How do you transition your dog away from kibble to homemade food?

It's important to check with their vet before changing the food you serve your pet. Once you have their approval, slowly begin integrating fresh food, like this chicken recipe, into their meals. Over the course of a week, begin serving one fully fresh meal to your pet while their stomach adjusts.

How much homemade dog food should you feed your pet?

A simple guideline to start would be to review the nutritional information on the back of your pet's current food bag and match their current calorie intake (if they are at a healthy weight). Then, ensure they are receiving a similar portion of nutrients and vitamins. Specifics serving suggestions are outlined below!

Chicken and Quinoa Dog Food Recipe

Description

Make food for your dog at home – it’s easier than you’d think and much healthier for them than processed kibble. This recipe is made with chicken, quinoa, sweet potatoes, and broccoli.

Ingredients

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4 lbs (2,000 g, about 6 individual) frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup of dry quinoa (150 g)
2 cups sweet potato chunks, cooked and frozen (300 g)
2 cups kale or spinach, chopped (150 g)
2 cups broccoli, in florets (150 g)
1/3 cup oats or wheat germ (50 g)
1/3 cup (80 g) vitamin mixture from Dogchild (see notes for homemade vitamin mixture)

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Instructions

Cook ingredients. Add chicken and quinoa to the Instant Pot or a pressure cooker, cover with water until submerged and cook on high for 32 minutes. If cooking on the stovetop, add quinoa and chicken to a larger pot and cover with water – bring to a boil and simmer until meat is cooked through and very tender – about 45 minutes.
Shred chicken. Once meat is cooked, use a couple forks to shred chicken into very small pieces. Do this carefully as the water will be very hot.
Add vegetables and vitamins. Mix in all other ingredients and let cool. If you still have a lot of water in the pot, reduce on low heat on the stovetop until it’s your desired consistency.

Notes

The nutrition information below is for the entire recipe without the added vitamin mixture (this varies depending on which you use, please be sure to use one). My dogs require around 500 calories per meal, so this makes about 9 servings for me. Be sure to review this before deciding what your dog needs.

For homemade vitamin mixture from Dogchild website, linked above: 15g (2 ½ tbsp) of Freeze Dried Beef Liver Ground into Powder, 7.5g (1 tbsp) Ground Turmeric, 15g (2 ½ tbsp) Egg Shell Powder, 7.5g (1 tbsp) Ground Ginger, 4g (~¾ tsp) Salmon Oil, 1.2g (~1 tsp) Dried Kelp, 0.15g (~1 tbsp) Wheat Germ Oil

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Dog recipe
Method: Boiling
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: Whole recipe
Calories: 4470 calories
Sugar: 38.4 grams
Sodium: 1622.9 milligrams
Fat: 102.1 grams
Saturated Fat: 27.1 grams
Unsaturated Fat: 75 grams
Trans Fat: 1.8 grams
Carbohydrates: 195.8 grams
Fiber: 23.3 grams
Protein: 652.1 grams
Cholesterol: 1700 milligrams