My Biased Thoughts on The Honest Kitchen and Sojos

by Kimberly | Feb 15, 2017 | Raw Food Diet for Dogs | 60 comments

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Interested in feeding a healthier diet but not ready to tackle DIY raw feeding? Have you considered a dehydrated or freeze-dried dog food product?

In this post, I compare two foods that I used to feed my dogs, sharing my thoughts on both and explaining why I no longer feed these foods to my dogs. I also share a list of other brands that I think are a great alternative if these don't work for your dogs.

The Honest Kitchen and Sojos - this is my comparison.

A couple of readers recently asked me to update my post that compares The Honest Kitchen to Sojos. It's been a while since I've fed either of these to my dogs (a year for The Honest Kitchen, longer for Sojos) and I think this is a very good time to explain why I no longer feed these brands to my dogs – Spoiler Alert! I can't afford one and the other was acquired by WellPet.

Why This is a Biased Review

I call reviews about commercial dog food and supplements biased because I’m a crazy, obsessive dog mom. I go into a review expecting to love a product simply because it's raw, or natural, or safe. I will share my thoughts and experiences, even if they seem nutty because I think my readers are intelligent and can decide for themselves if one of my “cons” would be a negative for them. I also want to save my readers time and money by pointing them in the direction of the best products, because I know they're nutty about their dogs too.

So this review will be fair.

Why I Fed Dehydrated Dog Food

When I transitioned to raw, one of my biggest concerns was feeding a balanced diet to my dogs. Both The Honest Kitchen and Sojos (freeze-dried) takes that fear away by providing a balanced base mix – just hydrate and add meat. I no longer had to worry that I couldn't find a wide variety of organ meat. And I was able to wait a little longer to add bone to my dogs' diet (until I was comfortable).

A diet of dehydrated raw dog food is convenient, easy, balanced.

Using a dehydrated base mix is convenient, easy, and very expensive. I stocked up on both The Honest Kitchen and Sojos (freeze-dried) when a local pet store went out of business. I then bought several cases of The Honest Kitchen when they offered a BOGO (buy one, get one free) sale on Kindly which was my favorite of their base mixes. When I ran out of all of the food, I was ready to begin making my base mix (which consists of organic vegetables, fruits, and supplements) and calculate the right ratio of meat, organ meat, and bone.

Dehydrated vs. Freeze-Dried Dog Food

A few years ago, I didn't understand the difference between dehydrated dog food and freeze-dried dog food. Today, when I hear the phrase “dehydrated raw,” I giggle because if it's dehydrated, it's not raw.

Dehydrated Pet Food

When food is dehydrated, heat is used to evaporate the water from the ingredients. Although it's low heat, allowing many of the nutrients to remain intact, the food is still being cooked and the cellular structure of the food is being altered.

Freeze-Dried Pet Food

With freeze-dried dog food, frozen food is put in a vacuum chamber in which the ice is evaporated. The temperature remains below freezing and the nutrients remain intact. This is why I think freeze-dried dog food is superior to dehydrated. But both are miles better than commercial dry dog food.

That being said, you'd think that this post is a solid recommendation for Sojos, a freeze-dried product – ummmm, keep reading.

The Honest Kitchen Base Mixes

I was introduced to The Honest Kitchen at an anniversary sales several years ago. The distributor showed me how easy it was to make, how healthy the ingredients were, and pointed out that it's human grade. Wow! I was impressed. That is until I calculated how much it would cost to feed a multi-dog home.

No worries, the folks of THK sent several boxes of The Honest Kitchen, and I was able to see that I was paying for the convenience and quality. And with a higher quality diet, I would be paying for fewer vet appointments and prescriptions. I wasn't 100% convinced or impressed with the food. But then a fellow dog parent and THK customer shared how she feeds the food to her dog (more like a smoothy than instant oatmeal), and I was willing to give it another try.

The Honest Kitchen grain-free protein recipes proved to be too expensive for my budget, so I stuck with the base mixes when I could find them on sale.

The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Dog Food

I'm not a fan of The Honest Kitchen line of whole grain food. I don't believe dogs need grains in their diet, and I also found the recipes to be too rich for my dogs; a meal was too heavy on the digestive system, even for Sydney and Zoey, two dogs with an iron stomach.

The grain-free recipes, however, are astounding and were it not for the price, I would regularly buy the fish recipes for my dogs.

Zeal (fish recipe)
Brave (fish and coconut recipe)

The only critiques I have of the grain-free foods are the white potatoes in some of the recipes (Love, Embark, and Force) and the lack of protein options (only chicken, beef, turkey, fish).

White Potatoes in Dog Food

Although still a source of sugar and carbs, sweet potatoes are nutritionally superior to white potatoes and offer more anti-oxidants.

White potatoes are cheaper than sweet potatoes (which is why we see this as an ingredient in many commercial dog foods).

White potatoes have a higher glycemic index, which makes it a potential problem for diabetic dogs and dogs with cancer.

White potatoes have more carbs, which makes them a potential problem for overweight (Sydney) dogs.

The Honest Kitchen adds white potatoes to some of their recipes for the nutrients they offer, which include “vitamins (B3, B6, C, etc.), minerals (manganese, phosphorus, etc.), antioxidants (carotenoids, flavonoids, etc.) as well as potassium, iron, copper and fiber.” Source: The Honest Kitchen

Sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamins C, B6, beta-carotene, and manganese. Although sweet potatoes are nutritionally superior to white potatoes, they are high in starch, which can pose a problem if your dog needs to lose weight – looking at you Sydney – has diabetes or cancere.

