If you’re new to feeding raw, you’re not alone. At Mersey Raw, we work closely with customers across the UK who are eager for their dogs to start a raw diet. Starting out may seem confusing, but not to worry, we’re here to guide you! To create your dog's raw food diet meal plan with our help, continue reading.
What Should the Best Raw Food Diet for Dogs be?
Your dog's raw food diet meal plan should be one of many things:
- Balanced: Complete with everything your dog needs to meet their nutritional needs
- Healthy: Packed with nutritious ingredients to benefit your dog's well-being
- High-Quality: Made with fresh and complete protein for your dog to thrive
We believe that feeding your dog a diet that’s balanced, nutritious and made with quality protein offers many potential benefits to your dog - and luckily, that’s what raw food provides!
What to Know About Feeding Raw to Your Dog
Before we help create your dog's raw food diet meal plan, there are probably some things you should know about why raw is best.
Let us explain…
A raw diet for your dog is 100% natural, protein-packed, and highly nutritious. In our opinion, a raw food diet is one of the best diets for your dog. Here’s what you should know:
- Raw diets are known as BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food)
- Dogs can safely consume raw food
- Raw food for dogs is the most species-appropriate diet
- Raw dog food usually contains just three simple ingredients (meat, offal, and bone)
- A raw food diet meal plan for dogs offers several potential health benefits
Benefits of Raw Food for Dogs
So, now that we know a bit more about feeding raw to your dog, you’re likely wondering about the potential benefits this diet offers:
- Improved dental health
- Shinier coat
- Healthy skin
- Weight control
- Balanced energy
- Better digestion
- Firmer stools
The list continues! Now, let’s get started on your dog's raw food diet meal plan for you to witness these potential benefits for yourself.
Feeding Schedule
A dog's feeding schedule widely varies, depending on age, size, and personal preferences. All dogs are different, so let’s take a look at an example to help you get a better idea.
Example: A 2-year-old cockapoo weighing 10kg should be on roughly 200g of raw food per day. Typically, an adult dog of this size should be fed twice daily, morning and night (again, this varies dog to dog, with some being fed less or more times per day). Their feeding schedule for one day could look something like this:
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 7 am - 8 am | Wake up / Toilet / Breakfast |
| 8 am - 9 am | Relax |
| 9 am - 11 am | Morning exercise |
| 11 am - 1 pm | Relax |
| 1 pm - 3 pm | Midday treat or enrichment |
| 3 pm - 4 pm | Relax |
| 4 pm - 6 pm | Afternoon exercise / Training |
| 6 pm - 7 pm | Relax |
| 7 pm - 8 pm | Evening meal / Toilet |
| 8 pm - Onwards | Cuddles / Bed |
Please note: This is a rough timeline based on one dog. Each dog's daily schedule will change, and feeding times vary. It’s important to consider rest time in between meals and treats, as it’s advised to wait a couple of hours before exercise after your dog's mealtime.
During Transition: Your Dog's Raw Food Diet Meal Plan
If your dog is new to raw, they must complete a diet transition to ensure a safe introduction to different protein options. We’ve put together your dog's raw food diet meal plan for the next 3 weeks, presuming you’ll be doing a straight swap from your dog's old food to raw:
| Week | Mon | Tues | Weds | Thurs | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Daily allowance of chicken or turkey mince | Daily allowance of chicken or turkey mince | Daily allowance of chicken or turkey mince | Daily allowance of chicken or turkey mince | Daily allowance of chicken or turkey mince | Daily allowance of chicken or turkey mince | Daily allowance of chicken or turkey mince |
| 2 | 1/4 pork or duck mince + 3/4 chicken or turkey mince | 1/2 pork or duck mince + 1/2 chicken or turkey mince | 3/4 pork or duck mince + 1/4 chicken or turkey mince | 100% pork or duck mince | 100% pork or duck mince | 100% pork or duck mince | 100% pork or duck mince |
| 3 | 1/4 beef or venison mince + 3/4 pork or duck mince | 1/2 beef or venison mince + 1/2 pork or duck mince | 3/4 beef or venison mince + 1/4 pork or duck mince | 100% beef or venison mince | 100% beef or venison mince | 100% beef or venison mince | 100% beef or venison mince |
If your dog has an intolerance or allergy to a particular protein, simply swap to an alternative source.
Post Transition: Your Dog's Raw Food Diet Meal Plan
Once your dog is fully transitioned to raw nutrition, their meal plan may not be as structured as when they started transitioning. Your dog's new meal plan will vary depending on their size, as some dogs require more food than others.
