If your dog is picky about the food he eats or suffers from food allergies, here is a homemade dog food crockpot recipe that helps my dog. Enjoy!
Are you wanting to make your own dog food? This is an easy homemade dog food crockpot recipe.
Just throw all the ingredients in the crockpot and cook for a couple of hours.
The result is a healthy, homemade dog food that your furry family member will love!
My dog has had food allergies FOREVER! I have tried almost every dog food under the sun from expensive to EXPENSIVE.
Finally, I had it and decided to look into making my own. I was shocked how easy it is.
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*Consult your veterinarian in deciding what food to make for your dog. I am not a vet. I have done my own research, and this is what works great for my fur baby.
What do you put in homemade dog food?
These are the ingredients I put in my homemade dog food:
- ground chicken
- kidney beans, carrots
- butternut squash
- peas
- green beans
- white rice
What other foods can you use in homemade dog food?
- You can interchange all the ingredients.
- I buy the meat that is on sale such as hamburger, turkey, and chicken.
- You change out the vegetables from time to time also. I sometime switch out the butternut squash with pumpkin or sweet potato.
- You can add in apples for a variety in flavor.
- Instead of the kidney beans, you can use lentils or pinto beans.
- You can also add in chicken livers. Chicken livers are really good for your dog, but also very rich. You want to add in small amounts.
- The egg shells are also very good for dogs. This adds in calcium. Most dogs won’t eat the shells unless they are really broken up or crushed. You can crush the shells in a coffee grinder, food processor, or with a mortar and pestle.
- Salmon, salmon oil, and fish oil also helps with skin allergies and inflammation.
- I use white rice because it is easier on sensitive stomachs than brown rice. You can use brown rice if your dog does not have a sensitive stomach.
Tip:
My vet said this recipe was very well balanced.
However to assure me that my dog was getting all the proper vitamins that my dog might need, he suggested I give my dog VetriScience Canine Multi Pro – Extra Vitamins, Minerals, Essential Fatty Acids, and Probiotics – Important for Homemade and Raw Diets – 60 Soft Bite-Sized Chews
He would suggest this supplement for my dog if he was eating store bought food as well. You can find cheaper supplements if you do some research. This is just the brand we use.
Additional tips:
When I make this homemade crockpot dog food, I portion it out in baggies.
Next, I store the bags of food in the freezer.
I pull a bag of food out the night before to defrost the food for the next morning.
I add a little water to mix in so he slows down eating it.
My dog loves it and will inhale his food. I found adding the water in slows him down just a bit.
I feed him half a bag in the morning and half at night.
My dog, Goliath, loves the dog food! He wakes me up first thing in the morning begging for his food.
The little bugger jumps on my chest, then takes his little paw to hit me in the head to wake up.
He will not let me roll over to ignore him. He wants his breakfast.
Goliath also loves me for making it for him.
I have found him to be more peppy and less itchy. He is seven years old and acting like a new pup.
I won’t go back to dry food again!
Not all dogs are created equal. If your dog’s stomach seems sensitive to this recipe or really gassy, I would omit the beans.
I also have a homemade Doggy Treat Recipe here.
How much homemade dog food should you feed your dog?
You can calculate how much to feed your dog here. It is a great resource to tell you how many calories your dog needs based on it’s size.
The calories in the recipe box are an estimate based on lean chicken.
If you are making your homemade dog food for the first time, introduce the new food a little at a time. You don’t want your dog to get sick from a fast transition.
You may want to start off with half of the homemade food and half of the regular food for a couple of days.
Consult your veterinarian on how to do that best.
When you make this homemade dog food, please tell me what you think in the comment section! It would mean the world to me to hear back. My readers will appreciate the information also.
Also post your picture of your dog’s food on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
Easy Homemade Dog Food Crockpot Recipe with Ground Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 lbs lean ground chicken
- 1 cup butternut squash I use frozen, precut
- 15 oz can kidney beans drained
- 1 cup peas
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 cup carrots sliced or diced
- 1 1/2 cup uncooked rice
- 4 cups of water
Instructions
- Add 3 lbs lean ground chicken, 1 cup chopped butternut squash, 15 oz drained can of kidney beans, 1 cup peas, 1 cup green beans, 1 cup sliced carrots, 1 ½ uncooked white rice, and 4 cups of water to a crock pot.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Terry Riggles says
My border collie/Aussie is a year and a half old. I have tried every kind of dog food on the market. She will not eat dog food alone, she won’t eat canned food.
Since I started making this crockpot food and add it to her food, she hasn’t missed a meal. Thank you so much. If you have any other recipes please let me know.
Rachel says
I really just want to say a HUGE thank you! Two weeks ago I adopted an almost three-year-old Siberian husky named Miley. She had been surrendered by her family. When I got her, you could see all her ribs and her shoulder blades could surely have cut something. I’ve always fed my huskies Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon formula. Miley hated it. She refused to eat. I went and bought a variety of fresh pet food products. She ate for a few days and then stopped. I started googling all types of dog food recipes and yours had the best reviews. So I made it today and for the first time since I brought her home, Miley ate all of her food. She has never before finished her dish. As a side note, I accidentally dropped a container of butternut squash soup that fell all over the floor and some ended up in her dish and she loved that too! I might have to buy some squash soup and add it like a broth. So I really want to say thanks for the recipe and thanks for making a recipe that my dog will finally eat. I’ve been super worried.
Katie Crenshaw says
Honestly I don’t know. You really should consult your vet.They will know the correct calorie amount for your dog. Sorry.
Melanie says
I have a 12 year old pitbull weighing about 78 pounds & I need to lose some weight, probably about 8 pounds. How much of this recipe should I feed him a day & still get enough calories yet lose weight.
