Dave Zanoni
When someone tells me, “I make my own dog food—just boiled chicken, rice, sweet potatoes, and green beans,” I know it’s coming from a place of love.
But I also know it’s not enough.
Not even close.
And I know they’re unintentionally putting their dog at risk.
Because that kind of meal?
It’s dangerously incomplete.
Let’s break it down:
Boiled chicken (especially just the breast) is high in phosphorus but almost completely lacking in calcium. Dogs need a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of roughly 1.2:1. That meal flips the scale upside down.
And when there’s no calcium coming in, the body starts pulling it from your dog’s bones just to keep blood levels stable.
The result? Bone demineralization. Weakness. Fractures.
It’s called nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism, and it doesn’t show up overnight—but it will show up.
Missing Iodine?
Now you’ve got a thyroid that can’t make essential hormones like T3 and T4.
Those control metabolism, growth, energy levels, and temperature regulation.
Without enough iodine?
Expect sluggishness, weight gain, coat loss, and—if left unchecked—hypothyroidism.
No Zinc? That’s a big problem.
Zinc supports over 300 enzymatic functions in the body.
When there’s not enough of it, the immune system weakens, skin breaks down, and healing slows to a crawl.
The body will protect the organs first—so guess what takes the hit?
The skin, the paws, the coat.
And what about Selenium and Vitamin E?
These two work hand in hand to fight oxidative stress.
Without them, cell membranes break down, muscle cells degrade, and inflammation starts running the show.
Selenium isn’t just a bonus nutrient—it’s a line of defense.
Essential Fatty Acids? Nowhere in sight.
There’s zero EPA or DHA in boiled chicken and rice.
And without omega-3s, the skin dries out, the brain slows down, inflammation goes unchecked, and the coat dulls fast.
DHA is critical for cognitive function and vision—not optional. Required.
Let’s talk Amino Acids.
Dogs need ten essential ones. And if even one is missing or low, the rest can’t do their job.
Take methionine—it helps detox the liver and build keratin.
Low methionine? Expect brittle nails, dull fur, and weak detox pathways.
Or tryptophan, the precursor to serotonin.
Low tryptophan? Now you’re talking mood swings, sleep trouble, and behavioral issues.
Vitamin D? Not happening.
Unlike humans, dogs can’t synthesize vitamin D through sun exposure.
They must get it from animal fat.
Boiled chicken breast? Virtually fat-free—and absolutely void of vitamin D.
And those veggies and rice?
Sweet potatoes, green beans, rice—they’re not harmful on their own.
But they add calories without contributing much else.
They dilute the nutrient profile and load the dog up on carbs—a macronutrient dogs don’t need much of.
Over time, this raises the risk of:
- Chronic inflammation
- Obesity
- Insulin resistance
And that can lead to a whole new set of problems you didn’t see coming.
The Silent Damage
Even short-term feeding of unbalanced homemade food can start causing subclinical deficiencies—the kind you don’t see until it’s too late.
The body compensates for a while. Then it doesn’t.
By the time you notice brittle bones, mood changes, skin issues, or fatigue—it’s already been building for months, maybe years.
Here’s the bottom line:
Cooking for your dog isn’t wrong.
But doing it without understanding nutrition absolutely is.
Food isn’t just ingredients. It’s chemistry. It’s balance.
It’s either supporting health—or slowly unraveling it.
You might not see the damage after one meal.
You might not even see it after one year.
But you will see it.
100% guaranteed.
And when you do, it’ll feel like it came out of nowhere. But it didn’t.
It came from the bowl.