ZiwiPeak Daily Dog (Dehydrated)

by Mike Sagman
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Rating: ★★★★★

ZiwiPeak Daily Dog dehydrated raw dog food gets the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.

The ZiwiPeak Daily Dog product line includes 3 dehydrated raw dog foods… each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

  • ZiwiPeak Lamb
  • ZiwiPeak Venison
  • ZiwiPeak Venison and Fish

ZiwiPeak Venison dry dog food was chosen to represent the others in the line for this review.

ZiwiPeak Venison

Dehydrated Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 40% | Fat = 31% | Carbs = 21%

Ingredients: Venison meat, liver, tripe, heart and kidney, chicory inulin, green-lipped mussel, fish oil, lecithin, kelp, vitamins and minerals, parsley, naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols, additives: vitamin D3, vitamin E, copper (copper proteinate)

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1.9%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis34%26%NA
Dry Matter Basis40%31%21%
Calorie Weighted Basis30%55%16%

The first ingredient in this food is venison. Venison is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” venison and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1

Venison is naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The next four ingredients are all organ meats…

  • Liver
  • Tripe
  • Heart
  • Kidney

Organ meats have a high biological value and are especially rich in natural vitamins and minerals. Although these items are probably sourced from venison, we would prefer to have seen their origin confirmed on the label.

In any case, organ meat can be considered a beneficial ingredient.

The sixth ingredient includes chicory inulin. Inulin is a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in the root of the chicory plant. Chicory inulin is a natural source of soluble dietary fiber.

Chicory inulin supports digestive function and helps promote the absorption of other nutrients.

The seventh ingredient lists green-lipped mussel. Mussels are a clam-like animal notably rich in glucosamine and omega-3 fatty acids… compounds with the proven ability to support long-term joint health.

The eighth ingredient is fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids… and (depending on the level of its purity) should be considered a healthy addition.

Lecithin is a waxy substance obtained from soybeans. Although it is commonly used to make fats more blendable, lecithin is believed to improve a dog’s skin and coat.

The vitamins and minerals added to this product are not detailed sufficiently here to permit us to judge their quality.

Yet we do note this food contains at least some chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

ZiwiPeak Daily Dog Dry Dog Food
The Bottom Line

Judging by its ingredients alone, ZiwiPeak Daily Dog appears to be a quality air dried 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 40%, a fat level of 31% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 21%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 40% and an average fat level of 31%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate portion size of 21% for the full product line.

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs as compared to a typical dry dog food.

Containing no plant-based protein concentrates, this appears to be the profile of a dry dog food containing a significant amount of meat.

Bottom line?

ZiwiPeak Daily Dog is a grain-free dehydrated raw product using an abundance of lamb, venison or fish as its main sources of animal protein… thus earning the brand five stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

Those looking for a wet product from the same company may wish to check out our review of ZiwiPeak canned dog food.

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

07/28/2010 Original review
07/09/2011 Updated to include AAFCO info
09/16/2012 Last Update

  1. Adapted by the Dog Food Advisor and based upon the official definition for beef published by the Association of American Feed Control Officials, 2008 Edition ↩
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  • J Santorelli

    your dog is missing something in his or her diet. that is typically when they eat cat poop or their own poop. IF they are eating the clay from the litter, then then dog may have some upset stomach issue and the clay will absorb toxins too. i suggest going to the health food store and buying green magma powder and mix a little in the food. if you do dry food, then get capsules. then you should see no more poop eating. and things take more than a day to work!

  • Pattyvaughn

    Hard dry poop is normal for a diet rich in animal proteins, so unless it is a problem for your indiviual dog, I wouldn’t see this as a negative. And you’re right, there is no such thing as a perfect food, that’s why I rotate between a few different foods. I wouln’t feed Science Diet.

  • annie

    um. the following day, the there is no more unknown particles presents in her urine.this food makes my dog happy and so much alert, but too risky. we put her on addiction dry kibble now. got powder ,stone like pool . it’s really about what they eat, i don’t know what happens to natural food nowadays .dog quite healthy, but i start not knowing what to feed next, cause every products seemed not so perfect. though i just want it to be normal and safe. my vet tells me, use science diet , gurantee to get normal pool, urine. but can we have a choice.

