laylas-bowl3c350fe6

Homemade Dog Food Recipe with Bison & Beef Heart

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 14:47:59 GMT

This homemade dog food recipe uses ground bison, beef heart, vegetables, and simple carbohydrates to create a practical, real-life meal we feed Layla.

This is not meant to be a perfectly balanced, standalone meal. Instead, it shows how we actually prepare food using whole ingredients, while relying on supplements and variety over time to support overall balance.

If you’re trying to understand what homemade dog feeding really looks like day-to-day, this is exactly that.

Important Note on Homemade Dog Food

Homemade dog food can be a great option, but dogs have specific nutritional requirements.

Before making major changes to your dog’s diet, it’s a good idea to consult with a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist—especially for puppies, large breeds, or dogs with health conditions.

What This Recipe Includes

This homemade dog food recipe includes:

Ground bison (primary protein)
Beef heart (nutrient-dense muscle meat)
Kale, peas, and garbanzo beans
Russet potato (carbohydrate source)
Supplements to help support overall balance

This batch follows our general structure of:

Mostly protein
Moderate vegetables and carbs
Added supplementation

If you want a full breakdown of how we structure meals, see What Layla Eats .

Ingredients

3 pounds ground bison
0.25 pound beef heart
1 russet potato
½ can garbanzo beans
1 cup frozen kale
¼ cup frozen peas

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Potato

Place the russet potato in a rice cooker with about 1 cup of water.
Cook on the white rice setting twice until soft.
Once cooked, dice into small pieces and set aside.

Step 2: Cook the Meat

In a pan, sauté:

Ground bison
Prepped beef heart

Cook until fully done and no longer pink.

Step 3: Add Vegetables and Beans

Add:

Kale
Peas
Garbanzo beans

Cook everything together until heated through.

We do not add oil.

Step 4: Combine

Add the diced potato back into the pan and mix everything together.

Step 5: Add Supplements

Once the food has slightly cooled, mix in supplements (listed below).

Step 6: Store and Serve

Transfer to a container and store in the fridge.

We serve this homemade dog food over multiple meals, typically feeding twice per day.

Approximate Breakdown

We do not aim for perfect precision in every meal, but we stay within general ranges.

This batch is approximately:

75–80% meat (bison + beef heart)
~5–7% beef heart (included within meat, but more nutrient-dense)
20–25% vegetables and carbs

This aligns with how we approach homemade dog food:

Mostly protein, with smaller amounts of carbs and vegetables

Unlike many homemade dog food recipes that aim to perfectly balance every meal, we focus on variety over time and consistent supplementation .

Why We Included Beef Heart

This is one of the most important parts of homemade feeding.

The ingredients alone are not fully balanced , which is why we include supplements.

For this homemade dog food batch, we added:

Sea-Cal by Animal Essentials (calcium source)
Badlands Ranch Super20 Canine
Fera Cardiac Support
Proviable Probiotic
Sea Dent (Animal Essentials)

Most homemade dog food diets are naturally low in key nutrients like calcium without supplementation.

If you are learning about this, see our guide on Supplements for Homemade Dog Food .

What Layla Eats Outside of Meals

Why We Don’t Try to Balance Every Meal

One of the biggest misconceptions with homemade dog food is that every meal needs to be perfectly balanced.

For us, that approach is not sustainable.

Instead, we focus on:

Variety across meals
Rotating ingredients
Consistent use of supplements

This approach has worked better for us long-term.

You can read more about this in Why We Don’t Balance Every Meal .

n addition to her meals, Layla also gets snacks throughout the day.

We rotate things like:

Boiled eggs
Banana
Carrots

Not all at once, but depending on what we have available.

This helps add variety without overcomplicating homemade feeding.

Supplements We Added

Who This Type of Meal Works For

This type of homemade dog food approach works best for:

Dog owners feeding homemade meals regularly
Those comfortable using supplements
People focused on long-term balance rather than perfection
If you are just getting started, it is important to first understand the basics of homemade feeding.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

This is a real example of how we feed Layla—not a perfect recipe.

It is built around:

Whole ingredients
Practical preparation
Sustainable habits

For us, that is what makes homemade dog food work long-term.

