How to Switch Your Dog to a Raw Diet — A Step-by-Step Guide

A raw diet isn’t for everyone, but a lot of people choose it for their cat or dog. I’m not going to debate the merits of the diet here — I just want to answer a question I get asked a lot. There’s a flood of information online, and much of it is dogmatic and conflicting, which leaves well-meaning owners stuck. The question usually goes something like this:

“How did you switch your dog to raw? I’ve been reading about different ways to switch the diet for weeks and I’ve read about (insert one of 50 different ways of switching here) and I still don’t know what to do.”

Switching a dog’s diet can feel stressful. You want to do the right thing, but you’re worried about messing up ratios or causing a digestive issue. Here’s my take, for whatever it’s worth.

For our dogs it was a gradual thing, not something we figured out overnight. They used to eat some Iams and some Fromm. We moved to all Fromm and Nature’s Variety, with some commercially prepared raw added in at times. Commercial raw is a good stepping stone because the meat, organ, and bone ratios are already balanced for you. We also fed some canned from Merrick and Nature’s Variety, then switched to the grain-free Nature’s Variety formula.

From there we moved to feeding raw all the time. Nothing special about the switch — we just did it. I remember the first time I handed Akiva a raw chicken breast (like the one in the photo above). She hesitated, looked at it, then looked at me like she was asking whether she was really allowed to eat this on the kitchen floor. Then instinct took over. The first time you hear a dog crunch through bone it can be a little startling if you’re not used to it, but it’s what their jaws are built for. We didn’t do any complex math — we just put it in the bowl.

When you switch over, do what you’re comfortable with and, most of all, what works for you and your dog. Don’t let the all-or-nothing voices on raw feeding forums scare you off.

Some people switch to all raw in one day, the way we did — feed the last kibble meal at night, fast the dog for a meal to clear things out, then offer a simple, easy protein like chicken or turkey. Other people prefer to change over time, using raw as a high-value treat or a topper before going all the way.

My suggestion is just to try it. Keep it simple for the first week or two — don’t throw five different proteins and rich organs at them on day one. If you make the switch and your dog does fine, which is the likely case, then you’re done.

If your dog has trouble, and their stomach needs a minute to adjust to real meat after years of processed food, then adjust. Add back some kibble if you want, or feed half kibble and half raw. Feeding raw and kibble in the same day isn’t going to wreck your dog’s digestion — plenty of people give kibble in the morning and a raw meal at night.

A few normal changes to expect as you transition: your dog will probably drink a lot less water, since dry kibble makes them hydrate constantly while raw meat already holds a lot of moisture. And their bathroom habits will change — because raw food is more digestible, the stools get smaller and firmer, and eventually turn chalky white and break down in the yard within a few days. That’s the bone content, and it’s perfectly normal.

Bottom line: feeding your dog some raw is a good thing, even if it’s only part of their diet. If your budget or lifestyle only lets you replace 20% of their food with fresh raw meat, that’s still a real upgrade. Don’t let chasing a “perfect” diet stop you from making a good improvement.

On hygiene: yes, you’re handling raw meat, so use common sense. Wash your hands, wipe down the counters, and clean the bowl after they eat — the same way you would after making yourself a chicken dinner. It really doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.

Like anything, there’s always more to learn as you go — protein rotations, organ blends, supplements — but you can pick that up down the road. The best thing you can do is try it, watch your dog closely, and make changes based on how they do. Their energy, coat, and digestion are your best guide.

When you’re ready for the next step, I wrote up how I actually put a raw meal together (ground versus whole, organs, and bone), a guide to where to buy meat for a raw diet without overspending, and a free raw feeding calculator that tells you how much to feed based on your dog’s weight.