If you notice your furry friend gaining some extra pounds, more than they should, it’s always a good idea to find solutions before things get worse.
Overweightness and obesity in pets are almost an epidemic. It is estimated that nearly 60% of dogs in the United States are overweight or obese.
The saddest part about dogs who pack too many pounds is that they are susceptible to serious conditions such as diabetes, joint issues, and heart diseases.
One of the best remedies for overweight dogs is to control what goes into their bowl. This has worked for many affected furry pals.
Commercial dog food can certainly work, but we recommend making your own balanced dog food recipe from scratch.
Continue reading to check our collection of 19 homemade dog foods for overweight dogs to help your furry friend start their dieting journey.
How Dogs Become Overweight
To be able to effectively lose weight, it’s important to understand how dogs become overweight.
Obesity is a significant health issue for our canine companions, and it is important to understand the difference between being overweight and obese.
Overweight dogs are considered to be above a healthy weight, but aren’t significantly impacted by their extra pounds.
Obese dogs, on the other hand, carry around enough extra weight to begin to have a detrimental impact on their day-to-day lives.
Most experts agree that a dog is considered overweight when they have an excess of between 10% and 20% of their ideal weight. Anything above 20% is obese.
Dog obesity is defined by a build-up of excess fat tissue in the body. This can be a result of a high-calorie intake or a lack of exercise.
The most common causes of weight gain in dogs are free feeding, offering excessive treats, high-fat diets, and lack of exercise.
Scientific studies have found that owner-associated variables, including age, the number of exercises, and even the socio-economic status, can influence canine obesity.
Some dogs are also more susceptible to obesity based on their genetic predisposition, age, or diseases such as hypothyroidism.
Senior dogs are more obese compared to younger dogs, and dogs that perform activities and sports with their owners are less prone to obesity.
The good news is that you can get your dog back to normal weight with the appropriate diet and activities.
Make Your Cooking Easier ChefPaw Dog Food Maker
Making fresh, healthy meals for your overweight pup does not mean taking long hours of work in the kitchen.
The ChefPaw Dog Food Maker takes all the guesswork and effort out of homemade dog food to give pet parents an easy option to make nutritious meals at home.
This smart appliance can measure, mix, chop, and cook all in one compact package to make up to 6.4 pounds of food in under 40 minutes.
It’s a blender, mixer, cooker, and food scale in one machine that’s easy to use and small enough for most countertop spaces.
We also love that it comes with a self-clean button for easier maintenance without taking up any more of your time.
The companion ChefPaw app is another helpful feature that contains 35+ veterinarian-approved recipes and the nutrition facts for over 1,000 common ingredients.
You can rest easy knowing that it’s possible to customize meals to meet your dog’s health needs without worrying about nutrients being unbalanced.
Dog owners using ChefPaw report noticeable improvements in their pets’ health as dogs show clearer skin and smoother digestion, along with more enthusiasm when eating.
Save $50 on your ChefPaw Dog Food Maker! Use code FURSNPAWS at checkout and start cooking fresher, healthier meals for your pup today.
19 Homemade Dog Foods for Overweight Dogs
1. Easy DIY Dog Food for Overweight Dogs
Ingredients
- 10 oz skinless chicken breast
- 5 oz brown rice
- 1.6 oz broccoli
- 1.6 oz carrots
- 1.6 oz peas
- 2 ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp psyllium powder
Instructions
- Bring the brown rice and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender and cooked through.
- Steam or boil the broccoli, carrots, and peas until tender-crisp.
- Steam, microwave, or bake the chicken breast in a non-stick pan over medium heat until the meat is firm and cooked through.
- Cut the chicken into small pieces and slice the steamed vegetables into similar-sized pieces for easy mixing.
- Add the chicken, vegetables, and rice to a large mixing bowl and gently stir to combine.
- Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the psyllium powder over the mixture, and stir until combined and the mixture is evenly coated.
