Primal Freeze-Dried Formula (Freeze-Dried)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★★

Primal Freeze-Dried Formula Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.

The Primal Freeze Dried Formula product line lists five freeze dried raw dog foods, 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.

  • Primal Freeze-Dried Formula Beef
  • Primal Freeze-Dried Formula Duck
  • Primal Freeze-Dried Formula Lamb (4 stars)
  • Primal Freeze-Dried Formula Chicken (4 stars)
  • Primal Freeze-Dried Formula Turkey and Sardine

Primal Freeze-Dried Formula Beef formula was selected to represent the other products in the line for this review.

Primal Freeze Dried Beef Formula

Raw Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 50% | Fat = 39% | Carbs = 3%

Ingredients: Beef hearts, beef livers, ground beef bones, organic kale, organic carrots, organic yams, organic broccoli, organic apples, cranberries, blueberries, organic pumpkin seeds, organic sunflower seeds, minerals (zinc sulfate, copper carbonate, sodium selenite), organic parsley, organic apple cider vinegar, salmon oil, organic coconut oil, organic quinoa sprout powder, dried organic kelp, alfalfa, natural vitamin E, mixed tocopherols (natural preservative)

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis48%38%NA
Dry Matter Basis50%39%3%
Calorie Weighted Basis33%64%2%

The first ingredient in this dog food lists beef 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 second ingredient is beef liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.

The third ingredient is ground beef bone, an excellent source of natural calcium.

The fourth ingredient is kale. Kale is a type of cabbage in which the central leaves do not form a head. This dark green vegetable is especially rich in beta-carotene, vitamins C, vitamin K and calcium.

And like broccoli, kale contains sulforaphane, a natural chemical believed to possess potent anti-cancer properties.

The fifth ingredient lists carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.

The sixth ingredient is yams. In much of North America, the word yam can be used interchangeably with the term sweet potatoes.

So, assuming this item is indeed sweet potatoes, it can be considered a good source of complex carbohydrates. In addition, yams are naturally rich in fiber, beta carotene and other healthy nutrients.

The seventh item is broccoli. Broccoli is a healthy green vegetable and a member of the kale family. It’s notably rich in vitamin C and fiber and numerous other nutrients.

Like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli is believed to provide anti-cancer benefits.

The eighth ingredient is apple, a nutrient-rich fruit that’s also high in fiber.

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 three notable exceptions…

First, salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.

Next, we note the inclusion of coconut oil. Depending upon the quality of the raw material, coconut oil is rich in medium chain fatty acids.

Coconut oil has been reported to have a beneficial effect on a dog’s skin and coat, improve digestion, and reduce allergic reactions.1

And lastly, although we find no mention of added vitamins or minerals on the ingredients list, we’re reassured to find a detailed list of naturally present nutrients on the company’s website.

Primal Freeze-Dried Formula Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Since this recipe contains a number of quality organic ingredients, we feel compelled to grant this line somewhat favored status as we consider its final rating.

That’s because organic ingredients must comply with notably more stringent government standards — standards which significantly restrict the use of any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or antibiotics.

Just the same, we still need to evaluate the product’s protein, fat and carbohydrate content.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 50%, a fat level of 39% and estimated carbohydrates of about 3%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 47% and a mean fat level of 35%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 11% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 74%.

Above-average protein. Above-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 freeze dried raw product containing an abundance amount of meat.

Those attempting to mimic a dog’s natural ancestral diet this Primal Dog Food Raw Frozen Formula makes a reasonable choice.

Bottom line?

Primal Freeze-Dried Formula is a meat-based raw-type dog food using a significant amount of named meats and organs as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

However, with fat to protein ratios of nearly 100%, the Chicken or Lamb recipes may not be appropriate for every dog — and have thus been awarded a lower star rating.

For even more raw diet 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

02/24/2013 Original review
02/24/2013 Last Update

  1. Dr. Bruce Fife, Healthy Ways Newsletter, Vol 4:3 ↩
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  • Pattyvaughn

    You are right a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and it appears that is exactly what you have.

  • Shawna

    I have 8 toy breed dogs that eat a variety of commercial raw and raw with premixes. I have never had an issue feeding these 8 dogs primarily cow heart with a premix. Heart is an organ but unlike other organs is also muscle and can be interchanged with any other muscle meat.

