Raw Food for Puppies: A Guide to Optimal Nutrition

Bringing a new puppy home is an exciting time. It marks the beginning of a lifelong bond and a journey of discovery. One of the most important decisions you will make for your new companion is choosing the right food to support their healthy growth and development.

While many options exist, an increasing number of pet parents are turning to a raw diet to provide their puppies with the best possible start. We understand you may have questions, and we are here to provide answers. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about raw food for puppies, from the unique benefits of raw nutrition to practical feeding and safety tips.

Please note that we do not recommend DIY raw feeding for puppies because it is too important to get all the nutritional ratios correct during this critical stage of development. Our recipes are meticulously formulated to be complete and balanced, ensuring your puppy receives everything they need without the guesswork.

Is Raw Food Good for Puppies? The Unique Benefits for Growth

A puppy’s body is a marvel of rapid growth and development. The nutrition they receive during this critical time lays the foundation for their health as an adult. Raw food provides a unique blend of benefits that supports this journey in a way that processed food cannot.

The Importance of Gut Health in Early Development

A healthy gut is the cornerstone of a strong immune system and overall vitality. Raw food supports a diverse and balanced gut microbiome, which is essential for proper digestion and immune function.

A healthy gut allows a puppy's body to more effectively absorb nutrients and build a robust immune system. This strong foundation is crucial for preventing long-term health issues.

Building a Strong Foundation: Bone and Joint Health

Puppies, especially large breeds, are susceptible to bone and joint issues if their diet is not properly balanced. Raw diets, when formulated correctly, provide a natural and bioavailable source of calcium and phosphorus from finely ground bone.

This ensures a puppy gets the ideal ratio of these minerals, promoting healthy, controlled growth, which is vital for preventing skeletal problems later in life.

Boosting the Immune System and Reducing Allergy Risk

A strong immune system is a puppy’s best defense against illness and allergies. Raw food provides a natural source of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that support immune function. 

Research has also shown that a raw diet can significantly reduce a puppy’s risk of developing allergies as an adult.

For example, a study showed that puppies on a raw diet are less likely to develop skin allergies, and another study showed that puppies fed a raw diet are less likely to develop ear infections as adults.

Getting Started: When and How to Feed a Puppy on a Raw Diet

Starting a raw diet is a straightforward process when you have a plan. The key is to be patient and to prioritize a smooth transition.

When to Begin: From Weaning to First Meals

You can begin to feed a raw diet for puppies as soon as they are weaned from their mother's milk, which is typically around four weeks of age. Introducing raw food at this early stage allows a puppy's digestive system to adapt to and thrive on the diet they are biologically designed to eat.

The Transition: A Gradual Process for a Sensitive Stomach

A puppy's digestive system is more sensitive than an adult's, so if your puppy was weaned onto kibble, you must do a gradual transition.

We recommend a 7-10 day transition period where you slowly introduce raw food by mixing it with their current diet. A longer transition period (up to a few weeks) is helpful for puppies with especially sensitive stomachs.

Choosing the Right Food Type

For a puppy, frozen raw patties are a convenient and safe way to feed a raw diet. They can be thawed and served directly, making mealtime simple. Our frozen raw recipes are AAFCO-approved for all life stages, ensuring they meet the nutritional needs of growing puppies.

Raw Puppy Food: Portions, Ratios, and Safety

Feeding the right amount of raw puppy food is critical for healthy development. This involves understanding portion sizes, the importance of a balanced diet, and proper hygiene.

How Much to Feed: A Guide to Daily Ratios

A puppy's rapid growth requires a diet with a high-calorie density. As a general guideline, a puppy typically eats 4-6% of its current body weight daily, split into multiple meals.

Our personalized meal plans take all the guesswork out of feeding, providing a precise daily recommendation based on your puppy's age, weight, and breed.

The Importance of a Complete and Balanced Diet

A complete and balanced diet is non-negotiable for a growing puppy. Improper ratios of nutrients, especially calcium and phosphorus, can have serious consequences.

Our recipes are meticulously formulated by a PhD animal nutritionist to provide the precise balance of muscle meat, organ meat, and ground bone, along with a vitamin and mineral mix to ensure your puppy receives everything they need for optimal development.

Handling and Hygiene: Keeping Your Puppy and Family Safe

Proper hygiene is essential when handling raw food. While a dog's digestive system can handle pathogens, we always recommend following these best practices to prevent cross-contamination:

• •Store frozen raw food in a sealed container on the bottom shelf of your freezer or refrigerator.

