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Feeding your dog raw food can sound wonderfully simple at first: replace heavily processed kibble with fresh, recognizable proteins and other ingredients. Nothing to it, right?
Then you start researching… Suddenly you’re reading about muscle meat, organs, edible bone, calcium ratios, food-safety protocols, freezer space, transition schedules, and whether your dog is supposed to eat a whole turkey neck on Tuesday…
Feeding raw to dogs can get overwhelming very quickly.
Mike and I (Steph) first introduced raw dog food to our longhaired dachshund, Django, a few years ago. We were interested in giving him high-quality, minimally processed meals that he genuinely enjoyed and benefited from. But we were not interested in guessing our way through his nutritional needs or turning every dinner into a complicated science project.
The good news is that starting your dog on raw food does not have to mean formulating a homemade diet, buying ten different animal parts, or switching your dog’s food overnight. For most beginners, the simplest approach is to start with one reputable commercial raw dog food that is clearly labeled complete and balanced, transition at a pace your dog tolerates, and keep everything else very simple.
Quick Answer: The Easiest Way to Start Feeding Your Pup Raw Dog Food
Choose one reputable commercial raw dog food that is labeled complete and balanced for your dog’s life stage. Start with one familiar protein, calculate the proper daily calories or serving amount, and introduce the new food gradually while watching your dog’s appetite, digestion, stools, energy, and weight.
You do not have to feed 100% raw immediately, or ever. Some dog parents use complete raw food for every meal, while others replace one meal, feed part raw and part another complete food, or begin with a small amount as a topper.
For Django, our favorite beginner-friendly option is Oma’s Pride Woof Complete. It is formulated as a complete and balanced meal for all life stages, comes in individually wrapped portions, and is one of the foods Django gets genuinely excited to eat.
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Discount code: Use DJANGO25 at checkout for 25% off your first Oma’s Pride order. Offer terms may change, so confirm the discount at checkout.
Why Do Dog Parents Consider Feeding Raw Food?
Properly formulated raw dog food diets can be highly palatable and digestible, and research has found potential benefits including smaller stools and improvements in the gut microbiome.
Many dog parents are also drawn to raw food for its high-quality animal proteins, natural moisture, and recognizable whole-food ingredients.
The key is choosing a complete and balanced recipe and handling it safely.
For us, feeding raw and fresh food is not about solving a health problem. Django is a healthy eater and, thankfully, not very picky! Our goal is simply to give our dog the highest-quality, most balanced nutrition we can. We do not believe that means feeding him one brand or recipe for his entire life. Instead, we rotate among a few top-quality fresh and raw dog foods that are each complete and balanced, giving him variety in proteins, ingredients, textures, and flavors.
We also love being able to see recognizable ingredients in Django’s bowl—and we love how excited he gets for certain raw meals, especially his raw Oma’s Pride Woof Complete. He starts licking his lips, sneezing at us to hurry up, and doing his little pre-dinner spin before we have even put the bowl down. His enthusiasm is one of the many reasons raw and fresh foods continue to be part of his regular rotation.
Above: Django about to devour his Oma’s Pride beef dinner
What to Know Before You Start Feeding Raw Dog Food
Raw pet food also comes with legitimate considerations, including the risk of harmful bacteria, nutritional imbalance in poorly formulated diets, cost, storage, and more involved cleanup. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that raw pet food is more likely than processed pet food to contain disease-causing bacteria, and the American Veterinary Medical Association discourages feeding animal-source protein that has not undergone a process to eliminate pathogens.
We believe dog parents deserve both sides of that conversation. This guide is for people who have reviewed the benefits and risks, spoken with their veterinarian when appropriate, and want a practical way to begin as carefully and confidently as possible.
Our broader beginner’s guide explains what raw dog food is, potential advantages, important drawbacks, and current safety concerns before you make the switch.
Read the Raw Dog Food Beginner’s Guide
First, Decide What “Feeding Raw” Means for Your Dog
One of the easiest ways to feel overwhelmed is to assume that trying raw food requires an immediate, permanent switch to a 100% raw diet. It does not.
