[Sara Smith]

I follow Dr Karen Becker. Whilst everyone has an opinion I researched her thoroughly and everything she discusses regarding dog food and nutrition is correct. Whilst I am perfecting my dogs homemade, balanced meals there are times I need a freeze dried kibble whilst not as great as raw or lightly cooked freeze dried is the next best thing. It AMAZES me how many dog sites have a top 10 list and show awful food that contain fillers and by products! I will Not recommend or follow a site that shows purina….that’s one of the worst manufacturers in the business yet sites (maybe even this one) have recommended it. I went with PRIMAL freeze dried kibble as the ingredients were everything I wanted. Then I find out that they too sadly are unethical. They advertise guaranteed satisfaction on their packaging but when you attempt to return a product they come up with every excuse possible! My dog got diarrhea and I tried to return the expensive bag and they referenced a caveat on their website in small print! I did respond with the fact it’s not legal & the caveat needs to be on the product not on their website as I bought mine in a store. Then thanks to this site I read they were served last year by the FDA for several issues which they ignored….so out of principle I would never buy from a ‘family’ owned business that obviously doesn’t care cats and dogs health are in jeopardy…the only way to provide healthy nutritious food for our pets is to make it ourselves..

[crazy4cats]

Wow! That is very scary. I think Primal is a pretty popular food. The Vitamin D issue seems to be rampant these days. I wonder why?
Shame on them for not recalling all lots! Who can we trust these days?
Good point about people so concerned about the ingredient panel when they are often incorrect and manipulated to look good to us. While safety protocols should be of the upmost important!

While I haven’t fed any raw for years, thank you for the information. I hadn’t seen anything about it.

Where do you find this information?

[Raven Depto]

For raw dog food recommendations, consider the following:

Quality of ingredients: Look for products that contain high-quality meat, such as chicken, beef, or lamb, as the main ingredient. Avoid filler ingredients like corn, wheat, or soy.

Nutritional balance: Make sure the food includes a balanced ratio of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, as well as essential vitamins and minerals like calcium and phosphorus.

Source of ingredients: Choose brands that use locally sourced and humanely raised animal products.

Safety and sanitation: Make sure the food is manufactured and packaged under strict safety and sanitation guidelines to reduce the risk of contamination.

Customer reviews: Read customer reviews and check for any reported health issues related to the food.

Some popular and well-regarded brands of raw dog food include Stella & Chewy’s, Primal Pet Foods, and The Honest Kitchen. It is important to talk to your veterinarian to ensure a raw food diet is appropriate for your dog and to get specific recommendations based on your pet’s individual nutritional needs.

[Mutts and Cats]

Any thoughts on a good brand of frozen (or freeze dried) raw food (grain free) with fairly limited ingredients? My dog is allergic to carrots, green beans and sweet potatoes, so I need to avoid those, plus I’m nervous about similar vegetables because the allergy test didn’t cover many foods. And because he recently started having seizures I am avoiding rosemary for now. I would also prefer no calcium or sodium phosphate additives, but may have to give in on that one.
I was feeding Stella and Chewy’s, but it contains ingredients that don’t work.
I also tried Primal, but am not crazy about all of the seeds in the ingredients.
I have been feeding Vital Essentials but a recent inquiry to the company left me feeling less positive about them. Also, my dog likes their freeze dried foods but will not eat the frozen. According to Vital Essentials the ingredients are identical for both. My dog loves raw meat, turkey necks, etc. but won’t eat the raw frozen Vital Essentials. He ate it at first but then wouldn’t. Weird.
I recently tried We Feed Raw, but it doesn’t seem to agree with my dog at all, even though I introduced it very slowly.
The one I’m considering trying now is Steve’s Real Food. Any thoughts on that one? Or others I haven’t mentioned?

[Jack L]

Raw Food Diet For Dogs Cost

Raw food diet for dogs cost varies depending on the source and quality of ingredients. There are also many freeze-dried raw options available at different price points. Commercial raw food costs between $12 per day and $353 per month. This cost can vary depending on the supplier. If you feed your homemade dog meals, the price will vary depending on what veterinary advice they need for their diet plan! These can be more expensive than traditional home-prepared meals but require less preparation time and effort. The cost could also depend on the pet’s size. Smaller breeds may require smaller portions, while larger breeds may need more food to meet their nutritional needs. Additionally, some raw diets are nutritionally balanced and contain all of the necessary vitamins and minerals that a dog needs for optimal health. This can result in higher costs than homemade meals or other diets that may include only some of the necessary nutrients. Regardless, a raw food diet is an excellent choice for many pet owners looking to give their furry friends the healthiest and most natural nutrition possible.

Overall, a raw food diet for dogs cost is worth it if you are looking for optimal nutrition and health benefits for your pet. The cost may vary depending on the source, quality of ingredients, and size of your pet, but it is still a great choice for many dog owners. With careful research and understanding of your pet’s specific nutritional needs, you can find the best raw food diet that will benefit your pup at an affordable price.

The Top 5 Raw Food Diets For Dogs

1. Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper
Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper is great food for kibble and dry food lovers. It is made with real meat, fruits, and vegetables and contains real nutrition of raw. Raw is natural, made from real meat & whole food ingredients, protein-packed & minimally processed high protein, plus real freeze-dried raw meat pieces with natural ingredients to support healthy digestion and skin & coat. . A great way to make sure your pup gets all of their necessary vitamins, minerals, and proteins in the meal. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of the cost of a raw food diet for dogs cost. However, with careful research and understanding of your pet’s nutritional needs, you can select a high-quality option that will provide them with optimal nutrition at an affordable price.

Pros:
Grain-free, potato-free, corn-free, wheat-free, and soy free
Made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world.
Rich in antioxidants
High protein content to support muscle growth and weight management
Cons
May require more preparation time than traditional dog food.
Some dogs may not take to the new diet as easily as others.
Raw diets may contain bacteria that could make your pet sick if not properly handled.
Raw food diets for dogs cost can be expensive to feed on a regular basis.
May require more research and understanding of pet nutrition than traditional dog food.
Overall, a raw food diet for dogs is an investment that can be worth it if you are looking for optimal nutrition and health benefits for your pet. With careful research, selecting a quality product, and understanding your pet’s specific needs, you can provide them with the most natural nutrition possible at an affordable cost.

2. Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Dinner Patties
Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Dinner Patties is best for raw food diet for dogs because it is made with 95% beef, organs, and bone, such as beef tripe. Our grass-fed Beef recipe will delight your pup. It also includes organic fruits and vegetables and added live probiotics to support your pup’s immune system. Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried raw dinner patties provide complete & balanced nutrition for all life stages without any fillers. All Stella & Chewy’s products are made in the USA and sourced from responsible farmers, ranchers, and suppliers.

Pros:
Raw food diets are high in protein and essential vitamins and minerals for your dog’s health.
It may be easier to digest than kibble, making it a great choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Since the ingredients are more natural, there is no need to add fillers, artificial preservatives, flavours or colours.
Dogs fed raw food diets tend to have a glossy coats, brighter eyes, and healthier skin and teeth.
Cons:
Raw food diets for dogs can be more expensive than traditional kibble or canned food diets.
Raw diets may not meet all of your pup’s nutritional needs, as they lack certain vitamins and minerals found in kibble or canned diets.
Overall, Raw food diet for dogs cost is an investment, and you can provide natural nutrition possible at an affordable cost.
3. Primal Freeze Dried Dog Food Nuggets Chicken Formula
Primal Freeze Dried Dog Food Nuggets Chicken Formula is the best food for dog owners looking for a complete and balanced raw food diet. It is packed with protein and healthy fats, and this grain-free recipe is made with humanely raised chicken. The formula also contains natural source vitamins and minerals for optimal nutrition. This formula is a convenient way to provide your pet with top-quality nutrition, and the pre-portioned nuggets make it simple to tailor their diet for optimal health and happiness.

With Primal Freeze Dried Dog Food Nuggets Chicken Formula, you can give your pup all the benefits of a raw diet in an easy and cost-effective way. This grain-free formula is made with real, high-quality ingredients for optimal nutrition and flavor, and it’s crafted in the USA for added peace of mind. Feed your pup this convenient and delicious freeze-dried raw food and provide them with the best nutrition possible.