• •Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling raw food.

• •Clean and sanitize all bowls, surfaces, and utensils that come into contact with raw food.

We Feed Raw: The Best Solution for a Puppy on a Raw Diet

When the question is, "What is the best raw food for puppies?", the answer lies in a brand that delivers on its promises of safety, convenience, and complete nutrition. We Feed Raw is designed to provide all of these, making a raw diet accessible and worry-free for new puppy owners.

Our AAFCO-Approved Recipes for Puppies

A puppy’s diet is the foundation of its adult health, and getting it right is non-negotiable. Our frozen raw recipes are meticulously formulated by a PhD animal nutrition expert and are AAFCO-approved for all life stages.

This means we meet the precise nutritional guidelines for the rapid growth of puppies, ensuring they receive the correct balance of calcium, phosphorus, and other essential nutrients needed for strong bone development and overall health.

We offer five complete and balanced recipes: beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and duck.

The Safest Raw Puppy Food: High-Pressure Processing (HPP)

We believe that a raw diet should not come with a risk. That is why we use a scientifically validated process called high-pressure processing (HPP) on all our raw recipes.

HPP is a cold-water process that uses intense pressure to effectively inactivate pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli, and avian influenza, without using heat.

This ensures that every meal we provide is safe for your puppy, giving you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are feeding a raw diet with the highest safety standards.

Convenience and Variety for Every Life Stage

We make raw feeding as easy as possible. Our frozen raw patties are pre-portioned and ready to thaw and serve, saving you hours of preparation time.

We also offer freeze-dried raw recipes for adult dogs, providing an excellent, shelf-stable option for travel or as a kibble topper. By offering variety and convenience, we take on the hard work of sourcing, portioning, and balancing, so you can focus on bonding with your new puppy.

Choose We Feed Raw Food for Puppies

A properly formulated raw diet offers significant benefits, especially during puppyhood. Our frozen raw recipes (beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and duck) are meticulously formulated by a PhD animal nutritionist to be complete and balanced for all life stages, which includes the rapid growth of puppies.

This ensures your puppy receives the correct ratios of muscle meat, organ meat, and bone for strong skeletal development and a foundation of health that will last a lifetime.

Additionally, our use of high-pressure processing (HPP) on all our raw recipes provides a validated safety step to inactivate pathogens without compromising raw integrity. We take on the hard work of sourcing, portioning, and balancing, so you can enjoy the peace of mind that comes with feeding your puppy a safe and healthy diet.

Ready to give your puppy the best possible nutrition? Take our quiz now to get started on their personalized meal plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is raw food for puppies a safe and beneficial choice?

Yes, raw food for puppies is a safe and highly beneficial choice for their development. Our AAFCO-approved frozen raw recipes are specifically formulated to provide the complete and balanced nutrition that puppies need for healthy, controlled growth.

The raw diet's natural digestibility and nutrient bioavailability support a strong immune system and healthy gut, giving your puppy a great start in life.

When should I start a raw diet for puppies?

You can start a raw diet for puppies as soon as they are weaned, typically around four weeks of age. We recommend transitioning them gradually from their previous food to our raw recipes over a period of 7-10 days. This gives their sensitive digestive system time to adjust and adapt to the new diet without any discomfort.

How much raw puppy food should I feed my puppy each day?

The amount of raw puppy food you feed depends on their current weight and age. As a general guideline, a puppy typically eats 4-6% of its current body weight daily, split into multiple meals. 

Our meal plans provide specific, personalized portion recommendations based on your puppy's unique needs, taking all the guesswork out of feeding.

Can a puppy on a raw diet grow too quickly, causing bone and joint issues?

A puppy on a raw diet should not grow too quickly when fed a properly balanced, AAFCO-approved raw diet. Rapid growth and bone issues are often linked to diets with an improper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio.

Our recipes are meticulously formulated to provide the correct balance of calcium, phosphorus, and other minerals, promoting strong bones and joints and supporting healthy, controlled growth in large-breed puppies.

Is a raw food diet for puppies suitable for all breeds?

Yes, a raw food diet for puppies is suitable for all breeds. We formulate our frozen raw recipes to meet the nutritional guidelines for all life stages, which includes all sizes and breeds of puppies. 

Our meals provide the essential nutrients needed for healthy growth and development, whether you have a small Chihuahua or a giant Great Dane.