Does your dog’s coat look dull, or do they seem low on energy? Many dog owners feel frustrated trying to find the best food for their furry friends. Choosing the right raw diet can feel overwhelming. You see so many brands, and everyone seems to have a different opinion. It is tough knowing what your dog truly needs to thrive.
Switching to a raw diet promises amazing benefits, like better digestion and shinier coats. However, navigating the world of raw feeding brings real challenges. Where do you start? How do you ensure you are feeding a balanced meal? These worries stop many people from even trying.
This post cuts through the confusion. We will clearly explain what makes a good raw diet. You will learn simple steps to choose high-quality food confidently. Get ready to unlock your dog’s best health. Let’s dive into the essentials of picking the perfect raw diet for your companion.
Top Raw Diet Dog Food Recommendations
- Raw Food Made Easy : Simply Raw combines the safety, easy prep and shelf stable convenience of kibble and canned food with the unsurpassed nutrition offered in real, fresh raw food. Just add water to make this 3 lb bag into over 18 lbs of raw whole food, ready to serve in minutes.
- Ingredients With Purpose : Simply Raw is made with only the freshest human grade ingredients. Every ingredient is chosen with care to support holistic health and provide functional benefits for lasting wellness : Freeze-dried raw beef muscle, organ meat, chicken bone broth, whole egg, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, OMEGA fatty acids, probiotics & prebiotics. Raw, whole food ingredients you can see.
- All Natural Nutrition : At Nature’s Diet, we believe in honest, transparent labels. We are proud of the wholesome, clean ingredients we use to make Simply Raw - unlike some other brands, we never put anything into our dog food that isn’t listed on the label. No fillers, no grains, no GMOs, no unnatural preservatives, no soy, no added flavorings or dyes. Just honest, raw, whole food nutrition. Key Product Features
- USA Sourced, Sustainable, Thoughtful : Made lovingly in small batches in the USA with regionally sourced ingredients & humanely raised meat. Real food for healthy dogs and a healthier planet.
- Safe Raw : Freeze-Drying is a natural food preservation process which removes moisture while maintaining the nutritional integrity of food. Freeze-Dried Raw is always free of pathogens, making it the safest way to feed a raw diet. Shelf stable, safe to handle & easy to store.
- FREEZE-DRIED RAW CHICKEN HEART DOG TREAT: Vital Essentials Freeze Dried Dog Treats pack more protein than industry standard into every bite to deliver the peak vitality your dog deserves. Our natural freeze-dried raw dog treats are made from responsibly sourced, premium butcher cut chicken hearts.
- BETTER PROTEIN = BETTER BENEFITS: The best freeze dried dog treats on the market use premium butcher cut raw protein to unlock the benefits of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals in raw muscle and organs, because pets deserve the energetic playtimes, healthy skin, shiny coats, strong teeth, and essential gut health that a high-protein diet delivers.
- PROUDLY AMERICAN CRAFTED: All our dog treats and food are responsibly sourced and humanely harvested to ensure the quality of our proteins. We go above industry standards to preserve flavor and ensure the highest quality of protein and nutrients in every Vital Essentials product.
- MADE WITHOUT: Dog treat additives, fillers, dyes, flavorings, artificial preservatives, grains, or rendered by-products. Vital Essentials also offers the widest variety of single-protein raw dog food and treats on the market—great for picky eaters and dogs with allergies!
- RAW DOG TREATS FREEZE DRIED FOR PEAK FRESHNESS: Our protein is frozen within 45-minutes of harvesting to lock in peak nutrients, flavor, and freshness. A slow-freeze-dry ensures minimal processing, while preserving the vital nutrients that our pets deserve, the way nature intended.
- Raw Food Made Easy : Simply Raw combines the safety, easy prep and shelf stable convenience of kibble and canned food with the unsurpassed nutrition offered in real, fresh raw food. Just add water to make this 3 lb bag into over 18 lbs of raw whole food, ready to serve in minutes.
- Ingredients With Purpose : Simply Raw is made with only the freshest human grade ingredients. Every ingredient is chosen with care to support holistic health and provide functional benefits for lasting wellness : Freeze-dried raw beef muscle, organ meat, chicken bone broth, whole egg, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, OMEGA fatty acids, probiotics & prebiotics. Raw, whole food ingredients you can see.
