Homemade puppy food with salmon and sweet potato

Fresh salmon with sweet potato, green beans, rice and egg for puppies: natural DHA, no bones and the right supplement. Meals by age and how to switch.

Time
45 min + 10 min resting
Makes
About 1.3 kg / 2.9 lb (roughly 2½ days for a 10 kg / 22 lb puppy)
Type
Main meal
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
Homemade puppy food with salmon and sweet potato
The recipe at a glance
  • 35 % fresh salmon, skinless and boneless
  • 28 % sweet potato
  • 21 % white rice
  • 8 % green beans

Follows THE RULE. All 6 ingredients are on our safe list: nothing that could harm your dog.

This homemade puppy food with salmon uses oven-baked fresh salmon fillet, sweet potato, green beans, a little rice and hard-boiled egg. Salmon provides DHA, an omega-3 involved in brain and eye development, so there is no need to add fish oil here.

The salmon is cooked en papillote in 12-15 minutes and comes out so moist that it flakes with a fork; that is the moment to run your fingers through it and remove any bones. Mixed with mashed sweet potato it becomes a soft orange paste that puppies who are bored of chicken usually love.

Why it works

Salmon provides quality protein and omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA) in a form the body can use directly; egg adds protein and choline. Cooked sweet potato and rice are the easily digested energy, and sweet potato adds beta-carotene and fiber. Green beans add bulk, water and fiber with few calories. Since fish and egg are high in phosphorus and low in calcium, eggshell balances the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio; the total calcium and phosphorus needed for growth is completed by the supplement.

Talk to your vet first. This recipe does not, on its own, cover the calcium and phosphorus a growing puppy needs. As his only diet it needs the growth supplement your vet prescribes (do not add more eggshell by eye: more shell throws the phosphorus off balance, and excess calcium is harmful too, especially in large breeds). Without the supplement, use it as part of his daily food, not all of it.

Step by step

  1. Cook the rice

    Cook the rice in 350 ml (1½ cups) of unsalted water until very tender.

  2. Cook the sweet potato and green beans

    Boil the sweet potato cubes in unsalted water; after 8 minutes add the green beans and keep going until the sweet potato falls apart when you press it with a fork. Drain.

  3. Bake the salmon

    Wrap the salmon in parchment paper, sealed like a parcel, and bake it at 180 °C / 350 °F until it separates into flakes that are opaque inside.

  4. Remove the bones

    Flake the salmon with your fingers and remove any bones, including the small ones along the center line. Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 10 minutes and chop them.

  5. Mix and add the calcium

    Mash the sweet potato with the green beans, add the rice, salmon and egg, and sprinkle in the eggshell as you stir so it spreads evenly.

  6. Cool and serve

    Let it cool to lukewarm before serving and split the day's food into the number of meals right for his age.

How much should I feed?

Approximate daily portion for a "puppy (4-12 months)" profile. Split it into two meals (three or four for puppies).

— g a day

Weight3 kg5 kg10 kg15 kg20 kg30 kg40 kg
Grams/day2153155307158901,2051,495

Puppy, senior, very active or on a diet? Calculate the exact portion.

Energy
149 kcal/100 g
Protein
41 % dry matter
Fat
24 % dry matter
Calcium:phosphorus
1.4 : 1

Values estimated from the ingredients (BEDCA/USDA data). An everyday meal. To feed it daily as the only food, add a vitamin and mineral supplement for homemade diets.

Storage

Fridge: 2 days at most (cooked fish spoils sooner than meat). Freezer: up to 2 months, in single-meal portions. Thaw in the fridge and warm gently; do not reheat it more than once.

If you don't have…

You cannot find fresh salmon
Fresh boneless mackerel, in the same amount
You want a lighter version
Boneless hake in place of half the salmon, adding 4 g of salmon oil when serving
You do not have sweet potato
Cooked pumpkin in the same amount, or peeled potato, always cooked
You do not have green beans
Diced zucchini, in the same amount

Cooking tips

  • Buy the salmon frozen or freeze it yourself for a few days: even though you are going to cook it, it is a good habit with fish and makes it easier to cut.
  • Alternate this recipe with meat recipes through the week: that way your puppy gets used to several flavors and does not become a fussy eater.
  • For this to be his only diet, he needs the growth supplement your vet prescribes, not an adult one. Without it, use this as part of his daily food, not all of it.
  • If his daily food includes salmon, do not add fish oil as well: with this recipe he already gets enough omega-3.

Safety

  • Salmon is always fully cooked. Raw, it can transmit parasites such as Anisakis.
  • Never smoked, marinated or salted canned salmon: they contain a great deal of salt.
  • Check for bones with your fingers, one by one: in a puppy, a fish bone can lodge in the mouth or throat.
  • Eggshell adjusts the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, but the total calcium and phosphorus for growth is completed by the supplement your vet prescribes, not by more eggshell.
  • Freezer-friendly

Frequently asked questions

Can puppies eat salmon?

Yes, puppies can eat salmon as long as it is well cooked, skinless, boneless and unsalted. It is one of the best natural sources of DHA, an omega-3 involved in brain and eye development. Ideally, feed it two or three times a week, alternating with other proteins.

Why shouldn't dogs eat raw salmon?

Raw salmon can carry parasites such as Anisakis and bacteria that are killed by cooking. For a puppy, whose immune system is still maturing, the risk is not worth it. Cook it until the flesh is opaque and separates into flakes, and never use smoked salmon, which has far too much salt.

How many times a day should a puppy eat by age?

Up to 4 months, a puppy eats 4 times a day; from 4 months to one year, 3 times; and from one year, twice. In large and giant breeds, 3 meals continue until 15-18 months. Weigh the total daily amount and divide it into equal parts.

How do I introduce fish into my puppy's diet?

Introduce fish like any other food change: gradually over a week, starting with a quarter of a meal and increasing every two days. If he is coming off kibble, first make the switch to homemade food with a meat recipe and add fish once he is handling it well.

What's in it, in detail

If they liked it, try

The fridge list

The foods your dog can eat, can have in moderation and must never eat, on a single printable page.

Download the list (PDF)