Raw food diets by definition are diets comprised of nothing but raw food. These can take many forms and the most popular of these is a BARF diet. BARF stands for biologically appropriate raw food or bones and raw food. This dietary model is based on the evolutionary diet animals would have eaten in the wild. Evolutionary raw diets are made up of fresh raw meat, offal, crushed meaty bones, vegetables, fruits and other healthy ingredients.

For more information on a Raw food diet for dogs – visit, “Evolution for dogs and a species appropriate diet”

Raw food diets are different for dogs and cats as they have different and unique dietary requirements.

Big Dog has a range of raw food diets in our range for dogs. You can view them all here.

Core Range – this is a flavour based raw food diet comprising of many different protein types. Using different protein sources allows for a wide variety of amino acids and is the range that best mimics an evolutionary diet where animals would have consumed varied types of prey.

Single Protein Allergy Range – this range is for pets with allergies to certain proteins including beef or chicken and each product is made only from one protein source.

Scientific Range – these products are for pets with specific health requirements and contain specific proteins and additional ingredients for pets with health issues.

Small Dog – smaller portion sizes and finer mincing for smaller digestive systems make this product perfect for puppies and small dogs.

Our Cat range has been specifically designed for cats with higher protein levels and taurine, an essential amino acid for cats. You can view these recipes here.

All Big Dog raw diets are 100% natural, no synthetic vitamins and minerals, artificial chemicals, colours, flavours or preservatives are present. All Big Dog diets are raw and uncooked to best preserve the quality and nutritional value of the proteins.

For more information on our dog range, see our products for dogs here.

For more information on our cat range, see our products for cats here.

Big Dog products are currently not available to purchase online directly from us. Some of our stockists may offer this service and you can find your closest store here.

Cats are obligate carnivores, Big Dog Raw Food Diets for Cats are formulated to be higher in meat and lower in plant material. Big Dog Cat Food is also higher in amino acids that are essential for cats, meaning they need these solely from their diet. Arginine and taurine are the key essential amino acids to ensure are in cat food in appropriate amounts. Because cats don’t produce these amino acids the way dogs do; which is why they need higher levels in their diets. Big Dog Raw Diets for Cats are formulated with ample arginine and taurine for healthy growth and development in cats.

The transition from kibble to raw can be long and challenging, we recommend a very slow transition. The primary reason for this is to avoid upset stomachs but primarily because rejection of the food is to be expected. Give your cat the time and space they need to figure out their new diet. That being said, you do not want to leave it for more than 24 hours without eating something. Cats need to eat frequently as fasting is unnatural to them and could induce a case of Hepatic Lipidosis (feline liver disease).

Find our transition guide for cats here: Transitioning to our Big Dog Raw Diet for Cats

No. Big Dog food is based on an evolutionary diet so all of the products in our range contain crushed bone as a source of important vitamins and minerals. Because of this, our food cannot be cooked.

Not only does cooking reduce the nutritional value of the fresh healthy ingredients, cooking bone results in it becoming brittle, potentially splintering and should not be digested by your dog in this state.

Nature always intended dogs to eat raw, hence their bodies are biologically adept to process a raw food diet, along with the naturally occurring bacteria. The highly acidic pH of their stomach and accompanying short digestive tract assists passing of pathogens, without any health concerns. However, to be safe please ensure proper storage and handling methods are followed to avoid development of harmful bacteria. For more information, visit – Bacteria And Raw Food.

Bacteria in pet food - beneficial bacteria with Dr. Duncan

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We recommend feeding adult dogs (12 months +) 2% of their body weight daily. We recommend puppies (generally 12 months and younger), pregnant and lactating dogs or working dogs 4% of their body weight daily. This is based on the nutritional content of our foods.

However, our feeding guidelines are a guide and your pets’ metabolism, breed, size, age and activity level may affect their overall nutritional requirements. Many people wish to replace a raw meal with an appropriate serve of meaty bones for dental health which is an important part of ensuring a healthy raw fed pet. Also taking into account treats as part of the daily energy from food being provided to your pet has an impact.

The important thing to focus on ultimately is that your pet is within a healthy weight range.

It is fine for younger animals (especially puppies) to have extra fat (aka puppy fat) sub 6 months of age. As they grow into adults, it’s more important to fine tune their diet to suit a healthy weight. A healthy weight can be measured in a number of simple physical ways. Ribs shouldn’t be prominent but should be able to be felt with a thin covering of fat over the top. There should be a visible abdominal tuck and when you look at your pet from above, they should have a visible waist. If the ribs can be seen, increase their daily food allowance, if they no longer have a waist and look like a log from above, decrease their daily food allowance until their waist returns.

If you are a retail outlet looking to stock products from our range through in your store, absolutely! Feel free to get in touch with us via sales@bigdogpetfoods.com and speak with a member of our team. If you’re a Big Dog customer looking to buy direct, currently our products are only available within Pet Specialty Stores across Australia and some overseas locations, if you’d like to find your nearest store checkout our Where to Buy page.

Nothing! Our raw dog food recipes produced in 2kg Rolls are a great economical option for multi-dog households or larger breeds who need A LOT of Big Dog.

