Grandma Lucy’s Artisan (Freeze-Dried)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★☆

Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second highest tier rating of 4 stars.

The Grandma Lucy’s Artisan product line lists five freeze-dried raw recipes, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

The following is a list of recipes available at the time of this review:

  • Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Pork
  • Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Lamb
  • Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Bison
  • Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Chicken
  • Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Venison

Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Venison was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Grandma Lucy's Artisan Venison

Raw Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 30% | Fat = 15% | Carbs = 47%

Ingredients: USDA venison, potatoes, flax, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, apples, bananas, blueberry, cranberries, pumpkin, garlic, rosemary, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, riboflavin, thiamin, potassium, manganese, chloride, copper, magnesium, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 7%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis28%14%NA
Dry Matter Basis30%15%47%
Calorie Weighted Basis27%32%41%

The first ingredient in this dog food is venison. Although it is a quality item, raw venison contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.

After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.

The second ingredient is potato. Potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The third ingredient is flax, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

The fourth ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.

The next few items include a variety of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables…

  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Blueberries
  • Cranberries
  • Pumpkin

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.

With two notable exceptions…

First, garlic can be a controversial item. Although most experts favor the ingredient for its numerous health benefits, garlic (in rare cases) has been linked to Heinz body anemia in dogs.1

However, the limited professional literature we surveyed provided no definitive warnings regarding the use of garlic — especially when used in small amounts (as it likely is here).

And lastly, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Non-chelated minerals are usually associated with lower quality dog foods.

Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, Grandma Lucy’s Artisan looks to be an above-average dry dog food.

But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 30%, a fat level of 15% and estimated carbohydrates of about 47%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 32% and a mean fat level of 15%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 45% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 48%.

Below-average protein. Below-average fat. And above-average carbs when compared to a typical raw dog food.

Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a raw dog food containing a moderate amount of meat.

Bottom line?

Grandma Lucy’s Artisan is a grain-free freeze-dried raw dog food using a moderate amount of various species as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.

Highly recommended.

Those look for additional grain-free products may wish to check out our special report on grain-free dog foods.

Special Alert

Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.

A Final Word

The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.

Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.

Each review is offered in good faith and has been designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food.

However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.

For a better understanding of how we analyze each product, please read our article, "The Problem with Dog Food Reviews".

Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt, consult a qualified veterinary professional for help.

In closing, we do not accept money, gifts or samples from pet food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews or ratings.

To learn how we support the cost of operating this website, please visit our public Disclosure and Disclaimer page.

Have an opinion about this dog food? Or maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.

Notes and Updates

01/16/2011 Original review
04/03/2011 Reclassified from dry to raw dog food
10/22/2012 Last Update

  1. Yamato et al, Heinz Body hemolytic anemia with eccentrocytosis from ingestion of Chinese chive (Allium tuberosum) and garlic (Allium sativum) in a dog, Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association 41:68-73 (2005) ↩
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  • SS

    This review doesn’t do justice to this food lumping it in the same category as any other grain free food. But let me back up a bit…our dog had chronic diahrea since he was a pup. After spending a small fortune on treatments, prescription and high end food (you name it we tried it), tests etc we gave up as did the vets (4 different ones). I swore going back to the basic PurinaOne or Iams stuff because it did make a difference to him, he loves to eat anything. Then we ended up talking to the owner of a small pet food place in our neighborhood. By that time I’d already swore I wouldn’t try yet another different/expensive food claiming to work a miracle. She told us to just bring the food back if it doesn’t help in two weeks and we had nothing to lose. The food was expensive as heck but low and behold it did the trick. We couldn’t believe it! We had to go back to her to thank her and tell her that what the vets couldn’t fix she did it. I’m so glad I listened to her advice – one last advice. The food was Grandma Lucy’s Artisan – Chicken flavor. The reason it works is not just because it’s grain free (we tried several) it’s not processed like the normal dog and cat food. It’s dehydrated sort of like the Mountain House backpacking and hiking food. It’s expensive (are you listening Grandma Lucy?) but I’m a believer.

