“How much should I feed?” is the question we hear more than any other from people new to raw. A raw dog food calculator takes the guesswork out of it, but it helps to understand what it’s actually doing so you can fine tune the answer for your own dog. Here’s how it works, step by step.
What a raw dog food calculator does
A raw dog food calculator works out a daily amount of food based on a percentage of your dog’s body weight. You pop in a few details, and it gives you a starting point in grams. It’s a guide, not a rule, because dogs vary a lot. You can try ours on the BTB raw feeding calculator page.
Using a raw dog food calculator, step by step
- Step 1: Know your dog’s ideal weight. This is the weight your dog should be, not necessarily what they are now. If your dog is overweight, work from where you’d like them to be.
- Step 2: Think about age. Puppies need a bigger share of their body weight each day than adults because they’re growing. Use the puppy setting or ask us, rather than guessing.
- Step 3: Think about activity. A canicross or agility dog burns far more than a sofa loving companion.
- Step 4: Read your daily total. For adult dogs, a common starting point is around 2 to 3 percent of ideal body weight per day.
- Step 5: Split it into meals. Most people feed twice a day, which can be gentler on digestion.
A quick worked example
If your dog’s ideal weight is 20kg and you’re feeding at 2.5 percent, that’s 500g of food per day, or 250g at each of two meals. A 30kg dog at 2 percent would have 600g a day. A 15kg dog at 3 percent would have 450g. A calculator does the sums, but it’s useful to be able to check them.
Check, then adjust
The number you start with is exactly that, a start. After a couple of weeks, look at your dog:
- Can you feel the ribs under a light covering of fat?
- Is your dog holding a steady, healthy weight?
- Are they full of energy, and are their stools small and firm?
If not, adjust by small steps, about 10 percent at a time, and recheck. Weighing monthly is a simple habit that tells you a lot.
Don’t forget the extras
Treats, chews, toppers and anything you add to the bowl all count towards the day’s total. Calculators also assume a complete food, so if you’re building your own meals from chunks, bones and offal, come and chat to us first, and have a look at our raw feeding information pages.
Need a hand?
We’re always happy to run through the numbers with you. Pop into the shop at Unit A, Newton Farm, Tewkesbury, GL20 7BE, right by Junction 9 of the M5, Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm or Saturday 10am to 2pm, or message us on WhatsApp. You can only feed the best you can, and we’re here to make it easy.
This article is for general information only. If your dog has a health condition, is underweight or overweight, or is pregnant or a puppy, please speak to your vet about how much to feed.
