BARF vs. PMR: The Two Raw Feeding Models
Most of the confusion in raw feeding comes from two competing models that go by different names, follow different ratios, and attract different camps of owners. Understanding the difference is the first step.
| BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) | PMR (Prey Model Raw) | |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy | Mimics a whole prey diet plus plant material that wild dogs and wolves consume from prey gut contents and foraging | Mimics whole prey as closely as possible — no plant material, as wolves eat only meat, bone, and organs |
| Vegetables/Fruit | Yes — typically 10–20% of diet | No — strictly animal-sourced |
| Bone content | 10–15% | 10–15% (raw meaty bones) |
| Muscle meat | ~65–70% | ~70–80% |
| Organ meat | ~10% | ~10% (5% liver + 5% other secreting) |
| Supplements | Often minimal if diverse proteins and vegetables used | Typically requires vitamin D, omega-3, and possibly iodine supplementation |
| Best for | Owners who want flexibility, owners concerned about nutrient completeness | Owners who want to closely replicate evolutionary diet without plant material |
Neither model is definitively "correct." Both have been used to maintain healthy dogs for decades. BARF tends to be more forgiving for beginners because the plant content provides a nutritional buffer. PMR is simpler in concept but requires more attention to sourcing diverse proteins to achieve micronutrient balance.
If you're new to raw feeding, BARF is the more beginner-friendly model. The inclusion of vegetables and the wider ingredient range makes it easier to avoid nutrient gaps while you're learning. Once you're comfortable with sourcing, portioning, and food safety, you can experiment with PMR if it appeals to you.
The Core Ratios: What Goes in the Bowl
Both models use ratio-based feeding rather than fixed recipes. The ratios below represent the widely accepted starting points — you'll refine them based on your dog's individual response over time.
What Counts as "Muscle Meat"?
Muscle meat is the bulk of the diet — skeletal muscle and heart. Heart is technically a muscle and is nutritionally dense (very high in CoQ10 and taurine). Suitable muscle meats include:
- Chicken breast, thigh, or fillet (boneless)
- Beef mince, steak, or chuck
- Turkey breast or thigh
- Pork shoulder (avoid pork ribs as raw feeding bone — too dense)
- Lamb shoulder or leg
- Beef heart, chicken heart, turkey heart
- Rabbit loin or whole ground rabbit
What Counts as "Raw Meaty Bone"?
Raw bones must be soft enough to crush and digest safely. Cooked bones are never safe — heat makes them brittle and prone to splintering. Appropriate raw meaty bones by size:
- Small dogs (<20 lbs): Chicken necks, chicken feet, rabbit legs, duck necks
- Medium dogs (20–60 lbs): Chicken quarters, turkey necks, duck feet, lamb riblets
- Large dogs (60+ lbs): Turkey backs, whole chicken, lamb necks, beef ribs (supervise)
What Counts as "Secreting Organ"?
Secreting organs (not liver) are glandular organs that produce hormones or secretions. Liver is treated separately because it contains very high vitamin A — too much causes toxicity. Other secreting organs include: kidney, spleen, testicle, pancreas, thymus (sweetbreads), and brain. Cap liver at 5% of total diet to avoid vitamin A overdose.
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Portion Calculator: How Much Raw Food to Feed
Raw feeding portion size is based on a percentage of your dog's target body weight. The standard starting range is 2–3% of body weight per day, adjusted based on activity level and body condition.
| Dog Weight | Sedentary / Senior (1.5–2%) |
Average Adult (2–2.5%) |
Active / Working (2.5–3%) |
Puppy (5–10%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lbs (4.5 kg) | 68–90g / day | 90–113g / day | 113–136g / day | 225–450g / day |
| 20 lbs (9 kg) | 136–181g / day | 181–227g / day | 227–272g / day | 450–900g / day |
| 40 lbs (18 kg) | 272–362g / day | 362–454g / day | 454–544g / day | 900g–1.8kg / day |
| 60 lbs (27 kg) | 408–544g / day | 544–680g / day | 680–816g / day | 1.35–2.7kg / day |
| 80 lbs (36 kg) | 544–726g / day | 726–907g / day | 907–1.09kg / day | 1.8–3.6kg / day |
| 100 lbs (45 kg) | 680–907g / day | 907g–1.13kg / day | 1.13–1.36kg / day | 2.25–4.5kg / day |
These are starting points, not fixed rules. Monitor body condition score weekly for the first month and adjust by 10% increments. If your dog gains fat, reduce. If they lose muscle mass, increase protein and overall calories.
Puppies require a much higher percentage of body weight AND precise calcium-to-phosphorus ratios to support bone development. Large and giant breed puppies are especially sensitive to calcium imbalances. If feeding raw to a puppy, consult a veterinary nutritionist — the consequences of getting it wrong during growth phases are permanent.
Transitioning from Kibble to Raw
Most digestive upset during raw feeding transitions comes from switching too fast. Beneficial gut bacteria that process raw meat differ from those optimized for kibble. The microbiome needs time to adapt.
Week 1–2: Single Protein Only
Start with one protein source only — chicken is easiest (cheapest, widely available, easy to digest). Feed the full raw portion as one meal; give the usual kibble at the other meal. Do not mix kibble and raw in the same meal — they digest at different rates.
