Rabbit for senior dogs with sweet potato

Grain-free rabbit for senior dogs with sweet potato and green beans: lean, highly digestible meat, with not a single bone in the pot. Step by step.

Time
50 min + 15 min resting
Makes
About 1.1 kg / 2.4 lb (2 days for a 12 kg / 26 lb senior dog; 4 days for a 5 kg / 11 lb dog)
Type
Main meal
Difficulty
Medium
Jump to recipe
Rabbit for senior dogs with sweet potato
The recipe at a glance
  • 52 % boneless rabbit
  • 34 % sweet potato
  • 13 % green beans
  • 1 % salmon oil for dogs

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

Rabbit for senior dogs is one of the most interesting meats: lean, very digestible and rarely used in kibble, so few dogs have developed an intolerance to it. In this grain-free recipe it goes with sweet potato and green beans, simmered in cubes until the meat falls apart into shreds.

The key is to use it already boned: rabbit has very thin bones that splinter easily once cooked and hide in the meat, so in this recipe not a single bone goes into the pot. In return, you get white, tender, juicy meat that pulls apart into shreds, and a mild broth to mash the sweet potato with. For dogs that chew little and eat reluctantly, it usually works very well.

Why it works

Rabbit provides quality protein with little fat, and it's a "novel" protein for most dogs, useful if your dog doesn't tolerate chicken or beef well. Sweet potato is the energy source, with fiber and beta-carotene, and replaces the grain. Green beans add fiber and bulk for very few calories. The cooking broth makes it juicy. The eggshell balances the phosphorus in the meat and the salmon oil provides the omega-3s EPA and DHA.

Step by step

  1. Cut and cook the rabbit

    Cut the boneless meat into 2 cm (¾ inch) cubes and run your fingers over it: there must be no bone or bone fragment left. Put it in a pot, cover with 1 liter (about 4 cups) of water and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam, lower the heat and cook covered for 15 minutes.

  2. Cook the sweet potato and green beans

    Add the sweet potato, cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) cubes, and the green beans, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) pieces, and cook for another 15 minutes, until the sweet potato falls apart and the meat is white inside and pulls apart into shreds.

  3. Lift out the rabbit and save the broth

    Lift the meat onto a tray with a slotted spoon, save a cup of the broth and let it cool for 10 minutes, until you can handle it without burning yourself.

  4. Shred and check

    Shred the meat with your fingers, taking your time: that way you'll feel any bone fragment that slipped through when it was boned. If you find one, throw it straight in the trash, out of your dog's reach, and go over that piece again.

  5. Mash and mix

    Drain the sweet potato and green beans and mash the sweet potato with a fork. Add the shredded meat and the cup of broth, and mix until juicy.

  6. Cool and add the calcium

    Let it cool for another 5 minutes, sprinkle over the ground eggshell and stir well. The salmon oil goes on each portion right before serving.

How much should I feed?

Approximate daily portion for a "senior dog" profile. Split it into two meals (three or four for puppies).

— g a day

Weight3 kg5 kg10 kg15 kg20 kg30 kg40 kg
Grams/day2002954956708301,1251,395

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

Energy
112 kcal/100 g
Protein
54 % dry matter
Fat
17 % dry matter
Calcium:phosphorus
1.3 : 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: up to 3 days in a sealed container. Freezer: up to 3 months in one-day portions. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm with a tablespoon of water until lukewarm. Serve at body temperature and add the salmon oil after warming.

If you don't have…

You can't find rabbit
Boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the same amount, cooked for 15 minutes
You don't have sweet potato
Peeled, well-cooked potato in the same amount
You can only find bone-in rabbit
Bone it raw with a small knife and use only the hind legs and the loin; the rib cage, neck and front legs, which are almost all thin bone, don't go into the recipe. Never cook it on the bone to take the meat off afterward.
You don't have green beans
Zucchini in the same amount, added 8 minutes before the end

Cooking tips

  • The hind legs and the loin are the meatiest parts with the fewest small bones: if you buy rabbit in pieces, choose those.
  • If your dog is on an elimination diet for allergies, rabbit is a good protein, but your vet should decide how long and with which other ingredients.
  • As the only daily meal it needs a vitamin and mineral supplement made for homemade diets: the recipe covers protein, energy, calcium and omega-3, but not every vitamin and trace mineral.
  • If your dog has lost teeth, blend the mix with a little more broth until it's like a pâté.

Safety

  • If your senior dog has diagnosed kidney, liver or heart disease, the protein, phosphorus and fat need to be adjusted with your vet before you use this recipe.
  • Never give cooked rabbit bones: they're thin, they splinter and can pierce the mouth, esophagus or intestine. That's why this recipe uses rabbit boned raw and it's never cooked on the bone.
  • Sweet potato always cooked: raw, it's hard to digest.
  • Serve the food lukewarm, never hot: check it with the back of your hand.
  • Grain-free
  • Single protein
  • Freezer-friendly

Frequently asked questions

Is rabbit good for senior dogs?

Yes, rabbit is a very suitable meat for senior dogs: it's lean, tender, highly digestible and provides quality protein, which helps maintain muscle. And since few kibbles use it, it's a good option if your dog doesn't tolerate other meats well. Always serve it cooked, completely boneless and unseasoned.

Can dogs eat rabbit bones?

Cooked, never. Rabbit bones are thin, and cooking makes them brittle so they splinter into sharp points that can lodge in the mouth or perforate the intestine. If you cook rabbit for your dog, buy it boneless or bone it raw, never after cooking, and go over the meat with your fingers. If your dog has swallowed a cooked bone and you notice retching, pain or vomiting, call your vet.

How many times a day should a senior dog eat?

The usual is twice a day, like an adult, but many senior dogs do better with the same amount split into three smaller meals. It's easier to digest, lowers the risk of vomiting and helps dogs that eat little at a time. What matters is that the total for the day is what they need for their weight.

Is sweet potato or regular potato better for dogs?

Both work, always cooked and peeled. Sweet potato provides more fiber, beta-carotene and vitamin C, and dogs usually like its sweet taste more. Regular potato is a bit lighter and a good option for sensitive stomachs. Potato should never be given raw or with green parts, because of the solanine. For diabetic dogs, adjust the amount of either one with your vet.

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)