A guide on how much raw food to feed a dog.

What is a healthy raw food diet for dogs?

We can’t dive into how much raw food to feed a dog before understanding what a healthy raw food diet really is. A healthy raw food diet is made up of ground raw meat, organ meats, bone and in some instances veggies. Raw food mimics the natural prey diet – anything a dog would have eaten in the wild. This approach to a dog’s diet is typically unproblematic to their digestive systems and leads to healthy benefits such as shinier coats, fresher breath and less poop for the humans to scoop.

We are also Bold advocates on protein rotation. Rotating your dog’s proteins not only adds variety to their diet, but ensures they are getting all the necessary nutrients needed that some proteins may not offer. For example, you could feed beef for their first meal and turkey for their second. You wouldn’t eat the same thing everyday and chances are your dog doesn’t want to. 

Always ensure you’ve done your own research on raw food as not all raw dog food is created equal. Our raw recipes are full of Bold flavour and promote your pet’s overall wellness because of the care we take right from our kitchen. Our raw recipes only use wholesome ingredients to help keep your dog healthy– we care about what you’re feeding your pets just as if they were our own.

How much raw food to feed a dog?

If you’ve decided that a raw diet is good for your dog, we recommend watching your dog’s body weight and adjusting accordingly when figuring out how much raw food to feed a dog. Depending on what life stage your dog is in or even what season you’re feeding in you may need to adjust how much you’re feeding. The amount of food is based on various factors including how active your dog is. If you have a couch-potato-pooch, chances are you’ll feed them less than a Border Collie who is constantly begging to play at the dog park.

Here’s a guide on how much raw food to feed your dog:

Average adult dogs- we recommend 2.5% of their ideal body weight.

Active adult dogs– we recommend 3% of their ideal body weight.

Underweight dogs– we recommend 3% of their ideal body weight.

Overweight dogs– we recommend 2% of their ideal body weight.

Senior dogs– we recommend 2% of their ideal weight.

When it comes to puppies, you will want to feed them 2-2.5% of their estimated adult weight.  Try these guidelines if you’re stuck:

3 months or younger– 8% of their current weight.

4-6 months–6% of their current weight.

6-9 months–4% of their current weight. 

9+ months– 2.5% of their current weight.

Always watch your dog’s body weight closely. We can provide feeding guidelines but they are not an exact science as every dog has different individual needs.  If they’re losing or gaining weight you may need to adjust the amounts you feed. We also recommend talking to your holistic veterinarian if you have any questions.

What factors affect how much raw food to feed a dog?

A wide variety of factors can affect how much raw food to feed a dog. From the weather outside, to their breed. According to the American Kennel Club, here are some factors to consider when feeding your fluffier half:

1. Type of breed.
Your dog’s breed is one factor to consider when figuring how much to feed. If you have a breed full of energy such as an Australian Shepherd, their highly active lifestyle may need more calories versus a more low-key breed such as Pug or a bulldog.

2. Dog size.
Similarly to breed, feeding may need to be adjusted based on your dog’s size. Did you know smaller dogs actually needed more calories per pound due to their fast metabolism? That’s just one instance when figuring out which protein and how much you should be feeding your pet.

Always talk to your holistic veterinarian if you have any questions surrounding your pet’s body weight and raw food.

How many times a day to feed a dog raw food?

Your four-legged best friend might disagree but we and Holistic Vet Dr. Jean Hofve recommends two meal times a day for adult dogs. For our puppies up to eight months, try feeding them 3-4 times in the day. 

We can’t stress enough that paying close attention to your dog’s weight will be a key factor in ensuring your pet is getting enough or too much food. A couple of ways to check their weight would be to weigh them once or twice a week and recording their weight or physically checking with your hands. You’ll want to feel for hips and ribs to track if they are gaining or losing weight. As always, please have regular check-ins with your holistic veterinarian.