A Guide to Ready Made Foods

by Marina Chang

In a previous article, I shared my journey from dry kibble to fresh food for my dog. Preparing fresh food added considerable time to our travel preparations. I would prepare huge batches of dog food, pre-measuring and freezing daily meals in plastic zipper bags. I found that I could streamline the process to an assembly line operation, but it still took a fair amount of time to chop, mix, and measure all ingredients, then portion and package it all for freezing.

After my husband was awakened more than once at 2:00 a.m. by range sounds and finding a disheveled madwoman in the kitchen churning large vats of raw meat and vegetables, he recommended I find a simpler process. Whether Tater or Luna traveled with us or stayed home, I had to devise a simple feeding regime that would be convenient for us in hotel rooms or for our dog-sitter at our house. So I decided to investigate various frozen raw diets available on the market. Here are my experiences with some of the commercial raw diets available for Bay area dogs.

[Editor’s note: These reviews represent one person’s experiences with these foods. Your experience may differ and we suggest that you take time to research and consult with your veterinarian about your dog’s nutritional needs.]

Far More by Fargo, Sanger, Texas

Far More contains 70 to 75% protein with up to 5% whole grain in two of their three recipes.The beef diet contains oatmeal, and buffalo comes with a bit of barley. Chicken is grain-free. The company website explains that “Small amounts of whole, unrefined, cooked, low-gluten grains are beneficial for most dogs.” Besides oatmeal, the beef diet includes molasses, salmon, and cod liver oils, and garlic. The chicken diet, however, has none of these, but contains flax seed oil, bok choy, spinach, and squash. These diets contain all human-grade ingredients and no synthetic supplements or other additives No mention of organic. A box containing five one-pound salami type rolls is the smallest unit available. We tried the chicken, which was also the most economical of the three meat types, at approximately $2.95/lb. at Western Farm Center Speckled with flax seeds, the chicken looked and smelled of fresh ground meat. The 25% to 30% of vegetables were not discernable within the meat. Both dogs enjoyed it heartily and digested it easily.

Feed This! Feed This, Inc., Sebastopol, California

Prepared by a small local company which primarily delivers its food directly to customers, Feed This! can be found at only two retailers (see reference box). At these locations, it is sold in one-pound tubs called “Bogie Balls,” available in chicken, lamb, turkey, beef, and just veggies. The diet is based on Kymythy Schultze’s The Ultimate Diet. All the meats are hormone and antibiotic freMae, and all nutrients are provided via whole raw foods, such as meat, eggs, vegetables, ground bones, kelp, and herbs. Different selections of vegetables and herbs are rotated monthly and constitute 14% of the diet. Co-owner Cathy emphasized that their foods contain no grains, yeast or dairy. With a veterinarian and nutritionist on staff, this company will also provide nutritional consultations and customize diets for specific ailments such as allergies or cancer. Complete food mixtures are priced between just under $3.00 to $6.00 per pound.

We tried the turkey Bogie Ball. It looked and smelled the closest to fresh home-prepared dog food and smelled of fresh meat with a hint of herbs. A good amount of dark leafy green stuff was folded into very pure looking ground meat. The Bogie Ball was very appetizing to all who sniffed it. The dogs scarfed it down as if Mom had made it. Luna did very well on this diet. However, after several days on this diet Tater developed digestive issues. I later purchased three varieties of plain organic ground meat from this company.

Natural Balance Canine Raw Food Diet, by Natural Balance Pet Foods, Pacoima, California

Per their website, the Natural Balance Canine Raw Food Diet was formulated by a holistic veterinarian and is a “complete and balanced” diet. An impressive list of ingredients, muscle meat, ground raw bones, vegetables, sweet potatoes, flaxseed, barley and alfalfa sprouts, fruit, eggs, cold-pressed salmon oil, kelp, spirulina, montmorillonite, grapefruit seed extract, is followed by a list of the same synthetic supplements on every dry and canned dog food label. Although The Whole Dog Journal (April 2006, Completely Convenient) stated that this food contains oatmeal and rice, grains are not mentioned anywhere in their ingredients. Frozen in the form of one-inch cubes, the choices here are chicken or beef. Priced at less than $3.00/lb., this is one of the more economical raw foods on the market.