Pros:
High-quality ingredients and humanely raised chicken with no added hormones or antibiotics
Organic produce and botanicals for additional health benefits
Grain-free formula for those who need to avoid grains
Preportioned nuggets make it easy to tailor the diet to your pet’s needs
Made in the USA for added peace of mind
Cons:
May be more expensive than other types of pet food
4. Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is the best dog food. It includes natural ingredients and also freeze-dried raw meat. A grain-free diet provides protein and healthy fats to keep your pup’s energy levels up. This formula contains probiotics and prebiotics to promote digestive health. In addition, it has added omega fatty acids, flaxseed, and salmon oil to support healthy skin and coat. It does not contain by-products, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives. Whether you have a puppy or an adult dog, this recipe will give your furry friend optimal nutrition.

Pros:
Grain-free
High-quality ingredients
Contains freeze-dried raw meat for added flavour and nutrition
Probiotics and prebiotics to promote digestive health
Made in the USA without by-products, corn, wheat, soy or artificial preservatives
Cons:
May be more expensive than other types of dog food
Can be difficult to find in stores or online, so you may need to order it directly from the manufacturer.
Overall, this raw food diet for dogs cost is affordable, and this product is also best for your dog.
5. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Raw Adult Grain-Free Dog Food
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Raw Adult Grain-Free Dog Food is a delicious food. It includes Freeze-dried raw grain-free food with added protein and carbohydrates and is an excellent source of Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids. The cost of raw food diets for dogs depends on the size and type of protein you choose. This is an affordable option for those looking for aliments your dog needs. This food is made with natural ingredients and contains no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors. Additionally, it is excellent for dogs with sensitive stomachs since it helps to reduce allergens in the diet.

Pros:
A fresh, natural, and nutritious diet for your dog.
Raw diets are generally high in protein and promote healthy digestion.
Can help reduce allergies and sensitivities to certain ingredients.
Cons:
Risk of infection from bacteria or parasites if

What Is a Raw Dog Diet?
A raw dog diet is a type of nutrition plan that includes feeding your pup fresh, uncooked ingredients such as muscle meat, organ meat, bone broth, and whole eggs. Raw diets typically eliminate grains and processed foods from the equation in favour of natural vitamins and minerals found in real food sources. The belief behind this form of nutrition centres around the idea that dogs are biologically designed to eat raw meat and other natural ingredients rather than commercially-processed foods. Raw diets have become increasingly popular over the last few years due to their ability to promote overall health, improve digestion, and reduce allergic reactions in some pets.

Raw diets also allow pet owners to control what goes into their pup’s food. By preparing meals at home, pet owners can make sure that their pup is getting all of the nutrition they need and avoid any ingredients that may be harmful to them. Additionally, raw diets are often more cost-effective than commercially available options since they require fewer additional supplements or ingredients.

Should You Feed Your Dog Raw Food?
Ultimately, the decision to feed your pup a raw food diet should be made after careful consideration and research. While raw diets can be beneficial for many pets, it’s important to ensure that you are providing them with the nutrients they need for optimal health. Additionally, some dogs may not adjust well to this kind of nutrition plan and could experience digestive issues or other adverse effects. It’s important to consult with a veterinarian before making any drastic changes to your pup’s diet.

10 Benefits of Raw food diet for dogs

1. Increased Digestibility:
The high moisture content and the lack of added fillers and preservatives in raw diets often make them easier to digest.

2. Improved Dental Health:
The chewing action required for a raw diet helps keep your pup’s teeth clean and free from plaque buildup.

3. Enhanced Nutrient Absorption:
Raw food diets are usually unprocessed and contain fewer additives and preservatives, allowing your pup to benefit from increased nutrient absorption.

4. Increased Energy:
The higher protein content in a raw diet helps keep your pup energized throughout the day.

5. Fewer Allergies:
By eliminating processed foods and fillers, you can help reduce the possibility of your pup having an allergic reaction to their food.

6. Natural Balance:
The natural balance of nutrients found in raw diets helps keep your pup healthy without the need for added supplements.

7. Better Weight Management:
Because raw diets are typically lower in carbohydrates, they can help keep your pup’s weight under control.

8. Healthier Skin And Coat:
The fatty acids found in a raw diet can help promote a healthy coat and skin for your pup.

9. Reduced Vet Costs:
By providing your pup with optimal nutrition, you can help reduce the likelihood of them having to visit the vet due to health issues.

10. More Variety:
With a raw diet, you can mix up the types of proteins your pup is eating and make mealtime more interesting for them.

10 disadvantages of Raw food diet for dogs

1. Potentially Dangerous Bacteria:
Raw diets can contain dangerous bacteria such as salmonella and e.coli, which can make your pup ill.

2. Lower Nutritional Value:
Due to the lack of processing and preservatives in raw dog food, some nutrients may not be able to be absorbed by the body due to improper cooking techniques.

Raw food diets can contain bacteria that can be harmful to your pup. It’s important to take extra precautions and practice safe food handling when preparing meals for your dog.

3. Risk Of Nutrient Deficiencies:
With raw diets, it’s important to ensure that you are providing your pup with the proper nutrients in the right amounts. If not, they may be at risk of nutrient deficiencies.

4. Time-Consuming:
Raw diets can take more time to prepare and require careful research to ensure that all nutritional needs are met.

5. Higher Cost:
Raw food diets can often be more expensive than commercially prepared dog foods.

6. Difficulty In Sourcing:
Finding the right ingredients for a raw diet can be difficult, depending on where you live.

7. Messy:
Raw diets can get quite messy and require more cleanup than other diets.

8. Intolerance To Specific Proteins:
Some pups may not be able to tolerate specific proteins in a raw diet, so it’s important to monitor your pup for any adverse reactions.

9. Difficulty Transitioning:
It can take time for pups to get used to a raw diet, and there may be issues with digestion or intolerance during the transition period.

10. Poor Palatability:
Some pups may not find raw diets as appetizing as other types of food, which can be an issue if they’re picky eaters,

Overall, a raw diet can be an excellent nutritional choice for your pup – but it comes with some risks and potential disadvantages. It’s important to research the benefits and risks associated with this type of diet before making the switch. Once you are sure that it is right for your pup, you’ll be able to enjoy the numerous benefits that a raw diet can offer.

Conclusion
A raw food diet for dogs can be an excellent nutritional choice, but it does come with some risks. It’s important to do your research and make sure you understand the potential benefits and disadvantages before making the switch. With careful planning and preparation, a raw diet can provide numerous health benefits for your pup and help them live a longer and healthier life.

[Patricia A]

Hi Aimee,
I tried sample of Small Batch after overlooking the garlic in ingredient list. Small dogs so just don’t want to take a chance. However, I do like to rotate between at least two freeze dried toppers. They did well on Primal and I trusted the company. I only use the turkey/sardine, venison and rabbit. The latter two being lean and lower in fat. I use especially when they don’t get their walks in in winter.
Now I can’t afford to transition to complete freeze dried. Have the three and maybe I’m imagining but I think they enjoy the crunch. I also have everything worked out with how much to feed when base is their kibble.
Now I’m questioning again another ingredient in their Stella n Chewy’s kibble. As far as kibble goes I felt comfortable with the brand and trusted ingredients. I also added Vital Essentials turkey to rotation with primal. They love it and no tummy trouble . So being that I feel their primary nutrition is coming from their raw didn’t worry about a little kibble with their meals.
This was my answer from Stella n chewys regarding ingredient I’m concerned about.

Good morning Pat,

“Thank you for your email. Please know that selenium is a required nutrient, and specific levels are necessary per AAFCO guidelines. I understand your concern regarding the sodium selenite, specifically. In most of our products, we have chosen to avoid selenium yeast due to the fact that yeast in any form can be a high allergy trigger for many pets. Sodium selenite, when used in appropriate amounts, is safe and widely used in the pet food industry. We’ve included it in our food minimally – just to ensure we’re reaching proper selenium levels. We are well below any dangerous limits for this ingredient.”