  • Pattyvaughn

    If her urine is dark, but still yellow, it means she is concentrating it a lot, and you might want to make sure she drinks more water until she adjusts. If it is brown, then you might want to have her urine checked to make sure she doesn’t have a kidney infection going on.

  • annie

    my dog used to eat kibble (with grain ones) the first day i put her on ziwi peak, she certainly not having enough, and ask for kibbles. the second day, she refused to eat kibble ( as i intend to mix the 2 together),the third day, she isn’t all that hungry. at first i was quite worried, as the qunatity i offer her ( from 30g to 20 g) reduced,and from with grain to no grain, she is really hungry, but on the third day, she is doing fine. but for another problem, i think i might have to switch back to kibbles, as she got dark urine with particles i don’t know what that is. of course i know meat is better for dogs, but maybe it is not the food for my dog. i got to say it’s good food, as my dog becomes very alert, and she likes it. if you were worry about the quanity, give her a little more and reduce it slowly, might work.or give her a few more day to try. good luck

  • annie

    my dog loves this food. she becomes so much alert, and i like their statement ” no suppliment ” need to be added. but same as when we feed additional dehydrate food, my dog gets dark yellow urine,and some small particles in it. and she drank less.after we stop feeding her previous dry kibble ( as it’s no longer available here), we can’t find her something suitable. she gets soft stool for same brand different products,but other problem occurred with other brand. so we go for ziwi peak. now seemed like i made it worse.anyone tried this food, is it a transition period problem, or is it too rich for my dog, so the urine like that? and also any recommendation ,good kibble, no soft stool for all age ?

  • Hound Dog Mom

    ZiwiPeak is appropriate for all life stages. The high protein content is beneficial for seniors because as dogs age they become less efficient at metabolizing protein, yet their dietary requirement for the amino acids protein requires doesn’t decrease. Seniors can actually require up to 50% more protein than adults. You may, however, need to monitor portion sizes due to the high fat content – just feed less if you notice she starts to gain weight.

  • annie

    your dog is small breed or large? my dog is 7. we brought ziwi vension today, but she has been on regular kibble for years,we were kind of worry about the high protein/fat content, i was curious is this food suitable for seniors. your dog is 9, it works well for her a.

  • Guest

    Hi Sharon, the other thing I forgot to mention that unlike pups (Yes would believe?) adult dogs are poor self regulators of how much they eat. Most of them always feel like they need more and more.

    A couple of things I’ll mention below in case your concern also lies with what you might be witnessing in your dog’s behaviour.

    When you see their primal instinctual behaviour of scrounging around for something else to eat or put in their mouths, it just also means that they are practicing their natural instinct in sniffing around, and scavenging for new and enticing, edible things, given the OK, by their superior sense of smell. My dogs like to eat off the ground certain seeds that have accidentally fallen when I have refilled my parrots’ feeders with parrot mixes. It satisfies their curiousity and is completely natural behaviour.

    Or you might also think that when your dog is eating grass, they’re either hungry or it’s a sign of ill-health. This is not the case. Dogs can eat grass for added roughage or fibre and even added nutrition. Like my dogs do, you might witness your dog selectively picking the younger shoots of grass as opposed to the older or larger in mass, ones. This is because the younger shoots have “a thin cell wall that can be digested, whereas older plant cells develop a tough, indigestible, lignified cell wall.” A quote from Dr. Bruce Syme.

    One method of checking that your dog is of an appropriate weight, other than the obvious such as a vet checkup, or the uniform stated weight range for certain breeds etc, is to simply look at your dogs sides and ribs. Can you see any or feel any with out digging in with your fingers. If not, then that is also a good indicator that your dog isn’t underweight, but not necessarily, overweight.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Seizure meds made my epilepsy dog start stealing food and raiding the trashcan. My JRT will do anything at any time to get any scrap of food anywhere. She even reaches through the bars on her kennel and picks up any food dropped outside it and maneuvers the food back into her crate.

