The difference between Raw, Cold pressed, Freeze dried & Kibble.

What to feed your dog can be a frustrating subject, and it depends who you talk to as to what is supposedly the 'best' way to feed.

Lets go through them one by one.

 Kibble- is a food we have all heard of, and have been feeding our dogs for generations. It is cheap and convenient but studies now show it is having a negative effect on our dogs long term health. It is a highly processed food and in many brands the ingredients are very questionable. There is lots of information out there about the health risks of us and our children eating too much processed food, but not enough info on the affects its having on our pets. Kibble is a mixture of ingredients, usually high carbohydrates (cheap fillers) and meat meal which is scraps of the animal left over once all the nutritious bits have been taken and used for human consumption. Leaving carcasses, feathers, beak's etc to be used and called protein! Kibble is cooked fast at high temperatures and then supplements and animal fats are added to make it palatable to the dog/cat. Also did you know that many brands are now owned by Mars and Nestle?! There are some really good small companies out there that are mindful of the ingredients they use, and are producing quality kibble with human grade, tracible protein. You will notice these foods cost a fair bit more as we all know, meat isn't cheap.

 

Cold Pressed- this could also be classed as a processed food, as it has been through a process, but the ingredients are often better (check the label/company) and have been cold pressed at a low temperature to keep in as many nutrients as possible, unlike kibble that is cooked at high temperatures which kills nutrients. Cold pressed would be a better option as long as the company producing it are reputable and ingredients are tracible. The food looks like pellets rather than the traditional kibble biscuit we are used to seeing, and crumbles down in the dogs stomach rather than swelling up like some kibble does.

 

Freeze Dried- Is raw ingredients that has had the moisture sucked out of it, leaving raw food that can be stored in a box. There is no cooking or harsh processing and it leaves in the nutrients and goodness. It is however an expensive way to feed at the moment. Hopefully the cost of freeze dried will come down the more people use it. It is great for camping or going on holiday if you normally feed your dog raw at home, and I use it as training treats.

 

Raw- being my favourite way to feed 😊 Raw meat, bone & offal will be put through a mincer, tested for bacteria and any other nasties before it leaves the factory, then put into a container and frozen to lock in the goodness and stored for up to a year. Fruits and vegetables will be added to some brands, while others will be 80-10-10. 80% meat, 10% bone, 10% offal. Dogs digestive system is designed to eat raw food, they have sharp jagged teeth used to tear meat and chomp bone, high acidic stomachs which deal with digesting the meat and bone with a short digestive tract that dispose of the waste quickly. Studies are showing that raw fed dogs have less health issues and thrive on a carnivorous diet.