Feeding our dog homemade food can be a good option if we want to select the quality of the products ourselves, ensure their origin or determine their cooking process, for example. However, feeding a puppy or an adult dog is not going to be an easy task and it is essential to inform ourselves well to avoid nutritional deficiencies. It will be essential to let us be advised by the veterinarian, who will propose a diet based on the breed, stage or needs of the dog.
In this article on our site we will offer you a small informative guide so that you know what you should take into account when preparing your homemade recipes. Find out below what homemade food for puppies is like with 5 recipes.
Is it advisable to make homemade puppy food?
As is the case with commercial feed, homemade recipes have advantages and drawbacks that should be evaluated by the owner before starting your dog on this type of diet:
Advantage:
- We can make diets from organic and natural products.
- We managed to select the foods that are more digestible by our puppy.
- We have the option of offering a rich and varied diet.
- We improve the dog's immune system.
- Puppies will grow more vigorous when offered quality food.
- It is usually more palatable and accepted than commercial feed.
- We avoid the use of additives and preservatives.
- The cost is very low in mini, small and medium breeds.
Disadvantages:
- We need to spend time preparing the recipes.
- Supplements are needed to ensure the correct nutrition of the dog.
- If it is not supervised by the veterinarian we can create nutritional deficiencies.
- Its suitability cannot be tested.
- The cost is very high in large and giant breeds.
We, as owners, must assess based on the pros and cons if it is more indicated to feed a puppy from diets homemade or if it is more indicated to bet on prepared foods that are nutritionally complete. It will also depend on our time and capacity, as well as our financial resources.
Homemade recipes for puppies
1. Potato with heart
This recipe is usually well accepted by puppies. It is rich in vitamins A, B and C, as well as potassium and minerals. For this we will need the following ingredients:
- 150 grams beef or lamb heart
- 100 grams of white potato
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 zucchini
- 2 carrots
- A pinch of turmeric and rosemary
- Sunflower or corn oil
Preparation of the hearty potato dish:
- Cut and peel the ingredients into very small cubes, suitable for the size of your dog.
- Bring the potatoes, zucchini and carrots to a boil.
- Gently cook the meat on the grill or in the oven, using the vegetable oil. Also add the spices to flavor the heart.
- Wait until the potatoes and vegetables are fully cooked.
- Mix all the ingredients, including the oatmeal, and mash the potatoes with a fork.
- Let cool and prepare to serve.
two. Rice with salmon
The rice dish with salmon is very rich in he althy fats and Omega 6, essential for our dog. It will also provide the necessary hydrates. To do this you will need:
- 30 grams of brown rice
- 150 grams of salmon (but you can also use sardines)
- 1 raw beef femur
- 20 grams cauliflower
- 1 pinch of parsley
- Sunflower oil
Preparation of rice with salmon:
- Clean the rice and boil it in plenty of water.
- Cut the salmon into small cubes and chop the cauliflower.
- Sauté or bake the salmon and vegetables, sprinkling the parsley on top.
- Chop the raw bones in a food processor, remember, they should never be cooked as they could splinter when eaten.
- Once the rice is fully cooked and the salmon and vegetables are lightly cooked, mix the raw beef thigh with the rice and prepare to serve.
- Add a splash of vegetable oil, mix and let cool.
3. Meat in sauce
This recipe is the only one of our proposals that is completely grain free. It is also usually very accepted and will be quite appetizing for our puppy. To make the meat in sauce you will need:
- 200 grams of meat for stew, preferably beef
- 3 tomatoes
- 2 carrots
- 20 grams of Swiss chard
- 2 raw veal knuckles
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Thyme
Preparing the meat in sauce:
- Chop the carrots and Swiss chard, then grate the tomatoes.
- In a pan, add the chopped vegetables and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add the diced meat and wait until it looks cooked
4. Chicken Risotto
This recipe is very rich in proteins, fats, carbohydrates and calcium, and is usually very well accepted by puppies as it is very tasty. Here's what you need:
- 150 grams of chicken or turkey meat
- 30 grams of white rice
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 yogurt
- 20 grams of asparagus
- Corn vegetable oil
Preparing the chicken risotto:
- Bring the two eggs to a boil in a saucepan and remove when they are fully cooked.
- Grate the eggs with a cheese grater.
- Crush the egg shells.
- Cut the chicken into small cubes.
- Bring another pot of water to a boil.
- Sauté the asparagus in a pan and add rice and some boiling water.
- Stir the asparagus and rice constantly to prevent sticking.
- Add water each time the rice absorbs it.
- When it's almost done, add the chicken pieces and the grated egg.
- To finish, don't forget to add half a yogurt and the crushed egg shells.
5. Meatloaf
This is a very tasty dish rich in protein. Depending on the chosen meat, it can be more or less fatty, but remember that puppies need more fat than adult dogs. To make your meatloaf for dogs you will need:
- 150 grams of beef for stew
- 30 grams of sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon brewer's yeast
- Extra virgin olive oil
- A pinch of thyme
- 30 grams of kefir
Preparing the meatloaf dish:
- Cut the sweet potato into small cubes and bring to a boil.
- Sauté the meat lightly in a pan with the olive oil and thyme.
- When the sweet potatoes are boiled, titrate them with the kefir and brewer's yeast.
- Add the meat and grind it too.
- Mix all the ingredients into a cake and let it rest.
- You can finish cooking it in the oven or let it rest at room temperature and serve.
Puppy feeding according to age
Now that you know these 5 sample recipes to get started with homemade food for puppies, you'll need to know How often you should feed your dogDo not forget that it is essential to follow the advice of your veterinarian, however, below we offer you a basic guide.
Puppy feeding, month by month:
- Before one month old: the puppy under one month old will only feed on breast milk provided by the mother her. In case you do not have a mother or have been rejected by her, we can use artificial formula (for sale in pharmacies or veterinary clinics) but we can also prepare an emergency formula for exceptional cases.
- 1 month: at this stage the mother, in the wild, would begin to regurgitate the food (very digested) to offer it to the offspring. puppies very promptly. It would be the first contact they would have with solid food. At this time the milk teeth begin to come out and we can offer a daily intake of soft or mashed food, type puree, to our little puppy.
- 1 - 2 months: progressively the bitch will start to stop feeding her puppies, so we must keep pressing them between one and two feeds daily, as accepted, always based on very soft foods.
- 2 - 6 months: at this stage the puppy has stopped feeding on its mother's milk and will begin to eat solid food on its own. same. It is ideal to offer about three daily shots. It is always recommended to crush the bones or use knee bones, for example.
- 6 - 12 months: from six months of age we can start feeding our puppy twice a day, just like we do with adult dogs.
Remember that puppies should be fed the same products that we would use for an adult dog (meat, offal and bones) but with the difference that they need to eat more regularly and/or adapted to their age.
Don't forget that your puppy's diet should be very varied and complete and that you can use all kinds of meat, fish and vegetables that are good for dogs, as well as supplementing their diet with natural supplements for puppies. In case of any he alth problem, especially vomiting or diarrhoea, we should go to the vet immediately.
Tips
- If you notice vomiting or diarrhea, go to the vet immediately.
- If you don't want to give your puppy bones, don't hesitate to crush them with a meat grinder.
- Betting on quality and he althy food.
- Go to the vet to perform tests and properly monitor the puppy.