- If desired, weigh the entire recipe, divide according to your dog’s feeding guidelines, and let cool completely before serving.
2. Tuna & Veggie Dog Weight Loss Recipe
Ingredients
- 20.4 oz canned tuna in water or brine
- 10.2 oz potato
- 4.9 oz cauliflower
- 4.9 oz green beans
- 2 ½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp psyllium powder
Instructions
- Steam the potatoes, cauliflower, and green beans until they are tender but not mushy. You can test it by piercing the vegetables with a fork.
- Dice the cooked vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Flake the drained tuna with a fork and stir through the vegetables until the mixture is uniform.
- Add the olive oil and sprinkle in the psyllium powder, stir through to evenly distribute
- If necessary, weigh the cooked food, serve the portion indicated on the recipe card, and allow to cool completely.
3. Homemade Dog Food for Weight Management
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken
- ½ cup carrots
- 1 cup zucchini
- 1 large or 2 small cored apples
Instructions
- Add the chopped chicken, carrots, zucchini, and apples directly to the pressure cooker and make sure you pile them in evenly.
- Lock the lid, put the pressure cooker on high, and cook for 40 minutes.
- When the pressure has been released safely, you can then open the lid and allow the food to cool down before serving.
4. Homemade Dog Food for Weight Loss
Ingredients
- 19 oz cod, boneless
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1¼ cups broccoli
- 1¼ cups kale
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 cup water
- 3 tsp olive oil
Optional Nutrient Mix Version
- 4 ¼ Tbsp Dog Child Essential Nutrient Mix
- Whole Foods Version
- 1 ½ Tbsp bonemeal
- 4 Tbsp freeze-dried beef liver
- ¾ tsp salmon oil
- ½ tsp wheatgrass powder
- 1 ½ tsp turmeric
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the cod, ground beef, broccoli, kale, green beans, and water to a large oven-proof pan.
- Cover with a lid and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Stir halfway through the cooking time to make sure the ingredients are mixed well.
- Take the pan out of the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature. Stir in the sunflower oil and nutrient mix.
- Use the essential nutrient mix or the whole food supplement set. Stir well to make sure everything is mixed in thoroughly.
- Divide the food into portions according to your dog’s size and nutritional needs. Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.
5. Chicken and Veggie for Overweight Dogs
Ingredients
- ½ cup Dog Child Mixed Veggie Meal Mix
- ¾ cup cooked chicken breast, chopped and skinless
- ½ Tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Cook the chicken breast thoroughly, and then cut it into small, bite-sized pieces. Chop it finely, so that it is easy to mix with other ingredients.
- Put the veggie meal mix in a bowl, and add the water. Allow the veggie meal mix to sit for a few minutes to rehydrate.
- Mix the rehydrated veggie mix with the chicken and the olive oil until all of the ingredients are well combined.
- Allow the food to cool to a temperature that is safe to serve, then portion and serve to your dog.
6. DIY Veggie Weight Loss Dog Food
Ingredients
- 3 oz lean ground beef, 95/5, pan-broiled
- 3 oz beef liver, pan-broiled
- 12 oz cod, oven-roasted
- ½ cup pearled barley
- ½ cup bell pepper
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp walnut oil
- 2 ⅜ tsp BalanceIT Canine supplement
Instructions
- Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Start cooking the barley by simmering it in a cup of water for 10 minutes or until soft.
- Roast the raw cod on a baking sheet for 20 to 30 minutes in the oven. Cook until the fish is firm and opaque.
- Pan-broil the lean ground beef over low heat without oil until it is fully cooked. Take care not to brown or burn the meat.
- Take the beef out of the pan and set it aside. Add the beef liver to the pan and repeat the process with the liver, then allow both to cool.
- Check on the cod. It is done when it is opaque all the way through, so take it out of the oven and confirm with a fork that it flakes easily. Set aside to cool.
