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The finest freeze-dried pet food manufacturers are nice alternate options to different kinds of uncooked pet food as a result of they’re extra handy whereas nonetheless containing all the mandatory vitamins. Trying a freeze-dried product is an effective way to get began within the uncooked pet food world. Plus, many canine favor the flavors of freeze-dried pet food over kibble.
So, for those who’re trying to attempt a freeze-dried model, hold studying to seek out out what to search for.
What is Freeze-Dried Dog Food?
Freeze-drying is a course of for getting ready pet food that includes utilizing vacuum strain to protect uncooked components. The course of normally removes the moisture from uncooked meals to create a light-weight model with an extended shelf life. Freeze-dried uncooked meals is extra handy than different kinds of uncooked pet food whereas nonetheless being wealthy in vitamins.
Freeze-Dried vs. Dehydrated
Dehydrated pet food goes by an analogous course of, but it surely’s not as nutritious. Raw meals is dehydrated by circulating heat, dry air over the meals to evaporate the moisture with out cooking the meals. The texture of dehydrated pet food could be brittle.
Freeze-drying processes take away 98% to 99% of moisture from the meals whereas dehydrating meals solely removes 90% to 95% of the moisture. Thus, freeze-dried pet food retains extra pure vitamins, has an extended shelf life, and rehydrates sooner than dehydrated pet food.
Pros and Cons of Freeze-Dried Dog Food
Like all kinds of pet food, there are execs and cons to the very best freeze-dried pet food.
Pros:
- High-quality components
- Longer shelf life than different kinds of uncooked meals
- No added fillers or preservatives
- Appealing to choosy eaters
- Multiple methods to feed
- Can be helpful for canine with allergy symptoms
Cons:
- Expensive
- May comprise micro organism
- Hard to seek out choices with grains
Best Freeze Dried Dog Food Brands
If you’re contemplating switching your canine to a freeze-dried weight loss program, beneath are 9 of the very best manufacturers to select from.
1. Stella & Chewy’s Freeze Dried Raw Dinner Patties
Stella & Chewy’s provides freeze-dried pet food within the type of patties. You can serve the patties as-is or rehydrate them by crumbling the patties and including a 1/4 cup of water for each two patties. Rehydrating is advisable to make sure that your canine ingests sufficient water every day. This meals is designed to enhance digestion, promote robust enamel and gums, improve pores and skin and coat well being, and enhance power ranges.
These uncooked patties are made with 95% meat, organs, and bones to cater to your canine’s ancestral weight loss program. The remainder of the recipe consists of nutritious components like natural vegatables and fruits. It is available in quite a lot of formulation, together with recipes with beef, hen, lamb, turkey, and rabbit. So, you’ll be able to select a taste that caters to your canine’s preferences.
Features:
- Several methods to serve
- Contains 95% meat, organs, and bones
- Benefits a number of well being points, together with digestion, pores and skin, and enamel
- Comes in quite a lot of flavors
- Made within the USA
2. Sojos Complete Natural Raw Freeze Dried Dog Food Mix
To serve this freeze-dried system to your canine, you simply want so as to add water and let it soak for quarter-hour to boost the flavour and vitamins. Many canine are drawn to this meals greater than kibble, so it may be an ideal choice for choosy eaters. If you don’t need to serve it as a full meal, you may also use it as a pet food topper.
When rehydrated, a 7-pound bag of pet food turns into 40 kilos of pet food. Each system solely comprises premium, pure components with no synthetic preservatives. There are quite a lot of recipes accessible, together with turkey, beef, lamb, and goat. All the meals is made utilizing small-batch baking in USA kitchens.
Features:
- Rehydrating enhances flavors and vitamins
- Uses premium, pure components
- No synthetic preservatives
- Variety of flavors
- Made within the USA
3. Open Farm Freeze Dried Raw Food
Open Farm has a freeze-dried uncooked line of pet food that’s minimally processed and by no means cooked. Each system on this line is excessive in protein with 85% meat, organs, and bones within the recipe. The formulation additionally embody natural vegatables and fruits. Using the lot code, you’ll be able to hint all of the components again to the supply on the web site, so you’ll be able to really feel assured about what’s going into your canine’s tummy.
You can both feed these recipes as full meals or toppers. All it’s important to do is scoop the meals and add water earlier than serving. There are six flavors accessible: grass-fed beef, surf & turf, pasture-raised lamb, homestead turkey, harvest hen, and farmer’s desk pork. You also can get a range pack so your pup can style all of the flavors.
Features:
- Trace all components to their supply
- 85% meat, organs, and bones
- High in protein
- Variety of flavors
- Minimally processed pure components
4. BIXBI Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dog Food
BIXBI’s Rawbble formulation are available delicate, light-weight pellets you could merely scoop into your canine’s bowl. Adding water shouldn’t be required until you’ll want to add extra moisture to your canine’s weight loss program. It could be served as a deal with, meals topper, or full meal. This meals is available in a number of flavors, together with beef, duck, lamb, turkey, pork, and hen.