There are several ways to incorporate raw food into a dog’s routine:
A complete and balanced raw food provides the dog’s entire daily diet. This is the simplest option nutritionally when the product is appropriate for your dog’s life stage and fed in the proper amount.
A complete raw food supplies part of the dog’s daily calories, while another complete food supplies the rest. This can lower cost and make storage easier.
This is how we feed Django raw. Sometimes Woof Complete provides part or all of his daily meals, while other times we rotate in another high-quality, complete and balanced fresh food. This approach gives us flexibility, variety, and makes freezer storage and cost easier to manage.
Even when Woof Complete is not currently part of Django’s meals, we still order Oma’s Pride raw meaty bones and single-ingredient treats for occasional enrichment. These are offered as supervised treats—not as a substitute for a complete and balanced meal.
A small amount of raw food is added for variety or palatability. Toppers should remain modest so they do not displace too much of a complete and balanced diet.
There is no prize for switching the fastest or feeding the highest percentage of raw food. The best approach is the one that is nutritionally appropriate for your dog and realistic for your household.
How to Start Feeding Raw Dog Food: 5 Simple Steps
Step 1
Make Sure Raw Feeding Is Appropriate for Your Dog and Household
Before changing your dog’s diet, consider your dog’s age, health, medical history, current medications, and living environment. A conversation with your veterinarian is particularly important for:
- Puppies and dogs that are still growing
- Pregnant or nursing dogs
- Senior dogs
- Dogs with pancreatitis or a history of fat intolerance
- Dogs with kidney, liver, gastrointestinal, immune, or metabolic conditions
- Dogs eating a prescription veterinary diet
- Dogs with severe food allergies or recurring digestive problems
- Households with young children, older adults, pregnant people, or anyone who is immunocompromised
Your dog’s veterinarian is the right place to start. For a medically complex dog or a homemade diet, ask about working with a board-certified veterinary nutrition specialist. These veterinarians receive advanced training in nutritional management for healthy animals and pets with disease.
We feed Django raw food and have had a positive experience, but we do not believe every dog or every household needs to feed raw. Raw food requires thoughtful product selection, safe handling, enough freezer space, and a willingness to monitor the individual dog. Gently cooked fresh food or another complete diet may be a better fit for some families.
Step 2
Choose a Commercial Raw Food That Is Complete and Balanced
This is the most important beginner step.
A package can contain quality meat, organs, bone, and vegetables and still be nutritionally incomplete. “Raw,” “fresh,” “natural,” and “premium” do not tell you whether the food supplies every nutrient your dog needs in the correct proportions.
Look for the nutritional adequacy statement on the package or product page. The Association of American Feed Control Officials explains that:
- Complete means the product contains all required nutrients.
- Balanced means those nutrients are present in the correct ratios.
- The statement should also identify the life stage for which the food is intended, such as adult maintenance, growth, or all life stages.
The FDA notes that a food carrying a complete-and-balanced claim is intended to serve as the pet’s sole diet. Treats, toppers, bones, supplements, and many raw mixes are not designed to do that.
For beginners, we recommend choosing a reputable commercial raw dog food formulated to provide complete nutrition for your dog’s life stage. Our favorite starting option for Django is Oma’s Pride Woof Complete.
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Oma’s Pride raw dog food recipes are packaged in convenient, pre-portioned packs for easy thawing and serving. Shown above: Django’s 6 lb bag of Canine Beef Recipe.
Complete raw meals vs. supplemental raw products
Both can have a place in a dog’s routine, but they are not interchangeable.
| Product type | Typical purpose | Can it serve as the full daily diet? |
|---|---|---|
| Complete and balanced raw food | Everyday feeding for the life stage stated on the label | Yes, when appropriate for the individual dog and fed according to calorie and serving guidance |
| Supplemental or rotational raw mix | Part of a broader, deliberately balanced feeding plan | Not by itself unless a veterinary nutrition professional has balanced the complete diet |
| Raw topper, organ, fish, or treat | Variety, palatability, enrichment, or occasional supplementation | No |
| Raw meaty bone | Recreational chewing or one component of a professionally formulated diet | No, and bones also carry dental, choking, and gastrointestinal risks |
Step 3
Start With One Recipe and Keep Everything Else Boring
This may be the least exciting advice in the article, but it is one of the most useful: do not introduce every interesting raw product at the same time.
