# Best Frozen Raw Food in the US



## the.siegel (Mar 15, 2020)

Hi all,

I spent all of this year traveling with my 20month old working-line GSD, and he is on Orijen Dry Food. We also spent a month in Europe and were training with a club (and I had access to a large freezer), where everyone was feeding raw food from a German company called BARFER's Wellfood (linked here to a complete meal I bought from them). 

Now that I am a bit more stable I'd like to switch to the same here. I did pretty well work-wise this year and instead of buying anything fancy I'd like to think my dog deserves the best food there is. 

From my limited research CaliRaw seems to be very similar. The German food was just outstanding, the meat was cut in pieces and you could see the muscle meat, offal and it looked and smelled like a hunter just put it together. 

I would not want to buy the ingredients myself, I prefer a delivered (to Southern California) frozen product that I can simply serve. 

Looking forward to your recommendations. 

S


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

The best is what works for your dog. Mine do well on K9 Kravings while they lacked muscle mass on Titan. However, an acquaintance's dog had issues with K9 Kravings and does well on Titan. Oma's Pride is a good company. My dogs did well on Tefco products as well.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

It is important to feed things wih edible bones for dental hygiene. They will form plaque on their teeth if fed only ground food.

I feed a variety.

I like grinds from My Pet Carnivore




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The top raw pet food supplier offering extensive variety of whole cuts, organs, bones, pre-mades & supplements to feed puppies, dogs, and cats a raw meat diet. Single ingredient treats and chews that you can trust. Shop Now!




www.rawfeedingmiami.com





Raw Feeding Miami is an excellent source for goose heads, beef flexor tendon, duck frames, beef backstrap, goose and turkey necks, all great “toothbrushes.”

Sometimes I feed whole goat or lamb heads.









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I rotate chicken and quail eggs, blueberries, and fresh wheat grass.
Also, supplement with fish oil, Feedsentials and green-lipped mussel powder by Super Snouts.






Feed-Sentials


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## the.siegel (Mar 15, 2020)

Sunflowers, those two suppliers look amazing but I don’t have the space nor knowledge to put the diet together myself. Would you know any service that provides complete meals?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Well… you could try Darwin’s.
I stopped feeding that years ago because they were adding too many beets and carrots for my taste and wallet.
But maybe they’re different now.






Natural Selections™ Raw Dog Food | Darwin's Pet Food


Our premium raw dog food, grain-free, gluten-free made with only free-range meats and organic vegetables




www.darwinspet.com


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## the.siegel (Mar 15, 2020)

That's the issue, I feel they all start diluting the meals with too many veggies after a while. Have you tried BARF - Premium Raw Pet Food For Cats and Dogs | BARF® World ?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

the.siegel said:


> That's the issue, I feel they all start diluting the meals with too many veggies after a while. Have you tried BARF - Premium Raw Pet Food For Cats and Dogs | BARF® World ?


I have not.
It really isn’t difficult to buy some grinds from My Pet Carnivore and supplement with Feedsentials.
Can’t really get any easier.

Personally, I enjoy varying food and serving up a bunch of different combos. It isn’t as complicated as people make it seem.


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## crowconor (Dec 29, 2020)

Sunflowers said:


> I have not.
> It really isn’t difficult to buy some grinds from My Pet Carnivore and supplement with Feedsentials.
> Can’t really get any easier.
> 
> Personally, I enjoy varying food and serving up a bunch of different combos. It isn’t as complicated as people make it seem.


I am newer to raw and have been feeding k9 leavings pre mixed chubs which my boy loves and is easy so I can’t mess anything up.

I wouldn’t mind trying to vary how good and bit and perhaps add in some different meals. Do you think I could trouble you to expand a bit on how you feed with some the grinds from Raw Miami?

Also how do you like feedsentials? I have been using springtime longevity but would like to hear about other options.


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## the.siegel (Mar 15, 2020)

I unfortunately do not have the freezer space to do it myself. I’m keen to find a subscription program with regular deliveries.


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## Apex1 (May 19, 2017)

I feed Darwin's I think it's great. I did my own for a longtime to much work and the meat I was getting wasn't nearly as good and Apex didn't enjoy it. Did kibble and canned for a while. He is a picky dog. 
Went back to Darwins. He is healthy, soft and not smelly. Eating kibble going back to raw it's interesting to see the differences. 
He also eats chicken quarters and the like.


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## Apex1 (May 19, 2017)

@Sunflowers how long does a goat head last your dog?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Rolf


Apex1 said:


> @Sunflowers how long does a goat head last your dog?


