Raw Feeding Guide for Dogs

How to start feeding your dog a raw diet — what to feed, in what ratio, how much, and what to expect in the first few weeks.

Before you start: use our dog raw food calculator to find your dog's exact daily gram amount.

What Is Raw Feeding?

Raw feeding means giving dogs uncooked meat, raw meaty bones, and organ meat as their primary diet, rather than commercially processed kibble or wet food. The two most popular frameworks are BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) and Prey Model Raw (PMR). Both use the same total daily amount — the difference is in how that amount is broken down by component.

One practical advantage of raw food that often goes unmentioned: raw meat is roughly 70% moisture, compared to around 10% in dry kibble. Dogs eating raw food tend to drink less from their bowl but still stay well hydrated — the food itself contributes substantially to their daily fluid intake.

BARF

70/10/10 + 10% plant

• 70% muscle meat
• 10% edible raw bone
• 5% liver
• 5% other secreting organs
• 10% vegetables, fruit, seeds

Includes plant matter to mimic prey stomach contents.

Prey Model Raw (PMR)

80/10/10 — no plant

• 80% muscle meat (incl. heart)
• 10% edible raw bone
• 5% liver
• 5% other secreting organs
• No plant matter

Mimics whole-prey composition for a carnivore-only approach.

A note on organs: not all organs count the same. Secreting organs — liver, kidney, spleen, pancreas — produce hormones or enzymes and are the most nutrient-dense foods in existence. Muscle meat like heart is nutritious but does not count toward your 10% organ target; it goes in the muscle meat portion instead.

How Much Raw Food to Feed

Adult dogs need 2–3% of their body weight in raw food per day. Puppies need 5–10% of current body weight. Senior dogs typically need 1.5–2.5%. Use the dog raw food calculator to get your dog's number, then adjust every 2–4 weeks based on body condition score. Run your hands along your dog's ribcage — you should feel the ribs without pressing hard, but they should not visibly stick out.

Quick reference

Life stage	% of body weight	Example: 10 kg dog
Puppy	5–10%	500–1000 g/day
Adult (low activity)	2.0%	200 g/day
Adult (moderate)	2.5%	250 g/day
Adult (active)	3.0%	300 g/day
Senior	1.5–2.5%	150–250 g/day

Most adult dogs do well on two meals per day — split the daily total in half. Once-a-day feeding is also fine for healthy adults. Some experienced raw feeders include one fast day per week (water only), though this is optional and not suitable for puppies, seniors, or dogs with any health condition.

How to Start Raw Feeding: Step by Step

The goal of a slow introduction is to give your dog's gut microbiome time to shift from processing starch to processing raw meat. Rushing this is the most common reason for a rough transition.

1
Calculate your dog's daily amount
Use the raw food calculator. For a 10 kg moderately active adult, that's 250 g per day. Write it down — this is your starting target.
2
Choose one protein to start with
Chicken (backs, frames, thighs, mince) is ideal for beginners — widely available, lean, and well tolerated. Avoid high-fat proteins like lamb or pork until your dog has adjusted.
3
Week 1: muscle meat only
Feed only muscle meat (no bone, no organ) for the first week. This lets the gut microbiome begin adjusting without the bacterial load from bone marrow or organ meat. Loose stools are normal at this stage.
4
Week 2: introduce raw bone
Add edible raw bone (chicken wings, necks, backs) at 10% of the daily total. Never feed weight-bearing bones from large animals — they are too dense and can fracture teeth.
5
Week 3: introduce liver
Add chicken or beef liver at 5% of the daily total. Introduce gradually — even a small excess causes diarrhoea. If stools become very loose, halve the amount and increase more slowly.
6
Week 4+: introduce other organs and variety
Add kidney, spleen, or pancreas to reach the second 5% organ target. Begin rotating protein sources — beef, turkey, rabbit, fish, green tripe. Variety is important for nutritional balance over time.

Reading your dog's stools

Stool is your best feedback signal during transition and after. Here is what to look for:

Firm and slightly smallCorrect bone-to-meat ratio. This is the target.
White, chalky, or crumblyToo much bone. Reduce raw bone by half temporarily.
Loose or wateryToo much organ, too much fat, or transition too fast. Cut liver first.
Persistent loose stools >7 daysSwitch to a different protein source or reduce total amount.
Mucus coating (week 1–2)Normal detox response. Usually resolves on its own.