  • Pattyvaughn

    I thought that she was on one RC or another regularly and the Acana was what she tried to get her dog to lose weight. I’m very confused…

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Exactly – they don’t need to be full. In some respects dogs are lucky in that they aren’t able to exercise will power. They have to eat what’s put in front of them. So, for an overweight dog, this should be a good thing. I’m sure people would have a much easier time losing weight if they had someone to pre-portion their meals and they could only eat their allotted amount for the day. On the flipside, it’s a bad thing that dogs can’t exercise willpower when they end up in the hands of individuals who make poor nutritional choices for them (overfeeding, feeding vegetarian or vegan food, feeding low quality food, etc.). Luckily for my dogs their meals are all pre-portioned and healthy…so they can’t eat junk food or get fat. :)

  • InkedMarie

    Most dogs will eat anything. I haven’t met many dogs that turn down food. I responded earlier to this poster that why do dogs need to be full?

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Well, you can’t tell if a bloodhound is hungry because they’ll eat anything, in any amount, at any time. Personally, I could not care less if my dog is hungry or not. If I’ve got a dog that’s skinny I’ll feed them more at meals and more snacks between meals. If the weight on my dog looks good I keep doing what I’m doing. If my dog is fat (I’ve never had a dog I owned become overweight, but I have several overweight dogs at my shelter that I’m in charge of feeding) – I say who cares if it’s hungry or not, it’s going to eat what I give it and not get a single bite more (regardless of how hungry it “acts”).

  • LabsRawesome BS Detector

    When I switched my 2 dogs to canned/fresh foods, one way that I knew my Springer was still hungry, he started raiding the litter box. Which was something he hadn’t done in almost 3 years, (he ate “cat treats” from the litter box as a young puppy) So that is why I started adding a small amount of kibble back into their meals, and he completely stopped his disgusting behavior. :)

  • LabsRawesome BS Detector

    I noticed that too. You need to give a food more than one day, to know if it’s going to work. Unless the dog is having a severe reaction. I can’t keep track of the daily, sometimes twice a day changes in foods/stories either. Lol.

  • aimee

    I think that is a really valid question. I would guess if they are scavenging as a new behavior that could be an indication.

    Brooke is always on the look out for food, but I don’t consider that due to hunger. However once as a drug side effect she was food crazed! She was moving furniture and tried to get into the bird cages to eat he seed. I considered those new behaviors as a sign that she was experiencing “hunger”

  • InkedMarie

    I still want to know how humans know their dogs are hungry.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    I’ve noticed the same thing. I’ve quit responding to her lol. She’s on one day saying she’s feeding one thing and asks for advice – then is on the next day with a whole new story.

  • aimee

    Hi Patty,

    I think she was only on the Royal Canin for a day or two?? I think she was primarily on Acana Regionals or Light and Fit. I don’t know… I lose track. It seems Sharron reports that Lexi is being fed a different food every few days.

    I tried ZiWi Peak some time back for Jack and I didn’t like the consistency.. kinda felt like greasy cardboard to me LOL. I wondered about fat stability as well.

  • InkedMarie

    This is a serious question: how do you know your dog is to filled up? A good number of dogs eat and eat til they got sick; that doesn’t mean they’re hungry. Who said dogs have to be filled up? They’re no different than us, we have to be satisfied, not full.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Considering the vast difference in quality between this and what you were feeding, I would assume that her body doesn’t even have what it needs to handle this. Her body is used to producing what it needs to handle Royal Canin, right? This stuff is worlds away from that. She probably needs probiotics and digestive enzymes added to her food no matter what you change her to, but especially with such a huge change in quality. Give them for a couple weeks. The ones in a human health food store are fine.

  • sharron

    Good Morning everyone
    fed lexee this morning the ziwipeak, about an hour later she brought it up along with yesterday’s – i guess it’s too rich for her?