- All Natural Nutrition : At Nature’s Diet, we believe in honest, transparent labels. We are proud of the wholesome, clean ingredients we use to make Simply Raw - unlike some other brands, we never put anything into our dog food that isn’t listed on the label. No fillers, no grains, no GMOs, no unnatural preservatives, no soy, no added flavorings or dyes. Just honest, raw, whole food nutrition. Key Product Features
- USA Sourced, Sustainable, Thoughtful : Made lovingly in small batches in the USA with regionally sourced ingredients & humanely raised meat. Real food for healthy dogs and a healthier planet.
- Safe Raw : Freeze-Drying is a natural food preservation process which removes moisture while maintaining the nutritional integrity of food. Freeze-Dried Raw is always free of pathogens, making it the safest way to feed a raw diet. Shelf stable, safe to handle & easy to store.
- Feed your dog the way nature intended. Raw Vibrance is a base mix that takes the guesswork out of creating a balanced Raw & Homemade Diet. This base mix was designed specifically to support raw feeders but is perfect for any dog's diet. Feeding your dog a whole food, nutrient-dense diet has been shown to help improve digestion, help increase energy, help improve longevity, help improve itchy skin, and produce firmer, less smelly stools. (You'll thank us later!)
- Raw Vibrance is 100% Grain Free. This base mix is a grain-free blend of 21 incredible whole foods, including raw goat's milk, green lipped mussels, shiitake mushrooms & eggshell membrane. Made with 9 nutrient-dense dehydrated vegetables, 2 antioxidant-rich fruits, 2 energy packed seeds, bone meal & crushed eggshells for calcium & 6 other superfoods. There are zero dyes, fillers, preservatives, and no wheat, corn or soy.
- Ready in minutes. Simply rehydrate the base mix with hot water, let sit for 8 minutes, and add the protein of your choice and a healthy oil of your choice for healthy fats. (Try our fish oil!)
- Why choose a base mix? Pet parents who feed their dogs a base mix like Raw Vibrance love that they have control over the type, quality, and quantity of meat that their dog eats. If you'd like an option with meat included, try our line of Complete Foods!
- This 6 pound bag of dehydrated whole superfoods makes 56, one pound meals when combined with a protein of your choice. Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min) - 11%, Crude Fat (min) - 2%, Crude Fiber (max) - 8%, Calorie Content (Calculated) - 2641 kcal ME/kg; 71 kcal ME/scoop
- Feed your dog the way nature intended. Raw Vibrance is a base mix that takes the guesswork out of creating a balanced Raw & Homemade Diet. This base mix was designed specifically to support raw feeders but is perfect for any dog's diet. Feeding your dog a whole food, nutrient-dense diet has been shown to help improve digestion, help increase energy, help improve longevity, help improve itchy skin, and produce firmer, less smelly stools. (You'll thank us later!)
- Grain-Free Blend. This base mix is a grain-free blend of 21 incredible whole foods, including raw goat's milk, green lipped mussels, shiitake mushrooms & eggshell membrane. Made with 9 nutrient-dense dehydrated vegetables, 2 antioxidant-rich fruits, 2 energy packed seeds, bone meal & crushed eggshells for calcium & 6 other superfoods. There are zero dyes, fillers, preservatives, and no wheat, corn or soy.
- Ready in minutes. Simply rehydrate the base mix with hot water, let sit for 8 minutes, and add the protein of your choice and a healthy oil of your choice for healthy fats. (Try our fish oil!)
- Why choose a base mix? Pet parents who feed their dogs a base mix like Raw Vibrance love that they have control over the type, quality, and quantity of meat that their dog eats. If you'd like an option with meat included, try our line of Complete Foods!
- This 3 pound bag of dehydrated whole superfoods makes 28, one pound meals when combined with a protein of your choice. Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein (min) - 11%, Crude Fat (min) - 2%, Crude Fiber (max) - 8%, Calorie Content (Calculated) - 2641 kcal ME/kg; 71 kcal ME/scoop
- PREMIUM BLEND - Nutra Complete is veterinarian-developed with 95% ranch-raised beef & organs. Each delicious bite contains hand-selected ingredients for nutrition that help support healthy digestion, a thick coat, healthy immune function, and overall health and happiness.*
- HIGH QUALITY BEEF - Premium, ranch-raised beef and organs make up 95% of Nutra Complete. Our beef is 100% freeze-dried, so your dog gets easily digestible protein from every bite.*
- SEEDS, FRUITS, AND VEGETABLES - Our unique blend of seeds, fruits, and vegetables provides your dog with health-supporting nutrients. This includes flaxseed, blueberry, carrot, sweet potato, spinach, and more.*
- HEALTH-SUPPORTING VITAMINS AND MINERALS - Our food contains a variety of ingredients, carefully selected to offer your dog high-quality nutrition to help support their daily well-being and happiness.*
- USE AS FOOD OR AS MIXER - If you’d like to boost your dog’s diet with freeze-dried nutrition but don’t want to replace their current food, you can use Nutra Complete as a mixer. To add, simply reduce the amount of your dog’s food and replace it with the desired amount of Nutra Complete to avoid overfeeding. Each 1lb bag contains about 7 cups of food.
