Want to feed raw? Here are some recipes to try

As I mentioned in some of my previous posts, dogs don’t need grains in their diets. They were meant to eat meat. Real meat! This article gathers 24 easy and healthy raw dog food recipes, based on a mix of meat and vegetables.

Most commercial dog foods use soy, corn and wheat in their composition, which leads to major health problems for dogs: indigestion, gas, bad breath, allergies, pancreatic stress and shorter life. Raw dog food eliminates all these problems and ensures a much healthier nutrition for your dog. One of my recent posts mentions 10 reasons for feeding raw dog food, explaining why a raw diet is healthier than other types of dog food.

24 Raw Dog Food Recipes

If you are aware of all the benefits of raw food and you want to put your puppy or dog on a raw diet, here are 24 easy recipes:

1. Red Meat with a Twist

• ¾ pound Raw Beef – cut into small chunks (not ground)
• 1 raw egg
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon flax seed oil

Mix together and serve!

2. Raw Meat with Fresh Vegetables

• ½ cup raw meat such as beef, ground poultry, organs meats or lamb
• ½ cup pureed raw vegetables
• ¼ cup whole grains
• 1 teaspoon bone meal powder
• ¼ teaspoon ascorbic acid
• ½ tablespoon kelp powder
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Mix all the ingredients and serve!

3. Chicken, Liver and Vegetable Medley

• 2 ½ ounce chicken
• 1 ounce liver
• ¼ ounce sterilized, food grade bone meal
• ½ teaspoon olive oil
• ½ cup sliced carrots
• ½ cup Brussels sprouts

Wash the meat and the vegetables thoroughly. Peel off the carrot skin and cut into small pieces. Cut each Brussels sprout in half. Cut off the chicken skin. Cut the chicken into small chunks. Slice the liver into smaller pieces. Mix the meat and vegetables together in a bowl. Stir in the oil. Serve the food.

4. Poultry and Pureed Vegetables

• ½  cup of raw meat (ground poultry, beef, lamb or organs)
• ½  cup of raw pureed vegetables
• 1 teaspoon bone meal powder (2 teaspoons for puppies or pregnant dogs)
• ¼ cup cooked whole grains (optional since too much of this can lead to poor digestion, bad breath and allergies)
• ¼ teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon ascorbic acid powder with bioflavonoids (for your pet’s vitamin C protection)
• ¼ teaspoon kelp powder
• 1 teaspoon of oil mixture (11 ounces canola oil, 2 ounces wheat germ oil, 2 ounces flax oil) or 2 teaspoons if you use poultry.

Mix all the ingredients together in a big container. Keep refrigerated to prevent build up of bacteria.

5. Salmon Roll

• 2 cups of canned salmon
• 8 oz. low-fat cream cheese
• ¼ teaspoon of beef broth
• ½ cup of chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley

Drain and flake the canned salmon. Add the cream cheese and beef broth. Chill for an hour. Shape the mixture into a 2×8 inch log. Roll the chopped pecans and fresh chopped parsley. Divide or cut into 8 pieces. Ready to serve!

Although a fat fish, salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, an important ingredient for a healthy coat. Always try to buy fresh fish and cook it before feeding your dog. Raw salmon can poison your dog, the symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting. So, it’s very important to cook the fish before giving it to your dog. Canned is also fine.

6. Raw Meat with Yogurt

• ¾ lbs. of raw meat (chicken, beef, liver or kidney)
• 1 raw egg
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 2 tablespoons of yoghurt
• ½ clove of chopped garlic (not powdered but fresh)
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon of flaxseed oil
• 1 teaspoon of alfalfa powder
• 1 teaspoon of kelp seaweed powder
• 1 cup of raw oats (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

7. Creamy Cheesy Chicken Wings

• 5 skin-on and bone-in chicken wings
• ½ cup of grated carrots
• ½ cup of cottage cheese

Mix the cottage cheese and carrots together. Place the raw chicken bones in your dog’s bowl and top this with the cottage cheese and carrots mixture. Serve the food! Throw the bones out after the meat on them is gone.

8. Beef and Cottage Cheese

• ¾ cup mixed vegetables (minced)
• ½ cup cottage cheese
• ½ cup oats
• 2 eggs (shells included)
• 3 cups ground beef

Mix the vegetables with cottage cheese and oats. For the vegetables use a mixture of carrots, zucchini and kelp. Add the ground beef, making sure that there is an even distribution of ingredients. Once thoroughly mixed, break the eggs over the mixture as well. Mix this together. The eggs should somewhat bind it all together. Serve!

9. Raw Meat Patties

• 4 lbs Ground meats – beef and/or lamb and/or chicken or turkey
• 2 cups Raw Goat Milk (cows’ milk not recommended) or 1 cup Yogurt ( or 2 table sp Goat cheese or ½ lb Chicken heart or liver or 1 cup Kefir milk)
• 3 Raw Fresh Eggs
• 1 Apple
• 1 Garlic clove
• 2 Carrots
• 1 ½ lb Mixed Veggies (Sweet potato, Broccoli, zucchini, kale, spinach)

Make into Patties and freeze. You can size the patty proportionally for your pooch. You should feed ½ lbs patty per day for a 25 lbs dog if they are also getting a raw bone for lunch and some dry meat food for breakfast.

