Raw feeding has never been more popular — or more controversial. Proponents report shinier coats, cleaner teeth, smaller stools, and improved energy. Critics point to bacterial contamination risks and nutritional imbalances. The truth, as usual, is more nuanced than either camp acknowledges. This guide cuts through the noise.
What Is Raw Feeding?
Raw feeding means providing dogs with unprocessed, uncooked animal-based foods — primarily meat, raw meaty bones, and organs — that approximate what their wild ancestors ate. The two main frameworks are BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) and Prey Model Raw (PMR).
BARF vs Prey Model: The Key Difference
BARF includes 10% plant matter (vegetables, fruit, eggs, fermented dairy) on the basis that dogs are omnivores who benefit from plant-derived nutrients and prebiotics. PMR excludes all plant matter on the basis that dogs are carnivores and their digestive systems aren't designed to extract significant nutrition from plants. Both approaches use the same 80/10/10 or 70/10/10/10 framework for meat/bone/organ ratios.
Daily Raw Feeding Ratios
BARF Ratios (per day)
- 70% muscle meat (including heart, which counts as muscle)
- 10% raw edible bone (chicken necks, wings, carcasses — not weight-bearing bones)
- 10% secreting organ (5% liver + 5% other secreting organ: kidney, spleen, pancreas)
- 10% plant matter: vegetables, fruit, eggs, fermented dairy
PMR Ratios (per day)
- 80% muscle meat
- 10% raw edible bone
- 10% secreting organ (5% liver + 5% other)
How Much Raw Food Per Day?
The standard guideline is 2–3% of body weight for adult dogs:
- Low activity adult: 2% of body weight
- Moderate activity adult: 2.5% of body weight
- High activity adult: 3% of body weight
- Puppy (under 1 year): 5–8% of current body weight
- Senior: 1.5–2% of body weight
Use our Raw Dog Food Calculator to get exact grams broken down by component.
Protein Rotation: The Foundation of Balance
No single protein source provides complete nutrition when fed exclusively. Rotate through at least 4–5 protein sources weekly: chicken, beef, lamb, pork, turkey, rabbit, fish (sardines, mackerel). Each brings different amino acid profiles, fat ratios, and micronutrients.
Foods to Never Feed Raw
- Onions, garlic, leeks (Allium family — cause haemolytic anaemia)
- Grapes and raisins (cause acute kidney failure)
- Xylitol (found in sugar-free products — highly toxic)
- Macadamia nuts
- Cooked bones of any kind (splinter and cause internal injury)
- Pork (unless frozen for 3 weeks first to kill Trichinella parasites)
- Wild game without freezing (to kill parasites)
"Raw feeding done properly produces extraordinary results. Done improperly — with inconsistent protein ratios, missing organ meat, or no bone — it creates real nutritional deficiencies that take months to manifest but years to fully correct."
Transition: How to Switch to Raw
Don't switch overnight. Begin with a single protein (chicken is most digestible for beginners). For the first week, feed 80% current food + 20% raw at a separate meal. Second week: 50/50. Third week: 25% current + 75% raw. By week 4, most dogs are fully transitioned. Some sensitive dogs need a slower transition over 6–8 weeks.