  • smitty

    Hi sharron,

    If you go with feeding raw then 2 to 3% of your dog’s body weight is what is usually recommended for a 4 year old yorkie/chihuahua mix. 2% is usually to lose a little weight, 2.5% is usually to maintain weight and 3% is usually to put on a little weight. Monitor your dog’s weight at least weekly until you have determined the right amount of food for Lexie.

  • Guest

    Ok. There’s no answer that fits all and it’s going to be a case of trial and error in finding that suitable diet for your cross breed toy class dog. But at least you’re on the right track. I have my doubts about Ziwipeak anyway and as mentioned, it’s probably better to use it as an occasional treat for your pooch.

    As a general guideline, start by feeding your dog about 4 to 6% of its body weight, per day. Feeding raw foods of course. processed pet foods like corn ridden kibble and can foods have their own guidelines so the 4 to 6% is based on feeding a raw diet. But when I say raw, it is rfeferingg to actaul raw state and not air dired. Anyway, good liuck with finding that ideal diet.

  • sharron

    Hi
    Lexee is a yorkie/chihuahua – 4 yrs old
    i don’t think this food is going to work – she’s hungry and it isn’t filling her up like the owner of the pet store said it would. if i feed her more she is going to gain the weight back that she has recently lost – she wasn’t obese – about 1 – 1 1/2 lbs and she has lost a lb.

  • Guest

    Ohhh I’d imagine your dog would Ziwipeak jerkies. My dogs love anything raw including air dried raw, which I will usually give at treats. Problem with Ziwipeak, is that it isn’t as filling as they make out. I suspect there’s more carbs and fat then they claim.

    Ziwipeak isn’t cheap either. I think it suits better as treats then main meals. Have you tried raw meaty bones obtained from butchers and supermarkets? Adding such with cut up offal makes a better more nutritious meal and also more full filling for your dogs as well. You’ll finds that you won’t need to feed her like human 3 x day meals, but rather once to twice at the most.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1140685339 Betsy Greer

    Hi Sharron,

    I agree with Patty. I would ease her into the ZiwiPeak. Three small meals per day are much more easily digested without as much risk of gastro upset and loose stools. When I only had one small dog, I was feeding Orijen and Ziwi Peak and would’ve loved to have continued the Ziwi Peak, but couldn’t afford to feed it to both my Cavalier and a 75 pound Golden Retriever pup, too!

    I used both the air dried and the canned ZiwiPeak interchangeably. I would think once Lexee is used to the food, she’ll be able to switch back and forth also.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Yes, you can. She may need to get used to it, but that getting used to having different things helps their gut to become healthier and stay healthy.

  • Pattyvaughn

    It may take her a couple of weeks to get used to the new portion size, Dogs do get used to eating a certain amount of food. One of those feeding may need to be increased to 1 1/2 tablespoons so you are feeding her enough, but I would wait to make that adjustment until you see how she is doing on the food.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Try adding a digestive enzyme and maybe probiotics until he has adjusted to the new food. It took my dogs a couple of weeks for their system to adjust, now they have great stools once a day, sometimes twice.

  • sharron

    sorry – another question – can i alternate her meals with the dehydrated and the can ziwipeak?
    thanks again

  • sharron

    well i’m giving ziwipeak air dried a try – bought a bag this afternoon – the calculator on the ziwipeak site says to give lexee 1.7 oz/day – i gave a 1 tbsp = .5 oz – and she is still hungry. i feed her 3 x a day – so i figured out i would give her a tbsp 3 x/day which works out to 1 1/2 oz. should she be still hungry – she was on royal canin – liked it, ate it, but it doesn’t agree with her – i think it’s the wheat.
    thanks

  • bill calhoun

    I’d like to give a big HOOY

    AH to ZP’s Nigel (client executive relations). I’m having an issue with my miniature schnauzer and ZP Venison. Nigel has answered all of my email concerns within 24-hours and guided me through a lengthy but, critical journey to figure out whats up with my little billy junior. BJ was originally on Honest Kitchen–great food as well but, pooping out all that solid mass lead me to believe there really is a lot of carbs they DON’T need–ZP has BJ pooping once every morning. Previously he went twice in the morning, once in the afternoon and once in the evening. His poos, now, are like soft serve ice cream. Nigel of ZP has helped me lessen the amount of food as they mention too much too soon can lead to this. However, unfortunately, its still an issue. Is anyone else having this problem with high protein foods or raw diets? Any suggestions as to what may be going on?

