There was a time where dogs were given quality leftovers from the table, until recently where they are given their own diet “thanks” to the kibble: made from highly processed scraps of the food industry.

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Why you should not feed your dog kibble

These foods are being advertised as healthy, but if you look at the ingredients it makes no sense:

  • the few natural ingredients that are listed are not what a dog would eat in the wild
  • the few natural ingredients happen to be the most mass-produced foods (better profits)
  • the carbohydrates to protein ratio is in the opposite order (in the wild, dogs would eat meat and complement with vegetables when they can, like wolves)
  • the protein is sourced from the waste of the food industry (bones, tendons, ligaments, feet, etc)
  • they contain a lot of artificial products

And even if you still think those products have been designed with your pet’s health in mind, consider those facts:

  • kibble can lead to gastric torsion (deadly) because it can expand up to four times in the stomach
  • Since the food is dried for better shelf life, your pet will drink a lot of water just after their meal. This makes the digestion of the very few minerals in dry food very difficult !

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Why you should feed your dog dehydrated food

Dehydrated dog food is made by blowing low-heat air at raw, natural ingredients. This process will evaporate water and partially cook the food while maintaining a high nutritional value.

Technically, because of the heat, these foods are not considered raw, but cooked.
If you want to check out the best raw food brands go here and for the best freeze-dried raw food here.

Dehydrated food needs to be rehydrated before feeding it to your dog, this makes for an excellent every-day solution:

  • Long shelf-life (even longer than kibble !)
  • Little shelf-space required
  • Less expensive than freeze-dried products (but not completely raw)
  • No “expanding food particles” = less risk of gastric torsion
  • No bloating
  • More bioavailable mineral and vitamins than kibble

And that’s not it, many customers of the brands we will recommend have noticed other benefits from a more natural diet:

  • healthier skin and coat
  • digestive problems improved
  • reduced itchiness
  • higher energy levels and/or overall well-being

Dehydrated dog food is an excellent alternative to the raw food concept, without the storage and expense complications.

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Top 3 dog dehydrated food brands

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

Product

I and Love and You - In the Raw

The Honest Kitchen - Human Grade Dehydrated Grain Free
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Ziwipeak - Air Dried Cuisine
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Rating
Pros
  • Real pieces of food
  • High Protein
  • Dehydrate + Freeze dried
  • Grain Free
  • Made in the USA
  • Human grade food
  • Grass-fed/Cage free
  • Grain Free
  • Affordable
  • High Protein
  • Grain Free
  • Free range meat
  • Best customer service
    		•
    Cons
  • Not organic
  • High in carbohydrates
  • Unappetizing
  • High in carbohydrates
  • Not hypoallergenic
  • Can cause diarrhea
    		•
    Purchase
    Check Price
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    Please note that when transitioning from a “standard” dog diet to a more natural one, you have to do it slowly, over the course of a few weeks. Otherwise you dog may feel some discomfort.
    Those are the 5 fundamental brands that we use with our catahoula leopard dogs and that stood the test of time with many other owners.
    Try them all, and let your dog choose his favorite.

    You can also check out our other reviews about the top catahoula treats, the best raw foods, the best wet food, etc.

    If you know of any other good brand, please let us know in the comments !