Cutting a dog’s portion is miserable for everyone, particularly the dog staring at an empty bowl ten minutes later. This turkey carrot oat dog food recipe takes the other route: it is one of the leanest in the book, and the oats hold onto water so the bowl still looks and eats like a proper meal.
At about 38 g fat per 1000 kcal this is among the leaner formulations in the book; oat beta-glucan supplies soluble fibre (total fibre 13.9 g/1000 kcal) with strong satiety, suiting dogs in weight management.
Ingredients (standard batch)
| Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Minced turkey | 1.8 kg | |
| Carrot | 450 g | finely diced |
| Rolled oats | 400 g | |
| Broccoli | 250 g | small florets |
| Olive oil | 15 g (about 1 tbsp) | stirred in off the heat |
This batch yields about 2.9 kg of food (about 4,401 kcal), roughly 7 days for a 10 kg adult dog.
Method
- Put the carrot in a pot, cover with water and boil 8 minutes.
- Add the minced turkey, break it up and simmer 8 minutes until fully cooked.
- Add the broccoli and cook 4 minutes.
- Stir in the oats for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened, then stir in the oil off the heat.
- Cool and portion per the dosing table.
Estimated nutrient analysis (base recipe, before supplements)
| Item | Per 100 g | Per 1000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Metabolisable energy | 150 kcal | – |
| Crude protein | 13.7 g | 91 g |
| Fat | 5.7 g | 38 g |
| Carbohydrate | 11 g | 73 g |
| Dietary fibre | 2.1 g | 13.9 g |
| Calcium | 25 mg | 0.17 g |
| Phosphorus | 162 mg | 1.08 g |
The base recipe supplies only 0.17 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 1.30 g/1000 kcal (the AAFCO adult maintenance level), with a calcium to phosphorus ratio of about 1.2:1 (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 170 g | about 18 days＊ | 0.5 g | 0.4 g (about 1/8 tsp) |
| 5 kg | 368 kcal | about 250 g | about 12 days | 1 g | 0.5 g (about 1/4 tsp) |
| 10 kg | 619 kcal | about 410 g | about 7 days | 1.5 g | 0.9 g (about 3/8 tsp) |
| 20 kg | 1,040 kcal | about 690 g | about 4 days | 2 g | 1.5 g (about 5/8 tsp) |
| 30 kg | 1,410 kcal | about 940 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
- Oats thicken as they absorb liquid – loosen with hot water to the right texture.
- 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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