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Are you concerned about feeding your dogs commercial dog food? I sure am! I’ve been making homemade dog food for many years now. It’s not really hard to make and I make up a batch for all week. In this post I’ll share with you how I make dog food In a rice cooker with a simple recipe. Your dogs will love it! Mine do!
I started making my own dog food years ago when one of my Chihuahua’s started having seizures. I discovered that when she ate the food I made for her she didn’t have them as often if at all.
After she passed away, I went back to feeding commercial food again. And not the cheap stuff either. Big Mistake! Again, I began to see another of my dogs start having those same symptoms of going into seizures.
That was 7 years ago and now it’s just part of my weekly routine. I use to make the dog food in a big pot at the same time I would make supper. A batch will last my 5 little dogs a week in the refrigerator.
Then my Son gave me a rice cooker for Christmas a couple of years ago and my cooking time is now cut in half. I love that little thing! I didn’t even know they made such a device. So glad he bought it for me.
Along with the food I make little treats for them. I also supplement my dogs with vitamins each day to make sure they are getting all the nutrients their little bodies need.
Welcome to Homesteading For Women – we hope you enjoy all our tips and tricks for homestead women! Please note that we use affiliate links and ads to generate income at no cost to you.
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What Ingredients I’ve Changed Over The Years
I do change up the ingredients from time to time such as using can mixed vegetables or frozen.
I might use canned chicken or frozen chicken breasts. I’m sure the chicken breasts are better for them than the canned chicken. It just depends on how much canned chicken I have on hand.
I also like to use the dark meat of leftover Thanksgiving turkey. I just tear up the meat into smaller bits and put them in a freezer bag. Then I pull out what I want each time I make a pot of dog food.
Saving Chicken Broth Tip
I also like to keep the broth from chicken that I cook and save it for my own soups and the dog food. I have a designated ice cube tray, just for chicken broth. I’ll take the leftover broth and pour it into the cubes. Once it’s frozen I put those cubes in a ziplock bag and pull out one at a time for stews, soups, and my dog food.
It’s such a time saver and I never have to worry about my chicken broth going bad in the refrigerator any more.
Recycle Those Chicken Cans For Your Homestead Animals!
The can chicken was getting really expensive. But I can recycle those cans for my chickens during the winter months.
The dogs do love licking those chicken cans!
Those chicken cans are the perfect size for outdoor pets. I’ve use those little cans in my chicken pens and rabbit cages during the harsh winter months when the temperature is below freezing.
I save enough of the cans so I can just replace them when they are totally frozen. And I also use another method now, you can read about that here.
Pros and Cons To Making Your Own Dog Food
Pros of making your own dog food:
- Control over ingredients: You can ensure that your dog’s food is made from high-quality, wholesome ingredients without any fillers or additives.
- Tailored to your dog’s needs: You can customize the recipe to meet your dog’s specific dietary requirements, such as allergies or sensitivities.
- Freshness: Homemade dog food allows you to serve fresh, unprocessed food to your pet, which may be beneficial for their overall health.
- Bonding with your pet: The process of preparing homemade dog food can strengthen the bond between you and your pet as you involve them in the preparation or cooking process.
Cons of making your own dog food:
- Time-consuming: Preparing homemade dog food can be time-consuming, especially if you have a busy schedule.
- Nutritional balance: Ensuring that the homemade food provides all the necessary nutrients in the right proportions can be challenging without proper knowledge or guidance.
- Cost: Depending on the ingredients used, making your own dog food can sometimes be more expensive than buying commercial dog food.
- Risk of contamination: Improper handling or storage of homemade dog food can lead to bacterial contamination, posing a risk to your pet’s health if not done carefully.
My Favorite Dog Food Recipe Chicken and Rice
3 Cups Rice
2 Frozen Chicken Breasts
1 Cup Frozen Veggies
Small Rice Cooker
Salt & Pepper lightly
The rice cooker has saved me a lot of time. I no longer have to stand in front of the stove stirring the rice. I just add the 3 cups of rice and fill to the proper water level. Then turn on and go do some chores, come back in about 30 minutes and it’s done.
While the rice is cooking. I add water and add my frozen chicken to a big pan on the stove filling it up so that the water is over the chicken breasts. Boil that while the rice is cooking. When the rice is finished. I take out the chicken breast from the boiling water and cut into really small chucks.
Then I add the frozen veggies let those cook for with the cut up chicken for about 5 to 10 minutes then I add the rice to the chicken/water/veggies. Mix together and if it seems like it’s too soupy. I’ll cook it down a little bit.
Let it cool and serve. I feed this to my dogs twice a day. They each have their own bowls, so I drop a couple tablespoons in the bowl at each feeding.
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Hi! I'm Michelle. You can find me planning, cooking, and often wrangling chickens in my spare time (who am I kidding? I have no spare time). I am the CEO and creator for homesteadingforwomen.com. All posts are reviewed and updated personally by ME - if you have any questions, feel free to contact me here.
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