Our Kangaroo raw diet is a great low-fat, single protein option in our range. Developed to be a single protein diet for dogs with sensitivities to other meat proteins as well as a low fat recipe for weight loss and dogs with medical conditions who require a lower fat diet.

Kangaroo is a very rich tasting meat so introducing it slowly to the diet for dogs that have not eaten kangaroo before, is important. We recommend to slowly introduce our kangaroo recipe over a 2 week period; slowly including it into the current diet and increasing the amount every few days or so.

The following transitioning guide is a great way to start:

Day 1-2: 25% Kangaroo 80% Old Recipe

Day 3-4: 50% Kangaroo 50% Old

Day 5-6: 75% Kangaroo 25% Old

Day 7+: 100% Kangaroo

Some dogs won’t need a slow transition to our Kanga diet and may do well in an immediate transition, especially if they have been eating our other recipes and are used to raw food diets. However, it’s best practice to go slow, just in case.

A sign that you may be transitioning too quickly with Kanga is regurgitation of the food. This is different to vomiting and happens soon after the food is consumed and does not persist. If this happens, go a little slower to let your dog’s digestive system adjust.

If your dog has been eating our Kanga recipe for some time and you’d like to introduce higher fat foods to their diet, also go gently here to avoid tummy upsets. Adding small portions of higher fat foods to your dog’s Kanga meals can help you introduce variety and or higher fat foods to your dog’s diet in a slow and gentle manner.  

Yes. Our sourcing, manufacturing and quality assurance systems all meet the Australian standards for the manufacturing of pet food. We are independently audited multiple times per year by our retail partners, state based manufacturing association (Safe Foods QLD) and the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia as part of our membership. To learn more about our commitment to quality, visit our Q & A with our Quality Manager, here.

We recommend feeding adult cats 2-3% of their body weight daily (this is based on an average sized 4kg cat) and kittens 4-6%.

However, our feeding guidelines are a guide and your pets’ metabolism, breed, size, age and activity level may affect their overall nutritional requirements. Many people wish to replace a raw meal with an appropriate serve of meaty bones for dental health which is an important part of ensuring a healthy raw fed pet. Also taking into account treats as part of the daily energy from food being provided to your pet has an impact.

The important thing to focus on ultimately is that your pet is within a healthy weight range.

It is fine for younger animals (especially puppies) to have extra fat (aka puppy fat) sub 6 months of age. As they grow into adults, it’s more important to fine tune their diet to suit a healthy weight. A healthy weight can be measured in a number of simple physical ways. Ribs shouldn’t be prominent but should be able to be felt with a thin covering of fat over the top. There should be a visible abdominal tuck and when you look at your pet from above, they should have a visible waist. If the ribs can be seen, increase their daily food allowance, if they no longer have a waist and look like a log from above, decrease their daily food allowance until their waist returns.

How much to feed your pet with Chris Essex

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Big Dog healthy raw food diets are based on evolutionary dietary principles of cats and dogs (also referred to as BARF – Bones and Raw Food, or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food). Our diets consist of 80% muscle meat and offal, 10% crushed real bone, 5% fresh vegetables and fruit and 5% other healthy ingredients.

Read our article to learn more about the super-foods we add to benefit your pets – “Clean eating and super-foods for dogs”

What is an evolutionary diet?

Our patties are safe to use for two years after their packaged date as long as they have been correctly stored and frozen for the whole duration. After thawing the patty, we recommend they be kept in a sealed, airtight container and used within 2 - 3 days. Discard any thawed product that no longer looks or smells fresh. If you have a small dog and find our patties are too big for you to get through in time, check out our Big Dog for Small Dogs product.

Dogs who have an itch or irritated skin most commonly are reacting to something in their environment however, certain foods can be allergens in some dogs.  

If you find your pup has an issue with something in their environment we recommend narrowing down the options to find the culprit and removing it. This can include things such as plants, yard sprays, diffusers or even deodorants.

As well as working towards identifying and eliminating allergens from your pets environment, introducing our Sensitive Skin recipe can help assist with the dietary management of allergies. This recipe helps to promote a healthy skin, soft and shiny coat and a stronger immune system through its inclusion of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, cold-pressed coconut oil and activated chia seeds.

For dogs who may have an itch due to a dietary intolerance we recommend getting in touch with a holistic veterinarian or canine nutritionist to discuss an elimination diet. When dogs are suspected to have an allergy to something in their diet, they’re often switched over to a novel protein diet. We have 3 novel, single protein diets currently in our range; our Kangaroo, Goat and Turkey recipes.

Does your dog really have a food allergy?

Food allergies and diet with Chris Essex

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The way in which raw diets work to support the kidneys is quite different to the conventional approach feeding processed pet food diets.

Raw food diets are high in protein. High protein diets are not how processed veterinary diets manage kidney issues. However, the protein in raw food diets is extremely high quality. It’s also rich in moisture as raw, natural ingredients haven’t had the naturally-occurring moisture levels cooked out of them.

One of the biggest challenges in managing kidney health in pets is getting them to drink more water to help support kidney function. Dogs and cats don’t drink more water simply because we tell them it’s good for them, so providing a natural diet rich in moisture provides them with extra water as part of their meal,assisting in kidney health.  

