Raw beef PMR: a balanced homemade dog food recipe
Prey-model style: ground beef (90% lean), beef liver and beef kidney. Calcium from a powder instead of bone.
Raw · Muscle 89%, Liver 6%, Organ 6% · checked against AAFCO adult maintenance, per 1,000 kcal
Raw meat can carry Salmonella and Listeria: the AVMA and FDA warn against feeding it. If you feed raw, handle it like raw meat for your family, and keep it cold.
For 1,000 kcal a day
About the daily calories of a 42 lb neutered adult. Scale it to your own dog below. Grams are for the food as listed (raw weight for raw entries).
| Beef, ground, 90% lean, raw | 533 g |
| Beef liver, raw | 34 g |
| Beef kidney, raw | 34 g |
| Calcium carbonate powderPure calcium carbonate: 400 mg calcium per gram | 3.2 g |
| Manganese tablet, 10 mg10 mg manganese per tablet | 1/4 tablet |
| Vitamin E softgel, 100 IU (d-alpha-tocopherol)100 IU vitamin E per softgel | 1 softgel |
| Vitamin D3 drops, 400 IU per drop400 IU vitamin D3 per drop | 1 drop |
| Kelp (iodine) tablet, 150 µg iodine150 µg iodine per tablet | 1 3/4 tablets |
| Magnesium capsule, 100 mg (citrate or glycinate)100 mg magnesium per capsule | 1/2 capsule |
| Vitamin B-50 complex tablet50 mg B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6; 400 µg folic acid; 50 µg B12 per tablet | 1/4 tablet |
| Safflower oil, high linoleicAbout 75% linoleic acid | 2 g |
Balanced: 0 short, 0 over
What the recipe misses without supplements
On its own, this recipe is 9 short and 0 over: linoleic acid (omega-6) (short), calcium (short), calcium to phosphorus ratio (short), magnesium (short), manganese (short), iodine (short), vitamin d (short), vitamin e (short), thiamine (b1) (short).
- PMR is about 80% muscle, 10% bone, 5% liver and 5% other organ, with no plants.
- Without bone the plan adds calcium as a powder. With no plants, fiber is zero and vitamin E comes only from the supplement.
Scale it to your dog
About 1,020 kcal a day. One batch for 7 days:
| Beef, ground, 90% lean, raw | 3,812 g |
| Beef liver, raw | 242 g |
| Beef kidney, raw | 242 g |
| Calcium carbonate powderPure calcium carbonate: 400 mg calcium per gram | 22.9 g |
| Manganese tablet, 10 mg10 mg manganese per tablet | 3/4 tablet |
| Vitamin E softgel, 100 IU (d-alpha-tocopherol)100 IU vitamin E per softgel | 1 softgel |
| Vitamin D3 drops, 400 IU per drop400 IU vitamin D3 per drop | 2 drops |
| Kelp (iodine) tablet, 150 µg iodine150 µg iodine per tablet | 13 tablets |
| Magnesium capsule, 100 mg (citrate or glycinate)100 mg magnesium per capsule | 3 capsules |
| Vitamin B-50 complex tablet50 mg B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6; 400 µg folic acid; 50 µg B12 per tablet | 1/4 tablet |
| Safflower oil, high linoleicAbout 75% linoleic acid | 13 g |
Checked after rounding: 0 short, 0 over
Full AAFCO check of the balanced recipe
Per 1,000 kcal against the AAFCO adult maintenance profile, after rounding the supplements.
| Nutrient | Per 1,000 kcal | AAFCO min | Max | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protein and amino acids | ||||
| Protein | 119 g | 45 g | – | OK |
| Arginine | 7.35 g | 1.28 g | – | OK |
| Histidine | 3.67 g | 0.48 g | – | OK |
| Isoleucine | 5.04 g | 0.95 g | – | OK |
| Leucine | 8.95 g | 1.7 g | – | OK |
| Lysine | 9.37 g | 1.58 g | – | OK |
| Methionine | 2.92 g | 0.83 g | – | OK |
| Methionine + cystine | 4.15 g | 1.63 g | – | OK |
| Phenylalanine | 4.52 g | 1.13 g | – | OK |
| Phenylalanine + tyrosine | 8.08 g | 1.85 g | – | OK |
| Threonine | 4.42 g | 1.2 g | – | OK |
| Tryptophan | 0.63 g | 0.4 g | – | OK |
| Valine | 5.66 g | 1.23 g | – | OK |
| Fat and fatty acids | ||||
| Fat | 57.5 g | 13.8 g | – | OK |
| Linoleic acid (omega-6) | 3.09 g | 2.8 g | – | OK |
| Omega-6 to omega-3 ratio | 17 : 1 | – | 30:1 | OK |
| Minerals | ||||
| Calcium | 1.35 g | 1.25 g | 6.25 g | OK |
| Phosphorus | 1.2 g | 1 g | 4 g | OK |
| Calcium to phosphorus ratio | 1.1 : 1 | 1:1 | 2:1 | OK |
| Potassium | 1.9 g | 1.5 g | – | OK |
| Sodium | 0.44 g | 0.2 g | – | OK |
| Chloride(estimated) | 0.44 g | 0.3 g | – | OK |
| Magnesium | 0.17 g | 0.15 g | – | OK |
| Iron | 15.1 mg | 10 mg | – | OK |
| Copper | 3.84 mg | 1.83 mg | – | OK |
| Manganese | 2.7 mg | 1.25 mg | – | OK |
| Zinc | 27.5 mg | 20 mg | – | OK |
| Iodine(estimated) | 0.26 mg | 0.25 mg | 2.75 mg | OK |
| Selenium | 0.15 mg | 0.08 mg | 0.5 mg | OK |
| Vitamins and choline | ||||
| Vitamin A | 6,137 IU | 1,250 IU | 62,500 IU | OK |
| Vitamin D | 452 IU | 125 IU | 750 IU | OK |
| Vitamin E | 102 IU | 12.5 IU | – | OK |
| Thiamine (B1) | 12.9 mg | 0.56 mg | – | OK |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 15.2 mg | 1.3 mg | – | OK |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 19.5 mg | 3 mg | – | OK |
| Niacin (B3) | 46.7 mg | 3.4 mg | – | OK |
| Pyridoxine (B6) | 15 mg | 0.38 mg | – | OK |
| Folic acid (folate) | 0.26 mg | 0.054 mg | – | OK |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.054 mg | 0.007 mg | – | OK |
| Choline | 465 mg | 340 mg | – | OK |
Balance your own recipe instead
Keep your own ingredients and grams. The check is free; exact grams, doses and a PDF for your vet are $19 per dog for 12 months.
Check my recipeNot veterinary advice. For healthy adult dogs only. Review any diet with your vet, change food over about a week, and weigh your dog every 2–4 weeks.