A year or so ago, a vet recommended to me that we switch our Tucker to a prescribed dog food to see if that’s what was causing his allergies. Of course any pet owner would want the best for their dog, but at $100 for a 25 pound bag, I was in sticker shock. My 75 pound dog would blow through that every week. All of a sudden I went from $40 to $400 a month for dog food that didn’t even seem that appetizing to him.
So I started some research. This brand versus that brand, that cost versus this cost, ingredients, allergens, carcinogens, fillers, byproducts. Things I wouldn’t feed myself, so why am I feeding it to my dogs?
That’s when I decided I’m making their food myself, and they love it. What I make is vet approved, and so far the allergies are lessened, there are fewer hot spots, and best of all, they are always ecstatic to eat it. No more picky eaters.
*This recipe lasts my two dogs about half a week so I typically make a bunch of batches on meal prep day and store them in the fridge or freezer depending on how many you make.
Ground Turkey Dog Food
- 3 pounds ground turkey
- 2 bags frozen spinach
- 2 bags frozen peas and carrots
- 2 bags frozen sweet potatoes
- 16 oz. brown rice
- 3 cups bone broth
This can be prepared a couple of different ways so find the one that fits your lifestyle best. My favorites are putting all the ingredients in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours or using the sauté function on the Instant Pot. You could also throw everything in a big pot on medium heat until the turkey is browned and the rice is soft.
Here lately with supply chain issues, it’s sometimes hard to find everything which has led to use some substitutions:
- Ground chicken or beef can be used in place of turkey
- Frozen butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes
- Canned peas and carrots work just as well as frozen
- Fresh vegetables work instead of frozen (Frozen is just easier for men)
- Beef broth or chicken broth instead of bone broth
I find that Walmart tends to have the lowest prices for those of you on a budget. Typically one batch of food costs me $18.88 which lasts half a week for a 75 pound pitbull and a 30 pound beagle. The pitbull gets 3 cups per serving and the beagle gets 1 1/2 cups per serving. You can always mix it with a dry food to cut on cost and preparation.
Some optional add ins I love to do are:
- scrambled eggs
- raw eggs sometimes with the shell
- olive oil
- fish oil
- multivitamins
- cbd oil
Make sure to check out our product page for what brands we use and new products for your furry friends!
Sign up to stay updated on the next blog!