Homemade Dog Food

Making your own dog food can often be a cheaper and healthier option than buying commercial dog food. One of the only disadvantages is the extra time that it takes. But the end product is well worth it!

Check out what Donna from New Jersey has to say about the homemade dog food that she makes:

I have an older dog that has a very sensitive stomach. Most canned and dry dog foods disagree with him and lead to pain and food avoidance on his part. My vet finally gave me guidelines for making homemade dog food for him that are very simple and easy to incorporate into my routine. During my regular shopping trip I buy a very cheap grade of pork shoulder and chicken breast (usually less than $1.50/pound), some rice, a slightly larger amount of my usual vegetables, any cheese that might be on sale, and an extra can of cream of chicken soup. A week’s supply of ingredients is roughly equivalent to what I used to pay for canned dog food. I boil the pork and chicken over medium heat for 45-60 minutes. Then I use one cup of rice, one cup of the meat stock, and two cups of water to boil the rice. After it comes to a boil I reduce the heat to low and cover the rice for 20-30 minutes until it the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. Then I process the vegetables (usually beans, tomato, carrot and a little onion) in a food processor until they are dices into very small pieces. I combine all ingredients in a large pan on the stove and heat. I usually use 2 pounds of meat with 3 cups of cooked rice, 2 cups diced vegetables, one can of cream of chicken soup, and a cup of cheese. When the batch of dog food has simmered for 30 minutes I let it cool. My dog loves it so much that he asks for it as soon as he can smell it cooking. His bad stomach upsets have gone from three times a week to maybe once per month on this diet!

For more information on how to make your own dog food, click here.