The Honest Kitchen Protein Options

Rodrigo and Scout have protein sensitivities. Rodrigo is unable to eat chicken, turkey, and beef. Scout is unable to eat chicken and turkey. My dogs' protein sensitivities leave us with the fish recipes, which is great because they need fish in their diet, but also very expensive.

Feeding The Honest Kitchen Today

In 2017, I made the decision to no longer purchase The Honest Kitchen food, base mixes, or treats for my dogs. It was a disappointment because this is a brand that I supported and promoted for years, however, it ceased to be a good fit for my pack.

I can't afford the food for four big dogs (even if they offer me coupons) that weigh between 60-75 pounds. It's much more affordable to do DIY raw feeding and ferment low-glycemic vegetables and organic seeds for my dogs.

For years, I leaned to heavily on The Honest Kitchen products and stopped educating myself about what my dogs needed in a nutritious, balanced raw diet. As a blogger, I realized that it was important for me to expand my knowledge beyond THK products.

I don't agree that a diet that is high in grains and potatoes is appropriate for my dogs. And with the growing rate of cancer, diabetes, and obesity in dogs, I'd like to reduce exposure to ingredients that may contribute to disease.

The Honest Kitchen is no longer open to questions about their food, ingredients, or sourcing. CLICK HERE to read a letter they sent to a reputable store owner in response to her questions about their kibble.

Benefits of The Honest Kitchen Base Mixes

Although I will no longer purchase food from The Honest Kitchen for my dogs or cat, I do believe that it may be a good option for other pets if you purchase the right products.

no potatoes or grains in Kindly
no fruit in Kindly, if you're concerned about sugars in your dog's diet (there is fruit in Preference)
the base mix takes away the complication of feeding a raw diet
all of the ingredients are human grade
it's fast and easy make

Downside of The Honest Kitchen Base Mixes

The Honest Kitchen base mixes are expensive; they do offer a referral program where you can earn coupons when your affluent friends purchase their food based on your referral code.

In 2018, The Honest Kitchen stopped being open to questions about their food, ingredients, and sourcing. I wonder if this is because The Honest Kitchen now has investors or if the increase in competition created a greater need for privacy.

The Sojos Base Mixes

I was introduced to Sojos, a freeze-dried food, a year after I learned about The Honest Kitchen. At the anniversary sale, I spoke with a representative who told me about the food, and I bought a HUGE bag of their turkey recipe (I didn't know about Rodrigo's allergies at the time). What I liked about Sojos is that it was more affordable than The Honest Kitchen and the packages were larger, which was appealing to someone raising several dogs.

What I didn't like about Sojos was how long it took to hydrate my dogs' food. Keep in mind that this was the beginning of my dog nutrition journey and I was transitioning from a person who poured kibble into a bowl to someone who was trying to provide better nutrition. Today, I start my dogs' foods (mixing in a digestive supplement or hydrated Olewo carrots), get ready for work, then come back and feed them. It's easy, and I laugh that I was so put out about waiting 15 minutes (or however long it was) to hydrate Sojos.

I couldn't find sourcing information on the Sojos website.

The only critique that I have is that Sojos isn't transparent on their website about where they source their ingredients (or at least this was the case when this blog post was originally published). I wasn't able to find a page on their site that lists sourcing information, which is important to me, especially because there was a time when Sojos sourced ingredients (one or two of the vegetables) from China. This practice has ceased, however, after they were purchased by WellPet, I scratched them off the list of foods that I would feed my dogs (more below).

While The Honest Kitchen offers two grain-free base mixes, Sojos only has one, which does have sweet potatoes as an ingredient.

Sojos Grain-Free Dog Food

Sojos offers one thing that The Honest Kitchen does not – variety.

If a dog parent is looking for a variety of proteins, Sojos offers several and, from what I saw on their site, none of the following have potatoes (although you may find sweet potatoes).

Salmon
Wild Boar
Venison
Goat
Lamb
Turkey
Beef

The ingredients in their food are minimal and impressive. Although Sojos informs consumers that their diets are complete and balanced to meet AAFCO standards, they don't offer sourcing information about their ingredients.

Sojos and WellPet

In January 2016, there was an announcement that WellPet, an independent, family-owned natural pet company, had acquired Sojos. Another one bites the dust?

I think it's amazing when a small company is purchased by a giant. They now have resources and funds to provide their customers with more options; better options. I wonder if the acquisition is what allowed Sojos to expand the protein options in their food.

WellPet isn't a terrible company and my choice to no longer buy Sojos has nothing to do with the dehydrated food and more to do with an experience I had with another WellPet product. WellPet also owns Old Mother Hubbard dog treats – these are dog treats that are kept in open bins in local pet stores, and when you dig your scooper in, moths (or some flying insect) comes out.* Because of that experience (which repeated at several pet stores), I won't buy any of their products for my dogs.

To be clear, I'm not saying Sojos is a bad food; it's just not the food for my dogs.

*This is a comment from a reader to address the flying insects I mentioned above. I'm updating this post with his statements to be sure people don't miss it. “The moths are flour moths. They are attracted to the biscuits because of the flour and they generally are only a problem with bulk biscuit bins, not in the bagged biscuits. Not saying its ideal but its also not a sign that a product is a bad product.” ~ Kevin

The Honest Kitchen vs. Sojos Dog Food

Which is better?

When it comes to choosing the right dehydrated or freeze-dried food for my dogs, the following are important to me:

ingredients
sourcing
budget

Ingredients in Dehydrated Dog Food

I look for food that doesn't have grains, white potatoes, or an abundance of synthetic vitamins. Because of Rodrigo's history of GI issues, I've become a Certified Pet Food Nutrition Specialist, literally. This doesn't mean that I will be offering nutrition consultations; it just means that I know more about how dog food is made and the ingredients than the average pet owner.

