Keep These Foods OUT of Your Dog's Bows... Use THESE Foods Instead

Homemade dog food can be one of the best things you ever do for your dog’s health — or one of the fastest ways to cause long-term damage if it’s done wrong.

We are unapologetic supporters of home-cooked dog food, especially for senior dogs. But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

👉 The internet is flooded with terrible homemade dog food recipes.
👉 Many of them look “healthy.”
👉 A shocking number include ingredients that stress the heart, increase inflammation, and add useless calories.

Rather than calling out individual recipes or creators who mean well, but are a little misguided, let’s do something much more useful:

👉 Break down the 4 worst ingredients commonly added to homemade dog food — and what to use instead.

If you’re cooking for your dog, especially a senior dog, this matters.

🥇 #1 Peas — The “Healthy” Ingredient That Isn’t

Peas are everywhere in dog food recipes — commercial and homemade. And they’re often added under the assumption that they’re a “clean,” plant-based protein.

They’re not.

❌ Why peas are a problem:

😖 Linked to diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs
🌱 Very poor protein bioavailability for dogs
😖 Common trigger for food sensitivities and allergies
📉 Displace higher-quality animal protein in the bowl

To be clear:

The DCM link isn’t 100% conclusive — and it probably never will be. The real issue comes from when commercial dog foods add peas and cook them at extreme temperatures, four times, essentially charging you big money for a bag of pea sugar. Nutrition science rarely is 100%.

But here’s the real question:

👉 Why take the risk when there are far better options? Adult and senior dogs need every advantage possible.

Dogs — especially senior dogs — have limited stomach space and reduced digestive efficiency. Every ingredient needs to earn its place.

Peas don’t.

✅ Better alternatives:

🥦 Broccoli
🥬 Spinach (if your dog has kidney issues, skip the spinach)
🟣 Red cabbage (excellent to add to broths, to give as a treat, raw or cooked)
🥬 Green cabbage

These provide fibre, phytonutrients, and antioxidants without stressing the heart.

Verdict:
🚫 Toss the peas out the window. Literally. Defenestrate them.

🥈 #2 White Potatoes — Empty Calories in Disguise

White potatoes show up constantly in homemade dog food recipes — and almost always for the wrong reason.

❌ The problem with white potatoes:

🍚 Extremely high starch load
🔥 Can increase inflammatory markers
🐕 Adds calories without meaningful micronutrients
⚖️ Encourages weight gain in non-working dogs

Do potatoes have any place in dog food?

Yes — occasionally.

If your dog has an upset stomach and you need:

• water content

• gentle starch

• short-term binding/constipation

…a small amount of white potato is fine.

But daily use?
Absolutely not.

🐕‍🦺 Who might tolerate more starch?

• Puppies with very high energy demands

Working dogs (herding, hunting, endurance work)

For the average dog — and especially seniors — white potatoes are unnecessary baggage.

✅ Better alternatives:

🎃 Pumpkin (excellent fiber + gut support)

🥒 Zucchini

⚠️ Important note:
Sweet potatoes are often problematic in commercial dog food because of how they’re processed.
At home, cooked properly in a pressure cooker or slow cooker, they’re generally well tolerated, though again, we have to be cautious with carbs. Save the sweet potatoes for a special treat once in a while, if possible.

🥉 #3 Rice — Cheap Bulk, Chronic Inflammation

Rice is one of the most overused ingredients in dog food history — and that includes homemade recipes.

❌ Why rice is a bad daily choice:

🍞 Pure carbohydrate with minimal nutritional return
🔥 Pro-inflammatory, especially long-term
🧬 Raises blood sugar unnecessarily
⚖️ Contributes to metabolic dysfunction in seniors

Rice exists in commercial dog food for one reason:

💰 It’s cheap.

That doesn’t mean it belongs in your dog’s bowl.

Again — context matters:

• Growing puppies? Maybe.

• Working dogs burning huge calories? Possibly.
  

But for:

• adult dogs

• senior dogs

• dogs with joint issues, cancer, kidney disease, or liver stress
  
  

👉 Rice is doing more harm than good.

Verdict:
🚫 Out the window it goes.

🏅 #4 Lentils — The Worst Offender Nobody Talks About

Lentils are peas’ dangerous cousin — and arguably worse.

They’re everywhere:

• grain-free kibble

• boutique dog foods

• homemade dog food blogs
  

❌ Why lentils are a serious problem:

🍚 Associated with diet-related DCM
🍚 Extremely high in starch and carbs
🧱 Added for cheap bulk, not nutrition
😖 Often cause gas, bloating, and loose stools

Grain free, full of lentils. Overpriced, and dangerous for dogs

Lentils are classified as pulses, the same category as peas — and they share many of the same risks.

