How much raw food should I feed my dog
Feeding your dog the right amount of food every day should never be a guessing game. A dog’s nutritional needs will generally depend on their size, time of life and level of activity and our feeding calculator can provide an all-important guide based on those factors. When it comes to raw feeding, over 40 years of feeding thousands of dogs from all over the UK our protein-rich, all-natural and nutritious recipes means we have a pretty good idea how to work out the optimum amount. So, you can feed our NAKEDDOG recipes with confidence!
How much raw food does my dog need every day?
Many owners still ‘guesstimate’ how much food to give to their dog, but this can be very unreliable, especially as we are more likely to be overgenerous and give them too much food rather than too little. Establishing good feeding habits at an early age paves the way for a healthier, happy dog that’s less likely to become overweight, so having a well-balanced diet that incorporates strict portion control is important. By the time your dog is fully grown (usually about 1 year to 18 months – depending on the breed), you should be feeding about 2 or 3% of their body weight in raw food each day.
Remember that (just like humans!) some dogs will need a little less, and others a little more. You know your dog better than anyone else. For example, a big working dog may need a top up if they have been particularly active. Sometimes your dog might seem hungrier when the weather turns colder (those chilly winter walks can burn up extra calories). Likewise, a senior dog who prefers to spend more time lounging around than lunging on the lead may need a little less as they become less frisky.
If you need our expert guidance, check out this handy feeding calculator we’ve created.
How can I tell if my dog is a healthy weight?
Unless you have some walk-on scales - like the ones you find at the vets - weighing your dog is always going to be a challenge! Cramming your Labrador onto the bathroom scales is never going to end well and it’s unlikely even the dinkiest chihuahua is going fit onto the kitchen scales - so use your hands instead.
1. First gently run your hand along to the base of your dog’s tail. The skin should be smooth with no build-up of fat you can feel.
2. Can you see your dog’s waist? You should be able to. Look from above and from both sides as well.
3. Feel under your dog’s tummy. It should go in beneath the ribcage, not bulge outwards.
4. Run your hands along your dog’s back. You should be able to feel the spine and hip bones under the skin without being able to see them.
5. Finally, run your hands along your dog’s sides. The skin should move freely over the ribs, which you should also be able to feel.
Am I feeding enough raw food to my dog?
Because it is so high in protein, compared to many kibble feeds that are often bulked out with fillers, a portion of NAKED may look smaller in volume. But rest assured that our nutrition is dense! As long as your dog is getting the right amount of protein for them (our feeding guide and video will help you work that out), they’ll be getting all the goodness their bodies need to run on and thrive.
If you’ve made the switch from kibble, it’s also completely normal for your dog to seem a bit hungry at first. They may just need time to adjust because bodies that get used to carbs (kibble usually contains fillers) feel hungry when switching to protein/fat as primary fuel. Raw food also moves through the system quicker than kibble, which can make some dogs feel empty sooner.
One remedy is to split their daily raw intake into 2-3 smaller meals throughout the day to start with. Slow feeders that extend mealtimes for those faster eaters can also help. Check for boredom too – sometimes dogs just act hungry out of habit and can be distracted by a quick play or a bit of extra attention!
Can I feed raw food to my puppy?
Puppies aged 0-3 weeks should be drinking their mother’s milk to obtain essential nutrients and fatty acids, enzymes and gut microbiome. However, once they hit the age of 3-4 weeks, they’ll need 3 meals a day and raw is the perfect choice for the best start in life. As a guide, you’ll want to feed around 8% of their body weight to begin with. NAKEDDOG puppy food is minced very finely for little tummies but still make sure you mash the food up thoroughly - they are beginners after all!
When your puppy is 12 weeks old, you should be able to start reducing the amount of raw food you feed to about 6% of their body weight. But as we’ve said here, all dogs are
different, so always keep your eye on your puppy’s weight.
NAKEDDOG has a variety of expertly formulated NAKEDPUP raw food recipes so that you can introduce your pup to different proteins and flavours like Chicken, Beef, Rabbit and Surf and Turf. Our recipes are 90% meat, and slightly higher protein and fat than our usual NAKEDDOG raw food recipes to support the energy requirements of puppies. They also contain chicory root, which is great for building digestive health.
Is raw food safe for my puppy?
We can answer this with confidence – YES.
Every tray of NAKEDDOG raw food is UK Pet Food certified, which means it reaches the very highest standard for the production of raw pet food, which covers manufacturing plant design and maintenance, supplier assurance, safe product formulation, full traceability systems, safe handling, quality checks, microbiological testing, a programme of internal auditing, HACCP, staff training and labelling compliance.
How often should dogs eat?
Most experts, including the Kennel Club and the Dog’s Trust, recommend feeding twice a day. As a general rule, we find that leaving 8-12 hours between feeds works well for most dogs and it’s essential to remember with raw never to leave food out all day as it could gather bacteria– although the likelihood of you not seeing a clean bowl after every mealtime is fairly remote! The palatability with raw food is very high, which is another reason it’s an increasingly popular feeding choice – even more so if your dog is a fussy eater.
Can I mix raw food with dry food?
NAKEDDOG Original, Superfoods and PUP recipes are all balanced and complete, which means they contain every nutritional element your dog needs. NAKEDDOG Pure recipes are purely meat (no fruit or veg), as some owners like to add their own extras.
In an ideal world, we’d always say feed raw on its own. But we also know it isn’t always possible to feed raw full-time for a whole list of reasons. We believe that even if your dog gets a taste of raw goodness once a week, a few times a month or every now and then, it’s a health benefit for them (and they really love the taste!)
The bottom line? Some raw is better than none at all. If you are mixed feeding though, just keep strict tabs on your quantities, so that your dog does not end up overfed…and overweight.
Why does my dog drink less water on a raw diet?
If you’ve noticed that you dog is drinking less on a raw diet, this is quite common. Because our food contains only raw meat (plus fresh fruit and vegetables if it’s one of our NAKEDDOG Original recipes), it has a higher moisture content than dry food – roughly 70% compared to 10%. So, because your dog is getting so much hydration from their food, you may find they drink less from the water bowl.
Always keep their water bowl topped up with clean, fresh water regardless though. If you have any other concerns about their water drinking habits, we’d always recommend checking with your vet.
Should I feed my dog treats?
The buzzword for feeding our NAKEDDOG treats – as it should be with any treat – will always be… moderation! Treats are an important part of training and rewards, we’d just recommend they never account for more than 10% of your dog’s daily calories. And that’s where our healthy treats come in handy.
NAKEDDOG raw dog treats are a natural, nutritious way to reward your dog while supporting their health and happiness. Made from 100% natural ingredients- no grains, additives, or preservatives – they complement a raw food diet and help maintain dental, joint and digestive health.
Of course, we understand that you probably don’t fancy carrying a raw sprat or duck’s foot around on your next dog walk, so we stock a range of more pocket-friendly air-dried meaty treats too.
We’re ready to answer any more of your raw feeding questions, just drop us an email at info@nakeddograw.co.uk or DM direct via our socials at @nakeddograw.