Choose:
- One reputable brand
- One complete and balanced recipe
- One protein your dog has eaten successfully before, when possible
- One package format that works with your freezer space and dog’s portions
Do not begin the same week with a new raw meal, raw egg, sardines, green tripe, liver treats, marrow bone, supplement powder, and goat milk. If your dog develops loose stools, vomiting, itching, or refuses dinner, you will have no idea which change caused it.
Once your dog is eating the core meal comfortably, you can decide whether additional proteins, treats, or toppers make sense.
Which protein should you try first?
A familiar protein is often the easiest starting point. If your dog has eaten turkey successfully for years, beginning with a complete turkey recipe may be more predictable than suddenly introducing a rich, unfamiliar protein.
Oma’s Pride recommends chicken or turkey as milder starting proteins in its transition guidance. However, a dog with a known or suspected poultry sensitivity will obviously need a different choice. This is another reason to involve your veterinarian when allergies or chronic digestive problems are part of the picture.
Above: A close up shot of our pup’s Woof Complete Chicken Canine Recipe.
Step 4
Calculate How Much Raw Food Your Dog Actually Needs
Package feeding charts and online calculators are helpful starting points—not unbreakable rules.
The right amount depends on:
- Your dog’s current and ideal weight
- The calories in the exact recipe
- Age and life stage
- Activity level
- Spay or neuter status
- Whether the dog needs to gain, lose, or maintain weight
- Calories from treats, chews, toppers, and other foods
Use the manufacturer’s feeding guidance to begin, then monitor your dog’s weight and body condition. If your dog starts gaining unwanted weight, becoming too lean, or acting persistently hungry, the portion may need to be adjusted with veterinary guidance.
Our real-life portion example for Django
Django weighs approximately 13 lbs. Oma’s Pride’s current feeding guidance places dogs weighing 1–15 lbs at approximately 4 oz of food per day as a starting point. When Woof Complete supplies his full daily diet, one 8 oz portion lasts us roughly two days.
When we use Woof Complete for approximately half of his daily calories and feed another complete food for the rest, the same 8 oz portion lasts about four days. That fits within Oma’s Pride’s current recommendation to use thawed food within four days, and we have never had trouble finishing the portion while it is fresh.
The important phrase is half of his daily calories. Two foods can have very different calorie densities, so a half-and-half diet does not necessarily mean two equal-looking scoops.
Raw treats, marrow bones, toppers, and chews still count. If extras become a significant part of the day, they can contribute to weight gain or displace nutrients from a complete meal.
Above: Oma’s Pride Lamb Lung Treats are a simple, 100% natural raw dog treat.
Step 5
Transition to Raw Dog Food Gradually
Some dogs can tolerate a fast food change without obvious trouble. Others respond with loose stools, vomiting, gas, or a firm refusal to eat. For a general beginner guide, we prefer the calmer, more conservative approach: introduce the new food gradually over approximately one to two weeks.
Oma’s Pride also describes a gradual method for older pets and animals with sensitive stomachs, slowly decreasing the current food while increasing raw food over a week or two. The exact pace should depend on the individual dog, the foods involved, and veterinary guidance.
| Transition stage | Current food | New complete raw food | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting stage | About 75% | About 25% | Stay here for several meals while monitoring appetite and stools. |
| Middle stage | About 50% | About 50% | Move forward only if your dog is comfortable and digestion remains stable. |
| Final transition stage | About 25% | About 75% | Hold this ratio longer if stools soften or your dog seems unsettled. |
| Full transition | 0% | 100% | Continue monitoring weight, body condition, appetite, energy, and digestion. |
This is an example, not a medical prescription. Some dogs may need a slower transition. Puppies, toy breeds, seniors, dogs taking medication, and dogs with medical conditions should not be fasted or switched abruptly without direct veterinary guidance.
