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It's exciting to see the continued growth of the raw feeding industry, and with so many people researching fresh food for their pets, I decided to share a list of my favorite raw food brands to help others as they try to figure out what's going to work best for their dogs and cats (yes, I have a cat too).
What is Raw Feeding?
Before I get to the list, let's start with a definition. Raw feeding is a diet that attempts to replicate the diet of the grey wolf, a distant relative of our domesticated dogs. No, raw feeders don't think that their dogs are wolves. We don't allow our dogs to hunt and kill live prey, and we are aware that dogs have evolved over the centuries and are now a different species than the beautiful grey wolf. However, we don't agree with those in the pet food industry who are trying to push the narrative that dogs have evolved to the point that they thrive on a 40-60% carbs or entirely plant-based diet. [insert eye roll here]
Transitioning to Raw Dog Food
When I was new to raw feeding, I quickly became overwhelmed with the information, and DIY raw feeding was intimidating. I didn't want to risk feeding my dogs a nutrient-deficient diet, and, looking back; there was a lot of misinformation being shared on social media about how to feed raw, so I'm glad that I started with a raw food brand instead of diving straight into DIY.
I started my dogs with Darwin's Natural Pet Food, a local company that ships raw pet food straight to your door. Starting with a raw food brand allowed me to immediately switch my dogs to a healthier fresh food diet while giving me the time to educate myself about this new diet. In less than a year, I was ready to slowly transition from raw food brands to DIY, which also helped me save money.
Best Raw Food Brands for Dogs and Cats
Although I have DIY raw feeding down, staying on top of our favorite raw dog food brands is important because they still have a role in my dogs' diet. I reach for a raw food brand when…
- I'm behind on meal prep and don't have a DIY meal to feed my dogs.
- A raw food brand offers a protein that I cannot source for DIY meals.
- I'm on vacation and want to make raw feeding easier for the pet sitter.
And so on.
That being said, the following is a list of my favorite raw food brands. If you're looking for a list with more than one raw feeder's opinion, check out The List, published by The Truth About Pet Food.
Now, on to my list (in alphabetical order)…
COLUMBIA RIVER PETS
- Supplement foods make DIY raw feeding easier.
- Columbia River offers many proteins, including beef, chicken, duck, rabbit, venison, pheasant, quail, cow pies (green tripe, beef heart, beef, beef kidney), and green tripe. They also have a few recipes with vegetables.
- Columbia River is available in a few pet stores, but I purchase it through our local raw food co-op, allowing me to order in bulk.
DARWIN'S NATURAL PET PRODUCTS
- Darwin's Pet offers three meal options – Natural Selections (premium free-range, organic), Biologics (similar to Natural Selections, but more affordable), and Intelligent Design (veterinarian diet).
- Darwin's Pet offers five protein options- chicken, beef, duck, turkey, and lamb.
- All of the diets are free of antibiotics, steroids, and hormones.
- Excellent customer service; customer portal that allows us to manage our orders anytime.
- Door-to-door delivery.
- $15 introductory offer if you'd like to try the food.
GREENTRIPE.COM
- GreenTripe.com is a family-owned farm that offers several beef products for pets, including an organ blend that I'm obsessed with (I order 1-2 cases at a time).
- Products are grass-fed, and certified organic.
- I source GreenTripe.com products through my local raw food co-op; orders can be placed through their website (prepaid) or at various locations around the US.
NATURAL PET PANTRY (Seattle Area and Nearby Cities Only)
- Seattle Natural Pet Pantry is a local raw food company that offers home delivery and is available in local independent pet stores.
- SNPP offers a variety of proteins, including venison, rabbit, and duck, along with treats and supplements.
- SNPP also offers straight grinds that appeal to DIY raw feeders, allowing us to convert the food into a nutritionally complete meal.
- And if raw feeding isn't your jam, SNPP also offers cooked meals. This is great for people who aren't ready to feed raw, dogs that aren't a good fit for raw, or pet parents who like even more variety in their dog's diet.
- Pet parents can order online or purchase in stores.
OMA'S PRIDE
- Oma's Pride is another brand with a loyal customer base, and after working with their customer service team, I can understand why they're so popular.
- Oma's Pride offers several options, including single ingredients, supplemental blends, and complete blends. This allows Oma's Pride to be a source for DIY raw feeders and dog owners who prefer to buy complete meals for their dogs.
- Oma's Pride offers one-pound packages of whole sardines and an Ocean Blend containing salmon, sardines, and mackerel.
- Oma's Pride offers free standard shipping on orders of $149 or more.
RAW FEEDING MIAMI
- Raw Feeding Miami = RAW FEEDER GOALS; even if you haven't started feeding raw, you should be following RFM on social media. The meals are so exciting and beautiful, giving us ideas on what we can feed our dogs.
