What Is Fresh Dog Food, and Is It Right For Your Dog?

Fresh dog food is made with human-grade ingredients, is often minimally processed, and can be a healthy option for many dogs. As fresh dog food continues to become more popular, you may be wondering whether it’s the right choice for your dog.

While fresh food can be a healthy option, it’s not the best fit for every pup. Not all fresh dog foods provide complete and balanced nutrition, and some dogs have health conditions that require a specialized diet.

Here’s what to know about fresh dog food. Before making any changes to your dog’s diet, talk to your veterinarian. They can help you decide if fresh dog food is the right fit for your dog’s individual needs.

What Is Fresh Dog Food?

Fresh dog food is minimally processed and made without preservatives. It’s made with human-grade ingredients such as lean meats, vegetables, and whole grains. Fresh foods can be gently cooked, high-pressure processed, air-dried, dehydrated, or freeze-dried.

The best fresh dog food companies employ veterinary nutritionists (a full-time PhD in animal nutrition or board-certified by the American College of Veterinary Nutrition) and run feeding trials to ensure their products provide complete and balanced nutrition. Reputable brands like JustFoodForDogs meet nutritional standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

Not all fresh dog foods provide the same nutrition.

While some companies add a blend of vitamins and minerals to their diets to ensure they are well-balanced and meet AAFCO nutritional standards, not all of them do—so certain brands of fresh dog food may need supplementation to ensure your dog is eating a complete and balanced diet.

Below are some questions you should ask of a fresh pet food company to make an informed decision about the best diet for your dog:

• Is it safe? Where is the food manufactured, and who exercises quality control over the facility and ingredients? Are there published scientific studies backing the nutritional adequacy of the recipes?
• Is it complete and balanced?

Is it appropriate, considering your dog’s age, life stage, activity level, and medical needs?

Benefits of Fresh Dog Food

Fresh dog food may be better than commercial dry or canned dog food for the following reasons:

• It’s easier to digest. Fresh dog food tends to be more digestible than dry or canned dog food.
• It’s palatable. Picky eaters may prefer the taste over dry or canned food.
• It may offer long-term health benefits. In humans, studies have linked ultra-processed foods to increased risks of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. While more research is needed in pets, some experts believe less-processed diets may also support better long-term health in dogs.
• The ingredients are familiar. Pet parents may feel more comfortable feeding a diet with easier-to-pronounce, human-grade ingredients. Keep in mind, however, that the ingredients list doesn’t tell you anything about the quality of the ingredients or if they’re in the right proportions.
• It provides additional moisture. Fresh dog food typically contains substantially more water than dry food, which can contribute to a dog’s daily fluid intake. However, canned food offers this benefit too.

Things To Consider Before Switching to Fresh Dog Food

On the other hand, fresh food may not be the best option for every dog for the following reasons:

• It’s more costly. Fresh dog food can be more expensive than canned or dry food, so it might not make economic sense for every pet parent.
• It could be missing key nutrients. If the fresh dog food does not meet AAFCO nutrition standards or has not been tested with AAFCO feeding trials, dogs could be missing key nutrients, which could be detrimental—especially for those with chronic conditions like kidney disease.
• It may carry a risk of foodborne illness. The high cooking temperatures of dry and canned dog foods do the best job of killing disease-causing bacteria like Salmonella before packaging. Fresh dog food, which is cooked at lower temperatures and is not usually shelf-stable at room temperature, may carry some risk of foodborne illness due to this more minimal processing—and thus spoil faster even if stored properly. As such, fresh dog food may not be the best option for very young, very old, pregnant, or immunocompromised dogs.
• It has a shorter shelf life. Because of this, storage can be more complicated because fresh food must be consumed within a shorter time frame than canned or dry dog food, which may be impractical for some pet parents. However, there are some shelf-stable fresh food options like JustFoodForDogs JustFresh.
• It can be difficult to transition dogs off fresh food. Fresh food may also be so appetizing to dogs that it could be difficult to switch when necessary, such as to feed them a prescription veterinary diet. Many veterinarians “save” fresh food for certain situations when the dog has a decreased appetite or refuses all other food options in times of illness or chronic disease.

What Is the Best Fresh Dog Food?

What Is the Best Fresh Dog Food?

When choosing a fresh dog food, it’s best to look for a reputable company, ideally one with veterinary nutritionists on staff ensuring the diets are complete and balanced for your dog. 

Look for an AAFCO statement on the packaging, indicating that the manufacturer has met particular nutrition standards in formulating the diet.

The diet should also ideally have a good source of highly digestible lean protein, such as chicken, fish, or beef. 

Finally, make sure you’re selecting a food appropriate for your dog’s life stage—puppy, adult, or senior. 

A few examples that meet these requirements include:

• JustFoodForDogs JustFresh

• Freshpet Homestyle Creations

• Nom Nom Freshly-Made

Is Fresh Dog Food Right for Your Dog?

Fresh dog food can be a nutritious option for many dogs, but whether it’s appropriate depends on the individual dog and the specific recipe. Before switching, ask your veterinarian whether the food meets your dog’s nutritional and health needs.

Dogs who may benefit from fresh dog food include:

• Dogs with sensitive stomachs. Some fresh foods are gently cooked and made with highly digestible ingredients, which may make them easier for certain dogs to tolerate.
• Dogs with food allergies. A veterinarian may recommend a fresh diet made without a dog’s identified allergens. However, fresh food is not automatically hypoallergenic and should not replace a veterinarian-supervised elimination diet.
• Dogs with decreased appetites or picky eating habits. The aroma, flavor, and texture of fresh food may make it appealing to some dogs.
• Dogs with certain medical or nutritional needs. A veterinarian or board-certified veterinary nutritionist may recommend an appropriately formulated fresh diet for some dogs with health conditions or difficulty maintaining weight.