  • Petsmart

    Mostly mashed white potato so far as I can tell and strong smell of garlic. Evidence if meat is pretty nil. You mostly dis this product then give it 4 stars. Seems odd I will not buy it again. Just soupy package mashed potato mix is all I see

  • Debi

    My dashound/terrier mix is aleargic (sp) to everything….I think I have tried every dog food known to mankind….grain free, egg free, wheat free, etc…none of them worked til now.  She would always be itching her face, and she would have large bumps around her mouth, eyes, and ears.  But this Artisan formula has stopped it in its tracks!  All I know is that my dog no longer suffers, and loves this food.  You just need to remember to let it SIT for a while to reconstitute.  I have tried all of their flavors, and she is fine.  I have even tasted this dog food – its good!

  • ohnoesaz

    There’s been many remarks that GL’s Artisan smells like garlic. Well, yes it does, but I don’t find it any different than the garlic you’d smell with a gourmet roasted chicken plate at a restaurant, for example. I think the point is garlic scent just overpowers everything.

    To be honest.. My mouth waters when I smell this food after rehydration… garlic and all.

    All five of my dogs love it (pork version) and none have had any problems.

    For some reason GL rehydrates really well unlike The Honest Kitchen which needs to be ‘nudged’ along with a fork and bowl tilting etc. I don’t know how GL accomplishes this, but I hope it’s not through some sort of extra food processing.

  • Melissaandcrew

    pd350z -

    I have not used the Artisan-I use the Pureformance chicken and my dogs all do well with it(some have problems with the carrots from time to time). I did have a few cups left in a bag, which I suspect I should have used up sooner, and two vomited, and two others had diarrhea. That was a first for this food, so guessing once opened, its best used asap.

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy

    What were they eating before Grandma Lucy’s and for how long?  Do you rotate foods often or feed various kinds?

  • Dave’s Hounds

    I use Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance Rabbit and the food is fantastic. There must have been something wrong with your bag

  • pd350z

    I purchased the Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Lamb for my 3 little dogs. The first dog became ill with gastroenteritis after a couple of days on the food. We took her off for a while and tried it again. She became ill again. Then the second dog became deathly ill with bloody diarrhea. The vet feels it is probably the food since that was the only change. Many $$$ of vet bills later I tossed all the food. When wet this  food smells like rotten meat  disguised with garlic.

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/KE4LBKCFSDFYHJBFVCFUATEV5A J Bender

    Anybody know??????  Grandma Lucy’s freeze dried was mistakenly delivered to my home while I was gone a few hours.  In that time, my 2 60# dogs ripped the bag open.  (The place stunk from garlic)   Hard to tell how much they might have eaten.   So, would eating an excessive amount cause serious problems?

  • M Ward1993

    It looked to me like mashed potatoes when I wet it. I guess I will stick with Natural Balance Venison and Sweet Potato dry with some canned to add some extra meat…that stuff looked like rabbit food.

  • Lisa

    I had to stop this food for my allergy dog. She starting doing this licking thing, and looked like she was having a hard time swallowing, so I cut back and then I gave her 1/2 tablespoon and she started doing the same exact thing again, so I asked the Nutritionist Vet I am seeing what to do and she said stop it. The garlic could of been to irritating to her throat since she is so sensitive, is what she said. Other then the that, she was ok. I felt bad because she went bananas over this food, but she seems to like HK just as much., and shes not doing that licking thing after at all, she was even licking the walls and the carpet. I had never seen her do that before. 

  • Lisa

    My Beagle is allergic to lamb. I have the Venison. They love it. Have you seen the Acana duck? My other beagle loves that food!! I started rotating foods for her. My allergy beagle, hoping this Venison works and then want to try the Bison and honest kitchen love. For her not to itch immediately after eating is a great sign.

  • Lisa

    I have the Venison. My dogs were dancing in the kitchen for this food! Started it yesterday. No runny bowels, no upset stomach yet. Bella did not go run and itch immediately after which is a good sign. Only thing is they like it so much they both ate it way to fast! They are only at 4 tablespoons each. So far so good. Bella was so excited her little legs were shaking. Lol

  • hounddogmom12

    Yeah, The Honest Kitchen is listed under raw and that is cooked also.

  • goliaths mom

    Not sure why this is classified under Raw…The meat is cooked.

  • Catie Beatty

    I just tried a sample of the lamb formula and it has made my dog sooo sick. Apparently I have found some new food allergies! If your dog has a sensative stomache, be careful with this food!

