Homemade dog food with instant pot

[Jon Rascon]

Hello, 

I'm interested in making my dogs food at least some of the time. He's currently on Acana Regional. 

I've seen some websites out there with recipes - does this group have specific websites/recipes that are endorsed by this group? 

In theory, I'd like to make a batch of food on Sunday for the week. Depending on cost, I'd like at least one meal a day to be homemade. I just got an instant pot and would love to put it to use. 

Also, any other things for me to consider before taking the plunge?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Hi Jon, the only homemade dog food recipes endorsed by this group are recipes that have been formulated and or approved by a veterinary specialist. It is not safe to feed anything else. Especially now, when there is all this controversy out there about taurine deficiencies and Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Goldens and related breeds, you really need to be sure that any food you feed, of any kind, contains all the nutrients required to sustain and promote a dog's health.

If you wanted to feed a homemade meal once in a while, as a special treat, it really wouldn't matter. But if you want 50% of your dog's diet to be homemade, you really must get guidance from a veterinary nutritionist (this is a specialist with a DVM degree) or from a Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist. 

[Jon Rascon]

Okay - thanks for the feedback. 

We are getting ready to move, so I guess I will hold off until we get settled in and can find a new vet (I believe there is vet and a grooming place within two blocks). 

I use poached chicken for treats and he loves that. But he's streaky in eating kibble. I actually chose Acana Regionals because I was hopeful he would love the high meat portions in that. I'm going to try a different flavor (he's currently on the Fish version) and see how that works.

Thanks again.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

A regular GP vet isn't equipped to provide a recipe for homemade dog food, which is why I specified a vet nutritionist or IMS. There is no nutrition curriculum in vet school. :)
Be aware that in any case, if you start feeding a homemade diet, you run a very high risk of his not eating kibble at all, ever. A better bet would be to add some fresh homecooked food to his kibble at each meal. That's fairly easy to do, and as long as the homemade portion of his diet doesn't exceed 30%, you don;t have to worry about the recipe or the nutrients. A mixture of about 50% animal protein (meat, fish or poultry) and 50% carbs (any vegetables, including starchy ones) would work just fine. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I guess I did not make clear that we cannot endorse, recommend, or post any recipes here in this group for diets or recipes that have not been approved by a veterinary nutrition specialist or a veterinary internal medicine specialist. "Alternative" practitioners are not the same thing.