Homemade raw dog food means feeding your dog a diet of raw meat, bones, and organs instead of cooked or processed kibble, closely mirroring what a dog would eat in the wild.
A balanced raw diet typically follows a 70% muscle meat, 10% raw meaty bones, 10% organs (5% liver, 5% other secreting organs), and 10% plant matter ratio for BARF-style feeding (or 80% muscle meat, 20% bone/organ for PMR, with no plant matter).
Here’s what that looks like in practice: a 14-day recipe for a healthy, 40 lb moderately active adult dog (feed ~3oz daily per 10lbs of body weight):
- Kelp (per packaging instructions)
- 5 lbs ground beef
- 3 lbs beef, goat, or lamb green tripe
- 1.4 lbs sardines or Atlantic salmon
- 1.4 lbs plant matter mix (pureed spinach, pumpkin, apple, blueberries, chia, ground almonds)
- 1.8 lbs rabbit or duck heads
- 11 oz calf liver
- 11 oz beef kidney
- Fish oil per instructions ONLY if not feeding pastured meat (balances out the Omega-6 vs Omega-3 imbalances)
Skip the Complicated Math – Use the Free Raw Dog Food Calculator
Get an instant ratio breakdown for muscle meat (including fish), bone, organs, and plant matter based on your dog’s weight and activity level. Works for adult dogs on BARF or PMR, and for puppies from 8 weeks to 12 months.
Try the Free CalculatorAdult dogs typically eat 2-4% of their target body weight per day (puppies up to 10%, decreasing with age). For exact amounts by weight, activity level, and life stage, use the calculator above or see my Feeding Charts & Worksheets.
New to raw feeding and still transitioning from kibble? Start with my Quick Start Guide to Raw Dog Food first.
Want the full ingredient breakdown and why each category matters? See What Does Balanced Raw Dog Food Consist Of?
Ready to actually build your dog’s meals with shopping lists, batch prep, tools, and ready-to-use recipes? Check out my complete Raw Dog Food Meal Prep for Beginners guide.
Below, you’ll find my full library of raw feeding resources organized by topic, so you can go deeper on whatever you need next.
Disclaimer: You’ll see a few affiliate links sprinkled around this site — they’re for products I have used and continue to use with my dogs Missy, Buzz, Wally and Pepper. If you buy through one of those links (with zero extra cost to you), I earn a small commission. That support helps me keep K9sOverCoffee running and lets me create even more raw-feeding tips, recipes, and videos for you. Thanks for being part of this community. Disclosure Policy
Benefits of Homemade Raw Dog Food
The main benefit of raw dog food meal prep for dogs and homemade raw dog food is that it’s cheaper than premade raw meals.
That said, prepackaged raw dog food is a great option when you’re not concerned about the price of your raw dog food or when you’re feeding small dog breeds that don’t eat a lot of food.
However, the convenience of premade raw meals gets expensive very quickly when you’re feeding several larger dogs.
With homemade raw dog food, you can easily save hundreds of dollars every month because you’re cutting out that convenience factor, pun intended!
Below, you’ll find helpful resources that teach you how to come up with your own DIY raw dog food recipes.
From my kitchen to yours – real raw meals that work
Want to make raw feeding easier (and feel more confident doing it)?
Get my 10 balanced raw dog food recipes delivered straight to your inbox –
2 copy-and-paste recipes per day for 5 days – and learn the exact ingredient combos and portion tricks I use to build healthy raw meals.
Start today, recipes #1 & 2 arrive in 60 seconds.
Free 5-day email series for raw feeders. No spam – unsubscribe anytime.
Secreting Organs
Raw Liver for Dogs
Liver is a natural multivitamin and an essential part of raw feeding that many people underestimate. Learn all about raw liver for dogs here.
Raw Kidneys for Dogs
Raw kidneys are an important puzzle piece in raw feeding. Learn why & how feeding amounts differ between adult dogs & puppies.
Raw Spleen for Dogs
Raw spleen is rich in a variety of nutrients which makes it a natural multivitamin and an essential component in raw feeding.
Raw Beef Eyeballs
Raw beef eyeballs for dogs are a great secreting organ to add to homemade raw dog food. Learn where to buy and how to feed them in my free recipe!
Raw Brains for Dogs
Learn why raw brains for dogs are safe to feed, in what amounts they’re added to raw dog food as well as where to source them.
Raw Pancreas for Dogs
Raw pancreas for dogs is a preventative whole food for healthy dogs and helps with pancreatic insufficiencies like pancreatitis, EPI, SID or IBD.
Testicles in Raw Feeding
Testicles for raw dog food are great to round out a raw diet and provide nutrient variety. Use as a second secreting organ in DIY raw dog food.
