When Raw Food Isn’t an option (USA)
We Know And Understand That A Raw Food Diet Isn’t Appropriate For Every Dog And Every Household - As It Is With Ourselves, Changing A Dog’s Diet Is A Lifestyle Change And So It Must Be Suitable For Both Dog And Owner. With This In Mind - Over The Years We Have Carefully Curated A List Of Foods That We Would Feed Our Cavaliers Should Raw Not Be Feasible. You Can Also Find This List In Our Files - However, This Is The Most Up To Date Version.
When Feeding Our Dogs, There Are Two Main Things We Need To Consider. Protein Content And Moisture. Therefore, Because Of The Way Dry Dog Food Is Manufactured - It’s Important To Always Choose A Food That Offers The Most Amount Of Protein - And We Recommend Only Feeding A Kibble Diet If Healthy Fresh Foods Are Also Added To The Bowl. (Check Out Our Superfood Library For Ideas Of Foods And Herbs You Can Add To The Bowl)
Our List Runs From Most Recommended To Least - Including The Diet Types I.E Kibble Would Be Our Last Recommended Diet Type And Freeze-Dried Would Be Our Most! This Also Includes The Brands In Each Food Type.
Occasionally, We May Run Offers For Our Members For Foods And Treats - These Can Be Found By Heading To Our Offers Page.
This is our USA list. For UK alternatives click here
Freeze-dried foods
Proteins; Beef, chicken, turkey, pork & turkey & duck
Positives;
Grass fed, grass finished and antibiotic free meats.
Synthetic free and single protein recipes (Apart from turducken).
USDA status farms.
Open about ingredient sourcing.
Negatives;
Uses some dried ingredients (kelp)
Ingredients; Ground Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Broccoli, Beef Bone, Carrots, Apples, Romaine Lettuce, Goat’s Milk, Coconut Oil, Sesame Seeds, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed, Dried Kelp, Taurine, Green Lipped Mussel, Inulin, Ground Eggshell
Proteins; Beef, turkey, duck, lamb, pork and chicken
Positives;
Organic produce
Farm raised, hormone and antibiotic free meat.
Limited synthetics
No mechanically separated meat
100% USA sourced proteins and single protein recipes.
Very transparent about ingredient sourcing.
Negatives;
Uses a vitamin E supplement
Mixed Tocopherols - some versions of this preservative can be synthetic.
Ingredients; beef hearts, beef livers, beef kidneys, beef bones, organic yams, organic carrots, organic squash, organic broccoli, salmon oil, organic apple cider vinegar, organic kale, organic collards, mixed tocopherols, organic kelp*, organic parsley, organic bee pollen, organic wheat grass, organic bilberry, organic garlic, organic rosemary, organic basil, vitamin e supplement
3.The simple food project freeze dried
Proteins; Beef & Salmon, chicken & turkey, duck & trout
Positives;
No added artificial flavors, dyes, preservatives.
No synthetic vitamins and minerals
Made in small batches
No rendered meals of any kind
Negatives;
Use legumes in some recipes.
No information on sourcing and quality of ingredients used.Not single protein
Mixed Tocopherols - some versions of this preservative can be synthetic.
Ingredients; Chicken, turkey, chicken hearts, flaxseed, sweet potato, chicken liver, organic carrots, wild-caught whole ground krill, ground pumpkin seeds, organic blueberries, organic spinach, organic cinnamon, sea salt, dried kelp, dried yeast, mixed tocopherols (natural preservative)
Proteins; One multi protein mix; turkey, beeg, Salmon and duck
Positives;
Claim to use premium cuts of meat
Contains zero artificial preservatives additives, fillers, or synthetic ingredients.
Formulated by dr.Marty Goldstein.
Negatives;
Not single protein
Contains legume byproducts (pea flour)
No information on sourcing and quality of ingredients used
Mixed Tocopherols - some versions of this preservative can be synthetic.
Ingredients; Turkey, Beef, Salmon, Duck, Beef Liver, Turkey Liver, Turkey Heart, Flaxseed, Sweet Potato, Egg, Pea Flour, Apple, Blueberry, Carrot, Cranberry, Pumpkin Seed, Spinach, Dried Kelp, Ginger, Salt, Sunflower Seed, Broccoli, Kale, Mixed Tocopherols (natural preservative)
Proteins; Beef, chicken.
Positives;
Human grade single protein
Very low carb - great for cancer patients.
Negatives;
Uses synthetics to balance
No information on sourcing or quality of ingredients
Ingredients; Beef, Beef Heart, Broccoli, Green Beans, Coconut Oil, Chia Seeds, Dried Red Cabbage, Sunflower Seeds, Beef Liver, Calcium Carbonate, Kelp Powder, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement
Proteins;Lamb, beef, chicken & turkey
Positives;
Organic, grass fed & free range farmed animals
single protein recipes
AAFCO formulated for all life stages.