- Raw Food Made Easy : Simply Raw combines the safety, easy prep and shelf stable convenience of kibble and canned food with the unsurpassed nutrition offered in real, fresh raw food. Just add water to make this 3 lb bag into over 18 lbs of raw whole food, ready to serve in minutes.
- Ingredients With Purpose : Simply Raw is made with only the freshest human grade ingredients. Every ingredient is chosen with care to support holistic health and provide functional benefits for lasting wellness : Freeze-dried raw muscle meat, organ meat, beef bone broth, whole egg, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, OMEGA fatty acids, probiotics & prebiotics. Raw, whole food ingredients you can see.
- All Natural Nutrition : At Nature’s Diet, we believe in honest, transparent labels. We are proud of the wholesome, clean ingredients we use to make Simply Raw - unlike some other brands, we never put anything into our dog food that isn’t listed on the label. No fillers, no grains, no GMOs, no unnatural preservatives, no soy, no added flavorings or dyes. Just honest, raw, whole food nutrition. Key Product Features
- USA Sourced, Sustainable, Thoughtful : Made lovingly in small batches in the USA with regionally sourced ingredients & humanely raised meat. Real food for healthy dogs and a healthier planet.
- USA Sourced, Sustainable, Thoughtful : Made lovingly in small batches in the USA with regionally sourced ingredients & humanely raised meat. Real food for healthy dogs and a healthier planet.
- HUMANELY SOURCED MEAT - Crafted with a blend of 100% animal welfare certified grass-fed beef, pasture-raised lamb and pork, this irresistible recipe includes nutrient-dense meat, organ, and bone with no grains, legumes or any byproducts.
- RAWMIX - These recipes offer pet parents whole-prey, meat-focused, nutrient dense, kibble recipes with the added benefits of bone broth and freeze dried raw. These diets include meat, organs and bone broth, and deliver optimal taste and nutrition for your pet!
- REWILD YOUR DOG’S BOWL - Perfect for pet parents that are seeking to feed animals as they thrive in the wild, with protein-focused diets, and the convenient, added nutrient of freeze-dried raw. For those pet parents curious about raw nutrition, but not yet ready to fully switch to raw, RawMix is a great option for your furry friend.
- QUALITY & SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES - At Open Farm we believe that great nutrition is rooted in the integrity of our ingredients. All of the meat, organ and bones included in these recipes are sourced from 3rd party animal welfare certified farms. By working exclusively with farmers who share our commitment to exceptional quality and sustainable practices, we can make better food for your pets, while also doing some good for family farms, farm animals and the environment.
- 100% TRANSPARENCY: As a part of our commitment to transparent sourcing practices, we provide owners with the ability to trace the origin of every ingredient using the lot number on the bag, because where pet foods come from shouldn’t be a mystery.
The Ultimate Buying Guide for Raw Diet Dog Food
Switching your dog to a raw diet can feel like a big step. This guide helps you choose the best raw dog food for your furry friend. Raw food means feeding your dog uncooked meat, bones, and organs, just like they ate in the wild.
Key Features to Look For
When shopping for raw dog food, look closely at these important parts:
1. Complete and Balanced Nutrition
- Must-Have: The food must have all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs. Look for labels that say it meets AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards for a complete meal.
- Avoid: Food that is just muscle meat. Dogs need variety for good health.
2. Meat-to-Bone-to-Organ Ratio
A good raw diet mimics a whole prey animal. Check the percentages:
- Meat (Muscle): Should be the largest part, around 80%. This gives your dog energy.
- Bone: About 10%. Bones provide calcium and phosphorus for strong teeth and bones.
- Organs (Liver/Kidney): About 10%. These supply essential vitamins.
