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This is a balanced dog food recipe that my veterinarian recommended to me a few years ago. I want my dogs to live long & healthy lives, so I make their food myself! I like knowing exactly what is in their food. It can get pricey, but hospital bills are even pricier. Healthy food = good health!
This recipe is completely balanced and my dogs LOVE it. They have super shiny coats, healthy teeth, and good breath!
Why you’ll love this recipe
For health reasons obviously! But it’s also perfect for making in bulk, which makes it much more convenient.
You can make a large batch of this once or twice a month, keep it in the freezer, and thaw overnight as needed until you run out. I make about 11 pounds of food (uncooked) and it will last almost 3 weeks for my two small adult dogs (about 10 lbs each).
This recipe can also kinda count as 3 recipes! You can switch out the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken, and just add a little extra beef liver to make up for the iron, zinc, and protein. That way your dog has a little variety in their meals.
How much should I feed my dog?
Check with your veterinarian for how much food your dog needs per serving. My two dogs are about 10 lbs each, and we feed them 2/3 of a cup (each), twice a day.
Nutritional info
This recipe has 40 calories per ounce. To see the original recipe posted on Youtube by Dr. Karen Becker and Rodney Habib, click here. This video can provide more information on the nutritional value of all the ingredients in this recipe.
Cooked or Raw?
I gently cook the food for my dogs, but this is still a great recipe if your dog is on a raw diet.
If you choose to cook the food, do so without any oil on a nonstick pan on low heat. Be careful not to sear the meat- you want to gently cook it until it is just done. You can make patties, large chunks, or break it down into mince if you prefer.
Ingredients:
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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.
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Hempseed– excellent source of essential fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6. This balances the fats. I buy mine from Sprouts or Costco but it is also available an Amazon here. You can use hempseed oil but be very careful with the heat if you are going to cook it. Hempseed oil becomes very unpleasant to dogs if exposed to high heat.
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Sardines – meets vitamin E & D requirements. You can also use cod liver oil. Use canned sardines in water, not oil.
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Ground ginger- packed with manganese, which supports connective tissue health. This benefits ligaments, tendons, joints, and muscles.
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Kelp powder- packed with iodine and is AMAZING for teeth and coat health! You can purchase the one I use here. I highly recommend this stuff- my dogs have great hair & teeth, and their breath NEVER stinks!
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Eggs & eggshells- eggs are a great source of folic acid and vitamin b12. The eggshells are totally edible and provide the calcium needed for adult dogs, but not puppies.
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Beef liver- provides copper, zinc, and iron. Sprouts sells them in frozen packages that are convenient to use- 4 individually wrapped 4 oz portions.
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Broccoli, red bell pepper, & spinach- veggies add antioxidants, phytonutrients, enzymes, and fiber.
- Leave out the spinach if you have a senior dog with kidney issues. Spinach is not good for dogs with kidney failure because of its oxalates and high sodium content, but this small amount is perfectly fine for healthy dogs.
How to make it
(measurements and instructions provided in recipe card at the end of this post)
Begin by mixing together the ground beef (or chicken or turkey), eggs, kelp, ground ginger, hempseed, sardines, and pumpkin puree (if using). Sometimes I add pumpkin puree for digestive health, but it is not part of the original recipe.
Save half of the eggshells and set them aside.
Drain most of the water from the sardines before you add them in. Try to break them up as much as you can before mixing so that it is evenly distributed throughout the recipe. When it is well combined, set it aside.
Next, add the veggies, eggshells, and beef liver to a food processor and blend until everything is evenly chopped. You may need to do this in batches if your food processor is small.
I use a Hamilton Beach food processor! I love this one because it’s affordable and has a built in side scraper that can be used while the food processor is on.
Add the blended ingredients to the beef and mix until well combined.
How to store it
Portion out the food according to your dog’s daily food intake requirements. Remember that the uncooked food will be ok in the freezer for weeks, but only for a few days in the fridge. Portion accordingly. I do not like to keep cooked dog food in the fridge for more than 4 days.
If you’re going to consistently make this recipe, consider buying reusable freezer bags! I’ve had these for almost a year now and they’re still holding up great. Let’s try to reduce our plastic waste 🙂
The food is ready to serve raw, or you can gently cook it. Cook without any oil on a nonstick pan on low heat. Be careful not to sear the meat- you want to gently cook it until it is just done. You can make patties, large chunks, or break it down into mince if you prefer.
Meet Remy & Leeloo!
Here is a recent picture of our pups! Remy (left) and Leeloo (right) are mother and daughter. We adopted them in 2021 and we love them so much!
