About the Raw Dog Food Calculator
This raw dog food calculator works out how much raw food your dog needs each day and how to split it into muscle meat, raw edible bone, liver and other secreting organs. Enter your dog’s weight, choose its activity level or puppy age, and pick a prey-model (PMR, 80/10/5/5) or BARF (70/10/5/5 plus 10% plants) ratio. You get daily, per-meal and weekly amounts, ready for meal prep.
Raw feeders size portions as a percentage of body weight rather than by calories: most adult dogs eat 2–3% of their ideal adult weight per day, very active and working dogs more, and growing puppies a much larger share of their current weight. The ratio split matters because bone supplies calcium and phosphorus and organs supply vitamins that muscle meat lacks.
Use your dog’s ideal weight, not its current weight, if it needs to lose or gain. These percentages are starting points: weigh your dog every couple of weeks and adjust by about 0.25% if it is gaining or losing. Raw diets should be planned carefully for completeness (vitamin E, zinc, iodine and omega-3s are common gaps) — talk to your vet, especially for puppies.
With the default inputs, the raw food per day is 20 oz. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the raw dog food calculator
- 1Enter your dog’s ideal adult weight (or a puppy’s current weight) and the unit.
- 2Choose the activity level or puppy age — or set a custom percentage.
- 3Pick prey model (80/10/5/5) or BARF (70/10/5/5 + plants).
- 4Set how many meals a day you feed.
- 5Use the per-day and per-week amounts to portion and batch-prep meals.
Formula and method
Raw feeding portions are a percentage of body weight. Adult dogs typically need 2–3% of their ideal adult weight per day: about 2% for less active or overweight dogs, 2.5% for a moderately active adult and 3% or more for very active and working dogs. Puppies eat a percentage of their current weight that falls as they grow — roughly 8% at 2–4 months, 6% at 4–6 months, 4% at 6–9 months and 3% at 9–12 months.
The daily total is then split by the model you choose. Prey-model raw (PMR) uses 80% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, 5% liver and 5% other secreting organ (kidney, spleen, pancreas). BARF uses 70/10/5/5 and adds 10% vegetables, fruit and seeds. Weight is converted to grams, and 28.35 g = 1 oz.
- Body weight
- Ideal adult weight (adults) or current weight (puppies)
- Feeding %
- Share of body weight fed per day
- Ratio share
- Percentage of the diet for each component
Worked examples
50 lb moderately active adult, prey model
At 2.5% of 50 lb the dog eats 1.25 lb (20 oz) of raw food a day. With an 80/10/5/5 split that is 16 oz muscle meat, 2 oz bone, 1 oz liver and 1 oz other organ — about 8.75 lb a week.
25 kg working dog on BARF
A working dog at 3.5% of 25 kg needs 875 g a day. BARF puts 70% (612.5 g) into muscle meat, 10% (87.5 g) into bone, 5% (43.75 g) each into liver and other organ, and 10% (87.5 g) into plants.
15 lb puppy aged 3 months
Young puppies eat about 8% of their current weight: 15 lb × 0.08 = 1.2 lb, or 19.2 oz a day, split into three meals of 6.4 oz.
Frequently asked questions
How much raw food should I feed my dog per day?+
Most adult dogs eat 2–3% of their ideal body weight per day in raw food. A 50 lb dog at 2.5% needs about 1.25 lb (20 oz). Less active dogs need nearer 2%, very active or working dogs 3% or more.
What is the 80/10/5/5 raw feeding ratio?+
It is the prey-model raw (PMR) ratio: 80% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, 5% liver and 5% other secreting organ such as kidney or spleen. BARF follows a similar split but includes about 10% vegetables, fruit and seeds.
How much raw food does a puppy need?+
Puppies need far more relative to their size: about 8% of current body weight at 2–4 months, dropping to around 6%, 4% and then 3% by 9–12 months. Recalculate weekly, and do not exceed what the adult portion will be.
How do I know if I am feeding the right amount?+
Watch body condition: you should feel the ribs easily under a thin layer of fat and see a waist from above. If your dog gains weight, lower the percentage by about 0.25%; if it loses weight or looks ribby, raise it.
Is a raw diet complete and safe?+
Not automatically. Home-made raw diets often fall short on vitamin E, vitamin D, zinc, manganese, iodine or omega-3s, and raw meat can carry Salmonella and Listeria. Work with your vet or a veterinary nutritionist and practise strict kitchen hygiene.
This tool gives general estimates and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or qualified professional about your health, diet or training.