Homemade Dog Food in a Slow Cooker

homemade dog food with a wooden spoon and towel
Author: Heather
Category: Pets
Published Date: 07/05/2023
Comments: 15

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I was the person who said there was no way I would ever make my dog food. Ever. Even though I love my dog more than anything, I found buying her store-bought food easier. But when she started developing a severe skin condition, I knew it was time to try homemade dog food.

Elle is a mix of several breeds. But the one breed that seems to be responsible for all of her issues is the Shar Pei in her. Elle has stomach issues, ear issues, allergies, and even had to have eyelid surgery so that her eyelashes didn’t bother her anymore. Whenever we bring her to the vet, the most common response is, “Shar Peis are known for this.”

Shar Pei mix wearing a thunder shirt

A few months back, we noticed our dog biting herself raw. She made herself bleed. It was heartbreaking to watch. We bathed her in special shampoo, fumigated the backyard, and tried almost everything possible. And then, her vet asked about her diet.

We had been feeding her the same food for years but had recently started buying the new treats I didn’t realize were not very good for her. To solve the problem, we asked her vet if we should try homemade food and more natural treats. He agreed. And so, for the first time, I made homemade dog food.

She LOVED it. We have seen an improvement in her mood. She hasn’t been biting herself, and she seems to be more chill than she usually is.

ingredients for homemade dog food in a slow cooker
peas, carrots, kidney beans and green beans

Before sharing our slow cooker homemade dog food recipe, let me share a few tips.

There are so many great slow cookers on the market. I have the Crock-Pot 7qt Programmable Cook & Carry Slow Cooker. It’s large enough to fit our family meals and is easy to operate!

I recently discovered slow cooker liners and can’t recommend them more. I can use my slow cooker every day without spending forever cleaning it out after each meal!

homemade dog food in containers with a wooden spoon
close up of food in a container
air tight resealable containers on a counter

This homemade dog food recipe makes 12 cups of food. How much food you feed your dog depends on how big they are. Elle is about 32 lbs and eats 1 cup of homemade dog food and 1 cup of regular food twice daily. She is a healthy weight.

I purchased the perfect-sized containers to store her food. I usually leave it all in the fridge since I make six days’ worth at a time. If you have a smaller dog, you can freeze some if it takes more than seven days. They have an air-tight lid that can be microwaved, so I can heat her food for 20 seconds to take the chill out.

I highly recommend speaking to your vet before switching your dog’s diet. They can also help determine how much food you should feed your pup.

ingredients needed for slow cooker homemade dog food

ingredients on a table

What’s great about this slow cooker homemade dog food recipe is that you can change it based on budget or your dog’s taste. I often change up the meat based on what is on sale that week, though I have made ground turkey most of the time because it is leaner and better for my dog’s stomach.

It’s essential to keep an eye on sales as well. Whenever one of the beans or veggies is part of a buy-one-get-one-free sale, I will stock up since they don’t go bad.

The chicken broth is entirely optional. It will make your homemade dog food slightly more watery, but I have always had to drain it whether I add the broth or not, and I think it adds flavor. Make sure that if you add it, it’s low sodium or no sodium (if you can find it) and doesn’t contain onions or garlic, as both are toxic for dogs. If you ever have any concerns, please ask your vet.

steps to make homemade dog food in a crock pot

I’ve tried to show you the steps in the photos above to make it a bit easier to make this slow cooker homemade dog food.

  1. Add the ground turkey to the slow cooker.
  2. Rinse and drain the red kidney beans and add them to the slow cooker.
  3. Add the peas and carrots on top.
  4. Add the green beans on top. Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth (if you’re going to use it) and cook on low for 5-6 hours, breaking apart the turkey and stirring halfway through. Drain and store for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
dog licking chops with food nearby
happy dog with homemade dog food
homemade dog food in an automatic dog food container

slow cooker homemade dog food

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homemade dog food in containers with a wooden spoon

Easy Homemade Dog Food in Slow Cooker


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 3 reviews

  • Author: Heather l The Super Mom Life
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 12 cups 1x

Description

This homemade dog food is easily made in the slow cooker with just a handful of ingredients. It’s a great healthy option and can be frozen!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3lbs lean ground turkey
  • 15.5 oz can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz bag of frozen diced peas and carrots
  • 12 oz bag of frozen cut green beans
  • 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth (optional)


Instructions

  • Place all of the ingredients into the slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Stir and break up ground turkey about halfway through.
  • Drain and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or freezer for longer.

Notes

Allow to cool before refrigerating or freezing.

  • Prep Time: 1 min
  • Cook Time: 5 hrs

We’d love to hear your thoughts if you try our slow cooker homemade dog food. If you take a picture or share it on social media, don’t forget to tag us! Don’t forget to check out all of our pet-friendly recipes.

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This homemade dog food is easily made in the slow cooker with just a handful of ingredients. It’s a great healthy option and can be frozen!
This homemade dog food is easily made in the slow cooker with just a handful of ingredients. It’s a great healthy option and can be frozen!

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I'm so honored that you've found us! I'm Heather, a Mom of 3 who blogs about parenting, food, occasional travel and how I overcame my daily struggle with anxiety. I miss sleeping and rely on coffee and laughter to get me through the day. I hope you enjoy and visit often!

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  • As a dog owner, I’m always looking for ways to provide nutritious and healthy meals for my furry friend.

  • This is a great idea. I’ve always thought homemade food for animals is such a good idea. You know where everything is coming from this way and I believe it’s healthier too.

  • This is a great recipe for dog families! The ingredients are easy and nutritious as well as homemade food is always better in my eyes.

  • This looks like some tasty food for a dog! Much better than the canned stuff, that’s for sure. I bet our cats wish they had something like this.