Raw Dog Food Calculator

Find out how many grams and ounces of raw food to feed your dog each day, based on its body weight and life stage.

Quick Facts

Method
Daily food = body weight × feeding percentage
Standard raw-feeding guideline: 2-3% of ideal adult body weight per day; more for puppies.

Your Results

Calculated
Daily food (grams)
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Total raw food per day
Daily food (ounces)
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Same amount in oz
Per meal (2x/day)
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Grams per feeding
Feeding rate
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% of body weight/day

Ready

Enter your dog's weight and life stage, then calculate.

How much raw food does my dog need?

Raw feeding (often called BARF — "biologically appropriate raw food" — or a prey-model diet) uses one simple rule to set daily portions: feed a fixed percentage of the dog's ideal body weight each day. For a healthy adult dog, that percentage is 2% to 3%, with 2.5% as the usual starting point. Puppies eat a much larger share of their current weight because they are still growing, and that share falls as they mature.

The formula

The calculation is direct multiplication:

Daily food = ideal body weight × feeding percentage

Work in consistent units. If weight is in kilograms, multiply by the percentage to get kilograms of food, then convert to grams (× 1000) or ounces (÷ 28.35). For example, a 20 kg adult dog fed at 2.5% needs 20 × 0.025 = 0.5 kg = 500 g per day, which is about 17.6 oz. Split across two meals, that is 250 g per feeding.

Feeding percentages by life stage and condition

  • Adult maintenance: 2.5% of ideal body weight per day (range 2-3%).
  • Active, working, or underweight adult: around 3%, sometimes up to 4% for very high-energy dogs.
  • Weight loss / overweight adult: roughly 1.5-2%, based on the target weight rather than the current weight.
  • Puppy 2-4 months: about 8-10% of current body weight, fed across 3-4 meals a day.
  • Puppy 4-6 months: about 6-8%.
  • Puppy 6-8 months: about 4-6%.
  • Puppy 8-12 months: about 3-4%, tapering to the adult 2.5% by 10-14 months (large breeds mature later).

Common reference amounts (adult, 2.5%)

  • 5 kg (11 lb) dog → 125 g (~4.4 oz) per day
  • 10 kg (22 lb) dog → 250 g (~8.8 oz) per day
  • 20 kg (44 lb) dog → 500 g (~17.6 oz) per day
  • 30 kg (66 lb) dog → 750 g (~26.5 oz) per day
  • 40 kg (88 lb) dog → 1,000 g (~35.3 oz) per day

Balancing what goes in the bowl

The percentage sets the total weight of food; a balanced prey-model or BARF plate then divides that total by type. A widely used ratio is roughly 80% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, and 10% organs (with half of the organ portion being liver). Some plans add a small amount of vegetables, fish, or supplements. This calculator gives you the daily target weight — use the ratio to portion out the components.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use my dog's current weight or ideal weight?
Use the ideal (target) weight for adults. If your dog is overweight, feeding a percentage of its current weight would just maintain the excess. Estimate the healthy target weight, feed toward it at 1.5-2%, and reassess as the dog slims. For puppies, use current weight, since they are supposed to be gaining.
Do I feed a puppy by its current or adult weight?
Feed a puppy by a percentage of its current weight and re-weigh often — a growing pup can gain weight weekly. As a cross-check, a young puppy fed at ~8% of current weight should land near 2-3% of its expected adult weight. Reduce the percentage as it grows and switch to the adult 2.5% once growth plateaus.
How do I know if I'm feeding the right amount?
Body condition is the real test. You should be able to feel (but not see) the ribs, and see a visible waist from above and a tucked belly from the side. If your dog is gaining unwanted weight, drop the daily amount by 10-20%; if it is losing condition or always hungry and thin, raise it. Adjust gradually over 2-3 weeks rather than all at once.
Is raw feeding right for every dog?
Not always. Puppies of large breeds, pregnant or nursing dogs, and dogs with pancreatitis, kidney disease, or compromised immune systems have special needs. Raw diets also carry a food-safety element (handling, bacteria) for both dog and household. Talk to your veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary nutritionist before switching, especially for dogs with health conditions.

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