80/10/10- What's to know?

If you’re brand new to raw feeding — or you’re standing on the edge thinking, “Do I? Don’t I?” — this one’s for you.

Pull up a chair, because we’re about to unravel the mystery behind those numbers you see everywhere: 80/10/10.

Most people hear it whispered like some ancient code, but really, it’s just a simple ratio built to mimic whole prey.

Think rabbit, because the raw world is obsessed with rabbits for examples.

• 80% muscle meat

• 10% bone

• 10% secreting organ

And that’s it.

This falls under what we call the Prey Model Raw — a model that doesn’t bother with plant matter at all. It’s all about animal tissue, nothing green in sight.

Now here’s where people get tripped up…

When you compare these meals to the National Research Council’s nutrient requirements for dogs and cats/ or FEDIAF, 80/10/10 premades are considered complimentary — not complete and balanced.

But some brands still label them “complete.” Why?

Because in the raw world “complete” literally just means they contain meat, bone, and organ.

That’s it.

It does not mean “nutritionally complete for life stages” the way the fake feeds claim to be.

Raw “complete” means:

This should be part of a varied diet, now please go rotate proteins and feed something fresh.

Then you’ve got the BARF model — very similar but a little more open-minded. It lets plants join the party:

70/10/10/7/2/1

Which translates to:

• 70% muscle meat

• 10% bone

• 10% secreting organ

• 7% vegetables

• 2% fruits

• 1% nuts/seeds

And yes, both models are absolutely fine.

At the end of the day, the real goal is enzymes, freshness, and feeding your dog actual food — not beige pellets pretending to be nutrition.

If you ever want to go deeper into which model suits your dog best, or how to tweak ratios for specific breeds, conditions, or quirks, that’s what my consults are for.

Neither model is compulsory.

They’re simply starting points — rough sketches you can shade, erase, and redraw based on the dog in front of you.

Now… let’s step into the world of commercially prepared 80/10/10 meals, because this is where things get a bit murky.

Imagine you’re standing in the frozen aisle, doors humming, cold air smacking your ankles, staring at rows of shiny tubs and bold labels all promising the world.

You’d think a mince is a mince, right?

Not quite.

The most powerful thing you can read on that packaging is not the protein, the marketing slogans, or the price.

It’s the DEFRA licence number — a tiny code like XXXX/XX/XX tucked somewhere on the label.

Every UK manufacturer must have one.

And that number?

It tells you who actually made the food… which is where the real quality lies.

Because here’s a truth many people don’t realise:

Brands and manufacturers are not always the same thing.

White labelling is everywhere.

That means some of the "premium”, “exclusive”, beautifully branded raw meals are literally produced by the same manufacturer who also makes budget tubs.

Same meat.

Same production line.

Same quality.

And no — the manufacturer doesn’t bring in “special high-grade meats” for fancy brands.

There is no secret VIP meat room out the back.

The quality is the quality.

So always cross-check the DEFRA number with the register.

If your favourite brand turns out to be a white label, you may as well buy the manufacturer’s own budget line and save yourself a fortune.

The dog only sees the bowl, not the branding.

It doesn't work the other way around though.

Premium manufacturers sometimes create budget sister lines — but these are often bulked out with fillers: white rice, brown rice, sweet potato.

If you see those sneaking in, avoid like the plague.

Those meals are stretching the meat, not feeding your dog.

Are premades fortified?

Most aren’t.

A few are.

Never assume — flip the packet and read the fine print.

If you’re still learning, synthetics can act as a temporary safety net. No shame in that. Better a supported start than a confused one.

But the real magic of raw feeding isn’t in any single tub — it’s in variety.

Balance is built over time.

My golden starting point has always been:

• 2 red meats

• 2 white meats

• 1 fish (sardines or mackerel)

Hit that rotation each week and you're already ahead of most commercial diets on the market.

Raw feeding doesn’t need to be complicated.

You just need to understand the landscape — not the marketing — and shop smart.