Discover the benefits of a raw diet from Raw Pet Food Pantry, based in Southampton, Hampshire.
When considering the best diet for your dog, it's important to understand how a dog's digestive system works.
As pet owners, we have a great responsibility to provide the best nutrition to afford them a healthier, happier life.
We provide expert advice and high-quality products for your canine companions, so get in touch today or pop into the shop.
Raw Feeding for Dogs
Dogs’ digestion works holistically, making raw food a healthier option than grain-based food. For instance, grain-based treats break down the natural starch digestive enzymes in dogs’ saliva, which helps to protect their teeth from decay.
Furthermore, grain-based foods contain very few nutrients and compromise the dog’s stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, and nutrient-absorbing villi. Whether it’s affecting the flexibility of the colon walls or the liver’s metabolism, grain-based food may cause an array of digestive problems in the long run.
Worse still, too much salt in a dog’s diet can damage their stomach lining, leaving them open to disease. An imbalance of intestinal bacteria or an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria may cause gut dysbiosis, (damage to the intestinal wall) and cause intolerances and allergies. Candida and other unwanted bacteria feed on nutrients and sugars found in grain-based foods.
Raw Digestion
Dogs digest food in their stomachs (not their intestines, like us) for four to eight hours. As the stomach expands, it releases gastrin from the glands, which activates the release of hydrochloric acid. This stimulates the folds in the stomach to contract and expand, churning and chewing the food.
On a grain-based diet, the stomach rarely expands due to the lack of amylase, the enzyme required to digest starchy carbohydrates, and the dog’s high pH level. Hence grain-based food will just sit there undigested, stagnating and creating gas, which leaves the stomach unable to expand.
By contrast, the high pH level in the dog’s stomach enables it to digest bones, raw meats, and muscle, as well as killing off the unwanted bacteria that make raw meat unsuitable for consumption. This is why we are passionate about raw feeding for dogs.
How Much Raw Food Does My Dog Need?
This is a guide only, based on the weight of your dog alone. It is important to also take into account activity levels, treats given and any other health issues that may affect diet and wellbeing. This steers and guides you to the amount of food your dog is likely to require.
It is important to know your pet's weight in order to ensure the amount you serve is suitable. We have vet-standard weighing scales in our shop and will happily weigh your pet for you and keep a record card on your dog, or you can ask next time you are at the vets. With a little added information from you such as activity levels, amount of treats fed and any other health issues that may affect the amount your pet eats, we can recommend the correct portion size. In general, it is recommended to feed 2-3% of your dog's weight, and for puppies 5-8% of their weight and as they grow, their meal sizes will gradually increase and adjust until they are fully grown.
In order to know how much to feed, this guide might help:
ADULT DOGS (1yr+)
2% of a dog's body weight
Recommended for:
- Older dogs that are less active than they used to be.
- Dogs that are generally less active as a rule or breed.
- Dogs that need to lose a few pounds!
2.5% of a dog's body weight
Recommended for:
- Dogs who tend to gain weight on 3% but seem hungry between meals when on 2% of their body weight.
- Dogs who enjoy an active walk per day but are then generally sedentary for the remainder of the day.
3% of a dog's body weight
Recommended for:
- Dogs that are underweight and need to gain a few pounds.
- Dogs that are on the go all day and extremely active.
5% of a dog's body weight
Recommended for:
- Working dogs who are active both mentally and physically from morning to night.
PUPPIES (up to 12mths)
2 – 4 months
8 – 10% of body weight.
4 meals per day.
Your puppy will be super active and will need a regime that keeps up with his active lifestyle.
4 – 6 months
6 – 8% of body weight.
3 meals per day.
As your puppy grows, % of food per body weight will gradually decrease keeping his weight healthy and consistent.
6 – 8 months
4 – 6% of body weight.
2 meals per day.
Whilst we gradually drop the percentage per body weight, do monitor how puppy is reacting to his regime. Is his weight stable? Is he seeming to gain too much weight? Is he finishing everything in the bowl or leaving some? It is important to monitor these things as he grows to ensure portion sizes are right.
8 – 12 months
3 – 4% of body weight.
1 - 2 meals per day.
At this stage, the amount of food is very similar to that at maturity, 1 year. Continue to keep a close eye on weight, if there is any gain and then adjust accordingly. At 12mths, use our adult feeding guide to continue monitoring daily intake.