    Thanks

  • Joy Tong

    ts only $128 for 11lb bag @ petfoodstation.com with their 10% off discount with code AUTO65 which is always offered if you google petfoodstation code – shows up retailmenot.com

    Free shipping too. To make this last, I feed my 3 shih tzus this for dinner only and Acana/Orijen kibble during the day.

  • InkedMarie

    Really? Thank you!

  • leowong

    The company will send you a free sample to try. Write to: kimberly@ziwipeak.com

  • InkedMarie

    ok so this wouldn’t be appreciated by my little toothless gal, she seems to prefer smoother stuff. Ground raw is fine but she had a harder time with the Grandma Lucys.
    How’s the foster pup doing?

  • Hound Dog Mom

    It’s like strips of jerky.

  • Dave’s Hounds

    I also rotate Nature’s Logic canned – it is a good food

  • Dave’s Hounds

    it is like thin square pieces of beef jerky but not as soft. I normally add water even though it does not absorb. I prefer the canned

  • leowong

    A scoop is 2 ounces (weight). Divide the size of your bag by the feeding recommendation in ounces to get the number of days in a bag. Each piece is a half-inch square wafer. I feed ZiwiPeak and Nature’s Logic, dry and canned.

  • InkedMarie

    Hey Dave, is the Ziwi Peak air dried chunky or smooth?

  • Pattyvaughn

    Everyone needs a hobby.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    I eat pretty healthy too (most of the time) but for me it’s just kind of whatever sounds good at the time or whatever looks fresh at the grocery store – don’t put a whole lot of thought into it. For the dogs I’ve got everything all written out and pre-planned weeks into advance – I calculate out the cost per serving, calories per serving, etc. Everyone thinks I’m nuts (maybe I am) lol

  • Pattyvaughn

    Index card files are a wonderful thing!!

  • Pattyvaughn

    I definitely put more thought into my animals food than my own, but I do make sure I eat a variety of fresh foods.

  • InkedMarie

    Can you tell me where on the site is to see ow long a bag will last? I see a feeding calculator. Do you feed this? Is it smooth or chunky?

  • InkedMarie

    Not a dummy at all ! We all start somewhere. Me, I take notes

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Yeah prepping raw can be kind of a pain, but I’ve got such a routine down now it really doesn’t take all that much time and thought. And truth be told I probably do put more time and thought into my dogs’ meals than my own, lol!

  • Hound Dog Mom

    I have three bloodhounds – 68 lbs, 75 lbs, 110 lbs. They’re also extremely active. Feeding this to a single small dog wouldn’t cost nearly as much.

  • Dave’s Hounds

    I rotate through ziwipeak for second meal. I spend a fortune on my dog food but I would never be able to take he time for raw – I don’t take that kind of time for myself

  • http://www.facebook.com/mah4angel Mary Alida Hornaday

    WOW how big are your dogs???? I only have one and he’s a ten-pound silky but… that is quite a lot of money.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    I priced this out at one time (to feed a combination of the air-dried and canned) and it came up to over $1,000 per month for my three dogs. I currently feed all three raw for about $400 per month. This stuff is definitely higher quality than kibble, but at that price it’s I don’t see any point in feeding it. If someone has that kind of money they should just feed raw.

  • leowong

    You can use their calculator to see the daily Ziwipeak ration and how long a bag will last, then compare that with the recommended feedings of other brands and their comparable cost.

  • http://www.facebook.com/mah4angel Mary Alida Hornaday

    AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, that makes sense! And you’d feed your dog far less then a traditional kibble then, I’m sure. Thanks so much! You guys are seriously so great! I feel like such a dummy.

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