Sample Balanced Dog Food Recipe

This is a large batch recipe. Although you are cooking this recipe, all ingredients are listed in raw amounts.

Ingredients:

• 32 ounces / 2 pounds lean ground beef: 88%-90% lean
• 4 whole eggs
• 8 ounces beef liver*
• 32 ounces / 2 pounds / 4 cups raw mixed vegetables – examples include kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, yellow squash, asparagus. These will shrink as they cook.
• 1/4 cup plain quick cook oats – dry amount here, will expand
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon iodized salt
• About 2 3/4 teaspoons Animal Essentials seaweed calcium (this is a chewy.com link)
• 4 scoops Thorne Vet Canine Basic Nutrients powder
  • Available through me at Thorne Vet
  • Available through me at Fullscript with discount
• Thorne Vet Super EPA Gel Caps
  • Available through me at Thorne Vet
  • Available through me at Fullscript with discount
  • Not required to achieve balance; an optional ‘extra’ if you are looking to add an omega-3 supplement
  • 1-2 gel caps per 25 lbs. of body weight daily
• 2 cups / 16 oz. cold, filtered water or just as needed to prevent sticking

Instructions:

• Rinse meat if desired.
• Rinse vegetables. Discard core, stems. Chop into chunks or bite sized pieces. If you are using frozen vegetables, they should already be trimmed up for you.
• Combine all ingredients in a large skillet or soup pot.
  • You can add supplements during cooking to simplify matters.
• On medium, stir frequently and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are bright and fork tender.
• Add more water if mixture starts to cook.
• Allow to cool and serve in appropriate amounts according to your dog’s level of adaptation to these foods, nutritional needs and other factors.

Additional notes:

• This recipe contains about 2,700 calories and makes just over 4 1/2 pounds of food.
• If your dog has a history of digestive problems, inflammation or a sensitive belly, please start diet changes gradually. For small dogs, try adding 1 teaspoon per meal for a couple days. For large dogs, try 1 tablespoon per meal for a couple days. If all is good a couple days later, increase by another spoonful and so on. When in doubt, proceed slowly.
• As with all perishable foods, please use this recipe within 3-4 days, or freeze servings and take out as needed.
• * Note on liver – If you don’t want to cook just 8 ounces of beef liver, try getting a larger package. They often come in 16-ounce packages. Cook the whole package in a little water for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. Then, chop up, freeze and take out as needed.