diets for the nutritional management of dogs. J Nutr Sci. 2014;3:e23. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2014.24
- Bermingham EN, Thomas DG, Cave NJ, Morris PJ, Butterwick RF, German AJ. Energy requirements of adult dogs: a meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2014;9(10):e109681. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0109681
- How KL, Hazewinkel HAW, Mol JA. Dietary vitamin D dependence of cat and dog due to inadequate cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D. Gen Comp Endocrinol. 1994;96(1):12-18. https://doi.org/10.1006/gcen.1994.1154
- Freeman LM, Chandler ML, Hamper BA, Weeth LP. Current knowledge about the risks and benefits of raw meat-based diets for dogs and cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2013;243(11):1549-1558. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.243.11.1549
- Davies RH, Lawes JR, Wales AD. Raw diets for dogs and cats: a review, with particular reference to microbiological hazards. J Small Anim Pract. 2019;60(6):329-339. https://doi.org/10.1111/jsap.13000
- Laflamme D. Development and validation of a body condition score system for dogs. Canine Pract. 1997;22(4):10-15.
- Health Canada. Safe cooking temperatures. canada.ca