Also, there is no reason to advance to the next stage simply because the calendar says so. Your dog’s response matters more than the date.
Why We Do Not Recommend Starting With Homemade Raw Dog Food
Homemade raw feeding is often presented online as a simple formula: add meat, organ, bone, and perhaps a few vegetables to a bowl. In reality, building a nutritionally complete diet is much more complicated.
Animal ingredients naturally vary in their concentrations of protein, fat, amino acids, minerals, and other nutrients. AAFCO explains that a complete and balanced formulation accounts for those variations so the final diet meets the nutritional requirements of the dog’s specific life stage.
A homemade raw diet may require carefully calculated sources and ratios of:
- Protein and essential amino acids
- Fat and essential fatty acids
- Calcium and phosphorus
- Vitamins A, D, E, and B vitamins
- Iodine, zinc, copper, selenium, and other trace minerals
- Additional nutrients based on the dog’s age, health, and exact recipe
A bowl can look fresh, colorful, and wonderfully wholesome while still supplying too much of one nutrient and not enough of another. Those imbalances may not be obvious right away.
That is why we strongly recommend that beginners start with a reputable commercial raw food labeled complete and balanced. Dog parents who truly want to make raw food at home should work from a recipe formulated for their individual dog by a board-certified veterinary nutrition specialist—and follow it precisely rather than improvising.
The Complete Raw Dog Food We Use for Django
We have fed Django Oma’s Pride on and off since 2024. Full transparency: it is not the only food he ever eats. We enjoy rotating high-quality foods and proteins, and there are times when we feed Oma’s Pride regularly and other stretches when we change things up.
When we return to a full raw meal, Woof Complete is our favorite Oma’s Pride option for Django because it is formulated as complete and balanced for all life stages. The current portion-pack bags contain individually wrapped 8 oz portions, which are practical for our 13 lb dachshund and much easier to manage than thawing a large bulk package all at once.
We also appreciate that Oma’s Pride offers a wide variety of raw products. Once a dog parent feels comfortable with the basics, the company has supplemental Signature Mixes, single-ingredient treats, toppers, raw meaty bones, and a feeding calculator. Beginners should still pay close attention to which products are complete meals and which are intended only for supplemental or rotational feeding.
Most importantly, Django genuinely loves the food. When he sees us preparing an Oma’s Pride meal, he starts licking his lips, sneezing impatiently, and doing his little dinner dance. That enthusiasm does not replace nutritional research, of course—but it certainly makes mealtime fun.
Our full review covers Woof Complete, Signature Mixes, frozen delivery, portioning, ingredients, pricing, treats, marrow bones, pros, cons, and Django’s firsthand experience over several years.
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Use code DJANGO25 for 25% off your first Oma’s Pride order. Offer terms may change.
Can You Mix Raw Dog Food With Kibble or Another Food?
Yes, absolutely! Many dog parents use complete raw food as only part of the diet. Some serve one complete food in the morning and another at night. Others calculate a portion of each for the same day.
What matters most is not whether the foods look equal in the bowl. It is whether:
- The total daily calories are appropriate
- The overall diet remains nutritionally sound
- Toppers and incomplete foods do not displace too much complete nutrition
- The dog tolerates the combination well
Part-raw feeding can be a practical way to reduce cost, use less freezer space, or test whether raw food fits your routine before making a larger commitment.
With Django, we sometimes feed Woof Complete as his full food and sometimes combine it with another high-quality complete diet. We like changing things up, and we would rather be transparent about that than pretend we have fed one food exclusively for years.
If one food contains twice as many calories per ounce as another, equal scoops are not a 50/50 diet. Check the calorie statement on both foods and ask your veterinarian for help when you are unsure.
What Should You Watch During the Transition?
