Feeding Guides

Practical, no-nonsense guidance on how much to feed, how to introduce new food, and how to fit treats and chews into a diet without undoing it.

The 10% rule for treats

Treats and chews should make up no more than roughly 10% of your dog's daily calorie intake. The other 90% comes from a complete, balanced diet. If you are handing out a lot of training rewards on a given day, reduce the meal slightly to compensate — this is the single most common cause of creeping weight gain.

Rough daily food amounts

As a starting point, most adult dogs on a raw or fresh diet eat around 2–3% of their bodyweight per day, split across two meals. A 20 kg dog therefore eats roughly 400–600 g per day. Adjust from there based on what you see:

  • Puppies: considerably more — often 5–8% of current bodyweight, dropping as they grow. Feed three to four times a day.
  • Working or very active dogs: toward the upper end, or above it in winter.
  • Seniors and neutered dogs: usually toward the lower end.

The reliable test is not a chart, it is your hands: you should be able to feel ribs easily under a thin layer of covering, and see a waist from above.

Switching to a new food

Change over 7–10 days rather than overnight. Roughly 25% new food for two to three days, then 50%, then 75%, then all new. A dog with a sensitive stomach may need a slower run. Loose stools during a transition are common; ongoing loose stools are not, and mean the change was too fast or the food does not suit.

Introducing dehydrated chews safely

  • Always supervise. Every chew, every time.
  • Match hardness to the dog. Puppies, seniors and dogs with dental work need gentle chews. Powerful adult chewers need tough chews. Medium chews suit most dogs in between.
  • Size up, not down. A chew should be too big to swallow whole.
  • Take it away when it gets small. The end of a chew is where the choke risk lives.
  • Fresh water alongside. Dehydrated product draws moisture.
  • Start with one. A rich new chew on day one of a new diet is one variable too many.

Feeding a dog with sensitivities

If beef or chicken causes trouble, the usual next step is a protein your dog has never eaten before — see Novel Proteins. Introduce one new protein at a time and give it two weeks before you judge it. Keep a short diary; patterns show up fast on paper and never in memory.

Feeding by life stage

  • Puppy — softer textures, smaller portions, more often
  • Senior dogs — easier chewing, fewer calories, joint support

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This is general guidance, not veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed condition, is on medication, or is losing or gaining weight unexpectedly, speak to your vet before changing the diet.