Five Simple Raw Dog Food Recipes

Just like you would follow a recipe for your family dinner, your pup will appreciate a home-cooked meal as well; probably even more than your kids. A raw diet for your pet is a commitment, especially if you’re preparing from scratch. Recipes to follow are super helpful and keeps the prep work and your dog’s meals exciting, fresh, and creative.

Ensuring your furry companion gets balanced and nutritious meals is a top priority for any responsible pet owner. With the rise in popularity of homemade dog food and various recipes available, it's essential to recognize that not all dogs have the same dietary needs. While these recipes may provide different measurements and reasoning behind them, it's crucial to remember that each dog is unique, varying in breed, age, and weight.

Your veterinarian is a valuable resource who can provide personalized advice based on your dog's specific health condition, dietary requirements, and activity level. They can assess your dog's current health status, identify any underlying health issues or dietary deficiencies, and recommend appropriate ingredients and portions tailored to your dog's unique needs.

There are endless recipes that your dog will love and we’ve scoured the internet so you don’t have to. Here are five recipes that check all the balanced and nutritious boxes so you can feel great about what’s in your dog’s bowl.

All these recipes can be served fresh or frozen.

Remember not to leave raw meat out too long and always wash out your pet’s bowl to prevent the spreading of bacteria.

This first recipe comes to us care of DogsNaturallyMagazine.com and is very simple. It’s a good one to start with if you just recently put on your raw dog food diet chef’s hat.

• Chicken thighs or breasts (35%-50%), easy to purchase at your local supermarket which are full of protein and a staple for your dog’s balanced diet
• Chicken hearts and liver (10%-30%), you most likely do not have this lying around … build a relationship with your butcher to supply what you need. Compared to regular cuts of muscle meat, organ meats are more densely packed with just about every nutrient, including heavy doses of B vitamins such as B1, B2, B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12.
• Ground chicken bone (12%-15%), easier than you think to make … you can also purchase pre-grinded animal bone online
• Raw or lightly boiled chicken eggs (5%), something easy to grab from the fridge
• Organic carrots (5%-20%)
• Organic green beans (5%-20%)

This next recipe comes to us from Topdogtips.com. They call this one “Chicken and turkey with a fish twist”. Are you getting hungry yet?

• Ground chicken and turkey bones (12%-15%), easy to do on your own or can be bought pre-made
• Herring (35%–50%), a wonderful source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, and essential oils
• Chicken and turkey hearts and liver (10%–30%), ask your butcher to supply these muscle meats as they are an important factor in your dog’s raw diet
• Lightly boiled chicken eggs (5%), this protects against Salmonella
• Organic spinach (5%–10%), just like Popeye, your dog will get strong with this high vitamin and mineral vegetable
• Chickpeas or garbanzo beans (5%–10%), you probably have a can or two in your pantry already … they provide a large amount of natural fiber

Thank you to Runningtothekitchen.com for this great raw dog food recipe and for sharing tips on recipe portions and best practices.

• Ground Beef (2 ½ pounds), easy enough to purchase or find at home
• Chicken livers (4 ounces), if you like chopped liver or liver and onions, this will be familiar to you - if not, just ask your butcher
• Chopped carrot (1)
• Small cored apple (1), aApple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide and should not be consumed by pets or humans
• Baby spinach (1/2 cup)
• 2 whole eggs (including shell)
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt

This Grandma's Meatloaf recipe comes to us from Lovetoknow.com. Now when your pup stares at you with those big brown eyes to try and snag some meatloaf off the table, you can make him his very own loaf, raw style.

• Ground beef or beef chuck (50%), easy to buy at your local supermarket
• 10% Beef hearts and livers (10% ), give your butcher a ring
• Chicken necks (10% ), you can use bone meal powder if you don’t want to grind yourself 
• Coconut, olive, or flaxseed oil (10%), healthy fats give your pup energy
• Green beans (10%)
• Peas (10%)
• Egg (1)