Starting Out

• 1). Determine the weight of the dog. Feed two to four percent of the dog's ideal body weight. If starting with a puppy, determine its ideal adult weight and multiply by two to four percent. A 100-pound dog should consume approximately three pounds of food in one meal. If feeding a puppy, offer portions of food three to four times per day. Once the puppy reaches three months, scale back to three meals. At six months, many people move to two meals. After 12 months, one meal per day should suffice. This will vary from puppy to puppy. When transitioning an adult to raw food, feed the dog twice daily, eventually combining both feedings into one. This meal can be offered any time of the day.
  
  
• 2). Start with one protein source, such as chicken. Chicken is a very mild protein and one of the best sources used to start a dog on a raw diet. Smaller dogs may be fed pieces as small as chicken wings. Larger dogs may be fed chicken quarters, or even whole chickens. Most dogs will take to the switch immediately with no further encouragement. If enticement is needed, try slicing the meat or lightly searing it.
  
  
• 3). Introduce a new protein source after about two weeks of success with chicken. Pork is another easily obtainable meat source and a great second step from chicken. After a few weeks on the second type of meat, move onto beef, lamb, duck, turkey, deer, fish or any other meat you can find. Keep in mind, most weight-bearing bones of large animals, such as the leg bones of deer or cattle, are too dense and can break a dog's teeth.
  
  
• 4). Ten percent of the diet should consist of organ meat. This includes liver, spleen, lung and kidney. Organ meat does not need to be fed every day or every week as long as it makes up ten percent of the total diet. Liver can be obtained most anywhere and usually comes frozen. Liver for some dogs can cause loose stools and should be added carefully in small amounts. The texture of liver can be offensive to some dogs. Again, if some enticement is necessary, lightly sear the liver to encourage consumption.
  
  
• 5). Feeding bones make up the last 10 percent of the raw diet. Raw meaty bones are safe and necessary in a raw diet. Uncooked bones will not splinter like cooked bones. Raw meaty bones are essential for removing plaque buildup and keeping teeth clean and healthy. Consumption of bones helps maintain a healthy stool as well. Adjust the amount of bone in the diet based on the individual dog. If stool is loose, add more bone. If stool seems too hard and chalky, decrease the amount of bone.
  
  
• 6). Fish is not mandatory, but it is an excellent fatty acid source. Due to high mercury levels in slow-growing large fish, it is best to stay with small-growing fish like sardines and anchovies. Or stay with Atlantic-caught fish like salmon or Atlantic Mackeral (high in Omega-3 and B12). Fatty acids, such as Omega-3, can be provided with the addition of fish oil pills. Whether feeding your dog fish or not, you should supplement a raw diet with fish oil or fish oil capsules.