So wondering why Open Farm and Rawbbles use Selenium yeast if causes allergies. I use both for a treat.

What to believe and who to believe is always the questions. Wondering your opinion on this .
I think I’ve decided to just stick to this kibble and my toppers since it’s working. You really could go nuts . I think their diet is better then mine anyway. lol

[Patricia A]

Thank’s for further understanding .I agree that kibble should always have synthetic vitamins/minerals since Pet food manufacturers know their food is devoid of nutrition … so they add synthetic premixes. And pet owners know kibble isn’t as good as real food, so they add supplements.
I have to stretch my freeze dried with three dogs. Stella and Chewys is a good kibble as far kibble is goes. I even alternate that between the chicken and whitefish. Just a tiny part of their diet . It does have peas, however they add taurine. Synthetic vitamins of course again necessary in all since it is not a whole food.
Their primary nutrition comes from their divided boiled egg for breakfast. I feel safe with Primal being a good way to get their protein along with their vitamin and minerals naturally. Brand has a good track record . Happy to say I reintroduced Sophie to the Turkey/Salmon protein and good stools as of yesterday and today. So now I can add all three in rotation along with Venison which is a lean protein for dogs .
I give Bixbi rawbble chicken/salmon freeze dried treat . Going to try Vital Essentials turkey inn rotation and see how they do.
“REAL” food is also given when appropriate of course .Think I have it covered. All blood work is good and all three energetic .
You can really go crazy with so much conflicting info. The more I read the more confusing. . Vet checkups and yearly blood work always perfect and they are all energetic. They go crazy when I put their dinner down also. So time for me to stop obsessing and stick with what works.

[Patricia A]

What are symptoms that he is displaying? If it is digestive, such as diarrhea, then possibility of too much fat in diet. If skin issue then first look into irritants such as flea bites or even something as overlooked as bedding washed with scented detergent?
I never found any validation that allergy tests work . Hope link works below.

Research Update: Testing for Food Allergies

So hard to actually do elimination diet. There are so many ingredients in dog food that might cause sensitivity other then just the protein. If you take a look at the ingredient list on the average kibble you’ll see what I mean.
Possibly try a one protein food without added supplements. Freeze dried such as Vital Essentials just the protein/flavor with no extras’ I believe. Very expensive to feed however. I believe it also comes in frozen which is more cost saving. I use Primal, small batch, Bixbi Rawbbles, and at times Stella Chewys.
Just go VERY, VERY, VERY slowly with switch. Also if you look at reviews on DA you’ll see the 5* rated foods in these brands. I ONLY use the proteins DA rates in the brand with 5*’s. The ones that rate lower are too much fat to protein. This can cause loose stools and stomach upset all the way to pancreatitis in some dogs.
I use a SMALL amount of kibble as base to stretch the freeze dried. This being Stella Chewys raw coated grain free.. If you look at their f/b page there are many who had trouble with diet and most do well on this kibble.
Hope this helps. Again any change in diet much go so slowly.

[Mutts and Cats]

I have a dog who started having seizures 2 months ago and I am making changes to his diet in hopes that will help. I’ve eliminated chicken and grains. My latest concern is Rosemary. I’ve read some older posts here on that topic that were helpful, but am hoping for a recent recommendation for foods that don’t contain Rosemary. Most of the food I had been feeding contains it. Even the canned food (Nature’s Logic) and the freeze dried (Primal) contain Rosemary. I am now feeding a combination of canned, raw frozen, freeze-dried, and dry. I have found other brands of canned and freeze dried that don’t contain Rosemary, but I can not find a dry food. Any suggestions?
Also, if anyone has had other revelations on foods/additives that might trigger seizures I would be very interested in hearing about them.

[Caroline A]

I have been feeding my dog Primal Dehydrated Raw Beef nuggets for over 5 years. However, I notice that your rating has changed from 4.5 to 2. Why was this changed or is it an error? The company said it was the same formula. Please advise as I depend upon your ratings.
Thank you very much.

[Patricia A]

Thank you for bringing this discrepancy to light regarding reviews rated by DFA. I have been using DFA ratings as a starting point to make choices on diets for my dogs. I do my best to incorporate variety as tolerated as well as home cooked. My choices are based on his 5* reviews in a brand as well as various proteins.
That being said, I’m trusting that my food of choice being Stella Chewy’s grain free raw coated kibble (small amount to stretch cost of freeze dried), Primal freeze dried, Stella’s freeze dried and Bixbi Rawbble freeze dried are some of the better brands. As stated I only use the 5* ratings in the protein selection . I believe the lower ratings in the same brand but different flavor/protein are due to higher fat to protein ratio. Was thinking of adding Vital Essentials slowly also.
Just curious of your opinion on these brands. Do you see these brands as being rated correctly regarding nutrition and quality of ingredients. I visit site every so often to see if any new reviews have been added or a change of ratings for what I’m feeding now. Sometimes DFA’s ratings go lower from possibly a change of recipe but not sure.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

I looked at the Glandex reviews. I always start with the negative ones. So some dogs had adverse reactions to the supplement. But doesn’t hurt to try.
I find there is sometimes no rhyme or reason to why some of my dogs over the years had the scooting and others never had to have the expression of the glands.
Had a Doxie when kids were little and probably not on the best diet with all the table scraps and not knowing back then about kibble quality etc. But he never had soft stool, or anal problems. Lived a long life of over 17 for our Pookie. Had Chloe our first Chihuahua and even though stool was never loose, had the scooting and always needed expression.
My mom came to live with us and hence we also have added to our already two Chihuahuas’. I know my mom was giving her table scraps and even found her dog bowl filled with Pepperidge Farm gold fish due to start of dementia.
So now living with us, she has lost a few needed pounds and on and loose stool has totally stopped with diet I give our other two. So living with my mom she was getting too much fat in diet which also causes my two to have Diarrhea.
I feed a combination of freeze dried in Primal and Stella Chewy’s. Their treat is one Bixbi Rawbble nugget. They get a little Stella Chewy’s Raw coated chicken kibble to stretch the freeze dried since now it’s getting expensive with having three.
I always go by the DFA reviews and only get the 5* proteins because I believe less fat.
Treats are high fiber raw baby carrots and string beans being canned low salt or raw.
I went REALLY, REALLY, REALLY slow when introducing these different brands and proteins. This way I can tell which doesn’t agree and also it takes a few days for digestion to get used to. Maybe stick switch SLOWLY with a few Stella’s kibble. See how she does. Then if want and all good add a little freeze dried in one brand and protein. Stella’s also comes with the freeze dried in the kibble.
Hope this helps her but sometimes it isn’t even the diet .

[Paola P]

Hi there,
My 3 yr old shih tzu has alt at 253 she is on primal raw and homecooked
I am thinking it is her diet and perhaps missing a few supplements so taking her off home cooked and goi g with primal raw mornings and big country raw evenings increasing thrive herring oil as well as adding milk thinsle zinc and eliminating red meat so only duck rabbit fish and turkey
Is this ok do you think?

[Patricia A]

My elderly mom has recently moved into our home after my dad passed. I have two Chihuahuas’ and now three with her Chihuahua Sophie. We lived close by and I would be going over to walk her dog and with meals before moving in. Her dog came to use overweight, however refused to eat from bowl. She would stand at table and bark and scratch leg for our food. Then I would see my mom feeding her from her plate. Having the start of dementia she did not remember request to PLEASE do not feed from plate because she is not eating her dog food from bowl because so used to being fed all day .
My two get a little hard boiled egg in morning. Dinner is various brands of freeze dried in different proteins/flavors they got introduced to SLOWLY. This being primal, Stella Chewy’s and Bixbi Rawbble and Open Farm for a snack of one or two little round nugget. Also just introduced Small Batch Beef which they love. Always moistened with a little warm water and a little Stella Chewy’s Grain free Chicken kibble on top. In between they get boiled chicken , string beans, carrots. Boiled salmon or if they are lucky some lean steak when we have.
Well I made SURE to watch my mom carefully not to give dog her scrambled egg , toast, pizza etc. from her plate. If she didn’t want her very tasty and nutritional I give to my two then I would take away bowl. After doing this for a few days she now got out of the habit of thinking she rather eat my moms food and now eats her own and enjoys it. Her stools are better and she is losing weight from all constant feeding she was getting all day from her.
So please NO in-between from your husband. Stick to what you were giving her if her stools are good and no stomach upset. She will start to enjoy her meals if knows holding out for bits of husbands dinner. As I wrote, same exact scenario with Sophie and problem solved if you stick to it. Introduce slowly if you give other flavors of freeze dried also. They all LOVE Primal Turkey/Sardine by the way .
Hope this helps.

