Keeping PETS out of vets since 2011

DIY Raw Dog Food

Beautiful images of bowls of raw dog food

HOW TO MAKE A RAW DIET FOR DOGS…

Beautiful images of bowls of raw dog food

Look at those bowls of food. OK, so we’re not aiming for these exquisite masterpieces initially, if ever, just showing you what’s possible! On a side note, I really don’t know how any vet can tell me with a straight face their highly processed, high-carb, high-salt, high-chemical crackers made last year in China is as nutritious as the bowl those meals sit in, let alone the meals themselves!

Today you’re going to learn:

  • How to make a raw diet for dogs
  • The rough ratio’s you should be aiming to achieve balance
  • Which meats to use and where to source
  • Items you will need beforehand
  • A simple recipe to start you off, as well as method, storage and how much to feed
when making raw diet for dogs remember to think lego!!

Dogs are scavenging carnivores, meat eaters, however, it’s not just plain “meat” like steak every day that he needs, as much as I’m sure he’d appreciate it! When eating prey dogs waste little. Generally, the whole thing goes down if possible, bar the stomach contents. This is unlike cats who tend to nibble the best bits. Over time dogs have evolved to need all the bits therein. In short,  the ideal raw diet for dogs would contain meat muscle, organs, some cartilage and bone.

When feeding dogs I like to think of it like lego, where like builds like, they use muscle meat to build their muscle, cartilage to build their cartilage, bone to fuel bone growth. Organ meat like liver, kidney and spleen are akin to green vegetables for humans. Dogs also need some roughage, normally in the form of skin and hair and nails but this can also be provided in the form of vegetables! On the latter, most are agreed dog’s do not need vegetable matter (meat eaters) but for sure we can include some plant matter, when done correctly.

What are the benefits of raw dog food?

Is raw dog food safe?

 

THE BASIC FORMULA FOR RAW DOG FOOD…

When making a raw diet for dogs keep in mind the ratio 5:1:1:1; which is 5 parts fresh meat muscle, 1 part fresh bone (or even simpler, 5 parts meat on the bone), 1 part fresh organ meat (liver, kidney, heart, with fresh liver being the most important) and 1 part veg (while not everyone uses veg, it has to be said, I do recommend a little though, as you will see below).

The ratio can vary up to 8:1:1 where the 8 refers to meat, 1 part organ meat and 1 part bone (on the basis that this is roughly what a rat or rabbit is made of, it’s called the Prey Model). However, we find a little more organ meat is beneficial, as is some veg (and the prey model can work out extremely expensive, which is a needless barrier to entry for some, folk need flexibility).

3.

 

Meat

Meat on the bone is ideal for dogs, they love chewing and breaking it down, and, it’s good for them. However, it can be messy and cause people to worry, so it is initially best to buy the meat in mince form, ideally with an approximate 10-12% bone content. Anything with a face is good – chicken, turkey, duck, pork, beef, whole sardines. Fish is good too but it’s the only meat whereby you should freeze it first before either including it in your mix or giving to your dog as fish can contain worms that can populate your dog. Tripe and heart is an organ BUT we use them as meat as they are purely muscle. You will find a lot of raw dog foods are bulked with these as they’re cheaper than say chicken breast or beef mince. As the other organs store and produce all sorts and thus should be fed in moderation.

Organs

Think of organ meat like green vegetables to humans. Liver, kidney and heart is nutritionally very important for the dog, with liver possibly being the most important. Spleen is brilliant too, when you can get it. Use any organs (beef, turkey, pork, lamb, chicken, duck organs).

Vegetables

Whaaat?! Veg you cry?! Yes. I feel if you are going to exclude hair and feathers and hide all the other indigestible parts that come with eating a whole animal (which most of us normally do) then a little veg addition adds a bit of fibre to help form a nice poo. It’s perfectly OK food for dogs in small amounts. Not only is it a much-needed source of fibre (certainly as some raw dog foods can be quite boney) but it can also add fantastic phytonutrients to their meal when presented correctly (blitzed, so the fibre is broken down and they can get at the good stuff). Some use, some do not. I personally do. Any leafy greens are great. Some even use a bag of frozen green beans, peas, carrots etc, though I try to avoid the veg higher in carbs. More on the science behind feeding dogs veg here.

What about carbs?! 

It’s interesting to note that dogs have certainly taken some tiny evolutionary steps towards carb digestion and this wouldn’t have occurred without them being in some way part of their diet in the past, so they’re not that unusual an inclusion. But the fact remains dogs have no requirement of carbohydrates in their diet so I don’t tend to use them. However, some people include a carb addition, usually as a cheap filler. Some sighthounds certainly may benefit from some in their normal fare and they can be used to give little in pups or seniors an energy boost. If you want to, a small bit of boiled or soaked porridge (oats), couscous, amaranth or even sweet potato (with skin on, slower to digest than normal potato, which is better for everyone but particularly carnivores who don’t appreciate the sugar punch) can be used. We certainly do not recommend rapid-to-digest cereal such as wheat or corn, rice of any kind or white potatoes.

When you think about it, dry food is more than 50-60% poor quality filler! You putting in 10-20% porridge is fine, certainly if money is an issue and while you want to feed lots of meat you are concerned over cost. And you’re using the good stuff, not rapid-to-digest crap wheat or corn.

Where to source your bits:

1/2. Buying from raw dog food manufacturers

This is where you need to be a bit careful. As the raw dog food market explodes, there will be more groups entering the market trying to make you pay good money for bad meat. After all, chicken carcass to the unsuspecting eye looks like chicken mince when it’s ground fine enough. Check out our article on what is the best raw dog food for a few tips. In short, right now I’m loving Paleo Ridge, if just I helped them with their new range, Paleo Plus one of the best pre-made raws out there, for all these reasons.