These grayish brownish cubes smell pleasantly of oats. The small morsel size had me counting out 50 or 60 cubes for each meal for a 45 to 50-lb. dog. I chose to use these almost as a garnish to supplement my homemade food or another brand of raw food such as Prairie which is long on meat. My dogs always eat the raw Natural Balance, but do not attack it with the same élan as with some other diets.

Perfect Servings by Breeder’s Choice, Irwindale, California

I sought out this label after meeting a seven-year- old Labrador mix with a shiny, silky coat, and sparkling eyes, whose owner fed him Perfect Servings. The company website states it contains “no cereal grains or fillers.” The ingredients include meat, ground bone, liver, apples, vegetables, egg, salmon and olive oils, montmorillonite (source of trace mineral), inulin (extracted from chicory), and rosemary.

We tried both beef and chicken which come in 2½ inch “mini-patties.” The beef resembles small hamburgers. I do not recall much of a scent. The frozen chicken patties resemble liverwurst in appearance and have a very pungent smell similar to old locker room socks.

A 10 lb. bag of these frozen patties is probably the most economical of the commercial raw foods. It costs approximately $2.80/lb. for the chicken, and $3.00/lb. for the beef.

We brought these patties and some Primal brand duck along on a road trip. It may have been the excitement of the trip, but Tater turned his nose up more than once at the chicken. On the other hand, Luna the chowhound seemed to enjoy it, gobbling it down every time.

Prairie by Nature’s Variety, Lincoln, Nebraska

A whopping 95% of this food is from animal protein, muscle meat, organs, and ground bone, which Nature’s Variety states is free range and free of antibiotics and hormones. The fruits, vegetables, and supplements make up only five percent of the ingredients, and are certified organic. The supplements include “Norwegian Virgin Salmon Oil” and montmorillonite. This food also does not contain any cereal grains or fillers.

Prairie is available in chicken/turkey, beef, lamb, venison, rabbit, and organic chicken. These come in eight-ounce patties or one-ounce medallions. This product is priced at around $3.50/lb. Prairie also produces a freeze-dried version of the raw frozen diet. A 12-ounce bag of freeze-dried medallions contains approximately 48 of the same raw medallions minus the water.

We prefer the large patties for our medium large dogs. These come in a homogeneous, almost puréed, form with an all-meat appearance. I would not have guessed they contained any fruit or vegetables, but then five percent is not much. I did not detect a meat odor, which is my only clue to the other ingredients. The instant I broke out a few of these patties my dogs immediately appeared with quivering nostrils held high. We tried several of the Prairie flavors, and my dogs wolfed them all down with no digestive after effects. We tended to favor the venison for its meatiness.

Primal Pet Foods, San Francisco, California

The president of Primal is a chef trained in French and Mediterranean cuisine. His company uses all human grade raw ingredients including hormone and antibiotic free meats, certified organic produce, and unrefined nutritional supplements such as sea kelp, alfalfa, cider vinegar, and grapefruit seed extract, and no grains. The ratio of protein to produce and supplements varies between 70/30 and 60/40. Primal comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, from small brick shaped “nuggets” to large “chub rolls.” This brand produces the greatest variety of meat choices: chicken, turkey, buffalo, beef, duck, lamb, and sardine (ground in chub roll form only). Prices vary from approximately $3.33/lb. for beef or chicken/turkey to about $5.00/lb. for lamb.

We tried the duck. The small briquettes had a finely ground consistency and were speckled throughout with green and orange bits of vegetable matter. To my nose it smelled deliciously of garlic and rosemary. Tater, who loves strong flavors, ate it with gusto. However, within 30 minutes of consuming the Primal duck, he would consistently make nauseous ‘cacking’ sounds for the next half hour. I suspect that if the entire fowl is ground into the duck diet, it is highly fatty and too rich for him. Luna, who normally eats everything, was not as keen on the strong flavors. Perhaps the chicken or beef would have fared better with both dogs.

Final Comments

When testing commercial frozen raw foods and preparing homemade dog meals, I sometimes weekly or daily switch brands or major ingredients. Since my dogs began eating fresh and raw ingredients I discovered they can easily digest chicken, pumpkin, peas and apples one day and beef, carrots, broccoli, and bananas the next without even a hiccup. This was not true when they ate primarily dry kibble and/or canned food.

Figuring in the price of my time to shop, chop, mix, and package homemade dog food, my research has almost persuaded me that ready-made raw diets may be more cost effective, even when we are not traveling. It is definitely more convenient.