10. Minced Beef And Vegetables

• 1lb of raw minced beef
• 2 cups of chopped vegetables
• 4 ounces of offal (liver, heart, kidneys, etc.)
• ½ cup of apple cider vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of chopped spinach
• ½ cup of plain yoghurt
• 3 medium eggs, including the shells
• 1 small handful of parsley (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.  Separate into portion-sized batches and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

11. Turkey Dinner

• 3 cups lean ground turkey, beef, or chicken
• 2 eggs, include the shells if you like
• 1 cup of oatmeal
• 1 cup of chopped or grated vegetables, such as broccoli, potato (without the skins), carrots
• ½ cup of plain cottage cheese

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate.

12. Chicken And Oatmeal Dinner

• 1 cup of chicken or turkey
• ½ cup of mixed raw vegetables – chopped or grated, or a combination of both
• ½ cup of oatmeal

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until needed.

13. The Dog’s Dinner!

• 3 cups of cubed raw meat – beef, lamb, chicken, or turkey
• ¾ of a cup of chopped vegetables – carrots, sweet potato, broccoli or spinach
• ¾ of a cup of oatmeal
• Pinch of garlic (raw)

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until needed.

14. Herby Minced Meat And Vegetables

• 2 cups of raw meat – chopped or ground
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 chopped potato
• 1 chopped or grated carrot
• 1 sliced stalk of celery
• 2 tablespoons of roughly chopped parsley
• 1 small tub of cottage cheese or plain yoghurt

Mix together all the ingredients and refrigerate until needed.

15. Organic Recipe

• 1 pound of organic minced chicken
• 2 cups of whole brown rice
• 6 cups of water
• 1 teaspoon of rosemary
• ½ pound of finely chopped broccoli
• ½ pound of diced carrots

Place the minced chicken, water, rice and rosemary into a large pan. Combine all the ingredients – taking care to break up the minced chicken. Put the pan on a high heat and bring to the boil. When the mixture has reached boiling point, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 20 minutes. At this point, add the vegetables and cook until tender. When the mixture is cooked and vegetables are tender, remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. Place in foil containers and refrigerate until ready to use.

16. Tricky Turkey

• 1 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 cup of raw carrots, broccoli, red peppers and squash, mixed
• 2 cups of plain yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon fish oil
• 1 tablespoon Alfalfa
• 1 orange
• 6 slices of whole wheat bread

Chop the bread and vegetables into small, bite-size pieces. Mix all ingredients into a large bowl and add a 1/2 cup of water. Serve raw. You can also put the mixture in a casserole dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350 F (although if you do, the meal will no longer be raw). Switch things up and use ground beef or ground or chopped chicken.

17. Natural Mix

• ¾ lbs minced raw organs (chicken liver, heart, kidneys, or a mix of these)
• ¼ freshly grated carrot
• 1 small cup of grated zucchini
• ½ cup of chopped broccoli
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

First mix the vegetables and the olive oil and then add the meat. Serve the food! Note that zucchini can help your dog lose some weight as they are low on calories.

18. Sushi Delight

• ¾ lbs salmon (boiled or steamed)
• 2 cups of boiled white rice (you can use brown as well);
• ½ grated carrot
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• 1 raw egg

Mix the rice with the carrots and the oil (you can add other veggies like grated zucchini or minced steamed broccoli). Add the raw egg and mix until you have a consistent mixture. Shape the mixture into small sushi-sized pieces. Cut the salmon into appropriate slices and place it over each rice piece. Serve the sushi!

19. Chicken Breast & Green Beans

• 3 cups of minced raw chicken breast
• ½ cup of grated carrots
• 1 cup of steamed green beans (minced if the dog is small-sized)
• 1 medium-sized steamed sweet potato (minced)
• 1 teaspoon of oil (olive or flaxseed)

First you have to mince and steam the green beans and the sweet potato until they become tender. Then mix the chicken with the carrots and the oil. Add the steamed vegetables (they shouldn’t be hot) and mix with the other ingredients. Serve the food!

Green beans contain vitamin C and K and they are a regular way to maintain a dog’s weight because of their low number of calories. If your dog starts putting on weight, replace some of his foods with green beans.

20. Chicken Hearts & Vegetable Blend

• ¾ lbs chicken hearts (if the dog is small-sized cut the hearts in two or more pieces)
• ½ cubed sweet potato
• 1 small cup of minced broccoli
• 1 small cup of grated carrots
• 3-4 medium-sized spinach leaves (minced)
• 2 tablespoon of low fat cheese

Blend the sweet potato and the cheese. Mix the broccoli, carrots, spinach leaves and the chicken hearts. Add the sweet potato and cheese blend and mix together. Serve the food!

