Rating: 
Nature’s Variety Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food earns the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
This special brand represents the dehydrated version of its sibling… Nature’s Variety Raw Frozen Diets.
Currently, the Nature’s Variety Freeze Dried Raw product line lists four dehydrated dog foods… each one intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.
- Nature’s Variety Raw Dehydrated Beef Formula
- Nature’s Variety Raw Dehydrated Lamb Formula
- Nature’s Variety Raw Dehydrated Chicken Formula
- Nature’s Variety Raw Dehydrated Venison Formula
Nature’s Variety Raw Dehydrated Venison Formula was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.
Nature's Variety Freeze Dry Raw Venison Formula
Dehydrated Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Venison, lamb heart, lamb liver, pumpkinseeds, apples, carrots, ground lamb bone, butternut squash, ground flaxseed, chicken eggs, broccoli, lettuce, spinach, dried kelp, apple cider vinegar, parsley, honey, salmon oil, olive oil, blueberries, alfalfa sprouts, persimmons, duck eggs, pheasant eggs, quail eggs, inulin, rosemary, sage, clove.
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 8.3%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this product is venison. Like most meats, venison is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by every dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is lamb heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, heart tissue is pure muscle… all meat. So, of course, it’s rich in quality protein and minerals.
The third ingredient is lamb liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, lamb liver is a beneficial component.
The fourth item is pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and, more importantly, linoleic acid… an essential omega-6 fat.
The list goes on to include some healthy fruits and vegetables…
- Apples
- Carrots
- Squash
- Broccoli
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Kelp
- Parsley
- Blueberries
- Alfalfa
- Persimmons
The seventh item mentions ground lamb bone… a natural source of calcium and phosphorous.
The ninth item lists ground flaxseed… one of the best vegetable sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The seeds are naturally rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber.
We find no added vitamins or minerals on the ingredients list.
Nature’s Variety Freeze Dried Raw
The Bottom Line
Judging by the quality of its ingredients, Nature’s Variety Freeze Dried Raw looks like a top notch dehydrated dog food.
However, by design, the product was never intended to be fed as a complete and balanced canine diet.
This freeze dried raw food is a supplement… and a supplement only.
Because they probably lack some essential nutrients, supplements must not be fed continuously as the sole item in a dog’s diet.
We prefer to use a food like this as an occasional treat. Or as an appetizing topper… to be served along with other foods.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 42%, a fat level of 26% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 24%.
All four products featuring an average protein content of 42%… with fat clocking-in at about 26% for the group.
High protein. Above-average fat. And modest carbohydrates (when compared to a typical dry dog food).
This is the profile of a dog food containing an abundance of meat.
Bottom line?
Nature’s Variety Freeze Dried Raw is a grain-free dehydrated dog food using a generous selection of species-specific meats as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended… for supplemental feeding.
See a recap of all the product lines made by this company when you visit our summary page… Nature’s Variety Dog Food Reviews.
For more suggestions, be sure to visit the Advisor’s Recommended Raw Dog Foods summary page.
A Final Word
This review is 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 a specific health benefit for your pet.
For a better understanding of how we analyzed this product, please be sure to 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 veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I have been feeding my Golden/Lab mix Wellness Core (dry) for quite a while. She likes this food but loves it when I mix with about two tablespoons of the Core (canned). I have thought about giving her a bit more variety in her diet and just as an extra healthy boost. I am considering giving her this food along with the Core. ( I would like to keep her on Core) Will this be too much for her stomach to handle? I do not want her stomach to get upset.
Thanks so much!
Hi Melissa… We refer to the feeding method you’re using as “topping”. My Bailey is fed this way, too. We take a 5-star kibble and top it with a good quality canned food. You can also do this with a quality raw frozen food, too.
Bailey gobbles it up… and the variety is good for him, too.
Nothing is further from nature (and a dog’s natural ancestral diet) than a kibble. So there’s no need to question adding fresher meats to your dog’s meals.
Your Golden/Lab mix is one lucky dog!
Thank you so much Mike for the advice! She will love it!
What dog food do u use and what raw food toping do u give your dog?
Hi Matt… It would be misleading (and untrue) for me to tell you we use the same combination of foods every time we feed Bailey. We prefer to rotate his menu periodically… so we use a different 4 or 5-star kibble and top it with a 4 or 5-star wet food.