Low-allergy protein, high-water vegetable, hot city. This duck winter melon rice dog food recipe is what you cook in July, and it is quietly useful for dogs who never drink enough. A good deal of their water can arrive in the bowl instead.
Low-allergenicity duck with high-moisture winter melon gives a lower energy density bowl for summer or for dogs that drink little; with olive oil restored, fat sits at about 16 g per 1000 kcal in a moderately lean design.
Ingredients (standard batch)
| Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Duck breast (skin and fat removed) | 2 kg | skin and fat removed, diced |
| Winter melon | 600 g | peeled, deseeded, diced |
| White rice | 450 g | rinsed (about 2.25 rice-cooker cups) |
| Carrot | 200 g | diced |
| Olive oil | 25 g (about 2 tbsp) | stirred in after cooking |
This batch yields about 3.4 kg of food (about 3,960 kcal), roughly 6 days for a 10 kg adult dog. Use a rice cooker of 8 cups or larger; if yours is smaller, cook in two rounds or halve the batch.
Method
- Rinse the rice and add to the rice cooker with about 560 ml of water (slightly less – winter melon releases water).
- Layer the duck, winter melon and carrot on top and run a normal cycle.
- Rest 10 minutes after it switches off and confirm the duck is fully cooked.
- Stir in the olive oil, fluff and cool.
- Portion per the dosing table.
Estimated nutrient analysis (base recipe, before supplements)
| Item | Per 100 g | Per 1000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Metabolisable energy | 115 kcal | – |
| Crude protein | 12.3 g | 107 g |
| Fat | 1.9 g | 16 g |
| Carbohydrate | 11.3 g | 98 g |
| Dietary fibre | 0.5 g | 4 g |
| Calcium | 10 mg | 0.08 g |
| Phosphorus | 106 mg | 0.92 g |
The base recipe supplies only 0.08 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 3.1 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 220 g | about 16 days＊ | 0.5 g | 0.4 g (about 1/8 tsp) |
| 5 kg | 368 kcal | about 320 g | about 11 days | 1 g | 0.6 g (about 1/4 tsp) |
| 10 kg | 619 kcal | about 540 g | about 6 days | 1.5 g | 1.0 g (about 3/8 tsp) |
| 20 kg | 1,040 kcal | about 900 g | about 4 days | 2 g | 1.6 g (about 5/8 tsp) |
| 30 kg | 1,410 kcal | about 1,230 g | about 3 days | 2 g | 2.2 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
- Winter melon releases plenty of liquid when cooked – normal; keep the liquid with the portions.
- 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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