What is Raw Feeding?
Raw Feeding Guide
Everything You Need to Know About Raw Dog Food
Raw feeding doesn’t need to feel complicated. This guide explains what raw dog food is, the different ways to feed it, how much your dog may need and how to make the switch.
You’ll also find practical guidance on complete and complementary diets, potential benefits, feeding puppies and older dogs, food hygiene and choosing suitable raw food for your dog.
The Short Answer
What Is Raw Feeding?
Raw feeding means giving your dog a diet made from fresh, uncooked ingredients, typically including meat, offal and bone. Some raw diets also contain fruit, vegetables, oils and other ingredients.
Why do Dog Owners Choose Raw Feeding?
A growing number of dog owners are choosing to feed their companions a natural, minimally processed diet with clear ingredients and no unnecessary additives. This approach harks back to a time before commercial foods such as kibble and canned food, when dogs consumed raw, animal-based foods.
Modern raw meat-based diets are inspired by what dogs’ ancestors would have eaten as carnivorous scavengers. The aim is to provide a species-appropriate diet built around meat, bone and offal while meeting the nutritional requirements of today’s dogs.
Complete or Complementary Raw Dog Food?
Raw dog food can be prepared at home or purchased as commercially prepared meals. Commercial raw food may be labelled as either complete or complementary. Complete food provides the nutrients your dog needs when fed as directed, while complementary food must be combined with other suitable foods to create a balanced diet.
For most owners, commercially prepared complete raw dog food offers the simplest way to start because the meals are already formulated, portioned and ready to defrost and serve.
Raw Feeding Approaches
What Are the Different Raw Feeding Models?
There are several ways to feed a raw diet. Two of the best-known approaches are the 80-10-10 model and the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food—or BARF—model.
These models describe the types and proportions of ingredients used, but a particular ratio does not automatically make a food nutritionally complete. Always check whether commercially prepared raw dog food is labelled as complete or complementary.
80-10-10
The 80-10-10 Model
The 80-10-10 model, sometimes called the prey model, is designed to approximate the proportions found in a whole prey animal such as rabbits or rodents. The idea being that dogs should eat a similar diet to what they evolved to eat.
A typical 80-10-10 meal contains:
- 80% Muscle Meat: This can include ingredients such as beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, fish or venison which provide essential proteins and amino acids
- 10% Raw Bone: This supplies key minerals including calcium and phosphorus, can contribute to good dental health and offer mental stimulation
- 10% Offal: Typically 5% liver and 5% another secreting organ, such as kidney or spleen. Offal is nutrient dense and contribute vital vitamins, minerals and enzymes to a dogs diet.
Although the ratio provides a useful foundation, it does not by itself guarantee that every essential nutrient is present in the correct amount. Owners should check whether a prepared 80-10-10 product is complete or complementary.
BARF
The Barf Model
BARF commonly stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. This approach combines the 80-10-10 format of raw meat, bone and offal with additional ingredients such as fruit, vegetables, oils and other carefully selected foods.
The proportions vary between brands and recipes. These additional ingredients may provide fibre, variety and nutrients from plant-based sources, but the complete nutritional value still depends on how the overall recipe has been formulated.
As with any raw feeding model, check whether the food is labelled as complete or complementary and follow the manufacturer’s feeding instructions.
The 80-10-10 Model
The 80-10-10 model, sometimes called the prey model, is designed to approximate the proportions found in a whole prey animal such as rabbits or rodents. The idea being that dogs should eat a similar diet to what they evolved to eat.
A typical 80-10-10 meal contains:
- 80% Muscle Meat: This can include ingredients such as beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, fish or venison which provide essential proteins and amino acids
- 10% Raw Bone: This supplies key minerals including calcium and phosphorus, can contribute to good dental health and offer mental stimulation
- 10% Offal: Typically 5% liver and 5% another secreting organ, such as kidney or spleen. Offal is nutrient dense and contribute vital vitamins, minerals and enzymes to a dogs diet.
Although the ratio provides a useful foundation, it does not by itself guarantee that every essential nutrient is present in the correct amount. Owners should check whether a prepared 80-10-10 product is complete or complementary.
The Barf Model
BARF commonly stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. This approach combines the 80-10-10 format of raw meat, bone and offal with additional ingredients such as fruit, vegetables, oils and other carefully selected foods.
The proportions vary between brands and recipes. These additional ingredients may provide fibre, variety and nutrients from plant-based sources, but the complete nutritional value still depends on how the overall recipe has been formulated.
As with any raw feeding model, check whether the food is labelled as complete or complementary and follow the manufacturer’s feeding instructions.
