Looking for an honest We Feed Raw review? You’re in the right place! This article dives deep into everything you need to know about the brand, from its ingredients to how it benefits your dog’s health. Get ready for a thorough look at this raw dog food option to see if it’s the right fit for your furry friend.

A few quick notes: first, this post includes affiliate links. If you buy anything through these links, DogVills earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Also, We Feed Raw sent me a Big Box to try out, but all of my thoughts are, as always, my own.

We Feed Raw Dog Food Review: Is it Right for Your Pup?

When it comes to feeding our pups, the choices can be overwhelming. Traditional kibble, canned food, homemade meals—the options are endless. One of the more recent trends in dog nutrition is the raw food diet, and We Feed Raw is a company that has garnered attention for its holistic approach to raw feeding. 

In this detailed review, we’ll dive into the features, pros, cons, ingredients, and more for We Feed Raw, helping you determine if it’s the right choice for your dog.

Let’s start with a quick rundown of the key features. Then I’ll get a bit more in-depth about each one. 

• High-quality human-grade ingredients.
• Customized meal plans designed to fit YOUR dog
• Convenient delivery (recurring subscriptions or bulk box options available)
• Complete and balanced nutrition
• Commitment to safety for both your pet and you
• Superb customer service
• Easy transition thanks to the included guide

Top Benefits of We Feed Raw Dog Food

Before we dive into the benefits, I just want to quickly introduce my dog for those who are new to DogVills. Freya is a 7-year-old Pharaoh Hound, a highly active breed in the sighthound group. She’s currently an only dog, so she’s pretty much the center of my universe, especially since my only human child is now 19.

I’m very picky about what we feed her to the point of borderline neurosis. Okay, in all honesty, I probably passed the “point of borderline” long ago. 😀 Bottom line, I wouldn’t give her just any old food, and I wouldn’t recommend anything to that I wouldn’t give my own dog.

Now that we’ve covered that, let’s look at what I think are the top benefits of We Feed Raw, especially as it concerns my girl.

Easy Transition

I know this is last on the list, but I’m starting with it since I’m still in that phase right now. Freya has never eaten raw food before, mainly because I felt like I couldn’t come up with a good nutritional raw diet on my own. I was worried that even with hours of research I would still end up missing vital nutrients.

We Feed Raw takes the guesswork out of the equation, though. All of their meals are designed by veterinary nutritionists. That made me a lot more comfortable with the whole idea of feeding raw, BUT I was still worried about the transition. 

Inside the box, you’ll find a super simple yet very handy chart telling you exactly what you need to do to switch from kibble to raw. It’s a 10-day process where you gradually increase the raw food to kibble ratio every few days. So, one the first few days, you do a quarter raw. Then half and half over the next few days, and so on. However, if you have a dog with a sensitive stomach, you can take longer between each stage. 

High-Quality Ingredients 

We Feed Raw uses of high-quality, human-grade ingredients. Just to clarify (because someone once mentioned to me that people get confused about this), this means that the ingredients are the same quality as that found in human food. That doesn’t mean that you can eat your dog’s food. 🙂 

Their products consist of 80{83d5ae5893d4cc2381f1688c49d7c9d88858c8d0f47c18be8cfe1b1e840bf463} muscle meat, 10{83d5ae5893d4cc2381f1688c49d7c9d88858c8d0f47c18be8cfe1b1e840bf463} organ meat, and 10{83d5ae5893d4cc2381f1688c49d7c9d88858c8d0f47c18be8cfe1b1e840bf463} edible bone, mimicking a natural prey diet. Most of the protein sources come from trusted US farms. The chickens are free-range, the cows are pasture-raised, and neither contain added antibiotics or hormones. 

The lamb and venison do come from New Zealand. However, that doesn’t worry me because New Zealand actually has stricter laws about how their farm animals are raised versus in the US. Side note, that’s also true for much of Europe. 

Customized Meal Plans and Balanced Nutrition 

We touched on this a bit above already, but I want to mention it again in case you skimmed past that. One standout feature of We Feed Raw is their personalized meal plans. They take into account your dog’s breed, age, weight, activity level, and health status to create a tailored feeding regimen. 

I did the one-off Big Box this time, but I did go through the process to set up a meal plan just to test it out. It’s VERY quick and easy. I love that you can choose the benefits that you most want to see.

One thing that I do want to mention, if you’re filling out the form for a puppy make sure you put in the adult weight. In other words, the weight that you expect your dog to be when he reaches full size. If you forget, though, or if there are any other concerns, someone from We Feed Raw will reach out to you and ask for more information. Their customer service is EXTREMELY on top of things.

All We Feed Raw recipes meet the nutritional standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). This means that the meals provide complete and balanced nutrition for dogs at all life stages.

We Feed Raw’s ingredients list is straightforward and transparent, which is a significant advantage for discerning pet owners. Here’s a breakdown of the primary components:

• Muscle Meat: Includes cuts like beef, chicken, turkey, and lamb, providing essential proteins and amino acids.
• Organ Meat: Such as liver, heart, and kidneys, supplying vital vitamins and minerals.
• Edible Bone: Ground bone for calcium and phosphorus, crucial for bone health.
• Vegetables and Supplements: While the core diet is meat-based, they also include vegetables and essential supplements to ensure a balanced nutrient profile.

