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When people are new to raw feeding, I often recommend starting with a commercial raw. But for many people, myself included, commercial raw dog food is expensive. Although I alternate between a few brands, I can't afford to feed them exclusively – so I primarily feed DIY meals. Beef is one of the most accessible proteins for raw feeders. The following is an easy recipe for new raw feeders to follow.
Beef with Vegetables Recipe [Raw]
The following is a nutritious recipe for dogs with beef as the main ingredient. I source my beef from local farms, through a local raw food co-op, outlet grocery stores (which sometimes have grass-fed beef), and ethnic grocery stores (which also have beef organs).
Ingredients:
The following recipe was formulated using Animal Diet Formulator software. Mix the following ingredients, multiplying the ingredients when feeding multiple dogs or large dogs.
1 pound (450 grams) of raw beef (preferably lean ground beef)
2.5 ounces (60 grams) of beef liver
2.5 ounces (60 grams) of beef heart
4 ounces (120 grams) of vegetables (I like carrots, collard greens, broccoli, and green beans)*
1/4 teaspoon of kelp powder (rich in essential minerals)
3/4 teaspoon of ground eggshell or calcium supplement (if needed; I often add chicken or duck necks to the meal)
*The vegetables can be rotated to provide variety. Ensure that the vegetables are safe and suitable for dogs. I don't feed onions; however, other vegetables I feed include cabbage, kale, zucchini, and yellow squash.**I recommend adding the salmon to the individual meals when feeding your dog instead of to the grind to avoid creating a potential thiamin deficiency.
The recommended feeding amounts can vary depending on your dog's age, weight, and activity level. As a general guideline, you can start with the following:
For adult dogs: Feed about 2-3% of your dog's body weight daily. For example, if your dog weighs 50 pounds (22.7 kilograms), feed approximately 1-1.5 pounds (450-680 grams) of food daily.
For puppies: Puppies require a higher percentage of their body weight in food. Start with around 5-10% of their expected adult weight and adjust as needed based on their growth and body condition.
It's important to monitor your dog's weight and body condition regularly. Adjust the feeding amounts accordingly to maintain a healthy weight for your dog.
Feeding Instructions:
Thoroughly wash the vegetables.
Grind the beef, liver, and heart together, or use a pre-ground blend if available.
Finely chop or puree the vegetables.
Mix the ground blend, vegetables, kelp powder, and ground eggshell (or calcium supplement) in a bowl until well combined.
Separate the mixture into individual serving sizes based on your dog's daily feeding amount.
Store the servings in airtight containers or freezer bags.
Thaw each serving before feeding and serve at room temperature.
Add fish (or salmon) oil to meals before feeding.
Remember to introduce new foods gradually and observe your dog for signs of digestive upset or allergies.
Using a Base Mix
A base mix is a mixture of whole foods that are freeze-dried or dehydrated and serve to help dog owners formulate a nutritionally complete diet without the use of software, spreadsheets, or professional guidance. I use Raw Vibrance by Dr. Harvey's, a grain-free base mix that doesn't contain synthetic vitamins.
I use a base mix because it's easier. I don't stress about balancing my dogs' meals. I don't maintain a spreadsheet. I don't think about macro and micronutrients. I'm not suggesting that people who choose to count calories and nutrients are wrong; I'm stating that I do things differently. Easier. And it works.
About Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance
A grain-free and holistic blend of 24 incredible whole foods, including raw goat’s milk, green-lipped mussels, shiitake mushrooms, and eggshell membranes
Made with nine dehydrated vegetables, two antioxidant-rich fruits, two energy-packed seeds (sesame and chia), bone meal and crushed eggshells for calcium, and nine other immune-boosting superfoods
Easy and convenient way to prepare a raw food diet for your dog
Proudly made in New Jersey, USA, and Non-GMO Certified
Ingredients in Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance
Broccoli, Green Beans, Squash, Celery, Cabbage, Carrots, Crushed Eggshell, Spinach, Beets, Raw Goat’s Milk Powder, Apples, Blueberries, Bone Meal, Sesame Seeds, Chia Seeds, Shiitake Mushrooms, Green Lipped Mussel Powder, Ginger, Kelp, Parsley, Eggshell Membrane
My Homemade Dog Food Recipe – Beef
The brand doesn't recommend the following practice. However, these modifications to their instructions work for my dogs, which I confirmed through two nutrient tests on four dogs that this practice meets their nutritional needs.
I start with an 80 10 10 blend of muscle meat, organ meat, and bone.
For every 10-15 lbs of raw, I use 1-1/2 cups of the base mix (this amount is pre-hydration).