Each system is a restricted ingredient choice, making it good for canine with allergy symptoms. 98% of every recipe is made from meat, organs, and bones, so the meals comprises a minimal of fifty% protein. The components are USDA-inspected and sourced within the USA. The recipes keep away from fillers, by-products, and synthetic preservatives.
Features:
- Convenient
- Several methods to serve
- 98% meat, organs, and bones
- High in protein
- Sourced and processed within the USA
- Variety of flavors
5. Primal Freeze Dried Nuggets
Primal’s freeze-dried meals comes within the type of rectangular-shaped nuggets. Before you serve them to your canine, the corporate recommends including heat water, broth, or goat milk to rehydrate them. The components embody meat raised with out antibiotics, steroids, or hormones, adopted by natural vegatables and fruits. This meals is a high-protein, balanced weight loss program.
Primal supplies quite a lot of well being advantages for canine, together with improved digestion, dental well being, eye well being, and pores and skin and coat. It also can assist with weight administration. Chicken is likely one of the hottest flavors, however the firm additionally provides different recipes, together with beef, lamb, pork, duck, and venison.
Features:
- Can be served with water, broth, or goat milk
- High in protein
- Benefits a number of well being points, together with digestion, dental well being, and eye well being
- Good for weight administration
- Variety of flavors
6. Halo Meal Bites Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food
Halo’s freeze-dried uncooked meal bites may appear like kibble from a distance, however they’re a more healthy different. This meals was once referred to as TruDog, but it surely was lately rebranded to Halo. The morsels are crunchy like dry pet food, however they’re full of key vitamins which are usually misplaced in the course of the kibble cooking course of.
You can feed this meals dry for added comfort or you’ll be able to rehydrate it by including some heat water. All the components come from animal sources, and 99% are actual meat and organs. This meals can profit your canine’s pores and skin, coat, digestive system, and immune system. It additionally enhances power ranges. This pet food is available in just a few flavors, together with beef, turkey, and whitefish.
Features:
- Convenient
- Several methods to serve
- 99% actual beef and organs
- Benefits a number of well being points, together with pores and skin, coat, and digestion
- Several flavors accessible
7. Nulo Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food
There are just a few methods to serve Nulo’s freeze-dried meals to your canine. You can serve it as is, crumble it over different meals as a topper, or add water to rehydrate it. The meals is full of components which are designed to assist your canine with allergy aid and weight administration. Many canine are drawn to the style as effectively, making it a good selection for choosy eaters.
80% to 83% of the meals comprises meat, organs, and bones, relying on which system you select. Nulo has beef, duck, lamb, turkey, and salmon recipes accessible. All the meals is manufactured within the USA with a single protein supply. The meals can profit your canine’s coat, digestion, and immune system.
Features:
- Several methods to serve
- Good for canine with allergy symptoms
- Benefits your canine’s coat, digestion, and immune system
- Variety of flavors
- Made within the USA
8. Vital Essentials Freeze Dried Mini Nibs
This freeze-dried pet food is available in dry, light-weight items which are as handy as kibble however with additional vitamins. They could be served as a full meal or combined with different meals for a taste and nutrient enhance. The items of this meals also can make nice coaching treats. You can select from quite a lot of flavors, reminiscent of beef, hen, duck, rabbit, salmon, and turkey.
The freeze-drying course of for this meals helps lock in nutritional vitamins and vitamins with minimal processing. So, the meals is full of pure, USA-sourced components to make it protein-rich. The formulation solely embody essential objects, in order that they keep away from synthetic flavorings, by-products, and legumes. The restricted ingredient record makes this meals nice for canine with allergy symptoms.
Features:
- Convenient
- Variety of flavors
- Good for canine with allergy symptoms
- USA-sourced components
- Work effectively as coaching treats
9. Instinct Freeze-Dried Raw Meals
Finally, Instinct supplies nice uncooked meals which are handy like kibble. These recipes comprise about thrice extra actual meat and nutrient-rich organs than dry pet food. The ingredient record additionally consists of non-GMO vegatables and fruits. The meals is rarely cooked and is minimally processed to offer higher digestion and nutrient absorption for the canine that eat it.
This meals has balanced diet, together with 85% meat and organs with 15% fruits, greens, nutritional vitamins, and minerals. It’s all the time made within the USA, and it avoids pointless objects like corn, wheat, soy, legumes, synthetic colours, and synthetic preservatives. You can select beef, hen, or lamb recipes, all of that are nice for canine with allergy symptoms. The meals could be served as-is or you’ll be able to add water to it.
