One bowl of mince. Two dinners. Your dog's patty gets shaped and set aside before the salt goes anywhere near it, then cooks in the same pan, at the same time, for the same dinner.
Lean beef delivers every essential amino acid, plus heme iron that plant sources cannot match
Sweet potato brings vitamin A precursors for vision, skin and immune function
Egg holds the patty together and supplies choline for liver and brain function
Rolled oats replace salted breadcrumbs and add soluble fibre that steadies digestion
Eggshell powder corrects the calcium to phosphorus ratio that meat-heavy meals distort
Beef is rich in omega-6 and poor in omega-3, so fish oil closes a real gap here
This one is straightforward for most healthy adult dogs, but beef is a richer protein than chicken and the fat content matters more than usual. Check below before you shape the patties.
Most healthy adult dogs. Labradors, German Shepherds, Border Collies, Golden Retrievers, Huskies, Rottweilers, Beagles, Staffies, Poodles, Dachshunds, Jack Russells and most mixed breeds handle this exactly as written.
Active and working dogs. The protein and fat density suits dogs burning real energy, and beef is more calorie-dense than chicken.
Fussy eaters. Very few dogs turn down a beef patty. Useful for reintroducing home-cooked food to a dog that has been refusing it.
Dogs with a confirmed beef allergy. Beef sits alongside dairy and chicken as one of the three most common food allergens in dogs. Signs include chronic itching, recurrent ear infections and paw licking. Turkey mince works identically here.
Puppies under 6 months. Growing dogs need tightly controlled calcium, phosphorus and calorie ratios that this recipe is not designed to hit.
Dogs on a prescribed low-protein or low-fat diet. Talk to your vet first.
Based on roughly 2 to 2.5 percent of body weight per day. Adjust for activity level and current body condition. If you feed twice a day, halve these amounts per meal. Weights shown are cooked weights.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🥩 Protein | ||
| Beef patty (cooked, lean mince) | 70g | Break into small pieces so it is easy to eat |
| Egg (binder, per batch of patties) | ¼ egg | Choline, protein, holds the patty together |
| 🍠 Carbohydrate | ||
| Sweet potato wedges (roasted, unsalted) | 45g | Beta-carotene, potassium, slow-release energy |
| Rolled oats (mixed into the patty) | 1 tsp | Replaces salted breadcrumbs, adds soluble fibre |
| 🫘 Vegetables | ||
| Green beans (steamed, trimmed) | 30g | Vitamin K and C, very low calorie bulk |
| 💊 Supplements (add cold) | ||
| Eggshell calcium powder | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, corrects the calcium to phosphorus ratio |
| Salmon or sardine oil COLD | ½ tsp | Add after fully cooled, never heat it |
| Kelp powder COLD | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, iodine for thyroid function |
| Wheat germ oil COLD | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, vitamin E for immune function and coat |
| Raw pumpkin seeds | 1 tsp | Zinc, manganese and magnesium, lightly ground |
Total: roughly 150 to 160g per day. Small dogs usually do better with this split into two meals of 75 to 80g.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🥩 Protein | ||
| Beef patty (cooked, lean mince) | 150g | About one standard patty broken into pieces |
| Egg (binder, per batch of patties) | ½ egg | Choline for liver and brain function |
| 🍠 Carbohydrate | ||
| Sweet potato wedges (roasted, unsalted) | 90g | Roast a plain batch before you salt your own |
| Rolled oats (mixed into the patty) | 1 tbsp | Beta-glucan fibre, steadies digestion |
| 🫘 Vegetables | ||
| Green beans (steamed, trimmed) | 60g | Folate, manganese, fibre |
| 💊 Supplements (add cold) | ||
| Eggshell calcium powder | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, corrects the calcium to phosphorus ratio |
| Salmon or sardine oil COLD | 1 tsp | Add after fully cooled, never heat it |
| Kelp powder COLD | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, iodine for thyroid function |
| Wheat germ oil COLD | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, vitamin E for immune function and coat |