The diet in our range most suited for dogs with kidney issues would be our Wellbeing recipe. This is because this diet also contains herbs which help support kidney function. Herbs such as alfalfa and nettle are mild diuretics.

If you’re interested in a natural approach to manage kidney health in your pet, we recommend contacting a Holistic Veterinarian or Canine nutritionist to manage your dog’s current kidney issues and how best to approach this from a dietary perspective.  

We have a number of successful cases in assisting with the dietary management of kidney issues with our food so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here to assist further.

Additional reading on this topic can be found below:

Dogs and Kidney Failure

Natural Remedies for Renal Failure

Canine Diets for Renal Failure

Additional video content on this topic can be found below: 

Diets for kidney disease in dogs with Animal Nutritionist, Narelle Cooke

Chronic Kidney Disease in dogs - a testimonial

Cats are obligate carnivores, Big Dog Raw Food Diets for Cats are formulated to be higher in meat and lower in plant material.

We ask Animal Nutritionist, Narelle Cooke, if cats and dogs can eat the same food

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Got questions about whether a raw food diet is right for your pup? Want to know an answer to a specific health concern? Make sure to visit our FAQs page, and discover the difference raw dog food could make in your dog’s life. 

Yes. All Big Dog diets are made with only 100% human-grade, fresh Australian grown ingredients. Nothing but the best for our furry family members.

We have two options for dogs requiring a low-fat diet to assist with weight loss. They are our Kangaroo recipe which sits at 5% fat and Wellbeing recipe which contains 7.5% fat. These two diets are our lowest-fat options and provide everything your dog needs, nutritionally, without the extra calories.  

To get the best results it’s important to also consider your dog’s daily physical exercise and treats in their diet.

For some helpful information to assess whether your dog is healthy feel free to check out this article here.

How does diet affect your dog’s skin and weight? - Narelle Cooke

Ziggy the bulldog’s weight loss journey, while supporting her sensitive skin

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Absolutely! Microencapsulation plays an important role in protecting probiotic bacteria from the degradation that the digestive system was designed to do. It ensures they can stay viable through to the colon and, most importantly, get absorbed and benefit the pet’s health the way they are intended.

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Yes! You absolutely can co-feed kibble and raw. In fact, if your dog was on a kibble diet beforehand, mixing kibble and raw is how we recommend they transition over 10 - 12 days. This helps to ensure they have time to get used to the introduction of raw food into their diet. If you wanted to read more about transitioning your pet, read this.

We believe that any inclusion of raw food into your pets diet will benefit them however, if you’d prefer to feed a mixture of diets on an on-going basis, also known as co-feeding, ensure to adjust the feeding portions to reflect this.

For example if you choose to split your pet’s diet into 50% of a Big Dog diet and 50% of another diet, we advise to only feed half the recommended feeding portion for each diet.

For dogs and cats that have more sensitive stomachs, their diet can still consist of a raw diet and a kibble diet however if you notice any issues it could be advised to feed these two diets at different time, for example feed raw in the morning and their other diet at night, or vice-versa.

Puppies and kittens should be fed more regularly than adults, we recommend feeding three-four smaller meals and up to six meals a day for larger breeds. Regular small meals should continue until the animal is about 6 months old, then we recommend reducing your pet to being fed once or twice per day. Allowing pregnant and lactating pets to feed as often as they want is ideal.

Puppies and kittens require more food, more regularly than an adult dog or cat due to the amount of growing and developing they will be doing in the first 6 or so months of their lives. Making sure they get adequate nutrients regularly in this life stage is essential.

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We always recommend slowly introducing raw diets over 2 weeks. The reason for this is to minimise any potential for stomach upsets which can happen if a change in diet is sudden. Some pets will have no issues with a quick changeover in diet, however to be sure, we do recommend slowly introducing the new food.

Day 1-3: 20% New 80% Old

Day 4-6: 40% New 60% Old

Day 7-9: 60% New 40% Old

Day 10-12: 80% New 20% Old

Day 12+: 100% New Diet

Simple transition to raw food with Chris Essex

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We generally don’t recommend our Kangaroo and Wellbeing diets as suitable for puppies who need a higher fat diet to fuel them as they grow. In instances where a puppy has a suspected allergy and a low allergen protein, like Kangaroo is suitable, extra fat will need to be added to the diet to bump up these levels for puppies.  

BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food. Not only is our raw dog food complex and nutrient-dense, but it’s specifically designed to mimic the kind of protein-rich forager diet that they would consume in the wild. Free of excessive carbohydrates — which are hard for dogs to digest — your pup will love our range of BARF dog food in Melbourne.

Taurine is an essential amino acid in cats and must be obtained in adequate amounts in the diet to prevent deficiency.

According to the Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats by the National Research Council, Division on Earth and Life Studies, Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Committee on Animal Nutrition, Subcommittee on Dog and Cat Nutrition, the daily dietary taurine requirements for cats for growth and health maintenance is 320mg/kg of food per day and we easily meet these needs.

Big Dog Raw Diets for Cats are formulated with the following levels of Taurine per kg of food and easily meet these requirements.

Kangaroo – 720 mg/kg

Turkey – 825 mg/kg

The only time you may wish to supplement with additional Taurine would be during gestation and lactation where requirements increase to 450mg of Taurine per kg or food. Feeding a few chicken hearts additionally per day is a great natural way to achieve this.