Rolf ate it in two sessions. The second session, he was left with a small portion of the top of the skull that he kept tossing in the crate. I took it away.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

the.siegel said:


> I unfortunately do not have the freezer space to do it myself. I’m keen to find a subscription program with regular deliveries.


How much product can you store?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

crowconor said:


> I am newer to raw and have been feeding k9 leavings pre mixed chubs which my boy loves and is easy so I can’t mess anything up.
> 
> I wouldn’t mind trying to vary how good and bit and perhaps add in some different meals. Do you think I could trouble you to expand a bit on how you feed with some the grinds from Raw Miami?
> 
> Also how do you like feedsentials? I have been using springtime longevity but would like to hear about other options.


I use a scale.
He gets 2 lbs of food a day ( and he is still ribby!)

I rotate the proteins, defrost in the refrigerator, and doing so, some stays partly frozen. So, what he gets is always fresh.
Examples of some combos:

Rabbit grind plus turkey neck
Beef grind plus goose head
Lamb grind plus duck neck and an egg, minus the white (I just put a hole in the shell and shake out the white, feed shell plus yolk)
2 lbs of turkey necks only
Turkey grind plus sardines
Half a chicken
Duck leg quarter plus some sort of grind
Some days he only gets the grind
Some days, grind plus beef flexor tendon or trachea
Some days I add an ounce of liver ( such as goat head day, LOL)

It doesn’t have to be prefect. It just has to be 2 lbs, and varied.

I sometimes add vitamin E drops, and always add 2 fish oil capsules.
I alternate the green-lipped mussel powder and Feedsentials.

We are very fortunate to still have Feedsentials.
Carmen of Carmspack developed it for her own dogs, and uses only the best human-grade ingredients.
She still makes it herself, and sources her own ingredients. It is FOOD, and completes what can be missing in an all-meat diet. Just take a look at the ingredients.
A friend of mine even gave it to her athlete son (human.)







Feed-Sentials - FEED-SENTIALS







feedsentials.com


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## the.siegel (Mar 15, 2020)

Currently I live in an Airstream, so you can imagine my freezer space haha


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

@Sunflowers You are fortunate to be able to feed so many proteins! Any time I stray from chicken, we start having issues. Considering before I switched to raw Varik had an AG infection for 6 months (cleared up coincidentally within two weeks when we started yet another round of meds ... and I switched to raw), I am very paranoid about anything bring another infection back ... yeah it was some years ago NOW ... but I still remember! 

I buy a chicken grind and a turkey grind from a place south of me that fortunately trucks their orders to various cities. My city has a once a month delivery so I try to plan ahead. So, to the OP, if you only have the space in an airstream ... would it not be more beneficial to buy something that is carried locally that you can pick up easily?


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## xthine (Nov 9, 2018)

Hi OP!

Sharing our subscription raw food experiences..

We stayed with Darwin’s for a few years but wanted to have better control of vegetables in Josie’s food diet so switched to We Feed Raw. 
We’ve been using We Feed Raw for several months now and have been pleased with the change. Variety of proteins to choose from, they offer bulk options (5 Lb Patties) and customized daily portions based on weight and activity. They also have a selection of bones and treats. 
I’ve tried both subscriptions but decided to switch to bulk since all pets have switched We Feed Raw from Darwin’s.

Both companies have amazing customer service. We Feed Raw recently started free shipping to my area ( I think nationwide now too), that came with a slight increase in price but well worth it to me. Darwin’s used styrofoam and came with a return label for UPS to pick up the box so Darwin’s can dispose of/recycle. We Feed Raw comes in an insulated compostable cooler, just add water and it dissolves for easy disposal. 

Hope this helps 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## crowconor (Dec 29, 2020)

Sunflowers said:


> I use a scale.
> He gets 2 lbs of food a day ( and he is still ribby!)
> 
> I rotate the proteins, defrost in the refrigerator, and doing so, some stays partly frozen. So, what he gets is always fresh.
> ...


Awesome. I could be wrong, but It looks like feedsentials is a protein source compared to springtime longevity is more of an all around supplement (joint, coat, etc.). Should I feed both? Also what are your thoughts on salmon oil vs fish oil capsules? I have been giving my boy some salmon oil once a day. He looks great and has a nice coat so I think he is benefiting. But was wondering what/if there is a difference.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

@crowconor , Feedsentials is herbs, seeds, and a while lot more.


