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Calculators & helpers

Plan portions and build balanced recipes with simple steps. Friendly guidance first, science checks behind the scenes.

Open Recipe Calculator
Later, these buttons will open our dedicated calculator apps in a new tab.

Portion Calculator — quick-start

What it's for:

Sets a daily calorie target and splits it into simple portions for your dog's current goal (maintain, lose, or gain).

Inputs you'll need:

• Dog's age, weight, breed (optional), sex/neuter status, activity level, body condition score
• Goal: maintain / lose / gain

Steps:

1. Enter your dog's details and pick a goal.
2. Review the suggested daily calories and portion sizes.
3. Adjust proteins (e.g., leaner cuts for weight loss, richer cuts for weight gain).
4. Save or note the plan; keep the next 7–10 days simple.

How to read the result:

• Daily calories: baseline target (re-check every 2–4 weeks).
• Portion guide: starting point per meal; tweak based on stool quality and energy.

Common tweaks:

• Weight loss going too slowly → reduce portions slightly and favor lean proteins.
• Loose stools → step back, simplify meals, adjust fat down for a few days.

Friendly reminder:

Portion guidance sets quantity, not full nutrient balance—pair it with the Recipe Calculator when you start building custom mixes [1].
Jump to Recipe Calculator

Recipe Calculator — quick-start

What it's for:

Checks your ingredient list against widely used nutrient targets (e.g., calcium, phosphorus, iodine, copper, zinc, EPA/DHA) to keep meals in a safe range [1].

Inputs you'll need:

• Chosen proteins (e.g., chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, salmon)
• Edible bone amount or measured calcium source
• Organs (liver plus another organ)
• Optional veg/fruit (small amounts)

Steps:

1. Add ingredients with gram amounts (start with one protein).
2. Add bone or a measured calcium source; never use cooked bones [10][11].
3. Check the nutrient bars vs. targets and warnings.
4. Fill small gaps with simple fixes (e.g., fish/algal oil for omega-3s, a tiny iodine source if needed) [1].
5. Save the final ingredients list for a week's rotation.

How to read the result:

• In-range bars: good.
• Below/above range: adjust the related ingredient, then re-check.

Pro tips:

• Start simple; change slowly.
• Use fish/algal oil if fresh oily fish isn't practical this week [14][15].

Safety note:

Handle raw food like raw chicken: separate shelf, sealed containers, clean tools [4][5].

Safety and hygiene (must-do)

• Wash hands, bowls, boards, and counters after each meal [4][5].
• Store raw dog food away from human food; thaw sealed in the fridge [4][5].
• Only edible, right-size raw bones; supervise chewing. Avoid very hard, weight-bearing bones [10][11].
• For some wild fish species, follow EU freezing rules to control parasites [14][15].

One-line reminder:

Homes with toddlers, elderly, or immunocompromised people should take extra care or consider alternatives [4][5].

Quick FAQ

A: Start with Portion to set daily intake, then use Recipe to check nutrients.

A: No. Fix food first. Add only what's missing or needed for a goal [1]

A: Many dogs can, but switch slowly and watch stools.

A: Re-check portions every 2–4 weeks and recipes when you change ingredients.

Read "What is BARF?"
Ingredient Index
See our key sources
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