  • Pingback: Grandma Lucys Dog Food ??? - YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community

  • Karla

    Can you give directions on how to dehydrate the canned food? Do you use a dehydrator or your oven?

  • aimee

    I bought this food for my dog who is currently doing very well  on a vet venison and potato diet. Unfortunately, he refuses to eat it.

    I find the food to have a very strong garlic odor to it. My husband who is very sensitive to the smell of garlic said the odor of this food makes him nauseous.

    I’m not a fan of garlic for dogs, so personally even if my guy would eat it, I would likely only feed this intermittently as a topper.  

     

  • Linda J. Campanario

    Has Food Advisor check out the New Granma Lucy’s Pure Formance Rabitt and Pumkin?  I would like to know how it is rated.

  • Adoggyluver

    May I suggest you make a change about the meat being lost, because all the meat and potatoes are precooked.

  • luloopsoops1

    I stretch it by mixing in sweet potato, steamed broccoli, organic green beans, canned pumpkin. I’ll occasionally throw in an egg. My dogs LOVE this food. Their coats are so soft and glossy too.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Ron, Sandy and Monkey… Oops! There it is. This looks like an interesting improvement over Grandma Lucy’s Artisan line. More meat. Low-glycemic legumes (pulses). Sweet. I’ll try to get to this soon. Thanks for the tip.

  • sandy

    http://grandmalucys.com/dog.html

    And their customer service said their meat is precooked before freeze drying.

  • monkey

    This is the chicken she is talking about. 34%/9%
    http://grandmalucys.com/pureformance_chicken.html

    This is the rabbit. 36%/14%
    http://grandmalucys.com/pureformance_rabbit.html

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    HI Sandy… Not sure where you see these particular foods. Do you have a link?

  • sandy

    Pureformance Chicken might make it onto the Best Low Fat Foods List, and the Rabbit formula to the Hypoallergenic List?

  • Ron

    Hi Mike, I’m not sure it will change the numbers much, exchanging one carb. for another, but chick peas do have a lower glycemic value than white potato.
    The three new foods, are Chicken, Lamb, and Rabbit based.
    Chicken around 8% fat and the Lamb and Rabbit around 14% fat on label. All with around mid-to high 30′s in the protein. How much is actually meat is the question. I will give them a call and see if I can find out anything.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Ron… Thanks for the tip.

  • Ron

    I saw where GL has come out with a product called Pure Performance without potato, it has chickpeas instead.

  • Jackie

    I buy this food for my miniature poodle, as part of his rotation of foods. He loves it, and on cold days I can feed him a warm food. I tasted it too; it tastes just like human food. The chicken flavor is the least expensive, so I get that one. His droppings are always firm on this food. It is my go-to when he isn’t feeling well. His allergies are a lot better now than when I adopted him. He looks great. I highly recommend giving this food a try! The cheapest place I can get it is doggiefood.com, but I expect if you have a local seller it is less expensive. I also tried the comparable Honest Kitchen product (Keen flavor), but found that #1 the texture was not as good and #2 a lot of the food appeared to be undigested with whole pieces in the poop. So I am not convinced that it that much better for the money.
    You can mix GL half and half with kibble to make it cheaper, too. I also add Solid Gold Seameal supplement, which is kind of powder-looking and stirs in easily. Try this food, my picky dog liked it and hopefully yours will too.

  • krista waters

    I got some gramma lucys as petfood samples and my girl did not like it…in my sisters words it looked disgusting.

  • Gateswood

    Mike, you could look a little deeper than the ultimate quantity of meat in this food and see another huge benefit. I’ am especially speaking of a variety you did not review, the Artisan Pork. This, at 39%, has a much higher level of protein than the others. Even with this very reasonable protein level, it is impressively low in phosphorus. Phosphorus so low you can actually support a highly active dog and remain below the 100 mg/kg recommendation of the NRC. Try that with any kibble and you’ll generally bust the budget by around 2.5x

    As a diehard Orijen and Honest Kitchen feeder, my 13 year old Border Collie’s aging kidneys and a quest for lower dietary phosphorus have led me to Grandma’s food. The Artisan Pork, at 39% protein and a minuscule 0.45% phosphorus, looks quite impressive when compared to Orijen Puppy at 40% protein and 1.3% phosphorus or Honest Kitchen Zeal at 36% protein and 0.78% phosphorus. Grandma gives you 100 calories at the expense of 108 mg P while the Zeal is 212 mg P per hundred and the Orijen is an even higher 313 mg per 100.