*FEED-SENTIALS IS A PROPRIETARY BLEND OF:*
Carob powder, ground sunflower seed, dried parsley leaf, kelp flakes, alfalfa greens, ground almond, hulled oil rich hemp seeds, hemp seed flour, dried red and green pepper, dry celery leaf, dried blueberry, dried cranberry, dry dandelion leaf, ground pumpkin seed, powdered carrot, stinging nettle, barley grass powder, dried mint leaf, powdered rose hip, paprika, burdock root powder, garlic powder, sesame seed, digestive enzyme blend (protease, lipase, cellulase, amylase), glucosamine, MSM, dill weed, coriander, anise, fennel, goat milk whey powder, powdered marshmallow root, blue Hawaii spirulina, rosemary, oregano, ginger, cumin, marjoram, thyme, savory, basil, sage, cayenne, powdered yucca, turmeric, fenugreek, bilberry, vegetal silica

You can absolutely feed both, I happen to think the variety is the key to health, just as it is for humans. 
As for the oil, from what I understand, mackerel and sardine are the best for dogs, because the smaller the fish is, the fewer contaminants in it. But I think a lot of dogs do very well on salmon oil.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Galathiel said:


> @Sunflowers You are fortunate to be able to feed so many proteins! Any time I stray from chicken, we start having issues. Considering before I switched to raw Varik had an AG infection


It’s only one dog.
After many years of trying everything and bashing my head against the wall, I finally came to terms with the reality that Hans is unable to eat anything but boiled beef. But at least I found a cure for his never ending skin and gastric problems.

I don’t think I’ve ever heard of an AG infection… What is that?


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

@Sunflowers Well I was trying to be delicate and not type out anal gland but you forced me to it!!!


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Galathiel said:


> @Sunflowers Well I was trying to be delicate and not type out anal gland but you forced me to it!!!


Oooooh ok LOL Google didn’t come up with that 😄
Bone! Bone will squeeze out those glands. Many times infections happen because the poop is too soft. The nasty fishy stuff gets blocked in there, and festers.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

He hasn't had another infection since starting on raw. I'm so glad, too!


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## the.siegel (Mar 15, 2020)

xthine said:


> Hi OP!
> 
> Sharing our subscription raw food experiences..
> 
> ...



Hi xthine

Thank you, that is so helpful. I looked at their website and it seems everything I was looking for. I had a few questions if you don't mind:

- the BARFERS WELLFOOD I bought in Germany wasn't fully grounded, you could actually make out pieces of meat, organs and the berries they put in. I am always a little worried when it comes as a fully grounded paste. From looking at the WeFeedRaw images there are some were it looks like a grounded paste, and others have actually fresh components like eggs etc sitting on top. What is your view on that?

- Beyond Darwin have you tried CaliRaw or BARFWorld by any chance?

Thank you,
S


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## crowconor (Dec 29, 2020)

Sunflowers said:


> @crowconor , Feedsentials is herbs, seeds, and a while lot more.
> 
> 
> *FEED-SENTIALS IS A PROPRIETARY BLEND OF:*
> ...


You convinced me. I just ordered some and a bottle of sh-emp. Thanks


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

crowconor said:


> You convinced me. I just ordered some and a bottle of sh-emp. Thanks


Good to hear. If only more people would add this to their dogs’ diets!
I keep my Feedsentials in the freezer, so it stays fresh. A jar lasts me a very long time. Start with a teaspoon. Same with the oil, just a bit. Slowly increase to recommended quantity ( on the label.)

PS— it will take a while to receive. Comes from Canada, and receiving post from there is like getting stuff from Timbuktu.


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## crowconor (Dec 29, 2020)

Sunflowers said:


> Good to hear. If only more people would add this to their dogs’ diets!
> I keep mine in the freezer, so it stays fresh. A jar lasts me a very long time. Start with a teaspoon. Same with the oil, just a bit. Slowly increase to recommended quantity ( on the label.)
> 
> PS— it will take a while to receive. Comes from Canada, and receiving post from there is like getting stuff from Timbuktu.


Awesome I’ll do that. Looking forward to trying it !


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## the.siegel (Mar 15, 2020)

Sunflowers: would you recommend to add that to a complete diet such as WeFeedRaw that was recommended above?
And since you are so experienced with this, out of the packages raw options such as WeFeedRaw, CaliRaw, Darwin and BARFworld, any of these stand out to you?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

the.siegel said:


> Sunflowers: would you recommend to add that to a complete diet such as WeFeedRaw that was recommended above?
> And since you are so experienced with this, out of the packages raw options such as WeFeedRaw, CaliRaw, Darwin and BARFworld, any of these stand out to you?


Absolutely, I would.
Feedsentials is food.
Darwin’s is very good quality, but you are paying a lot per pound for the vegetables.


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## the.siegel (Mar 15, 2020)

Last question before I pull the trigger, has anyone tried OCRaw? At my Schutzhund club they order wholesale from them and I could participate.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

the.siegel said:


> Last question before I pull the trigger, has anyone tried OCRaw? At my Schutzhund club they order wholesale from them and I could participate.


