The Best Raw Dog Foods of 2022

Best Overall

Stella & Chewy’s Frozen Raw Dinner Morsels Dog Food

4.8

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To earn the best overall spot on our list, a raw dog food must be nutritionally balanced, reasonably affordable, and use ethically sourced, high-quality ingredients. Because the food is frozen, its ingredients can be delivered as fresh as possible.

Each of the five frozen flavors (we also offer a link to their freeze-dried variety) available is made up of greater than 95 percent meat, organs, and bones. The remaining 5 percent is made up of ingredients like pumpkin seeds, organic cranberries, spinach, broccoli, carrots, squash, and blueberries. A full complement of vitamins and minerals, plus probiotics, is also included in the formula.

Frozen food is also moisture-rich. That will save effort compared to rehydrating freeze-dried foods. A moisture-rich food can help your dog avoid chronic dehydration that can lead to kidney and urinary problems later in life.

Stella & Chewy’s is a woman-owned business that has been offering quality raw foods since 2003. Manufactured in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, Stella & Chewy's uses grass-fed, cage-free, and other certified and transparently sourced protein. Stella & Chewy's never uses protein sources containing added hormones or antibiotics.

Rather than heating food to eliminate contaminants, Stella & Chewy's uses "high-pressure processing," which subjects ingredients to a high enough water pressure to achieve a sterilizing effect similar to pasteurization.

They also offer a line of Freeze-Dried Dinner Morsels, dry food, treats, and toppers with the same healthy flavors. Many stores carry only the non-frozen products so call ahead or use the store locator when shopping for the frozen food line.

_{Flavors: Tantalizing Turkey, Duck Duck Goose, Chewy’s Chicken, Dandy Lamb, Stella’s Super Beef︱Crude Protein Minimum: 12-15% depending on flavor︱Crude Fat Minimum: 9-13.5% depending on flavor︱Crude Fiber Max: 2%︱Moisture Max: 72%︱Sizes: 4 pounds for all flavors, 8.5 ounces for lamb and duck}

Best Budget

Instinct Frozen Raw Bites Grain-Free Cage-Free Chicken Recipe Dog Food

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This high-protein food is made with 85 percent meat and organs (and bone for beef flavor), plus 15 percent non-GMO vitamins, minerals, fruits, and vegetables. Ingredients include apples, carrots, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash, while Instinct Frozen Raw Bites leaves out grains, corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, and preservatives. The cold pressure processing helps prevent contamination while retaining raw meat status.

Instinct has been offering raw recipes for over 15 years made in their own kitchens in Lincoln, Nebraska, and following Safe Quality Food quality standards.

_{Flavors: Beef, cage-free chicken, grass-fed lamb︱Crude Protein Minimum: 12% depending on flavor︱Crude Fat Minimum: 8% depending on flavor︱Crude Fiber Max: 3%︱Moisture Max: 70%︱Sizes: 3 and 6 pounds}

Best for Weight Control

Bones & Co. Raw Frozen Dog Food

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Another great brand recommended by Marshall, Bones & Co. offers its Raw Frozen Dog Food in both patties and miniature forms for smaller breed dogs. Both are made of 95 percent meat, bone, and organs, plus 5 percent organic vegetables, vitamins, and minerals. This formula is designed to adhere to a keto diet, which eliminates as many carbs as possible so that energy is burnt from fat instead.

Their ingredients are sourced from small family farms in the United States, using grass-fed and cage-free protein sources. Their team hand-packs its dog food formula in a human-grade kitchen located in Austin, Texas.

Bones & Co. patties and minis are sold in small, independent pet stores across the United States and are backed by a "keto guarantee," offering free food if your dog doesn't show improved metabolic markers, including blood sugar levels, after six weeks of use.

