This is a specific conversation about Raw dog food — what to know before you start — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
A working Patterdale doing real field work is a different animal from a pet terrier on a sofa — their calorie burn is significant for such a small frame, and raw feeding done well suits them brilliantly. Done badly though, an unbalanced DIY mix causes genuine nutritional harm over time, so the difference really is in balance and sourcing. Before I point you anywhere specific: is your dog currently on raw, or are you switching? And are you looking to prep meals yourself or use a complete ready-made product?
He's on dry kibble at the moment but I want to switch him to raw. He's about 6.5kg but very lean and muscular. I'd rather use a complete ready-made option — I don't trust myself to get the balance right from scratch.
inparticular.ai
Good call — a complete ready-made is absolutely the right move for a working dog where nutrition really matters. At 6.5kg but burning field-work calories, he'll need feeding above typical maintenance guidelines, so you'll want something calorie-dense rather than a watery or low-fat blend. What does a typical working week look like for him — is he out most days, or are there harder days and rest days?
He works probably three days a week, sometimes more in season. The other days he's still pretty active — he doesn't really have lazy days.
inparticular.ai
Perfect, that gives me a clear picture. For a dog like him I'd go with Natures Menu Country Hunter 80:10:10 raw nuggets — specifically the high-protein varieties like rabbit or venison. It's a genuinely nutritionally complete frozen raw, the 80:10:10 ratio means 80% meat, 10% bone, 10% offal, and it consistently passes the smell test for quality. The nugget format makes portion control easy, which matters when you're adjusting quantities on heavy work days versus lighter ones. At his size you're looking at roughly 130–160g per day at maintenance, but on full working days I'd push that closer to 180–200g. The rabbit variant in particular is lean but nutrient-dense, which suits a terrier physique well. You can find it on Amazon UK in bulk packs that keep the per-day cost sensible.
That sounds straightforward. Should I transition him gradually or just switch straight over?
inparticular.ai
Gradually, without question. Switching a dog straight from kibble to raw can cause a few days of digestive upset — loose stools, sometimes vomiting — because the gut bacteria need time to adjust. I'd do a seven-to-ten day transition: start with about 25% raw mixed alongside his current kibble, increase by 25% every two to three days. Some raw feeders prefer not to mix at all and just do a cold turkey switch, which does work for some dogs, but for a working dog you don't want his gut unsettled during a field day. Gradual is safer and kinder.
Makes sense. One more thing — do I need to add any supplements, or is the complete food enough?
inparticular.ai
If you stick to a properly formulated 80:10:10 complete like Natures Menu Country Hunter, you shouldn't need to add anything — it's designed to meet FEDIAF nutritional guidelines without extras. The one thing worth monitoring in a working terrier specifically is omega-3 intake; if he's working hard through winter you could add a small amount of salmon oil a few times a week, which supports joints and coat condition. But it's optional, not essential. The complete food covers the fundamentals — don't be tempted to start layering supplements unless a vet flags a specific deficiency.