Universal cleaner

Don’t forget to wipe down those surfaces! Use this hypo-allergenic and pet-safe multi-surface cleaner instead of chemicals.

Available from the Dogs First shop 

2/2 Buying from butchers and supermarkets

The minces available to dog owners will vary in quality and calorie content (certainly “pet” minces). It can be a bit of minefield as dogs rarely complain and there’s lots of sneaky ways to wrap up carcass and fat and sell it to you as if it were fillet steak. So get to know your supplier, visit their shop, try keep it Irish and in so far as possible buy from local butchers. They have bins full of stuff and you buy other bits from them they can be more than accommodating. Other butchers have great online facilities and great deals can be found. (make sure the meat is local, in so far as possible). You usually have to pick these up though.

And don’t forget supermarkets. Their reduced aisles are a popular haunt for us raw feeders! Ask them when they’re getting say their chicken in and come in the night before to avail of the cut-price meat that they have to offload

What you will need beforehand:

  • A very large tub for mixing the ingredients
  • Meat ingredients: Enough for 2 to 4 weeks, depending on freezer space.
  • Rubber gloves
  • Large 1-5kg lunch boxes, depending on dog size
  • Antibacterial for the surface after mixing
  • Preparation space and 20 minutes of time

Here’s The Best Raw Dog Food Recipe…

duck raw dog food

 

The following will make around 10kg of raw dog food, which will easily fit in one small freezer drawer:

8kg of Organic Meat & Bone:

  • 5.5kg fresh poultry on the bone (e.g. chicken legs or thighs or back or simply in mince with bone form from a provider)
  • 1kg green beef tripe
  • 1kg raw, whole sardines (from frozen) or fish heads to save cash (freeze these first for a couple of weeks, there may be worms!).
  • 500g beef heart

1kg of Excreting Organ:

  • 500g beef liver
  • 500g beef kidney (alternate with spleen when you can find it)

1kg of blended plant additions:

  • 300g broccoli
  • 300g kale
  • 200g of carrot
  • Handful of frozen organic blueberries
  • Cup or two of oats if trying to save a few pennies!!

Excellent Extras:

  • Two tablespoons of good-quality seaweed
  • 1 tablespoon of ground pumpkin seeds (for worms?! Best to grin first)
  • A handful of mussels (from frozen, for the manganese, if not offering hair and feather in some form, see below)
  • 3-4 raw eggs

How to make raw dog food:

DIY raw dog food
  1. Chop meat and organ meat pieces
  2. Steam the plant ingredients (and oats if using them) in a little water.
  3. Add power additions and mix all your ingredients together
  4. Work out what your dog needs each day (see below) and store 3 days’ worth in each tub (so you’re not taking them out every day)
  5. Keep one tub of mix in the fridge and freeze the rest
  6. Wipe down all surfaces and tools with hot water and antibacterial cleaning product

HOW DO I KNOW THEY’RE GETTING EVERYTHING?

Variety is the key to avoid nutrient deficiencies and excesses. Still, poor ingredient selection aside, the general decrease of nutrients in our food chains (poor farming practices using poor foods and soil erosion) means your dog could very much benefit from a supplement here and there. As Hippocrates said, let food be thine medicine. We agree. So feel free to pop into some medicinal herbs, some dark berries, all very powerful food additions. 

One of the most popular supplements you can add in is probably seaweed. It has an unbelievable range of vitamins, minerals and entirely unique antioxidants. We sell a lot of it here on Dogs First. It’s important when shopping for seaweeds you choose those not dried with heat (they don’t like that) and ideally sustainably farmed in clean fresh waters. So please check out our range of seaweed products. As a good all-rounder, certainly for dogs that have just jumped from dry, I recommend  BioFunction8 to start off on. 

HOW MUCH RAW DOG FOOD DO YOU NEED TO FEED?!

Firstly find out the weight of the dog. For small dogs, simply pick them up while standing on the scales and for bigger dogs, take them to the scales in the vets or make a good guess. In short, adult dogs need 2.5% of their body weight per day in fresh food, though use our Dog Food Calculator for assistance with different lifestyles and ages.

Remember as well that only you know what other factors may affect your dog’s hunger. Big walk that day? Extra dollop. Big bone that morning? Take a dollop out.

a table showing people how much food I should feed my dog

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DOGS NEED THIS INFORMATION!
I have always fed my dog(s) on a raw diet but all the other info has been so beneficial for me. Now the Jabbawokki dog can go back to smiling and sleeping! Thanks so much.
E. Skoutarides
E. SkoutaridesTestimonial left on dogsfirst.ie 2020
I just wanted to say a big thank you. You have given me information that my veterinarian should have given me, and which I have repeatedly asked about. After 6 years of battling terrible tummy pain and not getting any real help at the vets we were at crisis point just one week ago. I truly believe you have saved my toy poodles life.
Julie
JulieReview left on dogsfirst.ie 2018
Delighted with my retriever’s improvement Conor. Our pup looks so healthy after just one week, normal poops now for 4 days. I’m so thrilled – she’s transformed and using her anal glands properly for the first time I think. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us to make life better for our animals.
E. Carabine
E. CarabineFacebook Review 2017
Tarry, my beautiful rescued GSD, is 11yrs old. He is suffering from cancer & kidney issues. On the advice of Dr. Brady, I changed his diet from complete dry food to raw salmon & veg. He is doing amazingly well. He loves his food, is full of energy again and is thriving!
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