Cooking food
Applying heat to any food distorts its structure and nutritional value. We recommend feeding raw uncooked meat and bones as the primary diet. Cooking food feels good, however, dogs and cats are designed to eat a raw diet of meat, meaty bones, organs and offal. A raw natural diet for dogs involves presenting the food as close to its natural form as possible. No one cooks for wolves or other carnivorous predators so why would dogs need otherwise? Cooking bones is an ABSOLUTE no go. Raw food for dogs is biologically appropriate and directly reflects in their health and condition.
Omission of organs and supplementary food matter
Dogs need a mixture of proteins, bones and organ matter to meet all dietary needs. Liver, tripe, chicken feet and muscle meats all provide specific nutritional needs for your dog. Feeding chicken frames alone is NOT ENOUGH for your dog to a complete RAW diet needs more. Wild predators such as wolves will consume the organs, fur, stomach lining and all the yucky bits that contain nutrient dense properties.
Too much bone
Bones are vital for a dog's physical and mental health and are a MUST for any raw diet for dogs. Overfeeding bone on the other hand can cause issues such as constipation and compacted gut. Beware of pet mince that has bone minced up as you cannot gauge how much bone content you are feeding. Besides this, the act of tearing, chewing and crunching bones is vital for mouth hygiene, jaw strength, mental stimulation, stress relief and teething. Powdered bone offers NONE of this stimulation and crushed or powdered bone is mostly included as a filler to pad out pet food mince and increase profit margins.
Feeding the same food daily
Feeding only one source of food may cause a nutritional imbalance or deficiency. Ensure you rotate food sources regularly.
Overfeeding
Dogs are equipped with powerful-hinged jaws along with canines and triangular carnassial teeth for the ripping and tearing of flesh and crushing bone. Their teeth are not designed for grinding plant material nor do they have a four-chamber stomach for the slow digestion and fermentation of complex carbohydrates (starches from plants and grains), as do cows and sheep. Canines have large stomachs, short digestive tracts and very small cecum, indicative of consuming large amounts of high protein food in a short time period and for fast digestion and rapid absorption of nutrients. In the wild, these canines could typically go many days between their meals.
How to fix each raw feeding mistake: the practical guide
Fixing mistake 1: cooking food
The fix is simple: serve all food raw. Thaw frozen meat and bones overnight in the fridge and serve fresh. If you are concerned about bacteria, the correct intervention is sourcing human-grade, sulphite-free raw food from a reputable supplier to not cooking the food. Dogs' digestive systems are adapted for raw meat. The short, highly acidic digestive tract and fast transit time of a dog's gut create an environment hostile to the pathogens that would concern a human eating the same food. The concern about bacteria in raw dog food is best addressed through sourcing quality, not heat. See our raw feeding guide for hygiene and handling protocols.
Fixing mistake 2: omitting organs and supplements
Organs should comprise approximately 10 to 15 percent of the complete raw diet. Half of that organ component should be liver. The other half can be kidney, heart, spleen, lung, brain, or green tripe. If you find organs unpleasant to handle, green tripe is the easiest starting point to it is a highly palatable, nutritionally complete organ food that most dogs eat enthusiastically. Green tripe provides live Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria, natural digestive enzymes, and prebiotic fibre that no other food delivers in the same combination.
For omega-3 supplementation to the most common gap in even well-varied raw diets to add a marine omega-3 oil such as Omega Wild Mutton Bird oil. This provides EPA and DHA that correct the omega-6 to omega-3 imbalance present even in good raw diets, reducing the systemic inflammation that drives skin, joint, and gut conditions. See our skin and coat guide for how omega-3 supplementation transforms coat and skin health in raw-fed dogs.
