What is raw feeding and why does life stage matter?
Raw feeding benefits for dogs and cats vary significantly depending on their life stage and understanding those differences is key to getting nutrition right. Whether you have a growing puppy, a healthy adult, an ageing senior or a high-performance working dog, a well-formulated raw diet can be precisely tailored to meet their needs. This article explains what changes at each stage, including practical feeding guidelines to help you get started.
In recent years, dog owners have become more attentive to their pets’ dietary needs, seeking healthier and more natural food options. As a result, the popularity of a natural grain-free raw food diet has surged, with the benefits of raw feeding becoming increasingly apparent.
Pet owners are continuously on the lookout for the best nutrition for their furry companions, and raw diets have emerged as a leading choice. These diets are celebrated for providing natural, wholesome nutrition by incorporating fresh meat, bones, fruits, and vegetables. Such ingredients form the cornerstone of a health-centric approach to pet feeding, ensuring that pets receive the essential nutrients they need.
However, a common concern often raised, especially by veterinarians, is whether pets on a raw diet are getting the appropriate nutrition for their age and breed.
Ensuring a balanced diet that meets all nutritional requirements is crucial, and pet owners must be diligent in selecting and preparing raw meals. With the right knowledge and resources, a raw diet can be tailored to meet the specific needs of individual pets, providing them with flexible, optimal nutrition that supports their overall health and well-being.
Raw feeding for puppies & kittens
For growing puppies and kittens, raw diets offer a rich source of essential nutrients crucial for their development. This developmental stage requires a diet that fuels rapid growth, and raw food provides highly digestible proteins and essential oils that contribute to body mass, muscle development, and brain function. Puppies and kittens benefit from stronger bone structures and robust immune systems, thanks to the nutrient density of raw food. Additionally, raw diets support healthy gut bacteria, resulting in better digestion, less waste, and reduced stool odour. Raw-fed young pets often exhibit vibrant coats, clear eyes, and overall vitality, setting a solid foundation for a healthy life. Typically, the feeding guidelines for a puppy will be: small breed puppies may need up to 10% of their body weight in food per day, while large breeds may require 6-8%. Every puppy’s metabolism is unique, so feeding amounts should be adjusted to maintain an ideal body condition. A nutritional consult with a Pawsome Raw consultant is important to discuss your puppy’s individual needs.
What does a raw diet do for adult dogs and cats?
Adult pets benefit from sustained energy and maintenance of an ideal body weight through raw feeding. The natural diet provides the necessary fats for energy and protection, along with essential fatty acids like Omega 6 and Omega 3, which are vital for skin and coat health. Proteins in raw diets supply essential amino acids needed for muscle maintenance and overall health. By feeding a biologically appropriate diet, adult dogs and cats receive a balanced intake of vitamins and minerals, which helps maintain their optimal health and activity levels. Moreover, raw food supports a strong immune system, reducing the risk of illnesses and enhancing the pet’s natural vitality. Typically, an adult dog will require between 2 and 3% of the ideal body weight in food per day. This may vary as individual needs for each dog differ.
Raw feeding for senior dogs and cats
Senior dogs and cats can enjoy their golden years with raw foods that are gentle on the digestive system and supportive of joint health. As pets age, their nutritional needs change, and a raw diet can be tailored to meet these needs by providing easily digestible proteins and fats that do not strain their aging digestive systems. The anti-inflammatory properties of essential fatty acids in raw diets can help alleviate joint pain and improve mobility in senior pets. Additionally, the nutrient-rich raw food supports overall health, ensuring that senior pets maintain a good quality of life, with healthy coats, strong immune systems, and sustained energy levels. As our pets get older, their daily quantity may need adjustment, and a nutritional consult will put your mind at ease.
Working & performance dogs, why raw feeding fits their lifestyle.
Working and performance dogs, such as those involved in agility, herding, search and rescue, or protection work, require a diet that supports their high energy levels and physical demands. A raw diet provides the optimal nutrition needed for muscle maintenance, endurance, and recovery. The high quality proteins and fats found in raw food supply sustained energy and support lean muscle mass, while the essential fatty acids help maintain joint health and reduce inflammation. Raw-fed working dogs often display enhanced stamina, quicker recovery times, and overall improved performance, making raw diets an ideal choice for active and working breeds.
