Homemade Dog Food
Homemade Whole Food Dog Food
How we are feeding whole foods to our dog with cancer
Our two-year-old bernedoodle, Rusty, was not feeling himself. Usually, he is our constant companion but Fall of 2020 had him shying from our touch and seeking lonely corners of the house to lay where he would not be disturbed. I had him into his vet but they didn’t find anything.
We made it through the holidays and that is when I decided to try feeding a whole-food approach for Rusty.
I began switching him from dry kibble to a 100% cooked whole food diet similar to the one below and within a week Rusty was including himself in our family again. He wasn’t fearful of being touched by us. His symptoms were much improved. So much so though that I almost canceled the appointment I made for him with our vet but my intuition told me he had something in his tummy.
That sneaking suspicion or gut feeling that I had for our canine friend’s gut was right.
Rusty has been diagnosed with lymphoma (at the end of January 2021) with a mass around his spleen and intestines.
Just as there are ways to skin a cat, there are many ways to approach feeding dogs. I have tried to find a middle ground between all raw feeding, keto-style feeding, and BARF guidelines. While some would take a more restrictive approach to feeding a dog with cancer, I am just not there. I strive for high fat, moderate protein and carbs. I try to not feed to much fiber which can be difficult for dogs or too much protein which can cause weight loss for dogs.
My vet recommended a ratio of 3 pounds of meat to 9 pounds of carbs with fat included. I usually do 3 pounds of meat or protein and 6 pounds of veggies or carbs and then add my different fats at the end.
I have not entered this recipe into a calculator so I am unsure of the macronutrient ratios or calories. This is not intended as nutritional advice or for you to use as a recipe for your dog. I am only sharing our process during this difficult time.
Here is what I am doing for Rusty and what seems to be helping him feel himself!
Rusty’s Real Food Dog Food Recipe
Protein
Well-minced or ground and raw.
2-3 pounds of wild elk
1/2 pound beef liver
1/2 pound beef/goat heart or kidneys(I alternate)
For a total of 3-3.5 pounds.
Carbohydrates
Finely chopped and steamed.
1 pound cruciferous veggies (Broccoli, Cauliflower, turnips with tops, cabbage, kohlrabi, etc.)
1 pound lower starch veggies (Green beans, summer squashes like zucchini, yellow, or patty pan, cucumber)
1 pound to include:
3-5 carrots or about 2 cups
1-2 small beets
1-2 handfuls of greens(spinach, kale, tatsoi, chard)
part of a bell pepper
a handful of mushrooms(white or shiitake)
2 pounds of roasted winter squash, sweet potato, or pumpkin meat without skins. I usually do a mix of many different kinds of our homegrown squash that include Hubbard, mashed potato squash, acorn, pumpkin pie pumpkin, butternut, delicata, and kabocha squash.
For a total of 5 pounds
Fats
Stirred in at the end when veggies are added and still warm to melt the fats but not too warm to cook the meats.
2 tablespoons pastured butter
2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
2 tablespoons cold-pressed EVOO
2 tablespoons of our own ground beef fat or minimally rendered beef/lamb fat
Herbs/Extras
1 teaspoon Icelandic Kelp that has been geothermally dried
1 teaspoon Tumeric
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Leftover water from steaming the veggies(3ish cups)
1-2 scoops of grass-fed gelatin from Vital Proteins or Great Lakes.
In the end, I come away with about 8-9 pounds of food.
What Rusty Eats
I feed Rusty 1 pound three times daily. I also add these things to some of his meals:
Raw Goat milk
One of our eggs
Standard Process Canine Whole Body Support, Immune Support and their Hemp Oil Complex
A scoop of homemade sauerkraut
Pastured yogurt
Some fruit such as apple, berries, or banana
Microbiome Labs Fidospore dog probiotic
I and Love and You’s kibble that has millet and quinoa for extra B vitamins. 1/2 cup side dressing to some meals.
I tune in to my intuition to feed Rusty at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This way he receives a variety of nourishing foods in moderation.
Blooming Great Lakes Gelatin on top of water used for steaming veggies.
stay nourished,raina