Primal Raw Frozen Mixes (Raw Frozen)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★★

Primal Raw Frozen Mixes receives the Advisor’s highest rating of 5 stars.

The Primal Raw Frozen Mixes product line includes 6 dog foods, each designed for supplemental feeding only.

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

  • Primal Beef Mix
  • Primal Lamb Mix
  • Primal Turkey Mix
  • Primal Buffalo Mix
  • Primal Sardine Mix
  • Primal Chicken Mix

Primal Raw Frozen Turkey Mix was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.

Primal Turkey Mix

Raw Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 55% | Fat = 31% | Carbs = 6%

Ingredients: Turkey, turkey neck, turkey wing, turkey heart, turkey liver, organic collard greens, organic squash, organic celery, cranberries, organic ginger, organic cilantro

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.4%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis16%9%NA
Dry Matter Basis55%31%6%
Calorie Weighted Basis41%55%4%

The first three ingredients in this dog food are all turkey meats, turkey, turkey neck and wing. Like most meats, turkey is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog for life.

The fourth ingredient is turkey heart. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing to us humans, heart tissue is pure muscle — all meat. It’s naturally rich in quality protein, minerals and complex B vitamins, too.

The fifth item is turkey liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal. So long as it’s not over-weighted in a dog food, turkey liver is beneficial high-protein component.

The next six ingredients include a variety of nutrient-rich organic produce ingredients…

  • Collard greens
  • Squash
  • Celery
  • Cranberries1
  • Ginger
  • Cilantro

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 Raw Frozen Mixes Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Primal Raw Frozen Mixes dog food differs from the company’s Raw Frozen Formula in a most important way.

Unlike the Raw Frozen “Formula” line (which is designed for dogs of all life stages), this product was never intended to be fed as a complete and balanced canine diet.

Primal Raw Frozen Mixes 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 high-protein food like this as a special treat. Or as an appetizing topper to be served over dry kibble.

In any case, we expect the nutrient percentages to reveal abundant meat content.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 55%, a fat level of 31% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 6%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 51% and a mean fat level of 28%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 13% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 55%.

Above-average protein. Near-average fat. And below-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 an abundance of meat.

Bottom line?

Primal Raw Frozen Mixes is a meat-based dog food using an abundance of meat and poultry as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand a befitting 5 stars.

The product is sold in plastic-wrapped, sausage-shaped “chubbs”.

Enthusiastically recommended for supplemental feeding only.

For more raw feeding suggestions, be sure to visit the Advisor’s Recommended Raw Dog Foods summary page.

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

04/20/2013 Original review
04/20/2012 Last Update

  1. Cranberries not listed as organic ↩
  2. Primal Pet Foods, 4/10/2010 ↩
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  • http://veganrawfood.co.il/ טבעונאות

    best raw food!

  • LA

    Hi Natalie

    I could not find anything that indicated that both kibble and raw could cause bloat – in fact on the site page for Bloat -  using kibble alone is more of a risk for bloat   here is the link -thanks to Shawna for the link  http://www.globalspan.net/bloa…    but to just make sure I was at the Vet today and we discussed bloat and he has never heard are seen a case where bloat occurred from eating both kibble and raw together. He said he has seen it more in dogs that only eat dry food and drink excessive water afterwards or exercise and of course in breeds like the great dane which are prone to bloat.

  • LA

    Great Article on Bloat – they actually suggest RAW to help avoid bloat – I know several show people that feed their dogs a high end kibble and add to it raw or cooked meats and they never had a problem.

  • Shawna

    Hi LA ~~ No, I haven’t heard that..  In fact, a few of the pages I have read suggest to not feed exclusively kibble — this isn’t really a science based article but :)  

    http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm

    You are correct about the “mixes” they are for supplemental feeding only as they are not balanced.  The “formulas” are balanced.  In my area, we don’t have (to my knowledge) any stores that carry the mixes.  However three of our specialty stores do carry the formulas.

  • LA

    hey shawna   someone had posted below that using kibble and RAW together can cause bloat  – I never heard of that  – do you know of any documentation on the subject??  I actually thought the primal mixes are to top the kibble.

  • http://www.dfwpugs.com/ sandy
  • DMJ

    My two girls are both allergic to kelp & alfalfa so that eliminates all complete & balanced raw formulas – all seem to contain either one or both ingredients.  Dry kibble w/ a topper appears to be my only choice.  Wouldn’t a 1oz topper of Primal Mix be a healthier choice than Evangers Game Meats?  Thanks! 

  • Shawna

    Lucky pup! Primal is awesome in my opinion too.. Wish they didn’t high pressure pasteurize though.

    I don’t think you need the salmon oil.. Primal is already balanced in 6 to 3.

    I LOVE the variety Primal offers!

  • hagelult

    This is a great product. I just switched my 1 yr. old bloodhound to raw and this is what I feed her (I fed her THK for the first year due to concerns about high calcium content in a lot of the raw blends). I just add some raw green tripe, nature’s logic food fortifier (trace nutrients, probiotics, digestive enzymes), bee pollen, salmon oil, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and vitamin e. She loves it!

  • ShamelessRawFoodie

    Julie – You are feeding “chicken, beef and turkey Primal raw food.”
    If you’re feeding THIS food on this comment page – Primal Raw Frozen Mixes – be sure to note Mike’s review: “this product was never intended to be fed as a complete and balanced canine diet. Primal Raw Frozen Mixes 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.”

