Tuesday, March 19, 2024

How Much Homemade Dog Food Should I Feed My Dog

Not Using Trusted Sources For Homemade Dog Food Recipes

How Much to Feed a Dog (Commercial and Homemade Foods)

As with most things, you can find an abundance of information on the internet. Its important to know who to trust. Often, we quickly pull up a recipe without fully vetting the source. When it comes to your dogs home-cooked food meal plan, its essential to follow trusted recipes to ensure a properly balanced diet.

In addition, some recipes may not account for food that is harmful to pets.

Heres an example – Cutting a leftover steak thats been seasoned heavily and cooked in butter and sautéed onion may sound like a good addition to your pets plate. But, seasonings, onions, and dairy in excess are all harmful for dogs.

What Affects Your Dogs Diet

This is a tricky question to answer, not the least, because many factors affect your dogs optimal diet and, as such, how much homemade food you should feed them. It isnt just food consumption, after all, but the number of calories your dog consumes.

The optimal amount of calories per day will depend, among other things, on age and activity:

  • Puppies: 990 calories
  • Active Adult Dogs: 404 to 2100 calories
  • Inactive Adult Dogs: 296 to 1540 calories
  • Pregnant Dogs: 518 to 3170 calories

Those numbers make even more sense when you consider them in the context of a dogs lifestyle.

A puppy is still growing, sure, but they often arent doing the kind of work or have as large a body to maintain as a full-grown dog. On the flip side, as with human parents, a pregnant dog is eating for two and so needs way more calories.

Whats more, not all adult dogs live the same kind of lifestyle. A retriever or bloodhound working side by side with their humans on a farm all day will need more calories than a porch hound laying around doing nothing but looking adorable all day. Sure, thats an important job but not a very calorie-consuming one.

What Is It So Important To Get The Amount Right

It can be hard to gauge how much homemade dog food you should be giving your pup. After all, all store-bought wet and dry foods give you serving size guidelines complete with your pups weight and age. So, why cant you just do a little experimenting and figure out your dogs diet for yourself? See whether your pup is gaining or losing weight and adjust accordingly? There are supposedly reputable online sources that encourage you to do this to find your pups ideal serving size. To put it simply, this is something that you just should not do. Fooling around with your dogs weight is a definite no-no and can quickly lead to health and nutritional problems. You do not want to put your dogs health in danger by allowing them to become obese for any period of time as this could allow them to develop serious and sometimes irreversible health conditions. It is also possible that they could be consuming too many nutrients which is also dangerous for their health as they could develop nutrient toxicity. Nutrient deficiency can be just as dangerous, as being vitamin and nutrient deficient can lead to weakness and failing organs. In conclusion, dont be messing with your dogs portion control.

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Are There Drawbacks To This Pet Food Lifestyle

Unfortunately, there are drawbacks to feeding your pup a diet based solely on homemade pet food. It can be nearly impossible to know whether or not your homemade food has enough protein, fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins and nutrients for your pup. Every pup is different, regardless of breed and age group. This also makes it harder to determine how much homemade food to give your dog at each meal as there are no scientifically backed guidelines to tell you how much or how little you should give your pup. The quality of the ingredients themselves is not a problem. Figuring out whether or not your dog is getting enough of the right nutrients is the main drawback to a homemade dog food diet.

How To Know How Much To Feed Your Dog

How Much Should I Feed my dog?

The above calculations are wonderful at telling you how many calories your dog needs, but only work as a starting point to calculate how much to actually feed your dog. And I know there are generalizations out there saying 1-3% of your dogs body weight for raw fed dogs but the truth is how much you feed your dog will also be highly variable due to the caloric density of the food.

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Start With A Good Recipe

Many dog food recipes fall short in certain nutrients, especially iron, copper, calcium, and zinc. Even some recipes created by veterinarians don’t measure up. The University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine tested 200 recipes, many written by vets. The researchers found most of the recipes were short on some essential nutrients.

The best way to make sure a recipe has what it takes is to choose one created by an expert with training in dog nutrition, says Jennifer Larsen, DVM, PhD. That might be a certified pet nutritionist or a PhD-trained animal nutritionist with experience making pet food. Your vet should be able to point you in the right direction.

Your pet needs protein , fat and carbohydrates . They also need calcium , and essential fatty acids .

And if that’s not enough to consider, if your dog has a health problem, they may need a special diet. You may need a pet nutrition expert to create custom recipes.

Continued

Homemade Dog Food Recipe Calculator

Providing fresh, homemade food for your dog is one of the best things that you can do for his health and well-being. Whenever pet owners broach this subject with me, they often bring up how difficult it can be. Yes, creating recipes to meet your dog’s nutritional needs can be a challenge. But, this homemade dog food recipe calculator will make the process a little easier.