Secreting Organ Storage Hack
Check out this hack I found to store my secreting organ mixes in! It makes it super easy to use them, especially for raw meal prep.
Muscle Meat
Raw Hearts
Raw hearts for dogs are important in raw feeding. Learn about different nutrients in hearts from different animals, how much to feed & more.
Raw Gizzards
Gizzards for dogs are a nutritious cut of meat that’s unique to specific animals. Learn how (much) to feed, where to buy gizzards & more!
Raw Green Tripe
Green tripe for dogs is an exceptionally nutritional cut of meat. Learn where to buy, how much to feed & more!
Raw Lung
Raw lung for dogs is fed as a specific organ meat in raw feeding. Learn where to buy individual cuts of lung as well as premade blends that use lung in their recipe!
Raw Trachea
Raw trachea for dogs is fed as part of a specific category in raw feeding. It’s great for dog joint health and strengthens your dog’s trachea.
Raw Beef Oxlips
Beef oxlips for dogs are fed as muscle meat in raw dog food. They’re an odd looking cut of meat with spikes on the front and a clear back.
Pork Uterus
Raw pork uterus is fed as muscle meat in raw feeding. Its somewhat slimy consistency is why some dogs like it better partially frozen.
Organ Meat for Dogs Recipe
Organ meat for dogs is essential in raw feeding, especially for homemade raw dog food. This organ meat recipe is easy to make and nutritious!
Raw Meaty Bones (RMBs)
How to Determine the Amount of RMBs for Dogs
Learn how to determine the amount of bones to feed your dog in DIY raw dog food.
How to Safely Feed Your Dog RMBs
It’s important to follow a few safety guidelines of do’s and don’ts when feeding raw meaty bones.
Raw Rabbit Heads
Raw rabbit heads are hypoallergenic raw meaty bones that are fully edible. They consist mostly of bone but also have some muscle meat on them.
Raw Duck Heads
Raw duck heads for dogs are known as cooling raw meaty bones that help clean dog teeth and exercise their jaws.
Raw Duck Frames
Raw duck frames are large raw meaty bones that are fully edible. They’re a great RMB for medium to large size dogs.
Raw Duck Wings
Raw duck wings are a nutritious cut of meat with lots of benefits. Here’s how to feed them, what to combine them with & more.
Raw Chicken Bones
Chicken bones for dogs have a bad reputation, but they can actually be a great addition to your dog’s diet as long as they’re fed raw!
Raw Chicken Feet
Learn how many chicken feet your dog can have, where to buy them & more.
Raw Frog Legs
Looking for a hypoallergenic raw meaty bone alternative for chicken feet & turkey necks? Raw frog legs are it! They’re also lean and available from Raw Feeding Miami.
Raw Pigs Feet
Besides answering the question “Can Dogs Eat Raw Pig Feet”, I also break down the bone vs meat ratio in pig trotters.
Raw Turkey Necks
Turkey necks for dogs are raw meaty bones that are easy to feed & digest, clean teeth & support healthy joints.
Raw Fish for Dogs
Fish in Raw Feeding
Raw fish is an important add-on to raw dog food. It has many health benefits and can be fed several different ways.
Raw Salmon Heads
Raw salmon heads for dogs are great because they trump bottled fish oil. But don’t feed raw salmon from the Pacific Northwest without doing one specific thing first!
Raw Mackerel & Herring
Learn about the difference between mackerel and herring in raw dog food. Discover their benefits, nutritional values, and where to buy.
Green-Lipped Mussels (GLMs)
Find out where to buy green lipped mussels for dogs, their health benefits, when not to feed them and alternatives for dogs with shellfish allergies.
Canned Tuna
I answer the question “Can I feed my dog tuna?” as well as how much to feed, fish alternatives, a recipe, and where to save on fish.
Plant Matter, Seeds & Nuts in Raw Feeding
When to Add Plant Matter in Raw Feeding
Vegetables in raw dog food are important if you omit certain cuts of raw meat. You can either add your own or buy pre-made raw with veggies.
Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm
Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm dog food is a mix of dehydrated low-carb veggies & herbs. It’s used with cooked or raw meat and oils. Click for unique recipes!
Seeds & Nuts
Learn how to feed seeds and nuts for dogs the safe way, and which ones are jam packed with nutrients like Vitamin E and Omega-3 fatty acids!
Raw Dog Food Add-Ons
Fur in Raw Dog Food
It’s important to add fur to raw dog food, especially when making your own. The furry food sources I mention are easy to order & affordable.
Turmeric Paste
Turmeric paste for dogs has anti-inflammatory benefits which makes it a great anti-cancer supplement. It’s easy and quick to make at home, but you can also find it at the store.