_{Flavors: Barkin’ Beef, Kickin’ Chicken, Dazzlin’ Duck, Lickin’ Lamb, Temptin’ Turkey︱Crude Protein Minimum: 12-14.5% depending on flavor︱Crude Fat Minimum: 12-15% depending on flavor︱Crude Fiber Max: 2%︱Moisture Max: 68-69% depending on flavor︱Sizes: 3-pound minis, 6- and 18-pound patties}

Best Freeze-Dried

Bixbi Rawbble Freeze-dried Dog Food

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These freeze-dried foods are made in small batches with USDA-certified animal proteins. About 98 percent of the recipe is comprised of muscle meat, organs, and bone. The remaining 2 percent contains oils, pumpkins, vitamins, and minerals, including herring oil, which is rich in fatty acids. Each flavor is considered a limited ingredient diet, which makes the food ideal for dogs with stomach troubles due to food allergies or sensitivities.

Bixbi Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dog Food is available in a wide variety of flavors, including beef, chicken, chicken and salmon, duck, lamb, pork, and turkey.

_{Flavors: Beef, chicken, chicken & salmon, duck, lamb, pork, and turkey︱Crude Protein Minimum: 46-58%︱Crude Fat Minimum: 25-38%︱Crude Fiber Max: 4%︱Moisture Max: 7%︱Sizes: 4.5, 12, 26 ounce and 1.6 pounds}

Best for Puppies

BJ's Raw Pet Food Premium Puppy Blend

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Puppies can start on a raw food diet around 8 to 12 weeks of age and can generally eat the same raw foods as adults, except that the ratios of certain foods are different to ensure their diet is nutritionally complete and balanced. Feeding puppies a DIY diet can feel overwhelming since their needs constantly change as they grow into adulthood.

Marshall likes this brand, including its Premium Puppy Mix. It includes chicken, chicken bone and organs, beef, tripe, spleen, liver, kidney, fine ground pork, and goat’s milk. Animals are grass-fed at local farms and are processed at BJ’s Raw Pet Food to ensure humane treatment. Cuts are frozen quickly to preserve nutrients. It’s a great food to encourage puppies to wean as well. Customers remark on how much their puppy loves the flavor of this blend.

They offer bulk discounts and 5 percent off when you subscribe to regular shipments.

_{Flavor: Chicken, beef and pork blend︱Crude Protein Minimum: 17%︱Crude Fat Minimum: 12%︱Crude Fiber Max: 1%︱Moisture Max: 69%︱Sizes: 2 and 10 pounds}

Best for Senior Dogs

The Farmer’s Dog Fresh Dog Food

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The Farmer’s Dog is unique because it calculates a custom diet designed specifically for your senior dog’s age, existing and target weight, health, and breed. You fill out a very short questionnaire online, and then they package and ship two weeks’ worth of frozen, pre-portioned dog food. It’s relatively easy to make changes as your dog’s age and health evolve.

The food itself is prepared fresh. For senior dogs, it is lightly cooked (and so not completely raw) to make the proteins slightly more digestible while leaving the vitamins and nutrients intact.

The custom diet for my 48-pound, 6-year-old mutt, Ghillie, included three different foods. USDA-Certified turkey, beef and beef liver, and chicken and chicken liver blends. Each mix also included healthy, recognizable plant-based foods like chickpeas, lentils, carrots, sweet potatoes, kale, sunflower seeds, and fish oils. The cost was just over $6 per day, even before the 50 percent discount on your first order.

This high-quality diet is packed with antioxidants and healthy fats that help prevent cognitive decline as dogs age. Omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA and EPA, improve brain function in dogs.

They’ve even thought about the environment. It comes in a recyclable cardboard box, and both the food storage container and insulation are biodegradable and compostable at home. Their food packs are made from nontoxic BPA-free plastics.