Raw feeding advice sometimes focuses so heavily on ingredients and percentages that it forgets the most important source of feedback: the dog standing in front of you.
Pay attention to:
- Appetite: Is your dog eager to eat, hesitant, or refusing meals?
- Stools: Watch consistency, frequency, straining, mucus, and blood.
- Vomiting or regurgitation: A repeated pattern needs veterinary attention.
- Gas and abdominal comfort: Does your dog appear bloated, restless, painful, or uncomfortable?
- Skin and ears: Watch for new itching, redness, recurring ear irritation, or other possible reactions.
- Energy and behavior: Note unusual lethargy or changes in normal behavior.
- Weight and body condition: Recheck regularly rather than waiting for a dramatic change.
- Water intake and urination: Diet changes can alter moisture intake, but unusual thirst or urination should not be dismissed.
Django transitioned very comfortably to Oma’s Pride. He remained eager at meals, and we did not observe digestive or stool issues while feeding the complete meals. That is our dog’s experience—not a guarantee of how another dog will respond.
When should you pause and call your veterinarian?
Contact your veterinarian if your dog has persistent diarrhea, repeated vomiting, blood in the stool, marked lethargy, abdominal pain, trouble defecating, dehydration, refusal to eat, signs of an allergic reaction, or any symptom that concerns you. Puppies, very small dogs, seniors, and medically fragile dogs can become ill or dehydrated more quickly.
How to Store, Thaw, and Handle Raw Dog Food Safely
Raw feeding becomes much less stressful once you establish a routine. In our house, we thaw one portion at a time, keep it inside a washable container in the refrigerator, serve Django’s measured amount, and wash his bowl and any utensils immediately afterward.
The FDA recommends careful hygiene because raw pet food can carry harmful bacteria that may affect both animals and people. Its current safe-handling guidance includes washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and washing pet-food bowls and utensils after each use.
- Keep frozen food frozen until you are ready to thaw it.
- Thaw food in the refrigerator—not on the kitchen counter.
- Place the package in a washable container in case it leaks.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for thawing and refrigerated storage.
- Wash your hands before and after handling the food.
- Wash bowls, scoops, utensils, and food-contact surfaces after every meal.
- Keep raw pet food and its utensils separate from human food when possible.
- Do not leave raw food sitting at room temperature for extended periods.
- Discard food that smells abnormal, has damaged packaging, or has been stored outside the manufacturer’s directions.
- Check the FDA’s current animal-food recall information periodically.
Read the FDA’s complete pet-food handling guidance.
What if a frozen shipment arrives partially thawed?
Do not guess. Photograph the package and food, keep the shipment contained, and contact the manufacturer immediately for product-specific guidance. Whether a product is safe depends on its temperature, how long it was exposed, package condition, and the manufacturer’s handling standards.
Every frozen Oma’s Pride order we have received has arrived well packed and completely frozen, which is one of the reasons we feel comfortable continuing to order from the company.
Above: Django is very excited that his most recent raw dog food delivery arrived!
Common Raw-Feeding Mistakes Beginners Can Avoid
Signature mixes, toppers, treats, organs, fish, and bones may be useful without being complete and balanced.
Fresh-looking ingredients do not guarantee the correct nutrient amounts and ratios.
Begin with one complete recipe so you can clearly monitor tolerance.
There is no benefit to rushing through a transition while digestion is unsettled.
Use calories, not visual volume, when combining diets.
Extras can add meaningful calories and dilute a balanced diet when overused.
Measure your freezer space before placing a large order to qualify for shipping savings.
Safe thawing, handwashing, bowl cleaning, and surface sanitation are essential parts of raw feeding.
Bones are not required to begin feeding a complete commercial raw food and carry separate dental, choking, and digestive risks.
The best diet is one that is safe, nutritionally appropriate, tolerated well, and realistic for the individual household.
A Simple Raw-Feeding Starter Plan
After all the details, here is the process we would follow if we were starting again today:
- Talk with your veterinarian about your dog’s health, especially if your dog is young, senior, medically complex, or eating a prescription diet.
