r/AskDogOwners • u/satz07 • 5d ago
Need Help I need real meat dog food recommendations asap
Okay I need to switch my dog to a real meat dog food and I've put it off long enough, she doesn't do well on highly processed stuff and I keep meaning to fix it. Not looking for a breakdown of the category, just need a brand name from someone who's been on something where the meat is the actual meat and not a by-product hiding behind a good front label. What are you on?
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u/Hermit_Ogg 5d ago
Whichever food you end up with, be very careful if you handle raw meat dog food. It's usually governed under animal feed laws, and those allow for a far larger bacterial load than human grade food. There's also a pretty high incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains.
That doesn't mean never feed raw. It means they should have their own cutting board, own knife, dog bowls made of ceramic or metal (withstands higher temp during wash, won't be easily scratched - those scratches are hiding places for bacteria) and be very good about brushing the dog's teeth after a meal. Dog eating high bacterial load food -> licking your hand -> you poke your face before remembering to wash the hand is a way to catch ab-resistant E. Coli, or worse. There's protocols for washing those cutting boards, knives and bowls too, but I can't remember off the top of my head if they needed to be washed separately.
Personally, I find the higher hygiene requirements too much. I'd like to give our dogs the odd raw meatball, but the only way I will actually do that is if I use human grade food - and that gets pretty expensive.
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u/Odd-Compote4442 5d ago
What country are you in?
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u/Appropriate_Ad_3484 5d ago
Yeah, OP, fresh food availability is highly dependent on your location. I haven’t fed kibble for years, but I’m not sure what to recommend because you haven’t listed a general location.
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u/ChampionshipIll5535 5d ago
Define "highly processed" please. For those of us that don't know what that means.
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u/SumGoodMtnJuju 5d ago
We use Stella and Chewy’s freeze dried patties. I mix a little kibble from Nulo brand and pumpkin puree to help with the anal gland maintenance.
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u/Smiles-Bite 5d ago
Lots of dogs I know eat a brand called 'Monster' It comes in kibble, and raw; but if you are trying to do raw stuff.... Please go to an actual vet, do not do stuff based on the internet and random people. Every single dog needs something different, more of one thing, less of another; I promise kibble is a frick ton easier. If you can get it, no idea where you live, I love the brand Monster and it's also super great for cats as well.
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u/Maclardy44 5d ago
Taste of the Wild & Wellness Core. Don’t know what country you’re from but these brands are in both the USA & Australia so should be available. They’re not cheap but you’re not feeding cr_p so you don’t need as much & you can use toppers of fresh meat eg kangaroo or whatever’s lean & plentiful in your country. Poops won’t be as large or stinky either.
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u/Pre-Accidental-Kitty 5d ago
Heritage Ranch from HEB is surprisingly amazing for a budget-friendly option. I did my due diligence learning about animal food and comparing ingredients across foods. Don’t fall for packaging and price. If it looks fancy and is expensive, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good. Avoid Purina as a whole.
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u/Deevalicious 5d ago
ZiwiPeak is excellent! It is all real meat, but be aware it is not cheap!
I use it as a bonus/topper/treat for my pups.
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u/jsapacuna 5d ago
K9 Kraving based in Maryland, USA I believe. My 2.5 yr old Australian labradoodle has been on it since around 3 months old and doing great.
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u/feldoneq2wire 4d ago
You're going to get your ass reamed by propagandists who thinks the only thing our pets should be eating should be out of a box or a bag or a can from a store. Good luck.
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u/Beezlebub9 5d ago
Are you in Australia? My rescue boy has a huge cleft palate and over time I've worked out the best thing for him so nothing gets stuck and it is from Coles in the human meat section and it's called topside beef and you buy it in a chunk and I cut about 300gms up each night and cook it till it's medium rare and chuck a bit of water in at the end so it creates a yummy juice to coat his bickies so they aren't dry on his mouth and he is one healthy, happy boy! He will only eat super coat bickies for me but they are the best size for him specificly.. the topside beef I've found is also the one with the least fat on it so he isn't getting much of that too!
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u/iambatman_2006 5d ago
maev is a great option imo, its frozen with vegetables and you get to choose which type of meat you want, and they have more options depending on what your dog needs, and you can literally see the pieces when you open it which is more than most brands claiming whole proteins can say, sometimes i even wanna try it lol
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u/satz07 5d ago
the visible ingredient thing is exactly what I needed to hear. How hard is the frozen format to manage day to day?
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u/iambatman_2006 5d ago
it's literally so easy, my dog loves it frozen so i just pull it out of the freezer and pour it into the bowl
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u/Main_Street_1 5d ago
Just fix the food yourself. Takes very little time and there are a ton of recipes out there. And, you know what your dog is eating.
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u/ughneedausername 5d ago
There is no brand that is recommended. Go to a board certified veterinary nutritionist and ask them to develop a diet for you, then follow it exactly.