Many pet owners believe that they can feed their dog the same quantity of homemade food as recommended by their old commercial kibble brand. That could not be more wrong! Homemade dog food is more nutritionally dense than most commercial foods. This means that your dog won’t need to as much to get the same nutritional benefits.

I’ve also heard pet owners share misinformation about watching a dog’s weight and adjusting the serving sizes accordingly. If the dog is gaining weight, lessen the serving size. If he’s losing weight, increase the serving size.

WRONG!

The consequences of feeding your dog too much food are obvious. He’ll become obese, which could lead to a slew of other health conditions like diabetes, joint problems, certain types of cancer and heart and respiratory issues.

Did you know that feeding your dog too much food can also lead to nutrient toxicity? In the case of nutrition, too much of a good thing could be very bad! For example, Vitamin A toxicity can cause bone spurs, lethargy, constipation, stiffness and limping.

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Homemade Dog Food Sources

  • Meats: chicken, turkey, beef, bison, pork, lamb, venison
  • Vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, zucchini, summer squash, spinach, kale, collard greens, chard, thawed frozen peas
  • Complex carbohydrates: brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, lentils, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, winter squash

Recommended Serving Amounts

  • 2 pounds of food per day for a 100-pound dog
  • 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of food per day for a 50-pound dog
  • 1/2 to 3/4 pound of food per day for a 25-pound dog
  • 5 to 6 1/2 ounces of food per day for a 10-pound dog

This information is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Every dog’s dietary needs are different. Please consult with your veterinarian and use personal judgment when applying this information to your own dog’s diet.

Blood Tests Dont Lieand Hoochs Numbers Shifted Drastically In Just The First 6 Weeks We Made These Diet And Lifestyle Changes

How Much Homemade Dog Food To Feed My Dog?

He noticeably had more energy, was suffering less from inflammation, was shedding less with a more luxurious coat, and for the first time EVER he had zero bloating! NO GAS for the first time in his entire life! The best news though, was that those stage 4 kidney disease blood levels he had at his yearly checkup had climbed back up to to midrange stage 1 kidney disease blood levels! The extra time and energy invested in making his food and the other small changes we made to his lifestyle have given us more quality time with our beloved Hooch which is more than we could have ever hoped for!

If youve made our Easy Homemade Dog Food for your pup I would be so grateful if you would rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments below! I just love hearing from you and your reviews and comments really help others that visit This Mess is Ours. Want to be a part of our online community outside of the blog? Its easy!! All you have to do is follow @THISMESSISOURS on , , , , or to see cooking demos, and peeks into our day to day life.

  • Prep Time:30

790 grams cooked organic brown rice

700 grams ground lean beef, cooked through, fat drained

4 hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced small

207 grams carrots, shredded or thinly sliced

14 grams minced curly parsley

22 grams of olive or safflower oil

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The Ultimate Guide To Homemade Dog Food

Its no secret in the health & wellness world that a quick way of transforming your diet is to eat fresh, homemade meals versus junk food or eating out. The reason this has such an impact on health is that low-quality nutrition and ingredients like preservatives and additives in commercial foods are harmful to your health. How many times have you had a bag of chips and felt pretty bloated and bad afterward? The same is true for your pet!

Think of it as eating the same highly processed food for every meal, day after day, for years, Joe Bartges, DVM, Ph.D., board-certified veterinary nutritionist and diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition says.

Wow, that makes a lot of sense! According to Dr. Bartges there are many reasons why you might want to prepare vet-approved homemade food for your dog.

The simplest way to ensure your dog is eating well is to be confident that they are eating more natural, whole ingredients, and less processed foods. Even if commercial dog food brands advertise fresh meat proteins and high quality ingredients, their production methods mean the end product will not be as healthy as advertised. More dog owners are catching onto this fact, and feeding dogs human-quality food has risen in popularity along with our increased awareness for the benefits of eating clean ourselves.

Healthy, human-quality food has risen in popularity among pet parents who are becoming more aware of the importance of clean, natural food for their pets

Nutritional Needs Of Dogs

Dogs are omnivores this means they need more than just meat. Fruits, vegetables and even grains provide a variety of nutrients that a strictly carnivorous diet cannot provide. The Association of American Feed Control Officials sets food standards that governing bodies use to ensure dog foods are nutritionally adequate and contain what a dog needs. This means that dog food companies that follow the AAFCO guidelines make foods that are complete and balanced for the specific life stage of a dog that they are labeled for.

Dogs that have health concerns may require different levels of necessary nutrients therefore your vet may recommend a special diet for your specific dog that does not follow AAFCO guidelines. Additionally, large or giant breed dogs may benefit from special formulas to help make sure they don’t grow too quickly.

