Crushed eggshells provide necessary calcium for your dog. You can add eggshells to homemade dog food recipes with or without the eggs. Rather than waste the eggs, use them for additional protein. Doggy meatloaf shares many of the same ingredients that you use for your own dinner. It also contains vegetables and grains to make it a complete meal.
Prep
Wash the celery, including the tops, and use the large knife to chop into 1-inch lengths.
Peel, core and dice the apple into 1-inch pieces.
Scrub the carrots and chop into 1-inch pieces.
Scrub the sweet potatoes and chop into 1-inch cubes.
Tear apart the wheat bread or slice it into cubes.
Recipe
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the inside of a large roasting pan with canola oil and set aside.
Place the celery, apple, carrots, sweet potatoes, bread, oats, tomato paste and ground bison in the large bowl. Crack the eggs, grind up the eggshells and put them in the bowl.
Use your hands to mix the ingredients together.
Divide the meat mixture into four loaves.
Place the loaves in the roasting pan and cover the pan with a lid.
Bake for 80 minutes or until the meatloaf has an internal temperature of 175 degrees F using an instant read meat thermometer.
Allow the loaves to cool completely before serving.
Tips
Experiment to determine how much meatloaf is right for your dog. If you are feeding only homemade food, start with half of a loaf. If she starts losing weight, increase the amount you are feeding. If she starts gaining weight, decrease the amount. To serve this with your regular kibble, use one-third of a meatloaf and reduce the dry food.
Store one loaf per container or air-tight storage bag. The meatloaf will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days and up to three months in the freezer.
Ground lamb, beef, venison, turkey and chicken make good substitutions and add variety. Avoid ground pork and veal, as they are too greasy to use. Try adding different types of vegetables too. Whatever changes you make to the recipe, be mindful that your dog’s diet should be made up of 40 percent meat or protein, 30 percent vegetables and 30 percent starch or grains.
Warnings
Check with your veterinarian before feeding your dog homemade food. Your vet may recommend nutritional supplements to add to the food.
Warnings
Check with your veterinarian before feeding your dog homemade food. Your vet may recommend nutritional supplements to add to the food.
Tips
Experiment to determine how much meatloaf is right for your dog. If you are feeding only homemade food, start with half of a loaf. If she starts losing weight, increase the amount you are feeding. If she starts gaining weight, decrease the amount. To serve this with your regular kibble, use one-third of a meatloaf and reduce the dry food.
Store one loaf per container or air-tight storage bag. The meatloaf will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days and up to three months in the freezer.
Ground lamb, beef, venison, turkey and chicken make good substitutions and add variety. Avoid ground pork and veal, as they are too greasy to use. Try adding different types of vegetables too. Whatever changes you make to the recipe, be mindful that your dog’s diet should be made up of 40 percent meat or protein, 30 percent vegetables and 30 percent starch or grains.
Items You Will Need
- Oven
- Large bowl
- Large knife
- Cutting board
- Large roasting pan with lid
- Instant read meat thermometer
- Storage containers
- 2 pounds ground bison or buffalo
- 4 stalks celery
- Apple
- 5 carrots
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 2 slices wheat bread
- 2 whole raw eggs
- 2 cups regular rolled oats
- 6-ounce can of tomato paste
- Canola oil
Tips
- Experiment to determine how much meatloaf is right for your dog. If you are feeding only homemade food, start with half of a loaf. If she starts losing weight, increase the amount you are feeding. If she starts gaining weight, decrease the amount. To serve this with your regular kibble, use one-third of a meatloaf and reduce the dry food.
- Store one loaf per container or air-tight storage bag. The meatloaf will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days and up to three months in the freezer.
- Ground lamb, beef, venison, turkey and chicken make good substitutions and add variety. Avoid ground pork and veal, as they are too greasy to use. Try adding different types of vegetables too. Whatever changes you make to the recipe, be mindful that your dog’s diet should be made up of 40 percent meat or protein, 30 percent vegetables and 30 percent starch or grains.
Warnings
- Check with your veterinarian before feeding your dog homemade food. Your vet may recommend nutritional supplements to add to the food.
Writer Bio
Based in Las Vegas, Sandy Vigil has been a writer and educator since 1980. She taught high school and middle school English and drama for 11 years. Vigil holds a Master of Science in teaching from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor of Arts in secondary English education from the University of Central Oklahoma.