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Are you looking to spoil Spot with some homemade mutt meals? A crockpot can make it much easier to do so! We’ll try to help by sharing some of our favorite homemade dog food crockpot recipes that are sure to get your dog’s tail wagging below!
So crank up your crockpot, round up your Rover-friendly ingredients, and get cookin’!
Should You Feed Your Dog Homemade Food?
When it comes to a daily diet, the vast majority of dogs will thrive best on a commercial dog food, which has been designed by a canine nutritionist or veterinarian.
That said, some dogs — especially those with health concerns — may benefit from a custom diet made by their pupper parent. Just be sureto consult your veterinarian before switching up your dog’s regular diet.And, you’ll likely need to purchase some kind of homemade dog food supplement or nutritional pack to ensure your dog is getting all the essential vitamins and minerals he needs to survive and thrive.
But daily diet aside, plenty of pups simply deserve an occasional homemade dinner!
As long as your pooch doesn’t have any specialized dietary requirements, homemade meals (and homemade dog food toppers) make a pretty safe occasional treat for your furry friend — just make sure that the recipe doesn’t contain any food ingredients that may be toxic to dogs (we’ve already done this for you with the recipes below).
Don’t Be Afraid to Swap Proteins!
Keep in mind that many of these recipes allow you to swap one great meat protein for dogs for another, or omit a vegetable or two if it’s not Fido’s favorite. That being said, it’s key that these homemade recipes are primarily served as a treat, since any daily diet for your dog needs to be evaluated by a veterinarian to be safe.
Why Use a Crockpot to Make Homemade Dog Foods: The Pros and Cons
Are you considering getting a Crockpot for your canine? Here are some pros and cons to making homemade dog food in a Crockpot to take into consideration:
Crockpot Pros: Reasons to Use a Crockpot for Canine Cookin’
For the most part, Crockpots are wonderful tools for cooking up some canine chow. Here are some of the main reasons why they may make a great investment for your pooch palace:
- Flavor for Fido: One of the biggest benefits of slow cooking is the unmatched flavor that comes from the process. This can be particularly helpful for canine cuisine since anything given to your furry friend should be made without added sugar or salt.
- Ease of Use: Even for the most inexperienced chefs, Crockpots are pretty easy to understand. As you’ll note with most of the recipes, you basically load up the ingredients into the pot, press a button or two, and wait until your meal is ready. Crockpots make it easy for busy pooch parents to whip up homemade meals with minimal effort.
- Hands-off Cooking: Crockpots are designed in such a way that you can safely cook meals while working on something else. You can prep your meals for your mutt ahead of time so by the time it’s doggie dinnertime, your canine’s cuisine is prepped and ready to go.
- Crockpots Tenderize Meat: Crockpots are known for their ability to tenderize meat, making it easy for dogs young and old to safely consume. This also means that you’re able to buy cheaper cuts of meat, which is great for your wallet.
- Simple Cleanup: Since you’re making everything in one pot, Crockpots are fairly easy to clean. You can even get slow cooker liners to reduce your minimal cleanup time.
- Crockpots Conserve Energy: Relative to your average oven, Crockpots use less energy, making them an eco-friendly choice for many pooch parents.
- Slow-and-Low-Temp Cooking *May* Provide Health Benefits: Though there isn’t any clear evidence demonstrating such, slow cooking may be healthier than cooking quickly at high temperatures since it may help preserve some of the food’s nutrients.
Crockpot Cons: Crockpot Challenges for Canine Cookin’
Unfortunately, there are a few drawbacks to Crockpot cooking you’ll want to keep in mind. This includes:
- Long Cooking Times: Slow cookers cut down on food preparation time for most owners, but it takes several hours for most recipes to come into fruition, which could be an inconvenience if not planned properly.
- There Aren’t Many Controls: For some chefs, the Crockpot is too simplified. A slow cooker only has a handful of controls, so it can be difficult to customize the cooking process for your pooch.
- There’s Not A Lot of Room for Error: Due to long cooking times and a lack of precise controls, it’s easy to make an error using a Crockpot. Unfortunately, sometimes you’ll have to wait several hours before knowing whether or not your mutt’s meal is worth salvaging. It may take a couple of tries to nail the perfect meal for your fur baby.
With that in mind, Crockpots are certainly worth trying if you’re interested in making your hound some homemade meals. Thankfully, Crockpots are fairly affordable so it’s not a huge loss if the appliance doesn’t operate in the way you expected.