Features:
- 3 instances extra actual meat and organs than kibble
- Convenient
- 85% meat and organs
- Good for digestion and nutrient absorption
- Good for canine with allergy symptoms
- Just a few flavors can be found
Tips for Choosing the Best Freeze-Dried Dog Food
Even although all of the merchandise talked about on this article are high-quality, not each kind of meals works for each canine. So, listed below are just a few points to think about when selecting the very best uncooked freeze dried pet food.
Ingredients
Ingredients are important for any kind of pet food. Before selecting a model, verify the components to verify they’ve high quality animal protein and natural vegatables and fruits. Most importantly, make sure the meals has the nutritional vitamins and minerals your canine must thrive.
If your canine is allergic to sure components or simply doesn’t like sure meals, it’s additionally a good suggestion to verify these objects aren’t on the ingredient record. Dog meals recipes with single protein sources and quick ingredient lists are finest for canine with allergy symptoms.
Health Benefits
Your canine’s total well being can rely rather a lot on the meals they eat. Dog meals recipes could embody components to assist with sure well being points, reminiscent of pores and skin, coat, coronary heart, digestion, eyes, and immune system. Ideally, the meals will profit your canine’s well being in all points, but when there’s one thing particular you want the meals to give attention to, verify the recipe’s particulars. If you’re anxious your canine isn’t getting a sufficiently big well being enhance from their meals, think about attempting some dietary supplements.
Type of Food
Freeze-dried pet food doesn’t all the time look the identical. Some manufacturers have small, crunchy items just like kibble whereas others have delicate, crumbly items. Some could be served as-is whereas others are most helpful when combined with water.
If you’re searching for one thing fast and straightforward, meals that appears like kibble could also be your best option. Yet, in case your canine is older with delicate enamel, a softer meals kind is perhaps simpler for them to chew. It all is dependent upon the wants and preferences of you and your canine.
Price
It’s no secret that the very best freeze dried uncooked pet food is pricey. So, for those who’re on a price range, you will have to make your last determination based mostly on what’s most reasonably priced. Higher costs usually equal higher high quality, however most freeze-dried pet food recipes are thought-about higher high quality than kibble whatever the value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you purchase new meals to your canine, listed below are just a few generally requested questions that may aid you make a last determination.
How Should You Transition to Freeze-Dried Dog Food?
Gradual transitions are all the time a good suggestion when switching your canine to a brand new meals, particularly if the 2 meals are drastically completely different from one another. Here is our advisable transitioning course of:
- Days 1 to three: Serve 80% outdated meals with 20% new uncooked meals
- Days 4 to 7: Serve 50% outdated meals with 50% new meals
- Days 7 to 14: Serve 20% outdated meals with 80% new meals
- Day 15: 100% new meals
You can alter this course of to suit your canine’s wants. If your canine has a delicate abdomen, an extended transition could also be essential. in case your canine handles meals effectively, the transition could not must be as lengthy. When doubtful, ask your vet for recommendation.
Is Freeze-Dried Dog Food Better Than Kibble?
In most methods, freeze-dried pet food is healthier than kibble. It’s much less processed, permitting the meals to retain vitamins higher and enhance digestion. However, it’s dearer and extra more likely to comprise micro organism. So, it’s as much as you to determine which one you like.
How Long Does Freeze-Dried Dog Food Last?
It is dependent upon the product, so verify the producer’s tips to make certain. However, most freeze-dried pet food will final over a 12 months unopened however solely a month or two when opened.
Is Freeze-Dried Dog Food Safer Than Raw Dog Food?
Freeze-dried pet food continues to be a type of uncooked pet food, but it surely tends to be safer than contemporary uncooked pet food. The freeze-drying course of reduces the chance of micro organism contamination, but it surely doesn’t eradicate the chance. Freeze-dried meals can last more than refrigerated uncooked meals, making it much less doubtless to your canine to eat expired meals.
Do You Have to Add Water To Freeze-Dried Dog Food?
Not all freeze-dried pet food manufacturers require you so as to add water. Yet, for those who can add water, it’s best to. Adding water rehydrates the meals, making it extra filling, flavorful, and nutritious to your canine. Adding water may additionally make the meals simpler to digest whereas preserving your pup hydrated.
Can You Freeze-Dry Dog Food Yourself?
If you serve your canine contemporary uncooked meals, you’ll be able to freeze-dry it to assist it last more. However, that process is usually too time-consuming and costly for the common canine mum or dad to tackle.
Final Thoughts
The finest freeze-dried pet food is the proper stability between kibble and conventional uncooked meals. It has all of the dietary advantages of uncooked pet food in a handy kibble-like kind.
So, for those who’ve been fascinated with switching your canine to a uncooked weight loss program, the meals manufacturers talked about on this article are an effective way to get began. However, don’t overlook to progressively transition your canine from their outdated meals to their new meals to keep away from any digestive issues.
