21/07/2024
Nutrition is a topic we consider when meeting every client, and this is because I've witnessed disproportionate ratio of carbohydrates, protein and fats significantly alter muscle mass and endurance. In these cases, the underlying driver behind altered performance (and even gait) was not conditioning, but food.
A few of my clients have contacted Food for Fen on choosing a balanced and complete raw pre-mix for this reason; she's now made a list available for all. Thank you, Fiona!
Commercial Raw Premades for Dogs *UPDATED Dec 5, 2024*
UPDATES:
Northwest Naturals (Oregon) added to the USA list
The raw dog food industry has come a long way! (Thank Dog!)
While there are still many commercially available premades that are not balanced according to nutrient requirements (and still have labels that read something like "Turkey, Turkey Organs, Turkey Bones, Kelp" 🙄), many companies are beginning to offer at least one line of correctly labeled, complete and balanced food for dogs.👏👏
Below is a list of balanced commercial premade raw dog foods that follow nutrient guidelines (AAFCO and or NRC for North America; FEDIAF for Europe). If I've not included your favorite, there is probably a reason, such as using seeds and herbs to meet mineral requirements, for example. There are several brands that do this. Bioavailability of minerals from seeds and herbs is questionable. While the recipe may look fine on paper, it may not be providing all the nutrients as labeled (see notes under Beware! for an explanation)
But I digress...If your favorite brand is not listed, let me know in the comments!
"How do I know if a particular raw food is right for my dog?"
If your dog can eat within the package guidelines for his/her weight and maintain an ideal bodyweight, this indicates that the food has the correct caloric density for your dog. Of course, other things must be considered too, especially for canine athletes or dogs with health conditions.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Most commercial raw dog foods will NOT work for (drastic) weight loss or "easy keepers". Fat is a cheap ingredient and most commercial raw diets are higher in fat than would be indicated for weight loss. Many dogs needing to lose weight, or those dogs that are easy keepers or low activity, will probably NOT be able to eat within the package guidelines for their size without gaining weight. Many brands formulate assuming a very high energy multiplier and work well for high calorie burners only.
BEWARE! Websites are often misleading (some brands labeled "Complete and Balanced" are actually "ratio", "BARF" or "PMR" style of raw feeding, which do not follow nutrient guidelines and are not based in science; they are often deficient and/or excessive in several important nutrients.
In the UK especially, there are several brands/lines that claim "FEDIAF" but contain a long list of nuts, seeds and herbs and no vitamin/mineral additives ("Nutritional Additives" on the label).
Anyone who has studied nutritional science in dogs understands that these ingredients may not provide their "on paper" amounts of any given nutrient due to reduced bioavailability in the canine. Due to the way the mineral is structured (bound) within the plant matter, some (or all) of certain minerals may not be absorbed and thus the nutrient is unavailable to the dog. In reality, such vast amounts of these types of ingredients would need to be used to account for their reduced bioavailability, which makes them poor choices to use in canine diets as sources of minerals.
This is why "nutritional additives" appear on (UK) pet food labels - only small quantities of a supplement are generally needed to meet requirements, vs. huge quantities of plant ingredients. While plant matter does offer many other benefits in the canine diet (antioxidants, water-soluble vitamins, beneficial fiber and other non-essential but important nutrients) they are generally not good sources of minerals. This is especially true of iron. "Non-heme" iron (iron from plant sources) likely has zero bioavailability in dogs. So think twice about feeding an all-chicken diet with thyme, parsley and spinach listed as "good sources of iron"; for a dog - they are not!
And finally, The List!
Complete and Balanced Commercial Premade Raw food List (will be updated frequently-ish)
Guide/Legend:
ALS = All Life Stages. This means the food is complete and balanced for growth and reproduction as well as adult dogs at any stage of life.
Adult = the brand offers complete and balanced formulas for adult dogs
Adult and Puppy = the brand offers separate complete and balanced formulas for adult dogs and puppies.
Canada only:
Purevolution (Quebec only, adult and puppy)
Faim Museau (Quebec and Ontario only, ALS)
Iron Will Raw (Canine Complete only, adult and puppy)
Aliments Crus Grenier (Quebec only, Premium Recipes only - ALS)
Alpha Dog Distribution (Quebec only, AAFCO recipes only - adult)
CaniPro (Quebec only, Completes and Supreme Completes only - adult and puppy)
Karbur (Quebec only - Ontario coming soon, Complete Meat Blends only - ALS)
Karnivor (Quebec and Ontario only, ALS* (they recommend the Beef and Chicken recipes for puppies).
USA only:
Carnos - formerly Top Quality Dog Food (Completes only - ALS)
Oma's Pride (Completes only - ALS)
Titan (ALS*) *Not suitable for easy keepers - very high fat. Excessive retinol (Vitamin A), although not exceeding safe upper limits)
Rebel Raw (ALS)
Bravo (Balance formulas only - ALS)
Answers (Detailed formulas only - ALS*) *Not suitable for dogs requiring a low histamine diet, such as mast cell cancers, allergies and possible food sensitivities)
K9 Craving (ALS)
Just Food for Dogs (Gently Cooked - ALS* (they recommend Chicken & White Rice and Fish & Sweet Potato recipes for puppies)
Northwest Naturals (ALS, ALS including Large breed puppies)
Internationally available:
Instinct Raw (adult and puppy)
Instinct Raw Longevity (adult and puppy)
Stella and Chewy's (Raw Dinners only - ALS)
Primal (USA and Canada only - adult and puppy)
K9 Natural (Australia and New Zealand only - ALS)
UK only (FEDIAF):
Nature's Menu (Complete and Balanced line only - adult and puppy)
Poppy's Picnic (adult and puppy)
*NEW* Kiezebrink (KB Complete and Alaska Dog lines only - adult and puppy)
*NEW* Wilson’s Pet Food (Premium 70|10|10|10 lines only - adult and puppy)
**Food for Fen has no affiliation with any manufacturer and by listing the food does not constitute and endorsement**