    I understand, and agree with, your stance on the use of isolated minerals and vitamins (especially if synthetic — which minerals are not from my understanding). But, I am just as concerned with the high pressure pasteurization done to Nature’s Variety foods and personally would not feed them to any of my dogs as I feel they are technically no longer raw. In which case I could as Mike to down grade Natures Variety just as you are asking him to down grade Primal because of your concerns. (I quit using Primal when they started using HPP as well.)

    Primal Lamb is pretty high in fat. For a dog not used to that high fat I’m guessing diarrhea could be an issue. Could it have been the fat maybe?

    Check out Darwins.. Don’t use synthetics. Don’t use high pressure pasteurization. Really good balance of protein/fats/carbs. REALLY fresh as it is delivered right to your door shortly after processing.. They have an introductory trial offer that is really cost effective to boot. :)

  • Dog Food Ninja

    there are scarcely more than a handful of reviews on this site that applaud a food from a major commercial manufacturer. Look at the review for most any science diet or purina product. If you actually read the variety of articles on this site, you will find that the Advisor more than favors raw foods. but as a reviewer of products, and a wise man who understands that the majority will continue to feed kibble, he must review kibble on a difference spectrum. also, being that this post was a response to something I wrote, I want you to realize that I am not affiliated with the dog food advisor, I am simply just another poster on the forum.

  • Sarah.K

    After eating Primal Lamb, my dogs had almost diarrhea like stools and this I believe, is due to the “richness” and amount of hearts in Primal’s formula since I have no such problems with Nature’s Variety.

    I find it absurd to see garlic having a RED warning as a controversial ingredient and nothing for Sodium Selenite, a known toxin. It seems that there is a bias here towards outdated kibble funded research and recommendations on nutrition. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing and from what I have read here, I will no longer be visiting this site for any advice on raw natural diets.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Heart is also a good source of taurine and it’s low fat, so it’s an excellent source of protein.

  • Dog Food Ninja

    I wouldn’t be concerned with the heart being the primary protein. It is, after all, just a muscle, and has the same amino acid profile as the skeletal meat. I have nothing to add about the sodium selenite, but I do also question the long term safety of amalgams.

  • Sarah. K

    I see Primal’s Lamb and Beef formulas only contain Lamb/Beef Hearts and Livers as their ONLY meat source. You mean wolves and other carnivores will only eat hearts and livers of their preys??? I tried it because of its 5 star rating here and after transitioning them from Nature’s Variety, my dogs experienced bouts of diarrhea and I am noticing increased fur loss and chewing. I see that Primal adds synthetic minerals into their formulas including Sodium Selenite and the long term toxicity from feeding it daily.

    I read your article on Sodium Selenite and you seem to be saying that a little ‘poison’ that doesn’t kill you immediately is fine. You, being a dentist, would you say dental amalgams with its mercury content is safe since it leeches out so slowly, it doesn’t kill you right away?

    As another guest mentioned “The msds for sodium selenite gives it a 3 for health, thats pretty bad.. I will look for sodium selenite free foods in the future. I read that sodium selenite accumulates over time in your dog so long term effects can sure be worse than the immediate toxic effects. Yeah I guess in a couple of years sodium selenite will be in the same category as menadione and they that defend it will become less and less. ”

    Kindly re-evaluate this brand as I don’t see how you can in good conscience give it a 5 star rating.

  • Jan_Mom2Cavs

    I use Primal FD as a topper for my dogs’ Acana Duck or Lamb dry kibble. I add water and a pre/prob/enzyme supplement. They love it and are doing great.

  • gif127

    That’s interesting to know. Thanks for the review. I agree, the price is steep and I alternate chicken, beef and lamb for our Welsh Terrier, sprinkled over Orijien hard kibble. She just loves it!

  • ohnoesaz

    This is a great food but, for the price, there are much better dehydrated/freeze dried options.

  • Mary Lou

    Thanks so much for this review! When I was last at the store, the owner was trying to talk me into giving this food a try. I told him I would have to look into it. Thanks for doing all the work for me! : )