What is Fresh Dog Food? 5 Benefits That Prove Its Value

Quick Summary

• Fresh dog food is a type of pet food that is made of real chunks of ingredients carefully cooked to retain its nutrients. Unlike traditional kibble, fresh dog food does not contain preservatives and fillers.
• Most fresh dog food companies today use high-quality ingredients and offer meals tailored to a specific dog’s needs such as food allergies.
• The benefits of a fresh food diet for dogs include: improved poop, healthy weight, better energy, and shiny coat.

Compared to kibble or canned food, these fresh foods do not have artificial flavors, minimally processed, and comes with all the nutrients in their purest format. Fresh dog food brands are gaining popularity as more and more dog owners understand the value of serving their own dogs high-quality products. I myself am a fan of fresh food for my dogs as I witness the many benefits it does to the health of my pups.

In this article, I will go over more details about fresh dog food to help you decide if this is the right diet for your dog.

Benefits of Fresh Dog Foods

Fresh pet foods are widely accepted as the healthier option by pet owners, but what exactly can it do for your dog? After switching your pet’s diet to fresh dog food like The Farmer’s Dog and Just Food Food For Dog, you’ll be able to see the following benefits:

Improves Their Poop

Do you notice your dog straining during his poop walks? Or maybe his poop is very wet and hard to pick up. Fresh meals have a way of firming up the poop through the introduction of fiber in the mix. Ingredients like sweet potato and brown rice helps keep the digestive tract healthy and moving, unlike with traditional dry food. Check out our comparison of fresh dog food vs kibble to know their differences in terms of health benefits for Fido.

Helps Maintain a Healthy Weight

Using fresh ingredients in your dog’s diet helps introduce more moisture to his diet. This is actually a good thing since it leaves him full faster and for longer periods of time. Wet food therefore prevents your dog from eating too much therefore keeping his weight within healthy levels. This is the perfect pet food for dogs who are prone to obesity or sedentary senior dogs. If time is an issue, dog food delivery services can be your solution.

Helps with Food Allergies

Your typical dry kibble comes with a mixture of grain ingredients. Unfortunately, grain is one of the most common allergy triggers for dry dog food. With a fresh meal, pet parents can have completely grain free pet food that still meets the needs of their pet [1]. Specific ingredients can be chosen for precise health benefits depending on your dog’s unique status. Veterinary nutritionists can also help in making sure that the meal prep is complete and compliant with AAFCO standards.

Better Energy

With a whole and balanced diet in your pet’s food, your dog gets all the protein, vitamins, and minerals he needs for a happy and healthy life. He’ll be happy to run around, go for long walks, and enjoy his playtime with tons of energy. If you have a working dog or if your dog has an active lifestyle, fresh diets will offer them better nutrition in the long run.

Shiny Coat

Your dog’s health may be reflected through his skin, coat, and eyes. Fresh pet food, when made through top-quality human grade ingredients, have the potential of improving the external aspect of your dog. Of course, this should be combined with proper care and hygiene, but for the most part, your dog’s skin is determined through his diet. Consistent fresh dog’s food will prevent your pooch from scratching, having dry skin, or falling off hair.

Fresh Food and Raw Food—What’s the Difference?

Fresh dog food may be made with feed grade ingredients, gently cooked, and then served in appropriate portions to your pet. It can contain any kind of protein source like lamb, chicken, pork, beef, venison, or even turkey fare. In a review done by The Pampered Pup, several recipes from different brands were compared in terms of taste—yes, reviewer Zach Lovatt taste tested six fresh dog food brands to find the best one.

The raw diet is more or less the same, except the food is not cooked. The goal is to provide the dog with meals that are as close as natural to what they evolutionary ate in the wild. This is the main difference between the two. Fresh dog food and raw dog food more or less have the same ingredients which are human grade fresh food. The only difference is the preparation.

So which of the two is better? Compared to dry food you buy from the local pet store, raw and fresh dog food are definitely better. They come with top quality ingredients and are typically made under the guidance of a veterinary nutritionist. Comparing fresh dog food and raw food maybe a little tricky though. Ultimately, it comes down to your dog’s personal preferences. Keep in mind though that homemade dog food, whether raw or fresh, needs to be prepared in a sterile environment. The last thing you want is to introduce pathogens in the dog food that could cause digestive problems.

You can learn how to make fresh dog food, however many pet parents opt to safeguard their dog’s health through fresh food services that deliver to homes. These platforms also know exactly how much fresh food to feed a dog depending on its unique needs. Companies like Just Food for Dogs and Farmer’s Dog help create complete meals with the added guarantee of cleanliness. The meals are made in USDA kitchens and packed according to existing industry standards – which helps guarantee the freshness of the food while keeping the shelf life at reasonable levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is considered fresh dog food?

Fresh pet food is typically anything made from whole ingredients with zero preservatives added in. There are also no fillers added into the mix which means your dog is getting the meal in its purest and healthiest form.

Is fresh dog food good for dogs?

Yes—definitely. Unlike other dog foods, these meals have higher amounts of protein and fat which are both necessary for a dogs health. They’re typically made with the help of AAFCO feeding guidelines which sets the gold standard when it comes to animal nutrition.

Is fresh dog food the same as raw?

No. Fresh and raw may sound the same in that they both contain quality ingredients, have high levels of protein, and with little fillers or no preservatives added in the mix. The key difference between the two is the preparation. By its name, raw food does not go through a cooking process or is very minimal. However, the best fresh dog food goes through a bit of cooking to eliminate pathogens and make the food more palatable. The fresh options can be steamed, baked, or cooked through some other way.

Is fresh dog food more expensive?

Because of the preparation and the quality of ingredients necessary for making fresh dog food, it’s really not surprising that they’re more expensive. For example, a fresh beef mash can be a few times more costly than your typical store-bought servings. There’s also the time cost of preparing the meals yourself. Fortunately, there are services that deliver pre-portioned packets of fresh feed on dry ice and deliver it direct. This makes the process more convenient for owners.