Raw Feeding for Dogs: The Beginner’s Complete Guide

Dogs · Raw Feeding  |  5–6 min read

“A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal.” — Proverbs 12:10

Raw feeding for dogs has moved well beyond niche. Thousands of pet owners worldwide have transitioned their dogs to raw diets and documented remarkable changes in health, coat condition, digestion and energy. But for someone just starting out, it can feel overwhelming — and the conflicting information online doesn’t help.

This guide cuts through the noise. Everything you actually need to know to start raw feeding your dog correctly, safely and sustainably.

What Is Raw Feeding?

Raw feeding — most commonly structured around the BARF model (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) or the Prey Model Raw (PMR) approach — is the practice of feeding dogs a diet built from raw, unprocessed animal-based foods.

Rather than relying on a manufactured kibble that has been cooked, extruded and supplemented to meet nutritional standards, raw feeding aims to provide nutrition in the form your dog’s digestive system is biologically designed to process: raw meat, raw meaty bones and organ tissue.

The BARF Ratio: Building a Balanced Raw Meal

The most widely used framework for raw feeding is the BARF ratio, which provides a macronutrient template based on what whole prey would provide:

70% muscle meat  ·  10% raw meaty bone  ·  10% organ (5% liver, 5% other secreting organ)  ·  10% plant matter (vegetables, some fruit, seeds)

This ratio is a starting framework, not a rigid rule. Individual dogs may need adjustments based on age, breed, health status and activity level. A working dog has very different requirements from a senior companion breed.

Protein Sources: Build in Variety

Rotating between multiple protein sources is one of the most important principles in raw feeding. Variety provides a broader nutrient profile, reduces the risk of developing sensitivities to a single protein, and keeps meals nutritionally interesting for your dog.

Common and accessible protein sources include chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, pork (excluding pork fat in large quantities), rabbit, venison and fish. Starting with two or three proteins and rotating them weekly works well for most beginners.

If your dog has a known food sensitivity, start with a novel protein they’ve never eaten before and introduce others one at a time, with two to three weeks between introductions.

Raw Meaty Bones: What’s Safe and What Isn’t

Raw meaty bones serve two functions: they provide calcium and phosphorus in the correct ratio, and they provide mechanical dental cleaning. Appropriate bones for dogs include chicken frames, chicken wings, chicken necks (for medium to large dogs), turkey necks, lamb necks, lamb ribs and beef ribs.

Always supervise bone eating, particularly when starting out. Remove a bone if your dog attempts to swallow large pieces whole rather than chewing. Never give cooked bones — cooking makes bones brittle and dangerous. Very hard weight-bearing bones like knuckles and marrow bones from large animals can fracture teeth and should be used cautiously.

Organs: Small Quantities, Big Nutritional Impact

Organ meat is the most nutrient-dense component of a raw diet. Liver is particularly powerful — rich in vitamin A, B12, folate, iron and copper — but it must be fed in controlled amounts. Too much liver causes vitamin A toxicity. Five percent of the total diet by weight is the generally accepted upper limit for liver.

Other secreting organs — kidney, spleen, testicle, pancreas and brain — provide a different but equally important nutrient profile and should make up the other five percent of the organ portion.

Do Raw-Fed Dogs Need Supplements?

A well-varied raw diet built across multiple proteins and including appropriate bone and organ ratios generally meets most of a healthy dog’s nutritional requirements. However, a few areas commonly benefit from supplementation:

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil or whole oily fish such as sardines and mackerel) are important for dogs eating predominantly land-based proteins — particularly for skin, coat and inflammatory balance. Vitamin E is sometimes supplemented alongside high omega-3 intake. Kelp or iodine-containing foods address iodine, which raw meat alone does not reliably provide.

Dogs with specific health conditions may have additional supplementation needs beyond a standard raw diet. If your dog has kidney disease, liver disease, joint issues or any chronic condition, work with a holistic practitioner to tailor their diet appropriately.

Food Safety When Handling Raw

Basic food hygiene applies: wash hands and surfaces after handling raw meat, use separate chopping boards, defrost in the fridge rather than at room temperature, and do not leave uneaten raw food in the bowl for extended periods. Most dogs will eat their meal within minutes — if yours regularly leaves food, reduce the portion size.

How to Transition Your Dog to Raw

For most healthy adult dogs, a cold turkey switch works well — simply stop the kibble and start the raw. Some dogs do better with a gradual transition over one to two weeks, particularly if they have a sensitive digestive system or have been on kibble their entire life.

Expect soft stools for a few days as the digestive system adjusts. This is normal and typically resolves within a week. If diarrhoea persists beyond two weeks, slow the transition and consider introducing a digestive probiotic to support gut microbiome adjustment.

Get the Portions Right from Day One

Our free Raw Feeding Calculator calculates the correct daily amount and BARF ratios for your specific dog based on their weight, age and activity level. No login, no payment — just accurate guidance from day one.

If you’d like to track your dog’s nutritional intake across 24 key nutrients as you build their raw meals, Canine NutriCraft™ gives you a structured monthly planning tool from N$ 149 /month — including meal planning, portion tracking and nutrient gap identification.

And if you’re transitioning a dog with a chronic health condition, Canine Health NutriCraft™ provides therapeutic raw feeding guidance for kidney disease, liver disease and pancreatitis — from N$199/month.

Raw feeding is not complicated. It does take intentionality — and that intentionality is an act of love. 🌿