| Raw pumpkin seeds | 1 tsp | Zinc, manganese and magnesium, lightly ground |
Total: roughly 305 to 320g per day, which works out around 520 to 560 kcal depending on the fat percentage of your mince. Split into two meals if your dog eats fast.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🥩 Protein | ||
| Beef patty (cooked, lean mince) | 250g | Use 5 percent fat mince if your dog gains weight easily |
| Egg (binder, per batch of patties) | 1 egg | Choline, protein, holds the patties together |
| 🍠 Carbohydrate | ||
| Sweet potato wedges (roasted, unsalted) | 150g | Good energy source for active large breeds |
| Rolled oats (mixed into the patty) | 1½ tbsp | Soluble fibre, slows the meal down |
| 🫘 Vegetables | ||
| Green beans (steamed, trimmed) | 100g | Increase further if you are managing weight |
| 💊 Supplements (add cold) | ||
| Eggshell calcium powder | ½ tsp | Stir in cold, corrects the calcium to phosphorus ratio |
| Salmon or sardine oil COLD | 1½ tsp | Add after fully cooled, never heat it |
| Kelp powder COLD | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, iodine for thyroid function |
| Wheat germ oil COLD | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, vitamin E for immune function and coat |
| Raw pumpkin seeds | 1 tsp | Zinc, manganese and magnesium, lightly ground |
Total: roughly 505 to 520g per day. Two meals is strongly recommended for large breeds, with 45 minutes of rest after eating to reduce bloat risk.
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 🥩 Protein | ||
| Beef patty (cooked, lean mince) | 360g | Two to three patties depending on how you shape them |
| Egg (binder, per batch of patties) | 1 egg | Choline, protein, holds the patties together |
| 🍠 Carbohydrate | ||
| Sweet potato wedges (roasted, unsalted) | 220g | Higher carbohydrate needs for larger frames |
| Rolled oats (mixed into the patty) | 2 tbsp | Soluble fibre, slows the meal down |
| 🫘 Vegetables | ||
| Green beans (steamed, trimmed) | 150g | Volume with almost no calories, keeps them satisfied |
| 💊 Supplements (add cold) | ||
| Eggshell calcium powder | ½ tsp | Stir in cold, important for giant breed skeletal health |
| Salmon or sardine oil COLD | 2 tsp | Add after fully cooled, joint and heart support |
| Kelp powder COLD | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, iodine for thyroid function |
| Wheat germ oil COLD | ¼ tsp | Stir in cold, vitamin E for immune function and coat |
| Raw pumpkin seeds | 1 tsp | Zinc, manganese and magnesium, lightly ground |
Total: roughly 735 to 750g per day. Always split into two meals for giant breeds. Never one large meal, and no vigorous exercise within an hour of eating.
Beef gives you every essential amino acid in one ingredient, along with heme iron in the form dogs absorb most efficiently. It is also one of the best natural sources of zinc, which matters for skin barrier function and wound healing, and vitamin B12 for nerve health. Choose 5 to 10 percent fat. Anything fattier turns a good meal into a rich one.
⚠️ Cook until no pink remains. Never serve raw mince from a supermarket tray.
The egg does two jobs. Practically, it binds the patty so it does not fall apart in the pan without needing salted breadcrumbs. Nutritionally, the yolk is one of the richest natural sources of choline, which supports liver function and cognitive health. Always cooked, never raw, because raw white contains avidin which binds biotin.
Standard burger recipes use breadcrumbs, which in a shop-bought packet are usually loaded with salt. Plain rolled oats do the same binding job and bring beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that slows gastric emptying and feeds beneficial gut bacteria. Oats are also one of the better tolerated grains for dogs with mild wheat sensitivity.
Sweet potato is where the vitamin A in this bowl comes from, in the form of beta-carotene that dogs convert as needed. It also provides potassium for heart and muscle function, plus fibre that gives the meal bulk. Roast it, do not fry it, and set the plain batch aside before you salt your own.
⚠️ Moderate in oxalate. Swap for white potato if your dog forms calcium oxalate stones.