Negatives;
Use synthetics to reach AAFCO required values
Ingredients; Beef, Beef Heart, Ground Beef Bone, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Organic Green Beans, Organic Spinach, Organic Beets, Organic Blueberries, Safflower Oil, Organic Kelp, Inulin (extract of chicory), Sea Salt, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin D3 Supplement
7.Vital essentials freeze dried
Proteins;beef, chicken, duck, rabbit, salmon, turkey.
Positives;
Single protein, USDA inspected animal protein.
No artificial ingredients
No added hormones or antibiotics
USA sourced ingredients.
Multiple formats to choose from I.e patties, mini patties, nibbles and mini niblets.
Negatives;
No information given on quality of ingredients used.
Uses synthetics to balance recipes.
Using Mixed Tocopherols - some versions of this preservative can be synthetic.
Ingredients; Beef, beef heart, beef liver, beef lung, beef fat, beef stomach, beef kidney, herring oil, mixed tocopherols (preservative), vitamin E supplement, zinc amino acid complex, iron amino acid complex, copper amino acid complex, manganese amino acid complex
8.Instinct pet food - longevity
Proteins; Chicken, beef, Lamb, rabbit, beef & cod and lamb
Positives;
88% protein
Non GMO
Formulated by Dr Susan Winn
Negatives;
Uses synthetics to balance to AAFCO.
No indication on quality of meat or sourcing
Mixed Tocopherols - some versions of this preservative can be synthetic.
Ingredients; Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Spleen, Beef Heart, Ground Beef Bone, Yellow Squash, Apples, Carrots, Ground Miscanthus Grass, Ground Flaxseed, Montmorillonite Clay, Fish Oil, Spinach, Broccoli, Blueberries, Cranberries, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Potassium Chloride, Salt, Yeast Culture, Taurine, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate), Choline Chloride, Mixed Tocopherols (for freshness), Tricalcium Phosphate, Rosemary Extract, Dried Bacillus coagulans Fermentation Product.
Proteins; lamb, turkey, pork, chicken, beef salmon & beef.
Positives;
Higher welfare farms - humanely raised animals
antibiotic and growth hormone free
organic fruits and veg non Gmo
Single protein recipes.
Negatives;
Uses synthetics to balance to AAFCO.
Not all herb/grass fed meat used.
Ingredients;Chicken with Ground Bone,Chicken Livers,Chicken Necks,Chicken Hearts,Organic Carrots, Organic Blueberries, Organic Squash, Montmorillonite Clay, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Cranberries, Non-GMO Salmon Oil, Organic Spinach, Organic Kale, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Chicory Root, Organic Dried Kelp,Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid,Choline, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate
Proteins;chicken, beef, venison, turkey & sardine, rabbit, pork,lamb, duck,
Positives;
Antibiotic and steroid-free whole muscle meat, organ meat and meaty bones.
No added hormones.
Grass fed and ethically raisedOrganic produce
Synthetics free
Single protein recipes (apart from turkey & sardine)
Negatives;
Uses some dried ingredients (kelp)
Includes quinoa in some recipes.
Ingredients; Beef Hearts, Beef Livers, Ground Beef Bones, Organic Carrots, Organic Squash, Organic Kale, Organic Apples, Organic Broccoli, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Blueberries, Organic Cranberries, Organic Parsley, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Montmorillonite Clay, Fish Oil, Organic Rosemary Extract, Organic Quinoa, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Ground Alfalfa, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Dried Organic Kelp
12.Honest kitchen freeze dried GRAIN FREE ONLY
Proteins; Chicken, turkey, beef, fish
Positives;
Human grade ingredients
No artificial preservatives
Feed grade by-products
Single protein recipes
Negatives;
Uses dried ingredients
Uses synthetics to balance
Contains potatoes.
Ingredients; Dehydrated chicken, organic flaxseed, dehydrated potatoes, dehydrated sweet potatoes, dried apples, dehydrated celery, dehydrated honey, dehydrated pumpkin, dehydrated cabbage, dried bananas, dried papayas, dehydrated green beans, dried basil, dried organic kelp, dried garlic, minerals [tricalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, potassium iodide, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite], taurine, vitamins [vitamin E supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5), riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D3 supplement]
13.Sojos freeze dried dog food
Proteins; Beef, turkey, lamb, goat, chicken, pork,
Positives;
Single protein recipes
Readily available - sold on Amazon and chewy.com,
Negatives;
Uses synthetics to balance to AAFCO.
