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Grow a Healthy Canine Friend With the Best Raw Dog Foods

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By Destin Benoit
Last updated: 10 Jul 2024

Dogs are undoubtedly our best friends, and there is no denying that we want our canine friends to live happy and healthy lives. However, to make this happen, it is mandatory to give them a healthy diet packed with high-end nutrition and an abundant supply of vitamins and minerals. Your dog might be enjoying the packaged food you give them but, if you’re thinking of switching to something more natural, then a raw diet might be a good choice. We have reviewed the best raw dog foods in 2023 that not only deliver in terms of variety and flavor but are also packed with high nutritional content. 

A good quality raw diet is imperative for your dog’s health. Our comprehensive buying guide helps dog owners find the most suitable diet for their furry friends. 

Show contents
What Are the Best Raw Dog Foods?
  • 1 Stella and Chewy’s Raw Dog Food
  • 2 EBPP Raw Dog Food
  • 3 Instinct Raw Dog Food
  • 4 Nulo Raw Dog Food
  • 5 Wellness Core Raw Dog Food
  • 6 ORIJEN Raw Dog Food

Best Raw Dog Food Buying Guide

What Things to Keep in Mind When Looking for the Best Raw Dog Food?

To ensure that you are making a worthwhile purchase, it is mandatory to consider the following things when looking for the best raw dog food.

Meat quantity and quality

Meat is the main component of any raw diet, and when picking for the correct mean, it is essential to check the muscle meat found in each packaging. Most low-quality companies use very little lean muscle meat compared to their high-fat content.

Always check the meat you choose has a fat content between 2% to 13%, along with 0.75% to 1.5% bone content. The rest should be meat. You have a choice between chicken, duck, lamb, and beef, but there are pricier options. A standard raw meat dog diet contains protein between 14% to 19%.

Organs

Most manufacturers of raw dog food contain organ meats like liver, kidneys, and heart to provide your canine friend with maximum nutrition. They also help your dog maintain a healthy blood count. It is highly recommended to use around 5% organ meat in a raw dog diet.

Fat

Fat comes in saturated and unsaturated forms. Just like humans, saturated fat is also bad for dogs. Therefore, you must opt for unsaturated forms of fat from healthy items like fish and plants.

Size of package

Are you looking to put your dog completely on a raw diet, or is this a rare thing? Either way, the size of the package you pick is mandatory. It allows you to understand the monthly expense and overall consumption. Most people prefer getting enough to last throughout the month, but it depends on the intention and quantity of use.

What Are the Benefits of Giving Raw Dog Food?

The following are the benefits of raw dog food.

Better bone health

Raw meat is one of the most beneficial ways to improve bone health as it is a natural source of different minerals such as marrow, glucosamine, collagen, and calcium. All the active components in raw meat can help your dog become more active and live a fulfilling life.

Improves immunity

A strong immune system in dogs is crucial as it helps fight many infections and allergens. Just like you, your canine friend also needs food packed with immunity boosters. A raw diet can help boost immunity in your dog and give them added benefits of an unprocessed diet which they may not get from their regular dog food.

Better skin and shiny coat

A dog’s raw diet contains many ingredients that support the skin and coat, making it look smooth, silky, and shiny. Unprocessed omega-3 fatty acids tend to support healthy skin along with multiple anti-inflammatory benefits that reduce unwanted pain from their muscles. For instance, giving your furry friend raw salmon renders more benefits than kibble cooked at a very high temperature.

Improved dental health

Dental hygiene represents the diet and overall well-being of your pooch. Poor dental hygiene focuses on yellow teeth, bad breath, and breakage. By feeding them a natural raw diet, you give them away to brush their teeth and remove plaque. Other than this, you can also use ingredients like mint and celery to freshen your dog’s breath.

Less excretion odor

Processed ingredients are hard to digest and absorb, which ultimately impacts the digestive regularity of your canine. Giving your dogs a healthy raw diet with fewer carbs means it contains lesser fillers, making it easier to excrete with far less odor.

Better reproductive health

Dogs on a non-processed diet have been shown to produce more offspring and deliver healthy puppies per litter. Not all pet owners believe in neutering and spaying. If you are one of them, consider raw dog food as your top choice.

What Should a Raw Dog Diet Consist of?

A standard raw dog diet consists of 3 main components: meat, superfoods, fruits, and vegetables. Incorporating them in inappropriate portions is mandatory to ensure your dog is getting premium nutrition.

Meat in raw dog food

The most critical component of your dog’s diet, meat, is the primary source of energy and nutrition. It contains building blocks of good muscles and a healthy immune system. Additionally, they are also a source of essential fats, vitamins, and minerals that your dog might not be receiving in their traditional processed diet.

Adding a variety of raw meats to your dog’s diet ensures that you have access to a wide range of micronutrients that are necessary to maintain the weight of a physically active dog.

Superfoods in raw dog food

Featuring a very dense nutritional density, superfoods like kelp and wheatgrass have a highly beneficial impact on the overall health of your furry friend. They are abundantly rich in amino acids, enzymes, and vitamins, which detox harmful things from their system and improve the immune system to avoid getting sick often.

If superfoods are a regular part of your dog’s raw food, it is highly likely to make them physically active and in need of more activity.

Vegetables and fruits

Just like humans, dogs also require a significant amount of fruits and vegetables in their diet to complete their daily vitamin count. Additionally, these unprocessed items are very rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are necessary to maintain your dog’s health.

What Supplements Are Required Along With Raw Dog Food?

An adult dog needs at least 10% of its nutrition from daily protein intake and at least 5% from fat. Additionally, they may need 50% carbohydrate content and fiber under 5%.

