Homemade Dog Food...

The canned dog food recall didn't affect my dogs.

Since they've been puppies, I've fed them homemade dog food that is cheaper and healthier than canned dog food. Flint is allergic to wheat gluten and was sick for a year after we got him. I was constantly changing dog food, getting more and more expensive stuff, trying to help him, then I remembered a friend of ours feeding her dog homemade food due to allergies.

Most commercial dog foods are 40-60% WHEAT or ground corn. The rest is often meat by products - hooves, bone meal, and the parts of the animal most humans don't eat. There is controversy that some of the by products are actually good for carnivore animals as their feral cousins (wolves, coyotes) eat it. Vegetables such as carrots, peas and green beans are also added to dog food.

Since I don't know, I make my own. Flint and Echo have been healthy now for five years. They've had routine visits to the vet for their shots, and that's it. Their coats are glossy, and in fact, Flint tends to get overweight.

Here's the homemade dog food recipe.


1 package of hamburger (most are sold in 1 1/2 lbs packages)
1/2 - 1 cup of mixed frozen vegetables
3 cups rice
6 cups water

Microwave the rice and water for 20 minutes in HI. Or use a rice cooker or regular pan if you prefer.

Brown hamburger, then add veggies and cook until soft. Mixe hamburger/veggies and cooked rice together.

Divide and store food into FOUR (4) plastic sandwich containers (like Glad or Ziploc ones with lids). Food can be frozen, too. Microwave for 5 minutes to unfreeze, cool before serving.

Each container feeds TWO 50 lb. dogs. They get about 3/4 to one cup of food each.

Although I feed my dogs breakfast sometimes, they usually leave the food in the bowl and don't eat it. They prefer one meal a day, at evening.

Cost for 8 meals:

Hamburger $2 (I usually get it cheaper)
Mixed vegetables 25 cents ($1 bag divided into 4 recipes)
Rice (25 lb bag - $8) 25 cents

Total cost per meal 31 cents

Cheaper than any canned dog food I can find.

I don't feed my dogs dry dog food because most are 40-60% wheat or corn meal, too. The only ones which aren't, are too expensive in comparision to my own homemade dog food.

Flint and Echo do get snacks every day. They love cheese and I often give them tidbits of leftovers, too. Flint also likes crunchy dry bone snacks - I buy the rice/meat kind.

ADDENDUM: I'm posting this several hours later - I received a comment from an employee of an unnamed pet store about the recall - guess they're trolling the 'Net to find who is commenting on it - well get this! The email was an advertisement FOR A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CANNED DOG FOOD that the store carries!

The advertisement is now deleted. This is MY blog and its non-commercial except for advertisements for books and whatever *I* choose. If you want to advertise on my blog, please send an email and what price you are willing to pay. I'll decide if its worth my space and get back to you. Thank you.