# Homemade puppy food



## Tarsus (May 28, 2012)

Does anyone have recipe that they have used for puppies? We grow our own meat and eggs here and I was thinking that this crock pot doggie stew might be cheaper for us than bagged high end dog food.


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## Mac's Mom (Jun 7, 2010)

Sounds like a totally cool environment for a puppy. And I bet you can do it cheaper. I strongly suggest checking out this site...
Feeding Raw to Puppies


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## Tarsus (May 28, 2012)

Thanks!


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Yesss.. feed raw!


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## NancyJ (Jun 15, 2003)

I have reservations on starting out raw by doing it with a puppy only because of the importantance of balanced nutrients and minerals at that age. Clearly it can be done, but I think it requires a lot more care and dediciation.

I am on the fence because I feel like the high relative amount of bone in a diet that I fed and my breeder fed to a puppy years ago led to bone overgrowth that contributed to HD. Also feel that more variety should be offered than simply chicken which means sourcing a variety of other ingredients. I do think, done properly, it is an optimal diet and hope to move Beau to it when he is closer to 2.


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## Tarsus (May 28, 2012)

angel- i love your blog! I would love to see a puppy specific post to help with making sure puppy has what it needs, as jocoyn mentioned 
We have many local butchers where I could get a variety of dog meat, as well as the good idea of my husband and son getting a deer or 2 in the fall. I bet my Stella would love it too, beast that she is!


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I am feeding raw with the blessing of our breeder.


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## Tarsus (May 28, 2012)

How about middle of the road, not raw, not kibble, but big ol' kettle of dog food made every other week and fed to the dogs, kind of like the Alaskan sled dogs. Does anyone here do this?


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## Bear L (Feb 9, 2012)

I used to feed my dog home cooked food that was made about once a week. But I stopped... since it's less work to feed raw and the dog did well on it. Are you trying to add non-meat stuff thus the cooking?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

The kettle is too much work, and the cooking alters the nutrients and changes the flavor. Also, you can't cook the bones, and they need bone.


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## I_LOVE_MY_MIKKO (Oct 4, 2006)

Sunflowers said:


> The kettle is too much work, and the cooking alters the nutrients and changes the flavor. Also, you can't cook the bones, and they need bone.



You can if you cook it long enough that bones can be crushed with a spoon. We make a pressure cooker meal for Mikko in the winter. We put a whole chicken in the pressure cooker with veggies, garlic, oil, sometimes eggs or fish, and cook it until the biggest bones can be crushed with a spoon. Raw is definitely easier and the benefits are greater (the clean teeth, small non-smelly poops, etc).


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## Tarsus (May 28, 2012)

thank you for the opinions. it is really helping me decide what to do. with 5 children to feed, I cant have the dog's food be a cumbersome addition to my routine.


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