A few months ago I decided to start making my dog’s food. He’s a senior pup with a couple of medical conditions. I wanted to make sure he was getting as many nutrients as possible to ensure the best health possible. I use this homemade food in addition to his regular kibble to give him an extra boost!

The best thing about this recipe is you can completely tailor it to your dog’s specific dietary needs and taste palette. There are several different options for you to choose from, and the best part, it’s all done in the crock pot! Just set the timer and let the crock pot do all the work!

Ingredients

• Ground turkey, ground chicken or ground beef
• 2-3 peeled and chopped sweet potatoes (depending on size)
• 1 cup of broccoli or cauliflower- Can be frozen
• 1 cup peas
• 1 cup chopped carrots (I buy frozen mixed peas and carrots)
• 1 cup green beans (I buy mine frozen)
• 1/3 can pure pumpkin
• 1 cup brown rice
• 3 cups spinach (can be frozen)
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 2 cups of water or low sodium chicken stock

Preparation

1. Place all of your vegetables into the crock pot except for the spinach. 
2. Then add your rice, and ground meat on top of the vegetables.
3. Place your spinach on top of your ground meat,
4. Add in your turmeric, black pepper, and coconut oil.
5. Close your crock pot and set it on high for 4 hours. 
6. Once your food is finished cooking, use a meat masher to mash it up and combine it all together. 
7. I separate my food into containers or you can even use freezer safe plastic bags. 

Substitutes

As I stated previously, this recipe can be switched up to fit your dog’s needs. For instance, I sometimes leave the broccoli and cauliflower out altogether. You can add in a few peeled and chopped apples if you’d like.  I also switch up the meat as well to ensure they don’t get bored. But let me tell you, my dogs go crazy for this food so I don’t think you’ll have a problem with boredom here!

Storage

I either divide my dog’s food up into plastic containers or freezer safe bags. If you’re using freezer bags, I suggest flattening out the food inside the bag so that it freezes flat. You can also  vacuum seal the food into bags as well. I put a weeks worth of food into the fridge and then put the rest into the freezer and take out as needed. This food can be kept in the freezer for a few weeks.

Feeding Suggestions

As always you want to check with your vet before giving your dog anything new. I mix this food in with my dogs kibble just to make sure he’s getting all the proper nutrients. If you’re planning on giving this food to your dog without kibble, you’ll want to talk to your vet about adding in supplements. Certain supplements are found in kibble that are very helpful to your pup, so you want to make sure they aren’t missing any! 

I give my dogs about a spoonful and a half mixed with their dry food. You can give more or less depending on the size of your dog. I usually heat the food up in the microwave for a few seconds before mixing it in. You can even give this to them separate from there food as sort of a special treat or use it as a kong filler!

My dogs absolutely love this food and can’t get enough of it! It’s so easy to make and much cheaper than buying canned wet food. It also helps to give peace of mind knowing exactly what your dog is eating. Even the pickiest of eaters will love this! Be sure to check out our homemade treat recipe as well. We love seeing your creations, tag us on instagram using the hashtag #dogsdontwearpantsblog!