We do not use beef heart in every batch, but we include it when available.

It is a nutrient-dense muscle meat that adds variety and additional micronutrients.

We keep it at a lower percentage because:

It is rich
Too much can cause digestive issues

If you are new to using it, see our full guide on Beef Heart for Dogs .

Eggshell Calcium for Dogs Recipe (How We Make It for Layla)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:00:48 GMT

Calcium is one of the most important parts of homemade dog food—and one of the easiest to get wrong.

When we started feeding Layla homemade meals, calcium was the one area we paid the most attention to. Meat, vegetables, and even well-balanced-looking meals can still be missing calcium if you are not adding it intentionally.

For us, eggshell calcium became one of the simplest and most reliable ways to keep her meals balanced.

What Is Eggshell Calcium for Dogs?

Eggshell calcium is a fine powder made from dried, ground eggshells.

It is used as a natural calcium supplement in homemade dog food, especially when meals do not include bones.

Because it is easy to measure and consistent, it helps solve one of the biggest problems in homemade feeding—calcium deficiency.

Why Calcium Matters in Homemade Dog Food

Calcium supports far more than just bones.

Dogs need calcium for:

Bone strength and structure
Muscle contraction
Nerve signaling
Heart function
Hormone regulation

Dogs cannot produce calcium on their own, so it must come from their diet.

In homemade food, that means you need to add it.

If you want a deeper breakdown, see our guide on Calcium for Homemade Dog Food .

Why Homemade Dog Food Is Often Low in Calcium

This is one of the most common mistakes we see.

Foods like:

Meat
Vegetables
Rice
Oats
Fruit

contain very little usable calcium.

That means even a healthy-looking homemade meal can still be unbalanced.

Commercial dog food meets nutritional standards because calcium is added during manufacturing.

Homemade meals do not have that built in.

Most homemade feeding guidelines (including NRC-based recommendations) emphasize the importance of adding a calcium source to boneless diets.

Why We Do Not Rely on Bones

Some diets use bones to provide calcium.

For us, that was not the right fit.

Cooked bones are dangerous
Raw bones made us uncomfortable based on past experience
Calcium content from bones is inconsistent
Some dogs struggle to digest them

We prefer something we can measure and control every time.

That is why we use eggshell calcium or Sea-Cal by Animal Essentials.

If you prefer to purchase a calcium supplement, you can find Sea-Cal by Animals Essentials online on Amazon.

Why We Use Eggshell Calcium

Eggshell calcium works well for us because it is:

Affordable
Easy to make
Easy to store
Consistent and measurable

It also fits into our routine.

If we are using eggs during the week, we save the shells. Once we have enough, we make a batch and store it in a mason jar.

It is simple and practical, which matters when feeding homemade long-term.

Eggshell Calcium vs Other Calcium Sources

Ingredients

Clean, empty eggshells (from any number of eggs)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C).
Crack eggs and separate the whites and yolks from the shells.
Rinse the eggshells thoroughly to remove any remaining egg.
Pat dry with a towel until no visible moisture remains.
Bake the shells on an aluminum tray for about 10 minutes, just enough to dry and sanitize them—not brown them.
Allow to cool completely.
Grind the shells in a coffee grinder until they become a very fine powder.
Check for sharp fragments and remove any large pieces that didn’t break down.
Store in an airtight jar at room temperature.

Pieces should be completely ground to a fine powder to prevent choking hazards.

How We Actually Use It

How Much Eggshell Calcium to Use

A general guideline:

1 teaspoon per 1 pound of boneless meat

This provides roughly 2,000–2,500 mg of calcium depending on grind.

We add calcium to every batch so we do not forget. Always check with your vet before making dietary changes.

We mix eggshell powder directly into each batch we make
We keep a jar prepared at all times so it is ready to use
If we run out or do not have time to make it, we use Sea-Cal instead

This routine has made calcium one of the easiest parts of homemade feeding.

Puppies, large-breed dogs, and dogs with medical conditions may need adjusted calcium levels, so it is always a good idea to talk with your veterinarian if you are unsure.