- Raw Feeding Miami offers a lot of variety for raw feeders, stepping outside the norm of ground blends and offering whole raw, along with proteins that other brands don't have.
- RFM sources for high-quality, ethical farms.
RAW PAWS PET FOOD
- Raw Paws Pet Food offers a variety of products, including nutritionally complete meals, several proteins, raw goat's milk, raw bones, treats, and more.
- Raw Paws ships directly to your door, offering free shipping on orders over a set amount.
- Raw Paws sources proteins from small, independent farms.
- Regular sales, discounts, and clearance items help raw feeders save money.
SMALL BATCH PETS
- Small Batch has a stellar reputation in the raw feeding community, and my cat goes crazy for their freeze-dried cat food.
- Small Batch offers frozen and freeze-dried pet food, and dog treats; dog owners can choose from various proteins, including duck, lamb, and rabbit.
- Small Batch also offers blends perfect for DIY raw feeders; these are for supplemental feeding only, so we add a few ingredients to make the food nutritionally complete.
- Small Batch has very high standards for their sourcing, only working with farms with humane and ethical practices, organic vegetables, and avoiding chemicals while making the environment a priority.
SOLUTIONS PET PRODUCTS
- Solutions Pet Products offers grass-fed meats and fermented dairy products.
- Source from farms that use regenerative farming practices.
- Solutions recipes are nutrient-dense; less food is fed.
- Solutions collaborate with trusted veterinarians and nutritionists to create recipes that heal along with herbal supplement blends.
VIBRANT K9 (Southern California Only)
- Vibrant K9 offers three proteins – beef, chicken, and turkey.
- Customers can order online, including bulk orders.
- Small, woman-owned business in Southern California.
- Amazing customer service; the owner is hands-on and works directly with each customer on their dog's diet.
WILD COAST RAW
- Wild Coast Raw offers four proteins – beef, turkey, duck, and rabbit.
- Proteins are locally sourced and antibiotic-free.
- Available in local, independent pet stores.
- Bulk orders are available.
- This family-run business (mother and son) is built on a passion for feeding animals fresh food.
Best Raw Food Base Mixes
Although I feed commercial raw, I prefer DIY because it's more affordable and allows me to control what I'm feeding my dogs. There are several raw feeding models to follow, and the Feed Real Institute offers a raw feeding calculator to make meal prep easier. I use a base mix because it makes meal prep effortless, and I alternate between two products:
- Raw Vibrance – 100% natural ingredients.
- Paradigm – low glycemic and contains a small amount of synthetic vitamins.
Best Cooked Dog Food Brands
Occasionally, dogs won't eat raw. This can be due to the texture, the temperature, or many other reasons. It's common for senior (or geriatric) dogs to prefer cooked foods to raw dog food. The following are the cooked brands that I prefer for my dogs:
- A Pup Above – expensive, but my dogs enjoy it.
- The Farmer's Dog – higher in carbs, so I only feed it as an occasional treat or temporarily when a dog won't eat raw.
- Goodness Gracious – human-grade ingredients, gently cooked and grain-free (so lower in carbs).
Best Freeze-Dried Cat Food Brands
I have a cat, too, and it took forever to transition him to a healthier diet. His interest in raw was great when I finally got him there, but it waned within a few months, and I switched him to canned food, which was his diet for a few years, and now he loves freeze-dried cat food – not hydrated with plenty of water and Vital Essentials Minnows nearby.
Why Some Raw Food Brands Aren't On My List
There are a lot of raw food brands on the market, and I've limited my list to brands that I feed to my dogs, or I have fed to them and would happily add to their diet again. If I have never fed my dogs food from a raw food brand, it will not be on this list. And if a food isn't a good fit for my dogs, it's not on the list. That doesn't mean anything is wrong with a brand; I find it easier to focus on what I know.
Northwest Naturals is a great example of a fantastic raw food brand that isn't on my list. I have purchased their trout and white fish/salmon chubs for my dogs. Although there are lots of great things about this brand, I only order their meal topper because I don't want to feed foods that are HPP (high-pressure pasteurized) for personal reasons. HPP isn't terrible; I'm not too fond of the texture of HPP raw dog food.
Raw food brands sold in the big box, chain pet stores will not be on this list because I prefer to support local, independent pet stores and the smaller raw food brands. I've found that it's easier to work with these brands; they're very focused on educating their customers, and I can see their passion for raw feeding and our pets in everything.
What About Transparency?
People in the raw feeding community talk a lot about transparency, leading people to believe that brands must share all their business details – sourcing, ingredients, processing, and more. There isn't any information I need that a brand won't share with me. I respect the amount of money invested in formulation and testing, and I understand that a brand won't want to share this information with a competitor.
I focus more on getting to know the people behind the brand than on what a brand will or won't share with me.
