Free Raw Dog Food Recipes
& Book Review

How about a few raw dog food recipes? A natural organic barf diet is a combination of all the best quality foods we can feed our dogs, whether you choose a grain or no grain recipe. Not all raw dog food recipes are created equal, so stick with me while I explain.

First, let me get the question of grains in dog food out of the way. A large number of folks feeding the barf diet for dogs are adamant about grain free dog food.

Grains

– To Feed or Not to Feed, That is the Question

First, let me make something perfectly clear. Dogs do NOT NEED grains in any form. Humans do. Dogs need lots of meat protein, some fat, bones and some vegetable matter.

I think we’ve gotten into the whole grain/carbohydrate thing because we tend to see our little guys like ourselves. Plus when dog food manufacturing started back around 1930, leftover grain products were (and still are) wildly plentiful, and boy were they cheap!

Think about it. All that leftover stuff that couldn’t be fed to humans could go into animal feed instead of the trash. Ingenious!

That being said, I will actually admit I don’t serve a grain free diet. Still, I am picky and use only certain whole grains. I will leave it up to you whether you use grains in your raw dog food recipes.

Meals are less expensive when adding them to homemade raw dog food recipes and my dogs seem to be more full. At the very least I am still feeding them far better than anything in a bag. Now here are some dos and don'ts when it comes to our carnivorous canines and grains.

DO USE:

• Organic whenever possible
• Organic Oats (Soak oats in water instead of cooking)
• Quinoa
• Brown rice

NEVER USE:

• Instant cereals
• Precooked grains (like ten minute rice)
• Microwaved grains
• White rice

If you want to use grains, add them to the recipes on this page or to the foods listed in either of the books below. Keep grains at about 20% by volume.

When You Should Feed A No Grain Diet

When there are any kinds of dog skin disorders such as hot spots, redness in genital area, dry itchy skin or any other canine skin conditions I haven’t mentioned, then no grains in your raw dog food recipes!

If yeast is a problem, like dog yeast ear infections, then no grains!

The above conditions can be either caused or aggravated by grains. I suggest starting raw without them and once the dog is feeling better and problems disappear, then try them and monitor.

So, if you haven't guessed by now, a barf diet is the best dog food for skin allergies and food allergies in dogs.

Raw Dog Food Recipes

Okay, we're to the recipe part! I'm going to give you 4 recipes and we'll see how much you've been listening. Three of the recipes are good and one is not. If you are on Facebook, you can comment at the very bottom of this page.

I will tell you this, I believe in supplementing, but I am picky about it, especially since most of the folks I do dog health care coaching for have more than one canine kid and don't buy all organic vegetables, or free range chickens etc.

Raw Dog Food Recipe #1
Boneless Meat Patties

• 5 lbs ground chicken/ turkey/ beef/ lamb/pork (combine any)
• 1 can water packed sardines ( rinsed )
• 4 lightly cooked eggs ( 3 minutes ) in shell

1 cup finely chopped vegetables - kale/romaine lettuce/parsley/spinach/broccoli stalks/asparagus/carrots (combine any) I just throw mine in the food processor. In fact, that's mine at the top of the page, and here is the 'after' picture.(obviously this was a big carrot day) 5 Spirulina capsules ( NSP # 681-1 ) - open and sprinkle on mixture 5 Super Omega 3 capsules ( NSP # 1515-7 ) - open and sprinkle on mixture

Combine all ingredients together like a meatloaf. Get in there and mix it up! Form into patties the right size for your dog. (See table at bottom of page.) Refrigerate or freeze, thawing in the fridge the day before feeding.

Raw Dog Food Recipe #2
Boneless Organ Meat Patties

This is an important variation of the first recipe because dogs NEED organs and/or offal. Feed this recipe just once a week.