If I used a base mix with the above recipe, I would remove the vegetable mix, ground eggshells, Vitamin E oil, and hemp seeds. The recipe I formulated for my dogs is as follows:
15 pounds of ground beef (80/10/10 with vegetables, sourced from a local farm)
2 cups of Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance
1 can of boiled canned oysters
Note: This recipe is a general guideline, for information only, and should not replace professional advice. The recipe was formulated for a healthy adult 60-pound (27.2 kg) dog.
More Raw Food Recipes
Easy Venison Homemade Dog Food Recipe
Creative Ways to Include Chicken Gizzards in a Dog's Diet
Easy Pork with Vegetables Homemade Dog Food Recipe
5 Easy Mushroom Broth Recipes to Boost Your Dog's Health
The general rule of thumb for a home-made diet for a healthy canine patient is 75% meat/15%vegetables/10% carbohydrate. Variety is the key to a healthy diet so be sure to vary your meat, carbohydrate and vegetable sources from time to time.
Ingredients: Very lean ground beef or poultry- This is the main source of protein and has to be lean since dogs have a high amino acid requirement. Compared to ground beef, ground chicken and turkey are lower in protein, iron, and zinc, so you'll need to make up for it with extra beef liver.
Good homemade food for healthy dogs includes all the vitamins, calcium, proteins and minerals your pet needs to stay healthy. You can add ground beef, chicken, lamb or venison, as well as vegetables, such as zucchini, carrots, parsnips, beets, yams, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes.
With nine different vegetables for dogs (including potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, broccoli, peas, celery, and beets), all you have to do is add water, fresh protein, and oil, and the meal is complete.
The easiest way to meet your dog's nutritional needs is to serve them meat, offal and vegetables in their bowl and give them raw, meaty bones on the side. There is no magic proportion when it comes to the percentage of meat, offal and vegetable. I recommend 2/3 meat and offal and 1/3 vegetable.
What ingredients should you avoid in homemade dog food? There's a vast number of human foods which should never be fed to dogs. Here's a list of ingredients you should avoid in your homemade dog food recipe: Onions, garlics and chives: these can cause gastrointestinal problems and damage to red blood cells.
What are the top 3 ingredients to look for in dog food? The top ingredients to look for in dog food are high-quality proteins (named meat sources - chicken, beef, fish, and lamb), natural carbohydrates (whole fruits and vegetables), and healthy fats (animal fats or plant-based oils).
The best dog foods will always have meat as the top ingredient, and you should look for recipes that emphasize real animal proteins, rather than just meat meals. Because your dog's food should have more meat than any other ingredient, it's vital to choose a meat source that will benefit your dog's health.
High-fat foods like bacon, ham, or meat trimmings can cause pancreatitis in dogs. And since these meats are often high in salt content, too, they can cause upset stomachs and, in extreme cases, can cause dogs to drink too much water, leading to bloat, which can be fatal.
Feeding your dog fatty foods, like hot dogs, bacon, ribs, or fried chicken, can upset your dog's stomach and cause vomiting and diarrhea. It can also lead to pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas. Some breeds, like Miniature Schnauzers and Yorkshire Terriers, may be more prone to pancreatitis.
For many, gentle options include venison, fish, duck, turkey, and lamb – easy on the digestion, and a hit with the taste buds. Cooked over raw. Our four-legged pals have a carnivorous core, but raw meat might be a smidge too rich dog food for a sensitive stomach. So, choose cooked meat for easier digestion.
Your pet needs protein (animal meat, seafood, dairy, or eggs), fat (from meat or oil) and carbohydrates (grains or vegetables). They also need calcium (from dairy or an ingredient such as egg shells), and essential fatty acids (from certain plant oils, egg yolks, oatmeal, and other foods).
These essential ingredients for homemade dog food include protein, fats, carbohydrates, fatty acids, fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals. Within each of these broad categories are more specific needs. The protein you choose needs to feature the 10 essential amino acids your dog can't produce on their own.
Although both plants and animals can vary in their energy density (bone marrow is more dense than chicken breast, and a sweet potato is more dense than broccoli), it's typically safe to say that if you aim for a diet of approximately 50% plants and 50% animals, the plants will take up more visual space in each meal and ...
A dog's primary dietary need is meat, so it can be hard for them to be on a strict vegetarian diet. It takes a lot of preparation and planning to provide a dog or puppy the right nutritional balance it needs without meat. Many home-prepared vegetarian diets just don't supply enough nutrients.
Bones should make about 10-15% of the diet and the meat 60-75%. Internal organs: offal is an excellent natural source of many nutrients your pet needs, and would naturally eat. The internal organs are very rich (especially the liver) and therefore should make only 5-10% of the diet.
Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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