Eggshell Calcium Recipe

Who This Works Best For

Eggshell calcium works best for:

Cooked homemade diets
Boneless homemade meals
Owners who want a simple, affordable calcium source

It may not be necessary for:

Raw feeders who are already feeding properly balanced raw bones

Common Eggshell Calcium Mistakes

Not grinding the shells fine enough
Not fully drying the shells before storage
Forgetting to add calcium consistently
Using too much or too little
Assuming meat contains enough calcium

Keeping it simple and consistent matters more than being perfect. Eggshell powder is just one option. We break down all calcium sources in our Calcium for Dogs guide .

What We Have Learned About Calcium

For us, calcium is not something we leave to chance.

Even though a dog can go short periods without it, we prefer to build it into every batch so it becomes automatic.

That has made homemade feeding easier and more consistent.

If you want to see how everything comes together, you can also read What Layla Eats .

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Homemade dog food can be incredibly healthy—but only if calcium is handled correctly.

Eggshell calcium is one of the easiest ways to do that.

It is affordable, simple, and reliable.

For us, it is one of the small habits that makes a big difference in keeping Layla’s meals balanced over time.

For us, eggshell calcium and Sea-Cal are the most practical options.

If you want to see how we use supplements overall, read our guide on Supplements for Homemade Dog Food.

Why We Do Not Balance Every Meal

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:46:36 GMT

One of the biggest misconceptions about homemade dog food is that every meal needs to be perfectly balanced.

When people first start researching homemade feeding, they often see recipes that make it seem like every bowl has to contain the exact right amount of protein, vegetables, vitamins, minerals, and supplements.

For us, that approach is not realistic.

It would take too much time, create too much stress, and make homemade feeding feel impossible to keep up with long-term.

Instead, we focus on balance over time.

Why We Focus on Variety Over Time

We think about Layla’s meals the same way we think about feeding people.

A child does not need every meal to be perfectly balanced.

What matters more is what they eat over the course of several days.

That is how we approach homemade dog food too. Some batches may include more beef. Some may include more fish. Some may have more vegetables, more grains, or more eggs.

That is ok.

We think variety matters more than perfection.

Over time, rotating ingredients helps cover more nutrients and creates a more balanced overall diet.

The Problem With Trying to Make Every Bowl Perfect

Trying to balance every meal can make homemade feeding feel overwhelming very quickly.

People start stressing about:

Exact percentages
Calories
Vitamins
Minerals
Protein levels
Fat content
Whether every ingredient is “correct”

That pressure can make people give up before they ever get comfortable.

We think homemade feeding should feel manageable.

The goal is not to create a perfect bowl every single time.

The goal is to build a routine that you can realistically stick with.

That Does Not Mean Nutrition Does Not Matter

Just because we do not try to make every bowl perfect does not mean we ignore nutrition.

There are a lot of homemade dog food recipes online that are not balanced at all.

We have seen recipes that are:

Mostly rice
Very low in meat
Missing calcium
Missing healthy fats
Missing organ meats
Missing important nutrients completely

That is why we still think it is important to understand the basics of homemade dog food.

For us, that means making sure Layla regularly gets:

Protein
Vegetables
Carbs
Healthy fats
Calcium
Organ meats
Supplements when needed

We may not measure every single nutrient in every bowl, but we still try to follow general guidelines and keep meals balanced over time.

Why Calcium Is One Thing We Always Prioritize

If there is one thing we do not skip, it is calcium.

Many homemade dog food recipes online do not mention calcium at all.

That is a huge problem.

Cooked homemade dog food does not naturally include bones, which means calcium needs to be added separately.

That is why we add calcium to every batch we make. For Layla, that usually means Sea-Cal or homemade eggshell powder. You can learn more about calcium in our Why Calcium matter for Homemade Dog Food page and How to Make Eggshell Powder for Dogs .

Simple Meals Are Ok Sometimes

There are times when a simple meal makes sense.

If Layla has an upset stomach, we may feed her plain rice and chicken for a short period of time.

That does not mean we think rice and chicken is a complete long-term diet.

It just means there are times when simple foods can help temporarily.

Once she feels better, we go back to feeding a more balanced variety of ingredients.