    It’s easy to add high quality amendments to increase protein (egg whites) and fats (coconut/olive/fish) without introducing any noticeable amount of phosphorus. It’s much more difficult to reduce high dietary phosphorus in the staple food by amendments. In this regard, I think Grandma Lucy’s food may be an important tool for those who view food as medicine and we’re giving it a try.

    It’s looking good so far. Within a week I should have my boy below 15 mg of phosphorus per lb of body weight but still at more than 1½ grams of protein per pound of body weight. He’ll be getting the same basic macronutrient levels and calories as usual but his dietary phosphorus intake will be cut by more than half. It will be 25% of what it would be if I was feeding him straight Orijen.

  • Pat

    I just recently purchased Grandma Lucy’s freeze dried dog food. I have a Boxer and have complained many times about the number of times she goes to the bathroom each day….like it seems like 40 lbs! Anyway, since I’ve been feeding her GL’s food, she goes twice a day and very small amounts each time….what a difference! It tells me a big story…..her body is using most of the ingredients in GL’s food which has to be better for her. The other food I was feeding her was supposed to be excellent food with no corn, wheat, soy, gluten, etc. in it, no pesticides, etc., but it was still dry dog food. I have to believe GL’s food is much better for her.

  • Robin

    I have only bought the small bags, and I mix it ‘medium oatmeal’ consistency. It does make ALOT of food, and you cann mix it thinner to make even more. But I top with it. My dogs love it!!

  • Gina

    The 10lb bag makes 55lbs of food, after adding water. So, it’s not as bad as it sounds :)

  • Michelle

    $ 70.00 for 10lb of food ? That is outrageous.

  • ShamelessRawFoodie

    Marc – You write “Grandma Lucy’s . . price, pound for pound it’s significantly cheaper than the dry premium food I was feeding.”

    10# bag average cost is $70. http://www.grandmalucys.com/retail/home.php?cat=6

    You have 2 big dogs. How much do they weigh?
    How much does it cost per day to feed both dogs?
    What brand of dry premium food were you feeding that cost more than Grandma Lucy’s?

  • Marc

    Grandma Lucy’s changed my dogs’ eating habits almost instantly. They dance around while it is being prepared (that has never happened) and they really gobble it up. I have a lab and a doberman mix and both have always had bad gas problems UNTIL they started eating Grandma Lucy’s. Now, gas is very rare. Our lab also had terrible stomach bloat issues on a regular basis before Grandma Lucy’s and now she rarely has this problem. And for the price, pound for pound it’s significantly cheaper than the dry premium food I was feeding.

  • Callie

    I have just started my 7 yr old terrier/shitsu on the meatless product of Grandma Lucy’s, adding my own meat. Like JakeDog’s comments earlier I find a huge increase in her stool amount & frequency from when she was on kibble type food. I am wondering if she is getting proper nutrition or is it just passing right through her? Stool is well formed, no diarrhea. She is 15 lbs and I’m giving her 1/2 cup dry plus water and 1/4 cup meat in the morning and again in the evening. This appears to be the minimum quantity for her weight, but should I cut her back further?

  • Ron

    It would probably be okay,my main problem with it, is my dog
    had a lot of gas with it, which I “think” may have been a problem with all the potato in it. One draw back is that it may be very expensive to feed for a large dog.

  • Jennifer

    Is this food OK for Large/Giant breed dogs? I have been told great things about this dog food, Ive been doing my research and would like to try it out for my dogs. But I have a 8 month old great Dane and didn’t know if this food was only for small breeds….Thanks

  • Tish

    After my bug (half pug and Boston terrier) developed a rash when her previous kibble changed its formulation (Purina One), a guy at the local pet shop recommended Grandma Lucy’s. My dog has never been food motivated – until now. She LOVES this stuff. She is a pretty picky eater and she many times would leave half of her dinner. She now cleans the bowl and then cries for more…I’m not exaggerating. It’s like she’s a different dog! Anyway, I do wonder if this food has more fiber or something because she seems so much hungrier. She is noticeably eating a lot more, even begging for treats which she has NEVER done. I’ve been giving her the same quantity (ish) that I was giving of her previous food. Does this food move faster through the system or something? Perhaps it’s the doggie equivalent of Chinese food? She does seem hungry again within an hour… From reading the comments, it sounds like I’m not the only one who is experiencing this with this food.