I fed this recipe to my previous dog Lucy, who passed away last year from kidney failure and arthritis. She was very old when she passed, but I am not sure exactly how old. I miss her so much.
It is so important to me to make sure I am feeding my dogs the best food possible. I have received SO many messages from readers saying that this recipe saved or improved their dog’s life, and that sincerely brings me so much joy!
Healthy homemade dog treats
If you’re interested in making this recipe for you dog(s), consider making them some healthy treats too! I am working on adding more to the blog, but for now here is an easy one my dogs love:
Green-lipped mussels are packed with nutrients! They are particularly effective in relieving joint pain in dogs. My dogs are dachshund mixes, so I am constantly worried about their impending back and joint pain. They love these little fishy snacks and it gives me peace of mind to know it is helping to reduce inflammation! You can read more about the benefits of green-lipped mussels here.
Balanced Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 lbs 90% lean ground beef , or lean ground turkey or chicken
- 1.5 cup hempseeds, or 1/3 cup hempseed oil
- 16 oz canned sardines in water, or 4 tsp cod liver oil
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 4 tsp kelp powder
- 8 eggs, pasture raised
- 4 egg shells
- 15 oz pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie mix!
- 8 oz beef liver, 12 oz if using ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef
- 8 oz broccoli
- 8 oz spinach, omit if your dog has kidney issues
- 8 oz red bell pepper
Instructions
- Begin by mixing together the ground beef, eggs, kelp powder, ground ginger, hempseed, (or hempseed oil), sardines, and pumpkin puree (if using). Drain the water from the sardines before you add them in. Save half (4) of the eggshells and set them aside.
- Break up the sardines as much as you can so that it is evenly distributed when mixed.
- Next, process the veggies, eggshells, and beef liver. You may need to do this separately if your food processor can't fit everything. I process everything separately, except for the bell pepper and eggshells- I process those together. I use a Hamilton Beach food processor. I love this one because it has the side scrapers that can be used while the processor is on!
- Add the blended ingredients to the beef and mix until well combined.
- Portion out the food according to your dog's daily food intake requirements. The dog food will be good in the freezer for weeks, but only for a few days in the fridge. Portion accordingly. I do not like to keep cooked dog food in the fridge for more than 4 days.Reusable freezer bags are the way to go! Let's try to reduce plastic waste 🙂
- The food is ready to serve raw, or you can gently cook it. Cook without any oil on a nonstick pan on low heat. Do not try to sear the meat over high heat- you want to gently cook it until it is just done. *Note- If using hempseed oil, cooking the food on high heat for a long period of time will make the hempseed oil taste really bad to the dogs, so be really careful about "gently" cooking it!
- Drain the fat and let it cool completely before storing in the fridge, for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Around how much does this recipe cost? Thanks
Thats difficult to say since we all have different sized dogs with different dietary needs, but for my two small dogs (about 7 lbs each) I spend roughly $70 every 3-4 weeks on their food. Hope that helps!
Most recipes I see call for carbs. I see this one doesn’t have things added like rice, pasta, or any form of carbs. Is this ok?
Hi Jass, I am not a dog nutritionist so I don’t really know the answer to this question. My own research shows that carbs are not a dietary requirement for dogs. I give my dogs this recipe because my vet recommended it. Hope that helps.
Is it equivalent exchange for hemp seed oil and hemp seeds?
No, they are not equal. The recipe says 8 tsp oil or 12 tbsp seeds
My dog’s name is Stella so I had to checkout your recipe when I saw the domain! So far my favorite combination of ingredients. My dog is older, and I was wondering if steaming the veggies for a little could make them easier to chew for her? Or will processing them be enough? Thanks again for sharing this!
Hi Mimi, thanks for your comment! I think if you break down the vegetables enough in the food processor, it should be fine for your dog to chew through. If you notice it’s still too difficult for her to chew, then yes I would recommend steaming them first 🙂
Thank you so much for posting this recipe. My dog started not eating his food for days because he lost interest even though they are very good brands for your dog. I gave it to him for the first time yesterday and I’m not kidding, he looked at me all night long, wagging his tail, smiling and showing appreciation. It was great to see he enjoyed eating again. Thank you so much
Oh my gosh Raquel that makes me so happy! I started using this recipe for my previous dog because of the same thing. She lost interest in her normal food so I started making my own, and she loved it so much. I’m glad your pup is eating again! Thank you so much for your comment <3
Hi Stella,
I was wondering how much the whole foodshop costs you roughly? My dog has stomach issues so she’s on a clean pre-made human grade food plan at the moment but it’s expensive, wondering if this is more cost effective for her?
