Feeding A Prey Model Raw Diet
WHAT IS A PREY MODEL RAW DIET?
Our blends come in ready to feed prey model ratios. Feeding a prey model raw diet strives to come as close as possible to the diet of a wild canine without going into the woods to hunt wild prey animals. It is based on whole meats, connective tissues, fat, organs, blood, etc from a variety of prey animals in order to achieve balance and to feed all the nutrients in whole prey. Prey model raw feeders only feed meat, bone, and organ, and rotate 3-4 proteins over time to achieve balance.
Note: If you choose to feed BARF model raw, which includes plant foods, you can still use our blends. You will be set up with the proper ratios of meat, bone, and organ in easy to serve deli containers. Simply add in whatever else you would like.
HOW TO TRANSITION
When feeding raw, it is best to transition “cold turkey” to a complete raw meal, rather than what we’ve heard with transitioning kibbles where you mix in a little bit of the new stuff, gradually changing over.
The problem with mixing is that processed foods such as kibble and canned food is that one is processed, more difficult to digest, and the other is fresh, and easier to digest. This can cause GI upset in some dogs or cats. Some raw feeders have done this and it has been okay, but some have had pets with diarrhea, so it’s best to simply make the switch after a fast.
What does the fast entail? When switching your dog or cat from their old food to raw, unless they are a puppy or kitten, it is ideal to have a 12-24hr fast beforehand, so that all the processed food is out of their system. After that, they are ready for their first raw meal.
If you feel your dog or cat is sensitive to food switches or has been dealing with health issues, you may want to do some additional prepping of your pet’s system before starting raw to ease the transition. • You can introduce a probiotic supplement prior to starting raw. This simply helps balance your dog or cat’s gut flora so that it is all ready for raw.
• You can introduce an enzyme supplement prior to starting raw. This will help with having what they need replenished for optimal digestion.
• If you want to do a smaller introduction to your dog or cat, give them a tablespoon sized portion of a raw “snack” away from their meal time. However, most dogs and cats do not need this. It is more of making the pet owner feel better and confident about it, and that is okay and understandable if you need to do that.
CHOOSING A STARTING PROTEIN
It is best to start with an average or low fat protein, until your dog or cat has been accustomed to raw food. Chicken, beef, turkey, and boar tend to be good starting proteins.
If your dog or cat has been on kibble for many years or has health problems, it is best to feed only one protein for the first month. If stool, gas, and skin are normal, then you can start rotating in a second protein the following month.
Typically the dogs and cats who have been on processed food or with health problems such as allergies, will go through a purge. The body purges through the GI tract and the skin. There may be some interesting looking poops, some extra gas, and maybe some flaking or itching of the skin as the nutrients from the raw food allow the dog or cat’s body to rid itself of any “junk.” This is an elimination process.
HOW MUCH TO FEED
On average, dogs and cats eat 2.5% of their ideal body weight daily. If you have a dog or cat who is more sedentary, you can drop to 2%. If you have a very active dog, you can increase to 3%. If unsure, 2.5% is a good starting point. If your dog or cat starts to lose weight, you can increase. If they start to gain weight, you can decrease. Most will be somewhere between 2-2.5%.
DOING THE MATH
If you don’t like math, we conveniently have feeding tables according to ideal weight on every product page, and you can skip this section.
Keep in mind doing the math or using the feeding table is a great place to start, but the amount can be adjusted accordingly if your pet is gaining or losing weight as not all pets are created equal in metabolism and activity levels.
Daily amounts can be split into 2 meals or given as a single meal.
Examples to help you.
30lb Average Activity Dog:
- 30lbs x 0.025 = 0.75lbs daily (Daily feeding amount in pounds)
- 0.75lbs x 16oz = 12oz. (Daily feeding amount in ounces)
- 0.75lbs x 30 days = 22.5lbs (Amount you need for 30 day supply)
12lb Average Activity Dog or Cat:
- 12lbs x 0.025 = 0.3lbs daily (Daily feeding amount in pounds)
- 0.3lbs x 16oz = ~5oz. (Daily feeding amount in ounces)
- 0.3lbs x 30 days = 9lbs (Amount you need for 30 day supply)
50lb Active Dog:
- 50lbs x 0.03 = 1.5lbs daily (Daily feeding amount in pounds)
- 1.5lbs x 16oz = 24oz. (Daily feeding amount in ounces)
- 1.5lbs x 30 days = 45lbs (Amount you need for 30 day supply)
90lb Sedentary Dog:
- 90lbs x 0.02 = 1.8lbs daily (Daily feeding amount in pounds)
- 1.8lbs x 16oz = 28.8oz. (Daily feeding amount in ounces)
- 1.8lbs x 30 days = 54lbs (Amount you need for 30 day supply)
ROTATION = BALANCE
Just like you don’t eat the same food over and over again or sit down to a bowl of food with every single nutrient you’d ever need in it, animals are the same. No animals in nature eat exclusively the same prey over and over. Variety in proteins = variety in nutrients. This allows balance in the diet over time.
