# Dehydrated / Freeze Dried Choices



## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

With all of the tummy problems London has had recently, I wanted to start looking into my options as far as the freeze-dried/dehydrated foods go in case we determine we need a diet change. I do not yet know if it's in my financial budget to do so, I may end up having to choose a different dry kibble from the Acana she is on now, but I thought it would be wise to at least familiarize myself with the options first.

What brands are among the top? I have heard of The Honest Kitchen, and Grandma Lucy's, and Dr. Harvey's Veg-to-Bowl (which I know you have to add your own protein & oil)...are there others that are worth looking into?

For those of you that feed this type of diet, on average, how much does it end up costing when you add everything up and divide it per month? Everything is by weight, and the manufacturer states how much food to feed, but it doesn't help determine how long a bag will last.

Also, do their faces really get that dirty from their food? Wiping their faces after each meal is a bit of a hassle, I think...


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

Lisa i'm feeding mine Addiction Dehydrated Raw in the mornings and Nature's Variety Raw medallions in the evening and they are doing wonderfully on it. There are some that are feeding a new food called NOW with great results and they have one for small breeds. It's a grain free food with moderate protein and fat. You can compare the protein and fat between the Acana Pacifica and the NOW.

Here's the info for the Acana:
*Pacifica*

*Ingredients* – Boneless salmon (natural source of EPA, DHA), salmon meal, herring meal, russet potato, peas, whitefish meal*, sweet potatoes, salmon oil (preserved with vitamin E), sun-cured alfalfa, boneless herring, boneless flounder, natural fish flavors, pumpkin, turnip greens, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, apples, organic kelp, cranberries, blueberries, juniper berries, black currants, chicory root, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, lavender flowers, summer savory, rosemary, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, zinc proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, iron proteinate, vitamin B6, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, selenium, dried Lactobacillus acifophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product. *ACANA’s whitefish meal contains wild-caught flounder, halibut and cod.

*Calorie Distribution*
Metabolic Energy is 3750 kcal/kg
430 kcal per 250 ml cup (115g)
35% energy from protein
40% energy from fat
25% energy from carbohydrates

*Guaranteed Analysis*
Crude Protein (min) 33%
Crude Fat (min) 18%
Crude Fiber (max) 3%
Moisture (max) 10%
Calcium (min) 1.4%
Phosphorus (min) 1.1%
Omega-6 (min) 2.6%
Omega-3 (min) 1.3%
DHA/EPA 0.9%/0.3%
Carbohydrate (max) 27%
Glucosamine (min) 1000 mg/kg
Chondroitin (min) 800 mg/kg


*Typical Analysis*

_Here's the info for the NOW:_

*Small Breed Formula*
*SMALL BREEDS HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS!*​ 

Your small breed dog is special in so many ways. Because of the lifestyle and dietary requirements of smaller dogs, we've formulated Now! Small Breed with special needs and small mouths in mind!
* Cloverleaf style kibble - ideal for small dogs and teeth
* Tartar Control - sodium tripolyphosphate (proven to help prevent tartar), green tea
* Breath freshening - parsley and peppermint
* Skin & Coat - Algae extract (DHA), flaxseed, canola oil, zinc
* Highly Digestible - digestive enzymes, probiotics
* All lifestage formula - good for puppies through to senior dogs​ 

*GUARANTEED ANALYSIS*​ 



Crude Protein(min) 27% ​Crude Fat(min) 17%Crude Fiber(max) 4%Moisture(max) 10%Calcium(min) 1.25%Phosphorus(min) .7%*Omega 6 Fatty Acids(min) 2.1%*Omega 3 Fatty Acids(min) 1.3%


*not recognized as an essential nutrient by the A.A.F.C.O. dog food nutrient profile.​





*INGREDIENTS*
De-boned turkey, potato, whole dried egg, pea, flaxseed, apple, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), natural flavor, coconut oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of vitamin E), tomato, salmon, de-boned duck, sundried alfalfa, carrots, pumpkin, bananas, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, papaya, pineapple, grapefruit, lentil beans, broccoli, spinach, cottage cheese, alfalfa sprouts, dried kelp, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, lecithin, sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, dried seaweed meal, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin, inositol, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin, beta-carotene, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), minerals (zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, iron proteinate, copper sulfate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), taurine, DL-methionine, L-Lysine, algae extract, chicory extract, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Enterococcus faecium, Bifidobacterium thermophilum, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation extract, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, yeast extract, yucca schidigera extract, marigold extract, parsley, peppermint, green tea extract, L-carnitine, dried rosemary.