- Seed and de-vein the bell pepper, remove the stem and membrane, and either chop or puree the pepper until it is in very small pieces.
- Weigh all of the cooled ingredients carefully and in the correct recipe amounts. Mix with the pumpkin, walnut oil, and BalanceIT supplement.
- Blend the ingredients well. Divide into servings that meet your dog’s caloric needs and refrigerate any portions not being used right away.
7. Easy Homemade Dog Diet Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium carrots
- 2 apples
- ¼ cup water
- 6 eggs
- 3 lbs. ground chicken
- 6 oz chicken livers
- 3 Tbsp of Olive oil
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a pot, add the carrots, apples, and water and cook covered on medium heat until tender, about 10 – 15 minutes.
- In a bowl, crack the eggs and put them aside. On a baking sheet, arrange the eggshells and bake for 5 to 7 minutes until completely dry.
- Transfer the eggshells to a mortar or a coffee grinder and grind them as finely as possible.
- In a large skillet, add the ground chicken, chicken livers, cracked eggs, ground eggshells, and sunflower oil and cook on medium heat.
- Occasionally stir and cook until the chicken is browned, the livers are no longer pink, and it looks uniformly cooked, about 5 – 7 minutes.
- Add the spinach leaves on top of the meat and cover the skillet with a lid. Steam until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes.
- With a potato masher, mash the carrots and apples and then stir them into the skillet until combined with the other ingredients.
8. Homemade Low Carb Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- ½ tsp coconut oil
- ¼ cup dog-friendly vegetables
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup dry brown rice
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add coconut oil to the pan, allowing it to heat and shimmer slightly on the surface.
- Add the ground beef, and chop into small pieces with a spoon as it cooks, stirring constantly until browned.
- Add the dry brown rice and vegetables to the skillet, and stir until incorporated into the meat, evenly coating everything.
- Pour in the water, just to cover the rice, then reduce the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the salt, and cook until the rice is tender and the vegetables are soft. Allow to cool completely before serving.
9. Homemade Keto Dog Food Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- ½ cup chopped broccoli
- ¼ cup unsalted bone broth
- 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal
- 1 Tbsp fish oil, optional
- Pinch of turmeric, optional
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, brown the ground beef over medium heat, stirring until the meat is fully cooked.
- Stir in the oil of your choice, and add the bone broth, stirring to coat the beef with the fat and liquid.
- Add the spinach and broccoli, and sauté with the ground beef for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Crack the eggs into the pan, and continue to stir, cooking until the eggs are scrambled and incorporated.
- Let the food cool slightly, and add the flaxseed meal while stirring properly to incorporate.
- You can add the fish oil and turmeric, which will add additional omega-3 fatty acids, as well as gentle joint support.
- Mix the food thoroughly to a smooth or chunky consistency, based on your dog’s preference.
- Cool before serving, and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days or freeze for extended storage.
10. Slow Cooker High-Protein Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beef liver
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 cups broccoli
- 2 cups carrots
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 Tbsp coconut oil
- 4 eggs
Instructions
- Add the beef liver, brown rice, broccoli, carrots, water, and eggs to the slow cooker and distribute them throughout the slow cooker pot.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low for approximately 6 hours.
- When finished, add the Greek yogurt and coconut oil. Continue stirring until everything is completely smooth and incorporated.
- Let it cool completely before serving, then divide into containers and store in the fridge or freezer.
11. DIY Macaroni & Meat for a Dog’s Weight Loss
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. whole wheat macaroni
- 2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- ½ lb. chicken liver
- ½ lb. beef heart
- 1 egg white
- 3.5 oz sardines in water
- 1 lb. broccoli
- Calcium supplement for dogs
- 1 tsp kelp meal
- 200 IU vitamin E (about 10 drops)
Instructions
- Prepare the macaroni as directed on the package until it’s well-cooked thoroughly. Drain and set it aside.
