Best Raw Dog Food: Top Picks & Comparisons!
As a pet owner, I was both intrigued and confused when I first heard about raw dog food diets, but I’ve found that it really is a great option for many dogs. Raw diets are meant to mimic the diet of a dog’s ancestors more accurately, with fewer filler carbohydrates. While not as convenient as dry dog food kibble, the best raw diet for dogs can significantly increase their health.
When you are looking for the best, you have to consider what is the best raw dog food recipe, brand, and that fits into your price range. You should consider the level of protein, fat, carbohydrate, and you should also consider the company’s history of quality assurance when looking for the best raw food for dogs.
Remember when choosing a food, protein in meat, egg, dairy, and bean-based protein should make up 55 to 70% of the dog’s diet. The rest should be balanced in grains and vegetables to promote the overall health and well-being of your dog.
Pet parents and vets report a raw food diet supports an improved appetite, digestion, immune system, teeth and gum health, healthy skin and coat, and can help relieve allergies.
Curious about what the transition from kibble to raw dog food can look like?
This video explains everything you need to know:
Reviews of Best Raw Diet for Dogs
Here are five of the best raw foods out there in freeze-dried food varieties for your dog and a bit of information about each of the foods to help you find the right raw food:
The freeze-dried dog foods available from Primal are all very popular, but chicken is the most popular raw meat choice. The Primal dog food Chicken Formula Nuggets contain fresh chicken, ground chicken bones, organic produce, salmon oil, organic nutritional supplements, and organic coconut oil.
You can be sure that only the freshest, human grade ingredients are used, including real chicken that is free of antibiotics, steroids, and added hormones. This raw dog food recipe is a gluten and grain free formula with no corn, wheat, and soy to cater to any food allergy or sensitivity your dog may have.
These ingredients provide your dog with essential fatty and amino acids, necessary vitamins like A, B-complex, C, D and E. Calcium comes from the ground chicken bones and is a big part of why raw food is great for pets. It is a very high-quality dog food!
The Omega 3 fatty acid helps your dog maintain healthy skin and a shiny coat. The vitamins from the organic produce and coconut aid in digestion and circulation. The addition of the antioxidant, vitamin E, helps your dog maintain optimal retinal health. All of these nutrients give your dog overall health and well-being to live a full and happy life!
This Primal dog food is very easy to serve and is as convenient as many kibble varieties. It is meant to be used as the main meal source, but can also be used as a supplement sprinkle over kibble if you are feeding a mixed diet.
Stella & Chewy is another one of the best raw dog food brands out there, and all of their freeze-dried dog food dinner patties are very popular. Duck Duck Goose has one of the best raw dog food recipes.
High-quality, organic ingredients make up this food, and all minerals are chelated for better absorption of the vitamins and minerals. The food also has beets in it which can naturally help nutrients be absorbed by your dog and contributes to a balanced diet.
You will be feeding your dog the good stuff when you give them these patties made from sustainably-sourced ingredients and raw meat. This raw dog food recipe starts with 95% cage-free poultry, organ meat, and bones plus 100% certified-organic fruits and vegetables.
This food is made in the USA. It also has pumpkin in it to help as a probiotic for gastrointestinal health. It is gluten and grain free and has absolutely no fillers. This food is great at keeping pets full, is good for dogs with sensitive stomachs, and will even help dogs improve their coat quality.
Like other raw, freeze-dried foods, this is made to be a complete meal, but can be used as a supplement if you prefer.
This food from Vital Essentials is sourced, made, and packed in a USA facility. It provides great quality nutrition without dealing with any addition of hormones, antibiotics, colors, fillers, or flavorings and no synthetic vitamins or minerals. Great, right?
This raw dog food brand is made with fresh, wholesome beef, bones, and organ meat. It is ideal for dogs that may have a food allergy or sensitivity.