AAFCO Nutrient Requirements for Dogs
Nutrient Growth and Reproduction Minimum

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Tips For Making Your Dogs Food At Home:

  • If youre not ready to make the leap to cooking all of your dogs food, try just adding some real, whole foods to their kibble. You can start with simply stirring in a scrambled egg, mixing in some chopped apples or carrots, or adding a small amount of the homemade dog food in with their normal kibble.
  • You should be able to serve this homemade dog food to your dog either hot or cold. Ive found that dogs love this dog food so much, that they are not picky about how its served.
  • Its not usually a good idea to abruptly change your dogs food. Start transitioning them to homemade food by mixing some of this in with their regular food or kibble for a few days until they are used to the new food. Your dogs belly will thank you. And again, remember to always discuss with your vet before feeding your pet something new.
  • To give your dog a variety of different nutrients, use different meats, fruits, and vegetables to make your dogs food. However, if your dog has a sensitive stomach, it might be best to stick to one combination that you know works.

Serving Sizes Of Homemade Dog Food

How Much Should You Feed Your Dog

Get yourself a set of measuring cups for homemade dog food. Something like this is what I also use.

For most of my homemade dog food recipes, I typically include serving sizes in the article.

I generally recommend feeding the below amount:

1/2-3/4 of a cup of food for every 25 pounds of body weight

While this doesn’t seem like a lot, you need to remember that a well-balanced homemade dog food meal is much more nutrient-dense than most commercial diets.

When you make homemade dog food, ideally, you’re using high-quality, whole-food ingredients rich in protein and moderate fat, carbohydrates, and vitamins.

On the other hand, commercial dog food brands are processed and contain fillers that are only added to the recipe to make your pet feel like they’ve had enough to eat.

Thankfully, homemade dog food does not include these types of ingredients .

This type of feeding is also better for your dog’s digestive tract and digestion and will reduce the amount of stool a dog creates.

It’s a win for you and the dog.

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How Much Homemade Food Do You Feed Your Dog

The rule of thumb is about 2 to 3 percent of body weight for adult dogs and cats. That translates to about 16 ounces of food for a 50-pound dog, or 4 ounces of food for a 10-pound cat. These are just starting points you will need to adjust up or down based on whether your pet is gaining or losing weight.

24 Related questions

We’ve handpicked 24 related questions for you, similar to «How much homemade dog food do you feed your dog?» so you can surely find the answer!

We Arent The Only People That Have Converted To Making Homemade Dog Food And Are Loving The Results Check Out The Links Below For More Homemade Dog Food Recipes Your Pup Will Love

Easy Crockpot Dog Food from Damn Delicious || This simple homemade dog food recipe combines ground beef, brown rice, kidney beans, butternut squash, carrots, and peas in the slow cooker so you can set it and forget it!

Homemade Dog Food Recipe from College Housewife || Elizabeths sweet dog Rascal suffered from all sorts of health issues which led them to having him allergy tested. Turns out Rascal was allergic to all sorts of things even beef! So, Elizabeth developed a homemade dog food recipe that is just perfect for Rascals sensitive belly that is filled with ground turkey, sweet potatoes, carrots, and zucchini squash and macaroni noodles!

DIY Homemade Dog Food from Damn Delicious||Chungahs dog Butters battle with stomach issues led her to start making dog food at home. This recipe is easy to make and super good for your pups too! It combines a delicious blend of 50% protein, 25% veggies and 25% grains and is made of ingredients like ground chicken, brown rice, shredded zucchini, spinach, carrots, and peas.

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Making Nutritionally Complete Homemade Dog Food

The simplest way to ensure your dog is eating well is to know what theyre eating, and choose high-quality fresh food. But it’s also important to provide your dog with all the essential nutrients they need to thrive. Home cooked dog food is not always right for everyone, as its critical to understand what nutrients should and shouldn’t be included which can take a significant amount of time. If you’re ready for the challenge, the first step is to source vet-approved recipes for homemade food that are complete and balanced.

Why pick fresh, homemade dog food? Learn about the differences between kibble, raw food, and fresh pet meals.

How Much Homemade Dog Food Do I Feed My Dog A Serving Size Guide

Homemade Dog Food Recipe Calculator

Whatever kind of dog you have, chances are youve struggled with how much to feed them.

On the one hand, you dont want to underfeed them, and feeding your dog makes them so happy! On the other hand, overfeeding your dog can leave them logy and overweight, to say nothing of how it can lead to them leaving you little presents with even greater frequency.

Making homemade food for your dog can help with nutrition and be fun and fulfilling, but portion-setting can be tricky. Are you wondering, how much homemade dog food do I feed my dog? Lets take a look.

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