Week 2–3: Eliminate Kibble
Once stools are firm and consistent on one raw protein, replace the kibble meal with a second raw meal. You're now fully raw, still on a single protein. Expect slightly looser stools during this phase — normal, not cause for alarm. If diarrhea persists beyond 5 days, slow down.
Week 3–4: Add Bone
Introduce raw meaty bone once stools are solid on ground meat. Start with the smallest appropriate bone for your dog's size (chicken neck for small dogs, chicken quarter for medium). Feed bone as part of the calculated 10% bone ratio, not in addition to it. Supervise every bone session until you understand your dog's chewing style.
Week 4–6: Add Organ Meat
Organ meat is very rich — introduce slowly. Start with 1–2% liver for the first week. If no digestive upset (loose stools, excess gurgling), increase to full 5% over the following week. Add other secreting organ in the same incremental way.
Week 6+: Diversify Proteins
Nutritional balance in raw feeding comes from protein variety over time, not from every single meal. Once your dog is stable on chicken, add beef, then turkey, then fish. Each new protein is introduced the same way — as a solo addition for 1–2 weeks before mixing freely.
Food Safety Rules for Raw Feeding
Raw meat carries bacterial and parasitic risks that kibble doesn't. These risks are manageable with standard food safety practices — but they require consistency.
Raw pork and wild boar carry risk of Aujeszky's disease (pseudorabies) — always freeze pork for 3 weeks at −20°C before feeding. Raw salmon and Pacific fish can carry Neorickettsia helminthoeca (salmon poisoning disease) — freeze all Pacific fish for 2 weeks before feeding. Never feed raw wild game without a minimum 3-week freeze at −20°C.
Bacterial Risk (Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria)
Healthy adult dogs handle bacterial loads in raw meat well — their short, highly acidic GI tracts are adapted for it. The real risk is cross-contamination in your kitchen, and transmission to immunocompromised household members (children under 5, elderly, or immunocompromised adults).
- Use dedicated cutting boards, bowls, and utensils for raw meat — never shared with human food prep
- Wash hands with soap after handling raw food and before touching any other surface
- Clean dog bowls after every meal with hot soapy water or a dishwasher
- Store raw in sealed containers on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator
- Thaw in the refrigerator — never on the countertop
- Discard uneaten raw food after 20–30 minutes at room temperature
Freezing Protocol
Freezing kills most parasites (Toxoplasma, Trichinella, tapeworms) when done correctly. Home freezers vary in temperature — the USDA standard for parasite kill is −20°C (−4°F) for a minimum of 7 days. For pork and wild game, use 3 weeks at this temperature.
Who Should Not Raw Feed?
Raw feeding is contraindicated for dogs with severely compromised immune systems (undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplant, or with severe IBD). In these cases, the bacterial load that a healthy dog handles easily can cause life-threatening infection. Consult your veterinarian before starting raw in any medically complex dog.
Common Nutritional Gaps in Raw Diets
Raw feeding done casually — just throwing chicken quarters in a bowl — will likely be nutritionally incomplete over time. The most common deficiencies:
- Vitamin D: Very few raw ingredients are high in vitamin D. Dogs can't synthesize adequate vitamin D from sunlight like humans. Supplementation or inclusion of fatty fish (sardines, mackerel) several times a week is typically required.
- Iodine: Muscle meat is very low in iodine. The thyroid depends on iodine. Without kelp, seafood, or a dedicated supplement, iodine deficiency develops over months to years.
- Zinc and manganese: Often marginal in beef/chicken-heavy raw diets. Green tripe, oysters, and pumpkin seeds help. Otherwise supplement.
- Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Land-based proteins are heavy in omega-6 and low in omega-3. Add fatty fish (sardines in water, 2–3x weekly) or fish oil supplement. See our senior dog guide for dosing by weight.
- Calcium:phosphorus balance: Bone provides calcium; muscle meat provides phosphorus. The ratio should be approximately 1.2:1 Ca:P. Too much boneless meat and not enough bone drives the ratio dangerously low. Monitor bone percentage carefully.
Feed at least 5 different protein sources per week, include fatty fish 2–3 times weekly, add a canine vitamin D supplement, and use kelp as an iodine source (¼ teaspoon per 20 lbs of body weight per day). This combination covers most raw diet gaps without a complex supplementation protocol.
Summary: Key Takeaways for Raw Feeding Beginners
- BARF includes vegetables; PMR does not — both work, BARF is more forgiving for beginners
- PMR ratio: 80% muscle meat / 10% raw bone / 5% liver / 5% other secreting organ
- Start at 2–2.5% of body weight per day for average adult dogs; adjust by condition
- Transition over 4–6 weeks — start with one protein, add bone, then organ, then diversify
- Freeze pork and wild game before feeding; freeze Pacific salmon before feeding
- Key supplements needed: vitamin D, iodine (kelp), omega-3 (fish oil), zinc/manganese
- Protein variety over time (5+ proteins per week) is how nutritional balance is achieved
- Clean bowls, boards, and hands every time — household cross-contamination is the real risk