For meat, substitute any of the following or better yet, a combination of them: beef heart finely chopped, chicken livers, kidneys, gizzards

So, for a smaller batch, use:

• 1 lb. finely chopped beef heart, chicken livers, kidneys, gizzards
• 1/4 cup mixed veggies finely diced or mushed (food processor)
• 1 lightly cooked egg (I'll be honest, I use raw free range organic eggs and shells because I personally have no fear of salmonella. It's a decision only you can make for your dogs.)
• 1 Spirulina capsule ( NSP # 681-1 ) - open and sprinkle on mixture
• 1 Super Omega 3 capsule( NSP # 1515-7 ) - open and sprinkle on mixture

Now if all this sounds like a pain in the behind, I can tell you this. After doing this a few years, I don't even think about raw dog food recipes because it's ingrained (no pun intended).

In fact, when I get up in the morning, I put the veggies in the food processor when I put on the coffee. I put vegetables in the bowls with supplements and throw a pound of raw meat on top (often chicken thighs or drumsticks) and breakfast is served.

Since I give them all their veggies in the morning, dinnertime varies. I may just toss meat in a bowl on top of some soaked organic oats with whole supplement capsules, or let the dogs "catch" as I throw it to them. They NEVER miss catching raw meat!

Now you may have guessed I don't do the meatloaf/patty recipe in my raw diet for dogs. I never get around to it. My current recipe works quite well and here it is. (See picture)

Raw Dog Food Recipe #3
Whole Chicken Pieces with Veggies

• 1/2 cup ground veggies per 80 lb dog
• (Includes 1 clove organic garlic and egg shell if no bones on menu)
• Supplements
• 1 teaspoon cold pressed flax seed oil (instead of sardines)
• 1 pound of chicken pieces (with or without bones)

Toss it in a bowl and its gone in 60 seconds!

I will say, if I had a small dog I would make the first recipe because it would last FOREVER. I would make it once every three or four weeks. However, since I'm used to feeding between 2 and 5 dogs over 75 pounds each, I wouldn't have a freezer big enough! I've served everything from chicken leg quarters (bone in) to pigs feet, but if there is no bone or eggshell for calcium I add a quarter teaspoon of human grade bone meal.

Raw Dog Food Recipe #4
Ground Beef and Rice Patties

• 5lbs of Ground Beef
• 9 Hardboiled Eggs (with the shells)
• 3 cups of White Rice
• EFA supplement
• vitamin supplement

No, no, no, no, no! (Sorry, I couldn't wait for you to answer) I have to tell you this is bad for an every day meal when it comes to raw dog food recipes! Why? Let me count the ways

Ground beef (versus ground round etc) has a lot of fat. Many dogs are allergic to beef since vaccine cultures are often grown in a beef base. Please read Vaccine Side Effects.

Organ meats and vegetables are too important to leave out and white rice has no nutritional value. Here is a comparison of white rice and brown rice.

Supplements. There are thousands of products to buy in this unregulated industry. They are not equal in ingredient source or potency. I literally searched for years before I decided who I could trust. You can find my story at Why NSP?

More About a Raw Diet for Dogs

Here are a couple eBooks I find worth reading. I like the instant access eBooks provide, (plus I can load them on my Kindle reader.) Let me tell you about them.

Going Rawr
by Maggie Rhines $27

I think Going Rawr! gives a lot of good tips and some specific raw dog food recipes. I disagree on a few small points but overall its worth reading and I still have my copy.

Here are a few highlights and subjects covered from Going Rawr to help you decide whether to make the purchase.

• Fun fact: The movement toward feeding dogs with raw food began in 1993 by an Australian veterinarian
• Has a visual food pyramid
• Explains appropriate size bone-in meat for your dog
• Reason for fruits and vegetables (by the way, I think that bit of fiber helps keep the intestinal tract clean and unattractive to parasites.)
• Switching methods from transitional to cold turkey
• Raw dog food recipes for puppies, pregnant and elderly canines
• Explains why your dog might appear sick from raw when he's actually getting healthier - detoxifying
• Tips for picky eaters, dogs with cancer and canine arthritis
• There's also a holistic dog treats booklet thrown in which I haven't read yet.

Naturally Healthy Dogs Book (food/homeopathy)
by Madeleine Innocent $37

I think you will like Naturally Healthy Dogs. I have this one too. While its more general in nature, there is plenty of information on raw dog food recipes.

Want a book or two but would rather pay less? Here are the favorite dog health books in print on my shelf at home. I wrote a description of each.

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