Dogs are very energetic, loving, and caring animals. However, their energy and health depend mainly on a few things; what their owners feed them, how much they exercise, and whether or not they get a regular checkup with a vet. A healthy diet incorporates the foundationsfor your dog that help them thrive, mature to their capacity, and let them continue to stay active throughout their life span. Their diet should include tuna, salmon, and shrimps for fatty acids of omega 3. There are plenty of options to choose from to feed your dog with so many nutritious ingredients available, and you can select from hundreds of varieties available both online and in the market. For both comfort and health benefits, most dog owners prefer to make use of frozen and dry foods.
The best way of storing dog food efficiently while ensuring that there is nearly zero mineral or nutrient-depletion is freeze-dried dog food. It just extracts the moisture out of the product while making sure the goodness is still intact. A mix of greater quality fruits and vegetables, bones, and meat usually comprises freeze-dried dog food. Freeze-dried meals and snacks are easy to chew and lightweight, making them readily and comfortably digestible for dogs of all age groups. Plus, it is a handy lunch that you can takeanywhere with the dog, such as when hitting the road or going to a park, etc.
However, freeze-dried dog foods are quite expensive. On average, they cost 2-3 times as much as dehydrated or air-dried foods, according to reports.
In a rush? Here’s our top picks!
Our Top Picks
We understand how difficult it can be to find the right product when there are so many alternatives available in the market. Each product offering something unique, with manufacturers trying to get an edge over their competitors. So, to help ease the process of selecting the best freeze-dried dog food for your pet, we have listed below our top eight picks from numerous products currently available in the market to ensure that you select only the best product that works toward the promotion of your dog’s health and well being.
- Pros
- Natural vegetables and fruits which are certified
- Additional necessary vitamins and nutrients
- 100% organically sourced ingredients
- Gluten-free and without grains
- Excellent customer service
- Help dogs to build strong gums and teeth
- Build strength, longevity, and perfect weight
- Fur coat and skin becomes healthy and vivid
- Improved digestion
- Cons
- Some items of this product lacked basic yet important information such as expiry date and lot number
- Did not suit some dog,s and they faced vomiting and health issues
We start the list with one of the most famous brands producing freeze-dried food for dogs. Available in eight flavors, i.e.,turkey, pork, duck, beef, cod & salmon, lamb, chicken, and seafood, and with four types of packaging, 3.5-ounce, 8-ounce, 18-ounce, and 35-ounces, this brand has been producing raw and frozen meal mixers for dogs since 2003 and has been the number one preference by its regular customers.
Using only premium ingredients and 100% natural vegetables and fruits, Stella and Chewy’s promise to supply dog food filled with minerals and vitamins. Moreover, they have no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or any chemical additives to ensure that your dog eats only the very best.
This product is perfect for fussy eaters as it contains ninety-five percent meat and bones. Stella and Chewy also ensure that the ingredients of the productsare as close to nature as possible to ensure that your dog gets to eat only what is the very best. This product does not require preparation or rehydration. Just toss it in, mix it, and your dogs’ meal is ready for consumption.
- Pros
- Perfect for all age groups
- Wheat, white potato, corn, tapioca, and soy-free
- No artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors
- Vitamin E and C to aid in a better immune system
- Omega 6 and 3 to help with a shiny and healthy fur coat
- Prepared from completely organic and naturally sourced ingredients
- Meat as a part of the first four ingredients
- Cons
- Many people received crushed instead of solid kibble
- A little pricy
The second product to make its way to secure a place on our list is Nulo Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food. The products from Nulo promise to deliver just what your pets deserve. In order to encourage safe bodily functions and steady energyfor your pets, these products are rich in animal-based nutrition, reduced in carbohydrates, and use limited glycemic ingredients. Nulo adds proprietary probiotics in order to assist the pets with the digestion process.
This specific product that we have added to our list is available in five different flavors, namely turkey, lamb, beef, salmon, and duck, and it also comes in two different types of packaging;a 5-ounce and 13-ounce bag. In addition to vegetables and fruits, its formula comprises a minimum of 80% bone, meat, and organs. It also contains GanedenBC30 proprietary probiotics that are known toassist diet-sensitive dogs to adequately digest food. This product is also grain, rice, and oats-free diet,which helps relieve allergies and aids in weight management.
