Prey Model Diet for Dogs

Raw diets for dogs fall into two categories. The "BARF" (Bones and Raw Food) diet includes vegetables, some eggs and dairy products and supplements. The prey model diet more closely resembles what any carnivore would eat naturally: only meat, bones and organs. It is a fairly simple way to feed a dog once you understand the basics.

  1. Do Your Research

    • Spend some time reading about prey model diets. Better yet, find a real-life mentor. Many people involved in dog sports and showing feed raw diets. The basic premise is quite simple. Feed your dog either whole animals---larger ones may be cut into meal sized parts---or feed what some people call "frankenprey" by buying various cuts of meat at the store. The ratios should approximate what natural prey diets are comprised of: muscle meat, 80 percent; bones, 10 to 15 percent; organ meat, 5 to 10. Meals do not need to be "complete and balanced." Balance is achieved over time.

    Source Your Food

    • Some prey model raw feeders rely on meats they can find at grocery stores, butchers and raw purveyors; others find sources for whole animals, such as chickens, rabbits, goat and venison. Farms and friendly hunters can fill the freezer with cheap, even free, dog food. A dog will eat roughly 2 to 3 percent of its ideal weight in food per day.

    Common Concerns and Myths

    • The three most common concerns about prey model diet are bones, bugs and balance.

      While cooked bones are indeed dangerous for a dog, their entire system, from teeth to tail, is perfectly equipped by Mother Nature to eat raw meat and bones. Unlike cooked bones, raw ones are easily digested. Cats eat mice, snakes eat small rodents, large fish eat goldfish, dogs can eat raw bones.

      A healthy dog can easily withstand the bacteria load in fresh, human-grade raw meat. After all, these are animals who clean their rear ends daily. Dogs cannot get intestinal worms from eating human-grade raw meat.

      All the protein, minerals, amino acids and fats necessary for perfect canine nutrition is naturally found in a prey model diet. While dogs are obviously able to eat a carbohydrate-heavy diet, they have no dietary requirement for carbohydrates.

    Considerations

    • Dogs of any size can eat a prey model diet, but, if you have multiple large dogs, you will need plenty of freezer space for dog food. Dinnertime isn't as messy as you might think, but dogs can be fed outside (this is the easiest option), on an easily washable floor or even in the bathtub. It is fine to alternate prey model raw meals with kibble, although you will not see the full benefits of a raw diet this way. Check the "dog nutrition overview" link in References for expanded information.