_{Flavors: Turkey, beef, chicken and pork︱Crude Protein Minimum: 8-11.5% depending on flavor︱Crude Fat Minimum: 4.5-8.5% depending on flavor︱Crude Fiber Max: 1.5%︱Moisture Max: 72-76% depending on flavor︱Size: Custom to your dog}

Best Dry

Only Natural Pet PowerFusion Dog Food

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If you’re not already using raw dog food and are hesitant to jump in with both feet, then dry raw blends might be for you, especially if your dog is already used to dry kibble. Several manufacturers have developed a dry kibble that includes freeze-dried (or less desirable dehydrated) raw food coatings or inclusions to offer pet parents the kibble they’re used to while also introducing the benefits of raw food for their dog.

In addition to the high-quality meat sources, it's made with foods your dog will love, like sunflower and herring oils, and superfoods that optimize the body’s functions, like flaxseed, sweet potato, carrots, broccoli, and cranberries. It also has omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for a healthy heart and brain function, glucosamine and chondroitin for strong joints, and probiotics and enzymes that promote a robust digestive system.

Only Natural Pet is a Certified B Corp, which means they’ve met high standards for social, environmental, and governance practices, so you can feel good knowing your purchase is from a company that cares about quality at all levels of their business. You can also save 15 percent by signing up for automatic delivery.

Stella and Chewy’s also offers a Raw Blend Kibble in chicken or beef made from baked kibble that is coated with freeze-dried raw food and mixed with freeze-dried raw inclusions. Castor & Pollux Pristine Grain-free Dog Food with Raw Bites is similarly designed.

_{Flavors: Turkey for small breeds, poultry (chicken and turkey blend), red meat (lamb and pork)︱Crude Protein Minimum: 35-38% depending on flavor︱Crude Fat Minimum: 16-17% depending on flavor︱Crude Fiber Max: 6.5%︱Sizes: 4 and 18 pounds}

Best Subscription Delivery Service

Darwin's Natural Selections Dog Food

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This delivery service made Marshall’s list of favorites. If you feel too busy to shop or if making it easier will help you follow through on raw food, consider a subscription delivery service. Darwin’s is well rated and committed to using only ethically raised ingredients. Depending on the size and age of your dog, you can expect to spend around $20-$25 per week for a small dog breed. Their food is made from minimally processed, human-quality meat and organic vegetables.

Their website offers a pet food volume calculator, and if you sign up, they offer a quiz you can take to develop a custom feeding plan specifically for your dogs. Those new to raw food diets can also call in for a free consultation about their menu and how to transition your pet safely to a raw diet.

To get you started, they offer a large “new customer” discount on your first order when you sign up for automatic shipping. You choose the frequency and size of shipments, and you can cancel or make changes at any time. They ship their foods to the 48 contiguous states.

Darwin’s also offers Intelligent Design Veterinary Formulas that require a prescription from a veterinarian. These are for dogs with specific health issues such as kidney disease or food allergies.

_{Flavors: Chicken, duck, turkey, beef, and lamb︱Crude Protein Minimum: 12-14% depending on flavor︱Crude Fat Minimum: 6-12% depending on flavor︱Crude Fiber Max: 1%︱Moisture Max: 71-79% depending on flavor}

Best Mixer/Topper

Vibrant K9 Grass Fed & Finished Freeze-Dried Dog and Cat Treats

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A topper or mixer is an excellent way to introduce raw foods into your dog’s diet, especially if you’ve never tried them before. They’re meant to be poured over or mixed in with your dog’s daily meal. Mixers and toppers are designed specifically for use as “intermittent or supplemental feeding” or as treats rather than as a nutritionally complete and balanced meal. Most of the other raw foods in this list can also be used as toppers or mixers or as a full meal.

Also recommended by Marshall, this brand’s flavors vary over time, but each is freeze-dried unadulterated meat from ethically raised sources and made in California. These mixers are a great way to add the vitamins and nutrients in offal and organ meats and fish to DIY raw food diets prepared at home, which is essential in your companion’s diet.

_{Flavors: Vary based on availability—beef heart, beef lung, beef kidney, beef liver, seafoods︱Sizes: 3.5 to 4 ounces}