- Pros
- Suitable for all age groups
- Chickens raised without added hormones or antibiotics
- No soy, corn, grain, wheat, or gluten added
- Minerals and vitamins obtained from natural sources
- You can store it in the pantry for more than 12 months
- 100% organic and naturally sourced ingredients
- Cons
- Only one flavor available, i.e., chicken
- Some users complained about receiving powdered rather than firm and discrete nuggets
Primal Pet Foods have been making quality pet meals by using wholemeal ingredients since 2001. This company is dedicated to ensuring pet’s health and welfare. They aim to include raw snacks and pet foods of the best standard by using only products with the best ingredients and sources. They practice stringent quality management and quality assurance system through their development facility, which stays true to clear quality methods.
This product is available in chicken flavorand two types of packaging i.e., 5.5 oz and 14 oz; chickens raised with no antibiotics or hormones added. This product was prepared without the useof ingredients, the likes of which include soy, corn, grain, wheat, and gluten.
- Pros
- Suitable for all age groups
- 96% real organs, meats, and green mussels
- No unnecessary fillers or carbohydrates
- Fishes and meat sourced from the farms and untouched waters of New Zealand
- Promotes oral health, weight, mobility, healthy heart, and a shiny fur coat
- You can store it in the pantry for more than 12 months
- Cons
- A bit expensive
- Some users complained about receiving scammed or counterfeit products
ZiwiPeak is a New Zealand company that strivesto make sure that its livestock is grass-fed and free-range and seasonal poultry is responsibly bred as well as farmed lacking growth promoters or hormones. Their products are the best for picky eaters, too.
This product is available in six flavors, namely;venison, mackerel & lamb, chicken, tripe & lamb, beef, and lamb, and it comes in four different sizes of packaging, i.e., 1 lb., 2.2 lbs., 5.5 lbs. and 8.8 lbs.
This air-dried dog food offers uncompromising quality and nutrition, replicating the cravings of your pet for a healthy and organic diet containing 96% legitimate organs, meat, and green mussels from New Zealand.
- Pros
- Omega 7 & 3
- Grains, soy, gluten, carrageenan, hypoallergenic, andpotato-free
- Made of metal and is extremely portable as it collapses flat
- Contains a lot of antioxidants and lean proteins
- Suitable for all ages
- Limited ingredients but of high quality and organic source
- You can store it in the pantry for more than 12 months
- Cons
- Some users complained about receiving stale products that made their dogs sick
- Many pieces in the packaging appear to disintegrate
The fifth product on our list is the very popular Stewart Raw Naturals Freeze-Dried Dog Food. 45 years ago, Stewart started producing quality products in the USA that are 100% organic, balanced, and nutritional, while remaining grain-free. To this date, this company delivers what it has promised to and has gained a lot of regular customers.
This product is available in five flavors, namely chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, and chicken & salmon, and it is available in five packaging sizes, i.e., 3.25 oz, 3.5 oz, 4 oz, 12 oz, and 24 oz. Produced with ingredients that are certified by USDA, this product contains no unnecessary carbohydrates or fillers. The ingredients list contains many products that are free of any sort of grains, soy, glutens, carrageenans, potatoes, and hypoallergenic ingredients, this product is filled with antioxidants and lean proteins, not to forget Omega 7 and 3 which aid towards better nourishment and overall health of your pet.
- Pros
- Suitable for all age groups
- 100% grain-free and organic
- Freeze drying is done at low heat levels to keep the taste retained
- You can store it in the pantry for up to 18 months
- Available in three different sizes of packagings
- Cons
- No large piece of meat. Looks more like potatoes
- Some people complained about an unpleasant smell
Every Grandma Lucy’s item is moderately refined, without losing vitamins, colors, minerals, or fragrance, preserving the cellular structure of the ingredients. The delicate freeze-drying system extracts 92% of the moisture from the ingredients, leaving a compressed, light, and preservative-free product.
This product comes in four flavors, namely chicken, USDA lamb, USDA venison, and USDA pork, and it comes in three different packaging sizes, i.e., 1-pound, 3-pounds, and 10-pound. This product has a healthy mix of components of the utmost consistency: vegetables, fruits, and freeze-dried pork. It is free from any unnecessary carbohydrate or filler, making it a 100% organic and grain-free recipe. The ingredients are carefully picked to ensure that there is nothing in the product that could potentially harm your dog but aid their well-being.