Big Dog has a product suitable for dogs of all shapes and sizes.

Our core range of diets are flavour based, mixed protein diets that provide all the macro and micronutrients your dog needs to be healthy and happy. These include protein, amino acids, healthy fats (including omega-3 fatty acids), moisture, antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics, fibre, phytonutrients, active enzymes and essential vitamins and minerals. Mixed protein raw food diets, most closely represent an evolutionary diet. The predominant protein source in each of our core diet range represents the flavour of that product. Our core range consists of Beef, Chicken, Combo, Tasmanian Salmon and Lamb.

Our single protein, allergy range is formulated for dogs with food intolerances to certain meats, most commonly being beef and chicken. As a single protein diet, our Kanga and Turkey diets contain only muscle meat, offal and bone of these species. Additionally, Kanga may also be suitable for overweight dogs, with a fat content of only 4%.

Our Scientific range has been formulated to address dogs with health conditions, assisting from the inside out. The Sensitive Skin diet contains an abundance of natural anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids designed to promote healthy skin, coat and a stronger immune system, as well as long term healing and reduction of potential future skin issues. Our Wellbeing Diet has been specifically formulated for overweight dogs and dogs with common chronic health conditions including arthritis, pancreatic issues, liver problems, renal conditions and some cancers. It is lower in fat with a mixture of traditional healing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and health-promoting herbs.

For more information on each product, see our products page for dogs.

Because Big Dog food is made using 100% natural raw ingredients our food is naturally high in moisture, approximately 70%. In comparison, dry pet food has only around 10% moisture content. If your dog or cat has recently transitioned to a raw diet, they will have increased their water intake significantly, simply via food alone. This is one of many reasons raw food is great for kidney health. It is normal for pets on a raw diet to drink less water and if they are healthy, energetic and have normal toileting habits, then it is not a cause for concern. However, if they seem unwell, or if you notice unusual toileting behaviour (such as passing urine more often, or in inappropriate places), get them checked by your vet.

Cats in particular benefit from having more moisture in their diet. They do not have a high thirst drive, and struggle to drink enough water on a dry diet to keep them adequately hydrated.

Yes! Our raw dog food recipes are complete andbalanced according to AFFCO standards.

Yes, Big Dog raw food diets are very beneficial for pets with Arthritis. Our diets exclude poor quality ingredients such as processed wheat products, rancid fats, salt and any other inflammatory arthritis aggravating ingredients. What our diets do include is healthy, high quality nutrition from natural sources. All of our raw food diets contain crushed cartilage and bone which contain the building blocks for maintaining healthy joints.

Fresh bone and cartilage are packed with calcium and other vital minerals, such as glucosamine, chondroitin and collagen as well as anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids which promote cellular health, decrease inflammation and help with healthy ageing.

Our most suitable diets would be our Sensitive Skin diet and our Wellbeing diet. Our Sensitive Skin diet is our highest omega-3 containing product loaded with fresh Tasmanian Salmon. This diet helps improve joint health through its anti-inflammatory properties which are boosted by the herb turmeric which is also used in this recipe. Our Wellbeing diet is great for joint issues that are driven by weight. Being a lower fat diet, it naturally assists in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight which will decrease additional pressure on the joints.

There is no problem with feeding our food when your pet is on antibiotics. The antibiotics may damage the probiotics that are in our food, but the probiotics will not negatively impact the effect of the antibiotics which have been prescribed for your pet. A course of probiotics after the antibiotics are finished is highly recommended to get gut health back on track.

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Veterinarians and Canine Nutritionists recommend high quality, low fat diets for pets with pancreatitis.

The low fat recipes in the Big Dog range include our our Wellbeing diet at 7.5% fat and our Kangaroo Single Protein diet at 5% fat.

It is important to work with your Vet or Canine Nutritional Professional for the management of conditions such as pancreatitis.

We have a number of successful cases in assisting with the dietary management of Pancreatitis with our food and feel free to get in touch with us to assist further.

A link which may be helpful is included here.

No, we don't.

HPP - High Pressure Processing is a non-thermal food preservation technique that kills microorganisms that can cause diseases or spoil food. It uses intense pressure for a certain time and has minimal effects on taste, texture, appearance, or nutritional values. At Big Dog, we don't have the need to use this process as our food is frozen.

Pets with kidney disease require high quality, highly digestible protein, with increased water content and bioavailable nutrition. The entire Big Dog range is beneficial for kidney health due to the presence of raw, high quality real meat as the protein source in addition to a high moisture content.

For dogs with more serious kidney issues our Wellbeing diet is the most suitable product in our range. Wellbeing is slightly lower in protein and phosphorus than other products in the Big Dog range which provides excellent nutrition while lowering the burden on the kidneys. In addition to this it is higher in moisture and contains a mixture of traditional healing, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and health-promoting herbs, including nettle. Nettle is a herb traditionally used for kidney health as a natural detoxifier, blood purifier and diuretic.

A quality omega supplement such as Big Dog’s Front Runner, can be added to the Wellbeing diet to increase levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. This will help to decrease inflammation and reduce kidney pressure. Learn more about Big Dog Front Runner – here.

