Searching for the perfect food for your dog can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many brands, recipes, and details about what is and is not good for your dog that it can make your head spin. What once was a decision between wet food, dry food, or a combination of the two has become something a lot more complex and confusing.
Fortunately, this guide includes some of the best raw dog food brands on the market and will help you navigate this crucial aspect of dog care.
There are unique benefits to each kind of dog food. You should consider all of them before settling on a diet for your pup.
The Benefits of Choosing Raw Food
Before you start shopping for the best raw dog food for your pup, take a look at some of the many benefits of this style of food. Dogs that consume raw food can experience the following:
- Improved joint health
- Stronger bones
- Stronger immune system
- Healthier skin and coat
- Better oral health
You may assume a diet that is healthy for you is likely good for other animals as well, particularly animals you feel a deep connection with, like your pets. But the truth is that dogs and all other animals are biologically different from humans, and therefore, they have unique dietary needs. Raw food is what your dog evolved to eat, which is why it can make for a great daily diet.
Raw food is more easily digested by your dog, and it can reduce both the volume of their defecation and the odor it produces. Not only that, but raw food can help them maintain a healthy weight, better hydration, and higher energy levels.
The Best Raw Dog Food Brands
There are a ton of different brands out there offering frozen, dehydrated, or freeze-dried raw dog food that will provide your pup with many of the benefits listed above if not all of them. However, not all raw dog food brands are created equal, and some are simply much better than the rest.
If you’d like to know which brands fit that description, then take a look at the following list of some of the best on the market.
Instinct Raw Dog Food
It’s always important to take a look at the ingredient list on anything you feed your pets. When it comes to raw dog food, you want to make sure that the first listed ingredient is a named meat protein, and then the following few ingredients are organs, veggies, and fruits. That’s exactly what you get with Instinct, one of the most popular and well-liked raw food brands available.
This brand offers an array of highly nutritious raw options for your dog (not to mention your cat, if you’ve got one) that check off all the boxes you’re looking for in high-quality raw dog food.
There are several options when it comes to raw Instinct dog food. Not only does Instinct offer frozen raw dog food, the Instinct line includes freeze-dried, wet, a raw/kibble blend, and raw toppers as a healthy addition to your dog’s meal.
OC Raw Dog Food
OC, which stands for Olivia’s Carnivores, is a company run by dog lovers that offers products designed with dog lovers and their beloved pets in mind. OC Raw comes in freeze-dried or frozen raw dog food options and is made up of not only meat but also carrots, apples, spinach, squash, beets, blueberries, and more.
You’ll find a ton of flavor and style options from OC Raw, which can make finding the perfect raw meal for your pup a whole lot easier. You’ll find that no matter what recipe you choose, the top ingredients are going to meat and organs, which is exactly what you should be looking for.
Viva Raw Dog Food
If you’re looking for fresh raw dog food that is packed with nutrition, offers a list of easily identifiable and healthy ingredients, and does not contain antibiotics and other potentially harmful chemicals, Viva may be your best option.
This raw-blend dog food comes in five different options: chicken, turkey, beef, duck, and rabbit. Take a look at the ingredient list on each one of them, and you should feel fantastic about putting this on your pup’s plate. The best part is that they offer a delivery service so you can easily keep providing your pet with the fresh raw food they need.
Steve’s Real Food Raw Dog Food
If you’re looking for freeze-dried or frozen food that meets all of the highest standards, you can’t do much better than Steve’s raw dog food. This brand offers high-quality raw meat protein along with fresh fruits and veggies. It’s also got a ton of great additions that not all raw foods have to offer, including some coconut oil and flaxseed.
On top of offering some of the best freeze-dried dog food on the market, Steve’s Real Food also has a selection of raw cat foods, fermented foods, and more.
Primal Raw Dog Food
Primal is a fantastic raw dog food company that offers six different recipes for your pup: pork, duck, beef, lamb, chicken, and a turkey and sardine blend. Each of them is not only packed with the named meat protein that your dog needs, but all kinds of vitamin-packed fruits and veggies such as kale, carrots, apple, broccoli, and more.
Primal offers a lot more than just high-quality raw dog food too. They’ve also got some great all-natural treats, bone broth products, toppers, bones and chews, and more.
Your Dog Deserves the Best of the Best
Making sure that your furry gets everything they need from their diet will enhance their quality of life. Providing your pup with a high-quality raw food diet can improve their health and lengthen their life expectancy. Hopefully, this guide gave you a better idea of the brands to keep an eye out for and what to look for in the products they offer.
