I have switched Pisa to raw a few days ago. I'm very comforatable doing so and realize the best way to monitor the amount to feed is watching her waist and feeling ribs.

Probably the most conflicting information is how much to feed, I,ve read 2 to 6%, and one site was as high as 10% for pups.

Pisa is a 10.5 month old female rott, weighs almost 65 lbs, and I expect her to top out about 85lbs.

I am feeding her 2.2 lbs (1000grams) of raw, plus yogurt and treats.

So , she is getting 3.4% of her current weight, or 2.6% of her adult weight........ any ball park answers? thanks

I think you are in the ballpark, yes. You may be approaching the time when 3.4% starts to be a bit too much, but the best way to gauge this is by body condition, as you described. JMO!




PS
Actually, some growing pups do hit spurts where they need 10% of their current weight. I think that's pretty much the top end, but the puppy experts will correct me, if not. I think those rapid-growth spurts are generally under four months.

Sounds right to me. I never weighed, just went on body condition, as my pup grew. He started eating raw at 3 months when he came home. I would guess he was eating about 1.5 lb, gradually increasing to just over 2 lbs as he grew/went through growth spurts. He just slowed down (at a year and a half old and 85 lbs) and is now eating just under 2 lbs and maintaining weight.

I started our mastiffs on raw last night, Bridget is down to about 215 Delilah is just over 200
they are both at a good body condition so it will be hard to tell if they are not getting enough as their ribs are kinda visible(loose skin) but easy to feel.

I,m basing their food at 1.5% so 3 lbs a day ....should I go with 2% as a start as weight gain will be eaiser to see

Either, or.

For the beginning of a switch, I think erring on the side of less food is better.

Too much food can be a trigger for diarrhea.

After you are confident that they are "switched", and are moving into maintainence mode, its up to you.

A dog that loses weight at the drop of a hat, I might err on the side of more food. One that gains weight easily might get less to start.

You get the drift.

It's really hard to say from here. 1.5 to 2% is the "usual" range...but it really depends on the individual dog's activity level and metabolism. It could be different between your two dogs, for that matter. And dogs needs often change during the year (if they are more active in summer, for example.)

Pick an amount and feed it for a week. Then weigh the dogs and see if they've gained or lost weight. Or simply use the "close your eyes and run your hands over them" test. Then adjust. It's not an exact science--especially since the weight of the food is only an *approximate* guess of it's calorie content. A fatty meal will have more calories per ounce than a lean meal. And calories (not food weight) is what matters to the dog's body.

With kibble, you're dealing with the same foodstuff every day, so it's fairly easy to just measure out a portion and know what you've got from day to day. With "real" food, it's less precise. Which is okay. The benefit of real food far outweighs the benefit of meal-size predictability.

Congrats on starting the new diet. Like the rest of us, you'll learn by doing it and quickly get a good sense of the right size meals for your dogs.