[malinda r]

Hi, I have a dog with sensitive stomach, 40lb, 8 years old. He’s had the issues since I got him at 2 years old but he’s greatly improved with some trial and error.
I don’t think he’s vomited in 2 years which is incredible compared to the first year I had him!

We feed Carna4 chicken for kibble, it’s baked rather than extruded, made in Canada. In the am we give Stella & Chewys raw dehydrated patties with a little kibble, in the evening we give health extension canned turkey with kibble. Although lately the canned has changed formula, not so great.
But anyway I would suggest using some freeze dried raw with the kibble, it’s rehydrated with a little water.
We feed cooked ground turkey anytime he has loose stools, and lay off the kibble. That seems to have solve some of his issues.
Some days we feed primal raw frozen nuggets, or Evermore frozen lightly cooked, delivery service dog food.
It’s funny because it’s well known that you shouldn’t just throw a new food at a dog, because that alone could make the dog sick. But there are some high quality foods that we feed once or twice a week and there’s no adjustment period.
We limit water and high energy play for 30 minutes after eating, I started realizing my dog wasn’t digesting his food well, based on vomit and diarrhea I’d see when he was sick. So I try to let his stomach do it’s work without the added stress of play or excessive water. ( my dogs an ocd water drinker!)

[Patricia A]

Clair have you looked into Freeze dried food. Many brands with single proteins. Also no need to look for grain in food if enough meat protein and nutritional ingredients are in the food naturally. Freeze dried is rehydrated to a soft consistently with warm water. Just look on top of DFA “BEST DOG FOOD” and select raw. I always stick to 5* reviews. Primal, Stella Chewy, Small batch, Bixbi Rawbbles, Open Farm are to name a few. Just go SLOWLY when transitioning. VERY Slowly. Good luck hope this helps. Also forgot to say most use HPP process as a kill process to kill bacteria in food. Still keeps the nutrients in food unlike kibble or canned..

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

Jude with the 19 year old I could relate not eating. My 17 year old Chihuahua who was put to rest had Mitral Valve disease . Was active and fine the year before and enjoyed her food. This being only Uhh Fromm kibble. My journey of her not eating that anymore led me to several different canned food. No luck with that either for her. I started to cook everything for her. One day she would eat boiled chicken and the next not. Shredded steak then would walk away. I was virtually at her all day just getting some nutrition in her. Oatmeal, eggs, salmon etc. Also would have to hide her heart pill in food. She would taste pill and spit out. Got to the point I thought I found the trick with a ltttle ice cream with pill smashed up in it. That didn’t last either. So many reasons I’m sure your 19 year old is not eating as she did.
My journey with Hannah opened my mind to nutrition for my other two dogs. That led me to freeze dried. Wasn’t ready to give up kibble so switched to Stella chewy’s which I trust to be very good for a kibble. But researched the best freeze dried along with a small portion of kibble and also home cooked.
With your 3 year old what was she eating before you fed fresh frozen? Maybe just not appealing to her. Does she even try to taste it and then turn away. If she doesn’t even do that then leave out a bit and refrigerate and try again later. If healthy she’ll eat eventually.
I feed my 11 year old Chihuahua ( she lover all food) and my 5 year old freeze dried. Doesn’t break the bank since they are small. Also home cooked that we eat when appropriate. They always get pieces of boiled egg in morning for breakfast. I also stretch the freeze dried with Stella chewys raw coated chicken kibble grain free. Most picky dogs LOVE their food. So I rated with Primal freeze dried. Only 5* ratings for the lower fat. Also Stella chewys freeze dried patties 5* proteins/flavor also. They also love Bixbi Rawwble and Open farm freeze dried. I give this as treats.
So all of these were introduced VERY, VERY, VERY slowly. They both gobble up their freeze dried soaked in a little warm water to hydrate and a little Stella’s kibble.
My trick with my pickle 5 year old was to put down and take away. She knew I meant business and ate her much better quality food then just kibble. Now she drools before I put bowl down.As I said kibble is a VERY small portion of their diet but they just love the Stella’s so I still give a little mixed in. I like variety. All healthy blood work also. Hope this helps.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

BellaBea if you require a food that is limited ingredients and grain free dry there are many. One example is Open Farm. Here is a link which lets you look at chart to pick one for your dogs needs. I believe their Salmon is grain free/chicken free. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/2509/6305/files/highlights-premium-nutrition-dietary-sensitivities-chart.pdf?152945
I also suggest Stella Chewy’s grain free limited ingredients or Natures Logic. You also can’t go wrong with store brought raw or freeze dried for convenience. You pick the protein and contains no peas or extra fillers or grains. To name a few there’s Primal, Open Farm, Vital Essentials, Small Batch, Bixbi Rawwbles. All 5* reviews. Just make sure ANY new food is introduced VERY, VERY, VERY slowly.

[Patricia A]

. I feed Primal Freeze dried. Believe more expensive then the raw however I have Chihuahuas’ so doesn’t break the bank. I also add at times some kibble. That being Stella Chewy’s with freeze dried pieces. The kibble is a VERY small part of their diet. My two are also fed boiled chicken, salmon, lean steak, watermelon, string beans, carrots, pieces of apple, plain yogur etc. and 1/4 of a hard boiled egg for breakfast.
You can try the Primal freeze dried in the different flavors/proteins. Mine does well with the duck, chicken, rabbit, and they LOVE the turkey/Sardine. The DFA rates all these proteins 5*. I use Stella chewys also in freeze dried being chicken, venison blend. Just needs to be hydrated with some warm water .
So sounds like you have a good plan to me Maria. Just go slow with introduction so he’s used to it by the time it’s necessary to feed.

[Maria P]

Hello. Just got a 7-8 month mixed large breed rescue. (They think German Shepherd/Labrador/who knows what else). I just purchased the Primal Raw frozen patties to start him on healthier food. I’m concerned about what we will do when we need to travel or if we want to take a road trip with him or something. I was considering alternating with a freeze-dried food so he gets used to both in case we need to board him or something one day. What is everyone’s opinion? Is it okay to alternate a few times a week between commercial raw, freeze-dried and throw in some cooked chicken or homemade turkey meatballs for snacks sometimes? Thank you!

[YorkiLover4]

Watching our dog have a seizure is one of the most traumatic things I have ever experienced. It’s very hard for anyone who has never seen a seizure to understand. Those few seconds–seem like a lifetime and you just never know if they are going to come out of it. Our pup was doing ok for awhile but then started having the seizures more frequently. We found a holistic veterinarian nearby. Surprising, but he told us that food allergies and stress can be a big trigger. Riley always had allergies and ear infections so we worked with our vet to change his diet. He is on Primal raw venison and we use a variety of freeze-dried treats such as Stella and Chewy’s and Vital Essentials. We also give Riley CBD oil, fish oil and digestive enzymes along with Keppra. He has not had a seizure in over a year. I found the information on this website helpful https://www.askariel.com/holistic-canine-epilepsy-treatment-s/1833.htm and use their Happy Paws Hemp oil and Amazing Omegas. Hope this helps someone with their dog. Seizures are so tough but we did find help for our Riley.