Sourcing of Ingredients in Dehydrated Dog Food

I look for a brand that is transparent about their sourcing. While I don't mind calling a brand to ask them about where they source their ingredients and make their food, I would prefer to see current information on their website. With stories of pet food recalls due to pentobarbital and the concern of raw brands using 3D/4D meats in their food, it always surprises me when brands aren't more forthcoming.

Dehydrated Dog Food Budget

And, finally, the food I choose depends on my budget. I'm raising four dogs that weigh between 60 and 75 pounds. I can go through a box or bag of dehydrated dog food quickly. While I want to give my dogs the best, I find that it's more affordable if I make their food than buy premade dog food.

If you're concerned about budget, I recommend contacting the brand that you're interested in feeding and talking to them about how long a box will last. Find other dog lovers who feed the foods to get an idea of how long a bag or box will last so that you can see if the food fits in your budget.

Also, some fresh food is better than none. When I first started feeding dehydrated raw, it was only part of my dogs' diet (because I couldn't feed it 100%).

If I Had to Choose Between THK and Sojos

When I originally wrote this blog post, I stated that “if I were given a choice between The Honest Kitchen (dehydrated) and Sojos (freeze-dried), I would choose The Honest Kitchen every time.” The reason for my choice boiled down to transparency. At the time, I found it challenging to get a straight answer on the Sojos website and had to call them to get clarification on sourcing and ingredients. However, in my experience, The Honest Kitchen had always been an open book. This has recently changed and I don't knock the company for being more private, I just prefer a higher level of transparency than they currently offer. Of course, I understand that this may change with these brands in the future, but, for now, I don't feel comfortable with either brand.

Dehydrated and Freeze Dried Food I Do Feed to My Dogs

I'm returning to this post to update it with the dehydrated and freeze-dried dog foods I buy for my dogs after several requests. There are three brands that I buy for my dogs:

Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance
Dr. Harvey's Paradigm
NRG Dehydrated Dog Food
Vital Essentials Raw

If you are looking for a low-carb, low-glycemic base mix that is high in quality vegetables and other ingredients, then check out Dr. Harvey's. I alternate their Raw Vibrance and Paradigm with my fermented vegetables/seed mix when feeding my dogs. Dr. Harvey's allows me to improve the quality of my dogs' diet by creating balance, especially when I'm low on ingredients (e.g. bone, organs).

In the past, I have fed NRG dehydrated dog food because they offered proteins that I wasn't able to source elsewhere. For example, there are warnings about feeding raw salmon, so I choose to often feed dehydrated salmon; especially when I forget to thaw out food for the dogs. Today, I'll buy it when I can get it on special because it's a bit outside of my budget.

I feed Vital Essentials Raw to my cat because he wasn't interested in eating raw. When I finally got him to quit his kibble habit, I began feeding Cosmo wet food along with freeze-dried raw. I chose Vital Essentials because it's a solid brand and my cat and dogs love their food. Today, Cosmo eats some raw with his wet food, but I still add freeze-dried pet food from Vital Essentials.

60 Comments

Kimberly on June 4, 2019 at 12:48 pm

I don’t feed The Honest Kitchen to my dogs anymore; instead, I alternate food from Dr. Harvey’s: http://drharveys.com.

Best with your dog. I hope she recovers quickly.
Laurie on June 3, 2019 at 4:41 pm

My dog was on a frozen raw brand, and it was EXPENSIVE. She recently was diagnosed with FOUR different bacterial strains, all from her food. She can no longer be on a raw diet. Right now she is on chicken and rice and (gasp) Hill’s I/D. Also on 3 different antibiotics. We are in the no-fun zone. It took me a LONG TIME to find a raw food that she liked and now back to square one. I’ve tried THK and Sojos in the past and wondering if I should try THK again since it’s not technically raw. What do you think of Grandma Lucy’s? Any other ideas?
Amy on April 24, 2019 at 1:19 pm

Thank You Kimberly,
I found this all very helpful.
Kimberly on April 24, 2019 at 12:55 pm

By fermenting the vegetables, I’m making the nutrients more bioavailable (easy to absorb) for my dogs while also providing a great source of fiber and probiotics, which are great for gut health. Since the gut is tied to the immune system, the vegetables help to make my dogs healthier. I add seeds to the mix because they come with a host of benefits too. You can check out my recipe here: https://keepthetailwagging.com/ferment
Amy on April 24, 2019 at 8:23 am

What is the fermented vegetables/seed mix that you speak of? What are it’s benefits?
Kimberly on April 12, 2019 at 7:19 am

I think chia seeds are great, however, I don’t add them to balance my dogs’ diet. Instead, I add a spoonful from time to time as a boost. I also add them as an ingredient when fermenting vegetables.

The issue I have with The Honest Kitchen is that they add potatoes to their food. The lectins in potatoes and beans can block the absorption of key nutrients, including taurine, which may lead to heart issues.