  • Ron

    In my opinion after trying this food a while back, it would be a much, much better food if they left the potato out, when you rehydrate , its looks like mashed potato’s to much. Made my dog somewhat gassy.

    They do have a great web-site though.

  • Patricia

    I bought this food because my white collie seems to have an allergy to the oils in the dry kibble. I thought I would try this food with the human grade chicken I am feeding plus green beans and sweet potato or baked potato. My dog really liked it as a topping, and so far no itching from the flaxseed oil.
    Maybe he will be able to tolerate the flaxseed, when he could not the sunflower and canola oils used in other dry food.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Gina… Comparing the meat content of this recipe to most kibbles, Grandma Lucy’s is really a 4.5 to 5 star dog food. However, comparing the product to other raw foods (which in our database average 41% protein content and 27% fat), this product demonstrates below-average protein, below-average fat and above-average carbs. In any case, even with an apparently below-average meat content, Grandma Lucy’s still qualifies for a “highly recommended” 4-star rating.

  • Gina

    Oops, sorry. I meant 30….goodness having an exhausting 5 year old is catching up to me!

  • Gina

    One more question, sorry. Is this a 4 star food because the protein percent is only 29? Just curious! Thanks :)

  • Gina

    JakeDog,
    What kind of dog do you have? I had a border collie who I had a very hard time keeping weight on no matter how much I fed him. He was never skinny, but just had a very fast metabolism and was very lean. Is your dog’s ribs or hip bones sticking out? If not then he is probably fine. The way I look at it, it’s better to be a little on the skinny side than to be overweight.

  • Gina

    Is this food raw freeze dried? Or is it cooked and then freeze dried? I am looking on the bag and I don’t see anywhere where it says it is raw. I just picked up a 10# bag of the chicken flavor, for $50 including tax at my local pet supply outlet. Seems to be a good deal, hopefully my dogs do good on this. I am going to feed half of this and half kibble.

  • JakeDog

    We have been very happy with Grandma Lucy and so far it is the only food our dog has not had a reaction to. The one side effect has been that he is skinny. He is almost two years old so still very active but we can not seem to put any weight on and he is constantly hungry, in addition his stool is now a substantially larger and more frequent. I am wondering if the ingredients aren’t “sticking to his ribs”, so to speak. Have you heard of other dogs losing weight on this food?

  • Carol

    Our 3 year old shih tzu-terrier mix loves the Grandma Lucy’s venison. She weighs 7 pounds. I mix up one cup with one and a half cups of water and keep in fridge. She gets one tablespoon Am and Pm. I top each serving with one teaspoon EVO 95% beef canned food. She was always very picky and now she sits and waits for her food. I always keep a bowl of Orijen dried food down for her to snack on. Also, I dehydrate cans of EVO venison, duck and beef and break into small pieces for her treats. She loves them!!!

  • Laura

    Kristin! Thank you for posting the spreadsheet on prices of foods. It’s wonderful!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Arwen… To learn more about rosemary, please visit our FAQ and look for the topic, “Dog Food Ingredients”.

  • Arwen

    I just found this about rosemary, an ingredient in this food:

    http://www.thedogpress.com/Columns/PetFood-Rosemary-Neurotoxin-10032_Liquorman.asp

    Looks like it’s another questionable ingredient…

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Colleen… Since each dog responds to a particular food in its own way, it’s impossible for me to offer you an answer. Wish I could be more help.

  • colleen

    my 12 year old lab that is a picky eater loves Grandma Lucy’s, but we have had 2 bouts of diarrhea, that were more than ever before. not sure if that’s a case of old age or the food, any thoughts?

  • Kyrie S.

    lol, I corrected one flavor but not the other so it was definitely lamb that we bought.

  • Kyrie S.

