Balanced Homemade Dog Food

4.99 from 78 votes
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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: 

  • 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. 

  • 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. 

  • Sardines – meets vitamin E & D requirements. You can also use cod liver oil.  Use canned sardines in water, not oil.

  • Ground ginger- packed with manganese, which supports connective tissue health. This benefits ligaments, tendons, joints, and muscles.

  • 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!

  • 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. 

  • Beef liver- provides copper, zinc, and iron. Sprouts sells them in frozen packages that are convenient to use- 4 individually wrapped 4 oz portions. 

  • 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.


4.99 from 78 votes

Balanced Dog Food Recipe

This is a veterinarian approved recipe by Dr. Becker &Rodney Habib
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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

This will make 11-12 lbs of food, which lasts my two dogs around 3 weeks. My dogs are about 10 lbs each. Please talk to your vet or pet nutritionist about the correct portions for your dog. 
*Update: I am no longer supplementing this recipe with kibble. I feed my dogs only this recipe now! 

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

About Stella

I come from a multicultural background, and cooking has been one of the best ways for me to stay connected to my heritage. My recipes are tried and tested, many of them passed down through family. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we do!

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4.99 from 78 votes

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221 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I have been following Stellanspice for a while now and I am so grateful for this recipe! It has completely changed my dog’s life. I used to give them dry food and wanted to switch to homemade food because it would be cheaper than pre-made food, and I could monitor the quality of the ingredients. They used to never want to finish their food, but now mealtime is the best time for them! I make two batches because I have two dogs and it is the perfect meal prep amount. Their breath smells better, their nails are growing faster, and their poos have never looked so healthy. Thank you so much!

    1. can I cook this in a pressure cooker or even a slow cooker? I would be at thr stove all day cooking batches in my skillet. I might consider leaving it raw in the future. baby steps 🙂

      1. 5 stars
        I cooked 10# under high pressure for 10 minutes. It cooked gently with some pink left in the middle. Just the way I wanted it.

      2. I’ve cooked this in a pressure cooker no problem. The temps are lower than pan cooking….more gentle. Slight changes….keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge and add at the end. Raw eggs burn on the bottom of the pressure pot. Just toss the veggies, liver, and all the rest into the pot. Of course use the pot insert/wire thingie to keep stuff from laying right on the bottom. I add my ginger, hemp oil (when using beef), flax oil (when using chicken) and hard boiled eggs and shells after cooking. Blend it all together with an immersion blender and…boom dogfood. Freezing tips…after cooling weight out single servings into a plastic red dixie cup, place in freezer standing until frozen…squeeze frozen meals into a freezer bag. Hope this helps.

    2. I am wo dering about the use of broccoli and spinach as I have heard these are harmful to dogs, not willing to take a chance on putting them into my dogs diet, hopi g peas carrots green beans can be an ok sub for veggies listed

  2. 5 stars
    I love all of your recipes, but this is my favorite recipe and I’m so grateful you shared it! My dog has never looked healthier with less hair shedding and her coat so soft and shiny!

    Thanks again

  3. 5 stars
    My picky eater loves this food! I was intimidated to try this recipe but so happy I did. I made a smaller version of the recipe the first time around to make sure he liked it! Now I use this recipe plus the reusable bags!

  4. 5 stars
    Love that not only you give great food recipes but you also showed us how to make home made dog food which BKPets recognize on their IG page 👍👍👍👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

      1. 5 stars
        I spread it out over 3 cookie sheets and put it in the oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes. It came out mostly brown with some pink. I used the hemp seeds, and my dogs don’t have any qualms eating it when cooked this way as compared to doing multiple cooks in a skillet.

  5. 5 stars
    Been following Stella for some time now and while all of her food is amazing, strangely, this dog food recipe is our family favorite. My dog had multiple major surgeries last year that both almost took his life. Since then we really wanted to focus on making sure we’re doing everything we can to ensure a healthy life for him. We make this in big batches and he LOVES being in the kitchen watching us prepare it for him. He loves this food so much and we feel great knowing what’s going into his little belly. His coat is so soft and shiny, his breath is fresh and he’s full of energy. Thanks so much for helping our best friend, Stella!

  6. 5 stars
    I found out from your page I was over cooking my dog food. My recipe was very similar toy yours but my hairless girl has tons of allergies to i tween it to fit her needs. However I sent you a message a month or so ago on your cooking process. I have mastered “gently “ cooked process. Me and my 3 pups thank you.

  7. 5 stars
    I started to feed my 14 year old corgi raw since 2018 when he was diagnosed with cancer. He was given a 6 month life expectancy after surgery and I just had to do everything possible to give him the best fighting chance. For the longest time I ordered from different companies but I was never satisfied. I have always thought about making my own food but was so intimidated… until I saw you make this recipe! I have been following this recipe for over 3 years now and my dog has never loved anything more. He is now coming up to being 5 years cancer free!!
    I also recently adopted a 10 year old pit bull and transitioned her to this exact diet as well. She now gives a happy dance every meal time.

    This recipe is so easy, everything can be found at your local store and it is the most cost effective raw diet I have ever had! Thank you Stella for sharing this. Cohen, Auora, and my wallet thank you!!

    1. Do you have an idea on how the cost compares to if you were to go with a Farmers Dog or similar? I have a 90lb pup and curious if the cost savings are there to make it at home. Not the most important factor but still worth knowing.

  8. 5 stars
    I literally started making this for my puppy when I got her 4 months ago and she’s been hooked!!! Just recently Stella also posted a turkey version on her IG to switch it up for her babies and just as my dog started to get tired of it I tried it with turkey and she loves it!!! Her breath smells great and she’s a husky and her coat is super shiny and soft. Would definitely recommend. I also found everything I needed at sprouts except for the hemp hearts. Also sometimes they have sales on the sardines and that’s when I stock up. Great recipe!!!