For people looking for a base mix or freeze-dried food to feed to their dogs, I point them towards Dr. Harvey’s. They have two base mixes that don’t have potatoes and my dogs do great on them. Raw Vibrance and Paradigm. You can learn more here: https://www.keepthetailwagging.com/drharveys
Jeff on April 10, 2019 at 6:55 am

Hi all….Just came across this site by chance and I love the information that’s provided…..Everyone here seems genuine. I have a 1 year old 57 lb female Pitbull (Harley) and when I took her in at 3 months old, the previous owners gave me a bag of Merrick that they had been feeding her. I continued with that brand for a couple of months because I heard Merrick was a decent company until I found out they were acquired by Purina….well, that was the end of that. I searched for the best food I could give her because on Merrick, she had very loose, watery stools and a lot of skin irritation which I know Pitbulls are prone to have but it broke my heart watching her constantly scratching and in such discomfort. Also, her flatulence was akin to a water buffalo….After seeing a documentary called, “PetFooled” on Netflix, I was horrified and needed to find a quality brand of food. I found out about THK and haven’t looked back….I choose to give her the grain free limited ingredient (only 6 ingredients…no potatoes) fish recipe which also happens to be the most expensive they offer to my knowledge. I have to buy her 1 box of the larger box(10lbs dehydrated) every 3 weeks at $122+ but since eating THK, solid stools, no itching aside from the occassional scratching all dogs do but very minimal….her skin cleared up, beautiful coat, more energy than an olympic runner, better muscle tone and so on…..I highly recommend THK if you’re dog has similar issues as my baby once had….I also just started incorporating chia seeds recently into her diet due to its many, many health benefits for humans and dogs alike….it’s known as a true super food….look it up! Anyway, I dont want to sound like I work for THK, I just really like this brand for my dog….she does really well on it and even though 1 box every 3 weeks is pricey, I feel it’s worth it and thankfully I’m in a position to get it for her without having to sacrifice financially in other areas. One last thing, I tried a few different THK flavors before I settled on the limited ingredient fish but sometimes I have to add some organic fruit or something to get her to eat it maybe because she gets bored of the same food every day…but she usually licks the bowl clean…In your educated experience…Any thoughts on adding the chia seeds to her food as part of a well balanced diet?
Thanks for reading
Kimberly on February 23, 2019 at 2:01 pm

Thanks for sharing, Jeanne – although you had to go back to kibble, I think it’s amazing that you continued to add fresh food to your dog’s diet. Many people don’t realize that they can do this; it’s so good for dogs.
jeanne on February 22, 2019 at 6:06 pm

I also have struggled with the freeze dried vs dehydrated and/or just plain regular, but healthy human food. I left THK as on multiple occasions, and from multiple boxes I found ground up blue plastic in the mix. I went to ground organic tirkey, cooked with veggies untill my dog started getting sensitivity to turkey & chicken. Now Im back to kibble for a bit adding a little meat & veggied to the mix. Just thought someone should know.
Susan Lovetro on November 22, 2018 at 2:19 am

My dog started itching to when we started HK, but the we realized he was growing a coat in places he had never had fur before. Once his coat was all inn he stopped all scratching. He is really healthy and his coat is softer.
Kimberly on October 26, 2018 at 1:54 pm

That is an amazing testimonial, Danielle! Thank you so much for sharing. I hope that it helps others. It’s through sharing our experiences that we’re able to raise awareness. Thank you for taking the time.
Danielle on October 24, 2018 at 1:37 pm

Thank you for sharing, Kimberly. I am finding it difficult the more I research to get a straight answer on dog nutrition. I have resorted to trial and error (my poor dog!). At first, I was feeding my labrador retriever Purina kibble (AS RECOMMENDED BY MY VET… WHAT?!). She had dandruff. She was itchy. Her bowel movements flip-flopped between diarrhea and constipated and smelled awful. I “upgraded” to grain-free kibble. The dandruff and itching went away. I can’t afford to feed exclusively dehydrated/raw/etc, so now she gets a 50/50 mix of the grain-free kibble and THK Grain-Free Beef. (I tried Sojos first. She wouldn’t even eat Sojos.) Within days of adding THK, I noticed her coat was more lustrous, and her energy improved. Her stools still aren’t indicating to me that her diet is perfect, but at least they are improved. I am hoping that eventually I can find an affordable way to provide her with better nutrition (as I continue to research) and omit the kibble entirely.
Kimberly on August 23, 2018 at 10:00 am

What I’m saying in that portion of the blog post is that when I make the consistency of the THK was like a smoothie (so more water added) than like instant oatmeal.
Erica on August 22, 2018 at 8:35 am

You mentioned an HK smoothie preparation – how? I’ve been feeding my dog Kindly with ground bison due to food sensitivities, and he loves it, but many of the pieces come out as whole as they go in. I contemplated blending, but wasn’t sure of the right proportions. Do I use the recommended dry mix and blend with the recommended water? Add meat before or after blending? Thanks!!!
Kimberly on August 14, 2018 at 11:11 am

Thanks for sharing this, Kerry. I’ll have to check into fungus gnats. I hope you were able to get rid of them for good.
Kerry on August 12, 2018 at 4:29 pm

This is the note I sent directly to Sojos: I have bought and used two bags now of Sojos premix for my 6.5 pound Maltese, adding my own meat. I discovered that the reason I have an infestation in my apartment of fungus gnats, since I first started using your dog food, is that the food is full of them. I have spent about $70 on products treating my drains and putting out vinegar and other traps to catch these gnats. They are indeed fungus gnats, confirmed by an exterminator. I did not realize until yesterday morning that every time I opened the bag to get a serving out for my dog, gnats were coming out of the bag. I have left you a voicemail, contacted the pet store (Treates Unleashed in Leawood, KS) and gotten a refund for the food. There is NO DOUBT your dog food is infested with these gnats. Treats Unleashed has the partially used second bag. I am looking into who I can report your company to about this. $70 and a lot of time I have spent for six weeks tryng to get rid of these gnats. They are finally gone, except for maybe a couple strays today flying around. And I have kept my sink drains all closed because I am not sure if they have laid a bunch of eggs in the kitchen sink. It’s too bad because my Maltese’s tear stains got almost all cleared using your premix and adding my own meats.
ClineWile on July 4, 2018 at 5:11 pm