- Cut the broccoli into florets and place them in a pot of water. Boil until tender but not overcooked and drain.
- Cut the chicken thighs, chicken livers, and beef heart into bite-sized pieces for your dog before cooking.
- Put the chopped proteins into a large skillet with the ground beef and brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Ensure that all the meat is cooked all the way through.
- After the meat is cooked, add the egg white to the skillet and stir vigorously for about 2 minutes, until firm.
- In a very large mixing bowl, mix the macaroni, meats, sardines, broccoli, calcium, kelp meal, and vitamin E.
- Mix until well blended, let cool to room temperature, and serve.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in airtight containers for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
12. Low Calorie Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 23 oz turkey breast or mince
- 1.8 oz lamb liver
- 2 oz egg
- 3.5 oz sweet potato
- 3.2 oz cauliflower
- 0.7 oz kale
- 0.9 oz quick oats
- 0.2 oz ground eggshell or calcium
- 0.07 oz chia seeds
- 0.02 oz turmeric
- 0.04 oz cod liver oil
- 0.02 oz wheatgrass powder
- 0.02 oz kelp powder
Instructions
- Steam the sweet potato and cauliflower until they can be easily mashed with a fork. Steam the kale until bright green and add to the other two vegetables just long enough to blanch them.
- Place the three steamed vegetables in a bowl and mash thoroughly with a fork or potato masher until the mixture is relatively smooth.
- If you want to cook the turkey, lamb liver, and egg, broil them with just a little water until the turkey and liver are cooked through.
- In a large bowl, combine the mashed vegetables, cooked or raw turkey/lamb liver/egg, oats, eggshell calcium, chia seeds, turmeric, cod liver oil, wheatgrass, and kelp powder.
- Mix very well until the ingredients are evenly distributed, then place the food in containers and refrigerate for several days or freeze for longer-term storage.
13. Low Calorie Dog Food Homemade
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups brown rice
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 8 oz frozen broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower mix
Instructions
- Combine the ground turkey, water, rice, and rosemary in a large Dutch oven and mix with a spoon until the ground turkey is separated evenly.
- Heat over high heat to boiling, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the frozen vegetables and cook for an additional 5 minutes until heated through and tender.
- Allow the stew to cool completely, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
14. Homemade Low Fat Dog Food Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. lean ground turkey
- 2 Tbsp chicken liver
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Fill a double boiler with 1½ cups of water. Put the vegetables into a steaming basket. Cover and steam until tender, about 10 minutes.
- As the vegetables steam, put the ground turkey and diced chicken liver into a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until done.
- Pour off any fat from the skillet. Chop the steamed vegetables or pulse a few times in a food processor to chop finely.
- Mix the vegetables with the turkey and liver. Stir in the olive oil and mix until everything is evenly coated.
- Cool completely. Separate into freezer-safe containers for storage or divide into portions for your dog.
15. DIY Healthy Dog Food Recipes
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 egg
- 3 cups cooked rice
Instructions
- Add the coconut oil and ground turkey to a large skillet and heat to medium-high. Let cook for about 10 minutes or until browned through.
- Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the zucchini, spinach, carrots, and turmeric. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until veggies are tender.
- Remove from heat and crack an egg into the skillet, stirring constantly until the egg is fully cooked and incorporated.
- Mix in the cooked rice until well combined and serve after cooling to room temperature.
16. Homemade High Protein Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 large sweet potato
- 1 large carrot
- ½ Tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Peel and chop the sweet potato into 1-inch cubes. Peel and dice the carrot. Set aside for later.
- Heat a small pot over medium-high heat, add the coconut oil, and sauté the ground beef until no longer pink in the middle.
- Add the sweet potatoes and carrots to the pot, then add enough water to fully cover the ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, turn down to medium heat, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes while stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft.
- Take the food off the heat and wait until it cools fully before feeding the appropriate portions to your dog.
