How much raw food should I feed my dog?
Feed 2.5% of your dog's ideal body weight per day — for example, a 50 lb dog gets 20 oz of raw food daily, split across meals. Feed that amount for about two weeks, then adjust: up to 3% if your dog is too thin, down to 2% if too heavy. You want to feel the ribs without seeing them. Treats and snacks count toward the daily total. See our full feeding chart.
How do I transition my dog to raw food?
Most dogs transition over about one week by gradually replacing kibble with raw at each meal. Experienced raw feeders sometimes switch cold turkey instead: fast the dog 12–24 hours to clear kibble from the system, then start raw fully. If your dog is new to raw, expect digestion to take around 5 days to fully adjust.
Can I mix raw food and kibble?
Don't mix them in the same meal — kibble is processed, high in sugar, and causes digestive upset alongside raw. If you're combining for budget reasons, feed one meal of kibble and a separate meal of raw. If your dog has stomach issues on a mixed diet, removing the processed food usually brings dramatic improvement.
What's the difference between HVM and PMR?
Healthy Variety Mix (HVM) is ground protein, bone and organs plus 10% fruits and vegetables; Prey Model Raw (PMR) is ground protein with 12–13% bone and 15% organs, no produce. We recommend rotating both models across proteins (beef, chicken, duck, lamb, pork, turkey) for variety.
What should I feed a puppy?
We recommend PMR blends for puppies — they carry the extra bone (12–13%) puppies need in their first 4–6 months. Add a few duck feet and sardines for extra nutrition.
What should I order first?
Start with any blend that includes bone and organs — our Starter Pack (beef, chicken and turkey HVM) is built exactly for beginning a raw journey. A Trial Box samples five proteins.
How does my order arrive?
You choose one of three delivery options at checkout: warehouse pickup in Stratford, CT (ready same day for orders before 11am — we'll email when it's ready), truck stop pickup (meet our refrigerated van at a scheduled stop — the route schedule is online), or FedEx home delivery, shipped in an insulated box packed with dry ice. Home delivery orders placed before 11am Monday–Thursday usually ship the same day; we don't ship Fridays, and Northeast orders arrive next day.
How do I store raw dog food?
Keep everything frozen until needed, defrost in the refrigerator, and feed within 48 hours of thawing. Store any excess thawed food in an airtight container in the fridge — never longer than 48 hours.
My dog is refusing the new food — what should I do?
Warm the food gently on the stove (never the microwave) and stop mixing with kibble — that solves most refusals. Also try:
- Add up to 30% Green Tripe
- Feed in a different bowl, at a different time, in a different place in the house
- Try a different protein or blend
My dog has been sick after starting raw — what should I do?
First remove all processed foods and supplements from the diet, and give a new-to-raw dog about 5 days for digestive enzymes to engage. Then check:
- Cold food can cause regurgitation — warm it. If they do regurgitate, letting them eat it is normal
- Medications, antibiotics or a recent vaccine can upset digestion
- Stressful situations — moving, new family members — affect pets too
- Fast eaters benefit from a slow-feeder bowl
- Blends over 13% fat may be too rich — rotate with a 10%-fat blend at least 50% of the time
My dog has runny stools — what should I do?
Loose stools usually mean too little bone or too much rich food — make sure the diet includes at least 10% ground bone, and cut back on organs, dairy, supplements, tripe and treats until stools normalize. Boneless blends need added raw meaty bones (duck feet, duck heads or consumable bones). If stools haven't improved after 5–7 days on an appropriate blend, contact your vet.
My dog has hard stools — what should I do?
Add more organs or green tripe to the diet and reduce consumable bones — hard stools mean the bone-to-organ ratio has tipped too far toward bone.
My dog isn't finishing meals — what should I do?
The most common cause is simply overfeeding — check the feeding chart and reduce the daily amount slightly. Also cut back treats and dairy, and rotate in new proteins to keep meals interesting.
Still have a question? Email woof@topdogfoodandsupply.com or ask our canine nutritionist — free raw feeding advice from a certified expert.
