Heather
New member
- Dec 13, 2025
- 7
- 15
I have fed raw for about 15 years . Ideally you want to feed 2% of ideal body weight . I got too wrapped up measuring everything early on . I keep Stan around 85-90 lbs , he gets around 2lbs of meat a day ( depending on activity) . Start out with one protein ( usually chicken ) large pieces like leg quarters , chicken halves , your dog will know what to do . You can add proteins ( pork, beef, turkey, lamb , fish etc ) one at a time to see how he / she does . If he gets 1.5 pounds today he may get 2.5 lbs tomorrow. Don’t get wrapped up too much on the numbers . I believe there is a formula 80% meat , 10% bone , 10% organ meat , which if you look at a whole chicken that’s approximately what it breaks down to . I haven’t really ever fed organ meat other than if I give a whole chicken or turkey , Stan will not eat livers , hearts, kidneys etc so I don’t bother. . Avoid large say beef ribs , they can be too hard and possibly crack a tooth . You can tinker with the amount based on weight/ activity. I do supplement CARNA4 kibble if I forget to defrost or can’t get to the store. The health of my dogs went way up after I switched to raw . Clean teeth , soft coat , some positive temperament changes in one dog, significant decrease in vet bills . . I know there are several books on the subject , and I’m sure a Reddit thread . Always supervise your dog when eating , even kibble. While I only once had a dog , seem to have a hard time choking , by the time I got to her she had got it down. I’ve seen dogs choke on kibble so you should supervise your dog either way . It can be a little nerve wracking at first , but you will get the hang of it, try to not get too wrapped up in the numbers . There are some raw feeders that “ gorge” feed by feeding the dogs total weekly food quantity once a week , as in nature a canid may only take down prey once a week . I have done this to a degree usually on thanksgiving with a small whole turkey but it wasn’t appealing to me . There is way more info out there than 15 years ago and there are a lot of vets that now approve of raw . Keep it simple , don’t obsess with the numbers , you will know by their weight if they need more food ( active dogs ) or less ( couch potatoes) and adjust accordingly. Always Do what you feel comfortable with and do some research of your own. I hope this is helpful.
