This is a very complicated subject and I can't cover all of my knowledge here but I'll do my best. You have three options: Raw Meaty Bones BARF Diet Kibble Raw and Kibble   1. Raw Meaty Bones Why Nature intended dogs and wolves to eat a raw diet.  They are carnivores.  Man invented kibble for convenience and it has done considerable harm to many dogs! Dogs stomachs are designed to process bone. What to feed I feed my dogs whole cuts of meat which include the bone.  Eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese, some veggies, some rice from time to time. Chicken is very affordable.  I feed lots of chicken legs.  (Yes dogs can eat UNCOOKED chicken bones.) Dogs can eat meat that is past its prime so I always look for discounted meats that are reaching the no sale date. Try and find a local butcher or farm who have a surplus of less popular meats and scraps.  Beef Heart and tail are my favorites! Try and avoid meats with added sodium solutions.  (Walmart sells very cheap buldkchicken legs but they are full of "stuff".  My dogs broke out with allergies so I would stay away from it!) I really like to find discounted pork because it is cheaper than beef but I consider it a red meat.  It is good to provide a variety of meets when you are able. Your dog will process most of what they eat.  There stool will be much less and breakdown by itself.  I would say my dogs stool is 1/2 of what it would be on kibble. Keep a high quality kibble around for times when you didn't take meat out of the freezer or don't have anything on hand. How Much to feed Feed 2-3% of your dogs body weight This is a general guideline - 80% meat, 10% bone and 10% organ meat.  You want mostly meat with bone and feed organs a few times a week, like liver. Cost of feeding raw I don't believe the cost is any higher than feeding a premium holistic kibble. Resources This Yahoo Group is a great resource: Rawfeeding Raw Feeding Information http://www.barfworld.com/   2. BARF Diet  (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food ) Basically this is similar to Raw Meaty Bones but includes vegetables and grains.  I don't have a problem with this diet but I find it a lot of work and much too complicated for me. The Top 50 Most Frequently Asked BARF Questions   3. Kibble Only feed a Kibble, dry food, with NO corn or wheat. Dogs bodies were not meant to process corn or wheat.  It is just a filler! I recommend Innova, Eagal Pack , Wellness , Solid Gold You can feed Kibble and raw but at different meal times.   If I had to pick just one of these book it would be Dr. Pitcairn's Natural Health for Dogs and Cats.   Truley I haven't found the perfect book on feeding Raw Meaty Bones.  I should mention that Dr. Pitcairn's book is based on the BARF model but he supports the idea of raw feeding and the 453 pages long about lots of subjects so you get a lot for your money. (These will open up in a new window so you won't lose this site if you want to check them out.)