Raw Food for Dogs Feeding Regimen

You already know that the better alternative to processed dog food are raw food. You’ve decided to give your dog this type of diet, and are raring to start out. The only question is, how much food do you give your dog?

Too little and your pet may end up starved and malnourished. Too much and it may overeat or have leftovers which will be a real waste considering the cost. To ensure that you do not end up in this type of situation you will need to give the right amount of raw food for your dogs.

According to Dr. Billinghurst who is the pioneer for raw food feeding for dogs, it is recommended that your dog receive 60% raw meat and bones and 40% should be vegetables and others. However, this is not a strict proportion to follow; you may adjust it according to what your dog needs.

Most pet owners who have been using raw food for dogs would recommend making use of half a pound of raw food for every twenty five pounds that your dog weighs. An easier way to determine this is to actually compute your dog’s daily intake.

To compute the amount raw food for dogs, follow these steps:

  1. Convert your dog’s weight into ounces. To go from pounds to ounces multiply the value by 16.
  2. You will need to get the amount that is equal to 2% of your dog’s total weight. Multiply your dog’s weight in ounces by 0.02 to get 2% of its weight.
  3. To get 60% of the raw meat and bones, multiply the 2% weight amount by 0.6.
  4. To get 40% of the vegetables and others, multiply the 2% weight amount by 0.4.

The last two amounts are what you should be following in terms of the number of ounces that you will be giving your dog. If you are not following the standard 60-40 division then adjust the amount you will be multiplying (i.e. 2% weight amount x .75 etc.).

Remember that this is not a strict computation and neither is it a strict amount which you should follow. Always remember to take your dog into consideration since it will be the one getting the food. If your dog still seems hungry or lacking in energy, then you may increase the amount of food to be given. This is especially true for dogs that do a lot of physical activity throughout the day or are more active than others.

After determining how much raw food for dogs you should be making or giving, another concern may be how often to give this. Some will say that you should feed your dogs once, some twice, but it will really actually depend on how your dog takes to this new type of diet. If you decide to feed your dog twice or thrice a day, then just divide the daily recommended amount. Some dog owners even fast their dog once every 7-10 days to get a real feel of the natural feeding cycle, but this is not necessary.