Rating: 
Primal Raw Frozen Formulas dog food earns the Advisor’s highest rating of five stars.
The Primal Raw Frozen Formulas product line includes nine dog foods… each meeting AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.
- Primal Canine Beef Formula
- Primal Canine Quail Formula
- Primal Canine Duck Formula
- Primal Canine Lamb Formula
- Primal Canine Rabbit Formula
- Primal Canine Chicken Formula
- Primal Canine Venison Formula
- Primal Canine Pheasant Formula
- Primal Canine Turkey and Sardine Formula
Primal Canine Chicken Formula Raw Frozen Dog Food was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
Primal Canine Chicken Formula
Raw Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken, chicken necks, ground chicken bones, chicken hearts, organic kale, organic carrots, organic yams, chicken livers, organic broccoli, organic apples, organic ground flaxseed, cranberries, organic apple cider vinegar, organic parsley, organic coconut oil, organic kelp, alfalfa, mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.6%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food includes chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”.1
Chicken is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second and fourth items mention chicken necks and chicken hearts… both containing protein-rich and lean muscle tissue.
The third ingredient includes chicken bones… finely-ground and an excellent source of natural calcium.
Nine of the next thirteen items include a variety of nutrient-rich organic produce…
- Kale
- Carrots
- Yams
- Broccoli
- Apples
- Cranberries
- Parsley
- Kelp
- Alfalfa
Nestled amongst the produce items we find chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, chicken liver is another high-protein ingredient.
This Primal Dog Food product also lists organic flaxseed meal… one of the best vegetable sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. And the seeds are naturally rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber.
Although we find no mention of minerals on the ingredients list, we are reassured to see a completely detailed list of nutrients (for each recipe) on the company’s website.2
Primal Dog Food Raw Frozen Formulas
The Bottom Line
The ingredients used to make this Primal Raw Frozen Formula are enough to set this reviewer’s heart aflutter.
Because it’s prepared from some of the finest human-grade and organic components available, you could almost cook this stuff up on your backyard grill and serve it to your family.
Think we’re being a little over-the-top here? Well, we fully expect the nutrient percentages to justify our enthusiasm.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 46%, a fat level of 25% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 21%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 56% and a mean fat level of 27%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 9% for the overall product line.
High protein. Above-average fat. And very low carbohydrates when compared (for illustrative purposes) to a typical canned dog food.
Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a raw frozen food containing an abundance of meat.
What’s more, Primal assures consumers all its products are completely “antibiotic and steroid free without added hormones”.2
Those attempting to mimic a dog’s natural ancestral diet this Primal Dog Food Raw Frozen Formula makes an excellent choice.
Bottom line?
Primal Raw Frozen Formulas is a meat-based dog food using an abundance of various species as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.
For even more raw diet 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 specific health benefits 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… or maybe the review itself? Please know… we welcome your comments.
Notes and Updates
04/10/2010 Original review
11/10/2010 Review updated
- Association of American Feed Control Officials ↩
- Primal Pet Foods, 4/10/2010 ↩
- Primal Pet Foods, 4/10/2010 ↩
The Dog Food Advisor publishes independent reviews to help pet owners make better choices when shopping for dog food.