For senior dogs, this matters even more.

When a dog is aging:

• heart health declines

• liver and kidney function slow

• resilience drops
  

👉 You do not want unnecessary stressors in the diet.

🚫 Final verdict:

No lentils.
No peas.

✅ What to Use Instead (Better, Safer Options)

If you remove peas, rice, potatoes, and lentils — what should you use?

Here are smarter, dog-appropriate additions:

🎃 Pumpkin (prebiotic fiber, gut health)

🥬 Spinach
🥦 Broccoli
🟣 Red cabbage
🌱 Chia seeds (fiber + omega-3s)
🥩 High-quality animal proteins (always the foundation)

Your dog's food should revolve around:

• Protein and fats - fish, beef mince, pork mince, eggs, chicken, turkey, wild game, duck, etc

• Vegetables - cabbage, broccoli, etc.

• Homemade bone broth

• Soaked chia seeds (a few times per week)

• High EPA/DHA omega 3 oil

• Probiotic foods - yoghurt, kefir, raw goat's milk, etc.

• Healthy fats - Extra virgin olive oil, extra virgin coconut oil
  
  

These ingredients:

• support digestion

• reduce inflammation

• provide micronutrients

• don’t displace real protein
  

  

🧠 The Big Picture: Homemade Done Right

Homemade dog food isn’t about copying human meals.

It’s about:

🐕 species-appropriate nutrition

⚖️ proper ratios

🧬 bioavailability

🐕 long-term organ health

Removing the wrong ingredients is just as important as adding the right ones.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

❓ Are peas and lentils always dangerous?

Not every dog will develop problems — but the risk is unnecessary, especially for seniors.

❓ Is DCM only genetic?

No. There is increasing evidence of diet-associated DCM, particularly linked to pulse-heavy diets.

❓ What about grain-free diets?

“Grain-free” often just means grain replaced with pulses — which can be worse. As sad as it sounds, grain-free is a marketing ploy to still sell you expensive dog food that's loaded with high carb foods, while avoiding grains. Take it from a copywriter, these people are geniuses at playing with words to extract money directly from your pocket.

❓ Is rice ever okay?

No. Some vets recommend it when a dog has an upset stomach, but pumpkin, or slow-cooked sweet potatoes are MUCH better options for what to feed your dog when their stomach is sick.

❓ What’s the safest carb for homemade dog food?

Forget carbs, think of fibre, vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, and phytonutrients. Go with pumpkin, zucchini, broccoli, cabbage, etc.

📥 Want Help Doing This the Right Way?

If you want:

✅ safe homemade dog food ingredients

✅ balanced recipes

✅ exact feeding amounts

👉 Grab the free Homemade Dog Food Tips Guide linked below — printable, phone-friendly, and easy to follow.

And if you want our best foods + recipe breakdowns, click through to learn exactly what belongs in a homemade dog bowl.

Your dog’s heart, liver, and kidneys will thank you ❤️🐾

About Us

We want your dog to live longer.

And not just longer, but stronger, happier and healthier.

This site, and all of our courses, are about improving your dog's healthspan, and their lifespan.

What does that mean?

It means your dog deserves to feel like a puppy, no matter how old they are.

They deserve to walk and run and play and eat like royalty.

Most commercial dog food can age your dog prematurely.

Doesn't your dog deserve better?

http://HowToHelpYourDogLiveLonger.com

All information comes from 25+ years experience, interviews with forward-thinking veterinarians, and from scientific research.

We are all about helping you care for your senior dog.

Remember, old dogs don’t have to suffer the problems of ageing! They CAN feel like puppies again… playful, full of happy energy, and constantly begging you for extra walks 😍🥰

✅If your senior dog has cancer, check out the Ketogenic Diet Kills Cancer Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFiWpISGqLM&t=310s

Homecooking is the best option for senior dogs to help them feel better and live longer.

🦮Need help preparing Keto Meals at home for your dog? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFiWpISGqLM&t=310s

🦮How to make bone broth that will help your senior dog’s joints, GUT health, and give them a happy belly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI3dVJSD-Io&t=2s

🦮How to make Turmeric Paste to rejuvenate your senior pup’s joints: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvHKVud2Ctw&t=9s

YouTube:https://YouTube.com/@HelpYourDogLiveLonger

Contact us:SuperSeniorDogHealth@Gmail.com

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**Long Live Your Senior Dog does not provide medical, nor veterinary advice. All videos, blogs, articles, and other information is for information purposes only. Consult your vet before making any major changes, or decisions, about your dog’s care.