how to get started
with raw feeding.

Raw feeding isn't complicated in principle, even if it looks overwhelming from the outside. The whole thing is built around one ratio: 80/10/10. Eighty percent muscle meat, ten percent raw meaty bone, ten percent organ, with at least half of that organ being liver. That split exists because it approximates what the prey animal actually looks like from a nutritional standpoint. You're not guessing. You're just working backwards from what the animal is built to eat.

The thing that trips people up early on is thinking every single meal needs to be perfectly balanced. It doesn't. Aim for balance across a week, not across a single bowl. Give yourself that flexibility from the start and the whole thing becomes much more manageable.

A general starting point is 2 to 3 percent of your pet's adult body weight per day. So a 25kg adult dog is eating roughly 500 to 750 grams, depending on how active they are. Puppies and kittens need significantly more, anywhere from 5 to 10 percent of body weight, because they're growing fast and the nutritional demands are higher than most people expect. Senior or less active pets may need to come down slightly.

There are basically three approaches, and the right one depends entirely on how much time you have and how hands-on you want to be.

Pre-made complete rawis exactly what it sounds like: minces and patties already formulated to the correct ratios. You defrost and serve. Nothing to calculate. This is where I'd tell almost anyone to start.

Prey model raw (PMR)is where you source and portion the components yourself. More work, more control, and usually cheaper at scale once you know what you're doing.

Hybrid feeding is raw for most meals with quality wet food or freeze-dried filling the gaps. Works well for busy households or as a stepping stone while you build confidence.

Most pets do better with a gradual switch than going cold turkey. The digestive system needs time to adjust, the gut flora shifts, stomach acid production changes, and some pets get loose stools in the first week even when everything is going well. That's normal, and it usually settles within a few days.

A standard approach: 25% raw with 75% old food for days one to three, then 50/50, then 75% raw, and by day ten you're there. One protein source to start, chicken is easiest and most dogs tolerate it well. Introduce variety once the transition is settled. Some dogs do fine going straight over. Follow your pet's lead.

Same rules as your own kitchen. Raw meat goes in the fridge or freezer. Separate bowls and utensils from the ones you cook for yourself with. Wash your hands after feeding. That's genuinely it.

Most commercial raw pet food is HPP-treated, high pressure processed, which uses extreme water pressure rather than heat to eliminate pathogens. It kills the bacteria without cooking out the nutrition. If anyone in the household is immunocompromised, HPP-treated food or freeze-dried raw is the safest option and worth specifically looking for.

A specialist shop changes everything about this process, and I genuinely mean that. Not because raw feeding is difficult, but because someone who's been doing this for years, who knows their suppliers, who's watched hundreds of dogs make the switch, will cut through months of your own research in a single conversation. They'll tell you which brands suit your dog's size and sensitivities, how to troubleshoot the first few weeks, and what to try if things don't go smoothly.

That's the whole reason this directory exists.