[Patricia A]

John I have Chihuahuas. Freeze Dried is kind of expensive to feed even with them being small. So I supplement with the kibble and give less of the freeze dried to make up their calorie/nutritional needs. Also as I posted they get home cooked as a topper to a little kibble. This being boiled white meat chicken, boiled salmon, string beans(low salt), carrots, watermelon, sweet potatoes, lean steak, boiled 1/8 of hard boiled egg in morning. This is easily done since it’s just what we’re having for dinner that day.
So there are many freeze dried brands. I stick to Primal and Stella Chewy’s. Bixbi Rawbbles freeze dried are given for treats and Open Farm freeze dried. I hear Dogs for the Earth is a very good brand also and Vital Essentials(believe this one follows a prey model with no added vitamins. Just what’s in the food for nutrition. )
I got them VERY, VERY, VERY slowly used to Primal in different proteins/flavors. I use the lower fat ones which I believe is the ones DFA rated as 5*’s. So Rabbit, Turkey/Salmon, Duck.
Stella Chewy’s I feed their Venison Blend,.
I just mix it up everyday. Never had a problem with their digestion and all blood work great. They LOVE the food.
I use Open Farm grain free and switch between with Stella Chewy’s raw coated chicken kibble. Just a little again to stretch the freeze dried .
If you have a larger breed dog it would be more cost saving to get the same in the raw. Most go through HPP process to get rid of salmonella/bacteria. True raw advocates don’t like this step but it’s fine with me. https://primalpetfoods.com/pages/canine-balanced-bases https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

leamlass I’m not sure how big a dog you have since freezer dried is somewhat expensive. I have Chihuahuas’ so it doesn’t break the bank. However, I stretch the freeze dried by giving small amounts of kibble to make up for the caloric requirements. Other times I will give small amount of kibble with home cooked. That being boiled white meat chicken, boiled egg in morning some lean steak, lean very low chop meat (90% fat free), boiled salmon, string beans, carrots, watermelon etc. These all agree with my dogs in small quantities and really are real food that they should be eating.
So I got my two SLOWLY used to different brands and different proteins. Again VERY SLOWLY one at a time for a few weeks . They lick their bowls.
These are the brands that they do well with and are in supply at my local Pet Supply store. I stick with the ones the DFA advisor gives the 5* . They are a little lower in fat. They are all freeze dried. However the frozen would be more cost saving..
PRIMAL Turkey/Sardine, Rabbit, Duck
Stella Chewy’s Chicken(I give home cooked so don’t use too much), Rabbit, Venison Blend
I also give freeze dried treats in Bixbi and Open Farm treats freeze dried.
I alternate with Stella Chewy’s raw coated kibble and Open Farm grain free kibble.
Always looking for freeze dried to add to my rotation but mine do very well with good checkups and no tummy upset with these brands. Hope this helps.

[aimee]

Hi Patricia,

If you asking if the star ratings can be relied upon to pick a lower fat product I’d have to say they can be used as a starting point but always do your own evaluation. This is no fault of the site it is factor of how manufacturers report their numbers AND the formula may have been changed since the last review or information may not transfer across line like you think it would

Looking at Primal’s website today, they report their Turkey and Sardine raw frozen recipe to have a G.A. of min protein of 16% and min fat as 17% for both the pronto and and patties forms. But the nugget analysis reports min 16% protein and min 7 % fat. Which is it?? I think the 17 may be a typo because when using 17 the GA is over 100%. but I don’t know for sure where the error is. Is it a low fat diet or a high fat diet? I cant tell from the website. Maybe the product label would have the correct information I do find it disconcerting that the manufacturer hasn’t noted and corrected, a red flag for me.

Looking at the ratio of reported protein and fat give you an idea I like to see at least twice a much protein as fat for my dogs and closer to three Personally, I don’t want more than about 33% of calories from fat for my crew and even the 5 star raw often are far above that.

You can also compare calorie counts on a weight basis ( kcals/kg) as the higher fat products will have higher calories . And you can go to balance it dot com and under their help section is a tool called guaranteed analysis converter. You put in the information and it tells you what percent of calories come from fat But like this site, anything unaccounted for will be considered carb when it may actually be fat Getting a typical analysis from manufacturer is best.

[aimee]

Hi Madison,
I’ve fed a mix of kibble moist and home cooked. For the kibble I’ve use primarily Purina Pro Plan and Royal Canin and I used California Natural when that brand was around, Iams, Eukaneuba. For moist I’ve used various Purina products , Rpyal Canin therapeutic some Wellness, some Hill’s products some Iams/Eukaneuba

I’ve used Primal venison “raw” as a topper but always cooked it first

The home cooked is primarily a topper, unbalanced mix of basically leftovers lean meats and veggies that I puree together But I will also cook a complete and balanced recipe and use that instead of the moist component of their diet.

I’m not a fan of raw because I don’t see any real benefit to feeding a raw diet vs the same diet cooked and I do see risk of bacterial infection. I do think there can be greater digestibility of some components of a raw diets over the same diet cooked but I think in most cases the overall effect is minimal and not of significance to me.

In regards to commercial raw I’ve been very disappointed in the companies whom I’ve contacted in that I felt they had little nutritional knowledge, When fact checking their marketing material I found numerous errors and if I could get them to send me a typical analysis I found profound nutrient deficiencies in some products when compared to AAFCO or NRC recommendations. The one raw company I found to be an exception to the above concerns was Nature’s Variety.

Finally, most commercial raw diets have a higher percentage of calories coming from fat than I’m comfortable feeding. So when I’ve use a raw product I us only as a small portion of the overall diet and I always cook it first.

[Patricia A]

You’re welcome Madison.
Aimee you’re so knowledgable with understanding the ratio breakdowns. I wish companies would make it easier and give real amount and not min/max. I get a little ptsd with even looking at a label. I went to Catholic school in the 60’s and if you didn’t get your math right you’d get the dreaded “paddle”. lol
Is my understanding of the star ratings correct. Being that if I pick the Primal Freeze dried in a protein/flavor rated 5* it would be higher in protein then fat? When I fed the lower stars (2.5) they always got lose stool. So it made sense to me. The DFA also clarifies at the bottom of his breakdown/reviews for the brand as a whole.
So, yes I see that some of the freeze dried in Primal are lower star ratings. Hence the review of above fats . However, the ones with the 5* are lower? Uhhh..hope I’m making sense with this probably senseless question. They are doing well on the food but I like to rotate brands somewhat and want to know if I come across in the future I will know if I’m picking one with more meat then fat.
Below is the overall review for Primal Freeze Dried. Thank’s Aimee for helping me.

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to other raw dog foods.

Even when you consider the mild protein-boosting effect of the alfalfa, this looks like the profile of a raw dog food containing an abundance of meat.

However, with 64% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 33% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for every animal.
Bottom line?
Primal Freeze-Dried Formula is a grain-free raw dog food using an generous of named meats and organs as its main source of animal protein, thus receiving 5 stars.
Enthusiastically recommended.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

Madison I have dogs’ which have digestive problems with higher fat in their diet. I came to that conclusion because whenever I fed certain home cooked food as a kibble topper they would have loose stools. That being dark meat chicken vs boiled white meat, ground beef that wasn’t 90% fat free, fatty pieces of steak vs very lean(when they got lucky lol). They have no trouble with plain, boiled salmon.
So, that being said I hope I can make some suggestions of a starting point in switching to raw and then you can see how she does with each of these brands.
I got used to my dogs’ with one brand/protein VERY, VERY, VERY slowly. Then when i knew that they were digestively good with the brand/protein I would switch the protein also very slowly. Just giving them bits mixed in with the other protein. Eventually, I also would change brands and did the same. I just feel better not sticking always to one brand, but that’s me.
I used a starting point by looking at the raw food reviews on DFA. This led me to Primal, Stella Chewy’s, I have Chihuahuas’. This allowed me to use freeze dried. However, for a larger dog as yours, I believe the frozen raw would be most cost efficient. Freeze Dried should be the same as raw nutritionally once hydrated.
I always only feed his 5* reviews in the protein/flavor of that brand. I believe he rates by protein to fat ratio. So the 5* ones are lower in fat. So I stick to Primal’s turkey/sardine, venison, pork, duck. All of these proteins/flavors are non HPP (HIGH-PRESSURE PROCESSING (HPP)
High-Pressure Processing, or HPP, is an FDA- and USDA-approved cold water pressure process that allows us to target salmonella and other food-borne pathogens—without cooking.) Some raw feeders do not like the HPP process claiming it effects nutritional values. However other studies show he use of High Pressure Processing (known as HPP) is becoming increasingly common with commercial raw dog foods. However, HPP can be a controversial process. Some view it as an effective way to eliminate disease-causing bacteria while having only minimal effect on the integrity of the finished product.)
I believe Stella’s uses HPP in all their products. With their food I use chicken, venison bland and their rabbit.
Their are many other companies which are rated highly on this site. I believe VITAL ESSENTIALS is the brand which Is as a whole below in fat . If you go to the reviews on DFA they are all listed as a 5*. Many different flavors also. They are also low in calories . Their company goes by the prey model which is no veggies/fruits which are sometimes added to other brands. vital essentials example (ngredients: Beef, beef tripe, beef lung, ground beef bone, beef liver, beef heart, beef kidney, beef blood, beef fat, herring oil, d-alpha tocopherol)
I also want to suggest possibly kibble with salmon. Pancreatic digestive enzyme supplements have been reported to help some dogs with pancreatitis while fish body oils (such as salmon oil or EPA oil but not cod liver oil), can help to lower blood lipid levels which may reduce the workload on the pancreas.
I believe your dog does not suffer from pancreatitis but just occasional IBS? So I hope she does well with any of these . Just go slowly. So much confusion with all those brands. Hope I gave you a good starting point and she does well with these suggestions.

