The most allergy-friendly bowl in this book, and the only one that goes fully grain free if you leave the oats out. If you are working through an elimination trial with your vet, this venison sweet potato broccoli dog food recipe is where you land: one novel protein, no grains, nothing else to muddy the result.
A novel protein in a rice-free design (skip the oats for fully grain free) – the friendliest combination in the book for food-sensitive dogs; venison is extremely lean, with olive oil restoring fat to about 21 g per 1000 kcal and fibre at about 15.3 g/1000 kcal.
Ingredients (standard batch)
| Ingredient | Amount | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Venison | 1.8 kg | diced |
| Sweet potato | 1.2 kg | peeled and diced |
| Broccoli | 400 g | small florets |
| Rolled oats | 200 g | skip for fully grain free and substitute 250 g sweet potato |
| Olive oil | 30 g (about 2 tbsp) | stirred in off the heat |
This batch yields about 3.3 kg of food (about 4,013 kcal), roughly 6 days for a 10 kg adult dog.
Method
- Put the sweet potato in a pot, cover with water and boil 10 minutes.
- Add the venison and simmer 10 minutes until just cooked (venison is very lean – avoid overcooking).
- Add the broccoli and cook 5 minutes.
- Stir in the oats for 2 minutes, 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 | 121 kcal | – |
| Crude protein | 13 g | 107 g |
| Fat | 2.6 g | 21 g |
| Carbohydrate | 11 g | 91 g |
| Dietary fibre | 1.9 g | 15.3 g |
| Calcium | 20 mg | 0.16 g |
| Phosphorus | 130 mg | 1.07 g |
The base recipe supplies only 0.16 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 1.28 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 210 g | about 16 days＊ | 0.5 g | 0.4 g (about 1/8 tsp) |
| 5 kg | 368 kcal | about 300 g | about 11 days | 1 g | 0.5 g (about 1/4 tsp) |
| 10 kg | 619 kcal | about 510 g | about 6 days | 1.5 g | 0.9 g (about 3/8 tsp) |
| 20 kg | 1,040 kcal | about 860 g | about 4 days | 2 g | 1.5 g (about 5/8 tsp) |
| 30 kg | 1,410 kcal | about 1,160 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
- Overcooked venison turns tough and less palatable – stop as soon as it is cooked through.
- 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 | Chicken, Sweet Potato and Broccoli | Mackerel and Sweet Potato