Benefits of Raw Feeding

Improved coat and skin

Many raw-fed dogs show a noticeably shinier coat and reduced skin flakiness within 4–8 weeks. Higher fat bioavailability from uncooked meat is the likely mechanism, though controlled studies are limited.

Smaller, less odorous stools

Raw diets are highly digestible — very little passes through undigested. Stool volume drops significantly compared to kibble. This is one of the most consistent observations reported by raw feeders.

Better dental health

Chewing raw meaty bones provides mechanical plaque removal. Studies on raw-fed dogs show lower dental calculus scores versus kibble-fed dogs (Marx et al., 2016, Vet Record).

Higher palatability

Most dogs find raw food highly palatable, including picky eaters. This can be useful for dogs with poor appetite, but it also makes overfeeding easy — monitor body condition closely.

Better natural hydration

Raw meat is around 70% water, compared to roughly 10% in dry kibble. Dogs eating raw food take in substantially more moisture from their food, which supports kidney function and urinary health.

More stable energy

Without the high-starch load of kibble, many raw-fed dogs show more consistent energy throughout the day rather than the spike-and-crash pattern that can follow a carbohydrate-heavy meal.

Safety and Risks

Raw feeding carries real risks. Understanding them is part of feeding responsibly.

Bacterial contamination

Raw meat can carry Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, and Listeria. Dogs handle bacterial loads better than humans do — their stomach pH is more acidic and their digestive tract shorter — but they can still get sick, and they can shed bacteria in their saliva and faeces. Households with children, elderly members, or immunocompromised people face meaningfully higher risk. Basic hygiene (separate surfaces, wash hands, refrigerate promptly) reduces but does not eliminate this risk.

Nutritional imbalance

Feeding only muscle meat is not nutritionally complete. Common deficiencies in poorly formulated DIY raw diets include iodine, manganese, zinc, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. Balance is achieved over time — across a week or a 14-day rotation — not within a single meal. Commercial raw foods labelled as 'complete' must meet AAFCO or FEDIAF standards.

Bone hazards

Cooked bones are brittle and splinter easily — they are a genuine emergency room risk and should never be fed. Raw bones fed correctly are much safer. Size the bone appropriately: a raw chicken wing is not suitable for a large dog, and a whole lamb shoulder is not appropriate for a small breed. Never leave a dog unsupervised with a bone.

Parasites

Raw meat can contain parasites including Toxoplasma and Sarcocystis. Freezing meat at -20°C (-4°F) for at least three days kills most parasites, though it does not eliminate bacteria. This is a standard precaution for pork, wild game, and fish in particular.

Want the full evidence review? Read the detailed breakdown on whether raw feeding is safe for dogs — covering bacterial risk, AVMA policy, and practical precautions.

When Not to Feed Raw

Raw feeding is not the right choice for every dog or every household. Talk to your veterinarian before starting if your dog has any of the following:

PancreatitisRaw diets tend to be high in fat, which can trigger flare-ups.
Kidney or liver diseaseHigh protein intake can place additional strain on compromised organs.
Cancer or chemotherapyImmunosuppression dramatically increases the risk from bacterial contamination.
Large-breed puppiesCalcium-to-phosphorus ratio is critical during rapid growth. An unbalanced raw diet can cause developmental bone problems. A DACVN-formulated recipe is strongly recommended.
Households with vulnerable membersInfants, elderly people, pregnant women, or anyone immunocompromised are at higher risk from pathogen exposure through pet handling.

Food Handling and Storage

Safe food handling is as important as the diet itself. These steps reduce bacterial risk without eliminating the benefits of feeding raw.

•Buy from human-grade sources where possible — pet-grade meat has looser sourcing standards.
•Freeze meat for at least 3 days before feeding to kill most parasites. Defrost in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
•Use dedicated cutting boards and bowls that do not touch human food prep surfaces.
•Wash hands, surfaces, and dog bowls with hot soapy water after every raw meal.
•Do not leave raw food out for more than 20–30 minutes. Discard anything uneaten.
•Store thawed raw meat in the fridge for no more than 2–3 days.

