The best homemade puppy food balances protein (chicken, turkey, lean beef), carbs (rice, sweet potatoes, oats), veggies (carrots, peas, greens), and fats (oils, fish), but requires vet-approved supplements like calcium to meet a puppy's intense growth needs, as deficiencies are dangerous. A good base includes cooked lean meat, brown rice, and mixed veggies, but you must work with a veterinarian or nutritionist to create a complete, balanced diet, often adding supplements like calcium, phosphorus, and essential vitamins/minerals to avoid serious health issues.
Top 10 Healthy Foods for a New Puppy
Protein, carbohydrate, and fat sources are listed on dog food labels first, followed by vitamins and minerals, probiotics, preservatives, and other ingredients.
Place ground turkey, water, rice, and rosemary into a large Dutch oven. Stir until ground turkey is broken up and evenly distributed throughout the mixture; bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add frozen vegetables, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
Eaten from at least 7 different containers • Been held and petted by at least 7 different people • Taken at least 7 one-mile car rides • Been in a crate at least 7 times • Played with at least 7 different kinds of toys • Walked on at least 7 different substrates (grass, gravel, concrete, etc.)
Using Unsafe or Unhealthy Ingredients
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.
Don't Use Unsafe or Unhealthy Ingredients
Many foods that are perfectly safe for humans are unhealthy or even toxic to dogs. For example, ingredients like chocolate, grapes, avocado, xylitol, onions, raisins, garlic, and macadamia nuts should never be fed to dogs.
Let me introduce you to the 10 , 10, 10 rule of potty training. That's cycles of 10 minutes in the yard, 10 feet of potty area in the yard, 10 minutes of supervision. It all adds up to potty training with minimal errors, even for harder to train dogs who may be struggling with other methods.
Yes, dogs can eat cooked eggs in moderation. Boiled, scrambled, and poached are all great options—as long as they're plain and not cooked in butter or oil. Raw eggs should be avoided due to potential health risks such as salmonella and reduced nutrient absorption.
Common Household Foods Not Safe For Puppies
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.
So, what exactly is this rule? It's all about limiting the initial greeting between two dogs to just three seconds. This brief interaction helps prevent overstimulation and potential conflicts. Think of it as a quick sniff and move on, allowing both dogs to assess each other without pressure.
get cooked food into the fridge within 2 hours, eat it within 2 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months to prevent bacterial growth and foodborne illness.
Puppies poop far more often than adult dogs – in fact, up to three times more. Puppies are also more likely to poop directly after they've eaten, between 15 minutes to 30 minutes after feeding is the norm.
Once your puppy is three or four months old, they will most likely be able to go the full night (7 to 8 hours) without a toilet break.
10 to 12 week old pups can usually hold it for around two hours. Three month old puppies can usually hold it for three hours. After six months, dogs can usually hold their bladder for up to six hours. Adult dogs shouldn't be home alone for much longer than six to eight hours without a chance for a bathroom break.
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.
What Human Food Can Dogs Eat? [With Health Benefits]
The best dog food brands are those with research-backed formulas developed with veterinary nutritionists that meet AAFCO nutritional guidelines for dogs of different life stage and health needs. Top picks include Hill's Science Diet, Purina Pro Plan, and Royal Canin.
Creating a Balanced Dog Diet
Your dog needs protein (chicken, beef, lamb, duck, etc.), fat from meat or oil, carbohydrates like grains and vegetables, and essential fatty acids, often from plant based oil, oatmeal, and/or eggs. Eggshells provide a good amount of calcium, along with other dairy products.
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.
14 Vegetables Dogs Can Eat (And May Just Love)