The flexibility of raw diets. Customising for breed, size and health needs
One of the greatest strengths of a raw diet is its adaptability. Depending on a pet’s age, breed, and specific health requirements, the diet can be precisely adjusted. Whether it’s increasing certain fats for energy or integrating hypoallergenic options for sensitive pets, raw diets can be finely tuned to meet the unique needs of each pet. This flexibility ensures that every pet receives optimal nutrition tailored to their individual requirements, promoting better health outcomes and overall well-being.
Suitability for all breeds
Raw food, in its purest form that is formulated to be complete and balanced, is suitable for all breeds, from miniature to giant. Pawsome Raw’s scientifically formulated raw pet food meets and exceeds the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) requirements, ensuring that pets of all sizes receive the necessary nutrients. Whether you have a tiny Chihuahua or a massive Great Dane, our raw diet provides the essential building blocks for a healthy and vibrant life.
Raw feeding offers numerous benefits across all life stages and for different types of dogs. Growing puppies and kittens gain essential nutrients for development, adult pets maintain their health and energy levels, senior pets receive gentle, supportive nutrition, and working dogs benefit from enhanced performance and recovery. The flexibility and customization of raw diets further enhance their suitability for all pets, allowing for precise adjustments based on specific needs. Pawsome Raw’s complete and balanced raw pet food ensures that pets receive all necessary nutrients for a healthy, long life, supporting the health and well-being of pets at every stage of their lives and across all breeds.
VETERINARY DISCLAIMER: The information in this article is intended for educational purposes only and does not constitute veterinary advice. Feeding quantities and nutritional requirements vary between individual animals. Always consult a qualified veterinarian or registered petfood nutritionist before making significant changes to your pet’s diet, particularly for puppies, senior pets or animals with existing health conditions.
FAQ Section
Q: Is raw feeding safe for puppies?
A: Yes, raw feeding is safe for puppies when the diet is complete, balanced and appropriate for their age. Growing puppies have high nutrient demands. Small breeds may need up to 10% of their body weight in food daily, while large breeds require around 6–8%. Because every puppy’s metabolism differs, portion amounts should be adjusted to maintain a healthy body condition, ideally with guidance from a pet nutrition specialist.
Q: How much raw food should I feed my adult dog?
A: Most adult dogs do well on between 2% and 3% of their ideal body weight in raw food per day. This is a general guideline. Individual needs vary based on activity level, breed and metabolism. A raw diet rich in quality protein, essential fatty acids and balanced vitamins and minerals helps adult dogs maintain a healthy weight, good coat condition and strong immune function.
Q: What are the benefits of raw feeding for senior dogs?
A: Raw feeding benefits for senior dogs include easier digestibility, anti-inflammatory support through essential fatty acids like Omega 3 and improved joint mobility. As dogs age, their digestive systems become more sensitive and a raw diet can be adjusted to provide gentle, nutrient-dense meals that don’t place unnecessary strain on the gut. Many senior dogs also show improvements in coat quality and sustained energy levels on a well-formulated raw diet.
Q: Can working dogs eat a raw diet?
A: A raw diet is particularly well-suited to working and performance dogs. High-quality proteins and fats provide the sustained energy and lean muscle support that active dogs, including agility, herding and search-and-rescue breeds require. Essential fatty acids help reduce inflammation and support joint health, while the overall nutrient density of raw food can lead to quicker recovery times and improved stamina.
Q: Is raw food suitable for all dog breeds and sizes?
A: A complete and balanced raw diet is suitable for dogs of all breeds and sizes, from small breeds like Chihuahuas to large breeds like Great Danes. The key is that the raw food must be properly formulated to meet nutritional standards. In South Africa, raw pet food that meets the requirements of the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) ensures pets of all sizes receive the nutrients they need at every life stage.
Retha van der Walt, Specialist Pet Nutritionist, Pawsome Raw
Retha van der Walt is a qualified canine and feline nutritionist and the founder of Pawsome Raw. Her work sits at the meeting point of science and care: she holds the iPET Network Level 3 Diploma in Canine Nutrition and has completed advanced studies through the College of Integrative Veterinary Therapies (CIVT) and various other pet nutrition diplomas, grounding her practice in the work of leading authorities such as Dr Conor Brady, Dr Lew Olson, Dr Judy Morgan, Dr Jean Dodds and Dr Richard Patton. She blends rigorous nutritional biochemistry with a genuinely integrative, whole-dog approach.