Green beans are the most useful thing you can put in a food-motivated dog's bowl. They fill the bowl, they fill the dog, and they cost almost nothing in calories. Rich in vitamin K1 for blood clotting, vitamin C as an antioxidant, folate and manganese. If you are managing weight, this is the ingredient to increase.
Every meat-based homemade meal has the same structural problem. Meat is high in phosphorus and very low in calcium, and without correction the body pulls calcium out of bone to compensate. Eggshell powder supplies bioavailable calcium carbonate to bring the ratio back toward the roughly 1.2 to 1 that NRC guidance targets. Always added cold.
This matters more with beef than with almost any other protein. Grain-finished beef carries a heavily omega-6 weighted fat profile and provides very little EPA or DHA. Fish oil added cold rebalances that. EPA reduces systemic inflammation across joints, skin and gut, and DHA supports cognitive function. Refrigerate after opening and use within four to six weeks.
Worth saying plainly, because the omissions are the recipe. Onion and garlic damage red blood cells in dogs through thiosulfate compounds, in every form including powder. Added salt loads the kidneys without adding anything. A cheese slice is mostly fat and sodium. The bun is refined flour that displaces something more useful. None of it is missed.
This is the whole recipe in one step. Tip the mince into a bowl and, before salt or pepper or anything else goes in, lift out your dog's share into a second bowl. Do it first, while the kitchen is calm and you are not distracted. Everything that happens to the first bowl from this moment on is for the humans only.
💡 Use two clearly different bowls or boards. It removes any chance of a mix-up later.Add the beaten egg and the rolled oats to your dog's mince. Mix with clean hands until it just holds, then stop. Overworking mince makes it dense. Shape into flat patties around 1.5 cm thick, because thick patties look better but cook unevenly, and beef for dogs needs to be cooked all the way through.
Now the fun part. Salt, pepper, whatever you normally do. Worcestershire in the mix, a thumbprint in the middle of each patty so they do not dome. Keep your patties on their own plate, well away from the dog's. Fridge both while the wedges roast.
Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges and toss in a little olive oil. Roast at 200C for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once. Pull out your dog's portion before you season the rest with salt and paprika. Steam the green beans for about 6 minutes until soft enough to squash easily, since firm raw beans are harder for dogs to digest.
🍠 Roast a spare tray of plain wedges. They keep three days in the fridge and make an easy topper for the rest of the week.Lightly oil the pan and cook your dog's patties over medium heat, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. You want no pink left in the centre at all and juices running clear. Cooking theirs first means their patties never sit in seasoning left behind by yours. Lift them onto a plate to cool.
Same pan, higher heat, cook yours however you like them and melt the cheese on at the end. Build your burger properly with the bun and the pickles and the sauce. Your dog gets the plain patty broken into pieces in a bowl, with the unsalted wedges and the green beans alongside. It looks like dinner because it is dinner.
🍔 Both meals land on the table at the same moment, which is the entire point of cooking this way.Wait until the bowl has cooled to room temperature, not just until it stops steaming. Then stir in the eggshell calcium, the salmon oil, the kelp, the wheat germ oil and the ground pumpkin seeds. The waiting is not fussiness. Heat above roughly 40C oxidises omega-3 fatty acids and takes most of the benefit with it.
❄️ Add the fish oil fresh at every serving. Never store a batch with the oil already mixed through.This recipe provides a solid nutritional foundation and is designed with NRC guidelines in mind, but it has not been formally assessed by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist (DACVN). Adding calcium and fish oil corrects two specific and well understood gaps. It does not by itself make a meal complete across every amino acid, mineral and vitamin. Use burger night as part of a rotational diet alongside your dog's other meals rather than as a sole daily food. For long-term exclusive feeding, a professional nutritional review is recommended.
Patties freeze better than almost anything else in the Cook Together series, which makes this a good one to make double of.
No breed has a more complicated relationship with burger night than the Labrador. They are the dog most likely to be sitting under the table with a look of genuine emotional suffering, and there is a real biological reason for that. This recipe suits them well, provided you weigh the portion rather than guessing it.
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