17. Homemade Balanced Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
- 7 lbs. lean ground beef
- 1½ cups hempseeds
- 16 oz canned sardines in water
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 4 tsp kelp powder
- 8 pasture-raised eggs
- 4 eggshells
- 15 oz pumpkin puree
- 8 oz beef liver
- 8 oz broccoli
- 8 oz spinach
- 8 oz red bell pepper
Instructions
- Mix the ground meat, whole eggs, kelp powder, ginger, hempseeds/hempseed oil, sardines, and pumpkin puree in a large mixing bowl.
- Mash the sardines with a fork so they are in small bits and are evenly spread throughout the batch, then reserve half of the eggshells for later.
- Add the vegetables, beef liver, and remaining eggshells to a food processor and pulse until well combined, working in batches if needed.
- Add the pureed vegetables and liver into the meat mixture, stirring to combine well and distribute everything evenly.
- Divide the food into daily meal amounts to serve, using the freezer for long-term storage of additional meals, or refrigerating for up to 4 days.
- Raw food can be served as is, or cooked slightly in a nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat without any oil added, until no longer pink inside.
- Avoid searing or browning at high heat. Skim off the fat, then cool the food completely before storing it in reusable containers or freezer bags to reduce waste.
18. DIY High Protein Meals for Dogs
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 8 oz chicken
- 7 oz brown rice
- 1 large carrot
- 1 large zucchini
- 2 pears
- 4 stems of kale
- 4 Tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Cook the brown rice according to the package, which usually involves simmering it until it’s cooked, and while that is happening, you can prepare the other ingredients.
- Dice the carrot, zucchini, and pears into bite-sized pieces, coat with coconut oil, and roast at 355°F for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Dice the chicken and add it to the pot with the kale 10 minutes before the rice is finished cooking.
- Drain the rice/chicken/kale when it’s done and combine with the cooked veggies until it’s evenly distributed.
- Mix in the flaxseed oil thoroughly once it has cooled to room temperature. This is to keep the flaxseed oil from cooking when you add it to the hot rice.
- Divide into containers and refrigerate a few days’ worth, and freeze the rest.
19. DIY High Protein Dog Food Recipes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. ground beef
- 6 cups water
- 4 cups uncooked brown rice
- 1 lb. assorted beef bones
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
- 15 oz canned sliced carrots
- 13.5 oz canned spinach
- 6 eggs with shells
- 15 oz canned pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until browned and crumbly. Drain the grease.
- Add the water, brown rice, cooked beef, beef bones, and rosemary to a stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring and adding water as necessary, until the rice is mushy.
- Add the carrots, spinach, and whole eggs with shells to a blender. Blend thoroughly until smooth and no shell pieces are visible.
- Stir the pumpkin puree into the egg mixture until the texture is even and completely mixed.
- Remove the rice and beef from the heat. Pour the egg and vegetable mixture into the beef and rice mixture and allow to cook in the residual heat for 5 minutes.
- Let the food cool completely for at least 30 minutes. Measure and serve your dog.
Conclusion
Guiding your overweight pooch to a healthier body weight is one of the best gifts you can give them.
These 19 homemade dog foods for overweight dogs can help you make that a reality without spending too much on fancy ingredients.
Just know that results won’t happen overnight. It’s also important to be consistent when putting your pup on a diet.
Even with these healthy dog food recipes, we encourage you to practice portion control because dogs may still gain weight even with a low carb dog food.
Remember to introduce new foods slowly and consult your veterinarian before trying a new homemade dog food recipe.
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Laura is the founder of Furs'n'Paws. She is a also a pet writer and expert with more than 20 years of experience of working with dogs and cats. She developed a very strong love for animals at a young age. Her passion led her to establish a thriving pet sitting and dog walking business in Dubai. As an expert in pet training, behavior, and nutrition, Laura is committed to helping pet owners and pet lovers by offering high-quality information on a wide range of topics.
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