This meal food provides a balanced diet full of protein, but can be mixed as a supplement if you are not feeding a completely raw diet. This particular blend also comes in a frozen variety if you are comfortable a slightly less convenient option that is just as healthy, or more healthy, for your pet.
The high-quality ingredients in this food make sure that it is very easy to digest for dogs, and most pets did not see any issues when changing to this food from another variety as long as it was incorporated gradually.
Nature’s Variety provides some of the best raw foods on the market, including both frozen and freeze-dried varieties.
These bites are 90% beef, liver, and kidney, 10% vegetables, fruits, and vitamins, which makes up the perfect blend for a well-balanced, raw meal for your pet. None of the ingredients are cooked, and there are no grains or gluten in the mix, so pets can easily digest the mix.
Not to mention, the beef is grass-fed and the fruits and vegetables are organic, creating a very high-quality dog food. Raw Bites recipes are carefully crafted in small batches and frozen when they're at they're best to preserve the rich protein, natural nutrients, and whole food flavor.
If you are not ready to commit to a completely raw diet but want to see the benefits of raw food for your dog, try out this awesome creation from Nature’s Variety called the Instinct Raw Boost Mixers.
You mix this food with your pet’s regular dry dog food kibble to get a good blend of raw protein and their usual nutrition.
The point of this booster is to easily add pure protein for lean muscles and natural, nutritious oils that will help keep your dog healthy. Many kibbles do not have enough protein or the right oils, so adding a booster like this one can make your dog have a more complete and balanced diet.
This food is only meant to be a supplement. Do not feed it to your pet as their complete diet.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there is a lot of variety within even the best raw food for dogs just as there is within kibble varieties. Consider your financial and time ability when deciding which type of raw food is best for you.
There are more expensive brands and less expensive brands, but you need to know if they are complete meals or just supplements for a kibble diet before investing in them. If you are not sure about a raw diet yet, try using the Raw Boost Mixers supplement by Nature’s Variety and seeing the effect it has on your dog before doing a total transition to a raw dog food diet.
Then, help your dog be on it’s way to eating a more natural diet that their body can digest better by choosing from the other top choices of raw dog foods! Whether you go with a completely raw diet or a raw diet supplement for high-calorie kibble, you will find that a raw diet may improve your dog’s overall health.
Give raw a try, and see how your pet reacts to this diet said to be more natural and better for your dog’s overall health.
More Raw Dog Food
- Brand Name - Instinct
- Breed Sizes - Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Chicken (including Ground Chicken Bone), Chicken Liver, Pumpkinseeds, Chicken Heart, Dried Pumpkin
- Brand Name - PureBites
- Breed Sizes - All Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Beef Liver
- Brand Name - Wellness
- Breed Sizes - All Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Deboned Turkey, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Potatoes
- Brand Name - Vital Essentials
- Breed Sizes - All Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Minnows
- Brand Name - Stella & Chewy's
- Breed Sizes - All Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Lamb, Lamb Liver, Sodium Alginate, Tocopherols (Preservative)
- Brand Name - TruDog
- Breed Sizes - Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Beef, Beef Lung, Beef Liver, Beef Protein, Beef Tripe
- Brand Name - Stella & Chewy's
- Breed Sizes - Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Heart, Beef Tripe
- Brand Name - Primal
- Breed Sizes - All Breads
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Turkey Liver
- Brand Name - Vital Essentials
- Breed Sizes - All Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Chicken Heart
- Brand Name - Stewart Pro-Treat
- Breed Sizes - All Sizes
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Pure Beef Liver
- Brand Name - Stella & Chewy's
- Breed Sizes - Small Breeds, Medium Breeds, Large Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Heart, Beef Tripe
- Brand Name - PureBites
- Breed Sizes - All Breeds
- Lifestage - Adult
- Main Ingredients - Pure USA Sourced & Made Human Grade Chicken Breast
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Images credits: Amazon.com , Chewy.com, Photo Stocks.