Kelp in Raw Feeding
Kelp for dogs is a seaweed that’s a powerful whole food nutritional supplement for dogs and cats! You should add kelp to your dog’s raw meals to cover their iodine needs on a daily basis UNLESS you feed whole prey animals including their thyroid glands. Grab kelp powder for dogs for 15% off here.
Marine Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton for dogs is a nutrient rich whole food you can top your dog’s (raw) dog food off with. Learn more about its benefits, how it compares to kelp and where to buy.
Garlic for Dogs
Did you know that garlic is perfectly safe when fed in moderation? It has anti-microbial, bacterial, & cancer benefits. It also helps prevent fleas! Learn how & when to feed it here.
DIY Pumpkin Purée
You can easily improve your homemade pumpkin puree for dogs by adding this simple health booster! It’s also great for picky eaters!
Raw Eggs for Dogs
Raw eggs are a complete source of protein. That’s because they contain all 8 essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Here’s what else you need to know, including how many eggs dogs can have.
Protein Rotation in Raw Feeding
Raw Chicken
Raw chicken for dogs is safe to feed, even select chicken from the grocery store. Learn how to prepare it, which cuts to use and more!
Raw Duck
Find out where to buy raw duck for dogs as well as freeze-dried duck dog food when you’re traveling + recipe ideas for duck raw dog food!
Raw Turkey
Raw turkey for dogs is a lean protein that’s chock-full of vital minerals and vitamins! Save on raw turkey dog food with my 15% OFF discount code.
Raw Quail
Raw quail for dogs is a lean protein alternative for dogs with certain food sensitivities. Get quail dog food recipe inspiration & more!
Raw Beef
Feeding raw beef dog food can be as easy as ordering premade raw meals. Or make your own raw beef dog food – I have resources for both!
Raw Lamb
How good is lamb for raw dog food? We’ll look at the benefits, cons, which cuts of lamb to feed and where to buy them.
Raw Goat
Raw dog food with goat is great for dogs with allergies to common protein sources like beef and chicken.
Raw Rabbit
Find out where to source rabbit for your raw dog food along with tips for picky eaters!
Raw Pork
Pork raw dog food is a cooling protein source for dogs with food allergies. Learn why it’s safe to feed along with a raw dog food recipe idea.
Raw Venison
I’ve been making my own raw dog food since 2016 and today I’m sharing how to feed your dog wild raw venison, along with a recipe!
Raw Beaver
Raw beaver is a hypoallergenic protein source that’s great for raw-fed dogs with allergies. Learn where to source it in the US & more!
Raw Kangaroo
Learn all about kangaroo raw dog food, including where to buy raw kangaroo meat (US, Canada, Germany), its benefits and recipe inspiration.
Puppies, Small Dogs & The Rule of 3 in Raw Feeding
Raw Dog Food for Puppies
In this blog post, you’ll learn all about raw dog food for puppies including a free raw dog food recipe, shopping lists and a discount code.
And here’s where you can follow along on my Lab puppy Pepper’s first 12 months of raw feeding.
How to Feed Your Small Dog Raw Dog Food
Learn how to feed your small dog raw dog food here! I suggest specific brands and also offer advice on making homemade raw dog food.
I have 10 lbs of Meat – What Else Do I Need?
Learn what DIY raw dog food consists of and what else to add to ground or breast meats to make it balanced raw dog food.
Raw Feeding Tips & Hacks
10+ Tips to Save Money on Raw Dog Food
I’ve been feeding my pups raw since 2015 and have learned how to keep raw dog food affordable! Check out my tips and promo codes here!
Healthy Fats in Raw Feeding
It’s as important to put healthy fats in raw dog food as it is to balance them. To do this, know which foods are rich in Omega-3s and 6s!
Chest or Upright Freezer for Raw Dog Food?
What size freezer for raw dog food to invest in depends on a few variables, but one thing’s clear: Freezer space is a worthwhile investment because it makes raw dog food more affordable.
How to Organize Your Raw Dog Food Freezer
Peek into my 3 raw dog food freezer set ups to get chest freezer organization ideas, storage tips for upright freezers, small freezers & more!
Raw Dog Food Inventory Sheets
These FREE raw dog food inventory sheets will help you plan your raw meals! They’re great to see what’s in your freezer, pantry and spice rack without opening them.
Hunger Pukes in Raw-Fed Dogs
Vomiting foamy yellow stuff is usually an indicator for hunger pukes in raw-fed dogs. Learn about the causes & how to prevent/treat acute cases of yellow bile puke.
How to Make Your Raw-Fed Dog Eat Slower
I started using dog slow feeders to stop my pup Wally from inhaling his raw dog food. My 7 favorite ones are affordable and dishwasher safe!
