#these are all Yoshis opinions bc we did not have sham when we tried them

[fruitless-vain]

You feed raw right? I'm looking into feeding half kibble half raw and just wondering what brand you use. I feel like you always research so thoroughly that I trust your opinion

I currently feed hungry hunter (sub brand of big country raw) and rotate proteins, they meet the AAFCO nutrient profiles, CFIA standards, are readily available at common stores which make stocking up way easier, are a well established brand, and have an extended feeding trial readily available which they happily provide the full research paper for upon request (which is quite rare for raw brands currently!)

It is not the Worlds Largest Feeding Trial Ever but that’s to be expected when raw is new and research takes time.

And of course my two get annual bloodwork to ensure they’re getting everything they need and we’ve never had an issue.

I’ve tried a few brands in the past

Primal raw- is well reviewed and quite popular (and pricey here) but Yoshi hated it because the frozen meats are squeezed in to shapes which makes the meat pretty dry. Freeze dried formulas she hated no matter what we used to rehydrate the meal with

Stella and chewy’s- again well reviewed well known and expensive. I only ever used the freeze dried as treats since they have some fun exotic flavours like goose and rabbit. It was fine but Yoshi just doesn’t love freeze dried as much. Their frozen formulas are also packed in to shapes which squeezes the juice out so picky dogs might not like it

Iron will raw- I honestly loved this one and so did Yo but it ended up being difficult for me to stock up on with only one company carrying it. Lots of unique flavour options like kangaroo! great bulk boxes and mixes. Just sold in satchels so they’re bloody and delicious to picky Yoshi. They didnt have as much research backing them as my current food choice

Instinct- another highly popular and expensive brand, only ever tried their freeze dried formulas and it was /fine/ but wasn’t a favourite and so enormously overpriced. Again frozen form is Patties and nuggets which lack Juiciness

Ofc I’m in Canada so idk what brands are really going to be available to you, key things are to look for current research from the brand, if they have reports on bacteria present in packing (raw brands should regularly be testing their packs to ensure salmonella, etc. aren’t present/// far below accepted measurements in their packs) and to talk to your vet.

Yes a lot of vets will be weary when you mention it- most of them are worried about cross contamination from poor prep work and bad formulations- but often when you explain that you are a knowledgeable human being wanting to do your best here they’re willing to work with you and help. Vets will know what brands have sent pets to their ER more than others, vets will know what brands have caused deficiencies for their clients in your area. They can help you figure out what foods are available around you that they Do recommend, and what ones they really hope you stay away from.

Raw isn’t nearly as scary as it can seem once you find the right brands to work with. Keep your area clean, don’t have anything in the fridge for more than 3 days MAX and when you thaw to portion it out ensure it’s only semi thawed- you should be cutting through it with force, not like jello, otherwise you’re letting bacteria develop before re freezing it.