Crockpot Dog Food: 3 Easy Slow Cooker Recipes and Feeding Chart

Crockpot dog food is the easiest way to batch-cook for your dog: put lean protein, a carbohydrate and vegetables in a slow cooker with water, cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, cool, and portion. Below are three slow cooker recipes with exact amounts and calories per cup, slow cooker safety rules, how much to feed by weight, storage times, and the supplement you need to add if this is your dog’s main food.

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Quick Answer

• Easiest batch: 3 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 1/2 cups dry brown rice, 2 cups carrots, 2 cups green beans, 1 cup peas and 4 cups water. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours. Makes about 12 cups at roughly 245 calories per cup.
• Slow cooker size: these recipes fit a 6 quart slow cooker. Halve them for a 3 to 4 quart model.
• Safety: use thawed meat only, keep the cooker 1/2 to 2/3 full, and check that meat reaches 165°F.
• Must add: a vitamin and mineral supplement made for homemade dog food, stirred in after cooking, if you feed this as a main diet.
• Storage: 3 to 4 days in the fridge, 2 to 3 months in the freezer.

Read This Before You Cook

Meat, grains and vegetables alone are not a complete diet for dogs. Homemade meals usually run short on calcium, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin E and choline. If this food will replace your dog’s regular food, add a supplement designed to balance homemade dog food at the dose on its label, or use a recipe made for your dog by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. As a topper, keep it to about 10% to 20% of daily calories. Talk to your vet before switching, especially for puppies, seniors and dogs with health conditions.

Recipe 1: Slow Cooker Chicken and Brown Rice

Makes: about 12 cups | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 6 to 8 hours on low, or 3 to 4 hours on high | About 245 calories per cup (estimated)

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.36 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups (about 280 g) dry brown rice, rinsed
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 2 cups chopped green beans
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 4 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth with no onion or garlic
• A vitamin and mineral supplement made for homemade dog food, dosed per the label (add after cooking)

Steps

1. Layer the rice and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Add the chicken in a single layer, then the green beans.
3. Pour in the water so everything is covered.
4. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours, until the rice is soft and the chicken reaches 165°F.
5. Stir in the peas for the last 15 minutes.
6. Shred the chicken with two forks right in the pot and stir everything together. Check for any bones.
7. Cool quickly (see storage below), then mix in the supplement.

Recipe 2: Slow Cooker Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

Makes: about 9 cups | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 6 to 7 hours on low, or 3 to 4 hours on high | About 265 calories per cup (estimated)

Ingredients

• 2 lb (907 g) 90% lean ground beef
• 2 lb sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 cups chopped green beans
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup water
• A vitamin and mineral supplement made for homemade dog food, dosed per the label (add after cooking)

Steps

1. Brown the beef in a skillet and drain the fat. This cuts the fat and keeps the stew from turning greasy.
2. Add the sweet potato, carrots and green beans to the slow cooker, then the beef and water.
3. Cook on low 6 to 7 hours or high 3 to 4 hours, until the sweet potato is very soft.
4. Mash lightly with a potato masher for a thicker stew.
5. Cool quickly, then mix in the supplement.

Beef is the richest of the three. Use Recipe 1 or 3 for dogs that need lower-fat food.

Recipe 3: Slow Cooker Turkey, Quinoa and Pumpkin

Makes: about 10 cups | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 5 to 6 hours on low, or 3 hours on high | About 290 calories per cup (estimated)

Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.36 kg) 93% lean ground turkey, thawed
• 1 cup (170 g) dry quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 can (15 oz) plain pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 2 cups diced zucchini
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups packed fresh spinach, chopped
• A vitamin and mineral supplement made for homemade dog food, dosed per the label (add after cooking)

Steps

1. Break up the turkey into small pieces in the slow cooker. You can brown it first for better texture, but it isn’t required.
2. Add the quinoa, pumpkin, zucchini and water and stir well so the turkey is spread out.
3. Cook on low 5 to 6 hours or high 3 hours, stirring once if you can, until the turkey reaches 165°F with no pink.
4. Stir in the spinach and let it wilt for 10 minutes.
5. Cool quickly, then mix in the supplement.

