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How to Feed a Balanced Raw Dog Food Diet

Want to get started feeding your dog raw food? Download your 10 easy raw dog food recipes HERE.

I believe a raw diet is the healthiest diet for most dogs and cats, but that’s only if the food is:

  • Made with high-quality ingredients
  • Nutritionally balanced

Feeding high-quality ingredients is pretty straightforward. It doesn’t take a veterinarian or nutritionist to tell you that real, fresh food is healthiest for most dogs.

This post is sponsored by Balanced Blends raw dog and raw cat food. 

Healthy ingredients for a balanced raw diet

The following are some examples of high-quality ingredients you could use in a homemade diet, and you would likely see some of these in the food from a commercial raw company.

  • Organic fruits and veggies such as apples, strawberries, blueberries, spinach, kale or carrots
  • Raw chicken, beef, turkey or pork
  • Supplements such as a vitamin mix or salmon oil
  • Some people feed a bit of all-natural, organic yogurt (although usually not necessary)

Some general tips on what to feed and what not to feed:

  • Avoid processed foods
  • Feed fresh food: Raw meat, fruits and veggies contain more nutrients than cooked
  • Avoid meat with added hormones or antibiotics
  • Feed organic meat, fruits and veggies when possible
  • Dogs don’t need grains, although they won’t necessarily cause any harm
How to feed your dog a balanced raw diet

How to feed a balanced raw dog food diet

When I first started feeding my black Lab mix Ace a raw diet (in 2011), I always followed the very general “rule” of giving him roughly 70% meat, 10% organ meat and 10% raw bone. I also added in a fruit and veggie mix which ended up being about 10% of his overall diet.

I still see this “rule” recommended by many of the other raw feeders I know online, and I think it’s a good start, especially for someone new to raw feeding.

A potential problem with this “equation” is it’s overly simplified.

I very much support and encourage dog owners to feed a homemade raw diet, but it does take some extra work.

It’s best if you can mix up the types of meat you’re feeding your dog (more variety of nutrients), but it’s even more important to feed him a wide variety of organ meat.

Unfortunately, buying a variety of organ meat (heart, lungs, brain) is difficult for many of us. It takes some work to track down food not normally found in a grocery store. Some options include working directly with a butcher or ordering through a local raw co-op. It just takes some extra planning.

Feeding pre-made, balanced raw dog food

The easiest way to make sure your dog’s raw diet is balanced is to buy pre-made raw food from a raw company like Balanced Blends. I recommend you do this for at least a couple of your dog’s meals per week.

Food from Balanced Blends is designed specifically to exceed the AAFCO nutrient profile for dogs, the company says on its website. Balanced Blends uses nutritional knowledge from veterinarians, a nutritionist and the AAFCO standard so you can trust your dog is getting optimal nutrients in every meal.

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I’m not saying you can’t feed a balanced homemade raw diet, but it is more difficult to know which vitamins your dog is potentially lacking. (I’m a worrier!)

However, I also understand it’s difficult to afford a pre-made, commercial raw diet for a large dog (or multiple dogs) so that’s why I recommend the option of using a pre-made brand for a couple of meals per week. This is especially helpful when you’re just starting out.

When I started learning about raw dog food, I felt overwhelmed and it was helpful to have a bag of pre-made food in the freezer for Ace. I could just de-frost a meal in advance and feed my dog without any worry.

My Lab mix Ace

I know everyone feeds a raw diet a little differently, so in the comments I’d love to hear what you do, whether it’s mostly homemade, mostly pre-made or a little of both.

How do you make sure your dog’s diet is balanced?

Let me know in the comments!