Once you are past the transition process stated above (introducing them to one protein and beginning to rotate in another as long as gas/stool/skin are normal), it is ideal to rotate 3-4 proteins. You can choose whatever proteins your pet would like. You do not have to stick to the first 3 or 4 proteins introduced. Feel free to branch out and try others as well. There are 8 different proteins that we offer… it is totally acceptable to rotate through all 8 if you so desire.
FEEDING LOCATIONS
If you are feeding a blend from Farm 2 Bowl, this is simply fed in a bowl just like any other food that you would give to your dog or cat.
If you are feeding whole prey or raw meaty bones, this is best fed outside or in a crate that can be easily wiped down afterward. If feeding outside, grass is best. Avoid feeding on mulch or gravel so that your pet doesn’t accidentally consume either with their food.
It is not recommended to feed raw on carpet or on a towel. It is easy for bacteria from raw food to get deep inside the fibers and difficult to sanitize after.
Raw food is also very high value to most pets. Keep this in mind if you have multiple pets, as it is a good idea to keep space in between them or to feed in a crate.
STORAGE
With feeding raw, you only want to have about 1-3 days thawed out in your refrigerator at a time. The rest will be stored frozen. Check to be sure you have ample space for your dog’s monthly feeding amounts (or whatever purchase time frame you plan). Many raw feeders use a chest freezer. You may not need to if you have a small breed dog or cat and/or if you plan on purchasing a month or less worth of food at a time.
If looking to purchase a chest freezer, it may be beneficial to know that 1 cubic foot of freezer space holds approximately 30lbs of food, so a 5 cubic foot freezer would hold about 150lbs. A 7 cubic foot freezer would hold about 210lbs. A 12 cubic foot freezer would hold about 360lbs.
(Note: If you look online, it will say 35lbs per cubic foot, however, this number is for food that fits perfectly together without any negative space in between, which is why we go by 30 rather than 35, so that you can ensure you have enough room.)
SUPPLEMENTS
Supplements can be added into a raw diet, just like you would in any other diet. However, remember supplements are exactly that, they “supplement” the meal. They should not make up the bulk of your pet’s bowl and should be very specific to your pet’s needs.
Rather than throwing every supplement there is at them because of X-Y-Z reason that the internet is full of, the question should be, do they need it? Are there specific health areas in my pet that I need to support? Are they already getting those nutrients from a healthy diet that consists of nutrients in the form that they are designed to recognize and utilize?
The best way for your pet to get the nutrients they need is through the foods they are eating. If you feel your dog or cat needs something additional or you would like to add a supplement for some extra support for a certain organ or system of their body, simply add it in. Ground raw food makes it easy to hide any supplements. Opt for whole food derived supplements over synthetics.
PLANT FOODS
We do not feed or recommend plant foods because our dogs and cats are carnivores. If you feel you need to add something, the most digestible and species appropriate plant foods for dogs are berries and/or grasses. Sometimes people will add in pureed pumpkin or squash for fiber to keep bowel movements regular. However, would keep these to a minimum (under 5% of the bowl), and if your dog is experiencing any health issues, it’s usually best to stick to prey model without any additions for some time first.
What about the stomach contents they’d eat in a prey animal? I have fed my dogs and cat every possible way of raw feeding: ground, raw meaty bones, and whole prey (fur or feathers and all). I have found my dogs do not touch the stomach contents. 2 of them will rip the stomach out and go set it aside away from their meal, others eat around it and leave it.
“The vegetation in the intestinal tract is of no interest to wolves, but the stomach lining and intestinal wall are consumed, and their contents further strewn about the kill site.”-David Mech, Senior Scientist with the Biological Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, and Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the University of Minnesota.
CHECKLIST
▢ Transition Plan (Fast? Additional GI prep? 1 or 2 meals a day?)
▢ Raw Food Source
▢ Starter Protein (Low or average fat is best)
▢ How Much To Feed Per Day
▢ How Much Food Needed For 1 Month (or whatever time frame you plan to buy)
▢ Feeding Locations (Inside? Kitchen floor? Crate? Outside?)
▢ Storage For Raw Food
Once you feed raw for a couple months, it becomes simple and a part of your normal, daily routine. Typically, once you get the above basics down, the hardest part about feeding a raw diet is remembering to thaw out the food. 😉
WAHOO!
Thank you for being an awesome pet parent, taking time to learn and better help your pet live their best life possible! 🙌🏼
