Hong Kong in August is no time for a heavy bowl. This pork winter melon barley dog food recipe is the summer answer: winter melon is over ninety percent water, so the meal is light, cooling and low in calories without ever looking smaller. Handy too if your dog put on a little over winter and you would rather not cut portions.
Winter melon is over 95% water, lowering the energy density of the formula and adding satiety; barley contributes soluble fibre. Protein sits at about 93 g per 1000 kcal, making this a good bowl for Hong Kong summers or the early phase of weight management. Base calcium is only 0.12 g/1000 kcal – supplement per the table below.
Ingredients (standard batch)
| Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Lean pork shoulder | 1.8 kg | diced, visible fat trimmed |
| Winter melon | 700 g | peeled, deseeded, diced |
| Pearl barley | 150 g | soaked 1 hour |
| White rice | 250 g | rinsed |
This batch yields about 3.0 kg of food (about 4,046 kcal), roughly 7 days for a 10 kg adult dog.
Method
- Rinse the barley and rice, add about 1.2 L of water, boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the pork and cook 10 minutes until fully cooked.
- Add the winter melon and cook another 8 to 10 minutes until soft.
- Stir, cool, and portion per the dosing table.
Estimated nutrient analysis (base recipe, before supplements)
| Item | Per 100 g | Per 1000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Metabolisable energy | 133 kcal | – |
| Crude protein | 12.4 g | 93 g |
| Fat | 4.1 g | 31 g |
| Carbohydrate | 11 g | 83 g |
| Dietary fibre | 0.8 g | 6.1 g |
| Calcium | 16 mg | 0.12 g |
| Phosphorus | 119 mg | 0.89 g |
The base recipe supplies only 0.12 g of calcium per 1000 kcal, far below an adult dog’s requirement, so supplementation is essential. Adding Eggshell Calcium Powder as per the table below (this recipe needs about 3.0 g per 1000 kcal) brings calcium to 1.25 g/1000 kcal (the AAFCO adult maintenance level), with a calcium to phosphorus ratio of about 1.4:1 (ideal range 1.2 to 2:1). Daily Multi for Dogs, dosed by body weight, supplies 20 essential vitamins and minerals. Together they make the meal complete and balanced.
Feeding and supplement dosing (two meals per day)
| Dog weight | Daily energy need | Daily food | Batch lasts | Daily Multi (per meal) | Eggshell Calcium (per meal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kg | 251 kcal | about 190 g | about 16 days＊ | 0.5 g | 0.4 g (about 1/8 tsp) |
| 5 kg | 368 kcal | about 280 g | about 11 days | 1 g | 0.5 g (about 1/4 tsp) |
| 10 kg | 619 kcal | about 470 g | about 7 days | 1.5 g | 0.9 g (about 3/8 tsp) |
| 20 kg | 1,040 kcal | about 780 g | about 4 days | 2 g | 1.5 g (about 5/8 tsp) |
| 30 kg | 1,410 kcal | about 1,060 g | about 3 days | 2 g | 2.1 g (about 7/8 tsp) |
*For small dogs one batch lasts beyond the 2-week freezer guideline – scale the batch down proportionally. If you feed once daily, combine both meal portions of the supplements. Stir supplements in only after the food has cooled to just warm. Energy needs follow NRC (2006) MER = 110 kcal x BW(kg)^0.75 and vary about plus or minus 15% with neuter status and activity; weigh your dog every 2 weeks and adjust to body condition score.
Storage
Let it cool, then divide it into daily portions. Three days worth goes in the fridge (4°C) and the rest straight into the freezer, where it keeps for two weeks. Move tomorrow’s portion down to the fridge the night before, and warm it in a bowl of hot water before serving. Skip the microwave: it heats unevenly and leaves scalding pockets next to frozen ones.
Clinical notes
- Skip barley for pregnant dogs – substitute the same weight of white rice.
- Cook all meat and fish right through (core temperature above 75°C), and add no salt, sugar or seasoning at all. It will taste bland to you, which is exactly right for your dog.
- Onion, garlic, chives, grapes and chocolate are toxic to dogs. No amount is safe, and there is no exception to this one.
- Give your dog a week to change over, adding a little more of the new food each day, and keep an eye on stools, skin and appetite as you go. There is no prize for rushing it.
- These recipes are formulated for healthy adult dogs. For puppies, pregnant or nursing mothers, seniors, or any dog with a medical condition, talk to your vet before you start.
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More recipes: Homemade Dog Food Recipes hub | Duck and Winter Melon Rice | Beef and Chinese Squash Rice