Homemade Dog Food for Weight Loss 

Many pet owners find cooking homemade dog food highly rewarding. They rejoice in watching their dogs thrive, knowing precisely what they are eating and reassuring themselves. Therefore, if you are inclined and have the time, homemade dog food may be an excellent option for your pet. 

If your dog is overweight, you wonder how to make it understand weight management. We offer you some easy recipes that are cost-effective and nutritionally balanced. The recipes work wonders to help manage your dog’s weight by avoiding some favorite dog treats, such as sausages and peanut butter, which are unsuitable for a diet. 

How to Prepare Dog Food for Weight Loss? 

The recipes we provide list the protein and calorie content, making it easy for you to know your dog’s daily calorie intake if it is overweight. The recipes we provide make it easy for you to count the calories. 

Numerous homemade dog food recipes are not balanced nutritionally, making them susceptible to causing severe developmental disorders and health issues in your pet. 

Information You Must Have about Homemade Dog Food 

• Homemade dog feed is susceptible to rapid fungal and bacterial growth when left un-chilled. Therefore, it is helpful to refrigerate or freeze your ready-made homemade dog food in sealed containers and store them at temperatures of less than 4 °C. 

• Refrigerated homemade dog food is best used within three days of preparation. Keep an eye out for color changes and odor before serving. Serve the food at a temperature just below the body temperature. If you are defrosting or warming food in a microwave oven, ensure there are no hot spots. 

• Calcium, dog vitamins, and mineral powders are essential as supplements to homemade dog food. These dog supplements are not a choice but an essential requirement. 

• Measure the ingredients you use using kitchen scales to ensure the protein and calorie content is accurate. 

• Do not consider cooking or heating the vitamin or mineral supplements. Instead, add them to the meal before feeding. 

Below Are a Couple of Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Overweight Dogs 

1. Vegetable, Rice, and Chicken Homemade Dog Food 

This recipe provides 1000 kcal and 76 grams of protein. 

Ingredients 

• Skinless chicken breast 290g 

• Brown rice 145 grams 

• Broccoli 46 grams 

• Carrots 46 grams 

• Peas 46 grams 

• Extra virgin olive oil 2 ½ teaspoons 

• Psyllium powder 2 tablespoons 

Instructions 

1. Cook the rice until tender by following the instructions. 

2. Steam broccoli, peas, and carrots until tender 

3. Steam, microwave, or use a nonstick pan to oven-bake the chicken to cook it 

4. Dice cooked chicken and vegetables. 

5. Mix the chicken and vegetables with the cooked rice. 

6. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. 

7. Add 2 level tablespoons of psyllium powder. 

8. Consider your dog’s calorie intake when weighing the final product and portion. 

9. Before serving, add dog vitamins and mineral supplements. 

2. Tuna and Vegetables Homemade Dog Food 

This recipe also provides 1000 kcal and 149 grams of protein. 

Ingredients 

Canned tuna in water or brine, 577 grams after draining 

Potato scrubbed and peeled 288 grams. 

Cauliflower 138 grams 

Green beans 130 grams 

Extra virgin olive oil 21/2 teaspoons 

Psyllium powder 1 tablespoon 

Instructions 

1. Steam the vegetables until they are tender. 

2. Dice and mix the vegetables. 

3. Open the can of tuna and mix it thoroughly with the cooked vegetables. 

4. Add 2 1/2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil. 

5. Add 1 level teaspoon of psyllium powder. 

6. Add the mineral and vitamin supplements before serving, ensuring you use dog vitamins and mineral supplements that are suitable for home cooking. 

Essential Considerations before Cooking Homemade Dog Food Recipes 

Before creating homemade dog food for weight loss or other pets, ensure that you ask yourself the questions below. 

• Are you able to determine the calories in your dog food recipes? If not, you can use human dieting apps to break down the calorie count of all ingredients. 

• Can you ensure the correct nutrient ratios in the homemade dog food recipes for overweight dogs? Remember to calculate the calcium and phosphorus ratios. 

• Can you include essential nutrient components in your dog food recipes? If you substitute ingredients because you are in short supply, it changes the nutritional balance and the calorie count of the recipe. 

• Have you ensured the safety of the ingredients for your dog? Dogs are toxic to certain human foods, making it essential to gather all information about foods poisonous to dogs when selecting ingredients for their recipes. 

• Is your dog picky or choosy? What if your dog refuses to eat certain ingredients, such as vegetables, and spits them out? The habit will alter your dog’s calorie intake and nutritional balance. Therefore, ensure that you avoid selective eating by blending the finished product together. 

• Do you have the time to prepare the recipes you plan for your dogs? 

• Do you have information about the shelf life of homemade dog food and whether it needs to be refrigerated or frozen? 

If you intend to prepare healthy homemade dog food recipes, it’s essential to plan and prepare in advance. If you don’t put in your effort, it will likely go to waste and not help your dog lose the extra pounds you want them to shed. 

What If You Don’t Have the Time to Cook Homemade Dog Food? 

For many pet parents, cooking homemade dog food is unfeasible, but seeing their overweight dog is also a challenge, knowing full well that they could soon become susceptible to health issues that require long-term veterinary care. 

In such cases, pet parents are advised to hold consultations with a veterinarian or a nutritionist for the advice they need. While they may receive advice to purchase commercially available dog food for weight loss, they must decide whether to follow common practices and expose their pet to the potential risks of commercial dog foods. 

Pet parents who are deeply caring for their overweight dog must spare time to ensure they learn about the best foods for dogs, including the vitamins and supplements necessary, and prepare themselves to create homemade dog food recipes for their pets instead of relying on store-bought dog food.