One of the first questions new raw feeders ask is: how much raw food should I feed my dog? The answer depends on a few factors, including your dog's weight, age, activity level, and body condition.

Most BARF feeding guides suggest feeding adult dogs around 2–3% of their ideal body weight per day, making it a useful starting point when working out daily portions. From there, amounts can be adjusted to suit your individual dog.

To make things easier, we've included a feeding guide further down this post, and a raw feeding calculator you can use to get started. Both are based on commonly used BARF feeding guidelines and can help you estimate how much raw food your dog may need each day.

Remember, every dog is different. Use these figures as a guide, keep an eye on your dog's condition, and adjust portions as needed.

What is BARF?

BARF is an acronym that stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food - although some people use it to mean Bones and Raw Food. A BARF diet is a style of feeding based around raw ingredients that would be commonly found in a dog's natural diet, such as meat, bone, and offal.

What food should dogs eat?

Dogs thrive on a complete and balanced diet that provides the right mix of protein, healthy fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.

A healthy diet for most dogs should include:

• Quality animal proteins (such as chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, or fish)
• Healthy fats for energy and skin health
• Digestible carbohydrates and fiber
• Essential vitamins and minerals
• Fresh, clean water available at all times

Puppies, adult dogs, and senior dogs have different nutritional requirements, so it's important to choose food designed for their life stage.

Calculate how much you should feed

The amount of raw food your dog needs will depend on factors such as their age, weight, breed, and activity level. As a general guide, adult dogs are often fed around 2–3% of their body weight per day, while growing puppies typically require more.

This table is intended as a general BARF feeding guide only. Every dog is different, so use these figures as a starting point and adjust based on your dog's age, activity level, body condition, and individual needs.

What is in raw dog food?

While recipes vary from brand to brand, most raw dog food is built around a few simple ingredients: meat, bone, offal, and sometimes vegetables, berries, and other natural additions or 'superfoods'.

Many brands use the term '80/10/10'. This refers to a common raw feeding ratio made up of 80% meat, 10% bone, and 10% offal. Many raw food brands use this model as the basis for their recipes, although exact ingredients and ratios can vary from brand to brand.

Meat

Meat makes up the largest part of most raw diets (often 80%) and can include ingredients such as beef, chicken, turkey, duck, lamb, pork, salmon, and white fish.

Bone & offal

Bone is a common ingredient in raw diets, providing a natural source of calcium and other minerals, while offal adds variety by including nutrient-rich animal ingredients beyond muscle meat alone.

Plenty of recipes include ingredients such as liver, kidney, spleen, heart, or tripe. 

Vegetables & berries

Vegetables and berries are often included in a raw diet to add variety as well as provide nutrients that aren't found in meat alone.

Common examples include carrots, broccoli, kale, cabbage, blueberries, and raspberries.

'Superfoods' or 'natural extras'

Depending on the brand, some raw foods may also contain ingredients such as kelp, spirulina, turmeric, ginger, or salmon oil.

These natural extras are often labelled as 'superfoods' and are added alongside the core ingredients of a raw diet, to help provide support for things like your dog's digestive systems or joints.

Do dogs need supplements on a raw diet?

In many cases, no. Dogs fed a complete raw food diet will often get everything they need from their food, which is why many owners don't add supplements as part of their everyday feeding routine.

That said, supplements can still have a place. Some owners choose to add products such as salmon oil, joint supplements, or digestive support depending on their dog's age, activity levels, or individual requirements. They can also be useful for dogs eating a more limited range of proteins or those with specific dietary considerations.

As with any feeding approach, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. The right combination of food and supplements will depend on your dog's individual needs.

Variety in raw feeding

Many raw feeders choose to rotate between different proteins rather than feeding the same meat every day. Popular options include chicken, beef, lamb, duck, pork, and fish.

Each protein brings its own unique nutrient profile, which is why variety is often considered an important part of raw feeding. Rotating between different meats can also help keep mealtimes interesting and introduce your dog to a wider range of ingredients over time.