[Kanna S]

I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for my 10 year old French bulldogs nutrition. She has been a raw fed dog for the majority of her life. She has had high hemoglobin and hematocrit for a long time but it has recently been high enough for a diagnosis of polycythemia. She eats primal raw duck. Does anyone know of a modification of her diet that could help with the polycythemia? Thanks in advance.

[Patricia A]

T B she might do well with freeze dried. I use Primal and Stella Chewy’s for my two Chihuahuas’ However, there are many other brands related on this site you can try also. . You can break up the nuggets/disc to the size she can eat and then hydrate a little. The consistency will be soft but not mushy at all. You can break up as big or small as you like. Easy to feed and they go crazy for the taste and they get 5* reviews on DFA . Here’s the site for Primal. They also have raw called Pronto which you just take straight from freeze, put in bowl and it’s ready to eat in five minutes or so without water. https://primalpetfoods.com/pages/canine-choose-your-primal
They are not sold at supermarkets or petsmart/ petcos’ . You can order online or if you have a pet supply store in your area.
Hope this helps.

[Patricia A]

Hi Rachelle,
So sorry you poor Walden are gong through all of this and not finding answers and a solution when trying so hard for him to get relief.
First off I’m curious if you got a very definitive diagnosis of HGE when all this started? A telltale sign is stool which contains blood and mucous but is very raspberry jam like. Also when you got him off all dog kibble did you give ONLY the white meat of boiled chicken with the rice, I’m saying this because my dogs are fine with some boiled white meat but have diarrhea with the dark meat. I imagine higher fat in dark meat
. If Walden truly again has what you describe as spots of blood in stool again then don’t believe the Science Diet ZD is not doing any good since (In some animals, dietary proteins can trigger an abnormal immune response. Hydrolysis uses water to chemically break proteins into pieces that are so small that the immune system no longer reacts to them. Veterinarians typically prescribe hydrolyzed protein dog foods to treat two diseases: food allergy and inflammatory bowel disease.) However, I’m thinking that stomach irritation usually comes with the diarrhea and you stated that her stools are fine as of now but just the drops of blood. So maybe bringing a stool sample to your vet would be helpful?
If a dog doesn’t have enough fiber this could cause strain and hence anal gland problems causing the drops of blood..
Originally Walden was regurgitating . I know at least in my two dogs this was from an empty stomach . So many small meals a day would be helpful once you find the best food for him.
I don’t want to sound like a commercial for a dog food. My one Chihuahua is sensitive to fat and will have diarrhea when I home cooked at times. So if I give a little steak, salmon or even low fat hamburger two days in a row she will have very loose stool. I found a food that they both tolerate which is Stella Chewy’s raw coated grain free chicken. A lot of people on their f/b page have had dogs with stomach issues and they said since feeding and they do very well with this kibble. I also give freeze dried topper in Primal but only give the 5* rating proteins since they are low in fat.
Remember too give VERY, VERY, VERY slowly if you do decide to try a different diet again if he’s not doing well again on the Science Diet food.
Hope Walden gets all better.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

Stephenie first off so very sorry you’re going through this. Nothing worse then stress from seeing your pup is getting no relief after trying all these different foods. First I know my dogs ALWAYS had diarrhea when switching foods. So it’s possible your switching between too many too fast. It takes at times many weeks of a VERY, VERY slow introduction of a few kibble at a time. I use Open Farm for my two small dogs but just for treats because of the cost. I stay away from too much fat in food for my two. Even when I give home cooked if they have a little steak two days in a row it’s diarrhea time. Same with boiled salmon or even lean chop meat.My dogs are doing great on Stella and Chewy’s . If you go to their f/b page you’ll see all the posts from pet owners writing their dogs are doing very well on their food after having stomach upsets with other brands they tried. I use their RAW Coated chicken grain free. But they have limited ingredients and grain inclusive also. Just go VERY SLOWLY went introducing. I also got my two slowly used to Primal freeze dried as topper.. I only use the LOW in fat proteins such as turkey/sardine, rabbit, and occasionaly duck which they love. Stella’s also has freeze dried toppers. Here is their website . Stella’s has samples you can get in a pet supply store. I hope this helps. https://www.facebook.com/stellaandchewys/ https://www.stellaandchewys.com

[Patricia A]

Kris did your vet have any concern regarding this…Orange Dog Poop
It could indicate a liver issue or biliary disease, or it could just mean that your dog’s food moved too quickly through the GI tract to pick up the bile. Bile is what changes poop to the normal brown color we expect. If your dog has orange diarrhea, contact your vet.
I have two chihuahuas’. One never has a problem with stomach issues. My other is sensitive to feeding certain foods which results in diarrhea or vomiting. I have been feeding both Freeze dried Primal and Stella Chewy’s raw coated kibble in chicken with no stomach issues ever. I see a lot of people on the Stella’s site who’s dog had various problems with other food but do very well with Stella’s. If diet is what is causing the diarrhea then maybe get a sample of Stella’s kibble and introduce VERY slowly. You can read here on their f/b page all the positive comments. https://www.facebook.com/stellaandchewys/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 9 months ago by Patricia A.

[Marisa J]

Hi! I work in a pet store and feed a raw diet for my dogs. I would try switching up brands of where you get the raw. Do you buy it from the grocery store or a pet store or hunt for it? Try switching up brands! If your puppy still wont eat the raw try adding bone broths on top. I really like the frozen bone broth from Primal! I’ve had some customers relate it to “crack” for their dogs.

[Teagsmom]

So sorry, I forgot to post back. We switched to a LID duck diet and her enzymes went back down to normal. I feed primal duck in evening and Go! Duck sensitivities mixed with vital essentials raw duck nibs. MY vet said it was a food intolerance. Unfortunately we need to switch AGAIN bc my vet wants her off any food with peas, legumes etc due to DCM. I can’t find a food without those ingredients. Primal would cost $80 month which is too much. FYI my dog is approx 12-13 yr old Chi mix. She’s a rescue so age is a guesstimate.

[Teagsmom]

My dog has a food intolerance which caused her liver enzymes to go up. Once we switched to a duck LID they went back down to normal. I have been feeding her Go! Duck kibble mixed with Zignature duck and vital essentials duck nibs in the morning and Primal freeze dried duck in the evening. We just saw our vet for her annual exam and she wants us to switch to a food free of legumes, peas etc due to DCM. I can’t afford to spend $80 a month feeding raw. I also am finding it impossible to find a LID food that doesn’t have any of the ingredients listed above. I can switch to another rare protein but my dog has been doing great on her duck food. Any suggestions? Thank you.

[Patricia A]

I’m going to email DFA and ask for explanation on his criteria for the * ratings on this brand. A few months ago his rating for their freeze dried turkey was 5* but the raw was 2.5* I believe. I asked why and they corrected the freeze dried to the lower rating. I’ll post when they answer. I also use primal freeze dried. I notice the calories with the same protein is much lower then the Stella’s so I think lower in fat? I alternate since my one Chihuahua tends to get chubby with the Stella’s.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 10 months ago by Patricia A.

