How to Start Feeding Your Dog Homemade Food (Beginner’s Guide)

How to Start Feeding Your Dog Homemade Food (Beginner’s Guide)

Thinking about feeding your dog homemade food, but not sure where to start? You’re not alone. More dog parents are waking up to the fact that fresh, real food feels better, smells better, and makes more sense than ultra-processed pellets.

The good news: you don’t have to be a chef, a nutritionist, or a “raw food” expert to do this well. With a simple system and a bit of planning, homemade dog food can be safe, balanced, and surprisingly easy.

Why So Many Dog Parents Are Switching to Homemade

Homemade dog food offers a few big advantages:

  • Transparency: You know exactly what’s going into the bowl.
  • Fewer fillers: No mystery ingredients, no artificial preservatives.
  • Customization: Easier to work around allergies and sensitivities.
  • More joy at mealtime: Most dogs get excited about fresh, warm food.

But there’s one important catch: protein alone isn’t enough. Dogs also need a range of vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients to stay truly healthy.

The Biggest Mistake with Homemade Dog Food

Many people start by cooking chicken and rice or beef and veggies and assume that’s enough. While it might look and smell wonderful, those meals are often missing key nutrients like calcium, certain vitamins, and trace minerals.

Over time, these gaps can affect your dog’s skin, coat, energy, digestion, and long-term health.

That’s why it’s so important to pair fresh food with a nutritionally complete system, not guesswork.

The Simple Formula: One Protein + Nutrient Support

Instead of trying to track down organ meats and manage complex recipes, many dog parents use a targeted multivitamin designed to work with homemade meals.

Dog Years was created for exactly this purpose — to fill in the nutritional gaps in fresh, home-cooked meals, so that one cooked protein + Dog Years can provide a complete and balanced meal for adult dogs.

That means you can:

  • Cook simple proteins you already buy for your family.
  • Avoid sourcing liver, kidney, or other organ meats.
  • Rely on a clear, consistent way to make meals nutritionally complete.

Step-by-Step: How to Start Feeding Homemade

Step 1: Choose Your Protein

Start with a lean, familiar protein your dog already tolerates well, such as:

  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • White fish

Cook it plain: no seasoning, no oil, no garlic or onion.

Step 2: Use a Recipe or Calculator

To keep things balanced, use a simple recipe or a tool like a recipe calculator that accounts for your dog’s weight and the protein you’re using.

If you’re using Dog Years, you can follow our How It Works instructions and recipe guidance to get the right ratio of protein and supplement.

Step 3: Transition Gradually

To avoid stomach upset, don’t switch all at once. Try:

  • Days 1–3: 25% homemade, 75% old food
  • Days 4–6: 50% homemade, 50% old food
  • Days 7–9: 75% homemade, 25% old food
  • Day 10+: 100% homemade

Go slower if your dog has a sensitive stomach.

Step 4: Watch How Your Dog Responds

Many dog parents notice changes like:

  • More enthusiasm at mealtime
  • Better stool quality
  • Softer, shinier coat
  • Steadier energy

Every dog is unique, so pay attention to your pup’s individual response.

How Much Homemade Food Should I Feed?

A common starting point for adult dogs is around 2–3% of their body weight per day in fresh, home-cooked food, split into meals. The right amount can vary based on age, activity level, and metabolism.

Use this as a general guide and adjust based on your dog’s body condition and your veterinarian’s advice.

Homemade Feeding Can Be Simple

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life to feed homemade. With a simple system, you can:

  • Cook once or twice a week.
  • Portion and freeze meals.
  • Add a supplement like Dog Years to keep nutrition balanced.

Most importantly, you get the peace of mind that comes from knowing you’re doing something special for your dog — every single day.

Ready to Try Homemade?

If you’re curious about homemade feeding but want to keep it simple, Dog Years is designed to help you do exactly that: fresh, home-cooked meals that are balanced, straightforward, and made with love.

Back to blog