What is 80:10:10 Raw Dog Food?

The 80:10:10 raw dog food model is a raw diet designed to replicate the makeup of small prey animals like birds and rabbits which dogs and their ancestors evolved to eat in the wild. This diet comprises 80% lean meat, 10% raw bone and 10% offal ensuring dogs get all the nutrients they need to thrive.

• 80% Muscle Meat: This includes a wide range of meats such as chicken, turkey, fish, lamb, beef, duck, pork or venison, which provide essential proteins and amino acids.
  
• 10% Offal (Organ Meat): Organ meats, 5% liver and 5% secreting organs (like kidney, heart, and spleen) are nutrient-dense and contribute vital vitamins, minerals, and enzymes to a dog’s diet.
  
• 10% Bone: Raw bones provide essential minerals, contribute to good dental health, and can offer mental stimulation. The bones fed can be any bone, including bones from chicken, duck, beef and lamb.

According to the FEDIAF nutritional guidelines, complete dog food is food that sufficiently meets the daily nutritional needs of a dog.

Complete dog food must contain the four essential nutrient groups dogs need to live a healthy life.

• Proteins: Proteins help with muscle development and many important body functions. It is an essential nutrient that produces energy and builds the solid structures of the body like the skin, muscles, nails and bones. Great sources of protein include chicken, turkey, fish and beef.
• Fats: Healthy fats like Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to regulate body temperature, promote a healthy nervous system and develop healthy skin and shiny coats. Oily fish, bone marrow and duck are healthy sources of fat.
• Vitamins: Vitamins A, D, E, B2, B7 & K are essential for growth and maintaining general good health. Sources of vitamins include fish and offal.
• Minerals: There are two types of minerals macrominerals and microminerals. Macrominerals are minerals needed in large quantities while microminerals are needed in small quantities. Like vitamins, minerals are essential in maintaining proper metabolic functions in a healthy dog from transporting oxygen to building strong bones. Excellent sources of minerals include raw meaty bones, muscle meats and offal.

Although many believe dogs require carbohydrates as part of a complete and balanced meal, this is not true. As carnivores, dogs have evolved to extract energy from protein and fats. Feeding carbohydrates introduces sugars in the form of glucose. If left unchecked, it could result in obesity and other health issues. Read our article on Your Dog the Carnivore to learn more.

Companies like Paleo Ridge make it easy to feed a complete and balanced meal by providing carefully designed premade products so you know you're feeding what's best for them. It is important to understand what nutrients your dog needs and their sources, how much to feed them and how often to feed them.

What to Feed Your Dog

The easiest way to ensure your dog is fed a healthy raw diet is to feed them a variety of proteins (muscle meats) as different proteins offer a varied concentration of nutrients.

Feeding a variety of pre-made raw dog food products by Paleo Ridge is a great way to ensure your dog gets all the nutrients they need.

Nutritional Profile of Common Protein Sources;

• Beef: Iron, Selenium, Vitamins B2, B3, B6 and B12, Magnesium, Calcium, Copper and Zinc
• Pork: B Vitamins, Zinc, Iron and Phosphorus
• Lamb: Iron, Vitamins B3 and B12, Selenium, and Phosphorus.
• Venison: Zinc, Phosphorus, Iron, Selenium, B Vitamins, Vitamin E
• Rabbit: Sodium, Calcium, Phosphorus and Magnesium
• Kangaroo: B Vitamins, Zinc, Iron and Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids
• Oily fish (mackerel, sardines & sprats): Vitamin D, B Vitamins and Selenium
• Chicken: Vitamin B3 and B12, Selenium, Zinc, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Biotin
• Turkey: Vitamin B6 and B12, Choline, Selenium, Magnesium and Phosphorus
  
• Duck: Iron, Selenium and Vitamins B3, B12 and C

How Much to Feed Your Dog

The general rule of thumb when feeding an 80:10:10 diet is to feed your dog 2-3% of their ideal adult weight daily.

The puppies stage is the most nutritionally demanding period in a dog's life especially if they are a large or giant breed. As a result, the recommendation is to feed them 5-6 % of their ideal adult weight daily.

It is important to note that every dog is unique, some have fast metabolisms and so may require more than the recommended amount. Keep an eye on them and feed more if it is clear that they need it.

If you don't know your dog's ideal weight the best thing to do is to talk to your vet or a reputable breeder. Failing this the Kennel Club might offer some guidance.

Our Raw Dog Food Calculator is a great tool to help you figure out how much to feed.

How Often to Feed Your Dog

Once you've worked out how much to feed your dog daily, the next stage is to figure out when or how often to feed them. For most adult dogs, the feeding schedule can be flexible - simply divide the daily amount into as many meals as you want. Most owners feed 1-3 meals a day.

For puppies up to three months old, it is recommended that you feed them a maximum of four times a day to ensure they get all the nutrients they need to fuel their growth.