![]() ![]() Now, the overwhelming majority of dogs digest cooked grains without issue, but some owners decided that’s what they wanted for their pets, and the market obliged. There was a time when grain-free dog foods were considered superior to their grain-inclusive counterparts. The Majority of Freeze-Dried Foods Are Grain-Free The risks they present may be acceptable for some dogs, while they may be too dangerous for others. Ultimately, we’d encourage you to discuss freeze-dried dog food with your vet before making the switch. However, once you pour some water on your dog’s freeze-dried dinner, the bacteria can begin reproducing again. This probably makes freeze-dried foods slightly safer than completely unprocessed, raw foods. It is true that freeze-drying removes the bulk of the moisture from a piece of meat, and therefore reduces the rate that bacteria can reproduce - but it does not eliminate the bacteria completely. But they still can and do get sick from time to time after consuming raw meat.Īccordingly, the raw meat included in some freeze-dried dog foods may cause your dog to fall ill. That’s part of the reason humans cook our food - it keeps us healthy.īroadly speaking, dogs don’t appear to be quite as susceptible to illness-causing bacteria as humans are. Raw meats are often contaminated with bacteria that can make you or your pooch sick. Freeze-Dried Dog Foods May Be Contaminated with Bacteria Do note that some manufacturers discourage this kind of use, so be sure to consult the feeding instructions (and, as always, your vet) before using a food in this manner. Since freeze-dried dog food can get quite pricey, a lot of owners end up using freeze-dried foods as “toppers,” by serving them with other, more budget-friendly dog foods. However, it is important to remember that most dehydrated dog foods swell to three to five times their original size once rehydrated - so don’t be thrown off by the small package sizes often used for freeze-dried products. Every freeze-dried dog food on the market is pricey when compared to regular kibble that’s been cooked. The single greatest problem with freeze-dried dog foods (and dehydrated foods to a lesser extent) is their expense. They may be deal-breakers for some owners, while others are willing to overlook these downsides. In terms of freeze-dried dog food options, there are two primary downsides. No type of dog food is perfect - otherwise, we’d all just feed whichever one was perfect and call it a day. What Are the Downsides to Freeze-Dried Dog Food? And although taste isn’t as important as nutrition, giving our dogs a food they enjoy is absolutely an important part of their overall wellness and quality of life. In fact, some people use them as healthy (if somewhat high-calorie) treats. ![]() Dogs Often Like Freeze-Dried Food: Aside from everything else, most dogs find freeze-dried foods to be drool-inducingly delicious, making them a great dog food for picky eaters. ![]() For that matter, in a post-2020 world, many of us are eager to be prepared for situations in which we can’t leave the house for weeks at a time. For example, you don’t want to run out of dog food if you find yourself snowed in for a week or if you live in a hurricane-prone region, in which the grocery store shelves completely empty every time a storm threatens. Long Shelf Life:Freeze-dried foods often have ridiculously long shelf-lives, which makes them handy to keep around for emergencies.However, freeze-dried foods offer some of the purported benefits that raw diets do, while often being nearly as easy to serve as dry dog food (some must be rehydrated first, but that’s not really difficult). Raw diets can be dangerous for you, your family, and your dog, not to mention difficult and laborious to assemble and prepare. Raw Diet Alternative: Many freeze-dried feeders begin doing so as an alternative to providing a raw diet.Of course, there is nothing inherent in the freeze-drying process that requires manufacturers to use high-quality ingredients, but because freeze-dried dog food brands are typically targeting ingredient-list-reading pet parents, high-quality ingredients are generally part of their overall marketing strategy. High Quality Ingredients: Freeze dried diets are typically comprised of an impressive slate of ingredients, including muscle meat, organs, and ground bones (some also include freeze-dried fruits and vegetables).There are several potential benefits to feeding your pooch freeze-dried dog food, including:
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