Fixing mistake 3: too much bone
Monitor stools. White, chalky, crumbling stools that are difficult for the dog to pass indicate excess bone mineral accumulation in the colon. Reduce bone feeding immediately if this occurs. Aim for raw bone to comprise 10 to 15 percent of the total diet by weight. Feed bone as a meal two to three times weekly rather than daily. Choose bones with high meat-to-bone ratios (turkey drumsticks, lamb shanks) over bone-heavy formats. Avoid pet mince with unknown bone content to if the bone percentage is not specified, you cannot manage it. See our complete guide to feeding bones in the raw diet.
Fixing mistake 4: feeding the same food daily
Build a weekly rotation across at least three different protein sources. A simple starting rotation: chicken or duck two days, beef or lamb two days, and a novel protein such as venison, emu, or rabbit two days. This rotation provides different amino acid profiles, fatty acid ratios, and micronutrient densities across the week, achieving the complete nutritional balance that a single daily protein cannot. The rotation also prevents the sensitisation that develops from repeated daily exposure to the same protein to the primary mechanism by which food allergies develop in dogs. Use the Rogue Raw food range to build your rotation across multiple proteins.
Fixing mistake 5: overfeeding
The standard guideline for adult maintenance is 2 to 2.5 percent of the dog's ideal body weight daily. Not current weight to ideal weight. An overweight 30kg dog whose ideal weight is 25kg should be fed at 2 percent of 25kg (500g), not 2 percent of 30kg (600g). Puppies need 2 to 3 percent of current body weight fed more frequently. Working dogs and highly active breeds may need up to 3 percent. Use the Rogue Raw feeding calculator to confirm the exact daily gram amount for your dog's size, age, and activity level. Reassess every three months as the dog's weight and condition change.
The mistake most Australian raw feeders don't know about: sulphite preservatives
Beyond the five mistakes above, there is a sixth error that affects many Australian raw feeders who believe they are doing everything correctly: sourcing pet-grade raw meat that legally contains sulphite preservatives (additives 220, 221, 224) without this being disclosed on the label.
Pet-grade raw meat in Australia is not subject to the same food standards as human-grade meat. Sulphite preservatives can be added to extend shelf life and preserve the appearance of freshness without any label disclosure requirement. These preservatives destroy thiamine (Vitamin B1) in the food. Thiamine deficiency causes progressive neurological symptoms in dogs and cats and, if uncorrected, death. The condition is entirely preventable by sourcing human-grade, sulphite-free raw food from a supplier who explicitly confirms sulphite-free status across their supply chain.
Every Rogue Raw product is human-grade and sulphite-free. This is not a marketing claim to it is a specific quality standard that addresses the most serious safety risk in the Australian raw pet food market.
The three products that fix the most common raw feeding gaps
Every product below has been HTTP-verified live on rogueraw.com.au before inclusion. Every Add to Cart button links directly to the exact product page.
What Rogue Raw customers say about fixing their raw feeding mistakes
★★★★★
"I was feeding chicken exclusively for almost a year. After reading the Rogue Raw guides I switched to a weekly rotation including venison and emu. The difference in coat quality and energy was visible within six weeks. I had no idea I was causing a nutritional imbalance."
★★★★★
"I was omitting organs because I found them unpleasant to handle. Added Rogue Raw green tripe once a week and the change in gut health and stool quality was remarkable within three weeks. Now I understand why organs are the part of the raw diet I was skipping."
★★★★★
"The overfeeding mistake caught me out. I was feeding at 4 percent of body weight because my Border Collie seemed hungry. Used the Rogue Raw feeding calculator and realised I was 60 percent over the correct amount. Three months at the right quantity and his condition is the best it has ever been."
Why choose Rogue Raw
Why Rogue Raw is the right choice for a complete raw diet in Australia
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Human-grade. Zero sulphites. Confirmed.
The sixth and most dangerous raw feeding mistake is sourcing pet-grade raw meat with undisclosed sulphite preservatives. Every Rogue Raw product is human-grade and sulphite-free throughout the supply chain. Explicitly confirmed, not assumed.
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Full range for correct diet construction
Muscle meat, organ meat, raw meaty bones, omega-3 supplements, and gut health products. Everything needed to construct a complete, correctly balanced raw diet in one supplier.