    I have two danes and have rescued and adopted out two boxadors. We’ve been through all kinds of dog foods and this was our first freeze dried food (some people are so picky about the wording) and it was funny. We got chicken flavored. Our 6 month old dane sniffed it then refused to touch it for hours. He wouldn’t let anyone else have it but he had to think about it. The other dogs scarfed in down pretty fast even though I’d describe it as thin gruel. lol. It had a very “green peppery” smell. I did notice that the amount of meat was tiny compared to potato even though it said lamb was the number one ingredient but after reading your articles I now know why. We decided to try a few other foods before deciding on what to use to replace canned food in our dogs’ diets.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Kim… Finding (dog or human) food made with superior grade hormone-free and antibiotic-free meat isn’t especially easy. But it isn’t impossible, either.

    Unfortunately, because of the never-ending recipe changes and ingredient sourcing in the pet food industry, we make no attempt to track details like this. To learn why, please be sure to read my article, “The Problem with Dog Food Reviews“.

    However, to help narrow your choices significantly, I can’t remember ever finding high quality (and more costly) ingredients like these in anything except 4 or 5-star dog foods. So, first, choose whether you want to feed your dog dry, wet or raw dog food. Then look for a few 4 or 5-star foods to find a few candidates for your research. You can even focus on dog foods marketed as organic. Hope this helps.

  • Kim

    Mike, what are your thoughts on the meat in dog food being hormone and antibiotic free? From what I’ve read so far, it doesn’t sound like many are and I don’t see that you have commented on it. Now that I’m becoming more educated in this area, I hesitate to want to feed my dog a brand that uses chicken or meat from animals that have been given hormones and antibiotics. I don’t personally eat them and don’t want to feed them to my dog either. Is this a legitimate concern or am I off base? Thanking you ahead for your response.

  • Mary

    I have a 5 month old chihuahua puppy who is the most finicky eater on the planet. He will NOT eat any form of kibble… to him that is something you carry around and hide (under furniture or his bedding, in corners) or bat it around like a ball on the floor. I tried moistening it, adding canned puppy food ( doesn’t like canned food) and he would not eat it. Most kibble he would not even pick up in his mouth and I have tried so many different kinds of food. I even bought expensive food from our vet and he still wouldn’t eat (he’s thin and nips). Finally, I went to a different pet store and the clerk gave me samples of Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Chicken and Pork Dinners. I brought them home and tried the pork dinner first… wow… my baby’s nose was in the air sniffing while I was mixing it and he was jumping around excited… that was new… Once it was ready I put the dish down and my puppy immediately started eating… My little darling even stopped part way through came over rubbed his head against my foot as if to say thank you, finally what I like and then went back to eating and licked the bowl clean. He has been licking his bowl clean ever since. He doesn’t care for the chicken much, pork seems to be his thing for the moment. He is such a different dog, no more nipping (guess he isn’t hungry or angry anymore) and he has put weight on finally… happy momma and baby. Grandma Lucy’s was the only thing my baby would eat when I was scared he was starving himself, plus, his coat is so nice and shiny now too. I love Grandma Lucy’s and can’t say enough.

  • Jane

    Grandma Lucy’s food is freeze dried, not dehydrated. The Honest Kitchen is dehydrated. Freeze dried retains more nutrients. At least that’s what I understand. This site should correct the page on Grandma Lucy to distinguish the freeze dried technique. My dog loves this food.

  • Kendall

    Two of our three Yorkies and our Lab/Collie Mix show higher liver functions that are concerning to our Vet. Please suggest a 5 Star dry food to meet our health needs.

    Thanks:)

  • Jackie

    Thanks Kristin for the spreadsheet– mine didn’t show any data about the dehydrated type dog foods though. It is showing Dry, Canned, the stars that relate to each, and notes. It is still helpful to know though, thanks! Apparently Grandma Lucy’s is available at Petco, unlike Sojo’s or Honest Kitchen. None of those are available at PetsMart either. Out here in West TX it can be hard to find specialty items and online shopping jacks up the shipping.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Meredith… Freeze dried is simply another way to dry a dog food.

  • Meredith D

    Isn’t Grandma Lucy’s food freeze-dried NOT dehydrated?

