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Homemade raw or cooked food is highly digestible and has excellent nutrient bioavailability. The finely powdered ingredients in EZComplete, combined with the included digestive enzymes, help your dog get the most from every meal. As a result, many dogs require fewer calories on food made with EZComplete than they did on kibble or canned diets while maintaining an ideal body condition.
These are general feeding guidelines. Every dog is an individual, and age, activity level, metabolism, health status, and body condition all influence calorie requirements. We recommend discussing your dog's specific nutritional needs with your veterinarian.
PUPPIES
For all sizes and breeds of dog, the goal is steady, controlled growth - not rapid weight gain. There are feeding guidelines for amounts, presented below. However, the most important guide after approximately 3 months is your puppy's Body Condition Score (BCS). Puppies should remain lean throughout growth. You should be able to easily feel the ribs beneath a thin layer of fat without seeing prominent bones. If your puppy is carrying excess body fat, reduce the amount being fed. If your puppy appears too thin or bony, increase the amount slightly.
We recommend using the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Body Condition Score chart together with your veterinarian's guidance.
Small & Medium Breeds vs. Large Breeds
Dogs vary enormously in adult size - from a 3 lb (1.5 kg) Chihuahua to a 200 lb (90 kg) Mastiff. Because large- and giant-breed puppies have unique nutritional needs and should grow at a controlled rate to reduce the risk of skeletal disease, we provide separate guidance based on expected adult size.
Following AAFCO nutritional definitions, we classify puppies as:
Feeding Frequency
Feed homemade raw or cooked food to all puppies, regardless of size, in 3–4 meals per day until approximately 6 months of age, then gradually transition to 2 meals per day.
How Much to Feed
Puppies are typically fed according to their expected adult weight.
Fine-Tuning by Current Body Weight (especially for Large and Extra Large breed dogs)
As puppies grow, many owners find it helpful to estimate food using a percentage of the puppy's current body weight:
At 2–3 months, feed 8–10% of current body weight
At 4–5 months, feed 6–8% of current body weight
At 6–9 months, feed 4–6% of current body weight
At 9–12 months, feed 3–4% of current body weightThese percentages are starting points only.
ADULT DOGS
How much to feed? Most healthy adult dogs eating a fresh raw or cooked diet maintain an ideal weight eating approximately 2–3% of their ideal body weight per day. We recommend beginning at 2.5% of ideal body weight. Dogs requiring more than 3% are typically very active, working, athletic, or have medical conditions affecting calorie absorption or metabolism.
Frequency: Divide the daily food into two meals per day.
Monitoring Your Dog's WeightWe recommend weighing your dog weekly for the first 6–8 weeks after transitioning to EZComplete. If weight remains stable, continue feeding the current amount.
Calculating Your Dog's Daily Food Amount
Once you've determined a starting feeding percentage for your dog, calculating the daily amount of food is simple.
Formula
Daily Food = Body Weight × Feeding Percentage
For dogs weighed in pounds:
For example, if your dog requires 12 ounces (340 g) of food daily and eats two meals, feed 6 ounces (170 g) per meal.
Pregnant Dogs
Calorie needs change very little during the first four weeks of pregnancy.
Lactating Dogs
A nursing mother has dramatically increased energy requirements.
Most lactating dogs require 2–3 times their normal maintenance calories while nursing. Fresh food should be available frequently, and many mothers will eat best when allowed nearly free access to food during peak lactation.
As the puppies are weaned, gradually reduce the mother's food intake back to her normal adult feeding amount.
Remember that feeding recommendations are only starting points. The correct amount is the amount that maintains your dog's ideal lean body condition and overall health.
These are general feeding guidelines. Every dog is an individual, and age, activity level, metabolism, health status, and body condition all influence calorie requirements. We recommend discussing your dog's specific nutritional needs with your veterinarian.
PUPPIES
For all sizes and breeds of dog, the goal is steady, controlled growth - not rapid weight gain. There are feeding guidelines for amounts, presented below. However, the most important guide after approximately 3 months is your puppy's Body Condition Score (BCS). Puppies should remain lean throughout growth. You should be able to easily feel the ribs beneath a thin layer of fat without seeing prominent bones. If your puppy is carrying excess body fat, reduce the amount being fed. If your puppy appears too thin or bony, increase the amount slightly.
