How Much Do I Feed Homemade Dog Food Per Day?

Feeding your dog homemade food is essential to provide high-quality and nutritious food, but before feeding your dog homemade food, you need to know how much food your dog needs. Most of the pet owners have common question how much do I feed homemade dog food per day to my dog? Both overfeeding and underfeeding can be harmful. Overfeeding can lead to obesity, underfeeding leads to malnutrition and related issued.

In this article, I will discuss how much food you should feed your dog every day based on factors such as the dog’s size, age, breed and activity level. This proper transition and adaptation of homemade food will help your dog’s overall well-being.

Understanding Your Dog’s Nutritional Needs

Every dog ​​has its own dietary needs and how specific is this diet? 

For example, the food and nutritional needs of dogs of different ages are different.

• Age:  Puppies, adult dogs, or senior dogs have different needs. 

• Breed and Size: Also, the amount of food needed by large breed dogs is much higher than that of small dogs. 

• Activity: Working dogs that are involved in some kind of work or those who are more active have different needs also. Naturally, their calorie needs are higher, while dogs that are less active require relatively less food and energy. 

• Health status:  The diet of healthy dogs and sick dogs may not be the same. The dogs that are sick or have special needs will also have a slightly different diet compared to healthy dogs. It is absolutely necessary to provide food according to their health needs. 

A dog always needs food to improve overall health. If this food is prepared at home, then nothing is better than it. While cooking for your dog,  keep in mind that  proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, these should be present in your cooked food in the right amount.

Calculating the Right Amount of Homemade Food

There is a general guideline for feeding homemade food to any dog. Feed your dog 2 to 3% of his weight in homemade food. Here is a rough list of how much you can safely feed your dog homemade food, based on size. 

• Small Dogs (Under 20 lbs): ½ to 1 cup per day
• Medium Dogs (20-50 lbs): 1 to 2 cups per day
• Large Dogs (50-100 lbs): 2 to 4 cups per day
• Giant Breeds (Over 100 lbs): 4+ cups per day

Portions should be adjusted based on your dog’s weight maintenance.

Body Weight Daily Food Amount

10 lbs	½ – ¾ cup
20 lbs	1 – 1.5 cups
50 lbs	2 – 3 cups
100 lbs	4 – 5 cups

This is a general idea. The actual amount will depend on your dog’s metabolic rate and activity level. It’s best to consult your veterinarian once about this.

Ingredients to Include in Homemade Dog Food

To ensure that your beloved pet gets proper nutrition, add the following food ingredients in their diet in the right amounts. 

• Proteins: Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Fish, etc. 

• Carbohydrates: Brown rice, Sweet potatoes, Ports, etc. 

• Fats: Fish oil, Coconut oil

• Vegetables and fruits: Carrots, Spinach,  Apples ( without seeds)

Ingredients to Avoid in Homemade Dog Food

There are some food ingredients that are very harmful to your dog and are equivalent to poison to him. 

 So they should never be included in dog’s food, 

• Toxic Foods:  chocolate, onions, garlic, grapes, Italian sausage,

•  Common Allergens:  such as milk, soybeans, wheat, etc. 

• Harmful Additives: Never include too processed foods,  excess salt..

Preparing Balanced Homemade Meals

• Cooking methods:  Boiling and steaming a food retain nutrients. They retain nutrients and are easily digestible. 

• Baking: Meat and vegetables should be backed. It provides maximum benefits

Meal Preparation and Storage 

Prepare a meal  in bulk and refrigerate several portions after feeding the dog. 

Cooked food can be refrigerated for several days. 

Store raw food in an airtight container for a few days.

Sample Homemade Dog Food Recipes

Chicken and Rice Recipe:

 One (1) cup boiled chicken 

Half (½) cup cooked brown rice 

1/4 cups mixed vegetables 

Beef and vegetable stew

 One (1) cup beef 

Half (½)  cup carrots and beans 

Half (½)  cup sweet potato

Transitioning Your Dog to Homemade Food

When you start feeding your dog homemade food, never do it all at once. 

If you are feeding store-bought food, it is best to introduce cooked food over a period of 7 to 10 days. 

Here is a blueprint for how to make the transition: 

Days 1 to 3:   25% homemade food and 75% store-bought food 

Days 4 to 6:  50% homemade food & 50% store-bought food

Days 7 to 9:  75% store-bought food & 25% store-bought food

 Day 10: 100% homemade food & 0% store-bought food

Monitoring Your Dog’s Health

 Monitor your dog’s digestion and energy levels during this transition. See if your dog is having any problems or abnormalities.

After complete transition of store-bought to homemade foods, observe  if you notice any changes in over eating,under eating, lethargy, digestive issues, weight gain, lack of energy, poor coat quality etc.

If any change is noticed during transition,  immediately  stop feeding homemade food. If it occurs after a few days then also immediately contact your vet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)