A Quick Note for Our Readers
Understand that the term “Crockpot” is actually a branded term (usually written as CrockPot or even Crock-Pot). And while they differ from traditional slow cookers in a few minor ways, you can use any ‘ol slow cooker or pressure cooker for most of these recipes.
7 Awesome Homemade Dog Food Crockpot Recipes
Without further ado, here are some of our favorite homemade dog food Crockpot recipes for your furry friend! Your pooch pal will love taste testing these different recipes with a variety of flavor palettes and ingredients.
1. Hound Harvest Dog Food
About: Does Spot salivate over squash? If so, you’ll have to check out this simple and nutritious dog food recipe from Damn Delicious, featuring butternut squash.
Ingredients:
- Ground beef
- Brown rice
- Kidney beans
- Butternut squash
- Carrots
- Peas
Directions: Combine all ingredients and 4 cups of water into a 6 quart slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours. This dog food can be served once cooled, or stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two weeks.
2. Beef Bonanza
About: Does your best buddy love beef? If so, he’s bound to enjoy this beef slow cooker recipe from Top Dog Tips that includes nutritious vegetables for dogs like zucchini and carrots.
Ingredients:
- Kidney beans
- Zucchini
- Peas
- Brown Rice
- Lean ground beef or turkey
Directions:Place all ingredients in the slow cooker along with 4 cups of water. Cook on high heat for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve once cooled or store in the freezer for up to a week.
3. Veggie Protein Power
About: If you have a particularly active furry friend, it’s worth checking out this protein packed slow cooker recipe from Chewy. The food also includes natural antioxidants like blueberries to keep your furry friend feeling his best.
Ingredients:
- Chicken thighs
- Ground turkey
- Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Peas
- Carrots
- Frozen blueberries
Directions:Place all ingredients into the Crockpot with the chicken thighs and ground turkey at the bottom. Cook on low for 12 hours. Cool before serving and be sure to remove any left behind bones. This recipe can be preserved in the freezer for up to a week.
4. Broccoli Blast
About: You might not find this broccoli and beef liver stew from Slow Cooker Kitchen to be the most enticing recipe, but your dog is sure to go nuts for it. This recipe can be spruced up with a little bit of dog-safe Greek yogurt after cooking as per the original chef’s recommendation.
Ingredients:
- Beef liver
- Brown rice
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Coconut oil (optional)
- Greek yogurt (optional)
Directions: Combine meat, veggies, and rice in Crockpot and let it cook throughout the day or overnight on a low setting (just be careful leaving the Crockpot unattended for this long). Once cooked, stir in optional coconut oil and dog-safe Greek yogurt. Serve once cooled and store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
5. Sweet Potato Stew For Your Sweetie
About: Sweet potato is an excellent fiber-rich vegetable and one of the star ingredients in this Crockpot dog food recipe from Fivespot Green Living . This recipe also includes other nutritious vegetables like spinach and lentils.
Ingredients:
- Brown rice
- Lentils
- Sweet potato
- Kidney beans
- Peas
- Oats
- Ground turkey
Directions: Add all ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Allow the food to cool before serving and store in an refrigerated airtight container for up to a week.
6. Tantalizing Turkey
About: Turkey is generally a leaner meat, making it perfect for mutts working on weight management. This recipe by the Produce Moms gives your furry friend plenty of flavor despite it’s leaner recipe, so your canine companion will love it all the same.
Ingredients:
- Ground turkey
- Brown Rice
- Kidney beans
- Sweet potato
- Carrots
- Green beans
Directions: Add all ingredients to a large slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 6 hours. This recipe can be cooled and served immediately, or preserved in the refrigerator for up to two weeks in an airtight container.
7. Mutt Melange
About: This recipe from Dogvills highlights chicken, rice, and green beans as the star ingredients for your furry friend. The slow cooker recipe also includes fiber-rich sweet potato to support your dog’s digestive system.
Ingredients:
- Green beans
- Brown rice
- Sweet potato
- Carrots
- Chicken breast
Directions:Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook until the chicken is fork tender (about 8 hours on low heat), stopping to stir the mixture every couple of hours. Serve immediately once cooled. Leftovers can be preserved in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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As you can see, there are plenty of easy Crockpot recipes for your canine to whip up from home. Remember that these recipes should primarily serve as a supplement to your dog’s current diet or occasional treat, unless otherwise directed by your veterinarian.
Has your dog tried any of these recipes? Which recipe was your favorite? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