No information on ingredient sourcing or quality
They do not declare all vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients; beef, sweet potatoes, carrots, whole egg, cabbage, flax seeds, cranberries, celery, beef liver, tricalcium phosphate, papaya, pumpkin, rosemary, parsley, ginger root, dried kelp, vitamins & minerals
Cooked Foods
Proteins; Beef, chicken, pork and turkey
Positives;
no synthetic vitamin and minerals
human grade ingredients
ingredient traceability
No legumes or potatoes.
Negatives;
No information about quality of ingredients used.
Ingredients; Beef, Beef Heart, Carrots, Beef Liver, Cranberries, Organic Spearmint, Flaxseed Oil, Egg Shell Powder, Cod Liver Oil, Organic Kelp Powder
Proteins; Beef, Chicken, Pork, & Turkey.
Positives;
Human grade ingredients
Formulated by Dr Judy Morgan
Balanced to AAFCO for all life stages
Single protein recipes
All USA sourced ingredients
Synthetic and artificial free.
Negatives;
Some dried ingredients used (kelp)
Contains Mixed Tocopherols - some versions of this preservative can be synthetic - it is unclear which form they are using.
Ingredients; Beef with Bone, Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Carrot, Broccoli, Butternut Squash, Parsnip, Kale, Milled Flaxseed, Coconut Oil, Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil, Dried Sea Kelp, Oregano Leaf, Turmeric Powder, Mixed Tocopherols (natural vitamin E)
Proteins; lamb, turkey, pork, chicken, beef salmon & beef.
Positives;
Higher welfare farms -humanely raised animals, antibiotic and growth hormone free meat.
Organic fruits and veg - Non Gmo
Single protein recipes.
Negatives;
Uses some synthetic vitamins and minerals to reach AAFCO requirements.
Not all herb/grass fed meat used.
Ingredients;Beef,Carrots,Kale,Beef Liver,Zucchini,Butternut Squash,Pumpkin,Water,Flaxseed,Salt,Salmon Oil,Potassium Chloride,Tricalcium Phosphate,Sunflower Oil,Coconut Oil,Chia Seeds,Chicory Root,Choline Chloride,Vitamin A Supplement,Vitamin D3 Supplement,Vitamin E Supplement,D-Calcium Pantothenate,Thiamine Mononitrate,Riboflavin,Folic Acid,Vitamin B12 Supplement,Zinc Amino Acid Chelate,Iron Amino Acid Chelate,Copper Amino Acid Chelate
4.Natures logic - frozen cooked food
Proteins; Beef, chicken and lamb
Positives;
95% Animal protein
Single protein recipes.
Free range, grass fed meat
no synthetics, hormone and gmo free.
No legumes or potatoes.
For cats and dogs of all life stages
AAFCO compliant.
Negatives;
They use tapioca starch
food only available from local stockists.
Other ranges of food not recommended.
Ingredients; Beef, Egg, Beef Lung, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Tapioca Root, Ovine Plasma, Fish Oil, Brewer’s Yeast, Montmorillonite Clay, Egg Shell Meal, Dried Kale, Apple, Apricot, Artichoke, Blueberry, Broccoli, Carrot, Dried Chicory Root, Cranberry, Dried Kelp, Dried Parsley, Pumpkin, Spinach, Tomato
5. Small Batch Gently Cooked Food
Proteins; Beef, turkey, chicken
Positives;
Organic produce
Gently cooked at lower temperatures (105F)
No rice, legumes or potatoes.
Farm raised, hormone and antibiotic free meat.
Limited synthetics
No mechanically separated meat
100% USA sourced proteins and single protein recipes.
Very transparent about ingredient sourcing.
Negatives;
Use 2% synthetic vitamins and minerals to reach AAFCO requirements.
Only 3 proteins available.
Ingredients; chicken (with ground bone), chicken, chicken gizzards, chicken hearts, chicken livers, organic carrots, organic sweet potatoes, organic broccoli, organic zucchini, organic coconut oil, organic apple cider vinegar, organic kelp, organic kale, organic collards, organic parsley, organic blueberry, organic wheatgrass, organic basil, vitamin e, zinc glycinate, copper glycinate, manganese glycinate.
Canned Foods
Proteins; Beef, beef tripe, chicken, turkey, lamb, pork, rabbit, venison, sardine, duck & salmon.
Positives;
No synthetic vitamins or minerals
Some recipes are single protein
Ingredients do not contain chemical preservatives, herbicides, or insecticides and are from reputable sources - ingredient Tracibility.
Negatives;
Not all recipes are single protein
Some dried ingredients used (kelp)
Mixed Tocopherols - some versions of this preservative can be synthetic - it is unclear which form they are using.
