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Cheap Homemade Dogfood

by:
March 10, 2010
3.3
3 Ratings
  • Makes enough for 2 large dogs for 5 days
Author Notes

If you actually looked at what goes into dry, bagged dog food, you would be ashamed to feed it to your little babies. I was on the hunt for a healthy dogfood that wouldn't break the bank and came up with a recipe that includes beets, spinach, carrots, chicken livers, rice, barley, garlic and sage. It's done wonders for the dogs and they can't keep from drooling every time we dish it out. —cheapfoodhere

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Ingredients
  • 3 cups Uncooked whole grain brown rice
  • 2 cups uncooked barley
  • 2 cups chopped raw carrots
  • 2 cups fresh chopped beet root
  • 1 cup fresh chopped beet tops
  • 1 cup fresh chopped spinach
  • 2 cups chicken livers
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dry sage
  • 12 cups water
Directions
  1. Combine ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil.
  2. Simmer for 45 min to 1 hour. Keep pot covered, stirring every 15 minutes.
  3. Add water as needed until the rice and barley are cooked.
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8 Reviews

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CertPetNutritionist December 30, 2019
First, I have to say that I am a Certified Pet Nutritionist and Raw Pet Food
Nutritionist. It is not the garlic in this recipe that has me concerned.
Garlic, contrary to misinformation, is not toxic to dogs in the right amounts.
However, liver, of any kind, is high in Vitamin A which if feed daily would
cause hypervitaminosis. Which leads to; increased intracranial pressure,
dizziness, nausea, headaches, skin irritation, pain in joints & bones, coma
& even death!
Spinach is ok, but again, not daily. Spinach is high in oxalic acid, which blocks
the body's ability to absorb calcium & can lead to kidney failure.
Next, no rice! Brown rice has higher levels of arsenic than white rice but, why
would you want any arsenic in your dog food or yours?
The carrots should at least be steamed, so that your dog can digest them.
Lastly, there is no meat form of protein in this recipe. Dogs need to get there
protein, first & foremost, from meat. Meat should be 60%, veggies 10-15%, bone
(yes, raw bone) 12% & 15% organs (all organs). DO NOT GIVE DOGS COOKED BONES!
I, having all this knowledge, am still trying to come up the correct formulary
for a complete & balanced diet.
I would like to invite you all to check out dogsnaturallymagazine.com, where you
can find all the answers you will ever have regarding pet health.
Ronald September 17, 2017
http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/poison/garlic/
Lorie L. August 20, 2016
You can't give your dog garlic!
Amber S. March 26, 2019
Agreed it's poisonous. Look up on Google.
Sheena November 3, 2019
That is the first thing I thought about when I saw this recipe. Garlic! No, no, no. Please check all ingredients before giving to your pup. You would be surprised what is good for them and what is not. Just a little research and you will keep a healthy pup!❤️
Lizthechef March 10, 2010
We live in a home dominated by two cats - do you have a recipe for kitties? I believe they have higher protein requirements.
dymnyno March 10, 2010
My fur children , Floozie and Smuggler (Portuguese Water Dogs) would probably love this as long as the whole pot tasted like chicken livers??
aargersi March 10, 2010
I thought you were kidding at first - but this is a great idea! Miss Gingersnap (aka The GForce) loves her veggies - especially anything grilled (I think they tend to come out with essence of Mr L's steaks) and squash of any type (she and I had delicata last night) and also she's a nut for edamame, peas, fresh carrots (peeled and sliced please for Miss Thang) ... our fur kids need their veggies too!