  • DAWN LEDER

    KATHY YOU ARE SO RIGHT AND GLAD YOU EXPLAINED IT BETTER THEN I :o )
    BY THE WAY,,,I HAVE BEEN USING K9NATURAL FOR 3 MOS NOW –ON AND OFF WITH DARWINS RAW AND NATURES VARIETY….. MY 2 YR OLD BEAGLE AND MY 5 MO BEAGLE PUPPY LOVE ALL HEIR RAW FOOD..BU I DO HAVE TO SAY THEY ALWAYS SEEM TO BE VERY HUNGRY AFTER THE K9NATURAL..AND IT IS VERY VERY EXPENSIVE IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING OLDER THEN A 10LB DOG….BUT IT IS GOOD AND FREEZE DRIED RAW IS SO NICE AND EASY TO SERVE (I ALWAYS FORGET TO DEFROST THE FROZEN RAW LOL) BUT…ALL GOOD THINGS ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THE FROZEN RAW IS MUCH CHEAPER THEN THE FREEZE DRIED. AT THE END OF THE MONTH K9 WILL BE COMING OUT WITH FREEZE DRIED TRIPE TOO I CANT WAIT FOR THAT! NOW THATS A GREAT TOPPER.
    I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY 2 CENTS TO POOR LINDSAY
    I KNOW THE FRUSTRATION WITH DOGS JUST STOP EATING WHAT THEY USE TO…I DID NOTICE THOUGH WHEN I DECIDED TO DO AS YOU AND SERVE SO MANY DIFF BRANDS THEY DO GET FRUSTRATED WITH IT AND NO LONGER WANT TO DO :o / ALSO THE TREAT TOPPERS ARE NOT NUTRITIOUS??(I DONT KNOW HOW MUCH YOUR USING)….VERY BAD FOR THE TEETH AND USUALLY TREATS DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH NUTRITIOUS INGREDIENTS! UNLESS USING FREEZE DRIED RAW FOODS? WHICH OF COURSE IS THE BEST :o ) MY BABIES GET ALL RAW SO IM A NUT ABOUT DEHYDRATED FREEZE DRIED AND FROZEN RAW FOODS….MAYBE YOU COULD SWITCH TO THAT FOR HIS SOLE FOOD? :o ) MIKE HAS ALL THE GREAT RAW FOOD DIETS ONES REVIEWED ON HERE! :o )
    BEST WISHES TO YOU AND YOUR SWEET LAB…<3

  • Kathy

    Dogs don’t have the enzyme that digests onions like people do. This will cause their red blood cells to break apart. It can cause anemia and they can die from eating onions and large amounts of garlic. Please don’t add onions or garlic to your dog’s food.

  • cLotriet

    Oh, and I’m still waiting patiently for and looking forward to your review of Sojo’s Complete freeze-dried dog food. :)

  • cLotriet

    Thank you Mike for reviewing this food! I have been waiting months for this since we’ve been using Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Chicken and Pork for about 6 months now. I highly trust your ratings and wanted to use Honest Kitchen but couldn’t afford it…then we found Grandma Lucy’s (much much cheaper) and our Bullmastiff lives for the stuff! We mix it with Blue Buffalo and so far so good. Thanks again for rating this food! Also, garlic (and also onion) is one of the SUPER-HEALER foods God created that is pretty much good for everything in the body and acts as a natural anti-biotic and healer.

  • Lindsay

    Btw thanks for all the good advice mike! I read your site daily and I recommend it to all of the dog lovers I know!

  • Lindsay

    I tried all sorts of canned foods, cal nat, evo, totw, wellness, bb, I have even tried yogurt, low sodium organic broths, raw meat. so far these dehydrated treats I purchased have been the only thing that works. I think it’s because the flakes cling to the kibble and he doesn’t really care to eat his food wet which is frustrating to mr because I always added water to his food in the past because it is much easier on their kidneys but recently he won’t even look at his food if it’s wet. Uhg the psychology of a dog! Where are the answers!

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Jenah… K9 Natural is already on my To Do list but due to our current backlog, it could be a while before we get to it. Thanks for the suggestion.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Lindsaylmb… I believe topping might very well be the answer. However, I think you could choose something better than a dehydrated topper (even once it’s been re-hydrated). Good quality canned foods make great toppers. Especially the “ground’ type rather than the kind with stew chunks. Mash to kibble and the wet food together. This is what we do four our finicky Bailey. And he gobbles everything up.