We recommend using the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Body Condition Score chart together with your veterinarian's guidance.
Small & Medium Breeds vs. Large Breeds
Dogs vary enormously in adult size - from a 3 lb (1.5 kg) Chihuahua to a 200 lb (90 kg) Mastiff. Because large- and giant-breed puppies have unique nutritional needs and should grow at a controlled rate to reduce the risk of skeletal disease, we provide separate guidance based on expected adult size.
Following AAFCO nutritional definitions, we classify puppies as:
- Small & Medium Breeds: expected adult weight under 70 lb (32 kg)
- Large & Giant Breeds: expected adult weight 70 lb (32 kg) or greater
Feeding Frequency
Feed homemade raw or cooked food to all puppies, regardless of size, in 3–4 meals per day until approximately 6 months of age, then gradually transition to 2 meals per day.
How Much to Feed
Puppies are typically fed according to their expected adult weight.
- At 2–6 months: approximately 5–6% of expected adult weight per day
- As your puppy approaches adult size based on expectations for your dog's breed, gradually reduce the daily amount toward the normal adult feeding range of 2–3% of ideal adult body weight.
Fine-Tuning by Current Body Weight (especially for Large and Extra Large breed dogs)
As puppies grow, many owners find it helpful to estimate food using a percentage of the puppy's current body weight:
At 2–3 months, feed 8–10% of current body weight
At 4–5 months, feed 6–8% of current body weight
At 6–9 months, feed 4–6% of current body weight
At 9–12 months, feed 3–4% of current body weightThese percentages are starting points only.
ADULT DOGS
How much to feed? Most healthy adult dogs eating a fresh raw or cooked diet maintain an ideal weight eating approximately 2–3% of their ideal body weight per day. We recommend beginning at 2.5% of ideal body weight. Dogs requiring more than 3% are typically very active, working, athletic, or have medical conditions affecting calorie absorption or metabolism.
Frequency: Divide the daily food into two meals per day.
Monitoring Your Dog's WeightWe recommend weighing your dog weekly for the first 6–8 weeks after transitioning to EZComplete. If weight remains stable, continue feeding the current amount.
- If your dog loses weight, gradually increase food.
- If your dog gains excess weight, gradually decrease food.
Calculating Your Dog's Daily Food Amount
Once you've determined a starting feeding percentage for your dog, calculating the daily amount of food is simple.
Formula
Daily Food = Body Weight × Feeding Percentage
For dogs weighed in pounds:
- Convert body weight to ounces by multiplying by 16.
- Multiply that number by the feeding percentage (expressed as a decimal).
- 10 lb × 16 oz = 160 oz
- 160 oz × 0.02 = 3.2 oz of food per day
- Convert body weight to grams by multiplying by 1,000.
- Multiply that number by the feeding percentage (expressed as a decimal).
- 4.5 kg × 1,000 = 4,500 g
- 4,500 g × 0.02 = 90 g of food per day
- 2% = multiply by 0.02
- 2.5% = multiply by 0.025
- 3% = multiply by 0.03
- 4% = multiply by 0.04
For example, if your dog requires 12 ounces (340 g) of food daily and eats two meals, feed 6 ounces (170 g) per meal.
Pregnant Dogs
Calorie needs change very little during the first four weeks of pregnancy.
- Weeks 1–4: Feed the normal adult amount.
- Weeks 5 until delivery: Gradually increase food, aiming for approximately 25–30% more than normal by whelping.
Lactating Dogs
A nursing mother has dramatically increased energy requirements.
Most lactating dogs require 2–3 times their normal maintenance calories while nursing. Fresh food should be available frequently, and many mothers will eat best when allowed nearly free access to food during peak lactation.
As the puppies are weaned, gradually reduce the mother's food intake back to her normal adult feeding amount.
Remember that feeding recommendations are only starting points. The correct amount is the amount that maintains your dog's ideal lean body condition and overall health.