Be sure to work with your vet to understand the signs of acute renal failure to ensure you take appropriate action if you see any warning signs.

Some helpful links to explore further include:

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2016/06/22/dog-kidney-failure.aspx

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/kidney-disease-why-natural-treatments-are-best/

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/canine-diets-for-kidney-failure/

A quality omega supplement such as Big Dog’s Front Runner can be added to the Wellbeing diet to increase levels of Omega-3 fatty acids. This will help to decrease inflammation around the joints.

In conjunction with our raw food diets, consider Big Dog’s Revive supplement. This is an all-natural ingredient combination for joint health. It offers easily digestible and bioavailable forms of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, enzymes, prebiotics and phytonutrients to help reduce inflammation. Key ingredients include, glucosamine and methylsulfonylmethane which directly assist in decreasing inflammation and improving the body’s ability to repair and strengthen joint tissues.

Learn more about our supplements – click here.

Portioning this product while still frozen is quite difficult, so, yes, we would recommend lightly thawing the product and then portioning for re-freeze. However, we don’t recommend completely thawing our Rolls and then re-freezing them. We don't use any preservatives in our food, so maintaining a low temperature is really important to maintain product integrity. Once fully thawed, the Rolls only last 2 – 3 days in the fridge.
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Yes, the plastic used to package our patties is BPA-free.

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Depending on where you shop, you can find affordable raw dog food in Brisbane online at Big Dog. We offer various foods within our range, including three specialty types: core, low allergy single protein range, and our scientific range. Our 3kg packs that hold 12 x 250g individual patties start from $25.99 and can go up to $28.99. If you're considering trying our combo for smaller dogs, our 1.5kg pack with 12 x 125g individual patties is only $15.99.

Our Big Dog for cat’s range consists of Kanga and Turkey flavour, mixed protein diets that provide all the macro and micronutrients your cat needs to be healthy and happy. These include protein, amino acids, taurine, healthy fats (including omega-3 fatty acids), moisture, antioxidants, probiotics, prebiotics, fibre, phytonutrients, active enzymes and essential vitamins and minerals. Mixed protein raw food diets, most closely represent an evolutionary diet and the predominant protein source in each product represents the flavour of that product.

For more information on each product, see our products page for cats.

Our Wellbeing and Sensitive Skin Diet contains higher levels of dietary fibre, which naturally promotes a healthy intestine by adding bulk to their stool and helping the stool pass more quickly through the intestines. All our raw diets have a high moisture content to combat dehydration, which can be a common cause of constipation.

Our Big Dog Probiotic blend may also assist in improving intestinal function and combat constipation by introducing good flora (bacteria) to help draw water into the intestines and properly digest food. For more information visit – Probiotics and Health.

Adding dietary oils like coconut oil, flax oil, fish oil or hemp oil can help combat constipation.

You may want to consider our Front Runner oil – containing Cold-pressed Flaxseed Oil, Cold-pressed Rice Bran Oil, Fish Oil, Natural vitamin E and Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil. Learn more about Big Dog Front Runner – here.

Daily exercise and allowing access to plenty of fresh drinking water can also help to alleviate constipation

Yes! Exactly like our Big Dog Patties!

We generally recommend our food is suitable when kittens reach 1kg of bodyweight or 12 weeks of age, whatever comes first. We recommend feeding kittens 4-6% of their body weight.

If your kitten was weaned onto a raw diet, you can generally transition straight to a 100% Big Dog Diet.

If your kitten was weaned onto a cooked or processed diet (canned food, dry food, cooked rolls) then we recommend to transition more slowly.

A raw food diet is very different to a processed cooked diet and any sudden change in diet can create stomach upsets and gradually transitioning helps to minimise this.

Please follow these guidelines, whilst monitoring your kitten's stools. You should begin to notice smaller, less smelly stools as you transition towards a 100% raw food diet. Loose stools are OK during the transitioning period, but do make sure there is no persistent, watery stools.

Day 1-3: 20% New Diet 80% Old Diet

Day 4-6: 40% New Diet 60% Old Diet

Day 7-9: 60% New Diet 40% Old Diet

Day 10-12: 80% New Diet 20% Old Diet

Day 12+: 100% New Diet

The younger the kitten, generally the easier they are to transition. If you have an older cat or a particularly fussy kitten, please refer to our transition guide here.

Absolutely not, at Big Dog, when we say 100% natural we mean 100% natural. This means no added preservatives, no modern preservation methods like irradiation which impact the nutritional quality of the food nor do we add any synthetic additives such as vitamins and minerals, colours or flavours.

Our preservation method for our food is freezing and once our product has been thawed ready to serve to your pet, it will last up to 3 days when kept in the fridge.

Whilst our food may last longer than 3 days, be sure to keep an eye out for signs of deterioration of the product like ballooning of the packaging. If this occurs, do not serve your pet and dispose of the product.

Big Dog recipes are a Complete and Balanced Diet for healthy growth in puppies and health maintenance in adults. Our substantiation to support this claim is based on the outcome of a successful feeding trial with Smart Pups Assistance Dogs, our charity of choice.

The exception to this is our Kangaroo Single Protein Diet which is too low in fat and calories for growing pups, as our Wellbeing Diet as they are specifically formulated for mature dogs and weight loss.

