How do I know how much to feed my pet, and how do I measure or weigh the food?

We recommend to feed your dog 2% of its ideal body weight in food per day and cats 2.5%. Simply take the total and divide into how many meals you are feeding per day. For example 50 lb dog x 2% = 1.  This means your pet requires 1 lb. per day. Divided into 2 meals = 1/2 lb. per serving.

Another quick way to determine how much to feed is to replace every 1 cup of dry food (high quality grain free) with 1/2 lb. of raw. If your dog is currently eating 3 cups of dry food per day = 1.5 lbs. of raw per day.

Feeding Portion Guidelines:

Your average 12-13 lb dog requires 1/4 lb of food daily

Your average 25 lb dog requires 1/2 lb of food daily

Your average 50 lb dog requires 1 lb of food daily

Your average 75 lb dog requires 1 1/2 lb of food daily

Your average 100 lb dog requires 2 lb of food daily and so on

To determine the monthly cost, simply use the sliding scale on this page. Move the scale to your pet’s ideal weight to estimate your monthly feeding cost.

Portioning Tools

We offer a kitchen scale that is perfect for portioning out your pet’s Big Country Raw. it has a 10 lb capacity – large enough for any breed. It’s easy to use and even easier to clean!

Each of our vacuum sealed packages in our 4 lb. Cartons contains 1 lb.  If your dog required 1/4 lb. per day you could also divide the package into 4 equal servings.  Same for 1/3 lb = 3 days or 1/2 lb = 2 days.

Raw to Dry Conversion

Another handy tip to remember is that generally speaking 1/2 lb of raw is equal to 1 cup of dry food (high quality grain-free).  So if you were feeding 2 cups of dry food your dog is likely going to eat 1 lb. of raw per day.

23 comments on “How do I know how much to feed my pet, and how do I measure or weigh the food?

  1. Krista Bradley on

    Hi, how would it be adjusted if we wanted to also mix some sweet potatoes in there, would the weight requirement of the raw food change? Or is it still the same weight in raw food PLUS any add-ins? Thanks!

    • Linda Vandervliet on

      Hi Krista, You can certainly add in more fruit and vegetables if you like. We always suggest low-glycemic (less sweet) options so as not to encourage yeast overgrowth in the body. Fruit and veg shouldn’t make up more than 20% of the overall diet. They’re a great addition to help with weight loss – you can substitute a portion of the raw meal with vegetables. Or, if your dog doesn’t need to lose weight, you can add some in addition to their raw portion of the meal.

  2. Cody Hambly on

    Hey there! I am just looking to switch my dog from kibble to raw. I am just reviewing your calculations and would like some guidance. As per your calculations it would appear that I would feed my dog about 2 LBS per day. She currently eats 3.5 cups per day and is 50 pounds. She is extremely lean and not an ounce of fat on her. According to your calculations she should only be eating about 1 LB of raw food per day? Any information would be greatly appreciated!
    Thanks for your time,
    Cody and Echo

    • Linda Vandervliet on

      Hi Cody, Your average dog requires 2% of their body weight in raw food daily which for Echo would be 1lb each day. You can split that into two 1/2 lb meals each day.
      Hope that helps

    • Melanie Stapledon on

      Hi there
      I have a 8 month Bernedoodle I just switch to raw how much should he be eating I feed him 2x a day thank you

      • BigCountryRaw on

        Hi Melanie,
        By 8 months old, pups are eating their full adult portion – roughly 2% of their ideal adult weight.
        As an example – if your pup is expected to be 50 lbs full grown, it would eat 1 lb per day and if you expect 100 lbs full grown, it would eat 2 lbs per day. However, always adjust feeding portions as necessary to ensure there’s not extreme weight loss or gain. Hope that helps!

  3. Addy on

    I have a year and half old Boston Terrier who is 22lbs.
    I bought the Turkey Dinner/Chicken Dinner/Breeder Blend grab to go frozen box for $63.
    How long will it last? How much should I feed him per day? (Like two cups or so)? Should I be adding anything else or just that?
    Please let me know. Any other tips would help too.
    P.S. he is one picky dog lol.