Why Owners Choose Raw
Benefits of Raw Feeding
One of the most obvious benefits of feeding a raw meat-based diet is its use of natural, minimally processed ingredients. Many raw dog foods are made without artificial additives or preservatives and are preserved simply by freezing.
Whether homemade or commercially prepared, raw feeding gives you clear visibility of the ingredients in your dog’s meals. This means you know exactly what your dog is eating and can make it easier to identify and avoid particular ingredients when managing an exclusion diet.
Heres some of the benefits of feeding a raw diet
Making the Switch
How Do I Start Raw Feeding My Dog?
Switching your dog to a raw diet can seem daunting at first, especially if they are older or have eaten the same food for a long time, however the benefits of feeding your dog a raw diet make it worthwhile.
Many dogs adjust well to a direct switch, where their existing food is replaced with complete raw dog food from their next meal. Other dogs may benefit from a gradual change over three to five days, increasing the amount of raw food while reducing their previous food.
Before starting, choose an appropriate complete raw food and calculate your dog’s daily feeding amount. Introduce new recipes gradually, keep their meals consistent initially and monitor their appetite, stools, weight and body condition as they adjust.
The Big Question
When Should I Start Feeding a Raw Diet?
A suitable raw diet can be fed from weaning through adulthood and into a dog’s senior years. However, nutritional requirements change throughout life, so the food must be complete and appropriate for the dog’s age and stage of development.
Raw Feeding Puppies
Puppies can start eating suitable raw food during weaning. Our Puppy Weaning Paste provides a soft introduction to solid food, while our complete Paleo Puppy range has been specifically developed to support puppies during growth and development.
Read the Puppy GuideRaw Feeding Adult Dogs
Adult dogs can be fed complete raw dog food as their main daily diet. We offer a wide selection of recipes across our Essentials, Classic and Paleo Plus ranges, with different recipes and pack sizes to suit every dog.
Shop Raw Dog FoodRaw Feeding Senior Dogs
It is never too late to start raw feeding. Our Paleo Senior range has been developed specifically for older dogs, alongside a wider selection of recipes suitable for seniors. Introduce changes at a pace that suits your dog and seek veterinary advice if they have an existing health condition.
Shop Senior FoodDaily Feeding Amounts
How Much Raw Should I Feed My Dog?
As a starting guide, we recommend feeding adult dogs approximately 2–3% of their ideal body weight per day. Puppies generally require around 5–6% of their current body weight, although their needs change frequently as they grow.
The right feeding amount will vary according to your dog’s age, size, activity level, metabolism and body condition. Active and working dogs may require more food, while less active dogs may need a smaller portion.
Use these percentages as a starting point rather than a fixed rule. Monitor your dog’s weight and body condition, adjust portions gradually and follow the feeding instructions provided with their food.
A 25kg adult dog fed at 2–3% would start with approximately 500–750g of raw food per day.
Quality and Food Safety
Is Raw Dog Food Safe?
Preparing and serving raw dog food requires the same care as handling raw meat when preparing food for yourself. The UK raw pet food industry is regulated, but good hygiene, safe storage and correct handling remain essential.
Keep raw dog food frozen until required and defrost it in a covered container in the fridge. Wash your hands after handling it, thoroughly clean bowls, utensils and preparation surfaces, and discard uneaten food as soon as reasonably practical.
Freezing helps preserve raw food, but it does not remove every potential microorganism. This is why careful sourcing, controlled production, independent testing and good hygiene throughout the supply chain are so important.
At Paleo Ridge, we work with trusted suppliers that meet our ethical and quality standards. Our ISO 9001 certification, RawSAFE approval, independent testing and full ingredient traceability demonstrate our commitment to producing consistently high-quality raw dog food.
Continue Your Raw Feeding Journey
About Paleo Ridge Raw Dog Food
Paleo Ridge Raw is an Award-winning UK raw dog food company that aims to consistently provide outstanding quality products by only using ingredients of the highest quality with a firm commitment to ethically sourced, high welfare, human-grade ingredients.
We believe that a raw diet is what’s best for dogs and so our pre-made and DIY product ranges are designed to make raw feeding as easy and convenient as possible for pet owners. With products that follow the 80-10-10 and the BARF raw dog food models, there is something for everyone.
Find a Pro Raw Feeding Vet Near You
All vets will recommend a complete and balanced diet to ensure that your dog gets all the essential nutrients they need to thrive. At Paleo Ridge, we work closely with vets and pet nutritionists to formulate meals that are highly nutritious and comply with the FEDIAF guidelines.
See the list of UK vets that support raw feeding.