Raw Dog Food Calculator: Grams a Day by Weight and Age

Raw feeding is worked out as a percentage of your dog's body weight, not from a calorie count on a bag. The usual rule of thumb for adult dogs is 2 to 3% of their ideal weight a day, but puppies eat far more for their size: a young puppy can need 8 to 10% of its current weight, which surprises a lot of new owners. This calculator gives a daily amount in grams, splits it into meat, bone and organ if you make your own, and tells you how many packs to order each month.

These percentages are the starting points raw food suppliers and raw-feeding guides commonly use. They are averages, so treat the result as where to begin and adjust by watching your dog's waistline over a few weeks.

How the calculator works

For adult dogs it multiplies the weight you enter by a daily percentage: 2% for low activity or seniors, 2.5% for moderate activity and 3% for very active or working dogs. If your dog needs to lose weight it feeds 2% of the target weight, and if it needs to gain it feeds 3%. Puppies use the age bands below, applied to their current weight, and the calculator shows the middle of each band along with the full range.

• 2 to 4 months: 8 to 10% of current weight a day
• 4 to 6 months: 6 to 8%
• 6 to 9 months: 4 to 6%
• 9 to 12 months: 3 to 4%

Because a puppy's percentage falls as it grows while its weight rises, the daily amount in grams often stays fairly steady for months. If you enter an expected adult weight, the calculator also shows 2 to 3% of that figure, a second rule of thumb many raw feeders use for puppies. Where the two methods disagree, start between them and let your puppy's shape guide you.

Making your own: the 80/10/10 and BARF splits

Pre-made raw labelled "complete" is formulated to be balanced on its own, so you just feed the daily amount. If you put meals together yourself, the two common frameworks are:

• Prey model (80/10/10): 80% muscle meat (heart counts here), 10% edible bone, 5% liver and 5% another secreting organ such as kidney or spleen.
• BARF (70/10/10/10): 70% muscle meat, 10% edible bone, 5% liver, 5% other secreting organ and 10% vegetables, fruit and seeds.

Balance these over a week rather than in every bowl. Organ meat is rich, so bring it in slowly. Homemade raw diets are easy to get wrong on minerals such as calcium, so it is worth having a recipe checked by your vet or a qualified pet nutritionist, especially for a growing puppy.

Getting it right in practice

• Weigh, do not guess. A kitchen scale makes the difference between 2% and 3%, which is a lot of food over a month.
• Check body shape every two weeks. You should be able to feel the ribs easily and see a waist from above. Gaining? Cut the amount by about 10%. Ribs showing? Add about 10%.
• Count chews and treats. Raw bones, dried chews and training treats all add up; trim the main meals on heavy treat days.
• Handle it like raw meat. Defrost in the fridge, wash bowls and hands after feeding, and keep it away from food prepared for people. Raw meat can carry bacteria such as Salmonella.
• Talk to your vet first if your dog is pregnant or nursing, has a medical condition, or is on medication.

Working out a budget? Add the monthly figure to our annual dog cost calculator, or compare against kibble with the dog food portion calculator. Going away? Pass the daily grams on to your sitter or kennels, and check that they can store frozen food.