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## Bibu (Jun 3, 2010)

I've been researching all of the foods because I would like to change Bibu's diet and Addiction Dehydrated Raw seems to be one of the best choices (its grain free!). You can order 4oz bags for 3-4 dollars each and give it a try. They have about 6-7 different flavors. I remember seeing a post by Crystal where she said she switches up between the 6-7 types of dehydrated raw to make sure her babies get all the different proteins they need. Its worth a shot in ordering a small bag and seeing if London likes it. I've just ordered my sample bag today (Addiction Dehydrated Raw: Fig'licious Venison) and I'll let you know how Bibu likes it. I also find it has less protein which is better for Bibu because too much makes him tearstain. But then again, the protein/tearstain effect varies from dog to dog.

4oz makes 12oz of Fresh Food
2lbs makes 6lbs of Fresh Food
8lbs makes 24lbs of Fresh Food

*INGREDIENTS:* New Zealand Venison, Potatoes, Papayas, Canola Oil, Figs, Carrots,Minerals (Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Sulphate, Iron Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Manganese Sulphate, Sodium Selenate, Potassium Iodate), Tapioca Starch, Diatomaceous Earth, Spinach, Garlic, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Amino Acids (Tryptophan, Threonine, Methionine), Natural Antioxidant (Vegetable Oil, Natural Tocopherols, Lecithin, Rosemary Extract), Vitamins (Vitamin E, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, Thiamine, Vitamin D, Pyridoxine, Folic Acid)
*
With Added:* New Zealand Venison, Free from Artificial Hormones and Steroids, Figs packed with Antioxidants and Fiber, Raw Vegetables and Fruits for Vitamins and Enzymes
NO: Grain, Chicken, Beef or Lamb, GMOs, By-products, Fillers, Corn, Wheat, Artificial Colors, Artificial Flavorings or Artificial Preservatives
*
NUTRITIONAL ANALYSIS:*
Crude Protein (Min) 19%
Crude Fat (Min) 10%
Crude Fiber (Max) 5%
Moisture (Max) 12%
Ash (Max) 3%
*
Caloric Content 3490 kcal/kg*

This is the webpage: Addiction Food Store - Raw Dehydrated Food

Good luck with your search!


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

Bibu said:


> I've been researching all of the foods because I would like to change Bibu's diet and Addiction Dehydrated Raw seems to be one of the best choices (its grain free!). You can order 4oz bags for 3-4 dollars each and give it a try. They have about 6-7 different flavors. I remember seeing a post by Crystal where she said she switches up between the 6-7 types of dehydrated raw to make sure her babies get all the different proteins they need. Its worth a shot in ordering a small bag and seeing if London likes it. I've just ordered my sample bag today (Addiction Dehydrated Raw: Fig'licious Venison) and I'll let you know how Bibu likes it. I also find it has less protein which is better for Bibu because too much makes him tearstain. But then again, the protein/tearstain effect varies from dog to dog.
> 
> 4oz makes 12oz of Fresh Food
> 2lbs makes 6lbs of Fresh Food
> ...


 
This is what i currently feed my pups. I switch between 3 of the grain free varieties. I've used the Herbed Lamb and Potatoes, The Figilicious Venison and Steakhouse Zuchini and they do very well on the food and i'm very happy with it. Like i said i feed the Addiction Dehydrated Raw in the morning and their evening meal consists of Nature's Variety Raw Medallions and we switch up the protein for that also, Lamb, Beef and Venison. Eventually i will be using an exclusive frozen raw diet for my pups and the dehydrated raw for when we travel. My pups are doing well on the diet and love when it's time to eat especially Noelle. I never thought i would be one to feed raw or frozen raw to my pups, but with all the researching i've done i feel it's the best for us.


