Are You Feeding Your Dog the Same Amount Year-Round?
When you first start feeding raw, one of the biggest questions is usually how much food your dog should be eating each day. You figure out their weight, consider their activity level, use a feeding calculator, and eventually settle into a routine that works for your household.
But here's something that doesn't always get talked about: your dog's feeding amount doesn't necessarily need to stay the same all year long.
Think about how much your dog's daily routine can change throughout the year. Maybe they're swimming at the lake every weekend during the summer, spending long days in the field during hunting season, or enjoying a little more couch time when winter rolls around. Even dogs that aren't particularly active may experience changes in their routine as the seasons come and go.
While consistency is helpful when establishing a feeding routine, it's also important to recognize that your dog's daily food requirements aren't always going to remain the same.
Your Dog's Activity Level Matters More Than the Calendar
It's easy to think about feeding changes in terms of seasons, but the calendar itself isn't necessarily what determines how much food your dog needs. What matters more is what they're actually doing throughout the day.
Take two dogs living in the same household. One spends most of the day relaxing indoors, with a couple of short walks mixed in. The other accompanies its owner on long hikes, spends hours retrieving, or regularly participates in demanding outdoor activities. Even if those dogs are the same breed and weigh the same amount, their daily food requirements may look quite different.
The same applies to one dog at different points throughout the year. A dog that spends several hours running and retrieving during the fall may have a much higher activity level than that same dog during a quieter stretch of winter.
That doesn't mean every active day requires a completely different feeding amount. Instead, it's worth paying attention to how your dog's overall routine changes and whether their current portions still make sense for that level of activity.
Hunting Season Is a Great Example
If you have a hunting dog, you probably know just how different their fall routine can look compared to the rest of the year.
During the off-season, your dog might spend most of their time at home, enjoying regular walks, training sessions, and the occasional outing. Then hunting season arrives, and suddenly they're spending hours covering ground, working through fields, retrieving birds, or navigating uneven terrain.
That's a pretty significant change in daily activity.
A dog that consistently works long days in the field may require more calories than they do during less active periods. How much more depends on the individual dog, the intensity and duration of their activity, weather conditions, and their overall body condition.
It's also important to remember that not every hunting dog follows the same schedule. Some work nearly every day throughout the season, while others only head out on weekends. A dog hunting for a few hours on Saturday isn't necessarily going to have the same feeding requirements as one working multiple full days each week.
Rather than automatically increasing portions because hunting season has started, consider how often your dog is working, how demanding those outings are, and whether you're noticing changes in their weight or body condition.
What About Dogs That Slow Down During Winter?
On the other end of the spectrum, some dogs become considerably less active once the temperatures drop.
Maybe your dog loves spending summer afternoons outside but isn't nearly as enthusiastic about long walks when there's snow on the ground. Or perhaps your household simply spends more time indoors during the colder months, meaning your dog's daily routine becomes a little quieter.
If your dog is moving less and consistently using less energy throughout the day, the amount of food they needed during a more active season may no longer be the right amount.
However, winter doesn't automatically mean every dog should eat less. Dogs that spend significant time outdoors in cold conditions may have additional energy demands, particularly when they're active or working. A dog that spends winter running through deep snow may have a very different routine from one that prefers sleeping next to the fireplace.
This is why we encourage owners to look at their dog's actual lifestyle rather than assuming feeding amounts should increase or decrease simply because the weather has changed.
Age Can Change the Picture, Too
Seasonal activity isn't the only reason a dog's feeding requirements may change. Age and life stage also play a role, and those changes don't always happen on a predictable schedule.
Puppies are a good example. Their food requirements are influenced by growth and development, which is why we use their estimated ideal adult weight when calculating feeding amounts. As they mature, their needs change, and the amount they were eating during one stage of puppyhood may need to be adjusted as they approach adulthood.
Adult dogs can experience changes as well. A dog that was constantly on the move at two years old might settle into a quieter routine later in life. Others remain active well into their senior years, especially when regular exercise and outdoor activities have always been part of their lifestyle.