For giant-breed puppies we recommend getting in touch with your vet and looking into our Goat Diet.

Feel free to contact our staff if you had any questions in regards to our diets here at: customercare@bigdogpetfoods.com

For more information on our diets being Complete and Balanced check out our article 'Complete and Balanced by Nature'

From time to time we have people get in touch saying their cats try to eat their dogs Big Dog food and is it OK for them to eat the same recipes. In short, yes! We have tested our dog recipes for their Taurine levels, an essential amino acid for cats that must be obtained through their diet, and they are well above the minimum requirement for cats. While our dog recipes have a higher amount of plant material than our cat recipes, there is no nutritional concerns with rotating our dog recipes in your cats diet if your cat prefers these.

The exception here is our Kanga Single Protein Diet for dogs. Our Cat Kanga recipe is a mixed protein diet and more suitable for cats nutritional needs than this low fat diet for dogs with allergies or who need to lose weight.

Once fully thawed, the rolls should be in a sealed tight container no more than 2 – 3 days in the fridge. Give it a sniff if unsure, if it smells a bit off and not fresh, we don't recommend serving it.
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Unfortunately, no. Our Big Dog Rolls come frozen, and when thawed they have a 'minced meat' consistency, so, they wouldn't be suitable for training treats.

Our recipes are rich in raw meat and offal which are high quality sources of important amino acids including taurine for heart health. While currently, there is no requirement for the amount of taurine that needs to be present in commercial dog food, meat in its raw state is naturally higher in this important amino acid than cooked meat products and plant sources of protein. There are requirements for taurine levels in cat food and our dog food recipes meet these levels. To read more about taurine and heart health in dogs, head to this article on the topic. DCM and Heart Disease in Dogs and the Role Diet Plays

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2kg

Occasionally, pets may struggle with change and transitioning to a new, unfamiliar food. This is especially the case when transitioning from processed diets. Imagine going from eating processed fast foods all your life then being presented a meal with fresh, unprocessed, uncooked ingredients… it may take a bit of getting used to in the beginning. However, we do have a list of suggestions to help the process.

• Transition slowly according to our transition guide to make sure your pet is gradually getting used to their new diet.

• Mix in some of your pet’s favourite treats or favourite foods to help encourage them to eat their new diet. Sardines and/or raw egg are common and popular suggestions.

• Feed your pet their new food in a new area to reduce associations with and expectations of their old diet and make the new diet a bit of a novelty for them.

• Make new food look familiar to their old food. This may mean rolling the patty into small balls or add some chunks of cooked meat, depending on what your pet is used to.

• Ensure bowl size suits your pet. Some cats do not like their whiskers touching the sides of the bowl for example.

• Offer the food in small amounts or maybe on a spoon and slowly transition away from this as they start getting used to the food.

• Gently warm the raw food, ensuring not to cook. Do this by putting the sealed patty in a sink of hot water for 5-10 minutes to bring it up to room temperature and increase its appeal.

• Generally, the least popular method is usually the quickest and most effective but also the most difficult for us as pet parents. This method is to offer the food for no longer than 10-15 mins and if not consumed, put in the fridge to try again for the next meal. This tough love method usually gets results within a day but is not to be continued for longer than 2 days. It is rare, but some pets just don’t like some food despite how much you may want them to eat it. Ultimately, it’s more important to have a pet eating something over nothing.

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Tips for fussy dogs - we found a fussy pug!

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Our Rolls come in Combo, Sensitive Skin and Chicken raw dog food recipes!

Based on the nutritional content of our Big Dog raw food, we recommend feeding adult dogs 2% and puppies, pregnant and lactating dogs or working dogs 4% of their body weight daily.

We recommend feeding adult cats 2-3% of their body weight daily and kittens 4-6%.

You may find that other food brands and DIY recipes have different guidelines and percentages based on their nutritional content.

Our feeding guidelines are just a general guide but it’s a great starting point when working out how much to feed your pet. It’s important to remember that each animal is an individual and your pets’ metabolism, breed, size, age and activity level may affect their overall nutritional requirements.

Our feeding tables generally round up to the nearest convenient amount such as a half or a whole patty, but don’t be afraid to feed in quarters either, especially for smaller eaters. For example, 2% of a 10kg adult dog will be 200grams of our food, which is around ¾ of a patty.

All of our diets are suitable for pregnant bitches, except Kanga and Wellbeing due to their low fat content. During the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, food requirements generally do not change, although it is recommended to increase the frequency of feeding with a minimum of twice a day. In the third trimester, we recommend not limiting her food intake, allowing her to consume as much as she wants. It is also important to ensure raw meaty bones are added to optimise calcium intake.

Additionally, our Muscle Up supplement has been formulated to provide your pet with high levels of essential proteins. Proteins provide the building blocks for muscle growth, repair and recovery. Feeding Muscle Up may assist whelping bitches in ensuring they receive adequate levels of protein and are properly sustaining, developing and holding the condition of their muscle during and after pregnancy.

As animals age, their health status changes faster than their younger counterparts. Issues common in senior pets include arthritis, heart disease, cataracts, organ failure, hearing or vision loss, and tumours. More frequent health checks with your Vet can help detect any issues early on, so your senior pet can live as long and happily as possible.