The General Guidelines We Follow

We do not obsess over exact numbers, but we still use homemade dog food guidelines as a starting point.

Most of Layla’s meals are roughly:

60 to 75% meat
15 to 20% vegetables
10 to 20% carbs

Then we add calcium, healthy fats, organ meats, and supplements depending on the batch.

Those numbers are not exact every time, but they help us stay in the right range. For us, that means making sure Layla regularly gets protein, vegetables, carbs, healthy fats, calcium, organ meats, and supplements when needed. We go into more detail about each of those in our guides to Nutrient Basics for Homemade Dog Food and Supplements for Homemade Dog Food .

Our Biggest Advice

Why Monitoring Your Dog Matters More Than Perfect Recipes

Instead of focusing on every calorie or gram, we focus on how Layla is doing overall.

We pay attention to:

Weight
Hunger level
Digestion
Energy
Coat condition
Stool quality

If she seems too thin, we feed more. If she starts gaining weight, we cut back. If a certain ingredient does not agree with her, we adjust it.

That has worked much better for us than trying to make every meal mathematically perfect.

Do not let the idea of “perfect” stop you from feeding homemade food.

You do not need every meal to be identical.

You do not need every bowl to contain every nutrient.

What matters most is learning the basics, keeping things consistent, using variety, and paying attention to your dog over time.

That approach has made homemade feeding feel much more realistic for us.

Why We Do Not Feed Layla Raw

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:01:13 GMT

One of the biggest questions people ask when switching to homemade dog food is whether they should feed raw or cooked meals.

There are many people who feed raw successfully.

Some feed large raw bones and chunks of meat, while others use commercial raw products made from ground meat, organs, and bone.

There are even companies that sell frozen raw blends that are already balanced and ready to serve.

We understand why people are interested in raw feeding.

The idea is very similar to why we feed Layla homemade food in the first place: fewer processed ingredients, more whole foods, and more control over what goes into the bowl.

For us, though, raw feeding never felt like the right fit.

The Two Main Types of Raw Feeding

When most people think of raw feeding, they picture a dog eating a large raw bone or a piece of meat.

That is one style of raw feeding.

Some people feed:

Raw meaty bones
Chicken feet
Raw organs
Whole cuts of meat
Large bone-in meals

Other people feed a more ground and pre-made version of raw food.

That can include:

Frozen commercial raw patties
Ground meat and bone blends
Freeze-dried raw foods
Commercial raw subscription services

For us, neither style ever felt like the right fit.

Why Raw Bones Make Us Nervous

One of the biggest reasons we do not feed raw is because bones make us nervous.

Even though raw bones are considered safer than cooked bones, we still have a hard time watching a dog chew through large pieces of bone.

With our previous Labs, we tried things like raw chicken feet.

Maybe they just were not used to it, but it was not a pleasant experience.

They swallowed large pieces whole, and instead of feeling relaxed, it made us anxious every time they ate.

At some point, we realized that if feeding time is making us nervous, it is probably making the dog nervous too.

We know many people feed raw bones safely, and we are not judging anyone who does.

It is just not something we personally feel comfortable with.

Why We Do Not Like Ground Raw Products

We have also tried commercial raw products made from ground meat and bone.

While we understand why people like them, they still were not a good fit for us.

The raw meat would leak, it felt messy, and honestly, it grossed us out a little.

We also did not love the idea of Layla eating raw meat and then immediately licking our hands, furniture, or faces.

Again, that is just our personal comfort level.

We know other people are completely fine with it.

For us, it felt like too much risk and too much mess for something we were not fully comfortable with.

Why We Prefer Cooked Homemade Food

Cooked homemade food feels like the best middle ground for us.

We still get the benefits of feeding whole foods without the parts of raw feeding that make us uncomfortable.

We know exactly what is in Layla’s meals.

We can use:

Lean meats
Vegetables
Grains and carbs
Healthy fats
Organ meats
Supplements
Calcium

We can also cook in larger batches, freeze leftovers, and use foods we are already buying for ourselves.

For example, if we are roasting vegetables for dinner, we can make extra for Layla.

