Easy + Healthy Homemade Dog Food Recipe
Make delicious homemade dog food in less than 30 minutes!
I originally found this easy healthy homemade dog food recipe on a popular French Bulldog Facebook Group. Almost everyone in the group was feeding their Frenchie this recipe or at least had tried it, because of allergies or stomach issues. It’s very popular, so I had to try it myself! Plus, keep reading on for an easy and healthy homemade snack for dogs.
The original recipe has a few cans of beans in it but I omitted those — beans seem way too heavy and unnecessary. Plus they might even give your dog excessive gas. This recipe started with recommended mashed potatoes, too, which you could do but I wanted to leave those out since it also seemed pretty heavy. Weston is allergic to potatoes too. I’ve adjusted this healthy homemade dog food recipe over time and it’s much better for Weston + Fira, in my opinion.
For the healthy homemade dog food, you’ll need these ingredients:
- 6 lb protein
- 2-3 bags of frozen vegetables (mix + match: peas, green beans, spinach, carrot/cauliflower)
- 1 can (14 oz) pure pumpkin puree
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- Any supplement/vitamin you like (I’ve used crushed up calcium powder, a probiotic supplement for dogs and a joint supplement for dogs)
Canine Complete is an all-in-one supplement that I use more than any others. It has everything your pup needs in one go!
Now that you have all the ingredients you need, here are the steps you need to make your own healthy homemade dog food, which is great for dogs with allergies. It’s super easy and makes a pretty large batch.
- Cook the meat with 3 tbsp olive oil and drain the excess fat. If it’s beef, I wash off all the extra oils and fat in a strainer.
- This step is optional but I like to grate the frozen vegetables in a food processor, so they’re small and easily digestible for the pups.
- In a large bowl, mix the meat, pumpkin puree, vegetables, 3 tbsp coconut oil and supplement.
- Spoon into ziplock bags and freeze until ready to use. That’s it!
[ Disclaimer: Use your own judgment and of course, speak to your veterinarian if you have questions/concerns. ]
Curious if your dog has food allergies? Try this at-home test, which I love.
I’ve used this NutriScan allergy test for both Weston and Fira. Thanks to the NutriScan test, I found out that Weston is allergic to poultry, pork, white fish, potatoes, and dairy. Fira is allergic to pork!
You might actually be pretty surprised to find out what your dog is allergic to. Your pup might be scratching because they just ate chicken (which seems to be very common), and it can be hard to correlate those two for some dog parents. I tend to test Weston and Fira every five years or so, since things can change sometimes.
Then, when you find out your pup has allergies, it can be really hard to find dog food that makes a good fit. That’s why I love making this easy healthy homemade dog food — I always know what’s in the food I’m feeding my pups and I can customize anytime.
Can my dog eat frozen vegetables?
The answer: Yes. I know it might seem strange at first to toss your pup a frozen carrot, but it can actually be great to give to puppies who are teething. It’s also a fun thing to chew on for older dogs.
The frozen vegetables are a healthy and easy homemade snack for dogs, filled with fiber and other important vitamins. You can give your dog frozen apples (cut into pieces), butternut squash, cucumber, and spinach.
Are there certain frozen vegetables you should avoid feeding your dog? Definitely. The ones to watch out for are onions, and also technically this is a fruit, but grapes. Grape and raisins are highly toxic to dogs so do NOT give them those, ever.
Also, don’t overdo it. You might think you’re giving your dog a healthy boost, but your pup doesn’t need SO many veggies. Just a few a day is fine or give them as a treat every so often. It’s really a great low-calorie snack for dogs, and good for their teeth.
Did you try making this easy and healthy homemade dog food? Or did you try giving your pup frozen vegetables? Let me know — I’d love to know how it went.
If you’re looking for more helpful solutions for your dog’s allergies, try this oatmeal paw bath, which is great for dogs who constantly lick or scratch at their paws.
How much do you feed Fira per day? Xoxo
Hi Claudia–for Fira (she’s 14 lbs) she gets a little over a cup of food per day.
Hi
What size are the bags of vegetables or how many pounds of veggies total? Thank you!! ?❤
Hi! I kind of eyeball it now but it’s around 3-5 bags. And make sure you have more meat than veggies/beans. 🙂
Hi,
Our puppy is only 4 months old and I wanted to start cooking his meals, but I’m not sure how much of it I should feed him. He eats 3x a day and didn’t want or over feed or under feed. Any recommendations?
Do the beans cause more Frenchie farts?
We haven’t noticed that! With homemade food, they hardly ever fart anymore
I have so many questions but a couple are how much does Fira weigh now and her age? Has the diet changed since this video post? Do you mix your recipe with dry food or on its own? I also have a female and I’m worried about over feeding.
Hi Alex- Fira is 2.5 years old and weighs 14 lbs. She’s never eaten dry food (except the first 6 months of her life)—only cooked. I’ll do homemade or most of the time get pre-made foods from companies like Pure Dog Food and Just Food For Dogs. They’re based in SoCal but ship nationwide. (If you do want to try Pure Dog Food, you can get $20 off orders over $40 with code: wtfrenchie)
I make my own food & struggle to keep my very hyper boy’s weight up, he’s a Cockapoo & I want to keep him at 26-28 pounds, I find I need to feed him more quantity of homemade or Farmers Dog, which I really love too, it’s excellent!
My female Cockapoo who is totally different body type & activity level is doing perfect. It’s interesting how quality homemade food makes all the difference, I hope I never have to go back to kibble, it’s dreadful stuff no matter how expensive!
It’s amazing too no itching or scratching & way less poop because they are absorbing the nutrients. It’s so creative & fun and the possibilities are endless, but the best is seeing your pups dance around the kitchen in anticipation of every meal !! It’s the simple things in life ! Unconditional Love, don’t we all need more of that ! Lol
Hello Ladies! I’m slightly confused on the recipe versus the video. The video has 3 cans each of kidney and black beans, whereas the recipe above lists 1 each. Can you tell me why the difference? Is the video showing you making a tripled recipe, or is it a typo?
Lovely frenchies! I have two boys, myself. Best dogs ever for companionship.
Hi! I think we tripled the recipe in the video.
But now I make their food without the beans- it’s not really necessary and really just a filler. Sometimes I’ll add quinoa. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi, I have a 4 month Frenchie and looking to cook food for her in a few months. Your recipies are great and had a question on the frozen vegetable one. What kind of probiotic pills are you using, human probiotic or are they dog specific?
Hi! Here’s a probiotic powder I like (for dogs): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LNMYY0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001LNMYY0&linkCode=as2&tag=whesthefre-20&linkId=bd80582f3fa6d56c329a1c97e8fb620c
May I use lean ground beef? Is it too fatty for our Frenchie? We are thinking she might be allergic to chicken. Thanks for your help!
Hello, can Frenchies eat cooked eggs
Hi. Thank you for sharing. This comes at the right time for me. My frenchie just developed all the possible allergies and has been advised grain free, chicken free and meat free diet! So yes your salmon and veggies diet comes as a big source of relief. Would love to get more recipes.
I have a bull dog she is about 40lb how much food do i feed her a day
Hi there! I do this same recipe for my frenchie but I do so in a crockpot. This means I’m not draining anything. I read that the fat and oils help their skin. You are saying you drain the meat and rinse it? Wondering that thought process please. Thanks!
Hi! I do cook the meats with oil but beef seems to leave a lot of leftover juices and fats, so I’m always used to just draining it. Since I add coconut oil and sometimes omega oil, they get enough fats from that 🙂