If your dog has been scratching and chicken is the prime suspect, turkey is the sensible next move: handled the same way, cooked the same way, but a protein most local dogs have simply never eaten. This turkey pumpkin rice dog food recipe is deliberately plain, so you can see clearly whether the itching settles.
Turkey is a lower-allergenicity protein with low prior exposure among local dogs, making it a sound alternative for dogs showing adverse food reactions to chicken such as itchy skin; fat is about 33 g per 1000 kcal, a moderately lean design.
Ingredients (standard batch)
| Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Minced turkey | 1.8 kg | |
| Pumpkin | 600 g | peeled, deseeded, diced |
| White rice | 160 g | rinsed |
| Frozen green peas | 150 g | no need to defrost |
| Olive oil | 15 g (about 1.1 tbsp) | stirred in off the heat |
This batch yields about 2.4 kg of food (about 3,504 kcal), roughly 6 days for a 10 kg adult dog.
Method
- Rinse the rice and add to the rice cooker with about 550 ml of water.
- Layer the turkey and pumpkin on top and run a normal cycle.
- Add the peas in the last 10 minutes (or during the rest).
- Stir in the olive oil, fluff, confirm the turkey is fully cooked, and cool.
- Portion per the dosing table.
Estimated nutrient analysis (base recipe, before supplements)
| Item | Per 100 g | Per 1000 kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Metabolisable energy | 143 kcal | – |
| Crude protein | 15.1 g | 105 g |
| Fat | 6.1 g | 42 g |
| Carbohydrate | 7.2 g | 50 g |
| Dietary fibre | 0.6 g | 4.2 g |
| Calcium | 21 mg | 1.26 g |
| Phosphorus | 151 mg | 1.05 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 2.9 g per 1000 kcal for this recipe) and Daily Multi for Dogs (about 8.0 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 1.2:1. 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 180 g | about 14 days | 1.0 g | 0.4 g (about 1/8 tsp) |
| 5 kg | 368 kcal | about 260 g | about 10 days | 1.5 g | 0.5 g (about 1/4 tsp) |
| 10 kg | 619 kcal | about 430 g | about 6 days | 2.5 g | 0.9 g (about 3/8 tsp) |
| 20 kg | 1,040 kcal | about 730 g | about 3 days | 4.2 g | 1.5 g (about 5/8 tsp) |
| 30 kg | 1,410 kcal | about 980 g | about 2 days | 5.7 g | 2.1 g (about 7/8 tsp) |
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
- During an elimination trial, feed no other protein sources or treats for at least 8 weeks.
- 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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