[Kathy M]

I’d love to know how your chi is doing and what food you ended up using. My chi (NM) 10#, 10 yrs. old is already on 6.25 Lasix and 1.25 Vetmedin twice a day. I’ve ordered Dr. Becker’s Heart Bites and Young at Heart supplement and Mercola’s Meal Mixer (which according to customer service rep has no sodium) to start making his food. Right now I’m feeding Primal frozen chicken and adding fresh chicken breasts boiled, fresh boiled sweet potato, Fresh zucchini and spinach with ArthriEase Gold to help with arthritis and it increases his appetite. Never been picky eater until Lasix administered at ER vet.
Just hoping to share with someone looking for low sodium frozen raw. I do know that fresh chicken breasts are naturally lower in sodium than other meat. Maybe that’s why chicken is the lowest sodium frozen meat patty Stella and chewy offer. [email protected]

[Nadia K]

Hi Patricia. Yes I am now feeding raw frozen patties and my pup Lacey loves them. I did a lot of research and came across a site by Susan Thixton. https://truthaboutpetfood.com/

She puts a list out every year of pet foods she recommends. After reading the reviews and researching the companies, I went with Raw Bistro. https://rawbistro.com/collections/raw-food

Dog Food Advisor review: /dog-food-reviews/raw-bistro-dog-food/

This is a small business in Minnesota. Their food is also recommended by Dr Becker who’s opinion I value. I bought it directly on their website. They shipped it very quickly in a foam cooler with dry ice.

I started Lacey on their turkey patties and transitioned her very slowly over about two weeks. She had no upsets from the food whatsoever. Perfect poop every time. Right before the transition she was eating the Primal freeze dried turkey/ sardine. I would put the Primal on one side of her bowl and the Raw Bistro on the other side. I would intentionally turn the bowl in different directions and she would always eat the Raw Bistro first. She likes the Primal but much prefers the Raw Bistro.

The only down side to the raw frozen patties is that you have to remember to take out the patties the night before so they have a chance to thaw in the refrigerator. We actually just bought a new standing freezer which is wonderful. No more bending over and looking for stuff that has fallen underneath and gotten lost. Raw Bistro does a dehydrated raw as well so I did purchase a bag in the event I forget to get the patties out of the freezer.

[Patricia A]

Nadia are you now using raw frozen food? I know I remember you wrote that you were using freeze dried I believe. Which brand/brands are you feeding? I am giving more primal proteins now then the Stella’s. Primal doesn’t have synthetic vitamins as stella’s does. I also want to try Vital Essentials . My pet supply doesn’t carry this brand so would have to order.
Right now I stick to Primal duck and turkey and sardine. I want to switch up the proteins in Primal to the ones which have no HPP. I know all of Stella’s proteins use HPP and I believe vital essentials also. Not totally against this step since I still think freeze dried using HPP in these brands is better then kibble or canned any day.
I’m quilty of trying to stretch the freeze dried by using kibble at times as a base since I have two. I’m thinking of switching up again frtom Stella & Chewy’s baked raw coated to slowly introducing Natures Logic Distinction. I’m liking that they use no synthetic vitamins, and No corn, wheat, rice, soy, peas, tapioca, or potato with no artificial flavor, color or chemical preservatives.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 12 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 12 months ago by Patricia A.

[Nadia K]

I second trying freeze dried food. My pup didn’t like kibble either, even after trying various brands. When I changed her over to the Stella & Chewy freeze dried patties everything changed. She would not only eat everything in the bowl but would come back several times just to lick the bowl. She loves the Primal freeze dried as well as I have rotated the two brands. I am now getting ready to change her over to a raw frozen diet which I am sure she will love even more.

[pugmomsandy]

Adding a freeze dried raw food mixer (one with ground bone) might help the poop to get solid (more pieces than you would get in a Raw Boost recipe). NV freeze dried bites, Primal nuggets, Stella & Chewy’s, K9 Natural, Vital Essentials, etc. I feed everything and raw with bone always makes the poop firm. A large bag of K9 Natural has lasted 8 weeks or more just using it as a mixer.

[Patricia A]

I believe that the consensus is out that feeding kibble for dogs whole life is not the best nutrition for them. Don’t believe the true cause as of yet has been found regarding DCM and grain diets. Many companies add a ton of legumes in their food displacing animal protein. When the dog was switched to a food that was high in meat(animal protein) their hearts returned to normal in some cases.
Then you have grain inclusive. A starch is always needed in kibble to hold it together.
This is a quote from a site I frequent. “On the other hand, some plant material such as rice, soybean meal and corn have some, although limited, usefulness in the meat eater’s diet. Corn, wheat, soy, rice and barley are not bad or harmful to dogs and cats. These plant sources are simply not good choices (we do get to choose what we feed our pets, don’t we?) for the foundation of a diet to optimally nourish animals what are, have been, and for the foreseeable future will be meat eaters.”

Best if you feed kibble get your pet SLOWLY used to several brands and proteins and rotate every few bags. Even between grain and grain free. There are many toppers you can add such as freeze dried in various brands. I use Primal, Stella’ , Bixbi rawbbles . Frozen raw is less costly in these same brands. Also, use toppers of home cooked when appropriate. Boiled chicken, string beans, fish, steak etc. when your also eating this.
I don’t believe you can go wrong with a variety of foods that agrees with your dog.

[Nadia K]

My bichon currently eats kibble in the morning and Stella and Chewy freeze dried raw patties in the evening. She absolutely loves the Stella patties and not so keen on the kibble. I would like to transition her to all raw. Being that freeze dried food is so expensive, I am going to try frozen raw as it is a little better priced.
For those of you that currently feed or have in the past, which frozen raw do you like the best? Did your dog do particularly well with a certain brand? There are so many brands that it is hard to choose even after reading numerous reviews. Besides Stella and Chewy my local pet shop carries Primal, Answers, Tuckers, Small Batch, Instinct and a few others I believe. Thanks for your help.

[Patricia A]

I got the same response Nadia. I think I’ll lean toward Primal in the same proteins . Just give the venison blend and rabbit. Maybe even try those in the Primal since it is lower calories. I researched Vital Essentials which got all 5 stars except the turkey and chicken NIBBLETS. Going to slowly introduce that as a rotation.
I’m just so used to giving just a little kibble with their freeze dried. it also stretches the expensive freeze dried since I’m feeding the two. I’ve been giving Stella’s raw coated grain free. But I advisor lowed rating due to all the legumes raising protein level. So last bag I rotated with the Ancient grains recipe. I emailed advisor for a future review of their grain inclusive. No response but now from response we both received I’m thinking he’s not going to review or rate them anymore??? I mean I at least use his reviews as a starting point of what to feed. So I’m afraid that the grain inclusive might be like a 2.5 if he did review it.
I’m looking into rotating with Natures logic kibble as a base also. I’ just feel better just rating the kibble even though they get just a few a day with their freeze dried or home cooked. You know sometimes I spend a few hours researching food and I go in a circle. I really think at lease for kibble it’s like trying to fit a round peg in a square hole. Don’t think any are really good to feed solely.

[Patricia A]

Not sure about kibble but I know raw or freeze dried Primal is all life stages. Their website lets you put in quick info and calculates approx. how many nuggets to feed for puppy of a certain age. https://primalpetfoods.com/pages/feeding-calculator
PUPPIES

In the wild, when puppies reach 4-5 weeks of age, the mother dog will naturally begin to regurgitate some of her raw foods for her puppies to consume. Thus, when domestically reared puppies reach approximately 4-5 weeks of age, you can begin introducing them to Primal Canine Formulas. Puppies should be fed one to two small (1-2 teaspoons) raw-food meals daily in conjunction with either the milk they consume from nursing and/or other foods you may be supplementing. Puppies should always be fed from separate bowls, as competitive feeding can promote overeating and indigestion. Gradually increase the quantity of Primal Canine Formulas foods every 2-3 days until 8 weeks of age, when the puppies are consuming two tablespoons of Primal Canine Formulas twice daily. At this point (8 weeks), the puppies should be fully weaned and can be fed a diet solely of Primal Canine Formulas and raw meaty bones. Puppies 8 weeks of age and older should be fed approximately 4-8% of their body weight daily in Primal Canine Formulas. Factors such as breed, overall health and level of activity play a part in the necessary feeding quantities of all puppies. Please be sure to monitor your puppy’s dietary needs and adjust the feeding quantities accordingly.

