[Maria O]

Im sure DFA already knows about it but, yup! S&C has come forth with their own baked raw coated kibble. https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/raw-coated-kibble/

Just as a disclaimer: I’m a little new into the raw feeding world. I’ve been feeding my pups Primal for about 6 months now due to my beagle’s constant weight fluctuations when on a kibble diet. After weaning her off of the table scraps my family would give her, scheduling her feedings and walks, and going at least 90% commercial raw, she’s been better than I thought she could ever be; the chub she used to have just melted off, and she’s quite the beaut. Not to mention my 7 year old Schnauzer’s been thriving like crazy off of it – no more half eaten bowls. Well thats enough about that ~

I’ve never tried S&C, but I’ve heard its a decent starter brand for those who’d like to try raw feeding with a nice amount of protein options. As a dog food retailer I know the meal mixers are a huge hit, which has earned them a pretty good rep overall.

The S&C company believes that by providing this baked, raw coated kibble, they would be reaching more pets with the benefits of raw. Specifically for those who cant afford a 100% raw diet, whether it be because of time or money. I think they’re hoping for this kibble to be a sort of “gateway” for raw feeding and kibble standards in general.

As you can imagine, there are a couple sides to this:
– Those who think this is just a marketing tactic, a contradicting product, a step backwards, etc.
– Those who think this is a good starting balance for those who simply cant or wont go raw.

As for the kibble ingredients, it looks decent enough, and the baked route certainly stands them out some. I really cant say what I think about it just yet.
What do you think about their decision? Is it a good idea? A bad one? Personal opinions/Thoughts?

[pugmomsandy]

As far as raw coated kibble goes, there are a few on the market already such as Nature’s Variety which has been available for several years. What used to be Pioneer Naturals/Great Life which has been sold recently also had a line of raw coated kibble. Maybe Great Life sold to Sport Dog because Sport Dog Grain Free Elite is very similar to Great Life/Pioneer Naturals. But that is conjecture.

I personally like freeze dried raw coatings for raw benefits but it is just a coating and probably not a substantial part of the overall kibble. A cost breakdown would need to be done to see if raw coated kibble versus kibble with raw mixers would be a savings if feeding just dry foods.

As for the baked part of the question, there are some choices already such as Wellness TruFood, Carna4, Lotus, Oven-baked Tradition and Flint River Ranch which has been bought by (I’m trying to remember the name). It is said that a baked kibble is a less processed product than an extruded product. And some facilities that produce baked kibble (plain baked kibble not with raw coating) are also human food manufacturers as well.

For kibble feeders, it adds another option to plain extruded kibble. For me as a raw feeder, I would get it for convenience, treat balls or boarding a dog. For someone who looks at ingredient sourcing, this company would be a good choice and has many options. I guess it depends on how much money I’m willing to spend at that certain time when I’m browsing in the dog food section or give in to impulse buying.

[Michael W]

I am using S&C Raw Coated Kibble and Double the amount of the freeze Dried Raw toppers or I cut back the kibble and mix with a couple freeze dried raw patties, I make sure to equalize the kcal. I have an active purebred American Staffordshire Terrier that is medium size at 48 pounds but is ALL muscle…When I got her she had spent her whole life in a crate and only taken out 2x daily she would do her business and right back in the crate… So it took a long time but I slowly built up her endurance so she could walk around the block, next we sprinted, it took 4 months before she would spend time in her new 4k square foot house and the silence must have been deafening since she was somehow mixed with King Cavaliers and was supposed to be the protection dog that the owner admitted he just locked away. I now feed her freeze dried liver, S&C raw coated kibble, S&C freeze dried raw mixers or patties, Grizzly Salmon Oil, and Dr. Mercola’s digestive enzymes twice a day. She will get a raw beef bone and meat for lunch if she is especially active that day doing urban mushing or pulling…I wish you could see the muscle packed onto her. My Vet had a photo of her professionally made into a canvas that hangs in her waiting room…It is a picture of her whole back when hanging from her spring pole…Truly amazing what S&C nutrition and activity has done. She finally completed her intended purpose and is going to be my Service Dog as I retire my current one.

[Sloane K]

Would raw coated kibble still be considered appropriate for a strict BARF (Bones & Raw Food) diet? It is an interesting concept and I believe my pup would make an easier transition from kibble to raw coated kibble.

Thanks for the advice in advance.

[Patricia A]

I’m also transitioning to Stella Chewy’s baked kibble for my two chihuahuas’ with a little topper of Stella’s freeze dried. They were always on Fromm with topper but my younger one just stopped eating it. I tried the Fromm grain free which they both ate but I believe because of the above average fat caused weight gain in the older one. I still have my 16 year old Hannah on Fromm regular Four Star with the topper and would NOT switch her since she’s done very well on this. I now noticed that Stella’s freeze dried toppers are MUCH higher fat then Primal freeze dried. Primal states on their website that when freeze dried is hydrated it would be approx the SAME fat as their frozen in the same protein. They do not list product rehydrated analysis so I have to believe them when they say it’s the same as frozen when hydrated. So my comparison showed as an example:
Primal Rabbit frozen(should be same for hydrated freeze dried?) Protein 17% Fat 5%
Stella’s Rabbit freeze dried Protein 15.5% Fat 10%
Primal Venison 19% Fat 5%
Stella Venison freeze dried 15% Fat 10%
The only freeze dried from Stella’s which is higher protein and lower fat is the Chicken
Am I understanding this correctly that Primal IS lower in fat?. Tia is getting frequent walks and back yard trips now that winter is over and keeping an eye on hubby not to give any treats to get her weight down, I want to keep this great topper and not go back to canned or now even switch to Primal.

[InkedMarie]

No, raw coated kibble is not close to BARF. It’s kibble

[Author]

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