Our Malamute, Sasha, has had diarrhea and problems with what we think are food sensitivities since she was born. We feed her The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Fruit & Veggie Dehydrated Dog Base Mix. Once she started on that food, she has literally had no problems whatsoever. We have tried other Foods by slowly introducing them into the diet and pretty much everything gives her bad diarrhea. My daughter was dog sitting a dog who had severe rashes and was losing his hair and they started him on this food and the rash went away and the dog has been healthy ever since. This food is truly amazing! It is time-consuming and definitely more expensive to feed her but it is worth it!
Kimberly on June 20, 2018 at 9:08 pm

Thanks for clearing that up, Kevin – I’ll update this blog post with this news for others who come across my blog. Thanks again.
Kevin on June 20, 2018 at 6:57 pm

The moths are flour moths. They are attracted to the biscuits because of the flour and they generally are only a problem with bulk biscuit bins, not in the bagged biscuits. I have sold OMH biscuits for years and never had an issue with the bagged product. I never had the open biscuits but have had other brands and it is just something that happens. Not saying its ideal but its also not a sign that a product is a bad product.
Kimberly on June 12, 2018 at 9:13 pm

I’m not sure about Australia, but I have fed my dogs goat, lamb, and venison from New Zealand.
Kimberly on June 12, 2018 at 3:26 pm

Our dog was allergy tested by a vet dermatologist. She is allergic to almost everything. Most dog food upsets her stomach. Currently she is on prescription z/d dry dog food. She doesn’t love it. Vet derm recommended making our own goat dog food. Problem is dog is my college sons & lives with him most of the year. He would not go to any extra feeding trouble especially from scratch. I read this article which was helpful. Honest co does not sell goat. Sojos does. It sources its goat from Australia. Is that a good place for them to get it from?
Kimberly on May 24, 2018 at 4:33 pm

I understand that there are already bugs in our food, my concern is seeing them flying around. Personally, I don’t want to bring home food that’s visibly crawling with bugs.
nancy on May 24, 2018 at 3:19 pm

there are already bugs in our food. there is a certain amount of rat hair allowed. all human grade
Ann on March 21, 2018 at 6:10 pm

I’m not being smart but how can you afford NRG. I cook for 3 of my dogs using a recipe from Chattanooga Holistic Animal Institute. They won’t even sell kibble. They recommend HK but I can only afford the grain kind and barely can afford. Which NRG do u use.I may try it and cook the rest because HK even with the grain is more expensive than cooking it myself
Kimberly on March 15, 2018 at 8:07 pm

I haven’t done any research. I only get treats from Real Pet Food, Raw Bistro, and I make them with my dehydrator. My cat enjoys freeze-dried Minnows from Vital Essentials.
TL on March 14, 2018 at 3:20 pm

Hello Kimberly. Thanks for your blog post about this subject! We adopted a 6 year old lab or golden retreiver/Catahoula Cur mix 7 months ago & he came with a plethora of issues. Thankfully, I had been introduced to a homeopathic vet & after getting our Samson to a baseline with “homemade” food that included no meat for months, we introduced Answers Straight Chicken-frozen, fermented, raw pet food (a company based out of Pennsylvania), which has been a hugely successful step for us. It is quite expensive, but we mix it with raw, pet food (chicken) from a local, organic farm that has the organ, bone, etc. to try & keep our costs down (it’s STILL expensive). I have had need for training treats, and our vet recommended Stewarts freeze dried beef liver-only one ingredient and made in the USA. I also discovered that our dog loves Coconut Oil, so I’ve been freezing that & cutting into pieces for treats. Unfortunately, when I’m trying to work with him around distractions, neither of these is high value enough to get his attention. I was in Chow Hound today & asked them about other treats that had limited ingredients and were sourced in the USA. I was told about Sojos “raw, freeze-dried” treats. I asked them if they knew about the sourcing of the lamb & turkey, which the store employee wasn’t sure about. The label says Made in the USA, but also says “Globally Sourced Ingredients-Nothing from China.” You mentioned that you don’t feed Sojos because of the connection to WellPet. I was wondering if you or any of your other readers have done any research on good, limited ingredient treats that can be put in a bait bag without spoil, mess, etc. Thanks again!
Savannah on February 24, 2018 at 7:24 am

Science diet is pushed by Vets because just like pharma drugs they get “incentives” for offering it. I think it is plain CRAP (I reserve that word for conditions of emphasis) I would NEVER, EVER, EVER believe a Vet on food choices because of WHO sponsors most of their training. The very culprits who create dog food from mystery sources, add fillers, and junk in their kibble. So of course those Vets have NO understanding of nutritional needs. They push re-vaccinating your pet which is ASININE, It is for their sustainability NOT for your pet’s health. Having allergies all my life, I finally tackled it with diet. I was on probably every allergy med out there and getting worse and worse. I got inflammation out of my body through DIET and haven’t needed any meds since. So I know a thing or two about healthy eating. Drs PUSH meds, Vets practice on your pet-they treat symptoms not roots. Clear up the diet and you achieve health for humans and pets.
AI on November 18, 2017 at 9:32 pm

Well, we have been doing Preference with a large tablespoon of HK bone broth and an egg… mixed with the raw “protein” of the day x2 times per… London broil, fish, or lean chicken breast. We tend to do fish only once per week. Our results have been fantastic.