[Patricia A]

Mona the only difference in the puppy Stella’s freeze dried is the size which has smaller patties. So the feeding guideline on back of bag is suggestive amounts of patties to feed for poundage of puppy. I accidentally purchased the puppy bag of freeze dried once. I called and asked if it would be okay to feed my adult dog and they assured me that the ingredients are the same as in adult formulas. Just smaller so I would have to give more for the calories she needed. Hope this helps. I also got mine used to Primal freeze dried which they also do very well with. hope this helps.

I also want to add that ALL I believe of Stella’s Chewy’s freeze dried is Hpp processed. Companies that make raw food for pets primarily use two methods to insure the safety of their products. … Raw pet food maker Stella & Chewy’s uses both high pressure pasteurization (HPP) and UV technology to deliver a pathogen-free finished product. The company has patented their system.
Primal freeze dired also uses hpp in some of their flavors. I stick to the turkey/sardine and duck.Primal will be implementing High-Pressure Processing (HPP) into our product line beginning the week of June 6th, 2011 for poultry products only. Poultry products utilizing HPP will be designated by a code date of 070812 or later. Red meat products will not be utilizing HPP. Below is a complete list of products utilizing HPP, as well as non-HPP products.
HPP Products
Canine Formulas: Chicken, Duck, Pheasant, Quail, Turkey & Sardine
Feline Formulas: Chicken & Salmon, Duck, Pheasant, Quail, Turkey
Mixes and Grinds: Chicken, Turkey
All Raw Meaty Bones: Chicken Backs, Chicken Necks, Chicken Wings, Turkey Necks
Non-HPP Products
Canine Formulas: Beef, Lamb, Pork, Rabbit, Venison
Feline Formulas: Beef & Salmon, Pork, Rabbit, Venison
Mixes and Grinds: Beef, Lamb, Pork, Sardine
Raw Goat Milk
Bone Broth: All Bone Broth
Recreational Bones: All Recreational Bones
Primal Treats: All Primal Treats
https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/freeze-dried-raw-dinners/patties/beef-salmon-puppy

• This reply was modified 6 years, 1 month ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

Pugmomsan I posted my question under raw but got no replies. so below is my question again . Maybe you or someone else on forum has an answer. I try to stick to the lower fat 5* proteins/flavors.
I feed Stella’s and Primal as a topper. I would like to know why their Tantalizing Turkey Dinner Patties Freeze-Dried is rated 5 stars by the advisor and their Stella & Chewy’s Tantalizing Turkey meal mixers Freeze-Dried is only 2.5 stars. I believe the recipe/ingredients are exactly the same with only the presentation (nuggets vs patty) being the difference.
Did the advisor make an error in his ratings or am I missing something here?

• This reply was modified 6 years, 1 month ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

Mabel’s mom I’m not sure if their are a others but Stella and Chewy’s has a baked raw coated kibble. “High-Protein Raw Coated Baked Kibble . Taken from their website below. They added grain inclusive also and limited ingredients. They also have the raw coated with nuggets of freeze dried in the bag.
Our Raw Coated Baked Kibble provides a best-in-class solution for those pet parents looking for a simple, pristine, less processed, and highly palatable kibble. Each high-protein, grain-free offering starts with responsibly sourced animal proteins (cage-free poultry, grass-fed beef, and wild-caught fish). Next, we gently bake our kibble. Finally, each and every piece is coated with our own special raw goodness! The result is a special combination of pure raw nutrition and great taste that dogs are wild about!
I feed this as a base with freeze dried Primal and Stella’s freeze dried as a topper. I slowly got them used to the different flavors and proteins. Very east to feed. just break apart and add warm water.
Here is Primal freeze dried site: https://primalpetfoods.com/collections/canine-raw-freeze-dried-formulas
Stella and Chewy’s https://www.stellaandchewys.com

[Patricia A]

Which Primal Pet Foods products utilize HPP?
Modified on: Tue, 11 Sep, 2018 at 3:09 PM

Primal will be implementing High-Pressure Processing (HPP) into our product line beginning the week of June 6th, 2011 for poultry products only. Poultry products utilizing HPP will be designated by a code date of 070812 or later. Red meat products will not be utilizing HPP. Below is a complete list of products utilizing HPP, as well as non-HPP products.

HPP Products
Canine Formulas: Chicken, Duck, Pheasant, Quail, Turkey & Sardine
Feline Formulas: Chicken & Salmon, Duck, Pheasant, Quail, Turkey
Mixes and Grinds: Chicken, Turkey
All Raw Meaty Bones: Chicken Backs, Chicken Necks, Chicken Wings, Turkey Necks

Non-HPP Products
Canine Formulas: Beef, Lamb, Pork, Rabbit, Venison
Feline Formulas: Beef & Salmon, Pork, Rabbit, Venison
Mixes and Grinds: Beef, Lamb, Pork, Sardine
Raw Goat Milk
Bone Broth: All Bone Broth
Recreational Bones: All Recreational Bones
Primal Treats: All Primal Treats
Supporters of HPP claim the process leads to…

A safer product. It’s been shown that the HPP process is effective at eliminating most food-borne germs such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria with little change in the nutritional value of the end product.2

A fresher product. HPP destroys the microorganisms that cause spoilage which, in turn, increases the shelf life of the product.2

[Patricia A]

Let’s say you made an appointment with your vet strictly for a consultation on diet for your dog. Then ask that first off I would like you to tell me what are the necessary vitamins/minerals and percentage that needs to be in the food to keep my dog healthy. Also if I had a large breed puppy how would those percentages change if at all. How many more calories does he need when feeding then a small breed puppy? What should I look for as the first through 5th ingredient on the dog food label that should point me to the best food? What should I be on the alert for that should NOT be on their ingredient label that would suggest a low quality food? You know what the vet would say to these questions? You think any vet not trained strictly in animal nutrition would know these answers. I think not.
Take it a step further and bring in a dog food he suggests such as royal Canon, science diet etc and cut out the name and show him only the ingredient label.Also take in let’s say freeze dried also and some other brands with only the label.

So Royal Canin adult dog foods first few ingredients are:
Brewers rice, chicken by-product meal, oat groats, wheat, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, natural flavors, dried plain beet pulp, fish oil, calcium carbonate, vegetable oil, potassium chloride, salt, etc.

And here’s Science Diet recipe (website states vet recommended)
Chicken, whole grain wheat, cracked pearled barley, whole grain sorghum, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken meal, pork fat, chicken liver flavor, dried beet pulp, soybean oil,

Now I’m not trying to plug a dog food. I get my starting point from Dr. Mike and go from there. But let’s take Bixbi Rawbble whose first ingredients are this: Salmon, whitefish, chicken and ground bone, pumpkin etc.

Grain inclusive Stellas ingrediens: Chicken, chicken meal pearled barley,oatmeal, chicken fat, brown rice etc.

Primal ingredients: Turkey, turkey necks, whole sardines, turkey hearts or turkey gizzards, turkey livers, organic collard greens, organic squash, organic cranberries, organic blueberries, organic pumpkin seeds, clery, sunflower seeds etc.

So does anyone think he would know which one was Royal Canin just by looking at the label. Would he pick Royal Canin or Science Diet as being what he feels the highest quality after seeing the first few ingredients of the others? Unless I’m WAY off on what I understand to be ingredients to look for on a dog food label for the best nutrition for my dogs, then I would HOPE his pick would be the others over Royal Canin and Science diet which vets push in their practice.
What I’m attempting to put across here is that the MAJORITY of vets who sell Prescription diets as in Science Diet, Royal Canin etc at their practices and suggest that food have no idea what is even in the ingredients and wouldn’t recognize which brand are those and which are others by just looking at the ingredients. They have salesmen from these companies and correct me if I’m wrong please and get kickback each time a bag is sold.