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

Lisa....we are on Grandma Lucy's Artisan and so far great results. I just add AE probiotics to help w/digestion. Do you use probiotics at all? No matter what food you decide to use that may help London w/her stomach issues. Just good for overall digestion. 

It does get their face dirty. I had a thread about keeping their faces clean a few weeks back. Since that thread I started using saucer plates (like the kind you put a coffee mug on) and I found that has helped their face cleaner. I also lump the food towards the back of the dish so when they are leaning into the bowl as they are eating their hair is on the front of the bowl rather than in the food. Does that make sense? 

The chicken flavor is the least expensive. I order from Petfooddirect.com and they always have a coupon which will basically pay for shipping. The small bag lasts me just about a month.


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## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

I tried Grandma Lucy's and it did not agree with Rose at all. It has garlic in it. Mine had trouble digesting it, too, despite soaking it longer. Some do fine on it, but with London's tummy, I wonder if she should be on something "simpler." Just a thought.:thumbsup:


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

aprilb said:


> I tried Grandma Lucy's and it did not agree with Rose at all. It has garlic in it. Mine had trouble digesting it, too, despite soaking it longer. Some do fine on it, but with London's tummy, I wonder if she should be on something "simpler." Just a thought.:thumbsup:


Grandma Lucy's did not agree with my malt as well. She was not digesting the food at all and was showing up in her poop.
I've heard that Addiction is extremely hight in fat ........and my pet shop guy told me Nature's Variety FREEZE DRIED medallions are better used as snack not as a meal. It actually says on the bag too " (for intermittent feeding)"
I feed NOW small breed and Weruva canned.


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

poochie2 said:


> Grandma Lucy's did not agree with my malt as well. She was not digesting the food at all and was showing up in her poop.
> I've heard that Addiction is extremely hight in fat ........and my pet shop guy told me Nature's Variety FREEZE DRIED medallions are better used as snack not as a meal. It actually says on the bag too " (for intermittent feeding)"
> I feed NOW small breed and Weruva canned.


I feed the Addiction Dehydrated Raw, the Fiflicious Venison is low in fat and has a moderate protein, the Steakhouse Beek and Zucchini is even lower in fat with moderate protein, i also feed the Herb Roasted Lamb and Potatoes which does have a higher fat and still moderate protein. My dogs have been and still are doing very well on this food. 

Addiction Raw Dehydrated Food - Fig'licious Vension Feast

Addiction Raw Dehydrated Food - Steakhouse Beef & Zucchini Entrée

Addiction Raw Dehydrated Food - Herbed Lamb & Potatoes


With the Nature's Variety i don't feed the Nature's Variety Freeze dried medallions, but do feed the *Nature's Variety Frozen Raw medallions* and it is a meal not a snack nor does it say anywhere on the bag to *feed intermittently*.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Wow, thank you all for your responses! I know this is the "best" way to go aside from homecooking or feeding an entirely raw diet, if I can figure out the cost per month I may be able to afford it.

I think just by research the two top contenders are The Honest Kitchen and Addiction Dehydrated Raw. I also have heard great things about the Now brand dry kibble, but it is almost identical to the Acana Pacifica. A woman that works at one of our local pet boutiques (they only sell foods that are wheat, corn, soy free, & other healthy items) said she put one of her rescues on Now kibble and all of her tartar on her teeth is completely gone! She said it truly works wonders.

Anyway, thank you again for your tips & suggestions...I think adding a probiotic would be very good for both L & P whether I switch foods or not.