If we are making eggs for breakfast, we can save the shells for eggshell calcium.

That makes homemade feeding easier and more affordable.

Grocery Store Ingredients Feel Easier for Us

One of the reasons cooked homemade food works so well for us is because we can use ingredients from our regular grocery store.

We buy:

Lean meats
Vegetables
Rice
Oatmeal
Sweet potatoes
Eggs
Sardines
Organ meats

Many of those foods are things we are already buying for ourselves.

If we fed raw, we would probably want to buy from a specialty raw dog food company instead of using meat from the grocery store.

That would likely increase the cost even more.

Homemade feeding is already more expensive than kibble, so we like being able to use affordable ingredients we are already purchasing.

Why We Still Think Homemade Food Is Better Than Kibble

Even though we do not feed raw, we still believe homemade food is a major improvement over kibble.

We are still feeding:

Real meat
Real vegetables
Whole ingredients
Healthy fats
Fewer fillers
Fewer processed ingredients

The goal for us is not to make Layla’s food perfect.

The goal is to feed her a healthier, more balanced diet made from real food.

Cooked homemade food helps us do that in a way that feels practical, affordable, and safe for our family.

Frequently Asked Questions

We Understand Why People Feed Raw

We understand why some people love raw feeding.

Many dogs do very well on it.

There are people who feel strongly that it is the most natural way to feed dogs.

We respect that.

For us, though, cooked homemade food is what feels best. It fits our comfort level, our budget, and the way we want to feed Layla.

Why We Feed Layla Grains

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 18:38:34 GMT

One of the biggest debates in homemade dog food is whether dogs should eat grains.

Some people believe dogs do not need grains at all.

Technically, they are right.

Dogs do not need grains to survive.

But for Layla, we still choose to include them.

We are not trying to make her meals grain-heavy, and we are not saying every dog should eat grains.

For us, grains help make homemade feeding more realistic, affordable, and filling.

Because we are already feeding whole foods, fresh proteins, vegetables, supplements, and healthy fats, we still believe Layla’s meals are a major improvement over kibble.

Even with grains included, we feel much better about feeding homemade food made from real ingredients than relying entirely on heavily processed dog food.

Why Some People Avoid Grains

There are several reasons why some people avoid grains in homemade dog food.

Some people believe grains are unnecessary because dogs can get energy from proteins and fats instead.

Others worry that grains may contribute to:

Digestive issues
Inflammation
Allergies
Weight gain
Lower protein intake

There are also people who prefer to feed very low-carb or raw diets.

We understand those concerns.

Every dog is different.

If Layla had issues with grains, we would absolutely reconsider them.

But so far, grains have worked well for her.

Why We Still Include Grains

For us, grains help make homemade feeding more sustainable.

Homemade dog food can get expensive, especially with a large Labrador who is always hungry.

If we removed grains completely, we would need to replace that part of the meal with more meat.

That would increase the cost of every batch significantly.

Instead, we use a smaller amount of healthy grains to help stretch the meal while still keeping most of the batch focused on protein and vegetables.

We usually keep grains around 10 to 20% of the overall batch.

That means Layla is still getting plenty of meat, but the grains help make the meal more filling.

For Layla, that matters.

She is always hungry, and we have found that she seems much more satisfied when her meals include some grains or other healthy carbs. You can read more about Layla's diet in our What Layla Eats page.

Why We Still Think Homemade Food Is Better

One reason we are comfortable including grains is because we are still feeding whole foods.

We are choosing ingredients ourselves.

We know exactly what is going into Layla’s bowl.

That is very different from feeding a heavily processed kibble filled with byproducts, fillers, and ingredients we do not recognize.

Even when we include grains, we are still using simple ingredients like:

Quinoa
Oatmeal
Rice
Sweet potatoes
Potatoes

To us, a homemade meal with some healthy grains is still far better than relying entirely on processed dog food.

The Grains We Use Most Often

Quinoa

Quinoa is one of our favorite grains to use because it is filling, easy to mix into meals, and contains more protein than many other grains.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another grain we use in smaller amounts.

It is easy to digest, affordable, and helps add variety.

Rice

Rice is something we use more often when Layla has an upset stomach.