3. Source Transparency
Know where the ingredients come from. High-quality brands clearly state the source of their meat (e.g., “humanely raised chicken”).
Important Materials in Raw Dog Food
The quality of the ingredients matters a lot. Think of it like choosing food for yourself!
Protein Sources
Variety keeps your dog interested and healthy. Good sources include:
- Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Lamb, and Fish (like Salmon).
- Some specialized diets use novel proteins like venison or duck for dogs with allergies.
Fats
Healthy fats are crucial for skin, coat, and brain health. Look for added healthy oils like flaxseed or fish oil if they are not naturally high enough in the meat.
Additives (Use Caution)
While raw food should be simple, some manufacturers add ground vegetables or supplements like kelp. These are okay if they are natural and in small amounts, but the main focus must remain on meat, bone, and organ.
Factors That Improve or Reduce Quality
Not all raw food is made equal. These factors change the quality score:
Quality Boosters:
- Human-Grade Ingredients: This means the meat is fit for people to eat before processing, signaling higher standards.
- Flash Freezing: Food is frozen quickly after preparation. This keeps nutrients locked in and kills some surface bacteria naturally.
- Minimal Processing: The less the food is handled, the better.
Quality Reducers:
- Fillers: Adding grains, corn, or excessive starches reduces the raw diet quality.
- Poor Sourcing: If a brand hides where its meat comes from, it might use lower-grade materials.
- Unnatural Preservatives: True raw food should not need chemical preservatives.
User Experience and Use Cases
Think about how the food fits into your life. Raw food comes in a few common formats:
Formats:
- Frozen Raw: This is the freshest option. You thaw one day’s portion at a time. It requires freezer space.
- Freeze-Dried Raw: This lighter option needs water added back before serving. It is great for travel or camping because it takes up less space.
Who Benefits Most?
Many owners report shinier coats, better digestion, and increased energy in their dogs. It is especially popular for dogs with chronic skin issues or sensitivities to common kibble ingredients.
Before switching, always talk to your veterinarian. They can help you choose the right portion size for your dog’s weight and activity level.
10 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Raw Diet Dog Food
Q: Is raw dog food safe from bacteria like Salmonella?
A: Raw meat can carry bacteria. Good quality raw food producers use strict hygiene and often use high-pressure processing or flash freezing to minimize this risk. You must handle it safely, just like you handle raw chicken for your dinner.
Q: How much raw food should I feed my dog?
A: Most dogs eat between 2% and 3% of their ideal body weight daily. Puppies and very active dogs might need more.
Q: Can I mix raw food with my dog’s regular dry kibble?
A: Experts usually say no. Meat digests faster than kibble. Mixing them can cause stomach upset because the foods break down at different speeds.
Q: What is the difference between raw and freeze-dried raw?
A: Frozen raw is completely uncooked and requires thawing. Freeze-dried raw has had all the moisture removed, making it light and shelf-stable until you add water.
Q: Do I need to add supplements if I buy pre-made raw food?
A: If you buy a “complete and balanced” commercial raw meal, you usually do not need extra supplements. If you make your own, supplements are critical.
Q: Will my dog’s poop look different on a raw diet?
A: Yes. Poop tends to be smaller, firmer, and less smelly because dogs digest and absorb more nutrients from raw food.
Q: How long can I keep thawed raw food in the fridge?
A: Generally, thawed raw food lasts for about 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator when stored in a sealed container.
Q: Is raw food more expensive than kibble?
A: Often, yes. Raw food uses whole, high-quality animal products, which costs more than processed grain-based kibble.
Q: What if my dog has a sensitive stomach? Can they handle raw?
A: Many sensitive dogs do very well on raw food because it lacks common processed allergens found in kibble. Start slowly with a highly digestible protein like turkey or chicken.
Q: Do I need to worry about my dog eating the bones?
A: Raw, edible bones (like chicken necks or wings) are ground soft in commercial ground raw mixes. If you feed whole raw bones, ensure they are raw, not cooked, as cooked bones splinter easily.
Hi, I’m Larry Fish, the mind behind MyGrinderGuide.com.. With a passion for all things kitchen appliances, I created this blog to share my hands-on experience and expert knowledge. Whether it’s helping you choose the right tools for your culinary adventures or offering tips to make your kitchen more efficient, I’m here to guide you. My goal is to make your time in the kitchen not only easier but also enjoyable! Welcome to my world of kitchen mastery!