How to feed your dog a balanced raw diet

Amanda

Friday 19th of May 2023

I feed my dogs chicken (with some bones), pork (some bones), beef or pork heart, beef or pork liver and kidney. I use beef suet for my fat. I also ask for any bone dust they have (scraps from the saw). I have a large list of fruits and vegetables that I add some raw and some say it’s better if it’s cooked. So I blend up the veggies that need cooked first and add them in a pot and cook them for a few minutes, then I blend up the rest of the fairy’s and vegetables in the blender and add it to the cooked and store in a container (I make about enough for a week three dogs). Then I also make bone broth by throwing some marrow and soup bones in the crook pot with a few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar that usually lasts two weeks. I package the meat up at about 1.3 pounds and pull out a container 2 days before I need it and it thaws out perfect for feeding. Then I’ll add organic coconut oil or MTC oil, wild mushroom powders, B vitamins, fish oil, sardines fresh eggs. Sometimes I switch it up and add fresh salmon. I’ll also make yogurt treats with peanut butter and banana. I also use raw beef neck as a nice busy snack! I would love if anyone has any pointer for me on what else I can do to improve!

Michelle Parker

Thursday 15th of December 2016

My Golden Retriever eats a raw diet of beef, chicken, raw chicken necks and lamb neck bones. I find she loves chicken giblets but they give her very runny poo. Im worried to try any other offal because of this. Would lamb brains do the same? I have tried fruits and vegies but she is not interested in them at all.

Lindsay Stordahl

Thursday 15th of December 2016

Best to just try adding small amounts of organ meat at a time (as you know) because it's so rich and they don't need a lot of it. And when you want to try something new, add it really slowly and only one new thing at a time since she might have a sensitive tummy.

Lynn

Wednesday 14th of December 2016

Lots of variety! Tripe is awesome, beef, turkey, quail, elk & venison, rabbit, goat,wild boar, sardines,salmon, mussels, no chicken for my girl but the 2 boys can have it. I get goat milk kefir, and make my own organic vegetable and blueberry mix, bone broth is good. Sounds like a lot of work, right? Nope, the bone broth just cooks in the crock pot for a day or so then I freeze about a 3 month supply. I make about a 3 month supply of veg mix too.The meat items I defrost twice a week and put in container in the fridge. The supplements are from Dr Dobias, it's the best I've found and they don't get supplements, or oils everyday.

Brittany

Tuesday 17th of January 2017

Please email me I'd love to learn from you I'm starting to feed my fur babies raw diet and yours sounds pretty convenient and is one of the most interesting I've found so far I hope to hear back from you thanks Brittany [email protected] All the help I can get is much appreciated!!

Lindsay Stordahl

Thursday 15th of December 2016

Great to hear your ideas, Lynn. Thank you!

Kimberly Gauthier

Wednesday 14th of December 2016

I make 99% of my dogs' raw meals in my kitchen. With so many premade raw brands coming to market, I worry about vitamin overload and synthetic vitamins - control freak - so I find it easier to make the meals myself. Plus I have access to all of the ingredients I need through a local raw food co-op, which makes DIY raw a piece of cake!

About not knowing which vitamins your dog needs, all pet parents should be taking their dogs in for a wellness check once or twice a year and include a blood panel in that appointment to see how their dog is doing. This will show you where they're lacking.

I work with both a nutritionist and a holistic veterinarian. I know this can be expensive, but it's a lot cheaper than dealing with the subsequent health issues that can arise from vitamin toxicity or deficiency. I always advise people to look for referrals in raw feeding groups and forums. I was able to find people who were in my budget and now set aside funds to cover this cost.

Lindsay Stordahl

Wednesday 14th of December 2016

I know all the extra blood work gets expensive and seems unnecessary, but pet owners could also do a blood panel before switching to a raw diet so they have a starting point. I don't do regular blood work with my pets but it is a good idea.

Barbara Rivers

Wednesday 14th of December 2016

I fed pre-made raw meals for the first 9 months of feeding a raw diet because I was worried about not being able to provide nutritious, balanced meals for my pups if I put them together on my own. I've come a long way since and have learned to put my own raw meals together.

That being said, I still order pre-made raw meals simply for matters of convenience. I don't feed them every day because I wouldn't be able to afford that (120 lbs of combined dog weight...makes me wish I had 2 Yorkies every now and then, haha), but they do come in handy when I'm running low on the food I prepared, and certainly when traveling.

Lindsay Stordahl

Wednesday 14th of December 2016

I know, why don't we have Chihuahuas?