Supplements can be a requirement if your dog is not receiving an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals from his raw diet. Based on the vet’s recommendation, you can include them to prevent your dog from getting any allergies.

What Are the Best Raw Dog Foods?

1

Stella and Chewy’s Raw Dog Food

– Best Dinner Patties
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THE SCOOP

Starting our list with Stella and Chewy, this is a natural blend of 95% beef meat and organs so your dog can have a taste of wild. It is a minimally processed raw dog food that contains no artificial hormones, antibiotics, and fillers, ensuring that your dog does not go through any adverse side effects. Formulated to fill hunger and maintain appetite, it also boosts immunity and improves skin conditions so that your pet can live a happy, fulfilling life.

Additionally, this dog food is available in 4 different packings and a selection of meat between beef, chicken, lamb, and duck, so you can pick one that your canine adores.

Pros
  • Loaded with natural nutrition
  • Best for skin and immunity improvement
  • No artificial additives
Cons
  • Patties might retain moisture
2

EBPP Raw Dog Food

– Best Food Topper
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THE SCOOP

Perfect for veteran pets, picky eaters, and pups needing a flavor boost, these frozen dehydrated dog food toppers provide your dog with the nutrient uplift they require for a well-rounded diet. This delectable topper adds a yummy dog food flavoring to any canned or dry food and enhances flavor, taste, and nutritional value. 

Made of 100% raw, dried, and frozen elk and venison meat, organs, and bones, it combines characteristics of sustainable, dehydrated, and popular raw dog foods into a single product. It is an excellent pick since dogs enjoy the flavor, and owners appreciate its nutritional benefits.

Pros
  • Healthy and easy to sprinkle
  • Quickly grabs the pet’s attention
  • Excellent quality for the price
Cons
  • Bags do not reseal well
3

Instinct Raw Dog Food

– Best Grain-free Food Topper
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THE SCOOP

If you are looking for the ideal raw dog food that helps improve gut health, Instinct has the right product. Made from chicken, it is a grain-free dog food topper made from all-natural ingredients to support the digestive system ensuring your dog lives a stress-free life. It contains raw natural ingredients that are never cooked so that you receive a product with preserved integrity and nutritional content.

It comes in 4 different packaging. Each pack contains 0.75 grams of food topper as a single serving, allowing you to give your canine a 100% balanced meal regularly.

Pros
  • Made from natural ingredients 
  • Best support to the digestive system 
  • 4 different packaging for user convenience
Cons
  • It might be too less for larger dogs
4

Nulo Raw Dog Food

– Best Dried Raw
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THE SCOOP

Loaded with probiotics, Nulo Raw Dog Food is a top choice for all breed sizes and shapes. It is formulated with 80% meat, organs, and a combination of fruits and vegetables so that your dog is getting all the required nutrition in one place. It comes in different flavors, such as beef, duck, lamb, salmon, and turkey, so that you can pick your dog’s favorite one. Available in 5 oz and 13 oz bags, it is a complete meal for all kinds of canines, ensuring they get a filling meal any time of the day.

Moreover, this product contains GanedenBC30 probiotics, which gain strength and immunity and ensure that your dog can maintain a healthy bowel movement. This feed is free from unnecessary carbs so that your furry friend remains active and healthy without gaining weight.

Pros
  • Available in different flavors
  • Best for building immunity
  • Regulates bowel movement
  • Prevents weight gain
Cons
  • It can be easily crushed 
5

Wellness Core Raw Dog Food

– Best Small Breed Formula
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THE SCOOP

Your dog might be little, but the diet he needs has to be advanced and packed with nutrition. CORE by Wellness features advanced natural nutrition that contains nutrient-dense kibbles with high protein content with their 100% raw, frozen, and dried turkey allowing your dog a mouthwatering meal. This food comes with a grain-free recipe with limited ingredients that tone your dog’s muscles and maintain body weight, so they remain active and healthy throughout the day.

Furthermore, it supports healthy skin and coat because its high omega-3 content helps your dog look good and feel comfortable. It is also loaded with prebiotics and probiotics to support healthy digestion and improved strength.

Pros
  • Best for a small dog coat 
  • Grain-free recipe for building muscle mass 
  • Limited ingredients to control weight
Cons
  • It might be a bit difficult for your dog to adjust at the beginning 
6

ORIJEN Raw Dog Food

– Best Whole Animal Ingredients
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THE SCOOP

ORIJEN is one of the best ingredients if you are looking for a rich meal that packs a punch for your dog. It features 85% quality ingredients that nourish your dog’s everyday needs so that it remains happy and healthy for a long time. Made from free-run chicken, turkey, wild fish, and cage-free eggs, it is indeed a complete meal that ensures your dog is getting sufficient nutrients every day.

From cartridge to the bone, it contains all kinds of natural additives that are a compulsory requirement in any diet so that your canine has smooth skin and a regulated digestive system.

Pros
  • Combination of best meats 
  • Contains natural additives like bones and organs 
  • Regulates digestion
Cons
  • It might be strong to digest

People Also Asked

Q: Can I feed my puppy raw dog food?

A: It is a good idea to give your puppy a raw diet from an early age to form habits. Puppies can start taking raw dog food as soon as they reach 8 to 12 weeks of age.

Q: Is feeding raw dog food going to make my dog aggressive?

A: Raw dog food diet does not make your dog aggressive. As a matter of fact, it keeps them calmer and filled for much longer.

Q: Can my dog get allergic to raw dog food?

A: With an abrupt introduction and weak digestive system, your dog can become instantly allergic. A slow introduction is always a great idea.

Contributors

author-image
Destin Benoit
Former Special Forces Canine Handler
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