Ingredients; Beef, Beef Broth, Beef Liver, Sardines, Porcine Plasma, Montmorillonite Clay, Herring Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Egg Shell Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Apple, Dried Apricot, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Artichoke, Dried Blueberry, Dried Broccoli, Dried Carrot, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Cranberry, Dried Kelp, Dried Parsley, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Rosemary, Dried Spinach, Dried Tomato, Rosemary Extract.
2.First mate - kasiks canned dog food
Proteins;Chicken, turkey, salmon.
Positives;
No gums or artificial thickeners (carrageenan and guar gum free)
Cage free
No added hormones, single protein, suitable for all life stages.
Negatives;
Balanced with synthetics to AAFCO
Some recipes have legume by products (pea starch) and potatoes.
Ingredients; Boneless chicken Water sufficient for processing Pea Starch Minerals (Salt Calcium Carbonate Monodicalcium phosphate Choline chloride Potassium chloride Zinc Proteinate Iron Proteinate Copper Proteinate Manganese Proteinate Calcium Iodate) Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement Niacin Vitamin A Supplement Thiamine Mononitrate Riboflavin Biotin Vitamin B12 Supplement Folic Acid Vitamin D3 Supplement D-calcium pantothenate) Taurine Kale Blueberries Raspberries Cranberries Coconut
3. Rawz Canned Dog Food
Proteins; Beef, Chicken ,Poultry, Duck, Turkey,Fish, Quail ,Lamb, Salmon,Tuna and Pork
Positives;
Meat is the first ingredient
Antibiotic free meat
No carrageenan
No potato starches
No Gums used in recipes
BPA free packaging
Negatives;
Balanced with synthetics to AAFCO
Ingredients;
Chicken,Chicken Liver,Chicken Broth,Fenugreek Seed,Potassium Chloride,Calcium Carbonate, Phosphate,Choline Chloride,Salt,Taurine,Vegetable Broth,Minerals (Iron Proteinate,Zinc Proteinate,Manganese Proteinate,Copper Proteinate),Magnesium Proteinate,Sodium Selenite,Calcium Iodate,Vitamin E Supplement,Thiamine Mononitrate,Niacin Supplement,Calcium Pantothenate,Biotin,Vitamin A Supplement,Riboflavin Supplement,Vitamin D3 Supplement,Vitamin B12 Supplement,Pyridoxine Hydrochloride,Folic Acid.
3.The Rockster canned dog food
Proteins:
Beef, Salmon, chicken, venison, duck, Lamb
Positives;
Single protein (with exception of fish oil)
grain free
No legumes
Organic ingredients
USDA ingredients
Grass fed meat
Cooked at lower temperatures
Prebiotic ingredients
Negatives;
High price point - $8 per can
87.5% meat *claim 87.5% but any brand declaring over 70% meat content is claiming the water content as meat!
Doesn’t state it’s balanced to AAFCO
High Vegetable Content: The inclusion of quinoa, pumpkin, and carrots is notable.
The list includes several synthetic vitamins and minerals (e.g., Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Oxide, etc.). While these are not inherently bad, it's generally better to source these nutrients from whole foods.
While quinoa is a nutrient-dense seed, it is not a natural part of a dog's diet and can be hard to digest for some dogs.
Algae can be a good source of iodine, but it's important to ensure the type and amount are appropriate for dogs.
This is a good addition for omega-3 fatty acids, but the overall balance of the diet should be considered. There are more stable and cleaner sources of omega 3 such as GLM.
Ingredients (Beef):
82% Organic Beef (55% Organic Beef Muscle, 30% Organic Beef Lung, 15% Organic Beef Liver), 6% Organic Quinoa, 5% Organic Pumpkin, 4.5% Organic Carrots, 1% Organic Algae, 1% Salmon Oil, 0.5% Organic Inulin, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Oxide, Choline Chloride, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Zinc Sulfate, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin B6 Supplement, Manganese Oxide, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Selenium Yeast, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin D3 Supplement
Kibble
1.CARNA4
3.FARMINA N&D (Currently on the potentially contaminated list updated JULY 14/24)
6.FROMM (Currently on the potentially contaminated list updated JULY 14/24)
Base Mixes
these base meal mixes feeding a balnced diet so easy! Just add your choice of protein & oil - just beware to always choose one that is preferably made from whole foods and not synthetics. Dr Harvey’s would be our number one choice.
3.MERCOLA
4.HONEST KITCHEN (Rather high carb.)
This is our USA list. For UK alternatives click here
We haven’t yet launched our popular healthy food database for USA - but it is coming. If you have a USA food you’d like us to consider adding to our database, click here
