Review of Raw Wild Frozen Dog Food

Raw Wild Dog Food receives the Advisor’s top rating of 5 stars.

The Raw Wild product line includes one raw frozen dog food, a recipe claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient guidelines for all life stages, including growth of large size dogs.

Ingredient Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is elk. Elk is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” elk and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.¹

The second ingredient is deer. Deer is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” deer and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.²

Both elk and deer are naturally rich in all ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.

The third ingredient is sunflower seed oil. Sunflower oil is nutritionally similar to safflower oil. Since these oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids and contain no omega-3’s, they’re considered less nutritious than canola or flaxseed oils.

Sunflower oil is notable for its resistance to heat damage during cooking.

There are several different types of sunflower oil, some better than others. Without knowing more, it’s impossible to judge the quality of this ingredient.

The fourth ingredient is fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.

The fifth ingredient is potassium, a nutritional supplement sometimes used as a replacement for the sodium found in table salt.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.

With 2 notable exceptions…

First, this food contains chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

And lastly, this recipe includes sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Raw Wild Dog Food looks like an above-average raw product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 59%, a fat level of 33% and estimated carbohydrates of about 0%.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%.

Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical raw dog food.

Free of any plant-based protein boosters, this looks like the profile of a raw product containing an abundance of meat.

Our Rating of Raw Wild Dog Food

Raw Wild is a grain-free raw dog food using an abundance of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Enthusiastically recommended.

Raw Wild Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Raw Wild through December.

No recalls noted.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

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