You've heard the concerns about commercial kibble — mysterious meat meals, synthetic vitamins, ultra-processing. You want to feed your dog real food. But homemade dog food has a serious problem: it's very easy to get nutritionally wrong. Dogs have specific requirements for calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and dozens of other nutrients that a plate of chicken and vegetables simply won't cover.
That's exactly the problem Dr. Ruth Roberts, DVM, set out to solve. The result was the CrockPet Diet — a vet-formulated, slow-cooker homemade pet food system that's nutritionally complete, simple to make, and trusted by over 12,000 pet parents worldwide.
What Is the CrockPet Diet?
The CrockPet Diet is a whole-food, home-cooked dog food system developed by Dr. Ruth Roberts. It uses a slow cooker (crockpot) to gently cook lean proteins and dog-safe vegetables together — preserving nutrients better than high-heat commercial processing — then supplements the batch with a precise blend of vitamins and minerals to ensure complete and balanced nutrition.
The key innovation is the supplement kit. Rather than hoping homemade food covers every micronutrient, Dr. Roberts formulated a specific combination of a multivitamin blend, organic kelp (for iodine and trace minerals), and calcium citrate (to balance the phosphorus-heavy meat). This trio transforms simple homemade food into a properly balanced diet.
💡 Why it works: The #1 reason homemade dog food fails nutritionally is calcium deficiency — meat is high in phosphorus, and without proper calcium supplementation, bones become weak over time. The CrockPet supplement kit solves this precisely.
What's in the CrockPet Refill Kit?
- CrockPet Multivitamin Blend: Covers vitamins A, D, E, B-complex, zinc, manganese, and other essential micronutrients not found in adequate amounts in whole foods alone
- Organic Kelp: Natural source of iodine (critical for thyroid function) plus trace minerals including selenium, chromium, and magnesium
- Calcium Citrate: Highly bioavailable calcium to balance meat's phosphorus content — essential for bone density, muscle function, and nerve signaling
How to Make the CrockPet Diet: Step by Step
Chicken thighs (bone-in or boneless), turkey, lean beef, or fish. Rotate proteins weekly for nutritional variety and to prevent food sensitivities from developing.
Carrots, zucchini, sweet potato, green beans, broccoli (small amounts), and leafy greens. Aim for roughly 25-30% of the total volume. Avoid onions, garlic, grapes, raisins, and avocado.
Add enough water to cover ingredients. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. The slow, gentle heat preserves more nutrients than boiling or baking at high temperatures.
Let the food cool to room temperature or refrigerate first. Heat can degrade certain vitamins — always add the supplement blend to cooled or warm (not hot) food.
Add the multivitamin, kelp, and calcium citrate per the dosage chart based on your dog's weight. Stir thoroughly into the batch. Store in refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze in portions.
Days 1-3: 25% CrockPet + 75% old food → Days 4-6: 50/50 → Days 7-9: 75% CrockPet → Day 10+: 100% CrockPet. A slow transition prevents digestive upset.
Who Is It Best For?
- Dogs with food allergies or sensitivities to commercial ingredients
- Dogs with digestive issues — IBD, IBS, chronic diarrhea
- Senior dogs needing highly digestible, anti-inflammatory nutrition
- Dogs with cancer (the diet is low in simple carbohydrates that feed tumor growth)
- Pet parents who want full ingredient control and transparency
- Dogs recovering from illness or surgery
⚠️ Note: The CrockPet Diet is formulated for dogs. Cats have very different nutritional requirements (taurine, arachidonic acid, preformed vitamin A). Dr. Roberts offers separate cat-specific protocols — always use species-appropriate formulas.
🍲 Get the Complete CrockPet Refill Kit
Everything you need to make nutritionally complete homemade dog food — multivitamin, organic kelp & calcium citrate. Currently $88.31.
Shop CrockPet Kit on Dr. Ruth Roberts →What Results Do Pet Parents Report?
Based on thousands of reviews and testimonials from the Dr. Ruth Roberts community:
- ✅ Shinier, softer coat within 2-4 weeks
- ✅ Reduced itching and hot spots in allergy-prone dogs
- ✅ Firmer stools and improved digestion
- ✅ Increased energy and playfulness
- ✅ Reduced weight or better weight management
- ✅ Improvement in chronic conditions (kidney disease, diabetes, arthritis)
- ✅ Dogs who were previously picky eaters devour every meal