Way better than we ate in the military together. “G” still pees fire and poops dynamite… ok… farts dynamite… really… farts dynamite…
Kimberly on November 1, 2017 at 2:36 pm

Hi Sandy

I don’t have current experience with The Honest Kitchen because I haven’t fed it to my dogs in a year. I’m not a fan of grains and starches when feeding my dogs, however, those aren’t inherently bad for dogs. I suggest going with the food that your dog is doing well on and if you notice a change you don’t like, adjust. When I was feeding THK, I really liked Kindly.
Sandy on October 31, 2017 at 5:21 pm

I have a 5 & 1/2 month old German Shepherd pup! He came with worms and parasites and had to endure treatment for all of them, and ended up with a depleted gut! We tried every type food and finally Vital essentials Turkey began to settle his digestion problems! He is very hungry all the time now and I’m feeding more than suggested already , and decided to add THK. He loves it and has tolerated it very well. I am extremely worried about his calcium / phosphorus ratio since the vital essentials is prey model with no guaranteed analysis. I ignorantly started him on Marvel because of the specific ingredients, but staff at THK suggested Embark ( no base mixes for puppies). My question is do you think he is ok on the Embark plus raw? THK has feeding guides for adding meat so that is not a problem, however the ratios scare me since I do not want growth or joint problems. Thank you for being here and I look forward to your answer!
Kimberly on October 14, 2017 at 8:12 am

Hi Rebecca

Every dog is different so I can’t speak to what a normal poop would be for your dog. And if Sojos is working for your dog, then you should stick with it. This blog is only my personal feelings and those shouldn’t trump what you think is best for your dog.
Rebecca on October 13, 2017 at 8:10 am

My dog recently reacted to her food, we think it was the chicken. We made the switch to Sojos and she LOVES it, but one of the main ingredients is egg which I have thought in the past was also something she didn’t do so well with, and her poops (although better consistency) increased from twice a day to three or four. So I switched her to THK (also it’s available closer to home). now that she’s transitioned over completely she doesn’t seem to love to eat it (very hesitant), and her lymph nodes are swollen and she’s coughing… My husband wants me to put her back on Sojos. The vet thinks she should go on science diet GI – but I’m not in to the RX idea. First, can you confirm the poops will be more often and more than with kibble – as normal? She definitely eats more (she had no interest in food before). Second, would you say Sojos negatives outweigh the positives? Because of the chicken allergy i have her on lamb – limiting.
Kimberly on October 12, 2017 at 1:17 pm

That is strange.
Cameron on October 12, 2017 at 11:38 am

Totally get it. Thanks

By the way, my mom is the same boat as me but she bought Sojos a week ago and has been feeding it to her two dogs. I was talking with her about an hour ago and she said she got lazy last night and forgot to pick up the dogs food…this morning she saw little gnats flying around, and she was positive that she didn’t believe there was anything int he house prior to setting the food (she keeps her home very clean with a bug light). She believes they came from the food so it’s interesting that you mention that here as well. Thanks for all your help and honest opinions!
Kimberly on October 12, 2017 at 11:19 am

Very good point, Cameron

Normally, I would give Sojos props, but since they were purchased by Wellness, I’m not confident in their quality. As I stated in the post (sorry for repeating myself), I’ve seen their treats in multiple pet stores with flying bugs in them and that turned me against the brand. Also, Wellness now has a “raw revolution” campaign in which bloggers are calling their kibble, RawRev, a “raw food diet.” I have trouble with brands who blatantly mislead their customers through their marketing. Kibble isn’t raw.

Although Sojos was a great brand at one point, once Sojos partnered with Wellness, I simply couldn’t get behind recommending that brand to any longer.
Cameron Bradford on October 11, 2017 at 7:11 pm

Great article, thank you! I just wanted to comment about Sojo’s and THK. Currently I’m feeding my 50lbs 2 year old Aussie Darwin’s at $133/month. Although not bad, I’d to save money and I can do $Sojo’s for $70/month.

My question is about how I’ve read that dehydration is bad, and The Honest Kitchen dehydrates their food. While, Sojo’s is freeze dried, so wouldn’t that give Sojo brownie points? Additionally, I noticed that the show the sources on their website within the FAQ: https://www.sojos.com/frequently-asked-questions

I do like THK’s transparency even on their website but, freeze dried reserves more nutrients so should I go for Sojo’s freeze dried or THK dehydrated? Thanks for any help with this. ~Cam
Kimberly on September 20, 2017 at 12:34 pm

I think variety is a great idea and if you have brands that you like, then you’re winning! To lose weight, you can slightly decrease the amount of food you’re feeding and replace the difference with green beans (this is what I do). I buy the frozen ones and feed them (thawed). And then increase the exercise a bit and you’ll do great!
Michelle on September 20, 2017 at 10:37 am

This blog is so helpful – thank you. I appreciate reading all of the comments. I have a 15-year old Miniature Dachshund who easily puts on weight and has high liver numbers. She currently weighs 13 lbs (has been as high as 15 lbs), but I would like her to be no higher than 12 lbs. Additionally, our last vet appointment showed that her liver numbers decreased dramatically & I feel pretty confident it is because I am feeding her THK. With that said, I would like to mix it up. I’m thinking of trying both THK & Grandma Lucy’s. I didn’t realize the difference between dehydrated & freeze-dried, so that is also good to know. If there is any insight on my situation, I am open to feedback. Thank you!
jennifer on September 19, 2017 at 1:32 pm

I began feeding my dogs THK about 3 months ago. Both of my dogs are rescues and they weren’t in the best shape when I brought them home. After switching I noticed my pups just looked better. Like they felt healthy.

