Raw feeders usually portion by body weight rather than calories: an adult dog gets about 2 to 3 percent of its ideal body weight in raw food a day, and a growing puppy a larger share of its current weight that falls as it matures. The common home-prepared split is 80/10/10 — 80 percent muscle meat, 10 percent raw edible bone and 10 percent organ, half of which is liver. This calculator does that arithmetic. It is a convention used by raw feeders, not a veterinary formula, so it comes with an honest set of caveats.
For adults, 2.5 percent of ideal weight is the usual starting point, 2 percent for less active or older dogs and those that need to lose weight, and 3 percent for very active or working dogs. Use the weight your dog should be, not its current weight if it is overweight.
For puppies, the calculator uses a share of current weight that steps down with age: about 8 percent under four months, 6 percent from four to six months, 5 percent to nine months, and 4 percent to a year. Reweigh weekly. Large-breed puppies need particular care, because both overfeeding and an incorrect calcium balance are associated with developmental bone and joint problems.
Whatever the percentage says, body condition decides. If you can no longer feel the ribs easily, cut back by about a tenth; if they are prominent, feed more. Our dog food calculator gives a calorie figure you can cross-check against the calorie content of your raw products.
Meat, bone and organ alone do not reliably meet a dog's needs. Home-made raw diets analysed in published studies have frequently been found unbalanced — commonly in calcium to phosphorus ratio, vitamin D, vitamin E, zinc and essential fatty acids. The fix is a recipe formulated by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, or a commercial raw food labelled complete and balanced for your dog's life stage.
Liver is included at 5 percent because it is very rich in vitamin A, and too much over time causes vitamin A toxicity. Heart is nutritionally a muscle meat, not a secreting organ.
The American Veterinary Medical Association and the US Food and Drug Administration both advise against feeding raw meat to pets because of bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria, which can make dogs ill and can pass to the people in the household — a particular concern with young children, older people, pregnant people and anyone with a weakened immune system.
If you feed raw, handle it as you would raw meat for your own kitchen: defrost in the fridge, keep it separate, wash bowls and surfaces with hot soapy water after every meal, wash your hands, and do not let the dog lick faces after eating. Cooked bones are never safe — they splinter.
Change gradually over about a week, and talk to your vet first if your dog has any health condition, is a puppy, is pregnant or is on medication. Some owners find the biggest benefit of raw feeding is simply knowing exactly what goes in the bowl — which a good commercial food can also offer.
About 2 to 3 percent of ideal body weight a day for an adult — 2.5 percent is a common starting point. A 50 lb dog would get about 1.25 lb (20 oz) a day. Adjust to body condition over the following weeks.
More in proportion to its weight than an adult: around 8 percent of current weight under four months, dropping to about 4 percent by nine to twelve months, split across three or four meals. Large-breed puppies should be fed under veterinary guidance because of the risk of developmental joint problems.
A home-prepared split of 80 percent muscle meat, 10 percent raw edible bone and 10 percent organ, of which half is liver and half another secreting organ such as kidney or spleen. On its own it is not guaranteed to be complete and balanced.
It carries a documented risk of bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria, for the dog and for the household, which is why the AVMA and FDA advise against it. If you feed raw, strict kitchen hygiene and a complete, balanced recipe reduce the risks.