Is raw dog food protein lower than kibble on an as-fed basis?

Kibble with high protein content would be correct food for a younger dog (under 2 years of age) who is still growing. Also working dogs that are out herding a lot, or getting a very large amount of exercise, should get a higher protein containing feed. Racing dogs such as greyhounds and whippets are fed a higher protein feed during training so they can make a lot of muscle. Non-working/non-racing dogs need to be fed a lower protein containing food as do dogs with kidney disease.

Dry food labels give the amount of nutrients that are contained in the finished product. Period. Be aware that pet food marketing is a serious business. And unfortunately, buzzwords and trend diets are generally used to sway your views towards whatever product is attempting to be sold to you, and these buzzwords don't have your pet's best interest at heart. I would encourage you to explore some sites published by those who have dedicated their careers to advancing veterinary nutrition. This is a great article about raw food: http://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2016/01/raw-diets-a-healthy-choice-or-a-raw-deal/ Scroll down to the 2nd 1/2 of the page for some common questions regarding pet foods. http://www.acvn.org/frequently-asked-questions/#choose This one is a bit long, but has some really good information: http://dels.nas.edu/resources/static-assets/banr/miscellaneous/dog_nutrition_final_fix.pdf Thank you for asking PetCoach!

I see what you mean now, thank you for clarifying. I apologize for not answering your question the first time. When you said rations, I would thinking of something else. Dehydrated meats are fine. Dehydrated protein sources are a more concentrated source of digestible protein, and many pet food companies dehydrate the meat. I personally like Royal Canin as a dog food. Its a very high quality dog food. Other brands I would recommend include Hill's Science diet, Purina ProPlan, and Iams. I hope this helps! :-)

Crude protein is just the name of the laboratory method used to chemically analyze and determine the amount of the protein nutrient. It does not refer to the quality of that nutrient. Look at the "Guaranteed Analysis" on the packaging for more information. If you can post again with the name of the food you are feeding we can maybe help you better. From what you described it sounds like the food you are feeding is just fine. Remember, these are pet cats, not wild animals. Their protein requirements would be lower than that of a wild cat.

Higher protein is much better for highly athletic dogs. If your dog is more of a couch potato I would not recommend it. I DO, however, always prefer deboned meat to "meal". "Meal" regardless of the source is usually the off-cuttings of the butchering process.

Yes, this is okay. Balanced, well-prepared raw diets are great when fed correctly, but high quality kibble is certainly a reasonable alternative that most dogs do very well on. I would suggest a brand like Orijen or Taste of the Wild, if possible.

Natural Balance is not a high protein food. I currently have my 14 year old on Natural Balance (who is very inactive), and he does well on that protein amount. The problem with feeding 1/2 rice is that you will throw off all the other nutritional factors in the diet (not just the protein), so it won't be a balanced diet anymore. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.