When it comes to feeding your beloved pet, making sure they receive the best nutrition possible is paramount. Fresh pet dog food is becoming a popular choice for pet owners looking to provide their furry friends with the best nutrition available. But, is this the right option for your dog? In this blog post, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of fresh pet dog food, so that you can make an informed decision when it comes to selecting the right food for your pup. We will discuss the variety of fresh pet dog food available, the nutritional benefits of this type of food, and the potential risks associated with feeding your pup fresh pet food. We’ll also look into what to look for when shopping for fresh pet dog food, as well as how to ensure your pup’s diet is balanced and properly nourished. Read on to discover if fresh pet dog food is a good option for your canine companion!
Freshpet Product Line
Both cats and dogs can use Freshpet Select, Vital, and Nature’s Fresh, but there are many more products available for dogs. You can purchase fresh treats for your dog or pick from their deli fresh selection, which does not have a formulation that is suitable for cats.
Our Rating of Freshpet Select Refrigerated Dog Food Rolls
The brand Freshpet Select received five stars for its refrigerated rolls, which include both grain-inclusive and grain-free dog foods with a significant amount of named meats as their primary source of animal protein.
Which Freshpet Select Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
The Advisor gives Freshpet Select dog food rolls a perfect five-star rating.
The nine rolled dog foods listed below are included in the Freshpet Select product line.
When available, the AAFCO nutrient profile of each recipe is included. These profiles include Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental, or Unspecified.
For a thorough recipe and nutritional analysis, Freshpet Select Chunky Beef Recipe was chosen to represent the other products in the line.
Using a dry matter basis, the label and nutrient data below were calculated.
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient ContentProtein =
Carrageenan, natural flavors, celery powder, potassium chloride, salt, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, calcium iodate), spinach, vitamins (choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, riboflavin, biotin, calcium pantothenate, niacin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride). Ingredients:
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 9.1%
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 10% | 6% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 46% | 27% | 19% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 35% | 51% | 15% |
The first ingredient is this dog food is beef. According to the definition of beef, which includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart, or esophagus, beef is “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle.”
The second ingredient is chicken, another quality addition.
The ten essential amino acids needed by a dog for survival are naturally abundant in both beef and chicken.
Beef liver, the third ingredient, is an animal-named organ meat that is regarded as being healthy.
The fourth ingredient is beef broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. But they are a typical ingredient in many canned goods because they add flavor and moisture to dog food.
The fifth ingredient includes carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The sixth ingredient lists peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, when evaluating the meat content of this dog food, one must take into account the fact that peas contain about 25% protein.
The seventh ingredient includes eggs. Eggs are exceptionally high in biological value and are simple to digest.
Brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that can be relatively simple to digest once cooked, is the eighth ingredient. But aside from its inherent energy content, rice only has a modest amount of nutritional value for dogs.
Rice bran, a nutritious by-product of milling whole grain rice, is the ninth ingredient. The grain’s fibrous outer layer, or bran, contains starch, protein, and fat in addition to vitamins and minerals.
The list continues with a number of additional items after this.
However, being realistic, ingredients this low on the list (aside from nutritional supplements) are unlikely to have an impact on how this Freshpet product is rated overall.
With 4 notable exceptions…
The first is soy flour, a high-protein byproduct of the processing of soybeans.
Despite having a protein content of about 51%, soy flour is predicted to have a lower biological value than meat.
Additionally, less expensive plant-based products like this one can significantly increase the total protein stated on the label, which is a factor to take into account when determining the actual meat content of this dog food.
Next, carrageenan is a gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Even though carrageenan has been a food additive for centuries, there seems to have recently been some debate about its long-term biological safety.
The article, The Carrageenan Controversy, published in Scientific American, does a good job of addressing this topic.
Additionally, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a contentious selenium mineral form. In terms of nutrition, selenium yeast appears to be a more natural source of selenium than sodium selenite.
Finally, this food includes chelated minerals, which are minerals that have chemically bonded to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
Freshpet Select Rolled Dog Food appears to be a better-than-average refrigerated product based solely on its ingredients.
The dashboard shows a reading of 46% for dry matter protein, 27% for fat, and an estimated 19% for carbohydrates.
The brand’s average protein content is 44%, and its average fat content is 28%. Together, these data point to a 19% carbohydrate content for the entire product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 65%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. Moreover, it has lower-than-average carbs compared to a typical rolled dog food.
This appears to have the profile of a rolled dog food with a substantial amount of meat even after taking into account the peas and soy flour’s ability to increase protein levels.
However, some recipes might not be suitable for animals on a low fat diet because in our example, 51% of the total calories came from fat and only 35% from protein.
FAQ
Is pet fresh food good for your dog?
Yes, because fresh dog food contains fewer preservatives and higher-quality ingredients, many pet parents prefer it. But different foods, like prescription diets, may benefit some dogs more than others. Speaking with your veterinarian is the best way to determine which food is healthiest for your dog.
What is the healthiest food to feed your dog?
- Kale. This vitamin-packed leafy green is loaded with vitamins A, E, and C.
- Carrots. Crunchy and naturally sweet, carrots are loved by most dogs.
- Pumpkin. …
- Sweet Potatoes. …
- Fish. …
- Nori (dried seaweed) …
- Chia seeds. …
- Quinoa.
Is Freshpet raw food good for dogs?
Overall, Freshpet is an excellent dog food with a high animal protein content that is great for most dogs. Their protein sources are animal-based with no by-products. Consult your veterinarian to determine whether Freshpet is a good option for your dog if it has kidney problems or other specific health issues.