Katie says
It will last 3-4 days in refrigerator. I store my dog’s food in individual containers and freeze them. Then I pull out 2 days worth to defrost in the refrigerator.That way I don’t worry about spoilage.
Patrice says
Great recipe I’m making gonna try it, Just curious how long will this keep in the fridge? thanks
Beth Townsend says
I found my dogs don’t gag on the veggies, etc. if I grind up all raw veggies in my food processor before throwing them in the pot. (Zucchini, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, celery, carrots, green beans, etc.)
Aurora says
I found the same result in feeding him carrots (vomiting them up) so I switched to sweet potatoes and I cook chickpeas. BIG batches of them, I over cook them because when I don’t I’ll see them whole in his poop, yikes! He totally digs brown rice and in the morning, if I’m out of my meat addition, I’ll put a handful of spinach and chickpeas and brown rice and microwave it with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Once that peanut butter touches the spinach, he’s all in when he normally is not a leafy green lover. I love the beans or chickpeas because of all the protein. He used to sleep in and want breakfast but never wake up at 5 am with me and be waiting for it!!! He loves eggs and I’ll cook up a whole pan of kale and spinach and scramble one egg in it and he’ll totally lick the bowl bowl clean! These are just additions to the recipe, every other morning or so I’ll put a big scoop of plain yogurt or add apple cider vinegar and he digs it. And flax seed or chia seeds.
I will say his poops are way more moist but still are full bodied and regular, but man they smell! maybe because they don’t dry as quickly. But his breath (it used to reek!!!!) smells so good!!!! He always smells fresh and clean!
Jyl says
I have a Yorkie (Gracie) and a Maltese (Tillie). My Gracie is a very picky eater. She will try a dog food but it ends up sitting after a few days and never getting touched or Tillie will end up eating it. So I started making their food and trying different recipes adding different things from time to time. I never thought of feeding them beans/legumes before so I’m going to give it a try for something different. I also like you like to give them a “vitamin” every day and have found a company called PetHonesty that does a 10 in 1 and just crumble it on top of their food. Again because Gracie won’t eat it unless it’s hidden. Tillie now won’t take her vitamin unless the same thing is done. Both will wake me up and watch me every morning waiting impatiently for their bowl of food. So glad I switched to making their food !
Spunky Tails says
Good starter recipe! Make sure that you are feeding a variety, not just one recipe! Calcium is essential but I would also add liver (like the recipe stated) and vitamin E oil. So happy to see owners doing the best for their pets. Cheers!
Katie says
The supplement should say the amount of serving per day on its directions.
Teemleaf says
My pucker (pug cocker mix) is 13 years old and slightly overweight. He usually eats a mix of wet and dry food once a day. I would say he has a little bit of a sensitive stomach, but not too bad. I would like to try your homemade recipe and the supplement you use. Can you tell me how much of the supplement to use on what I believe would be 2 cups of this food a day? Also, with the supplement do you use this food every day?
James says
Years ago I would cook chicken necks and backs in the crockpot until the bones would do soft that I could crush then up in the pot because they were so soft. I also added brown rice and carrots. My dog loved it (giant schnauzer)
Marie says
I have a 13yr old cockapoo who weighs 16 lbs and refused to eat dog food . I made this and I’ve never seen her eat so fast. I tweaked the recipe I used 2 cups water and 2 cups unsalted chicken broth . When I hear it up I add little more broth. I feed her 1 1/4 cup each day is that enough
Vanessa Esperanza says
I found you on FB and I love your site!
I’ve been making my own dog food for a couple of years now and I’m always looking for new recipes. You had mentioned chewable supplements, I like to use Azestfor because you mix it right into the food. I’m glad your 9 year old pup is great health. Making his food will definitely keep him healthy and happy for a long time!
Katie says
I don’t know of anything you are depriving your puppy. I would still ask your vet if your dog needs any additional vitamins. My vet suggested I give my dog VetriScience Composure Pro Bite Size Chews. The link is in my post. He said he would suggest this even if my dog ate store bought food. But overall, the dog food is well balanced.
Jodi says
I added in sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash. And minus the carrots as I said in previous post cuz he throws it up. He loves it! I tasted it. It makes everything a little sweeter. And this time I added 2 cups of chicken broth instead of water (still added 1 cup of water) It’s in the crockpot now. By switching out the ingredients, am I depriving him of anything specific? 2 times a week I also add in some sardines.
Jodi says
I have a rescue who doesn’t eat anything but people food or my cats food. In the 9 years that I’ve had him, I’ve tried so many brands, toppers and mix
Ins. He loves this and licks the bowl clean!! The only problem we have is that he ends up (usually the next morning) throwing up ONLY the carrots, so I’ve been picking them out. I’ve heard that carrots are not very digestible. And I didn’t put the peas in cuz he doesn’t like them. I am about to make another batch and was trying to find another recipe, or to swap out some of the ingredients. I may do a hamburger batch. And a big thank u for getting my dog to eat twice a day!
Katie says
I am sorry. I do not have an answer with you. I would consult your vet. They can tell you the best option for a homemade remedy specifically for your dog’s special needs.
Laticia A Socci says
Hello Katie, I have rescued 3 chihuahuas, Chichi is 14 years old with diveo with 1 very large intestinal pocket. can’t do surgery because of her age. low protein for her. RX diet was getting pricey… Now for the twins.. Queenie, has a tummy issues.. As for little Chi.. She eats anything she can. My question to you is… I need a senior dog food recipe that is low protein and fiber rich and easy on the tummy. PLease help..