I would not choose that because it has too many things in it. I prefer to pay for a product only containing good, fresh meat, bone, and organs, and add fruits and veggies only if and when I want.
I also don’t like the consistency. 
Meat only does not stick to their teeth, and has no carbs to cause tooth decay. 
(Edited because I read things wrong.)


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Sunflowers said:


> I had a good friend look at it. She knows more than I do.
> “No. Why is meat listed way down under all the fruity and veggie stuff?
> All kinds of unnecessary junk.”


Did I look at the wrong website? Do you have a link? The one I saw was for OCRawdog and listed the ingredients for chicken (for example) as;

INGREDIENTS: Chicken, Ground Chicken Bone, Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzard, Carrots, Apples,Broccoli, Spinach, Acorn Squash, Beets, Cod Liver Oil, Parsley, Blueberries, Calcium Carbonate.


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## the.siegel (Mar 15, 2020)

This is the website for OCRaw: CHICKEN & PRODUCE | WELCOME TO OC RAW DOG!


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## xthine (Nov 9, 2018)

the.siegel said:


> Hi xthine
> 
> Thank you, that is so helpful. I looked at their website and it seems everything I was looking for. I had a few questions if you don't mind:
> 
> ...


You’re welcome! 

I’d have to say that WFRs consistency is finely ground. I could see small bits of bone in the patties. I do add veggies that I prepare myself and weekly raw duck egg (from Answers), freeze dried lamb green tripe. Lately been adding herbs like oregano, parsley and cilantro. 
There was one raw food company I tried where the consistency was definitely pasty, did not continue to use that one..couldn’t remember the name.
I have not tried either of the companies you mentioned. I may have looked at CaliRaw, but because of veggies in the mix did not follow through.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

WFR uses HPP treatment.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I get whole sale chicken backs, liver, kidney and heart (all beef), whole green tripe from a bison ranch, organ mixture from Greentripe.com, a variety of ground mixes from Dog Style Boutique (Bandon, OR). and ground turkey and random stuff from Miami Raw. I love it when their freezer is full.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

wolfy dog said:


> I get whole sale chicken backs, liver, kidney and heart (all beef), whole green tripe from a bison ranch, organ mixture from Greentripe.com, a variety of ground mixes from Dog Style Boutique (Bandon, OR). and ground turkey and random stuff from Miami Raw. I love it when their freezer is full.


I think people get intimidated by having to put things together, but what I have learned is that they don’t need 100% perfectly balanced meals every single day. As long as they eat a balanced diet for the week, it’s great!

One thing that makes this a lot more manageable is having a separate freezer for the dogs, which I understand not everybody has room for. The more I did this, the more fun I have varying the meals and giving him something else every single day.
It does help to have a dog who tolerates this, some dogs just do not do well on raw at all.
I have one of each.


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## GSD07 (Feb 23, 2007)

OC Raw is a very good food. I really liked feeding it and did for a few years. When my dog lost a lot of weight and muscle mass due to illness and meds, their Lamb basically saved him. I would feed it again if it were available to me right now.


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## crowconor (Dec 29, 2020)

Sunflowers said:


> Good to hear. If only more people would add this to their dogs’ diets!
> I keep my Feedsentials in the freezer, so it stays fresh. A jar lasts me a very long time. Start with a teaspoon. Same with the oil, just a bit. Slowly increase to recommended quantity ( on the label.)
> 
> PS— it will take a while to receive. Comes from Canada, and receiving post from there is like getting stuff from Timbuktu.


I already received the feedsentials. My boy loves the way it tastes, he lapped it right up. But, I’m just not sure if I should completely replace his last supplement with it. I was giving him springtime longevity which has some condroiten and glucosamine which the feedsentials does not. Seems like those could be worth continuing but I dont know anything. Maybe just give both?


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Of course! Or alternate days, that’s what I do.
Feedsentials does have glucosamine.
But if you feed raw, your dog already gets glucosamine and chondroitin from cartilage.
Feed necks and trachea, tails (pig) and feet ( chicken and duck ) and you’re all set.
I will always choose a food that contains the nutrient before I would feed a chemical supplement.

If you want to maintain healthy joints, look into adding green-lipped mussel powder by Super Snouts. I keep mine in the freezer and feed it every other day.



Amazon.com








Natural Sources of Glucosamine for Your Dog: Chicken Feet, Beef Trachea, and More


Glucosamine is a natural compound found in the building blocks of cartilage. There are some excellent sources of glucosamine found naturally in foods your dog can eat every day.



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