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

Lisa, just a thought, but when Bailey had his big tummy issues I was told that canned food would help his tummy heal and would be easier for him to digest. If you try the dehydrated and find that it doesn't agree with London, would you be open to trying canned? There are some very "simple" high quality canned food - limited ingredients, so you could really keep an eye on what foods/ingredients set her off and what works really well for her. Crystal helped me with this after Bailey got sick, because her Jet used to have IBS and this is the approach she took to get him all better - limited ingredient canned food for about a year and now his system can handle any type of food! The one I have Bailey on is Addiction Herbed Duck and Sweet Potato. He's been doing well on it. It is pretty expensive though...but Bailey is 11.5 pounds so he eats more than London would. Maybe something to look in to if you find that the dehydrated doesn't work out. 

One more thing - both Honest Kitchen and Addiction dehydrated are very high quality foods but both are raw. Until you can find an answer to London's issues, maybe it would be a good idea to hold off on trying raw. I have both these foods on my list for Bailey...I think I will definitely try to do raw with him at some point but I'm going to wait a long long time until I know his digestive system is 100% strong enough to handle it. Just sharing what I've learned from doing some research recently after Bailey's illness and also from talking to Crystal and some other very helpful folks!


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Some dogs need to build up to a raw diet. I know that once Jett's digestive system healed and he could eat anything, if he had just the TINIEST bit of raw, he would get diarrhea. It took almost 3 years to get Jett to the place he could handle raw and then again, it's a raw with a very moderate protein level compared to most raw diets. And no rich organ meat. I tried giving Jett a bit of dehydrated organ meat the other day and thankfully no diarrhea but he did get tummy rumbles. Thank God for Ginger/Mint Tonic! He may never be able to do the frozen raw but I'm very happy with the results all 3 of mine are having on the dehydrated raw they are on.

I really would encourage you to do a Limited Canned diet with London for awhile to see if that helps. I'm afraid raw would be too much for her too soon and could make things worse. When I talked to Dr. Karen Becker last year, she confirmed that not every dog can handle raw right away and some you have to work up to it.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Crystal&Zoe said:


> Some dogs need to build up to a raw diet. I know that once Jett's digestive system healed and he could eat anything, if he had just the TINIEST bit of raw, he would get diarrhea. It took almost 3 years to get Jett to the place he could handle raw and then again, it's a raw with a very moderate protein level compared to most raw diets. And no rich organ meat. I tried giving Jett a bit of dehydrated organ meat the other day and thankfully no diarrhea but he did get tummy rumbles. Thank God for Ginger/Mint Tonic! He may never be able to do the frozen raw but I'm very happy with the results all 3 of mine are having on the dehydrated raw they are on.
> 
> I really would encourage you to do a Limited Canned diet with London for awhile to see if that helps. I'm afraid raw would be too much for her too soon and could make things worse. When I talked to Dr. Karen Becker last year, she confirmed that not every dog can handle raw right away and some you have to work up to it.


I think you are right, Crystal. I've decided to keep her on the Acana Pacifica/Grasslands for now and add the AE Plant Enzymes & Probiotics and see how that helps, and if we need to do more I will look into more limited diets, specifically with lower fat than the Acana. I think I need to get the Ginger/Mint Tonic also, it really sounds like a miracle product!


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I just placed an order for the Animals' Apawthecary Ginger/Mint remedy and also the Animal Essentials Plant Enzymes & Probiotics on Amazon because I had a $10 credit and the prices were excellent on both items. Woohoo! I'm excited to give them a try, and no matter what, I know the probiotics will be good for both of their digestive systems.


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

I really would encourage you to try a limited diet and in the soft canned formula. If it is IBS or IBD, you really need to do a soft diet to let the GI system heal. And a limited diet is what all the experts do agree on for both IBS & IBD. Is there a reason you are not wanting to do canned?


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

Crystal&Zoe said:


> I really would encourage you to try a limited diet and in the soft canned formula. If it is IBS or IBD, you really need to do a soft diet to let the GI system heal. And a limited diet is what all the experts do agree on for both IBS & IBD. Is there a reason you are not wanting to do canned?


I don't know if it's in my budget to do canned food, it seems like the higher quality canned foods are around $3 each and would require her to eat up to 1 full can per day. I suppose it doesn't hurt to look further into the different brands & prices, though.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I have a question, I'm looking at different canned foods, and I've noticed they are all really low in protein (and also fat). Is it because there is so much water in them? They say they are complete diets, but I guess I'm confused because dry kibble has about double the protein/fat.