White rice can be easier on digestion, while brown rice is sometimes used in normal batches.

Grains Are Not the Only Carbs We Feed

We do not only use grains.

We also rotate other carbs depending on the batch.

That may include:

Sweet potatoes
Potatoes
Beans

Different carbs provide different nutrients. You can read more about nutrient basics for homemade dog food in our guide.

We think variety matters more than obsessing over one single ingredient.

How to Decide if Grains Are Right for Your Dog

We do not think every dog needs grains.

But we also do not think grains deserve the bad reputation they sometimes get.

If you are deciding whether grains make sense for your dog, think about:

Your dog’s digestion
Whether your dog seems hungry after meals
Your budget
Your dog’s weight and activity level
Whether your dog has allergies or sensitivities
Whether grains seem to make your dog feel worse or better

For us, grains make homemade feeding easier, more affordable, and more sustainable.

Our Biggest Advice About Grains

You do not have to feed grains if you do not want to.

But we also do not think grains automatically make a homemade diet bad.

For Layla, healthy grains have helped us keep homemade feeding affordable, practical, and filling while still focusing on whole foods.

Frequently Asked Questions

When grains may make sense vs when grain-free may make sense

Grains May Make Sense If:

Your dog always seems hungry after meals
You want homemade feeding to be more affordable
Your dog does well with grains and has no sensitivities
You want to add more variety to meals
You are looking for filling carb sources like rice, oatmeal, or quinoa

Grain-Free May Make Sense If:

Your dog seems to have digestive issues with grains
Your dog has allergies or sensitivities
Your dog does better with potatoes or other carb sources
You prefer a lower-carb approach
Your dog simply does not seem to do well with grains

laylas-bowl3c350fe6

Homemade Dog Food Recipe with Bison & Beef Heart

Important Note on Homemade Dog Food

What This Recipe Includes

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Potato

Step 2: Cook the Meat

Step 3: Add Vegetables and Beans

Step 4: Combine

Step 5: Add Supplements

Step 6: Store and Serve

Approximate Breakdown

Why We Included Beef Heart

What Layla Eats Outside of Meals

Why We Don’t Try to Balance Every Meal

Supplements We Added

Who This Type of Meal Works For

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Eggshell Calcium for Dogs Recipe (How We Make It for Layla)

What Is Eggshell Calcium for Dogs?

Why Calcium Matters in Homemade Dog Food

Why Homemade Dog Food Is Often Low in Calcium

Why We Do Not Rely on Bones

Why We Use Eggshell Calcium

Eggshell Calcium vs Other Calcium Sources

Ingredients

Instructions

﻿

How We Actually Use It

How Much Eggshell Calcium to Use

Eggshell Calcium Recipe

Who This Works Best For

Common Eggshell Calcium Mistakes

What We Have Learned About Calcium

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Why We Do Not Balance Every Meal

Why We Focus on Variety Over Time

The Problem With Trying to Make Every Bowl Perfect

That Does Not Mean Nutrition Does Not Matter

Why Calcium Is One Thing We Always Prioritize

Simple Meals Are Ok Sometimes

The General Guidelines We Follow

Our Biggest Advice

Why Monitoring Your Dog Matters More Than Perfect Recipes

Why We Do Not Feed Layla Raw

The Two Main Types of Raw Feeding

Why Raw Bones Make Us Nervous

Why We Do Not Like Ground Raw Products

Why We Prefer Cooked Homemade Food

Grocery Store Ingredients Feel Easier for Us

Why We Still Think Homemade Food Is Better Than Kibble

Frequently Asked Questions

We Understand Why People Feed Raw

Why We Feed Layla Grains

Why Some People Avoid Grains

Why We Still Include Grains

Why We Still Think Homemade Food Is Better

The Grains We Use Most Often

Quinoa

Oatmeal

﻿ Rice

Grains Are Not the Only Carbs We Feed

How to Decide if Grains Are Right for Your Dog

Our Biggest Advice About Grains

Frequently Asked Questions

When grains may make sense vs when grain-free may make sense

Grains May Make Sense If:

Grain-Free May Make Sense If:

Rice