I use both THK base mixes. I haven’t fed raw protein, but I do rotate between beef, chicken, pork, and turkey. I cook it until it is almost done, freeze it, and reheat as needed.

There is one HUGE reason that I love THK. We all know a dog’s flatulence can clear a room. About a week after the switch to THK …95% less gas, and what they do pass doesn’t make you want to gag.

I would love to get the base mix a lesser price because 1 box only lasts about 12 days. I have two dogs that weigh 57 and 45 lbs. The little one just turned 1 year old so she still has more growing and I have the feeling the food bill will go up too.
Kimberly on September 4, 2017 at 4:14 pm

I didn’t have that experience. Have you taken them off the food to see if the itchiness goes away? Or could it be the protein that it’s in the food – are you alternating the options? Itchiness can be frustrating because there are so many things that could be the culprit 🙁

Good luck with the isolating the issue.
Brenda on September 4, 2017 at 7:49 am

Has anyone ever heard of their dog (s) developing itchiness while eating HK? I feed my 3 small dogs HK, base, grain free which they love however all 3 have taken to licking and scratching in various areas of themselves.
A tad confusing considering HK is to help alleviate the issue.
Kimberly on August 29, 2017 at 12:44 pm

Everything THK makes is quality; I recommend going with what works for your dog. I personally prefer grain free because I don’t think dogs need grains, however, the grain free recipes also contain starch (another ingredient our dogs don’t need). The reason I still love THK is that they put a lot of thought into their ingredients and the quality can’t be matched by similar brands. So as long as your dog doesn’t have issues with grain free or starch, then you’re golden!
Ellen Morris on August 29, 2017 at 12:39 pm

I have a 3 mo old and a 7 mo old Papillon puppies. I am more comfortable feeding dehydrated than raw. Which THK would you recommend, grain free? Thank you.
Kimberly on August 6, 2017 at 7:40 pm

I love your idea of incorporating THK into a recipe.
Julie A Traver on August 4, 2017 at 6:28 pm

Within the past year, I switch to “raw”. I was uncomfortable trying to figure out a complete balanced diet. I get the 80-10-10 rule, but the % of bone and the necessary vitamins and minerals, etc. I was afraid of missing or adding too much. Now I purchase “grinds” from a raw food distributor or purchase 5 lb chubs (grinds) that include meat, organs, and bone from such companies as Primal, Stella & Chewy, Tucker, when I can find them on sale. However, based on a simple recipe from Dr Judy Morgan, I mix in 1/2 cup of rehydrated THK the base mix (currently using Preference) into every 2 lbs of meat mix. I think offer chicken necks, feet, etc every days, sardines and whole eggs. I recently had the blood and liver checked on one of my dogs, and the results were right on the mark. I was very happy. I will continue using THK (and hope for sales/coupons!). Thank you for you summary. I look forward to exploring your website.
Susan on August 3, 2017 at 11:25 am

Thank you for taking the time to blog about higher quality dog foods. We’ve been feeding Honest Kitchen 2-3 times/week for years and our four Shelties thrive on it. No skin issues, no diarrhea, great coat. I do agree it’s difficult to feed solely because it’s so darn expensive. I wish more dog owners would take the time to read labels, ask questions and avoid Rx diets, which in my opinion and research are nothing more than a money maker for the manufacturer and the vet.
Kristin on August 1, 2017 at 11:45 am

Hi Nicole,
Can you please tell me what variety you were feeding your kitty with IBD? My dog has IBD and we have yet to find a food that has made a difference in trying to treat it.
Kimberly on July 20, 2017 at 10:38 am

Hi Tracy

I’m not a pet food nutritionist. I’m a blogger who writes about raw feeding. I did take a course in pet food nutrition where I earned a certificate. What I learned is that the prescription diets aren’t ideal for pets. My dogs are fed raw and have never had bladder issues. I recommend getting a second opinion from a holistic veterinarian who can instruct you on diet and contacting The Honest Kitchen directly about their foods.

Best of luck.
Tracy Guinn on July 20, 2017 at 10:33 am

Kimberly,

As a pet nutritionist, I am looking for direction. My 10 pound Yorkie has Bladder Stone issues and her vet wants her to go on Commercial dog food (Royal Canin SO). I have cooked homemade food for for most of her life (She is almost 4) as I just do not love the idea of feeding commercial dog food. I am looking for an alternative to the Royal Canin that I can use and came across THK and wondered if this is something that may be a possibility for her condition. They feel that she will need to be on the RX food for the rest of her life as a preventative. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Kimberly on May 3, 2017 at 7:52 pm

I”m so sorry to hear that; I have NEVER heard of that happening and I’d recommend returning the food to the store and letting them know what happened. THK is a much better choice. I’m sorry. That must have been so scary.
Greer on May 2, 2017 at 11:29 pm

I just tried Sojos (turkey) for the first time with my little Gizmo yesterday, 8lb mixed breed. I came home today to find him vomiting (in his crate) which then spread throughout the house 3-4 more times and smelled terrible/skunky. I thought I understood transitioning him but it turns out (according to them) I gave him too much but I’m now very nervous to try again. The vomit was terrible and continues until it was only spit/foam multiple times.
Kimberly on April 25, 2017 at 8:17 am

I was certified as a pet food nutrition specialist; a nutritionist requires schooling. Overall, I would definitely recommend THK. I prefer homemade to THK because I like controlling the ingredients and I don’t like the idea of adding starch to my dogs’ diet (grain-free) or unnecessary grains. But that’s a personal choice based on my dogs’ needs. While DIY is a lot of work, it’s easier to balance for me when I make food in large batches. Otherwise, I balance over time.
Kelsey G on April 25, 2017 at 7:06 am

How did you become a certified pet nutritionist?

