These are the questions we were asked most often about raw (BARF) feeding when we were raising puppies, answered from our own experience and checked against current veterinary guidance. If you’re new to raw feeding, start with our BARF Diet guide, especially the sections on balance and food safety. And please involve your vet in any diet change.
1. How do I know how much food to give my puppy?
Figuring out how much a puppy will eat is surprisingly simple. As a general rule of thumb, puppies eat 10–15% of their body weight in raw meat daily. So a 10 lb puppy will eat just over a pound a day, split across meals (3 meals a day for a young puppy, dropping to 2 later) — roughly half a pound per feeding.
Because BARF-fed dogs don’t tend to overeat, you can let the puppy be your guide: offer more than you expect them to finish (say, a full pound), give a supervised half hour to eat, then pick up whatever’s left until the next meal. Top up to about a pound again next time, and repeat. After a day or two you’ll have a good sense of the real amount — most likely right around that 10–15% mark.
2. I have an adult dog at home. How do I transition them to BARF?
A growing puppy eats up to 15% of body weight, tapering to about 2–3% once fully grown — so a 50 lb adult dog eats roughly 1 to 1½ lb of meat a day. Gradually offering raw food as a larger share of each meal over about a week makes the switch go smoothly. Many dogs come to prefer the raw meat so much they start turning their nose up at kibble, which can make the transition faster than expected. If your dog has a sensitive stomach or a medical condition, go slower and check with your vet first.
3. How much does BARF cost?
It depends a great deal on where you live, what proteins you use, and whether you buy commercial raw or put meals together yourself. When we were feeding raw, buying chicken backs and necks in bulk made our dogs’ diet cheaper than a premium kibble. Meat prices have gone up a lot since then, so price it out locally. In general, a home-assembled raw diet bought in bulk costs about the same as a good-quality kibble. Commercial pre-made “complete and balanced” raw diets are convenient but usually cost considerably more.
4. We started BARF a couple of days ago and now my dog has diarrhea. Are we doing something wrong?
Not necessarily. Even a positive diet change takes some adjusting to, and mild loose stools in the first few days are common, especially after a “cold turkey” switch away from kibble. Slowing the transition usually helps.
Call your vet promptly if any of these apply:
- there is blood in the stool or vomit, or black, tarry stool
- your dog is lethargic, won’t eat, or seems painful
- vomiting and diarrhea happen together, or keep going
- the diarrhea lasts more than a day or two
- it’s a young puppy, a small dog, or a dog with other health problems (they dehydrate quickly)
Remember that raw meat can carry bacteria such as Salmonella, so a sudden stomach upset after starting raw should be taken seriously, not just waited out.
5. What kind of meat should I feed?
We used chicken as our staple. Young puppies tend to do well starting on chicken wings, which are a little pricier but only needed for a short while, before moving on to backs and necks once they can handle them. Beef and lamb made great supplemental favorites in our house. Over time, rotating several proteins and including organ meat (liver plus another organ such as kidney) helps keep the diet balanced. See the balance section in our BARF Diet guide.
6. What about vegetables in a BARF diet?
The vegetables-or-not debate gets heated in some circles. Dogs digest plant foods better than their wild relatives do, and many raw feeders add a small amount of vegetables and fruit for fiber and variety. Others feed almost none. We’d encourage you to do your own research, discuss it with your vet or a veterinary nutritionist, and decide based on what suits your dog. Don’t let anyone bully you into a decision you’re not comfortable with. You know your pet best, even while leaning on others for support.
7. Do you supplement the raw meat? Which foods should I avoid?
Yes. We offered our dogs plain yogurt, eggs, and some fruits and vegetables. Many fruits are fine as small treats, including apples (without the core and seeds), bananas and carrots.
Some everyday foods are genuinely dangerous to dogs. According to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, never feed:
- grapes, raisins and currants, which can cause kidney failure even in small amounts
- onions, garlic, chives and leeks, in any form, including powders
- chocolate, coffee and other caffeine
- xylitol, a sweetener found in some sugar-free gum, candy, baked goods and peanut butters
- macadamia nuts
- alcohol and raw yeast dough
- cooked bones of any kind, which splinter
Note: never give a dog chocolate, onions, or foods containing tannins (the colored skins that give wine or juice their color) — this includes grapes, blueberries, cranberries, and most other berries. It’s also worth checking your own yard and houseplants for plants that are poisonous to pets. The ASPCA keeps a searchable list. If you think your dog has eaten something toxic, call your vet or a pet poison hotline right away.
8. What should a puppy already be eating, and what should I have on hand?
A puppy weaned onto raw food typically starts on chicken wings and graduates to backs and necks as they grow. Our puppies also had plain yogurt, eggs and a little fruit. Before your puppy comes home, ask the breeder exactly what, how much and how often they are feeding, and keep to that for the first week or two before changing anything. Having 3–5 lb of the same raw food on hand covers the first few days. A small bag of puppy kibble also makes a good training treat. A single kibble is all a puppy needs as a reward, not a whole cookie.
9. Do I have to grind up the meat?
Not if the puppy has already been transitioned to raw meat with soft bones in it. If you’re starting from scratch with a dog that has never had raw food, it can help to begin with ground options and work up to bone-in cuts. Choose raw meaty bones that are big enough that your dog can’t try to swallow them whole. Avoid very hard weight-bearing bones (such as beef leg bones), which are a common cause of broken teeth. Always supervise while your dog eats bones.
10. How do I know if my dog is eating the right amount?
If you’re around that 10–15% of body weight mark and the puppy is energetic, playful, and happy, you can rest easy they’re getting the right amount. Because puppies are roly-poly, the usual rib-check trick doesn’t work as well on them as it does on adult dogs — energy and mood are the better signal at that age.
11. Is raw feeding safe with kids in the house?
It can be done carefully, but it’s a real consideration. Raw meat, including commercial raw pet food, can carry Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli. Dogs eating it can shed these bacteria in their saliva and stool without looking sick. Babies, toddlers, older adults, pregnant people, and anyone with a weakened immune system are most at risk of serious illness. That’s why veterinary and public health bodies, including the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association and the CDC, caution against raw diets.
If you feed raw in a family home:
- prepare food away from children and wash hands, surfaces and bowls thoroughly afterwards
- feed the dog where kids aren’t playing, and pick up leftovers within half an hour
- teach children not to touch the dog’s food or bowl, and to wash their hands after playing with the dog
- discourage face-licking, especially right after meals, and clean up stool promptly
- if anyone in the home is in a higher-risk group, talk with your doctor and vet before choosing raw
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Related guides
- The BARF Diet: what raw feeding is, how to balance it, and how to switch
- Bringing a Puppy Home: the first week and a supplies checklist
- Goldendoodle Health: common issues and health testing