Raw feeding multiple dogs

Raw feeding two or more dogs is mostly the same as feeding one, just more of it. The bits that change are the maths, the freezer, and keeping the peace at mealtimes.

Work out each dog separately

Dogs of different sizes and energy levels eat different amounts, so work out each one on its own and then add them up. Most adult dogs eat about 2 to 3% of their body weight a day.

If about 90% of that is mince or a blend and 10% raw bones, those two dogs get through a 10 kg carton of mince in roughly ten days, and a 10 kg carton of bones lasts around three months. Run each dog through our raw dog food calculator to get their own numbers.

Some example households

All at the moderate 2.5% our calculator uses for an active pet, with about 90% mince or blend and 10% bones:

For a house like the last one, two or three cartons every fortnight, plus a carton of bones every month or two, keeps everyone fed. Delivery is $5 an order whatever the weight, so a bigger order costs no more to deliver than a small one.

A thawing routine for several dogs

With two or more dogs, one container for the whole house keeps it simple:

1. Work out how many blocks of about 500 g the house eats in two to three days. For the 15 kg and 30 kg pair, that’s about four blocks every two days.
2. Move that many from the freezer to a big lidded container in the fridge every second evening.
3. At each meal, weigh or scoop each dog’s share into their own bowl.
4. If one dog eats a different food, give them their own labelled container on a different shelf.

Thawed food keeps two to three days in the fridge. Our guide to portioning raw dog food has more on splitting a carton.

One food for everyone, or different foods?

If all your dogs can eat the same proteins, one blend for the whole pack keeps things simple: one carton open, one thawing routine. Breeders Mix was built for exactly this kind of volume feeding. It’s beef, horse, goat and offal, with no chicken, lamb or fish.

If one dog needs to stay off a protein, it’s often simpler to feed everyone what that dog can have. When that isn’t practical, label containers clearly and keep that dog’s food on its own shelf in the fridge.

Mealtimes

• Feed each dog in their own spot, far enough apart that nobody feels the need to guard their bowl.
• Pick bowls up once the meal is over, so a fast eater doesn’t hoover up the rest.
• Bones are the high-value item. Give them in separate rooms, crates or corners of the yard, and supervise.
• Watch weights. In a multi-dog home it’s easy for one dog to quietly gain while another loses.

Freezer and ordering

With several dogs, freezer space is the thing to plan for. A 10 kg carton of mince is about 36 × 27 × 18 cm, and the cartons stack neatly. Plenty of multi-dog households end up with a chest freezer just for the dogs.

With several dogs, it’s common to order six cartons at a time. Each carton takes up about 17.5 litres, so six cartons need about 105 litres of freezer, roughly a small chest freezer’s worth. On paper a 100 litre chest freezer holds about five cartons, a bit less in practice once you leave room to get things out.

The delivery fee is per order, so a bigger order spreads it further. Our mixes, minces and bones come in 10 kg cartons, and rolls come ten to an 18 kg carton. You’ll find them all in our bulk raw pet food range.

Dogs and cats in the same house

Five of our products are marked “For Dogs & Cats”, including Fussy Mix and Chicken Mince, so one order can feed everyone. Our guide to feeding cats raw meat has amounts for cats.

A puppy and an adult dog

A puppy eats a bigger share of their weight, over more meals, so work them out separately: our guide to how much raw food to feed a puppy has the amounts by age. Plenty of households feed the puppy and the adult the same food, such as Breeders Mix or Puppy Mix, which keeps one carton open. Feed the puppy apart so the bigger dog doesn’t help themselves.

Common questions

Can I feed all my dogs the same raw food?

Yes, if they can all eat the same proteins. Work out each dog’s amount separately, then serve from the same container.

How do I stop one dog eating another’s food?

Feed in separate spots or rooms, stay nearby, and pick bowls up once each dog has finished.

Should my dogs eat at the same time?

It helps. Feeding everyone at once, apart, means nobody is waiting near someone else’s bowl.

Do bigger orders cost more to deliver?

No. Delivery is one fee per order, whatever the weight.

What about a kennel or a working team?

Our guide to working dog food in NZ covers feeding a team after work, and Breeders Mix is made for feeding a lot of dogs.