Part 2: The 2 Main Types of Raw Dog Diets (PMR vs BARF Explained)
Katherine AllenShare
Once someone decides to feed fresh food, the next question is almost always the same:
“Okay… but how do I actually do this?”
And this is usually where things get loud.
You join a group.
You read a few posts.
Suddenly there are acronyms, charts, percentages, and people arguing in the comments like they’re defending a doctoral thesis.
There are camps.
There are strong opinions.
There are people very confident that their way is the only way.
But when you step back from the noise, most DIY raw feeding really falls into three general approaches.
Let’s walk through them calmly.
PMR (Prey Model Raw)
PMR stands for Prey Model Raw.
At its core, it tries to mimic the composition of a whole prey animal. The guideline you’ll see most often is the classic 80/10/10 breakdown — roughly 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 5% liver, and 5% other secreting organ.
The idea is straightforward: if a dog were eating a whole animal, this would be close to what they’d consume.
PMR tends to focus heavily on animal-based ingredients and usually avoids fruits, vegetables, and supplements unless there’s a specific reason to include them.
Its biggest strength is simplicity. The framework is easy to understand and easy to apply.
Where people get into trouble is assuming that hitting those percentages automatically equals balanced. The numbers are a starting point — not a magic formula.
BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food)
BARF stands for Biologically Appropriate Raw Food — originally “Bones and Raw Food.”
This approach still includes muscle meat, bone, and organs, but it also brings in fruits, vegetables, seeds, and sometimes additional supplementation.
The goal here is broader nutrient diversity. Supporters of BARF believe that small amounts of plant matter can contribute fiber, phytonutrients, and additional micronutrients.
Its strength is variety.
Its weakness is that it can become complicated very quickly. It’s easy to start adding ingredients because they sound healthy, without being clear on what nutritional role they’re actually playing.
More ingredients doesn’t automatically mean better formulation.
The “Somewhere in Between” Approach
And then there’s what most long-term feeders eventually become.
A little bit PMR.
A little bit BARF.
A lot more intentional.
Some people start strict PMR and later add specific nutrients when they realize something is missing. Others start BARF and gradually simplify once they understand what actually matters.
Over time, the labels matter less.
The question shifts from “Which team am I on?” to “Does this bowl make nutritional sense?”
That shift is where confidence lives.
So Which One Is Right?
None of them are magic.
All of them can work.
All of them can fail.
What determines success isn’t the acronym. It’s the understanding behind the bowl.
Frameworks are helpful. They give you structure.
But knowledge — real understanding of nutrients and purpose — is what makes the difference between guessing and building with intention.