    Thanks

    Addy

  4. Tony Rushton on

    Hi.I have a 20 week old active Finnish Laphaund.He is 34 lbs. How much raw should he get per day approximatley? We have been feeding him @ 7oz for breakfast, 8 oz for dinner and @ 7-8 oz for supper.

  5. Esther B. on

    I have two Greyhounds. Budgets only allow me to switch part of there food to raw. They weigh 65lb and 50lb. I expect the 50 pounder (an 8month old female) to be around 70Lb based on parents. If I am going to switch 1/4-1/2 their diet to raw how much should I feed, and should I do it mixed with kibble or in a separate meal? I would love some advice!

    • BigCountryRaw on

      Yes, you can feed both kibble and raw. We know that this is a controversial topic for many people. Providing even some fresh raw food in their diet than none at all.
      If you want to feed 1/4 raw, you feed 1/4 the daily portion of raw and 3/4 the daily portion of kibble in one day. Or 1/2 and 1/2 if that’s what you decide. You can also alternate days, 1 day dry and 1 day raw.

      • Jen on

        Hi, I have a 11 month old Corgi who is fussy as all get out. He has been losing weight as he refuses most food I give him. It was recommended to try raw and for the first time I’ve seen him excited for food!! I’m am unsure how much to feed him with the raw. Please advise.

        • BCR on

          Hi Jen, your pup would be eating his adult portion in food at 11 months old – roughly 1/2 to 3/4 lb of food each day, depending on his ideal adult weight. Always monitor body condition and if you’re seeing undesired weight gain or loss, adjust the food portion.

  6. Teddie Borges on

    I’m new and struggling to feed the right amount. I have a 21 lb French Bulldog. She’s a bit underweight in my opinion. I’ve been feeding her rabbit. This morning I added a raw egg. I’ve been giving her a 1/4 cup three times a day. I’d like to add to her meals. What’s your suggestion and am I feeding enough? I’m also giving her an Omega supplement.

    • linda_bcr on

      Hi there, Our suggested feeding amounts might need to be tweaked for your dog. Rabbit is known to be a lean protein so you would have to feed a considerable amount to see desired weight gain. Try adding some Pure Pork or Pure Beef into the meal rotation. If you need more feeding advice, don’t hesitate to fill out a complimentary meal plan at https://bigcountryraw.ca/getting-started/customized-meal-planning/ and our knowledgeable staff will get you on the right track.

  7. Sarah W on

    Hi, I have a 10month aussie who at the moment is a little on the heavy side. He is getting about 150g of kibble and 200g of cooked meat with 150g of kibble. My question is according to easybarf.com he should be getting 375g of raw x 2 how do I translate this for mixing kibble and “raw” (cooked meat)? I’m guessing that for ex 100g of raw isn’t equal to 100g of kibble…?

    • Sarah W on

      To be precise : 150-200g of kibble morning (spread out as he doesn’t eat by himself he doesn’t want to so I hand feed during training sessions or walks)
      200g meat + 150g kibble evening

    • BCR on

      Hi Sarah,
      The easiest way would be to do 50/50 – half of his ideal portion in kibble and half of his ideal portion in raw. If you’re working on training, the kibble can be his “meal” during your training sessions. The best indicator if you’re feeding enough or too much is body condition. Just keep an eye on that and adjust food portions accordingly. You should be able to feel ribs, though not prominently, but not see them.

  8. Erica on

    According to your recommendations, my 9 lb chihuahua would require 1/4 lb of food per day at the most. However, you say that once food is thawed, you need to use it within 3 days. This is not possible with your 1 lb package sizes. How do you suggest that we handle this? Do you have any plans to make smaller packages for small dogs?

    • BCR on

      Hi Erica,
      For the really little toy breed dogs, a lot of people thaw the pouch, portion it into single serving sizes and refreeze. It’s ok to do this once, but when it’s thawed for the second time, it should be used up within a day or two. I hope that helps