DIY Raw vs Commercial Raw

You do not have to build every meal from scratch. Commercial frozen raw diets — sold in patties, rolls, or nuggets — are formulated to meet AAFCO nutritional guidelines and are a practical option for beginners or for those who want the benefits of raw without the sourcing complexity.

DIY raw

• Lower cost — typically $1–3/lb from a butcher
• Full control over ingredient sourcing
• Requires nutritional knowledge to balance correctly
• More time to source, prep, and store

Commercial frozen raw

• Higher cost — typically $4–8/day for a 50 lb dog
• AAFCO-complete formulations available
• Easy to portion and serve
• Good starting point before moving to DIY

A common path: start with a quality commercial raw to learn what balanced meals look like, then transition to DIY once you understand the ratios and have reliable sourcing in place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Start by calculating your dog's daily amount using the 2–3% of body weight method (use our raw food calculator). Choose a single protein source — chicken is a common starting point. Feed only muscle meat for the first week to let your dog's digestive system adjust. Introduce raw bone in week two, then organ meat in week three. Expand to multiple protein sources once stools are consistently firm.

BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (sometimes Bones and Raw Food). Developed by veterinarian Ian Billinghurst, BARF uses a 70/10/10/10 ratio: 70% muscle meat, 10% edible raw bone, 10% organ meat (split 5% liver / 5% other secreting organs), and 10% plant matter (vegetables, fruit, seeds). The plant matter distinguishes BARF from the prey model approach.

Raw feeding carries real risks — primarily bacterial contamination (Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria) and nutritional imbalance if the diet is not correctly formulated. These risks are manageable with proper food-handling hygiene, sourcing from reputable suppliers, and periodic review by a veterinary nutritionist. See our dedicated article on raw feeding safety for a full evidence review.

Commonly reported benefits include improved coat quality, smaller and less odorous stools, better dental health from chewing raw meaty bones, higher palatability, and improved energy. Raw meat also contains around 70% moisture compared to kibble's 10%, which contributes to better hydration. The scientific evidence base is still limited — most studies are small or survey-based — but benefits appear real for many dogs.

Most dogs adjust within 2–4 weeks. The first 1–2 weeks often bring loose stools or increased mucus, which is a normal response as the gut microbiome recalibrates. A gradual transition starting with one protein at 100% raw tends to cause less digestive upset than mixing raw and kibble together. Watch your dog's stools — firm and slightly smaller than kibble stools is the goal.

A correctly formulated raw diet (muscle meat, bone, liver, secreting organs, plus plant matter for BARF) should meet most nutritional needs for healthy adult dogs without extra supplements. Common gaps include omega-3 fatty acids (add sardines, mackerel, or fish oil), vitamin D (if no fish or fish organs are fed), and iodine (if no fish, seaweed, or dairy is included). A board-certified veterinary nutritionist can assess your specific recipe.

Most adult dogs do well on two meals per day — split the daily total in half. Once-a-day feeding is also fine for healthy adults. Puppies need three meals daily up to around 6 months, then twice daily. Some raw feeders practice a weekly fast day (water only), which is optional and not recommended for puppies, seniors, or dogs with health conditions.

DIY raw sourced from a butcher or ethnic grocery typically costs $1–3 per pound, which works out to roughly $1–4 per day for a 50 lb dog. Commercial frozen raw (brands like Stella & Chewy's or Primal) runs $4–8 per day for the same dog. The cost difference is real but DIY requires more planning and nutritional knowledge. Starting with commercial raw then transitioning to DIY is a common middle path.

Raw feeding is not appropriate for dogs with pancreatitis (high fat load), severe kidney or liver disease (high protein load), or dogs undergoing chemotherapy (weakened immune system). Households with infants, elderly members, or immunocompromised people face higher contamination risk. Large-breed puppies need careful calcium control — an unbalanced raw diet during rapid growth can cause skeletal problems. In any of these situations, consult a veterinarian before starting.

About This Guide

Ratio guidelines are based on the BARF framework (Billinghurst, 1993) and the Prey Model Raw community standard. Nutritional completeness data is drawn from the NRC 2006 Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. Dental evidence references Marx FR et al. (2016), Vet Record. Safety guidance aligns with the AVMA raw pet foods policy.

This guide is for general informational purposes for healthy adult dogs. Dogs with health conditions should have dietary changes supervised by a veterinarian or board-certified veterinary nutritionist (DACVN).