To Raw or Not to Raw?
The appropriate diet for the species is raw however there are going to be times in a dog’s life when raw feeding is not possible, some of these times may include but are not restricted to:
Following surgery
Whilst camping, If cooling methods are not possible
Emergency situations such as staying at a friend's house.
Losing access to your freezer
Some boarding facilities.
Many pet parents seem to be set on either being in the raw camp or wet camp. The good news is that you can overlap both camps! There is no judgement if you need to do this!
This guide is to discuss a few options from the wet pet food market, these tins are a great option to have in the cupboard too for emergencies just in case you run out of raw or have other issues.
Picking an Alternative to Raw
When looking for a wet food option, it is extremely important to understand exactly what you are buying.
Check the full ingredients out. Not just what it says on the front of the tin. You may find this on the back of the tin or you may need to look online for the full breakdown.
If a product contains “Meal” this is the parts of the whole food that humans don’t eat. This includes residual meat, offal, connective tissue & even bones. They are then rendered (cooked, moisture removed, pressure applied, fat separated, moisture removed again, ground into a powder)
If a product contains “Derivatives” this essentially means any scraps of the food. If the food is not defined i,.e. Vegetable Derivatives or Animal Derivatives, this means the manufacturer can fluctuate what they use batch to batch.
Look to avoid Corn or Maize Starch and Additives such as Flavourings.
Look for real food labelled as ingredients.
Trial Findings
One of the group owners at RFFDMSUK have tested a few wet food opinions read our thoughts below.
Carnilove Into The Wild Range
Formulated based on a natural diet with focus on wild meats, herbs, berries.
Visibly chunky, real food is able to be seen.
Feeding guides are a bit erratic with much guess work needed by the pet parent
Additives are easy to understand as Vitamins & Minerals.
No bone broth used sadly & A small amount of Pea Flour but overall, quite a nice option.
Prices £2.75 roughly per tin of 400g (JUNE 2023)
Eden Gourmet Range
Another product focused on natural real foods, Formulated to be as close to the ancestral diet as possible.
Ingredients are Very good given the lack of a need to add many extra additives. Small amount of green lipped mussels & turmeric used. Sadly, No bone broth but another good option.
Good online tool for feeding guide.
Prices £3.50 roughly per tin of 400g (JUNE 2023)
Celtic Connection
Formulated based on a holistic approach.
Using botanicals to promote wellness.
Includes fantastically nutritious bone broth.
Additives are based on vitamins and minerals to reduce nutritional deficiency risks.
Overall, a good choice
Roughly £4.00 per tin of 400g (JUNE 2023)
Aniforte
A fantastic 88% meat content
100% additive free
Includes broth!
All nutrients come from whole foods.
Overall yet another great option
Roughly £4.00 per tin of 400g (JUNE 2023)