Raw food for overweight Pug with breathing issues

A seven-year-old Pug who's carrying extra weight — raw feeding can genuinely help here, but the brachycephalic side of things adds a layer worth thinking through carefully. Overweight brachycephalic dogs are under real respiratory stress, so weight loss matters, but it has to be controlled and gradual — crash-cutting calories on a raw diet can cause muscle loss rather than fat loss, which makes the breathing picture worse, not better. Raw done well is brilliant for this kind of dog: lower carbohydrate than most kibbles, higher moisture, and easier to portion accurately. Have you fed raw before at all, and are you thinking ready-made complete meals or preparing it yourself? And roughly how much does he weigh at the moment versus what the vet has said he should be?

Good instinct — ready-made complete raw is absolutely the right call here, especially as a first-timer with a dog who has health complications. At 11kg needing to get to around 8.5kg, you're looking at losing roughly 2.5kg, which for a Pug is significant. You want a complete raw that's nutritionally balanced so you can reduce portion size without creating deficiencies. The thing I'd steer you toward is Natures Menu Country Hunter pouches — the single-protein varieties like rabbit or duck. They're complete and balanced, they're low in fat compared to a lot of raw options, and the pouch format makes portion control really precise, which matters a lot when you're managing weight loss. At his current weight you'd feed for his target weight of 8.5kg rather than his actual weight — that's the standard approach for weight loss on raw. Can I ask: does he have any food sensitivities, or has he ever had a reaction to a particular protein?

That's a really sensible priority and it's exactly the right framing. Sticking with Natures Menu Country Hunter pouches, I'd go for the rabbit variety to start — it's a lean, novel protein which is ideal for weight management, and if he hasn't had it before you'll be able to spot any sensitivity clearly. The pouches are 300g each, which makes portioning easy: for a target weight of 8.5kg you'd be feeding roughly 170g per day total, split across two meals. That's a meaningful calorie reduction from what most Pugs his size eat on dry food, but it's gradual enough to preserve muscle. The higher moisture content also helps — brachycephalic dogs sometimes under-drink, and hydration supports their overall condition. One practical note: transition slowly over two weeks, mixing a little raw in with his current food before switching fully. A sudden switch can cause digestive upset, and you don't want that on top of his breathing stress.

A few things worth keeping an eye on. First, weigh him every two weeks rather than daily — daily fluctuations will drive you mad and don't mean much. You're aiming for roughly 200 to 300g of loss per month for a dog his size; faster than that and you risk muscle loss. Second, watch his energy levels and breathing — if either gets noticeably worse in the first month, check back with your vet before continuing. Third, raw-fed dogs often drink less water because they're getting more moisture from food, but Pugs can be prone to overheating, so always keep fresh water available and don't assume he's hydrated just because he's not at the bowl. Finally, his stools will change — smaller, firmer, sometimes a little chalky. That's normal on raw and not a sign anything's wrong. Keep your vet looped in on the weight loss progress; they'll want to know it's coming off at a safe pace given his breathing.

Good — and honestly, this is one of the situations where raw can make a real difference if you do it right. Gradual weight loss, consistent portioning, good quality complete food. Natures Menu Country Hunter rabbit pouches are widely available on Amazon UK, which makes reordering easy once you're through the transition. Give it six to eight weeks before you judge the results — that's enough time to see genuine change without being an unrealistic window. Good luck with him.