21. Ground Beef and Carrots

• ¾ lbs ground beef
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 2 tablespoon of plain yoghurt (Kefir)
• 1 small cup of pureed veggies (spinach, capsicum and cauliflower).
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil

The vegetables can be either raw or steamed. When blending them you can also add a raw, fresh egg from time to time. Mix the beef, carrots and oil and then add the veggies. Add in the yoghurt and mix all the ingredients. Serve the food!

A raw carrot is a great chewy treat. They are a great source of fiber, beta-carotene and vitamin A. Carrots can also be used in homemade recipes.

22. Ground Turkey and Brown Rice

• ¾ lbs ground turkey
• 2 cups of boiled brown rice
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• ½ grated carrot

Mix everything and serve!

23. Lamb and Sweet Potatoes

• 1 lbs. of ground lamb – organs or bone-out meat
• 2-3 grated sweet potatoes (they can also be steamed and minced afterwards)
• 1 teaspoon of kelp powder
• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• ½ grated carrot

Mix the potatoes and carrots with the kelp powder and olive oil. You should have a consistent mixture. You can now add the meat and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Serve the food!

Sweet potatoes are a good source of fiber and vitamins (B6 and C) and they can be given to dogs instead of treats, just like carrots.

24. Cheese & Banana (desert)

• 3 tablespoon of cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoon of plain yoghurt (Kefir)
• ¾ freshly ground banana [you can add an apple instead (no seeds) or other fruit that is not dangerous for dogs]

Mix together and serve!

Bananas are rich in vitamins and potassium. They can be a very handy treat. However, large amounts might be hard to digest and can cause diarrhea.

How much raw food should I feed my dog?

Feed normal active dogs 2-3% of their body weight per day. For example, a 50 pound dog may do very well on one pound of BARF per day; a 100 pound dog will be ok with 2 pounds of barf per day. A highly active dog may require 3% of their body weight per day.

Are these raw dog food recipes enough to cover my dog’s needs?

No. They are based on meat, usually muscles, but bones, fat and organs are just as important in your dog’s raw diet as the muscle meat itself. Feeding skinless chicken breast is not a complete raw diet! A good balance would be 25% bone, 20% fat, 15% organs, 35% lean muscle meat, 5% fruits and vegetables for adult dogs and a bit more veggies for puppies.

Is feeding raw without risk?

No, it’s not. Feeding a raw diet does entail risk, but the risk is far smaller than the huge benefits. There are dogs and cats (and people) who contract salmonella and other illnesses from raw meat and dairy products (and many of them who contract them from contaminated cooked foods), and it’s possible that your pet might succumb as well. It is a question of weighing the risk against the benefit, and making up your own mind. Consider the large amount of preservatives that commercial dog food has, the additives and their effects on your dog. The allergies, the visits to the vets, the bad breath, the smell and the tooth problems will be gone with raw food. However, you will have to pay more attention when buying and preparing his food. It’s not going to be easy but the benefits make it worth trying!

5 Tips for a Healthy Raw Diet

Feeding raw dog food requires more attention, time and dedication. However, preparing raw dog food recipes is not so demanding as cooking for your dog. There are 5 basic tips that should keep your dog healthy if he’s on a raw diet.

1. Carefully select the raw meat and always serve it fresh!
2. Never mix fresh food with the old food.
3. Always wash the meat and the vegetables before feeding.
4. Wash the bowl after your dog finishes eating.
5. Don’t cook the food. Raw doesn’t mean cooked – obviously! By cooking, the food loses its nutritional value and the bones can splinter, hurting your dog.

Foods to Avoid

Here are the most dangerous foods for dogs: onions, garlic, chives, chocolate, grapes, raisins, macadamia nuts, avocado, potato skins, tomatoes (green, plant). Read more about the most dangerous foods for dogs!

Raw Dog Food Recipes Book

The best resource for raw dog food recipes is Maggie Rhines’ e-book Going Rawr! Dog Lover’s Compendium. The book  also provides you valuable information on how to put your puppy or dog on a raw food diet. The content is great and the author comes up with some amazing recipes and tips!

If you decide to feed your dog raw food and you’re ready to try any of these recipes, you should keep in mind that:

1. I am not a veterinarian. So, first you will have to check with your vet to know for sure your dog is not allergic to a particular type of meat or unable to be on a raw diet.
2. The portions are adjustable according to your dog’s size. The recipes I’ve created are meant for my Yorkie and they usually cover for 1-3 meals.
3. Always be careful with raw ingredients. It’s highly important to be certain of their freshness. Wash the vegetables and the meat before preparing the meal.
4. I’m not a big fan of unhealthy feeding places like the yard or anything related. Just don’t throw the meat on the ground. It’s unhealthy and not very pretty either.
5. Wash your hands before and after preparing the meal and also your dog’s bowl after he finishes eating.