Rinse quinoa well before cooking to remove its bitter coating. For stovetop versions of these meals, see our homemade dog food recipes.

Slow Cooker Safety Rules

• Never put frozen meat in a slow cooker. It stays in the bacteria danger zone too long. Thaw it in the fridge first.
• Fill it 1/2 to 2/3 full. Too little or too much food cooks unevenly.
• Keep the lid on. Each peek adds about 15 to 20 minutes of cook time.
• Check the temperature. Poultry and ground meat should reach 165°F.
• No onion, garlic or seasoning, including broths and stock cubes that contain them.
• Remove all bones. Cooked bones splinter and can injure your dog.

How Much to Feed

These are starting points for a spayed or neutered adult dog at a healthy weight. Active dogs need more. Seniors and less active dogs need less.

Dog weight	Approx. calories per day	Recipe 1 (245 cal/cup)
10 lb	300 to 350	About 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups
20 lb	500 to 600	About 2 to 2 1/2 cups
40 lb	850 to 1,000	About 3 1/2 to 4 cups
60 lb	1,150 to 1,300	About 4 3/4 to 5 1/4 cups
80 lb	1,450 to 1,650	About 6 to 6 3/4 cups

For Recipes 2 and 3, divide your dog’s daily calories by the calories per cup. Split the total into two meals. Weigh your dog every 2 weeks and adjust portions by about 10% if they gain or lose weight.

Cooling and Storage

• Cool fast. Spread the food into shallow containers so it cools quickly, and get it into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. Don’t leave the whole pot on the counter to cool.
• Fridge: 3 to 4 days in sealed containers.
• Freezer: 2 to 3 months. Freeze in daily portions and thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Serve cold or slightly warmed, never hot.
• Toss leftovers that sit in the bowl longer than 2 hours.

A 12 cup batch is about 3 days of food for a 40 lb dog, or about 10 days for a 10 lb dog.

Swaps

Instead of	Use	Note
Brown rice	White rice	Gentler on sensitive stomachs. Cooks faster, so add it for the last 2 hours on low.
Chicken thighs	Chicken breast	Leaner. Calories per cup drop to about 210.
Sweet potato	Plain white potato, peeled	Same amount. Never feed raw or green potato.
Quinoa	1 1/2 cups dry brown rice plus 1 more cup water	Same cook time as Recipe 1.
Spinach	Chopped kale or extra green beans	Add greens at the end.

Any change to the recipe changes the calories per cup, so recheck portions.

How to Switch Your Dog Over

Mix it in gradually over about a week: 25% new food for 2 days, 50% for 2 days, 75% for 2 days, then 100%. Slow down if you see loose stools, and call your vet for vomiting, diarrhea lasting more than a day, or low energy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cook raw ground meat in the slow cooker?

Yes, as long as it is fully thawed, broken into small pieces and reaches 165°F. Browning it first removes extra fat and gives a better texture.

Can I leave dog food in the slow cooker overnight?

You can cook it overnight on low, but don’t leave cooked food sitting on the “warm” setting for hours afterward. Cool and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking.

Is broth safe for dogs?

Plain, low-sodium broth is fine if it has no onion, garlic or added seasoning. Many store-bought broths contain onion or garlic, so read the label or use water.

Can I add fish oil?

Ask your vet first. If they recommend it, stir it in after cooking along with the supplement, not before.

The Short Version

• Thawed lean protein, a carbohydrate, vegetables and water: low 6 to 8 hours.
• No onion, garlic, salt or bones, and meat must reach 165°F.
• Cool fast in shallow containers, then add a homemade dog food supplement.
• Fridge 3 to 4 days, freezer 2 to 3 months. Feed by calories.

More Homemade Dog Recipes

• Homemade Dog Food
• Farmer’s Dog Copycat Recipe
• Pumpkin Dog Treats
• Frozen Dog Treats