There's no limit on how many proteins you can feed per week, and your dog's new meal plan post-transition should include a broad range of raw meats, including fish, white meat, such as chicken and turkey, red meat, such as lamb and beef, and boneless mince options, too. If you’re unsure what proteins to feed your dog and when, we suggest considering our raw dog food subscription service, which allows us to create a tailored meal plan for your dog!
How Much Raw Food Should You Feed Your Dog?
The amount of raw food you should feed your dog varies, depending on weight and age. To know the exact amount of raw food to feed your dog per day, use our handy raw food calculator tool.
Are You Feeding the Correct Amount of Food to Your Dog?
There are signs you can look out for to ensure that you’re feeding your dog the correct amount of food:
- Your dog will be at an ideal, healthy weight for their age and size
- Your dog will have a healthy appearance
- Your dog will have good energy levels
- Your dog won’t continuously beg for more food
The amount of raw food given as part of your dog's raw food diet meal plan may initially be correct, but be aware that it does have the potential to change. For instance, if your dog either loses or gains weight, the recommended amount of raw food may change from what it was originally.
Feeding Underweight or Overweight Dogs
A PDSA wellbeing report carried out in 2023 revealed that only 68% of owners knew their dog's weight. While this may not seem too alarming, it’s incredibly important to know your dog's weight. Without knowing your dog's weight, you may be feeding them incorrectly, which could lead to them becoming underweight or overweight. If this happens, you must assess and adjust your dog's raw food diet meal plan accordingly.
Feeding Underweight Dogs
If your dog is underweight, adjust their raw food diet meal plan by increasing their daily intake amount.
Example: A dog on 200g per day should now be fed more. The general amount to increase their daily food intake by is roughly 10-20%. However, this can vary depending on several factors, and seeking professional advice for your underweight dog is essential to find out how much to increase their food by.
Feeding Overweight Dogs
If your dog is overweight, adjust their raw food diet meal plan by decreasing their daily intake amount.
Example: A dog on 200g per day should now be fed less. The general amount to decrease their daily food intake by is roughly 10-25%. However, this can vary depending on several factors, and seeking professional advice for your overweight dog is essential to find out how much to decrease their food intake by.
Alternatively, enter your dog's desired weight into our raw dog food calculator to find out their new daily feeding amount to help them lose or gain weight.
Additions to Your Dog’s Raw Food Diet Meal Plan
For guidance on what to give your dog in addition to their diet, we advise:
- Natural treats (raw bones, sprats, chicken feet, etc.)
- Hydrating bone broth
- Fruit or vegetables
It’s fine to feed your dog treats in addition to a balanced raw food diet, as long as it’s in moderation and doesn’t replace their meals. In other words, it’s unhealthy to overfeed your dog treats, and a balanced diet should be prioritised.
Top Tips for Feeding Raw
If you’re feeding raw, follow our handy top tips:
- Do your research
- Understand how much raw food to feed your dog
- Stick to a clear plan to ensure a safe transition to raw food
- Consider a raw dog food subscription for convenience
- Follow safety precautions, such as offering fresh water or hydrating bone broth
- Monitor your dog for potential signs of allergies or intolerance to certain proteins
- Store and handle your dog's raw mince safely
- Assess your dog's meal plan and portion size after a few weeks
If you require assistance with feeding your dog a raw diet, please contact our friendly team of raw food experts.
Need Help With Your Dog's Meal Plan?
We understand it can be difficult to know exactly what to feed your dog. As part of our monthly subscription service, we offer tailored raw meal plans for your dog. Simply complete our handy quiz, and we'll provide a fully bespoke meal plan matched to your dog's exact dietary needs, delivered at a frequency of your choice. You'll even benefit from a 15% discount on your first two boxes, and 10% on every box after that!
To learn more about our varied selection of raw minces, check out our full collection of raw dog food minces.
Dogs' Raw Food Diet Meal Plan FAQs
How much should my dog eat on a raw diet?
How much your dog should eat on a raw diet widely varies depending on their weight and age. The amount of raw food can change over time, especially if your dog loses or gains weight.
What is the best raw food diet for dogs?
The best raw food diet for dogs should be made up of healthy protein, offal, and bones. The overall best raw food diet will be nutritious, balanced, and protein-packed.
Can I feed my dog raw beef mince?
Yes, of course! Dogs can safely consume raw beef mince, and it’s a popular raw protein choice among many. Unless your dog has a confirmed intolerance to a particular protein source, they can consume all raw proteins safe for canine consumption.
Would I benefit from your raw dog food subscription?
Yes, we believe that all of our regular customers would greatly benefit from our raw dog food subscription service. Using our subscription service makes meal time easier. You won’t need to worry about creating the perfect raw diet meal plan - we can do this all for you!
Still got a question? Contact us.