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Hey, Reader!

Let me ask you something most raw feeders don’t calculate…

Do you actually know the fat percentage of your dog’s muscle meat?

When I first started feeding raw, I trimmed visible fat automatically. I thought I was being careful.

Turns out, I was underfeeding energy.

And I see this happen quite a bit.

Many homemade raw diets end up too lean — especially when we buy grocery store poultry, 90/10 ground beef, or skinless cuts and assume they’re “healthy enough.”

But in raw feeding, fat isn’t the enemy. It’s fuel.

For healthy adult dogs, the muscle meat portion should typically average 15–25% fat, depending on activity level.

And yes — there’s a simple way to calculate exactly how much fat you need to add if your meat is too lean.

​Click here to read my blog post on figuring out the fat content in muscle meat, including the exact formula I use.​

If you’re trimming automatically without running the numbers first, this is worth a quick read.

Raw feeding isn’t about guessing. It’s about feeding intentionally.

Happy raw feeding,

Barbara

Coming up next, I’ll be sharing something much more personal.

Over Christmas, Wally ended up swalling a squeaker that stayed in his intestine and started causing problems now. It was terrifying and it completely changed how I think about toy safety in multi-dog households.

I’ll be walking you through:
• The symptoms I noticed
• What surgery involved
• What a bland diet looks like post-op
• How I’m transitioning him back to raw
• And why squeakers are officially banned in our house now

It’s a story I wish I didn’t have to tell — but one that might help someone else avoid the same scare.

My raw feeding recommendations:

• ​This trial pack from Raw Paws Pet Food lets you test 9 proteins for less—plus get 15% off with code K9Savings.
• Raw Feeding Miami has an amazing raw dog food ingredient selection. Use this link for 10% OFF your first RFM purchase.
• ​Try ​this 10lb trial box from Darwin’s for 50% less (up to $100) —you’ll get to test it without wasting money. Fun fact: I started my raw feeding journey with raw dog food from Darwin's!
• ​Use code OLIVEW10 for 10% off through 08/13/2026 (affiliate link) for Wildfang's Olive Wood Dog Chews.
• ​My favorite resources for a healthy dog lifestyle - everything from freezers to knives, food storage containers, cutting boards, supplements, meat grinders as well as dog training tools and travel gadgets.

Got Questions, Comments, Or Ideas for Future Topics?

Feel free to email me anytime at barbara@k9sovercoffee.com.

Feeling thankful for my raw feeding advice?

​Add a few $$$ to my tip jar here.​

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