Recommended Daily Allowance Guides
Adult - Age: 1 - 7 Years
Feed 2 - 3% of Bodyweight
| Weight of Dog (Kg) | 2 Meals Of | Daily Intake |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 20 - 30 | 40 - 60 |
| 3 | 34 - 45 | 60 - 90 |
| 4 | 40 - 60 | 80 - 120 |
| 5 | 50 - 75 | 100 - 150 |
| 6 | 60 - 90 | 120 - 180 |
| 7 | 70 - 105 | 140 - 210 |
| 8 | 80 - 120 | 160 - 240 |
| 9 | 90 - 135 | 180 - 270 |
| 10 | 100 - 150 | 200 - 300 |
| 11 | 110 - 165 | 220 - 330 |
| 12 | 120 - 180 | 240 - 360 |
| 13 | 130 - 195 | 260 - 390 |
| 14 | 140 - 210 | 280 - 420 |
| 15 | 150 - 225 | 300 - 450 |
| 20 | 200 - 300 | 400 - 600 |
| 25 | 250 - 375 | 500 - 750 |
| 30 | 300 - 450 | 600 - 900 |
| 35 | 350 - 525 | 700 - 1050 |
| 40 | 400 - 600 | 800 - 1200 |
| 45 | 450 - 675 | 900 - 1350 |
| 50 | 500 - 750 | 1000 - 1500 |
All measurements are in grams
Puppy
Feed 5 - 8% of Bodyweight
| Weight of Dog (Kg) | Age: 0 - 4 Months | Age: 4 - 6 Months | Age: 6 -12 Months | Daily Intake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Meals Of | 3 Meals Of | 2 Meals Of | ||
| 2 | 25 - 40 | 33 - 53 | 50 - 80 | 100 - 160 |
| 3 | 38 - 60 | 50 - 80 | 75 - 120 | 150 - 240 |
| 4 | 50 - 80 | 67 - 107 | 100 - 160 | 200 - 320 |
| 5 | 63 - 100 | 83 - 133 | 125 - 200 | 250 - 400 |
| 6 | 75 - 120 | 100 - 160 | 150 - 240 | 300 - 480 |
| 7 | 88 - 140 | 117 - 187 | 175 - 280 | 350 - 560 |
| 8 | 100 - 160 | 133 - 213 | 200 - 320 | 400 - 640 |
| 9 | 113 - 180 | 150 - 240 | 225 - 360 | 450 - 720 |
| 10 | 125 - 200 | 167 - 267 | 250 - 400 | 500 - 800 |
| 11 | 138 - 220 | 183 - 293 | 275 - 440 | 550 - 880 |
| 12 | 150 - 240 | 200 - 320 | 300 - 480 | 600 - 960 |
| 13 | 163 - 260 | 217 - 347 | 325 - 520 | 650 - 1040 |
| 14 | 175 - 280 | 233 - 373 | 350 - 560 | 700 - 1120 |
| 15 | 188 - 300 | 250 - 400 | 375 - 600 | 750 - 1200 |
| 20 | 250 - 400 | 333 - 533 | 500 - 800 | 1000 - 1600 |
| 25 | 313 - 500 | 417 - 667 | 625 - 1000 | 1250 - 2000 |
| 30 | 375 - 600 | 500 - 800 | 750 - 1200 | 1500 - 2400 |
| 35 | 438 - 700 | 583 - 933 | 875 - 1400 | 1750 - 2800 |
| 40 | 500 - 800 | 667 - 1067 | 1000 - 1600 | 2000 - 3200 |
| 45 | 563 - 900 | 750 - 1200 | 1125 - 1800 | 2250 - 3600 |
| 50 | 625 - 1000 | 833 - 1333 | 1250 - 2000 | 2500 - 4000 |
All quantities are in grams
This is a guide only, based on the weight of your dog alone. It is important to also take into account activity levels, treats given and any other health issues that may affect diet and wellbeing. This steers and guides you to the amount of food your dog is likely to require.
"Our dog absolutely loves his raw food"
“We came in with our 7-month-old springer spaniel who we wanted to get started on a raw diet, the staff were so welcoming and helpful, fully explaining the products they offer and all the benefits of feeding a raw diet to our dog with no hard sell. Our dog absolutely loves his raw food, we will be back soon - he can't wait.”
