Step-by-Step Guide to Making Homemade Dog & Cat Food

Creating homemade dog and cat food allows you to take complete control over the quality of ingredients, ensuring your pets receive a nutritious, balanced diet without artificial additives or fillers. This recipe is designed to provide your pets with high-quality protein, essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. By using a combination of muscle meats, organ meats, vegetables, and natural supplements like bone meal powder, this meal promotes overall health, vitality, and longevity for both dogs and cats. Follow this guide to create a wholesome, nutrient-dense meal for your pets that they’ll love.

Ingredients Overview: 

Muscle Meat (70%): Chicken breast, chicken thigh, ground beef, ground lamb, ground turkey, and chicken eggs (with shells).
Organ Meat (20%): Chicken hearts, gizzards, liver (chicken or beef), and bone marrow bones.
Vegetables (10%): Carrots, broccoli, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, and canned pumpkin.
Supplements (2%): Fresh herbs (basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, cilantro), spices (turmeric, ginger, black pepper), sea salt, and bone meal powder.

Recipe:

Ingredients for 12 Pounds of Homemade Dog & Cat Food

Muscle Meat (70% - about 8.5 pounds total):

• Chicken breast: 2.5 pounds
• Chicken thigh: 2.5 pounds
• Ground turkey: 1.5 pounds
• Ground beef: 1 pound
• Ground lamb: 1 pound
• Eggs (with shells): 1 dozen (approximately 1 pound)

Organ Meat (20% - about 2.5 pounds total):

• Chicken liver: 1 pound
• Beef liver: 1 pound
• Chicken hearts: ½ pound

Vegetables (10% - about 1.5 pounds total):

• Carrots: ½ pound
• Broccoli: ¼ pound
• Green beans: ¼ pound
• Peas: ¼ pound
• Sweet potatoes: ½ pound

Supplements (3% - about 2.3 ounces total):

• Fresh herbs (parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, cilantro): 1 oz total (about 1 tablespoon each fresh or 1 teaspoon dried per herb) 
• Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
• Ginger powder: 1 teaspoon
• Black pepper: ¼ teaspoon
• Sea salt: ¼ teaspoon
• Bone meal powder: 2 tablespoon (adjust based on your pet’s size as per vet recommendations)
• Canned pumpkin: ¼ cup (add more if you dog has bowl issues)

Directions:

Step 1: Prepare the Organ Meats and Herbs
Organ meats are a great source of essential vitamins and minerals for both dogs and cats. Add the organ meats (chicken hearts, gizzards, liver) and all the dried or fresh herbs and spices (parsley, basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano, cilantro, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, and sea salt) into a large pot. You don't need every single herb in the list, these are just the herbs I use and have on hand. Cover with water, bring to a simmer, and then lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer the organ meats and herbs for 1-2 hours with the lid on. This slow cooking tenderizes the meat and infuses the broth with nutrients from the herbs and spices. Set aside the broth for later to maintain moisture in the final mix.

Step 2: Steam the Vegetables
Vegetables provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals essential for digestion and overall health. Steam the carrots, broccoli, green beans, peas, and sweet potatoes using a stovetop or microwave steamer until they’re soft enough to blend. Set aside the steamed veggies.

Step 3: Hard-Boil the Eggs
Eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein, and their shells provide calcium. Hard-boil the eggs, keeping the shells on for added calcium. Let the eggs cool before chopping them into smaller pieces for easier blending.

Step 4: Cook the Chicken Breasts and Thighs
Chicken provides essential proteins and fats for muscle development and energy. Cut the chicken breasts and thighs into smaller chunks for faster cooking. Place them in a pot, cover with water, and simmer on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes or until lightly cooked. Drain the water and set the chicken aside.

Step 5: Cook and Strain the Ground Meat
Ground meat provides digestible proteins and fats, perfect for both dogs and cats. Simmer the ground beef, lamb, and turkey in water for 10-15 minutes on medium-high heat until fully cooked. Strain the ground meat and set it aside in a large tote for mixing later.

Step 6: Blend the Ingredients
Once the primary ingredients are cooked, you’ll blend them for a smooth but textured consistency. Add the steamed vegetables, cooked chicken breasts and thighs, hard-boiled eggs (with shells), and organ meats to a food processor. Pour in about ¼ cup of the organ broth to maintain moisture while blending. Process the ingredients until they are smooth but still textured enough for your pets to chew easily.

Step 7: Combine Everything and Add Supplements
Now it's time to mix everything together. In the large tote where you placed the ground meats, add the blended mixture. Add bone meal powder for added calcium and phosphorus. Typically, 1 teaspoon of bone meal powder per pound of food is recommended, but check with your vet for the exact dosage based on your pet’s size. Mix in canned pumpkin for extra fiber and digestive health. Stir thoroughly to ensure all the ingredients are evenly combined.

Step 8: Portion and Store
Portion the food into quart-sized freezer bags to make feeding time easier. Label the bags with the date and store them in the freezer. When ready to feed, thaw the food in the fridge or warm it slightly before serving.

Feeding Chart

The general rule of thumb for homemade dog food is to feed 2-3% of your dog’s body weight per day, depending on their activity level and metabolism. For dogs with higher activity, you would aim closer to 3%, while less active dogs might only need around 2%. Here’s a refined feeding guide based on research for dogs only eating homemade food:

Feeding Chart for Homemade Dog Food (No Kibble)

• 5-10 lbs: About ½ cup per day
• 10-20 lbs: About 1 cup per day
• 20-30 lbs: About 1 ½ cups per day
• 30-40 lbs: About 2 cups per day
• 40-50 lbs: About 2 ½ cups per day
• 50-60 lbs: About 3 cups per day
• 60-70 lbs: About 3 ½ cups per day
• 70-80 lbs: About 4 cups per day
• 80-100 lbs: About 4 ½ cups per day

Nutritional Benefits: 

High Protein Content: The combination of muscle meats (chicken, beef, lamb, and turkey) provides essential protein for muscle development and energy.
Nutrient-Rich Organ Meats: Organ meats supply vitamins (A, B, D) and minerals (iron, zinc), which are critical for immune health and energy.
Bone Meal Powder for Strong Bones: Bone meal powder adds calcium and phosphorus to support bone and dental health, particularly for growing or senior pets.
Fiber from Vegetables: Vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and sweet potatoes provide fiber for digestion and essential vitamins for immune support.
Herbs and Spices: The inclusion of turmeric, ginger, and black pepper offers anti-inflammatory benefits, promoting joint health and overall well-being.
Pumpkin for Digestive Health: Canned pumpkin is an excellent source of fiber and helps regulate digestion.

Meal Toppers for Extra Nutritional Benefits

Enhance your pet’s meals with nutritious toppers like salmon oil, which provides omega-3 fatty acids for a healthy coat, heart, and reduced inflammation. Goat or cow milk kefir offers natural probiotics that support gut health and digestion, especially for pets with sensitive stomachs. Chicken feet serve as a natural teeth cleaner, helping to remove plaque and tartar while providing glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support.

By following this step-by-step guide, you’ll create a wholesome, nutritious homemade meal for your pets that promotes their overall health and well-being. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian to ensure this recipe meets your pets' specific dietary needs and to determine the appropriate dosage for any supplements, like bone meal powder. With the addition of meal toppers such as salmon oil and kefir, you can further enhance your pets' meals, supporting their longevity and happiness.