Providing your senior dog with the right diet will also help. It is usually recommended to offer your senior dog a lower calorie diet as their metabolism, energy levels and exercise routine slows down. A diet with good quality protein, supportive nutrients and low in calories may be the perfect option for your pet.

Our Wellbeing diet is formulated specifically for an ageing dog. Most ageing pets will start to put a little weight on and whilst they are just so damn cute and cuddly, just like us, it’s not recommended that they carry too much extra weight. Extra weight obviously has its own detrimental health effects, but it can also cause extra pressure on their joints, and again this is where arthritis starts to rear its ugly head. Unfortunately there is a pattern, weight gain leads to inflammation, which leads to arthritis.

The Wellbeing diet is a lower fat diet (at 6% fat) than our standard range of diets, you will also find the protein has been reduced, not significantly, but reduced enough so we can include a more extensive range of ingredients that will fight against inflammation and assist healthy ageing.

Our Sensitive Skin recipe is loaded with anti-inflammatory goodness, which is great for nourishing skin conditions but also fantastic for inflammatory conditions, like arthritis. Sensitive Skin raw food diet contains excellent sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids from whole salmon and sardines. Anti-inflammatory ingredients join these in the form of cold pressed coconut oil and turmeric. This unique recipe is also perfect for dogs with arthritis who need anti-inflammatory dietary support to help manage this condition. Sensitive Skin is higher in fat than Wellbeing, at 11.5% fat.

Another low-fat option for our senior dogs is our Kanga Single Protein recipe.  Kangaroo is a rich protein source and a perfect alternative for dogs who are allergic to other meat proteins. Low in fat and easy to digest, Kanga is suitable for overweight dogs or dogs that need a low fat diet for medical conditions as advised by your veterinarian. Being a wild game source, Australian kangaroo has minimal to no exposure to environmental chemicals, making it even more suitable for dogs that suffer from allergies. Our Kanga recipe is a beauty and our lowest in fat at only 4%.

Caring for your Senior Dog

Raw benefits for senior dogs

Senior dog health advice from holistic vet, Dr Duncan Houston

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Garlic in appropriate amounts is perfectly fine for dogs. Like many things, garlic in large amounts can certainly lead to toxicity, but the amounts we add to our food are well below levels that can cause issues and is very safe and beneficial.

When it comes to the controversy regarding garlic, this is because it belongs to the Allium family and it contains a substance called thiosulphate, the ingestion of which has been known to be harmful to dogs. The key though, is in the quantity required to do any harm. In fact, there have been studies that show that a 34 kg Labrador would need to eat five full heads of garlic or about 75 cloves of garlic in each meal before there would be any adverse effect on the red blood cells. Similarly, a dog weighing a mere 4.5kg would need to eat 25 grams of garlic – about half an entire head of garlic, or about 6 to 8 garlic cloves in every meal to experience any adverse effects.

Dogs Naturally Magazine has an interesting article on this topic for further reading here.

For more information on garlic and the other super-foods visit, “Clean eating and super-foods for dogs”.

If your puppy was weaned onto a raw food diet, you can generally transition straight to a 100% Big Dog diet.

If your pup was weaned onto cooked or processed food (canned food, dry food or cooked rolls) then we recommend to transition more slowly.

A raw food diet is very different to a processed cooked diet and any sudden change of diet can create stomach upsets and gradually transitioning helps to minimise this.

Please follow these guidelines, whilst monitoring your puppy’s stools. You should begin to notice smaller, less smelly stools as you transition towards a 100% raw food diet. Loose stools are OK during the transitioning period, but do make sure there is no persistent, watery stools.

Day 1-3: 20% New Diet 80% Old Diet

Day 4-6: 40% New Diet 60% Old Diet

Day 7-9: 60% New Diet 40% Old Diet

Day 10-12: 80% New Diet 20% Old Diet

Day 12+: 100% New Diet

Additionally, we recommend the following amounts to be fed based on the weight of your puppy:

Puppy (3 – 12 months or until fully grown): 4% dog’s body weight

Adult (12 months or when fully grown): 2% dog’s body weight

Keep in mind that feeding guides are general and optimal feeding amounts may vary with age, size, breed, and activity level. Increase or decrease the calories your pup consumes daily to ensure a healthy weight is maintained.

If your puppy has no known allergies or health conditions, then you can start them on any flavour from our core range (Beef, Chicken, Combo, Tasmanian Salmon, and Lamb.). Most people choose chicken as it is highly palatable, especially when starting off on raw food for the first time.

Alternatively, our Small Dog Combo diet may be most suitable, especially for smaller pups. Our small dog recipe is minced more finely and is portioned into smaller patties which can help reduce wastage in the transition phase or in smaller breeds.

If your puppy does have allergies or skin conditions, we recommend either our Single Protein Allergy Diet – Turkey or our Scientific Diet – Sensitive Skin. We do not recommend our Kanga or Wellbeing diets due to their low fat content. Fat is important in a growing pups diet.

For more information on each product, see our products page for dogs.

Transitioning puppies to raw food with Chris Essex

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We recommend 2-3 days and then give it a sniff to make sure it is still okay! If unsure, and it smells a bit off and not fresh, we don't recommend serving it.

