Duck is the quiet workhorse of elimination diets: a protein most dogs have never met, and unusually lean once the skin is off. That last part matters, because duck skin is where all the fat is hiding. Take it off and this duck potato dog food recipe becomes one of the leaner bowls here.
Skinless duck breast carries only about 2.5 g fat per 100 g, a low-allergenicity lean protein; olive oil restores essential fatty acids to about 21 g per 1000 kcal. A sound alternative protein for dogs reacting to chicken or beef.
Ingredients (standard batch)
| Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Duck breast (skin and fat removed) | 2.2 kg | skin and fat removed, diced |
| Duck liver | 200 g | finely chopped |
| Potato | 650 g | peeled and diced |
| Broccoli | 300 g | small florets |
| Carrot | 200 g | diced |
This batch yields about 2.8 kg of food (about 3,983 kcal), roughly 6 days for a 10 kg adult dog.
Method
- Put the potato and carrot in a pot, cover with water and boil 12 minutes.
- Chop the liver finely and cook it together with the meat. Liver is nutrient dense, so keep to the stated amount and do not increase it.
- Add the duck and simmer 10 minutes until fully cooked.
- Add the broccoli and cook 4 minutes, then take off the heat and cool.
- Off the heat and cool.
- Portion per the dosing table.
Estimated nutrient analysis (base recipe, before supplements)
| Item | Per 100 g | Per 1000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Metabolisable energy | 144 kcal | – |
| Crude protein | 14.7 g | 102 g |
| Fat | 6.5 g | 45 g |
| Carbohydrate | 5.9 g | 41 g |
| Dietary fibre | 1 g | 6.9 g |
| Calcium | 15 mg | 1.25 g |
| Phosphorus | 144 mg | 1.00 g |
On its own this recipe cannot meet an adult dog’s full requirement – calcium, copper, zinc and vitamin D all fall short. Adding Eggshell Calcium Powder (about 3.0 g per 1000 kcal for this recipe) and Daily Multi for Dogs (about 9.1 g per 1000 kcal), as tabled below, brings it up to every minimum in the AAFCO adult maintenance profile, with a calcium to phosphorus ratio of about 1.3:1. Both doses are calculated from this recipe’s own shortfalls, not from a generic chart.
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 16 days* | 1.2 g | 0.4 g (about 1/8 tsp) |
| 5 kg | 368 kcal | about 260 g | about 11 days | 1.7 g | 0.6 g (about 1/4 tsp) |
| 10 kg | 619 kcal | about 430 g | about 6 days | 2.8 g | 0.9 g (about 3/8 tsp) |
| 20 kg | 1,040 kcal | about 720 g | about 4 days | 4.8 g | 1.6 g (about 5/8 tsp) |
| 30 kg | 1,410 kcal | about 980 g | about 3 days | 6.4 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 them 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 15% with neuter status and activity; weigh your dog every 2 weeks and adjust to body condition.
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
- Remove the duck skin and the fat layer beneath it completely, or fat will far exceed the design value.
- 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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