Raw feeding means building your dog's meals from fresh, minimally processed ingredients — muscle meat, organs, bone, and often a little produce — instead of relying on shelf-stable kibble. The idea is simple: feed a diet closer to what dogs are built to digest.
Why people switch to fresh
Owners usually come to raw feeding for a specific reason: a dull coat, loose stools, itchy skin, low energy, or fussy eating. Fresh food is highly digestible and nutrient-dense, and many people notice changes in coat quality, stool size, and stamina within a few weeks. It's not magic — it's just whole food doing what whole food does.
What a balanced raw meal looks like
Most raw diets follow a ratio of muscle meat, edible bone, and organ meat, sometimes with produce added. The most common starting point is the 80/10/10 model: 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ (half of that liver). Get the ratios roughly right over a week — not every single meal — and your dog gets a complete, balanced diet.
How to start without overwhelm
You don't have to master everything on day one. Pick one protein your dog tolerates well, learn to hit the ratios, and rotate in variety over time. The two things that trip people up most are portion size and balance, and both are just math.
If you want to skip the guesswork, our free Dog Calorie Calculator gives you a daily starting point in seconds. And when you're ready to feed with total confidence, the FreshFed Feeding System handles the ratios, portions, and tracking for you.
This article is educational and not a substitute for veterinary advice. Check with your vet before changing your dog's diet, especially for puppies, seniors, or dogs with health conditions.
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