Frequently Asked Questions About Guidelines

You may add a little meat to your pet’s diet each day and slowly build up to an all-meat diet or you can switch completely “cold turkey” to the raw diet right away. Dogs and cats that are not used to eating raw meat can be given plain yogurt, acidophilus or enzymes to ease the switch in diets.

Start a raw food diet by feeding the same amount of food you are currently feeding. If you are feeding 300g of kibble per meal, feed 300g of raw food per meal. After a week on the new diet, do a “rib check” (see our Weight Management guidelines), and depending on your dog’s condition adjust the amount you’re feeding up or down. If you find your dog is becoming overweight, or moving in that direction, feed LESS. If your dog is seems to be “ribby” or underweight, feed MORE.

Dr. Ian Billinghurst, a veterinarian who advocates raw diets for dogs, suggests feeding amounts that equate to between 2 to 3 percent of a dog’s body weight. This means a 25kg dog should be fed between 500 – 700 gr. of food per day. This can be fed in a single meal or divided into multiple meals. Puppies need 5% – 10% of their body weight daily. In general, young, small, active, underweight, and growing dogs need more food; and older, sedentary, and overweight dogs need less food.

Doggy Chef’s costs per month are based on the complete and balanced raw food meals we provide, which includes a pre-measured, tailored menu, including bones, treats and delivered service right to your door. You will find that creating a homemade raw diet is around ¼ cheaper, depending of course on what you buy and where you buy your extra ingredients from.

Meat digests better without carbohydrates in the stomach. We do not recommend feeding dry food, but if you do, feed it at a separate meal.

Doggy Chef raw diets will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator and one year in the freezer.

We are often asked “can raw dog food be cooked?” We recommend that you feed either par cooked or raw for maximum absorption of protein and nutrients.

We are often asked “can raw dog food be mixed with kibble?” Meat digests better without carbohydrates in the stomach. We do not recommend feeding dry food, but if you do, feed it at a separate meal.

Yes, you can re-freeze the meat diets, if you refreeze them shortly after they have thawed.

Yes, you can switch from one diet to another, but for pets just starting on a raw diet, it will be easier on the digestive system to stick with one diet for a while. Some pets prefer variety and some prefer one type of meat to others. It is not a problem to just feed one type of meat diet for extended periods of time. The advantage of Doggy Chef’s weekly packs is your pet gets a completely balanced diet.

If you buy a small styrofoam cooler and pack it full of meat and keep it sealed well, the meat diets will stay frozen for several days. It is best to pack it full of frozen meat diets as opposed to ice. The ice actually melts quicker than the meat, then as the meat is sitting in the water it melts faster. Another option is to buy raw meat and organs or canned tuna in water or mackerel and substitute for Doggy Chef for a few days. This option doesn’t provide for the vitamin and mineral mix and appropriate ratio of organ to muscle meat as it does in the Doggy Chef diets, but it is better than feeding commercial pet food. Also, there is a cooler on the market that plugs into your vehicle with a cigarette lighter adaptor.

At Doggy Chef, we’re committed to using only the freshest, natural ingredients in our meals. Because of this, you might notice some color variations between batches of the same recipe. This is completely normal and happens for a few reasons:

• Natural Ingredient Differences: Fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats can vary in color based on factors like the season, where they were grown, and how they were sourced. For example, carrots or spinach might look a bit different depending on when and where they were harvested.
• Meat Source Variations: The color of the meat can also differ slightly depending on the animal’s diet, age, and the specific farm it came from. These natural differences are a sign of the quality and authenticity of our ingredients.
• No Artificial Colors: We don’t use any artificial colors or preservatives, so what you see is the natural color of the ingredients. While the appearance might change slightly, rest assured that the nutritional value and quality of the meals remain consistent.

These variations are part of what makes our meals special and natural. Your dog is still getting the same balanced, nutritious meal every time!