What Is Fresh Dog Food?

Fresh dog food is a gently cooked, minimally processed dog food made from high quality cuts of meat and wholesome ingredients. Unlike conventional kibble, which is made at high temperatures through extrusion, fresh dog food is cooked at lower temperatures to preserve more of the natural nutrition in its ingredients while ensuring it is safe and easy to digest.

Fresh dog food is typically sold chilled for short-term use or frozen for longer storage. The best recipes will be built around natural and nutritious ingredients including named meats, vegetables, fruits and functional additions such as omega oils, botanicals and supplements.

How Is Fresh Dog Food Made?

The production of fresh dog food prioritises ingredient quality and gentle processing over cost and shelf life.

• High-quality real meat and fresh vegetables are used.
• Ingredients are prepared and cooked at lower temperatures than conventional kibble, preserving more of the natural nutrition. Fresh food is gently cooked between 72°C to 100°C.
• No artificial preservatives, colours or flavourings are used.
• The finished product is chilled or frozen immediately to maintain freshness and safety.

The result is a food that looks and smells appetising and is easy for dogs to digest.

What Are the Benefits of Fresh Dog Food?

Human-Grade Ingredient Quality

Fresh dog food is made with wholesome and exceptional quality ingredients, including real cuts of fresh meat and vegetables. This means no unspecified animal derivatives and no vague ingredients.

Gentle Cooking Preserves Natural Nutrition

Fresh dog food is cooked at a lower temperature so it will retain more of its natural nutrition. While it is not raw, it delivers nutrition significantly closer to raw food quality than traditional kibble.

Highly Digestible

The natural wholesome ingredients and gentle processing of fresh dog food make it highly digestible. The best fresh diets will contain high quality meats alongside supportive botanicals to further improve gut health and firm stools.

Excellent for Fussy Eaters

The natural aromas, soft tender textures, and high levels of meat make fresh dog food an incredibly palatable choice.

For fussy dogs who hate their dry kibble, fresh food makes a tasty and nutritious alternative.

Transparency and Simplicity

Fresh dog food recipes are typically short and made with easily recognisable ingredients. Fresh foods are made with a blend of fresh real meat, vegetables, oils and supportive botanicals.

Fresh Dog Food for Sensitive Stomachs and Allergies

Fresh food can be a great choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs.

Look for recipes that focus on wholesome simple ingredients and are high in fresh meat or fish. For dogs with confirmed allergies, look for fresh recipes that contain single novel meat sources.

Always transition to a new fresh food recipe gradually over 7 to 10 days to allow the digestive system to adjust.

Fresh Dog Food for Puppies

Fresh dog food can be an excellent choice for puppies; however, you must always look for specific puppy formulas. These foods will contain enough protein, fat and calcium for all puppies growing needs.

Some puppies may find the soft texture of fresh dog food easier to eat in the early weeks of transitioning to solid food.

Fresh Dog Food for Senior Dogs

Fresh food can be a wonderful diet choice for senior dogs. The soft texture is easier for older dogs to eat, the real ingredients support their delicate digestive systems, and the added natural oils are high in omega fatty acids to support healthy skin and joints.

Fresh Dog Food vs Kibble vs Raw Dog Food

How Much Fresh Dog Food Should You Feed?

All complete food packaging includes a feeding guide roughly based on body weight, and activity level. Regularly weighing and body scoring your dog will alert you to changes in weight and whether you need to adjust your dog’s feeding amounts.

Most adult dogs need around 2 to 3% of their body weight in fresh food per day, but this varies depending on the recipe and your dog's individual needs. Always follow the packaging guidelines and adjust based on body condition.

For help understanding your dog’s health, watch our Guide to Body Scoring.

How to Store Fresh Dog Food

Fresh dog food requires different storage to conventional kibble:

• Fresh dog food should be kept in the freezer and defrosted in the fridge before serving.
• Never leave fresh food in the bowl for extended periods, particularly in warm weather.
• Once defrosted, use within 24 to 48 hours and do not refreeze.

How to Transition to Fresh Dog Food

Switching to fresh dog food should be done gradually, particularly for dogs who have been on dry kibble for a long time. Transition over 7 to 10 days:

• Days 1 to 3: 25% fresh food, 75% current food.
• Days 4 to 6: 50% fresh food, 50% current food
• Days 7 to 10: 75% fresh food, 25% current food.
• Day 11 onwards: 100% fresh food.

Some dogs may have looser stools in the first few days are normal as the digestive system adjusts to a higher level of moisture.

Shop Fresh Dog Food at Pets Corner

Our fresh dog food range is high in fresh meat, all natural ingredients, supportive oils and is utterly delicious.

Explore our fresh dog food range and discover the difference real ingredients can make.

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