Raw Dog Food Recipes

Raw Dog Food

Feeding your dog raw meat seems gross and almost inhumane at first. But, when you closely examine what many dog food makers throw into their kibble and wet mixes, you'll quickly see how terrible commercial dog food quality is.

Many popular commercial brands list meat by-products as the chief ingredient in their products. And for those who aren't aware this consists of beaks, feathers, hooves, and just about anything else that isn't fit for human consumption.

Instead of feeding your most loyal companions undesirable farm animal parts, give them something that'll make them healthier while stimulating their taste buds. Raw chicken, beef, and other meats taste so good that even picky Frenchies will gobble them up without issue.

My Frenchie was exceptionally picky as he got older. By age 2, the Purina kibble I was feeding him seemed to tickle his fancy no longer. And as a result, he'd eat less and less of it. So I tried several other dry kibble brands and he hated all of them.

And then, one fateful day, I bumped into an article about the BARF method for dogs. Barf is a poor name choice , but it stands for Bio-Appropriate Raw Food. I took a gamble on Barf and bought my dog some organic chicken thighs , and he finished it before I could come back his water.

My boy has been eating raw food ever since. His coat is nicer, his weight is better controlled, and his muscle tone has increased considerably. I don't think he gained muscle necessarily; rather, his food is less fatty, so he appears leaner.

For those looking into feeding raw, here are some great raw dog food recipes that I've put together for my dogs over the years.

Ground Beef, Carrot, and Broccoli Puree

• Organic Bone Broth
• 1 pound of grass-fed 93% lean ground beef
• 1 Stalk of Broccoli
• 3 - 4 Slices of Boiled Carrots

Bone broth is a healthy liquid that tastes great and is a wonderful binding agent for dry ingredients. It serves as both a source of hydration and nutrients for your dog.

If you don't want to use a food processor or a blender, grab a large bowl and throw all your dry ingredients in. Before adding the broth, mix the veggies into the ground beef until they are evenly distributed.

Once everything is all fine and mixed, add your bone broth to make it into a consistency similar to that of your traditional dog food.

Chicken Anatomy

• Chicken Hearts
• 1 solid skinless chicken thigh - You can probably keep the skin on but my dog choked on it, so I always remove it.
• Chicken broth
• A few scoops of pumpkin puree

Organ meat is a nice treat, but I wouldn't feed it regularly. It's very rich in nutrients, but it caused my Frenchie quite a bit of constipation whenever he ate it. For this reason, I always throw in some pumpkin puree.

It's a tasty treat that is very high in fiber and helps dogs regulate their bowels. In fact, if your dog has ingested something they should not have, like a toy or bottle cap, many vets will give them pumpkin puree to help pass the foreign object.

Turkey Loaf

• 1 pound of the lean ground turkey meat
• 1 raw egg
• Chicken bones
• Salmon chunks

Now, I don't like fish, but the health benefits for dogs are undeniable. Each serving is packed with healthy and vital Omega 3s needed to keep your dog healthy.

Eggs are there for protein and to help keep your dog's coat nice and shiny. They also serve as a nice binding agent to keep all the dry food intact.

If these dishes don't have you salivating, here are a few more that my dog likes.

Farm Buffet

• 1 chicken thigh
• 1 raw egg
• 1/2 Pork Chop with bone
• 1/2 pound of lean ground beef

Winged Beast War

• 1 chicken drumstick
• 1/2 turkey wing
• 1 lamb chop
• 1/2 turkey neck
• 1 cup of bone broth

This is a very fun dish but it can get ridiculously messy. This is due to the number of bones your dog will be chomping. As they chew through the various birds, countless bone shards are going drop from their mouths.

You'll want to pick these up as soon as possible as they hurt just as bad as stepping on a small, pointy Lego block barefooted.

The decision to feed your dog raw food should not be taken lightly. You'll need to consider your dog's stage of life, current health needs, and most importantly your budget.

Buying raw organic meats is costly, and if you can't afford it, don't buy it. Instead, settle for other human-grade meats. They are still leaps and bounds ahead of common dog food in terms of overall quality.