Raw food has more calories and is more nutritionally dense than grain based kibble or canned food. Your dog will require less of our food than what they are currently eating. But how much less?
First, don’t base the amount on what your dog tells you. This is some good stuff, and most dogs will beg for more. There is also less useless bulk in their tummy. You need a game plan, and willpower.
A good starting point is 2.5% of body weight. If your dog is 40 pounds, needs to maintain weight, and is reasonably active, he’ll need about 2.5% in dog food. That’s 1 pound. You can feed that all at once, or half in the morning and half at night.
If your dog is too thin or chases rabbits all day, feed more. If your dog is overweight, older, or less active, feed less. Pregnant and nursing mothers need 5-10% of body weight daily, as do puppies. Albright's All Natural Dog Food is certified for growth for puppies.
A dog that is unhealthy and too thin will need more food. However, avoid overfeeding. Try 3% for a more gradual weight gain.
This chart gives an estimated amount of daily Raw Dog Food. If you feed twice daily, offer half that amount in morning and half at night.
| Dog's Current | Maintain | Lose Weight | Gain Weight | Growth |
| Weight (lbs) | 2.5% | 1.50% | 3% | 5% plus |
| 5 | 2 oz | 1.1 oz | 2.4 oz | 4+ oz |
| 10 | 4 oz | 2.4 oz | 4.8 oz | 8+ oz |
| 15 | 6 oz | 3.5 oz | 7.2 oz | 12+ oz |
| 20 | 8 oz | 4.8 oz | 9.6 oz | 1+ lb |
| 25 | 10 oz | 6 oz | 12 oz | 1.25+ lbs |
| 30 | 12 oz | 7.2 oz | 14.4 oz | 1.5+ lbs |
| 35 | 14 oz | 8.3 oz | 1 lb | 1.75+ lbs |
| 40 | 1 lb | 9.6 oz | 1.2 lbs | 2+ lbs |
| 45 | 1 lb 2 oz | 10.5 oz | 1.35 oz | 2.25+ lbs |
| 50 | 1.25 lbs | 12 oz | 1.5 lbs | 2.5+ lbs |
| 60 | 1.50 lbs | 14.5 oz | 1.8 lbs | 3+ lbs |
| 70 | 1.75 lbs | 1 lb | 2.1 lbs | 3.5+ lbs |
| 80 | 2 lbs | 1.2 lbs | 2.4 lbs | 4+ lbs |
| 90 | 2.25 lbs | 1.3 lbs | 2.7 lbs | 4.5+ |
| 100 | 2.50 lbs | 1.5 lbs | 3 lbs | 5+ lbs |
| 110 | 2.75 lbs | 1.6 lbs | 3.3 lbs | 5.5+ lbs |
| 120 | 3 lbs | 1.8 lbs | 3.6 lbs | 6+ lbs |
| 130 | 3.25 lbs | 1.9 lbs | 3.9 lbs | 6.5+ lbs |
| 140 | 3.50 lbs | 2.1 lbs | 4.2 lbs | 7+ lbs |
| 150 | 3.75 lbs | 2.25 lbs | 4.5 lbs | 7.5+ lbs |
| 200 | 5 lbs | 3 lbs | 6 lbs | 10+ lbs |
Weights & Measures:
A pound is 16 oz. A half pound is 8 oz, and a quarter pound is 4 oz.
A one cup measure is 8 oz, and a half cup measure is 4 oz.
You can carefully weigh or measure out food. Or you can “guestimate”. If your dog needs about 5 oz a day, that’s about a third of a pound. It doesn’t matter if he or she gets 4 oz one day, and 6 on the other days. In three days you’ve averaged 5.33 oz a day.
Can you re-freeze the Raw Dog Food? Absolutely. It may be convenient to thaw, portion and repackage. That’s fine, as long as you do it shortly after thawing.
Transitioning to a raw diet:
Most dogs love raw food and can transition very quickly.
For a dog that rarely has stomach upset or diarrhea and will eagerly eat what is offered:
- Day 1: Share a spoonful of Raw as a treat with their regular food.
- Day 2: Replace about ¼ of regular food with ¼ serving of Raw. Mix together and serve.
- Day 3: Replace ½ of regular food with ½ serving of Raw.
- Day 4: Go all Raw.
For a dog that gets sick easily or is picky about their food:
Follow the above schedule, but extend it. Try the same step for several days before moving on to the next step.
Pay attention to your dog and his digestion. Sometimes a new food can cause loose stools. Sometimes just excitement about the new food can do that! If your dog’s stool is fine, and the dog is eating the Raw food eagerly, you can move to the next step. You may feel you need to slow down the transition process. However, don’t just stop feeding Raw. If his gut got a little overstimulated, back off to a spoonful or two for each feeding. He should be ready for more soon.
Because of the perishable nature of Raw, you’ll no longer be able to fill a bowl and leave it all day. Feed the dog, and if there is any left over after a half an hour, refrigerate or discard.
Be careful not to overfeed! A raw, meat-based dog food is much more nutrient and calorie dense than kibble. It’s easy to feed too much and end up with a fat dog. It’s better to start with too little and increase it over time.
Dogs eat fast. That’s natural. If you want to slow it down, spread the food out around the bowl, or add a bit of water so there is some “gravy” to lap up.
A word about dog poop:
Since there is less bulk and filler food going in, there is less poop coming out. Some people get concerned that their dog is not going enough. Just because your dog poops less does not mean that he’s constipated. Less stool is the happy result of feeding Raw.
If your dog seems to be straining or uncomfortable, adding a spoonful or two of canned pumpkin or some shredded raw carrot or sweet potato should help.
Thawing & Serving:
Albright’s All Natural Raw Dog Food is packaged in 2 pound and 5 pound packages. Keep frozen until ready to thaw for serving. Thaw in refrigerator. Use within 72 hours, or repackage and refreeze within 24 hours.
Safe Handling Instructions:
As with all product containing raw meat, some food product may contain bacteria that could cause illness if the product is mishandled. For your protection, follow these safe handling instructions.
- Keep frozen. Thaw in refrigerator. Use thawed product within 72 hours.
- Keep raw meat and poultry separate from other foods. Wash working surfaces, utensils, and serving bowls after using. Wash hands after touching raw meat or poultry.
- If pet does not eat all presented food within 30 minutes, discard, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Keep raw meat and poultry away from children.
Albright’s Raw Dog Food is not for human consumption. It is not to be used as human food.