Raw food for Boxers with food sensitivities

A Boxer with a diagnosed food sensitivity currently on hydrolysed prescription food — that's a situation where raw feeding could genuinely help long-term, but it needs to be handled carefully. Raw done well can be excellent, but done badly it creates nutritional gaps that cause real harm over time, and the difference is balance and sourcing. Before we go further: what protein is your Boxer currently reacting to — do you know which ones have been confirmed as triggers? And has your vet signed off on trialling a transition away from the prescription diet?

That's really useful to know — chicken and beef are actually the two most common triggers in dogs with food sensitivities, so ruling them out narrows things down clearly. Novel protein raw feeding is a well-established approach here. The key is finding a complete raw option with a single protein source that he genuinely hasn't been exposed to before. Can you think of anything else he's eaten regularly over the last two years — lamb, duck, turkey, fish? I want to make sure we pick something with no prior exposure.

Perfect — that actually gives you good options. For a 30kg Boxer with confirmed sensitivities to chicken and beef, my recommendation is Natures Menu Country Hunter 100% Raw Nuggets in Rabbit. Rabbit is about as novel as it gets for most dogs, it's a single named protein, it's nutritionally complete as a standalone raw feed, and it comes in a frozen nugget format that makes portion control straightforward for a larger dog. The nuggets thaw quickly and the format is far less intimidating than trying to balance raw yourself. It's widely available on Amazon UK. The transition should be slow — your vet's right about that — so I'd suggest starting with about 20% raw mixed into his current food and building up over two to three weeks while you watch his stools and coat.

Yes — Natures Menu Country Hunter Nuggets are formulated to be nutritionally complete without supplementation. They contain raw meat, offal, bone, and added vitamins and minerals to meet FEDIAF guidelines. You're not dealing with a DIY raw mix here, which is exactly where gaps appear. Feed it as directed for his weight and you don't need to add anything. The one thing worth monitoring in Boxers specifically is taurine — some large breeds on certain diets have shown low levels — but that's worth a conversation with your vet at his next check rather than something to act on now.

Start with a 1kg bag to trial it before committing. At 30kg he'd need roughly 600g per day on full raw, but since you're transitioning gradually you'll go through it slowly at first. A 1kg bag gives you two to three weeks of partial feeding to confirm he tolerates it well before you buy in bulk. Once you're confident he's handling it, the larger 5kg or 10kg bags work out considerably cheaper per kilo — and frozen, they store well.