Constipation in Raw Feeding
If your dog is constipated on a raw diet, you’re probably feeding too much bone. Learn about the ideal bone amount & how to help him poop easier.
How to Talk to Anti-Raw Vets
Talk to your anti raw vet from a position of knowledge! That includes sharing hard facts, resources and recipes you feed.
Raw Feeding Without The Mess
Have you wondered how to feed raw dog food without the mess? It’s fairly easy and only requires a few rules and smart tools!
Dogs Regurgitating Raw Dog Food
Why do dogs regurgitate raw dog food? There are 3 great solutions to prevent regurgitation in dogs, and the third one worked for my pup!
Cutting Boards for Raw Dog Food Meal Prep
Discover the best cutting boards for raw dog food meal prep! Find durable, hygienic options that are easy to clean.
Flexible Fresh Feeding for Dogs
In this guest blog post, Lizzy Meyer shares her approach to feeding 3 pups raw dog food and what it means to be a flexible fresh food feeder.
Combining Kibble & Raw Dog Food
Kibble and raw dog food digest at different rates, which is why it’s important to understand how to safely feed them together!
Pet Medella Allergy Test
Pet Medella’s Bioenergetic Scan helped me find out what my Boxer mix Missy doesn’t do well with. It’s a holistic test for allergies and sensitivities.
Controversial Dog Allergy Test
This controversial dog food allergy test identified 21 types of meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, and grains my dog is allergic to! No more scratching for us!
Dog Won’t Eat Raw Dog Food
There are specific reasons why your dog doesn’t eat his raw dog food (anymore). Find out why, hacks to fix the problem, and alternatives!
Raw Feeding When Camping
In this blog entry, I share 4 approaches that have worked for me as well as 2 alternatives to raw dog food when you’re on the road!
2 Vets Who Support Raw Dog Food
Discover vets who endorse raw dog food to help improve your pup’s health. Includes links to expert insights on dog health & species-appropriate nutrition.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Raw Dog Food
What Ingredients Do I Need for Homemade Raw Dog Food?
Balanced homemade raw dog food includes muscle meat, secreting organs, raw meaty bones, and plant matter such as veggies, fruit, seeds, and nuts if you’re not feeding whole prey animals including their stomachs and glands. You can rotate proteins like chicken, duck, rabbit, lamb, beef, and more to cover a wider nutrient range.
How Do I Know If My Homemade Raw Dog Food Is Balanced?
A meal is considered balanced when it follows either the BARF model or the 70–80/10/10 prey-model ratio. When you include muscle meat, raw meaty bones, secreting organs, and plant matter when appropriate, your dog receives the full range of nutrients over time.
How Much Homemade Raw Dog Food Should I Feed My Dog?
Most adult dogs eat 2–4% of their ideal body weight per day. Puppies may eat up to 10% depending on age. Feeding charts help determine the right amount based on weight, age, condition, and activity level.
Do Puppies Need Different Raw Food Than Adult Dogs?
Puppies need more frequent meals, more secreting organs and a considerably higher percentage of bone (17%) for proper growth development. With age-appropriate feeding percentages and soft raw meaty bones, puppies like my Lab puppy Pepper can thrive on homemade raw dog food.
Can I Mix Raw Dog Food With Kibble?
You can safely mix raw and kibble when you understand how each digests. Choosing gentle combinations and proper timing helps prevent stomach upset. Many owners transition from kibble to raw using a hybrid approach.
Are Raw Meaty Bones Safe For Dogs?
Raw meaty bones are safe when matched to your dog’s size and chewing style, and when properly supervised. They provide important minerals, help clean teeth and strengthen the jaw. Cooked bones should never be fed, as they splinter and are dangerous.
Do Dogs Need Vegetables In Homemade Raw Dog Food?
Pureed vegetables are optional but useful. Dogs on BARF-style diets benefit from added plant matter for vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, and digestive support. They represent the stomach content of prey animals and help fill gaps when certain meat cuts are unavailable.
Can I Freeze Homemade Raw Dog Food?
Yes, freezing is safe and very common. Most raw feeders make meals in bulk, portion them, and freeze them for months. Freezing helps maintain quality while saving time and money.
About Barbara
I’m Barbara Rivers, founder of K9sOverCoffee. I’ve been raw feeding since 2015, making my own homemade raw dog food since 2016, and I completed a raw feeding course led by veterinarian Dr. Marion Smart and Labrador breeder Dana Scott.
I’m currently completing my BARF nutrition counselor certification at THP School in Germany, sponsored by BARFER’S, one of Germany’s leading raw dog food brands who I work for. Today, I share this raw feeding journey with my Feist mix Wally and my Labrador puppy Pepper.