- Choose one commercial raw food labeled complete and balanced for your dog’s life stage.
- Start with one familiar protein and skip the extra toppers, supplements, treats, and bones for now.
- Use the calorie and feeding guidance as a starting point and measure portions consistently.
- Transition gradually, pausing at a stage when your dog needs more time.
- Watch appetite, stools, comfort, energy, and weight rather than following a schedule blindly.
- Create a repeatable safety routine for freezing, thawing, serving, and cleanup.
- Add variety later, one item at a time, once the core meal is going well.
Oma’s Pride Woof Complete offers the simplicity we want in a beginner raw food: complete nutrition, multiple protein options, individually wrapped portions, and food Django truly loves.
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Use code DJANGO25 for 25% off your first Oma’s Pride order. Offer terms may change.
Frequently Asked Questions About Starting Raw Dog Food
What is the easiest way to start feeding raw dog food?
The easiest starting point is one reputable commercial raw dog food labeled complete and balanced for your dog’s life stage. Choose one familiar protein, calculate the appropriate serving amount, introduce it gradually, and monitor appetite, digestion, stools, energy, and weight.
Should I switch my dog to raw food gradually?
A gradual transition over approximately one to two weeks is a practical, conservative approach for many dogs. Begin with a small portion of the new complete raw food and increase it only while your dog is eating comfortably and maintaining normal digestion. Dogs with medical conditions should follow individualized veterinary guidance.
Can I mix raw dog food with kibble?
Many dog parents use complete raw food for only part of the daily diet. The important considerations are total calories, nutritional balance, safe handling, and how well the individual dog tolerates the combination. Calculate portions using calories rather than assuming equal scoops provide an equal split.
How much raw food should I feed my dog?
Begin with the feeding guidance and calorie information for the exact product, then adjust as needed to maintain your dog’s ideal weight and body condition. Age, activity, life stage, health, treats, toppers, and other foods all affect the correct amount.
Does raw dog food need to be complete and balanced?
Yes, when the raw food will provide the dog’s full daily diet. Look for a nutritional adequacy statement showing that the product is complete and balanced for the appropriate life stage. Treats, toppers, bones, organs, and supplemental mixes should not be mistaken for complete meals.
Is commercial raw dog food better for beginners than homemade?
A reputable commercial raw food labeled complete and balanced is generally much simpler for a beginner than formulating a homemade diet. Homemade diets can become nutritionally imbalanced unless they are created for the individual dog by a qualified veterinary nutrition specialist and followed precisely.
What protein should I start with?
Consider a protein your dog has eaten successfully before. Oma’s Pride suggests chicken or turkey as relatively mild starting proteins, but dogs with known or suspected poultry sensitivities may require another choice. Introduce only one new recipe at first so reactions are easier to identify.
How long can thawed raw dog food stay in the refrigerator?
Follow the instructions for the exact product. Oma’s Pride currently recommends using its thawed raw food within four days. Keep the food refrigerated in a washable container and discard it when it has been stored beyond the manufacturer’s recommended period.
Can puppies eat raw dog food?
A puppy needs a food that is complete and balanced for growth or all life stages, with nutrients supplied in appropriate amounts and ratios. Because nutritional mistakes during growth can have serious consequences, involve your veterinarian before placing a puppy on a raw diet.
What changes should I expect after switching to raw food?
Every dog is different. Monitor appetite, stool consistency and frequency, vomiting, gas, comfort, skin, energy, weight, water intake, and overall behavior. Do not assume that persistent diarrhea, repeated vomiting, lethargy, pain, blood in the stool, or refusal to eat is a normal “detox” response—contact your veterinarian.
What is a good complete raw dog food for beginners?
Our favorite beginner-friendly raw food for Django is Oma’s Pride Woof Complete. It is formulated as a complete and balanced meal for all life stages and is available in individually wrapped portions. Django genuinely loves it, and our frozen orders have consistently arrived well packed and completely frozen.