[jessica n]

Hi Raw Food Experts –
I have been feeding my dog Nature’s Instinct Variety Raw (Beef + Lamb) his entire life. He is a French Bulldog, and with all their allergies and health issues, he does extremely well on this diet, so we’re careful that he only gets this food.

Nature’s Variety has changed this food and I am very concerned. The primary change I can see if that it went from 95% meat to 85%, and the fruits went from 5% to 15%. It is clear that they did this to lower price.

They’ve also introduced a new frozen raw food line, now their “Signature” frozen raw line that maintains the 95% meat, and is only sold at independent retailers.

What do you guys think about the change to 85% meat and the new recipe? Will this still be a 5 star frozen raw food? Or, should we consider moving to their new Signature recipe (if we can find it!)?

Details here:
https://www.instinctpetfood.com/newraw

[pitlove]

Hi Jessica-

Since you have a dog with food sensitivities, the issue is not so much the lower of the amount of meat in the food, but whether or not they have added any other proteins to the diet. I also wouldn’t stress over whether or not it will remain a 5 star food. The rating DFA gives the food has no correllation to why your Frenchie has done well on it.

However, if your concern IS the fact that they have added more fruits/veggies and you are trying to stay with more of a meat based diet, you could consider a Prey Model Raw diet like the ones provided from https://www.wefeedraw.com/

[kkwins]

Hi Jessica-
The website you linked certainly does not make it clear but the Signature recipe is the recipe you are accustomed to. It is the 95%/5% recipe and has not had any changes made to its formulation. They simply re-branded it when they released their lower protein line which is in the packaging of the previously 95%/5% formulas. Its confusing but the quality of the food has not changed. The 85%/15% was introduced for people “new” to raw because it is more affordable. Many other brands have similar protein/produce compositions (e.g. Primal, Northwest Naturals, Darwins, and more).
I second everything Pitlove said, the important thing is having the single protein composition. Which looking at the ingredient panel of the Natures Variety non-signature chicken and beef formulas they have maintained.

[Terry S]

I am also having an issue with the new formula. When I called the company to inquire, I was told that Signature is the “old” formula, but they added beef heart to the beef recipe. My dog now walks up to her food bowl, sniffs and walks away. She will not eat the Signature beef, nor the new beef formula nor chicken. I am going to have to find a new product.

[Olive M]

Their recipe changes are definitely a way to lower the quality of the product. Their rabbit recipe now contains a significant amount of pork, as well as other fillers. It is, actually, virtually identical to the Primal brand of raw foods – and my dog is extremely allergic to Primal foods. I think it’s the clay and the vinegar, at leas, as well as adding proteins she doesn’t tolerate. I’ve been feeding her the new formula without realizing it (I thought only the bag had changed) and she has been absolutely miserable and itchy and her eyes are weeping tremendously. Now I know why. They claim it’s to make it more nutritious, but it’s nothing of the sort. It’s to make it cheaper (for them, not customers) and use more low quality, mass produced meats that many dogs are allergic to.

[woodpecker]

Hi guys,

I am so glad I found this site. Just today I found out I’ve been unawarenly feeding my dog a changed Nature’s Variety food since it was adquired by another company. Like others, I thought the change was only in the bag apearance. Rats!!!

I don’t remember the signature raw chicken formula, which is supposed to be same as the original one having Yeast Culture, Turkey Heart, not sure about the Montmorillonite clay…

Does anyone have a copy of the ingredients list back in 2016 before Nature’s Variety was bought by Agrolimen?

So far the changes I found in my dog are the apearance of his scat, from small hard little nodules that become white and disintegrate quickly to looking a little more like the kibble eating dogs and his hair looks drier, more dull and wooly.

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by woodpecker.

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