Overall you would recommend THK, correct? I current make a homemade diet but I am worried about it not being balance plus its not that convenient.
Nicole on February 20, 2017 at 11:17 pm

THK has a place on their website where you can order samples of the different cat food. They have some grain-free formulas, too. I think it’s just $1, they’ll send them for free.
Kimberly on February 16, 2017 at 1:42 pm

I have a WONT EAT RAW cat too. Cosmo refuses so he eats Weruva (in pouches) and freeze-dried raw from Vital Essentials Raw. I haven’t tried THK with him but I should just to see what he thinks.
Nicole on February 16, 2017 at 1:01 am

I really like THK, as far as dehydrated foods are concerned. To make a REALLY long story short, my cat Vinny has IBD – over years of trial and tribulations, this was the ONE food/diet he liked AND could eat AND that gave him nice, solid poops. His IBD flare-ups became few and far between, and not nearly as severe. He stayed on it for years, it was the best thing that could have happened. I tried raw with him – whatever way you can think of to introduce and feed a cat raw food, I did it. He is the one cat ever who WILL. NOT. EAT. RAW. Once in a while, he’ll eat organ meats, but that’s it. What he eats one day, he won’t touch again for months sometimes. Anyway, although they both get homecooked now for other factors in no way related to THK. I, too, am a Certified Holistic Pet Health Specialist, and am very well-versed in the area of holistic nutrition. Not every type of diet or type of food works the same for every pet, and I understand other factors like Kimberly mentioned are always involved that influence your decisions for what fits both your pets nutritional needs and your budget. What I do like about these dehydrated bases is the option to adjust it and add things to it as you see fit. It’s also a really nice in-between for folks who want to feed a higher-quality diet, but either can’t or aren’t ready to completely commit to a full raw diet. For me, my cats homemade diet costs about the same per month as THK (unless I have coupons or get the food on sale!), but where I really save is time. It’s just nice to get their food at the grocery store when I do. Plus, I can’t always get to the places near me that carry THK before they close…
Kimberly on February 15, 2017 at 3:20 pm

I voiced a complaint as well and no one seemed bothered. I don’t think the bugs would have harmed my dogs, but I don’t want to spend money on food or treats that have bugs reproducing in the containers. To me, that’s the free food that’s about to be thrown out.

Sounds like you’re raising Blueberry right! Our Blue’s birthday was a couple weeks ago and I often wonder what he’d look like today after years on a raw diet. He loved his Darwin’s 🙂
MKC on February 15, 2017 at 2:11 pm

Grandma Lucy’s is another freeze dried brand in the same price range with more protein options. I have used all of them – ONP also does their own line which is very similar to Sojos. My dogs do fine on grain and had no issues with THK’s grain options. I don’t use any of them much now as I feed 100% pre-frozen raw at home. But they are convenient when we travel. We take a box/bag with us and add fresh meat if I find a good deal at local stores where we happen to be. In fact, we are road-tripping over the next couple of weeks and an unopened bag of ONP freeze dried grain free turkey and the remaining 1/4 box of THK Embark are coming with us. I do find THK and Grandma Lucy’s easier to rehydrate. With my dogs dancing around me while I’m prepping their food, Sojos and ONP take way too long – of course, I always forgot to prep it ahead of time.
Maggie on February 15, 2017 at 1:17 pm

First of all, THANK YOU for explaining the difference between dehydrated and raw!! When I wrote that post about why we don’t feed raw, someone commented that yes I did because I fed THK, and I was like “nuh uh.” But now I can share your technical answer! 🙂

We love THK. Cooper has so many health issues, allergies among the lot, and it’s pretty much the only thing we can feed him other than home cooked. It is very expensive, though. We cut costs elsewhere (like, we got rid of TV two years ago because of the dogs’ expenses…). I also found a small pet retailer near us who does a promo with every 10th box free, which helps. I’ll have to check out those treats you recommended, too! We haven’t tried those yet, so thanks for that tip!
Blueberry's human on February 15, 2017 at 12:31 pm

I just started feeding Blueberry Kindly. Although I can’t quite bring myself to give her raw meat with it (I’m just not there yet) – I do boil or roast it and add it to the mix. So far – she has done remarkably well on it – there was very little transitional feeding and by day two – I had completely switched her over and she has suffered no ill effects. I switched since Orijen, once a Canadian based company – moved their plant to Kentucky – or at least part of it and Blueberry has not done well on that food since that transition. I was feeding her the dry food mixed with some of the dehydrated patties and thought something was off – especially when she came down with a case of diarrhea that lasted longer than is normal for her. I did some research after that and found they had sold the company to Champion Foods (I think). So I suspect the food may have been the culprit. Whenever I find the dehydrated patties that originated in Canada, I buy them – but apparently those are no longer going to be shipped to the US.

Blueberry is only about 40 pounds, give or take, so even though THK is pricey – it is still within my budget and her response to it has been great. I’m so glad to hear that you think it is a good food too. It seems like I no sooner find a good food for Blueberry and the company sells and the product goes downhill. I’m praying that doesn’t happen with THK. (I used to give her Sojos too until I heard about them selling out to WellPet. Old Mother Hubbard is often kept on the shelves past its prime in many stores that sell it (from what I’ve seen) and even though I voiced a complaint to the company directly, the practice continues. I didn’t know about the moths, etc in the open bins – yikes!)