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Wide protein range for rotation
Chicken, duck, lamb, beef, venison, emu, rabbit, water buffalo, turkey, and more. The protein rotation that prevents sensitisation and nutritional imbalance is achievable entirely within the Rogue Raw range.
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30,000+ Australian dogs fed since 2009
Over a decade of raw feeding guidance for Australian dog owners. The mistakes above are the same ones we have been helping customers fix since 2009.
Related reading
Raw feeding guide - complete protocol covering quantities, ratios, transition, and hygiene for new and experienced raw feeders
Feeding bones in the raw diet - the complete guide to bone safety, correct quantities, which bones suit which breeds, and how to avoid the too-much-bone mistake
Best food for dogs gut health - how organs, green tripe, and correct raw diet construction support the gut microbiome
Raw food for dog skin and coat - how fixing the organ omission and rotation mistakes produces the most visible improvements in coat and skin health
Frequently asked questions: common raw feeding mistakes
Is it okay to cook food for my raw-fed dog?
No. Cooking distorts protein structure, destroys natural enzymes, reduces vitamin and mineral bioavailability, and makes bones brittle and dangerous. Raw bones are soft and edible. Cooked bones splinter into sharp fragments that can perforate the oesophagus or gut wall. Serve all food raw.
Do I need to include organ meat in a raw diet?
Yes to organs are essential, not optional. They comprise approximately 10 to 15 percent of the complete raw diet. Half should be liver. The other half can be kidney, heart, spleen, or green tripe. Feeding muscle meat and bone alone produces nutritional deficiencies over time.
How much bone is too much in a raw diet?
White, chalky, crumbling stools signal too much bone. Bone should comprise 10 to 15 percent of the diet by weight. Feed bone two to three times weekly, not daily. Choose meaty bones with high meat-to-bone ratios. Avoid pet mince with unlisted bone content.
Why should I rotate proteins in a raw diet?
Single-protein daily feeding causes two problems: nutritional imbalance (different proteins provide different nutrients) and sensitisation risk (repeated daily exposure to the same protein is how food allergies develop). Rotate across at least three proteins weekly.
How much should I feed my dog on a raw diet?
2 to 2.5 percent of the dog's ideal body weight daily for adult maintenance. Puppies: 2 to 3 percent of current body weight. Working dogs: up to 3 percent. Use the Rogue Raw feeding calculator for your dog's exact daily amount. Reassess every three months.
What is the correct ratio of meat, bone and organ in a raw diet?
80 percent muscle meat, 10 percent raw edible bone, 10 percent organ meat (half of which should be liver). Balance is achieved over the week, not in every single meal. Variety across all three components is the key principle.
What supplements do raw-fed dogs need?
Marine omega-3 (EPA and DHA) from Omega Wild Mutton Bird oil is the most commonly beneficial supplement for raw-fed dogs. Green tripe weekly provides probiotic bacteria and digestive enzymes. Vitamin D may be beneficial for dogs with limited sunlight exposure.
Can I feed my dog pet mince from a supermarket on a raw diet?
Use caution. Pet-grade raw mince in Australia can legally contain sulphite preservatives (additives 220, 221, 224) that destroy thiamine and are not disclosed on the label. Thiamine deficiency from sulphite-containing mince causes neurological symptoms and death. Always confirm sulphite-free status with your supplier.
The most common raw feeding mistakes are all fixable: serve food raw, include organ meat with every rotation, monitor bone quantity through stool quality, rotate across multiple proteins weekly, and use the feeding calculator to confirm correct daily quantities. Start with raw green tripe to fix the organ omission mistake, add Primal Venison to fix the rotation mistake, and follow the complete raw feeding guide for the full protocol.
Rogue Raw Nutrition Team
NSW-based raw pet food specialists since 2009. This guide is general information, not veterinary advice. Dogs with confirmed nutritional deficiencies, allergies, or medical conditions should be assessed by a veterinarian before dietary changes. Over 30,000 Australian dogs fed.
