Mealtime! It’s any cat or dog’s favourite time of day and what you put in your pet’s bowl can be the determining factor between a happy, healthy companion or one who is lethargic, depressed, or even sick. You want to feed your dog or cat only the best but what kind of food is best for your pet? There are many determining factors including breed, age, size, activity level and existing health conditions. There are also several food options including freeze-dried, raw, and canned foods. We’ve provided an overall analysis of each one so that you can spend more time enjoying your furry best friend, and less time worrying.

Freeze-Dried

What is it? Our freeze-dried foods are raw, high quality organ and muscle meats, combined with super food veggies and fruits, sometimes fish and are…you guessed it, freeze-dried. The process of freeze-drying removes the moisture from raw ingredients while maintaining the nutritional quality and flavour of the source.

Pros: Freeze-dried foods are portable and have a long shelf life. The highest quality ingredients are used, perfect for picky eaters, and are a great way to incorporate a nutritional food with minimal process into an existing diet. They also offer an excellent option for travelling.

Cons: Freeze-dried foods and treats are a bit more costly than your other forms of food such as raw, dehydrated, baked and kibble.

How To Use It and What to Try: Use freeze-dried foods as a topper to entice your pup to lick his bowl clean, as a training tool, or as a complete meal.  Freeze dried is also a great alternative for dogs that can not incorporate raw into their diet. It’s rare but it does happen where dogs/cats for what ever reason are unable to eat raw; freeze dried is a great option to introduce a healthy source of food. Great for travelling when raw isn’t an option. For senior dogs with damaged or diseased pancreas, try our THRIVE Bovine Pancreatic Enzyme. Offering raw pancreas, freeze-dried as a regular supplement to the raw food diet is essential to preventing future attacks.  

Raw

What is it? Our raw food products are ethically sourced and human grade. Most brands will carry 2 major categories: “pures” and “supplemented”; adhering to the basic formula 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat and 10% bone. “Supplemented” will include super foods like Kelp, Spirulina, blueberries for example. These supplemental foods balance the nutritional requirements.  Raw has the highest bioavailability of nutrients compared to all other states of food including steam, dehydrated, freeze-dried or baked.

Pros: Top quality cuts of meat with no fillers, additives, or preservatives, provides your pet the healthy, natural, raw diet they would be eating in the wild, and has been known to give pets more energy, less aches, better oral, skin/coat health, and over all complete healthy vitality.

Cons: Must be stored in a freezer or refrigerator and thawed to serve. Make sure wherever you source raw food for your pet, that it is a trusted source.  Raw can be unbalanced and harmful to your pet if not properly obtained.

How and What to Try: Transitioning to a Raw diet or maintaining your dog/cat on a raw diet is easy and safe. Our trained staff is here for every step along the way to help you both.  Our Staff will help select a bone for your dogs. Try one of our box packs for cats or dogs.

Canned

What is it? Wet food containing a high meat content from beef, chicken, fish, and other traditional and exotic proteins. Yes, it comes in a can.

Pros: The Fluffy Carnivore canned options are free from all Gelling Agents, packaged in convenient, easy to store, ready to use cans and contain all the goodness of our existing products for pets at all stages of life.

Cons: You may need a can opener and you’ll need to cover the can and refrigerate it once opened.

How and What to Try: To support the overall wellness of your dog at any age, breed, or size, try K9 Natural’s daily supplement boosters. Your pup will do flips for Natural Lamb Green Tripe! For your feline friend, try Feline Natural Premium Canned Cat Food in a variety of flavours.

Bottom line, freeze-dried, raw, and high-quality canned foods may cost a bit more but much like your own diet, the right food can greatly enhance your pet’s quality of life. Investing a bit more in your pet’s diet can prevent costly vet bills down the road and provide you with years of priceless cuddling and companionship.