The Raw Start Guide

Your dog is 99% wolf. This is how you feed it like one, without turning your kitchen into a science project.

Everything you need for the first two weeks of raw: setting up, unboxing, thawing, switching over, portioning, and cleaning up. Read it once. Keep it handy.

The whole routine in four words: Freezer. Fridge. Bowl. Clean up.
Step 1

Get set up before the box lands

  • Clear freezer space. Raw Dawg ships as 2 lb chubs. An 8 lb box is 4 chubs; a 30 lb box is 15.
  • Grab one lidded container that lives in the fridge and only holds your dog's food.
  • Use a stainless steel bowl. It's durable and the easiest to clean well.
  • Optional: a kitchen scale for portioning the first few weeks.
Step 2

When your box arrives

  • Bring it inside promptly and open it the same day.
  • Move the chubs straight into the freezer.
  • Frozen, Raw Dawg keeps for up to 1 year.
  • Box late, damaged or thawed? Don't feed anything that may have lost refrigeration. Keep the packaging, take photos of the box and label, and email hello@myrawdawg.com within 24 hours of delivery.
Step 3

Freezer to fridge to bowl

  1. Thaw in the fridge, inside your dedicated container. Plan ahead: pull tomorrow's food tonight.
  2. Never on the counter, in the sink, or in hot water. Dinner can wait. Your dog will survive the betrayal.
  3. Use within 4 days once thawed.
  4. Serve raw. Never cook it. Cooking changes the food, and cooked bone is not safe for dogs.
  5. Store raw food on a low shelf, covered, away from ready-to-eat human food. Gravity exists. Leaks happen.
Step 4

The 10-day switch

Don't swap the whole bowl overnight. Mix Raw Dawg in with your dog's current food and step it up:

Days Raw Dawg Current food
1–3 25% 75%
4–7 50% 50%
8–10 75% 25%
11+ Full portion —

Some dogs switch fast. Others need longer. If your dog needs more time, stay at a step longer. There's no prize for switching the fastest.

What to watch during the switch

  • Stool: often gets smaller and firmer on raw. Loose stool for a day or two can happen; slow down if it does.
  • Appetite and energy: note how your dog approaches the bowl.
  • Body condition and weight: check weekly for the first month.

If anything concerns you, or your dog has a health condition, talk to your veterinarian.

Step 5

How much to feed

There's no single right portion. It depends on weight, age, activity, metabolism and body condition.

  • Get a starting amount from the Feeding Calculator or the Raw Fit Quiz.
  • Follow the feeding statement and directions on your blend's label.
  • Then let your dog tell you. Gaining more than you want? Feed a little less. Losing when they shouldn't? Feed a little more.

A calculator is helpful. Your dog is the final answer.

Step 6

Rotate your proteins

Different animals bring different nutrients to the bowl. Once your dog is settled on one blend, start working in others over time.

  • Instinct Blend (Beef & Green Tripe): our richest, most mineral-dense blend.
  • Ancestral Blend (Pasture-Raised Turkey): a lighter place to start.
  • Wild Blend (Turkey & Salmon): adds fish to the rotation.
  • Variety Blend: mixed proteins in one box.

Dog not into a blend? Try another. Some dogs lose their minds over green tripe; others act personally offended. That's why we make more than one.

Step 7

Clean up like you mean it

Raw animal food deserves a routine. Not fear. Not a hazmat suit.

  • Set up first. Bowl, spoon, container out. Phone and coffee away.
  • Follow the food. Anything it touched (bowl, spoon, counter, scale) gets washed.
  • Follow your hands. Fridge handle, faucet, drawer. Wash your hands after every feeding.
  • Follow the dog. Bearded or messy eater? Wipe the face and paws.
  • Skip the face licks after meals, especially around kids, older adults, pregnant people, or anyone with a weakened immune system.
  • Wash the bowl every time, even if it's licked spotless. A shiny bowl isn't a clean bowl.
  • Don't leave leftovers out. If your dog walks away, pick it up and refrigerate or discard it.

Your first-week checklist

  • ☐ Freezer space cleared
  • ☐ Fridge container + stainless bowl ready
  • ☐ Box unpacked and frozen on delivery day
  • ☐ First chub thawing in the fridge
  • ☐ Day 1 of the switch: 25% Raw Dawg
  • ☐ Starting portion from the calculator
  • ☐ Cleanup routine down

Go deeper

Shop Raw Blends

This guide is general feeding and handling information, not veterinary advice. Puppies, seniors, pregnant or nursing dogs, and dogs with health conditions may need individualized guidance. Check with your veterinarian before changing your dog's diet.

Questions? Email hello@myrawdawg.com. Feed Instinct. Not Industry.