Yes, you can absolutely mix homemade food with kibble to boost nutrition, palatability, and texture, with many owners using ratios like 50/50 or adding smaller amounts as toppers, but ensure fresh additions are healthy (no onions, grapes) and keep additions under 10% of total diet to maintain nutritional balance, as it's safe and beneficial for most dogs.
Yes, it is safe for you to feed both raw and cooked food to your dog, either in the same meal or in separate meals.
Mixing fresh foods with kibble or any processed foods is safe.
Don't mix the two, feed them at different times. They digest differently and feeding them mixed together can cause upset stomach. Fed at different times, works just fine.
There is a wide variety of unhealthy and unsafe foods to avoid when preparing meals for your dog. Potentially toxic ingredients are of special concern, including chocolate, xylitol, avocado, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and macadamia nuts.
Concerns About Bacteria in Raw Dog Food
One of the most common reasons veterinarians oppose raw diets is concern about pathogens like Salmonella, Listeria, or E. coli—not just for pets, but for humans in the household as well.
The 95% Rule in dog food labeling, set by AAFCO, means a product named after a specific ingredient (e.g., "Chicken Dog Food") must be at least 95% that ingredient by weight (excluding water) and 70% including water, with the ingredient listed first and comprising more than 95%. If two ingredients are named ("Chicken & Beef"), they must total 95% (minus water), with the first ingredient being more abundant and both making up at least 3% each. This rule ensures transparency, indicating foods with a very high concentration of the named ingredient.
Judy Morgan, a nutrition expert and one of our favorite podcast guests, recommends feeding a dog about 2-3% of their body weight when using homemade food, and I think that's an excellent place to start.
The “25 Percent” or “dinner” rule: The “25%” or “dinner” rule applies to products if the named ingredients make up at least 25% (excluding water used for processing) but less than 95% of the named product by weight. If water is included, the named ingredients must amount to at least 10% of the product by weight.
The 90/10 rule for dogs means that 90% of their daily calories should come from a complete and balanced dog food, while only 10% should come from treats, chews, and table scraps, preventing weight gain and ensuring proper nutrition. This guideline helps owners manage treat portions, preventing unbalanced diets and health issues like obesity, joint problems, and diabetes, as treats can be surprisingly high in calories, even healthy ones.
Starting With Protein
The first five ingredients of your dog's food should always start with protein. Dogs are omnivores, so they receive energy and nutrients from both plant and animal nutrients. But protein is essential to their muscle and tissue development, immune system health, energy, and healthy skin and nails.
The 90/10 rule for dogs means 90% of their daily calories should come from a complete, balanced dog food, while only 10% should come from treats, training rewards, and any extra human foods or toppers, preventing nutritional imbalances and obesity. This guideline ensures essential vitamins and minerals are met through their main diet, keeping treats as occasional indulgences rather than dietary staples.
Veterinary experts often consider fresh feeding a safer, more convenient way to deliver optimal nutrition without the risks associated with raw food. However, cost and storage remain potential drawbacks.
Keep in mind that adding a small amount of store-bought healthy dog food to a homemade meal isn't enough to provide balanced nutrition. Rather, adding 10% homemade food as a topper and having 90% of the meal be a balanced commercial dog food is a better way to add variety without risking nutritional deficiencies.
There's no single "number one" food, but chocolate, grapes/raisins, and foods containing the artificial sweetener xylitol are among the most dangerous and common toxic items, causing issues from vomiting and seizures to kidney failure or death; other major threats include onions/garlic, alcohol, and fatty/cooked bones that can splinter. Always contact your vet immediately if your dog eats anything suspicious.
Understanding the 80/20 Ratio
The term "80/20" refers to the composition of our food: 80% meat or fish, and 20% fruits, vegetables, herbs, and botanicals. This ratio is carefully crafted to provide dogs with a diet that closely aligns with their natural, ancestral eating habits.
There's no single "number 1" healthiest dog food, as the best choice depends on your dog's age, breed, and health; however, look for foods meeting AAFCO standards (Association of American Feed Control Officials), with real meat as the first ingredient, and vet-recommended brands like Hill's Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, and Royal Canin are often cited for balanced nutrition. Freshly prepared or raw diets can also be healthy but carry risks, so always consult your vet.
80/10/10 dog food refers to the Prey Model Raw (PMR) diet, a popular raw feeding method with a ratio of 80% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, and 10% secreting organs (like liver and kidney), aiming to mimic a whole prey animal's diet. While considered a natural approach, many experts stress that this model alone often lacks essential nutrients, requiring additions like fatty fish, kelp, or supplements to provide complete nutrition and prevent deficiencies, especially for long-term feeding or growing puppies, notes Houndsy and The Canine Dietitian.
For an adult dog, we advise feeding between 2% to 3% of their body weight per day of healthy, raw food. For example an adult dog weighing 10kg may require 200g – 300g per day.
Homemade foods for dogs often have nutrient deficiencies or excesses that can make dogs sick. Most veterinary and human health organizations recommend against feeding homemade dog food, including: The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
What Should Top 3 Ingredients Be in Dog Food?
The "10 10 10 rule" for dogs refers to two main concepts: a potty training method for puppies (10 mins outside, 10 ft space, 10 mins supervision/reward) and the 80/10/10 guideline for raw feeding (80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 10% organ), both offering structure for training or diet. Another interpretation is the 10% rule for treats, limiting them to 10% of daily calories to maintain a balanced diet, ensuring most nutrition comes from complete dog food.
Abruptly switching dog food can cause gastrointestinal issues, such as upset stomach, vomiting, and/or diarrhea. Therefore, you should take a more gradual approach with a period of transition to help your pup avoid having these symptoms.
The right amount of food for your dog depends on several factors, including their age, weight, activity level, and health status. Start with the feeding chart on your dog food's packaging, then adjust based on your dog's body condition and your veterinarian's advice.