  • Jenah

    Just to clear up the processing with Grandma Lucy’s, it’s not a dehydrated food technically. They steam the raw veggies, meat, and potatoes first at 220* for 15 minutes and then everything is freeze-dried. Freeze-drying removes water, but retains a bit more nutrients than straight up dehydrating (though the ingredients were steamed first anyways).

    Mike, have you reviewed K9 Natural yet?

  • Lindsaylmb

    I currently feed a rotation of five star grain free foods; titw, evo, cal nat grain free etc. One of my dogs has suddenly become a very picky eater and he is a lab so it has become very difficult form me to wrap my head around him not scarfing his food. The trouble I am having is related to the other dogs because he cannot “graze” on his food as they will eat it. I have been topping his food with grain free freeze dried treats that I crush up and that has worked like a charm but at $10 for 4oz I need to find something different. Would Grandma lucys be a good option as a topper? I have also looked at honest kitchen thy sell a 4oz pouch for about $4, or ziwi 3# for about $20 what do you think mike?

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Great job, Kristin. We’ll refer folks to this comment whenever they ask about pricing. Thanks from everyone.

  • http://dogoninn.com Kristin

    According to my research, Grandma Lucy’s Freeze Dried food is the least expensive 5 star food available. Here’s the data: https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AmNw5KB82-n_dGtyOEpVVXhPQ2tfeU1FUGdEdjVnTkE&hl=en
    (This is based on the assumption that a 10 lb bag of the chicken, pork, lamb, or venison formula makes 56.7 lbs when rehydrated. Buffalo is only available in a 3 lb bag which makes 17 lbs.)

  • http://www.FidoDogTreats.com Dave H.

    If anyone is looking for this food, please check us out at FidoDogTreats.com

  • http://www.FidoDogTreats.com Dave H.

    We sell all of the Grandma Lucy’s Artisan foods and the feedback that we get is very positive. Grandma Lucy’s uses human quality ingredients. They were actually sued by a state, although I can’t remember which one, as the state took issue with Grandma Lucy’s statement about “Human Grade Ingredients” on their label. Grandma Lucy’s won the case and the label is still on their packaging.

    I’d like to add something to Mike’s statement about protein content. Many dog foods boast about the percentage of protein in their foods. Keep in mind that all proteins are not equally digestible and lesser foods use low quality protein sources to boost the percentages shown in the guaranteed analysis.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Kathy… Almost every pet food manufacturer gets their vitamins and minerals as a “mix” from outside suppliers. In any case, I’m not sure what these particles might be.

  • Kathy

    Mike, I have been using the Grandma Lucy’s Artisan Chicken for awhile. I noticed that after I hydrate the food for several minutes, I see bits of something sparkling in the food. I can actually move the pieces around with my finger. I called the company and was told that they think it’s vitamin powder and it doesn’t melt down completely with the hot water. They get the vitamins from a manufacturer. Has anyone else questioned this and does anyone have any answers?

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Steve… Your point is well-taken. During my initial research of Honest Kitchen I had noted the company’s claim that “we make our human grade pet foods from dehydrated whole food ingredients”. From that statement, I may have incorrectly assumed the raw ingredients were dehydrated prior to fabricating the actual product.

    Thanks to your question and my subsequent reconsideration of The Honest Kitchen article, I’ve removed that erroneous statement from the review.

    However, this adjustment has no effect on our star ratings.

    In any case, the percentages published in both reviews is taken directly from the products’ Guaranteed Analysis and are a true reflection of the protein content of the finished products. Thanks for calling this to my attention.

  • Steve

    Mike, A question on this Grandma Lucy’s compared to Honest Kitchen. On the Honest Kitchen review you say that the lead protein source has had the water removed from it to form the true first ingredient. Yet in the Grandma Lucy’s review you say that potatoes would be the lead ingredient because the protein source is listed at it’s water weight. But when comparing the dashboard indicators the protein in Grandma Lucys is higher, but in the ball park of Honest Kitchen as are the fat and carb levels. I guess Im confused as Grandma Lucy’s should have a lower protein level and higher carb level than Honest Kitchen.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Pia… The answer to your question can be found on our FAQ page regarding the topic, “Dog Food Ingredients”.

  • Pia Florenzano

    all sound good exept for the garlic,im just afraid to feed my aussies garlic what is it good for?