Can anyone give me brand suggestions for doing a limited canned diet? I do not want to use Natural Balance. Does Addiction count?


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Addiction's Canned Herbed Duck Confit is a limited diet and the one I would recommend because it is grain free. It's simply duck & sweet potato. Back when I first got Jett and he was so sick, my sources were even more limited and I used California Natural Chicken & Rice. It would not be my first choice now because of the grain but it worked for Jett. I've not priced California Natural in a very long time so don't know what it is selling for. I sell the Addiction Duck Confit for $2.89 a can.


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## waggybaby (Jul 28, 2009)

Does anybody know how Stella & Chewys dehydrated raw compares to Addition or Now?

I was having trouble with Sasha's stomach and my vet told me to feed her Stella & Chewy's. Her stomach has been much better since she has been eating it.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

waggybaby said:


> Does anybody know how Stella & Chewys dehydrated raw compares to Addition or Now?
> 
> I was having trouble with Sasha's stomach and my vet told me to feed her Stella & Chewy's. Her stomach has been much better since she has been eating it.


A few members here have fed Stella & Chewy's before, maybe they can chime in. I believe it is similar quality to Addiction & Now, although the latter two may be a little higher quality...I'm clearly not an expert on this diet, though.


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## lovesophie (Jan 28, 2008)

My girl is on ZiwiPeak. It's air-dried food. Since it's dry to begin with and I don't add any water to it, her face stays clean after eating it. I really like that it has limited ingredients. I'd say ZiwiPeak makes up about 85%-90% of Sophie's diet. I buy the bag that's a little over 2 lbs for about $30. This lasts a little less than a month and a half or so. If I were to feed this exclusively to Sophie, I'd say it would last a little over a month. 

I've fed Stella & Chewy's before, and Sophie hasn't had any problems with it. I'm really not sure how it compares to Addiction and Now, as I'm not really familiar with these two, but I don't like how they both have canola oil as an ingredient.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Keep in mind you must convert the analysis to dry matter basis in order to compare foods. 
Dogs with IBD you generally want to look for a lower % of fat in the diet.


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## VEcharlie (Feb 24, 2011)

*Vital Essentials*

I don't know a whole lot about Stella and Chewy; I do know that they do HPP processing on their food which everything that i could find online basically says that is no longer a raw food because of that process. I do feed Vital Essentials and that is raw freeze-dried product. I feed Charlie the freeze-dried nibblets more so for convenience and he is small enough. When I called them they told me that the only difference between the frozen and the freeze-dried was that the water was removed to give the product shelf stability. However, what I have found about this food is it is the highest concentration of organ meat that is out on the market right now so if your dog is having trouble with too much protein you may want to look at other options.


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## puppy lover (Dec 25, 2007)

waggybaby said:


> Does anybody know how Stella & Chewys dehydrated raw compares to Addition or Now?
> 
> I was having trouble with Sasha's stomach and my vet told me to feed her Stella & Chewy's. Her stomach has been much better since she has been eating it.


Iris, I think the meat sources may be better in Addiction but the veggies are not organic. Stella and Chewy's veggies are organic. I don't know anything about Now except that there's a supplement company called Now, they're ok.

Olivea tried Addiction and the only one she'll eat sometimes is the beef and zucchini. She consistently loves Stella and Chewy's. They now have a new flavor, Surf and Turf, with wild salmon and naturally raised beef, Olivea is crazy for it. I would love it if she ate the Paw Naturaw but she's soooo picky! She'll also eat the Natures Variety dehydrated lamb, sometimes.
Anyway, I hope Sasha is doing well!

VECharlie, here is a response from the CEO of Stella and Chewy's regarding HPP processing. It made sense to me but I'm not that well read on the subject. It's the 13th one down.
Nature's Variety -- why I no longer recommend NV 
BTW, I'm going to look into Vital Essentials.


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