    Maybe you’re feeding Primal Raw Formula? Formula line is complete and balanced.
    Primal Mixes and Primal Grinds are for supplemental feeding only.

    So your Westie could be itching because his food isn’t ‘complete and balanced’. Feed Primal Raw Formula (complete and balanced) and see if the itching stops.

    Also, instead of feeding “chicken, beef and turkey”, try feeding only ONE meat protein for a month or more. Maybe your dog has an allergy to one of the meats.

    You don’t say how long you have had your 9-month old Westie or how long you’ve been feeding Primal. There could be something in or around your dogs new environment that is causing itching – household chemicals, lawn chemicals, chlorinated water, tree pollen, toxic plant growth, etc. Flea dermatitis could also be a problem.

  • Julie

    I have a 9 months Westie and when I got him he was on a kiibble diet but since I wanted the best for him and I had read so many good things about raw food, I started him on chicken, beef and turkey Primal raw food. Well, sInce then he started to have itching problems. He gets desperate as soon as he finished his meal. He even uses his teeth to scratch his skin.
    I’d appreciate your comment to my concern.
    Thank you,
    Julie Parra
    Tc

  • Natalie

    You don’t want to mix raw and kibble, as previously raw digests a lot faster than kibble, 4-6 hrs opposed to 8-10 hrs of kibble. They are digested differently and if mixed together could cause bloat. You can feed raw in Morning and kibble in evening, or vice versa. It is said that dogs/cats can get the benefit of a raw diet even if their diet is 25% raw. It’s a great diet particularly for dogs w allergies. I’ve had great success w Primal venison-though expensive. I now do raw in the morning and orjen fish at night. :)

  • Cliff

    Prey Model Raw is the absolute best thing to feed your dog, but Primal is great if you can’t go all-raw. I live with my parents right now and they made me stop feeding my dog raw out of sanitary concerns, so she’s on kibble again for now, but she gets Primal treats and loves it!

  • Gordon

    Anna – If you’re searching for the best raw dog food, then I’m guessing you’ve found BARF!

    If one can’t go raw, ZiwiPeak air-dried or canned is the second best!

    I know, just a tad bias you might think. But check these products out and compare how good their ingredients are!

  • Anna

    I can’t imagine why someone would buy raw (the best way to feed) and put it over kibble, the worst. Even ‘good’ kibble isn’t good. There is not enough moisture. Animals should get most of their moisture from their food not a water dish. If you can’t quite go raw check out The Honest Kitchen and Dr. Harveys. We use both….great foods. Bye bye diarrhea, vomitting and itching. I am thinking about adding some frozen raw….researching for best.

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Karm… From the sound of your questions about how we set our standards about raw dog food, I’m concerned you might believe we actually manufacture dog food here. The truth is… we only rate and review food products on this website.

    Yes, it’s true. Handling raw dog food meats (like found in Primal) carries with it some risk of Salmonella contamination. But there’s at least a similar degree of risk when handling raw meats of any kind. Even while preparing human food. So, when handling raw dog foods (meat), I would advise practicing the same sanitary precautions you would use when handling raw meat for your own family. That at least minimizes any risks of exposure to Salmonella or other pathogens (germs).

  • Karm

    I have recently trasitioned my 8.5 bichon to a Primal diet: Turkey and and Sardine Formula. Recently, it was brought to my attention dogs should not be fed raw food due to salamonella that may be present in the food.
    A respected major university in my state that diagnoses and treats sick dogs will not allow the dog to be admitted if they are on a raw diet.
    I was told it can be transmitted to children and adults who have low immune systems-particularly those in hospitals. I was also informed it can be transmitted through the dog feces.
    I suppose any diet could potentially be harmful if it is not properly handled. How are your standards set and implemented to assure a safe diet?
    I’d appreciate your comments to my concerns.
    Thank you.
    Regards,
    Karm

  • http://DogFoodAdvisor.com Mike Sagman

    Hi Elena… There are certainly many advantages to fresh and raw feeding. But unfortunately, no method is with its own problems. With homemade feeding, the nutritional supplements themselves must be dispensed with care. Not only can too little of something cause a deficiency, but too much of a certain nutrient can also be dangerous. Be sure you’re using a quality supplement, following directions carefully and measuring each dose accurately.

  • ELENA

    I FEED MY DOGS TWICE A DAY WITH FRESH CHICKE AND BEEF ALONG WITH SOME ORGAN MEAT. I ALSO GIVE THEM BRAVO FOZEN AND SOME PRIMAL LAMB. THE FRESH BEEF AND CHICKEN DO NOT HAVE ANY ADDED MINERALS, BUY I GIVE THEM MULTIVITAMINS AND FISH OIL. THEY ARE VERY HEALTHY BUT I AM WONDERING IF THEY ARE GETTING ALL THE MINERALS/NUTRIENTS. PLS ADVISE

  • Amber Irwin

    I’m not sure if I would recommend putting raw food over kibble, unless the kibble is grain free. Grains slow down the dogs digestive system, and the raw food digests much better at a faster pace to ensure no bacteria just sit in the stomach (from the raw meat).

    Usually it is better to feed about 4 hours apart, or longer depending on the amount of grain in the kibble. I fed my dog a nice big bison bone with meat on it with her kibble (Wellness, with grains, not core), and she had runny stool until I put her on a bland diet to fix her system. Just my 2 cents.