Would love you advice 🙂
Hi Suzie, we shop at Sprouts and get their 93% lean grass fed ground beef. For this amount of food (about 11 lbs), we spend roughly $70-80.
I started using this recipe when my 1 year old female dog started having aversions to her regular food. I use it to supplement her dry food and needless to say, she and her big sister love it! I have done it with both lean chicken breasts and ground beef. I do cook it gently before serving. I do make it in big batches and freeze in about a 1 week portion so it stays fresh. I am so thankful that I found this recipe!! They have always had beautiful coats and teeth but I do see it is even softer and shinier. Their “potty time” has shown improvement as well. Thank you so much for sharing!!!
Hello! I just found this recipe while looking for alternative foods for my mix breed. I’m excited to look at some of your other recipes too! I thought I should ask how much you thought I should feed him before I got started. He is 75 lb and not very active and we feed him twice a day, your opinion would be very helpful ^^
Could it be cooked before freezing it?
Yes you can cook it before freezing, but it is really important to properly cool the food before freezing it. Don’t put hot food in the freezer and don’t let it stay in the danger zone for longer than 2 hours. It helps to let it cool on the counter in a wide shallow bowl (cools faster) for about 30 minutes, then you can freeze it 🙂
I have 4 small dogs. Biggest is 15. Amd smallest is 7.
How much would you feed of this per day
Excellent recipe. I have 2 chihuahuas and they just love this recipe. They have more energy (they were turning into couch potatoes) and overall better health, coat, teeth and bowel movements. I’m not a fan of any bagged dogfood after seeing how it’s made and so much filler. I’d rather pay more for more nutrient rich food that is better for them and I know what’s in it. I will never feed powdered dog food with spray on flavor ever again. Thanks for the post and the easy step by step tuitorial !!!
You mention twice that it should only be gently cooked and not seared. Would you mind elaborating on why the dog meat shouldn’t be seared?
Hi J! Thank you for your question. My vet told me it was important not to cook the food too aggressively (like searing/browning) because too much heat will diminish the nutritional value of the vegetables. Gently cooking it at a low to medium heat is best for making sure the pups get all the essential vitamins and minerals that the vegetables provide. Hope that helps 🙂
My little 7lb chihuahua papillon mix suffers from occasional lameness in her legs. And this time it’s very painful for her. When her legs start to hurt she stops eating, and I don’t blame her because I wouldn’t want to eat that kibble cardboard either. It’s just convenient and I had no idea how to feed them a balanced raw diet if not the kibble. It breaks my heart to see her in pain and she needs to eat something so your recipe fell into my lap on my late night rabbit hole dog food search. After watching lots of videos and reading lots of recipes I finally got that “ahah!” when I came across yours. Got off early today just to get all the food shopping done, made up the batch and are currently freezing it all. Thank goodness I found kelp powder at my local health store. I mixed up a little of the raw mixture and coated it in her kibble and she finally ate! So excited to see her regain her strength and I know that the supplements she’s been missing will make her feel much better as well.
My question is about the meat. It’s very hard to find a reasonably priced 90%lean and 10%fat beef in store. I stopped at 3 different groceries in my local area until I settled on 8.99/lb (cheapest I could find). Costco sells the organic ground beef 3 packs and those are a 85/15 blend. What are your thoughts on using that ratio instead?
Hi Danica, your dog sounds like such a cute mix! To answer your question, I do not think anything less than 90% lean ground beef would be good for your dog (especially if they are overweight). What I’d recommend is using a mix of that Costco 85/15 blend and maybe finding a 93% lean blend of ground beef. I know Sprouts has some. That way you can save some money but still stick with the nutritional requirements for dogs. I hope this helps!
Do you have a calculation of macronutrients and calories per Kg?
This recipe contains 40 calories per ounce. I am not sure about the exact details for macronutrients, but you can get a better description of it on the original YouTube video that I linked in the beginning of this post 🙂
It is difficult to calculate the exact macro nutrients from the info here or in the original YouTube video. But this recipe is primarily made up of proteins, healthy fats and a low amount of fibrous carbohydrates. All in all a very healthy and delicious recipe for dogs. I can vouch for recipes with egg, beef or sardine in them as every dog I have ever fed absolutely loves these ingredients. Also, adding fish oils to kibble or recipes like this will make dogs so excited for meal time and provide healthy nutrients for their coats.
Is this receipt good for dogs with pancreitus issues?