Raw, uncooked bones are a great inclusion into your dog’s diet as they provide a natural source of calcium and glucosamine-chondroitin which help strengthen bones and joints.

Our recipes already contain 10% crushed bone and cartilage,however whole bones are also great for dental health as they’re known as natures toothbrush. If you were looking to add whole bones to your dog’s diet ensure that you adjust their overall intake as both our recipes and a bone could cause too much calcium and result in white stools.

We recommend to feed a raw meaty bone in replacement of a similar sized portion of your dog’s food. Ensure to feed bones suitable for teeth cleaning such as chicken, turkey or beef bones and stay away from weight-bearing bones that may have the potential to cause harm. Get in touch with us if you were having trouble choosing the right bone-size for your pup and remember, feeding bones should always be a supervised activity.  

Big Dog products are only available for purchase through select pet specialty stores. To find a store near you visit our Where to Buy Page.

Yes, Big Dog healthy raw food diets are very beneficial for pets with Type 2 Diabetes. Pets with, or at risk of Diabetes require a high quality diet that is complete and balanced. Big Dog is moisture-rich, balanced, species appropriate nutrition consisting of high quality protein, healthy fats and low-starch (sugar / carbohydrate) veggies.

It is vital to control a diabetic dog’s sugar levels by feeding consistent meals, with the same amount of calories and ingredients at fixed times each day. Our Big Dog range makes feeding your diabetic dog easy, with our calorie levels readily available and ingredients of each flavour labelled clearly on our boxes. Not only do our patties come in ready to eat, conveniently proportioned packaging, they are also made from the highest quality natural, raw ingredients and are a complete diet.

If your dog needs to lose some weight, Big Dog Wellbeing and Kangaroo recipes are lowest in fat and great choices for helping control weight.

Our Big Dog Probiotics can also help your dog’s gut health as it can aid in balancing out your dog’s digestive tract bacteria and microbiome. Research shows that a balanced microbiome can improve insulin sensitivity, and help manage the symptoms of diabetes.

Some helpful links to explore further include:

https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2016/10/08/diabetes-in-pets.aspx

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/diabetes-in-dogs/

https://www.bernies.com/pages/diabetes/#:~:text=Prebiotics%20and%20probiotics%20are%20key,manage%20the%20symptoms%20of%20diabetes.

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We generally recommend our food is suitable when pups reach 1kg of weight or 12 weeks of age, whatever comes first.
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A few breeders who use our food, do things a little differently and we have heard of a few ways this can work. 

1.      Transitioning from feeding exclusively from Mum to introducing puppy gruel, then raw mincemeat to get the pups tummies used to raw food, then transitioning to our food from about 8weeks of age.

2.      Transitioning from feeding exclusively from Mum to introducing cooked meat before then introducing to raw, then our food from about 12 weeks of age.

3.      Transitioning from feeding exclusively from Mum, straight to introducing a BARF-style raw diet such as ours.
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The 3rd way is actually how our charity of choice, Smart Pups, transition their pups to our diet. Smart Pups dogs tolerate this approach really well.  
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It also helps when the Mum is fed raw and her immune system will be used to a raw food diet and she will be passing this innate immunity onto the pups through milk. They too will then be more likely to switch to raw and tolerate it really well.
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If you notice any loose stools or vomiting, back off the transition and go a little slowly with the addition of a probiotic supplement.
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We make a Small Dogs Combo recipe witch is minced more finely and is better for pups when they are young.

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For the average, healthy dog there is no need to add extra probiotics to the diet as our recipes already contain probiotics at levels to help maintain healthy gut function. For dogs that need extra help with digestion, immune function, skin health, recovery from illness or have completed a course of antibiotics, adding extra probiotics is a great idea. Dogs transitioning from one diet to another can also benefit from daily probiotic supplementation to assist with this change.

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We do not have a breeders program due to the expense involved in direct supply of a frozen product. For cost effective feeding options, we have our Combo recipe available in 2kg rolls which can be purchased for retail sale by any Big Dog stockist. Speak to your local store for more information or get in touch with our team at customercare@bigdogpetfoods.com to help.

Puppies and kittens should be fed more regularly than adults, we recommend feeding three-four smaller meals and up to six meals a day for larger breeds (1). Regular small meals should continue until the animal is about 6 months old, then we recommend reducing your pet to being fed once or twice per day. Allowing pregnant and lactating pets to feed as often as they want is ideal (2).

Puppies and kittens require more food, more regularly than an adult dog or cat due to the amount of growing and developing they will be doing in the first 6 or so months of their lives. Making sure they get adequate nutrients regularly in this life stage is essential.

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Our conveniently frozen portions make it easy to keep a supply of fresh dog food in your freezer, ready to be thawed out for mealtimes with ease. Frozen Big Dog Pet Foods can last for up to two years after their packaged dates. When you’re ready to serve, simply thaw in some warm water for a delectable meal they’ll love. 

There is no binding agent in our 'Big Dog Rolls.' It is the exact same recipe as our 3kg 'Patties' range but frozen into a roll, so it won’t bind when defrosted and will come out as the same consistency as our Big Dog 'Pattie's'.