Homemade dog food often lacks what pets need to stay healthy

Homemade dog food has boomed over the past two decades, driven by owners who want fresh ingredients, tighter control, or who want to avoid ultra-processed kibble.

But nearly all homemade diets still lack important nutrients that dogs need to lead healthy lives, according to new research from the Dog Aging Project.

The experts evaluated 1,726 owner-reported recipes and found that the vast majority fell short of recognized nutrition standards.

Most dog food recipes fall short

The team reviewed ingredients and prep methods exactly as owners described them, then checked each recipe’s nutrient profile with Balance It, an online formulation tool aligned with U.S. FDA and AAFCO recommendations.

“We found that only six percent of homemade diets had the potential to be nutritionally complete,” said Janice O’Brien, a doctoral researcher at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech.

“Since our study didn’t include exact ingredient amounts, it’s possible that a smaller percentage than 6 percent were nutritionally complete.” In other words, that small slice sets an upper bound rather than offering a guarantee.

How homemade dog food was tested

The Dog Aging Project – co-led by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) – enrolls more than 50,000 pet dogs nationwide to understand what drives healthy aging. Owners regularly complete detailed surveys, including diet information.

For this analysis, the researchers used the open-ended, real-world recipes that owners used at home. The ingredients were entered into the “Balance It” tool to flag missing vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and amino acids.

Because owners rarely measure with lab precision, the team assessed “nutritional completeness potential” rather than certifying any single recipe as complete.

Precision truly matters for dogs

A homemade diet is only as balanced as its weakest link. Even small substitutions can skew nutrients in ways that matter for health.

Study co-author Katie Tolbert is a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and associate professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences at VMBS.

“There is a temptation for dog owners to go off script when preparing meals at home,” said Tolbert.

“If you decide to formulate your dog’s food at home, be sure to work with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist and stick to the diet exactly as prescribed. Nothing is considered a ‘filler’ that you can leave out.”

A classic example is calcium. Many do-it-yourself recipes add a calcium source (such as a measured supplement or precisely calculated bone meal) to balance the phosphorus that’s abundant in meat.

Omit it (or swap oils, or change protein sources) and the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio can drift into dangerous territory.

“If your dog’s calcium and phosphate levels get out of balance, they can develop bone health problems, including a condition nicknamed ‘rubber jaw’ where the bone starts to become soft, like cartilage,” Tolbert said. “It can also cause problems in the kidneys.”

Safety isn’t just about balance

For pets managing kidney disease, GI disorders, pancreatitis, food allergies, or endocrine conditions, nutrient precision matters even more.

“Dogs that are not already in good health can have exacerbated symptoms if they do not receive a balanced diet that is specifically formulated to treat their disease,” Tolbert said. “A diet one dog tolerates may be inappropriate, or even harmful, for another.”

Beyond meeting AAFCO nutrient minima, recipes must also avoid hazards. Tolbert advises steering clear of ingredients known to be unsafe for dogs.

That means no grapes or raisins because they can cause acute kidney injury, and no whole bones due to the risk of perforation, obstruction, or fractured teeth.

Even seemingly mild substitutions can cause problems. Different oils, alternate grains, or “just a sprinkle” of a supplement can tilt fatty acid ratios, fiber balance, or micronutrient supply away from the intended formula.

A safe route for homemade dog food

Start with your primary veterinarian to discuss your dog’s age, weight, activity level, medical history, and goals.

From there, ask for a referral to a board-certified veterinary nutritionist who can build a recipe tailored to your dog, your kitchen, and your budget. Board certification signals advanced, accredited training and clinical experience in companion animal nutrition.

If you plan to feed a homemade diet long-term, Tolbert recommends a reality check. Periodically send a finished homemade dog food sample to a lab to verify it matches the written recipe.

“It can be helpful to know exactly what is in the food you’re feeding your pet to make sure the recipe is as precise as possible,” Tolbert said. Regular weigh-ins, body condition scoring, and lab work (as advised by your vet) can catch issues early.

Big data, clear warning

DAP’s strength is scale: tens of thousands of dogs, many feeding patterns, and longitudinal health data. Here, that scope revealed a clear message.

Most home-prepared diets, as owners actually make them, are unlikely to meet complete-and-balanced standards without expert guidance.

Balance It was used as a screening tool in this study. It’s also a practical resource owners can use with a nutritionist to generate measured, supplement-supported recipes that hit nutrient targets.

Homemade dog food can work beautifully, but it’s a recipe, not a vibe. When in doubt, don’t improvise. Get a veterinary nutritionist in your corner, measure meticulously, and verify. Your dog’s skeleton, kidneys, heart, and immune system will thank you.

The study is published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research.

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