If you’re just getting started on your homemade pet food journey, general best practice is to feed your dog (or cat for that matter) 2-3% of its body weight. This will definitely vary from dog to dog, so I’d highly recommend speaking to your vet before going homemade. Generally speaking, for every 20 lbs your dog weighs, you give them roughly 1 cup of prepared food.
In terms of how frequently you should give your dog homemade dog food, it’s entirely dependent on the recipe and your dog’s weight, age, breed and overall health conditions—this is something you should talk to your vet about.
What natural foods can I feed my dog?
Home-cooked dog food diets can be one of the best ways to keep your furry friend happy and healthy. Surprisingly, just about everything food that’s good for a human, will be good for a dog too—but always check in with your vet first to make sure if you’re testing a new doggy diet or if your furry friend is particularly sensitive to food change. Foods like:
are some of the best human food substitutes to give your dog. Who knew the food pyramid applied to man’s best friend too?
The Need-to-Know Protein-Vegetable-Grains Ratio
There’s a general rule of thumb for how much raw vegetables your canine should consume versus the amount of meat they need. While puppies might require larger amounts of protein for their growing bodies, the key to an adult dog’s homemade dog food diet is balance and moderation—⅓ protein + ⅓ veggies + ⅓ grains is the gold standard.
Foods That Dogs Should Never Eat
If you’re planning on pursuing a DIY homemade dog food option, avoid giving your trusted companion any of the below items—they can be toxic, poisonous, cause metabolization problems, or even lead to death.
Chocolate (and other sugary foods or drinks)
Avocados
Onions & Garlic
Milk (and other dairy products like cheese or yogurt)
Meats with nitrates (for example like bacon and hot dogs)