The Raw diet eliminates processed foods and provides puppies and kittens with a natural diet which mimics what their ancestors and wild cousins consumed.
The recommended guidelines for a puppy or kitten PMR diet is 64-69% muscle meat, 17% raw edible bone, 7% liver, 7% other secreting organs, and 0-5% animal based fiber.
The recommended guidelines for a BARF diet for puppies consists of 58% muscle meat, 17% raw edible bone, 7% vegetables, 7% liver, 7% other secreting organ, 3% seeds or nuts, and 1% fruit.
PREY MODEL RAW (PMR)
The recommended guidelines for a puppy or kitten PMR diet is 64-69% muscle meat, 17% raw edible bone, 7% liver, 7% other secreting organs, and 0-5% animal based fiber. Franken Prey is another term used for raw feeders who follow PMR ratio guidelines but do not feed whole, intact prey animals.
Instead of whole prey, a variety of animal ingredients are used to complete PMR ratio guidelines. Meals can consist of multiple protein sources and different ingredients in a single feeding. It is important to note that most PMR diets are not able to mimic wild prey completely. Therefore, additional whole foods or supplements are frequently necessary to fill the common nutritional gaps.
Muscle Meat
PMR diets consist of raw muscle meat to provide essential protein, amino acids, and water-soluble vitamins. The muscle meat ratio guideline starts at 64-69% of the overall daily intake.
It is important to note the muscle meat ratio does not mean to feed muscle meat exclusively. This ratio is a large category containing multiple ingredients including saturated fat for energy and muscular organs such as heart and tripe.
For kittens 20% of this muscle meat must be heart.
Raw Edible Bone
Soft, raw edible bones are an important component in PMR diets for puppies and kittens to provide essential calcium, phosphorus, and other essential nutrients. Puppies and kittens have higher calcium and phosphorus requirements than adult dogs or cats. Therefore, the puppy and kitten PMR diets has a higher edible bone percentage. The raw edible bone ratio guideline starts at 17% of the overall daily intake.
It is important to note that this ratio refers to the amount of bone alone, and does not include the meat on the bone. Since various raw meaty bones will differ in their bone content, some calculations will be required to know how much of each raw meaty bone to feed.
The amount of raw meaty bones a puppy or kitten may need to maintain firm and consistent stool will vary. The 17% edible bone ratio is a starting guideline. Many do well on 15% to 20% raw edible bone content. Always adjust according to their individual needs.
Liver
Liver is an important ingredient in PMR diets for puppies and kittens as it provides essential fat-soluble vitamin A and water-soluble vitamins. Ruminant liver also provides the essential mineral copper. The liver ratio guideline is slightly higher in puppy and kitten PMR diets due to their higher need for essential nutrients during optimal growth. Liver ratio guideline starts at 7% of the overall daily intake.
The 7% liver ratio is a starting guideline and this amount of liver provides more than recommended allowances for vitamin A. For puppies or kittens who are sensitive to organs, feeding as low as 5% liver will still provide essential vitamin A. It is recommended to include ruminant liver such as beef or lamb liver in raw diets.
Other Organs
Other secreting organs, particularly spleen, are beneficial ingredients in PMR diets to provide essential minerals and water-soluble vitamins. Similar to the liver ratio, the other organ ratio guideline starts at 7% of the overall daily intake.
Other secreting organs are beneficial in completing essential nutrient requirements for puppies and kittens. The 7% ratio guideline is a starting recommendation, and more or less, a secreting organ can be fed to complete nutritional requirements. It is recommended to include spleen in raw diets to meet their higher needs for essential iron.
Animal-Based Insoluble Fiber
PMR ratio guidelines fail to include fiber-based foods, which would be present in true whole prey feeding. Therefore, including an animal-based fiber source to Franken Prey feeding methods is recommended. Foods that include fur or feathers provide insoluble fiber to the diet to promote colon health.
Traditional PMR ratios do not provide an animal-based fiber ratio guideline. However, 2 to 5% by weight of “furry” or “feathered” ingredients is a good recommendation to include in daily meals. This will help provide 1-2% fiber in the diet. Be sure to account for any bone and meat that is also provided by the furry ingredients.
It is important to note that the 2-5% ratio refers to the furry ingredients as a whole, which will also include the skin and tissue in the weight. Do not feed the weight in fur or feathers alone. Appropriate sources of fur can include: rabbit feet, rabbit ears, rabbit heads, feathered poultry heads or legs, raw or safely dried animal skin with fur.
When furry or feathered ingredients are not accessible, it is recommended to include a fiber source such as psyllium husk in PMR diets at 1.25 tsp per pound of food.
Optional Others: (BARF) Puppies
The BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food Diet) is an alternative raw diet designed to provide puppies with a modified homemade diet that consists of raw muscle meat and bones, as well as vegetables and fruits while eliminating all processed foods.
Adding vegetables, seeds and nuts, and fruit to a puppy’s diet provides many benefits. They often prove useful when formulating a complete and balanced raw diet.
The recommended guidelines for a BARF diet for puppies consists of 58% muscle meat, 17% raw edible bone, 7% vegetables, 7% liver, 7% other secreting organ, 3% seeds or nuts, and 1% fruit.
Vegetables
Vegetables are beneficial ingredients in BARF diets for puppies to provide fiber and beneficial phytochemicals. The vegetable ratio guideline starts at 7% of the overall daily intake.
While not necessarily essential, vegetables are often beneficial for dogs. The 7% ratio guideline is a starting recommendation, and more or less vegetables can be fed depending on the needs of the individual.
Seeds & Nuts
Raw seeds and nuts are beneficial ingredients in BARF diets for puppies to provide essential minerals, fatty acids, and fat-soluble vitamins. The raw seed and nut ratio guideline starts at 3% of the overall daily intake. This is slightly higher than the recommended amount for adult dogs because puppies have slightly higher needs for certain fatty acids.
Seeds and nuts are beneficial for providing essential fatty acids for puppies, but they must be pre-soaked, drained and ground before feeding. Raw nuts and seeds contain phytates which are anti-nutrients and can negatively affect nutritional balance. Soaking raw seeds and nuts reduces phytates and grinding promotes optimal digestion. The 3% ratio guideline is just a starting recommendation.
Fruit
Fruit is a beneficial ingredient in BARF diets for puppies to provide antioxidants. However, they should only be fed in small amounts due to their sugar levels. The fruit ratio guideline starts at 1% of the overall daily intake.
