Feeding guide Consult

How we cook

A practical guide to feeding your dog

How much should your dog eat? Which foods are a hard no? Is that tummy just a bit round, or time for a diet? Here's what we've learned cooking for dogs every day, built on vet nutrition guidelines (WSAVA, FEDIAF, AAFCO and the NRC). Cats need different nutrients, so ask us about a plan for your cat.

Work out my dog's portions Talk to our nutritionist
A border collie puppy playing with a ball on the grass

Calorie calculator inside

Built on vet guidelines

How much should my dog eat?

Vets start from resting energy, 70 × (weight in kg)0.75, then multiply by a factor for life stage and activity. Treat the result as a starting point and adjust to keep a healthy body shape.

Life stage and activity
  • Neutered adult
  • Adult, not neutered
  • Less active or gains weight easily
  • Very active or working
  • Senior (7+ years)
  • Puppy, up to 4 months
  • Puppy, 4 months to adult
  • Needs to lose weight

630 kcal a day

Resting energy
394 kcal
Treat budget (10%)
63 kcal

Individual dogs can need up to 50% more or less. Weigh your dog every few weeks and adjust. Ask us to turn this into portions of a dish.

What every dog needs

Six groups of nutrients do the work. See which of our ingredients provide each one.

  • Protein

    Supplies the 10 amino acids dogs can't make themselves, used to build muscle, skin, coat, enzymes and hormones.

  • Fats

    The most concentrated energy source. Linoleic acid (omega-6) keeps skin and coat healthy; omega-3s matter most for growing puppies.

  • Carbohydrates and fibre

    Not strictly essential, but a useful energy source. Fermentable fibre feeds the gut's friendly bacteria.

  • Vitamins and minerals

    Needed in small amounts for bones, vision, blood and immunity. More isn't better: vitamins A and D have safe upper limits.

  • Calcium and phosphorus

    Build bones and teeth, and need to be in balance: at least as much calcium as phosphorus, up to twice as much for adults.

  • Water

    The most critical nutrient of all. Keep fresh water available at all times.

"Complete and balanced", honestly

A food is "complete and balanced" when it meets the full nutrient profile for a life stage (AAFCO in the US, FEDIAF in Europe). That takes a recipe formulated by a nutritionist, usually with added vitamins and minerals.

Home-style cooking rarely gets there on its own. In a 2019 study that lab-tested 75 home-made dog recipes, 69% fell below the minimum for calcium and none met every requirement. Meat, rice, dal and vegetables are naturally low in calcium and high in phosphorus.

Our meals are fresh, home-style food. If they're your pet's main diet, talk to your vet about a calcium and vitamin supplement, or ask us about recipes with added calcium.

Every product page shows the facts. Where we've confirmed a recipe, you'll see estimated nutrition per 100 g, calculated from USDA and Indian food composition data, and how it compares with AAFCO's adult minimums, calcium included.

Is my dog a healthy weight?

Vets use a 9-point body condition score. The ideal is 4 to 5.

  1. 1–3: Too thinRibs, spine and hip bones easy to see, with little or no fat covering them.
  2. 4–5: IdealRibs easy to feel under a thin layer of fat. A waist is visible from above and the belly tucks up from the side.
  3. 6–9: OverweightRibs hard to feel, no clear waist. Each point above 5 is roughly 10% extra body weight.

Check muscle too: loss usually shows first along the spine, even in overweight dogs.

A dog staring hopefully at a treat held above its nose
Just one more? 🥺

A word about treats

Those eyes are hard to say no to.

We know. But treats and table scraps add up fast, and they're the most common reason dogs slowly gain weight. The simple rule vets use: treats should be no more than 10% of your dog's daily calories.

  • Break them small Your dog cares about how many treats, not how big. Halve them and halve the calories.
  • Use real food A cube of carrot, cucumber or a bit of their own meal makes a great training treat.
  • Count them in On busy training days, take a little off dinner.
See our healthy treats

Treats: the 10% rule

Keep treats to 10% of daily calories or less, so the rest comes from their main food. For a 10 kg neutered dog that's about 63 kcal. Weigh treats rather than guessing, and trim the meal a little on heavy treat days.

Storing fresh food

Refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour on hot days) at 4°C or below, and use cooked food within 3 to 4 days. Frozen portions stay safe, and taste best within 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge, never on the counter.

Switching foods over 7 days

Mix the new food in gradually. Go slower if stools soften, and call your vet if vomiting or diarrhoea continues. Sensitive dogs can take 4 to 6 weeks.

  1. Day 1
    10% new food
  2. Day 2
    25% new food
  3. Day 3
    50% new food
  4. Day 4
    50% new food
  5. Day 5
    75% new food
  6. Day 6
    90% new food
  7. Day 7
    100% new food

Never feed these

If your pet eats any of these, call your vet straight away. We never cook with them.

Grapes and raisinsCan cause kidney failure, even in small amounts
Onion, garlic and chivesRaw, cooked or dried: damage red blood cells
Chocolate, coffee and caffeineVomiting, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures
XylitolIn some peanut butters and sugar-free foods; blood sugar can crash within an hour
Macadamia nutsWeakness, tremors and overheating
Alcohol and raw doughVomiting, poor coordination, breathing problems
Cooked bonesCan splinter and cause choking or gut blockages
Salty foods and fatty scrapsSalt poisoning; fatty trimmings can trigger pancreatitis

Questions pet parents ask us

Is home-cooked food complete?

Not automatically. In published studies, 95% of home-made dog recipes were short on at least one nutrient, most often calcium, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin E or choline. Home-style food works best as part of a diet your vet has checked.

Why does calcium matter so much?

Calcium builds bones, and it needs to be in balance with phosphorus. Meat, grains and dal are low in calcium, so home diets often fall short. Adult dogs need at least as much calcium as phosphorus.

Can puppies eat fresh food?

Yes, but puppies need more protein, calcium and phosphorus than adults, and large-breed puppies need both calcium and calories carefully controlled. Use recipes formulated for growth and check with your vet.

Is fish or mutton good for dogs?

Both are good protein sources, and oily fish adds omega-3 fats. Always serve them cooked and boneless, and trim fatty mutton, because rich scraps can trigger pancreatitis.

Are spices like turmeric and jeera safe?

No vet body has set safe amounts for turmeric or cumin, so we only use a pinch and never add salt. We never use onion, garlic or chives, which damage red blood cells even when cooked.

Is honey or peanut butter safe?

A little honey is generally fine for healthy dogs (a teaspoon is about 17 kcal). Peanut butter must be xylitol-free; ours is plain and unsalted.

Are blueberries, banana and coconut OK?

Yes, in small portions as treats. Coconut can loosen stools if overdone. Grapes and raisins are never safe.

Do senior dogs need different food?

Older dogs often need about 20% fewer calories and tend to gain weight, while slowly losing muscle. Softer, moist food can also be easier to eat.

How long does fresh food keep?

Use cooked food within 3 to 4 days in the fridge at 4°C or below. Frozen portions are best within 3 to 4 months. Thaw in the fridge.

Sources

This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. Every pet is different, so check with your vet.