FYI, if you’re concerned about the bone, don’t be. It’s super-duper ground up, so there aren’t any little bits left for Fido to choke on or anything. If I didn’t read the ingredients, I never would have known it was in there. 

Convenient Delivery (Recurring Subscriptions or “One-Off” Bulk Boxes)

We Feed Raw offers a subscription service with convenient home delivery. The meals are shipped frozen in insulated packaging, ensuring they arrive fresh and ready to store. This is a significant advantage for busy pet owners who want to provide their dogs with high-quality food without the hassle of frequent shopping trips.

Along with a recurring subscription, We Feed Raw also offers several bulk box options. In fact, my review is based on one of those (the Big Box). It came with 27 16-oz patties, with 9 each of Lamb, Beef, and Turkey. If the Big Box is a little too big for you, they also have a Classic Box with 18 lbs of food and a Small Box with 9 lbs. Each one comes with the same variety. Plus, they have bulk boxes of single recipes as well. In other words, you have A LOT of options. 

Whichever option you choose, the food is packaged EXTREMELY well, too. Mine arrived smack-dab in the middle of a heat wave. It was 92 degrees out with a heat index of over 100 (and yeah, I know that it’s much worse in other parts of the country, but we don’t have central AC because I live in the north where it’s not supposed to get this freaking hot). Everything in the box was still frozen solid. I kind of wanted to curl up in that box and see if it could freeze me for a bit, too. It’s dry ice, though, so I don’t recommend doing that.  

One note about packaging, though. Because of the extra measures they go to in order to ensure food arrives frozen, if you’re buying individual patties from their bulk options, you do need to buy in 30lb increments. This is because of how they ship the food. You could always go with one of the variety boxes, though, if you don’t want 30 lbs of food all at once.

Drawbacks and Considerations 

As with even the best things in life, there are always a few drawbacks and things to consider. 

1. Cost 

Raw feeding, in general, tends to be more expensive than traditional kibble or canned food. We Feed Raw is no exception. While the quality of ingredients justifies the price, it may not be affordable for all pet owners. That said, they do offer discounts on your first box, bulk discounts, and other ways to save money. 

I do think that it’s cheaper overall than buying meat from a butcher shop, and definitely cheaper than buying everything necessary to create a balanced raw diet from a grocery store, where beef is absurdly expensive these days. I don’t eat it myself, but my son does. It’s cheaper to buy him a burger from a restaurant than from the grocery store! So, all things considered, I don’t think the cost of We Feed raw is unreasonable.

Another way to save money is to use raw in place of one meal instead of as their only food. Ryan Reed, co-owner of DogVills, tried out We Feed Raw’s subscription-based option. He said that he’s been doing that with his dog, giving him part raw, part kibble, and it’s been working out great.

2. Storage and Handling 

Raw food requires careful storage and handling to prevent contamination. Meals must be kept frozen until ready to serve and then thawed in the fridge overnight, which can be inconvenient for some. Additionally, handling raw meat requires more attention to hygiene compared to dry or canned food.

However, again, We Feed Raw heads off this concern as much as possible by using high-pressure processing (aka cold processing). In their own words, “High-pressure processing is a 100{83d5ae5893d4cc2381f1688c49d7c9d88858c8d0f47c18be8cfe1b1e840bf463} natural, non-thermal technology that employs ultra-high water pressure to neutralize food-borne pathogens such as Listeria, E. coli, and Salmonella.”

I mean, you still need to be careful and use common sense when you’re handling it and all, but We Feed Raw goes above and beyond to make safety a top priority, in my opinion.

3. Potential Digestive Upset at First

This is really the biggest potential drawback. Some dogs may experience digestive upset during the initial transition to a raw diet. This can include symptoms like diarrhea or vomiting. It’s essential to monitor your dog closely during this period and consult with a veterinarian if issues persist.

Freya has a sensitive stomach, so this was my biggest concern. She did upchuck a bit the first day (more like regurgitation than actual vomit), but that was my fault. First, she’s always been a bit more sensitive to cold food. Second, I gave her the lamb first. She’s never had lamb meat outside of kibble. So, I screwed up by giving her cold raw food AND a whole new type of protein.

I switched to beef the next day and she was fine. She was also overjoyed because, as I mentioned above, I don’t eat beef, so we rarely have it in the house. She LOVES when my son has leftover steak or hamburgers, which doesn’t happen often. So, I think she was excited to have all of that beef all to herself.

When we come back around to the lamb after her transition phase, I will try searing it a bit first and giving her a very small amount to see if it still bothers her. If it does, then I’ll know she can’t eat lamb. No biggie. Not all dogs can tolerate all proteins. That’s why We Feed Raw has so many different options. 

FAQs About We Feed Raw

Let’s finish things off with a few frequently asked questions and answers about We Feed Raw.

Conclusion

We Feed Raw offers a high-quality, convenient option for dog owners looking to switch to a raw diet. With its focus on human-grade ingredients, customized meal plans, and complete nutrition, it’s a choice that can significantly benefit your dog’s health.

While the cost and handling requirements may be a consideration, the potential improvements in your dog’s vitality and well-being make it a compelling option for many pet owners.

If you’re looking for a natural, nutritious diet for your dog and are willing to invest in their health, We Feed Raw is a brand worth considering. With their transparent practices and commitment to quality, they provide a trustworthy solution for raw feeding enthusiasts.