It is known that raw feeding your dog has fantastic health benefits. However, few people know how much raw dog food they should feed their dog, and it’s important to get the balance right – especially when switching from dry dog food such as kibble.
In this article, we’ll answer the question, ‘how much raw food should I feed my dog?’ and give you our expert advice on improving your dog’s health through a raw diet.
How Much Raw Food To Feed A Puppy
To get right into it, the amount of raw food you give your dog will depend largely on its size and age.
In theory, a puppy will require less food than an adult dog as it’s smaller. However, as they grow, they will need extra nutrients to encourage strength in their bones and muscles, meaning you’ll often have to give a puppy twice the amount you would like an adult dog!
There is no specific amount of food to serve a puppy because all breeds come in different shapes and sizes and have specific requirements. This is why having a nutrition guide for your puppy is important in understanding the benefits they can get from raw food and ensuring you serve them a balanced diet. For example, they need:
- Protein
- Calcium
- Fat
- Phosphorous
The amount of raw food you serve should come from this – ensuring that they get a little bit of everything each day.
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Serving Suggestion
We recommend serving a puppy 3-4 times a day until they reach 12 months of age, then beginning to cut down to 2 meals a day, as they will eat as an adult dog. They’ll need more food for energy when they’re younger and quickly use the nutrients to grow, play and learn their limits. Their metabolism will slow as they age, meaning they won’t need as much food to keep them going.
How Much Raw Food To Feed An Adult Dog
As mentioned in the above section, an adult dog rarely needs more than two raw meals a day to keep them going strong. This may vary between breed and lifestyle. For example, a large working dog may require an extra meal to keep their energy levels up and compensate for the large amount of exercise they’re doing.
You can usually figure out if you feed your dog too little or too much from their moods and weight. For example, if you are underfeeding your dog and exercising a lot, you may find it drops weight and becomes tired very easily. However, If in doubt or if your pet has any specific requirements, it is always best to consult a vet for advice and a nutrition plan.
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Serving Suggestion
Two full raw meals a day.
What Are The Benefits Of Raw Dog Food?
If you’re considering switching to raw food, you may wonder what the nutritional benefits are. Some of the main benefits include:
- Regulates digestion
- Helps teething/keeping teeth sharp and healthy
- Boosts immunity
- Creates a shinier, softer coat
- Regulating metabolism
- Improves emotional health
- Helps brain functions
All these things are improved by starting your dog on a raw diet.
Raw Food Vs Dry Food For Dogs
While dry dog food is okay for your dog, you’ll find that a lot of opportunities for nutrition should be noticed by dry foods like kibble. The benefit of dry food is that it takes zero preparation and can be stored easily. Raw food requires a little more work; however, its benefits outweigh its costs when giving your dog a healthy diet.
Kibble is often packed with filler ingredients such as potato, which dogs have no biological need for. While it may fill them up, they won’t get the protein or fat they need, and they may struggle to digest it, as their systems aren’t meant for such foods.
While raw food may, in theory, seem more expensive – in the long run, it’s better than having to pay vets bills for the digestive issues caused by unnatural dry food diets.
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When Should I Start To Feed My Dog Raw Food?
Now that we’ve answered the question of ‘how much raw food should I feed my dog?’ and gone over some of the benefits, it’s time to think about timing.
Simply put, there’s no time like the present to switch to a raw diet with an adult dog. Begin by swapping one of their meals for raw food and gradually introduce it to all meals.
If you have a new puppy, we recommend starting them on raw food as soon as possible to see the full benefits of the diet. Raw foods tend to be soft, so they should have no issue digesting them.