The important thing is not to assume that reaching a certain birthday automatically means your dog needs a different amount of food. Their age is one factor to consider alongside their activity level, body condition, and individual requirements.
How Do You Know When It's Time to Adjust Portions?
One of the easiest habits to develop is regularly checking your dog's body condition rather than relying entirely on the number on the scale.
Weight can be helpful, but it doesn't always tell the whole story. Dogs naturally vary in build, muscle development, and overall size, even within the same breed. Looking at their body shape and feeling their ribs can provide additional context when determining whether their current feeding amount is appropriate.
For many dogs at an ideal body condition, you should be able to feel their ribs without pressing excessively, see a noticeable waist when looking from above, and observe an abdominal tuck when viewing them from the side. Your veterinarian can help you assess body condition and determine an appropriate target for your individual dog.
If your dog is gradually gaining weight during a less active period, it may be worth reviewing their daily portions. Likewise, if they're losing weight during a particularly demanding stretch of activity, their current feeding amount may need to be reconsidered.
The key is to pay attention to patterns over time. One unusually active afternoon or a quiet weekend doesn't necessarily mean you need to change dinner. Consistent changes in activity, weight, or body condition are much more useful when evaluating a feeding routine.
Your Protein Choices Can Make a Difference
Something else worth remembering is that not every RawFedK9 protein contains the same number of calories per serving.
Even though our Complete Mix formulas follow the same 80/10/10 Prey Model Raw structure, the actual fat, moisture, protein, and calorie content varies between formulas.
For example, here's how a few of our proteins compare:
| RawFedK9 Protein | Fat | Calories per 8 oz |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | 19.01% | 577 |
| Pork | 12.11% | 404 |
| Chicken | 10.55% | 317 |
| Beaver | 5.33% | 301 |
These differences matter because feeding the same weight of two different proteins doesn't necessarily mean your dog is receiving the same number of calories.
A dog eating one pound of Beef Complete Mix will receive more calories than a dog eating one pound of Chicken Complete Mix. That doesn't make one protein better than the other, but it does mean the protein combinations you're feeding should be considered when evaluating your dog's total daily intake.
At RawFedK9, we recommend rotating three to four different proteins throughout the month, including a variety of fat levels. If you're making adjustments to your dog's feeding amount, it's helpful to know the nutritional differences between the proteins in your rotation.
You can compare the ingredients, fat percentages, calories, and other nutritional information for our products on our Nutritional Information Page.
Use the Feeding Calculator as Your Starting Point
If you're wondering where to begin, our RawFedK9 Feeding Calculator is a great place to start. You'll find it on our product pages, where you can enter your dog's weight and activity level to estimate how much food to feed each day.
But here's the part we really want customers to understand: the calculator provides a starting estimate, not a number that can never change.
If you originally calculated your dog's portions during a particularly active time of year, you may want to revisit that amount when their routine slows down. The same goes for a dog that becomes considerably more active than they were when you first established their feeding schedule.
You don't necessarily need to make major changes all at once. Smaller adjustments, followed by monitoring your dog's weight and body condition, can help you determine whether the new amount is appropriate.
And if you're feeding multiple dogs, remember that they may not all need the same adjustments. One dog might spend the entire fall hunting while another stays home enjoying a much quieter routine. Their feeding amounts should reflect their individual needs rather than being changed simply because they live in the same household.
Your Feeding Routine Should Work for the Dog You Have Today
It's easy to fall into the habit of feeding the same amount every day simply because that's what you've always done. Once you've figured out how many patties to thaw each night, the routine becomes second nature, and you might not think much about changing it.
But dogs don't live exactly the same day over and over again. Their activity levels change, their routines shift, and their food requirements can change along with them.
Whether you've got a hunting dog working long days in the field, a puppy that's still growing, or a dog that would rather spend the winter curled up on the couch, it's worth checking in on their feeding amount from time to time.
You don't need to recalculate every meal or make feeding more complicated than it needs to be. Just remember that the amount you started with isn't necessarily the amount you'll feed forever.
Feed for the dog in front of you and the lifestyle they're living right now, not just the number you entered into a calculator months ago.