- Pros
- Suitable for all ages
- 100% organic and naturally sourced ingredients
- Free-run turkey and chicken
- Grain-free and rich in protein
- You can store it in the pantry for about 24 months
- Cons
- A bit expensive when compared to other products of the same category and features
ORIJEN is a Canadian company committed to producing only the very best quality foods for your dogs. They ensure that their products offer a rich diet and that the meat comes from free-run turkey, chicken eggs, and wild-caught fish. Their products cater towards the dogs’ nourishments as per their biological needs by offering a 90% pure quality raw diet in dry form to increase your convenience.
This product comes in three different flavors, namely exotic meats, beef, and original, and it comes in two different packaging sizes, which are 6 oz and 16 oz. Passed on the customers in the most nourishing and natural form, this product promises to be rich in protein and completely free of all kinds of grains. However, their products need to be rehydrated to aid the dogs during the digestion process and to increase palatability.
- Pros
- 100% organic and natural source of ingredients
- Contains no grains or gluten
- Available proteins are wild-caught fish, free-range turkey, chicken, and ranch-raised beef
- Human grade ingredients, preparation process, and the final product
- Suitable for all age groups
- You can store it in the pantry for more than 12 months
- Cons
- Not suitable for every picky eater dog
- Some people complained about receiving stale products that made their dogs sick
Using only high-quality ingredients, processing them through a high-quality kitchen, and producing high-quality products is the main reason why we chose to add The Honest Kitchen’s product on our list. Though last here, but never the least, this company is one of the first that customers think of when choosing the best freeze-dried dog foods.
This product comes with five flavors, namelybeef, turkey, wild-caught fish, chicken, and cage-free turkey, and it comes in four different packaging sizes, which include 1.75 oz (contains 12 packs), 2 pounds (which make 8 pounds), 4 pounds (which make 16 pounds), and 10 pounds (which makes 40 pounds after hydrating the contents in the packages).
How To Choose Freeze-Dried Dog Food
One should always choose those freeze-dried dog foods that their pets like and prefer. However, there are certain things that you should keep in mind while choosing the best among many options available in the market.
Safely Processed
We suggest picking those dog foods which have undergone minimal processing. They should ideally consist of 100 percentorganic and nutritious products. Top-quality ingredients such as organic fruits and vegetables and meat from grass-fed animals should be part of it. Choosing a brand that produces freeze-dried dog food free from any sort of chemical additives, i.e., colors, artificial flavors, and preservatives,is also essential as chemical additives negatively affect a dog’s health.
Ingredients To Look Out For
Freeze-dried dog foods are packed with nutritional and health-benefiting ingredients. However, we suggest looking out for some of the following ingredients:
- 100% fresh fruits and vegetables which are full of fiber and good fats
- Fish for omega fatty acids
- Fish oil for heart health and improved appearance, also helping to make fur coat shinier and healthier
- Flaxseeds for assisting in digestion and also working as antioxidants
- Meatthat is high in protein, to assist in repairing and formations of both muscles and cells; more preferrable from grass-fed animals
Shelf Life
Freeze-dried dog foods are quite expensive, so make sure you are investing in a product that won’t go bad any time soon. Otherwise, both your money and your dog’s treat will have to go waste. However, most freeze-dried products have a shelf life of more than 12 months;still, it is necessary to check the best before date on the packaging.
Products That Irritate Your Dog
Most freeze-dried products do not contain grains such as wheat, soy, potato corn, or gluten. Still, it is important to check the list of ingredients first and make sure that none of them could potentially cause any negative effects on your dog’s health.
Conclusion for Best Freeze-Dried Dog Food
To conclude the article, we say that freeze-dried food is a better choice for your dogs, both in terms of facts and the opinions of dog owners that are using it. It is fully packed with nutritional benefits and health-improving ingredients that will aid and ensure that your dog gets all the necessary dietary fibers and proteins that it should get on a daily basis.
Freeze-dried products are easy to carry and work perfectly both ways, given solid as it is straight out of the packet or water added. We have narrowed down the options for you to eight among the sea of products currently flooding the market. Hopefully, this eases your search for the perfect one that best suits your dog.
Want to learn more about freeze dried dog food? Check out the video below:
