If you’re anything like me, you want your furry friend to be healthy, happy, and live a long-life. One of the biggest decisions we face as dog owners is choosing the right food. Is traditional kibble the way to go, or would raw or fresh dog food be better? Stick around, and we’ll break it all down for you!

Here is Tomlinson’s Feed roadmap to pet food:

History and Evolution of Pet Food

The pet food industry has come a long way since its inception. In the late 1800s, the first dog biscuit was invented. Fast forward to the 50's, commercial kibble became popular. Over the years, pet food has undergone significant changes, with the introduction of canned food, dry food, and now, raw and gently cooked options.

Understanding the history and evolution of pet food can help you appreciate the various options available today. From the early days of feeding pets leftovers to the modern era of specialized diets, the journey of pet food reflects our growing understanding of pet nutrition and health.

The Classics: Kibble

Kibble, also known as dry food, has been a staple in pet foods for decades. It’s convenient, balanced, affordable, and has a long shelf life. But, what’s in those crunchy little pieces?

Understanding Kibble

Kibble is a popular choice among pet owners due to its convenience and affordability. However, it’s essential to understand the processing and ingredients that go into making kibble. Kibble is made from a mixture of ingredients, including grains, proteins, and preservatives (Buzz word - we know!), which are then cooked, sometimes slow baked, and extruded into kibble form.

While kibble can be a nutritious option, it’s crucial to choose a high-quality kibble that meets your pet’s nutritional needs. Look for brands that use natural ingredients and preservatives and avoid fillers like corn, wheat, gluten, and soy. By selecting the right kibble, you can ensure your pet gets a balanced diet that supports their overall health.

Pros of Kibble

• Convenience: No refrigeration or thawing needed. Just scoop and serve! Dry food has a long shelf life with some best-by dates over 2 years. Look for natural preservatives like Vitamin C, Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols), Ascorbic Acid, and Rosemary Extract.

• Cost-effective: Usually easier on your wallet than raw or fresh alternatives.

• Balanced Nutrition: At Tomlinson’s, we select foods formulated for all breeds, sizes, and ages and come with a balanced, natural ingredient list. This is not the standard everywhere! Shop your local pet store for the best in dry food. Remember, that “best” doesn’t always mean “expensive”. When considering food vs other options, kibble stands out for its convenience and cost-effectiveness.

Cons of Kibble

• Ingredients: Not all dry food is made the same. Without knowing what to look for, you could be buying a kibble diet full of corn, wheat, soy, and gluten, and processed meals. These low quality ingredients are not nutritional and are linked to increased risk of illness and allergies.

• Supplementing: While most dry food is balanced in nutrition, it can lack in targeting ailments like allergies, arthritis, or calming. Toppers and supplements are usually needed to add more nutrition and moisture to their diet.

• Moisture-lacking: Dry food is dry...who knew! These crunchy bites lack sufficient moisture content for dogs and can be difficult for senior dogs to digest. Adding water or bone broth to your pet's kibble is advised but not a well-known tip.

Going Natural: Raw Food

Raw food provide dogs with a holistic ingredient deck and whole-prey proteins that help with dental, cognitive, and skin & coat health. Raw pet food has come a long way and is now more accessible for the everyday pet parent.

Exploring Raw Food Diets

A raw diet consists of (you guessed it) uncooked ingredients, including raw meats, bones, and organs, which are rich in nutrients and enzymes. Raw food diets are boosted with superfoods to meet your pet’s individual needs like improved digestion, skin health, and energy levels.

Our selection of raw food is minimally processed via the HPP method or made in human-grade facilities so good nutrients are preserved while bad bacteria gets the boot.

Raw food comes in the form of nuggets, patties, even chubs, with nuggets being the easiest to scoop, thaw, and serve. You can always purchase freeze-dried raw food, a simple and easy-to-serve option. To get the most bang-for-your-buck, buy raw food in bulk!

Here is how our team ranks feeding raw food:

Pros of a Raw Diet

• Natural Diet: Many formulas mimic what dogs would eat in the wild. But the best pro of Raw Food is the ingredient deck! Often crafted with whole prey proteins, veggies, fruit, fish oil, and probiotics, raw meat based diets offer a great alternative to traditional kibble diets.

• Nutrient-Rich: Raw foods retain more nutrients since they aren’t cooked. Overly processed foods, fillers, and meals lower the quality of pet food. Raw-fed dogs even experience fewer food-related allergic reactions. This is due to its limited ingredient list and grass-fed proteins.

• Improved Digestion: Many dogs experience better digestion and fewer allergies on a raw diet. Why is digestibility in pet food important? Your pet's energy level is directly affected by its food digestibility score. A raw diet offers well above AFFCO’s standard digestibility of 80% - with some reaching upwards of 94%. It’s simple really, more fresh food = more vital nutrients = more energy.

Cons of a Raw Diet

• Preparation Time: It takes time to prepare and thaw raw meals. While freeze-dried is faster, it does require moisture to rehydrate.

• Cost: Raw diets can be more expensive than kibble. However, bulk purchasing or freeze-dried pet food is making strides on lowering the cost.

• Palatability: While it could be the temperature, texture, or richness of the food, some pets just don't agree with raw food. And, that's okay!

The Middle Ground: Fresh & Gently Cooked Dog Food

Fresh food is taking the pet food industry by storm. And, we’re here for it! Fresh or gently cooked dog food strikes a balance between the convenience of kibble and the nutrition of raw food. These meals are made with human-grade ingredients and is an easy way to give your dog fresh food. Pet owners will like the simplicity and benefits and dogs will love the taste.

Fresh Food Options

Fresh food feeding can significantly enhance your dog's mealtime experience and nutritional intake. With fresh food, you can provide your pet with a diet that is both nutritious and delicious, supporting their overall well-being and longevity.

Fresh food usually comes in individual serving packages, like this one pound option, with feeding guidelines on the back. You will need to refrigerate gently cooked food and sometimes freeze if you are buying in bulk.

Pros of Gently Cooked Dog Food

• High-Quality Ingredients: Made with real, human-grade ingredients - seriously! Expect to see no-fuss dinners without lots of meals, fillers, corn, wheat, gluten, or soy.

• Balanced Nutrition: Formulated with top ingredients like a raw food diet but slow cooked, or sous-vide, to retain it's key nutrients and benefits. Gently cooked is a palatable food that promotes overall health for all breeds, sizes, and ages.

• Better Taste and Texture: Dogs love the taste of fresh food, and it’s easy for them to digest. Unlike dry food, it has a high moisture and protein ratio. And unlike raw, the temperature and texture of gently cooked usually passes picky dog tests. 

Cons of Fresh Dog Food

• Refrigeration Needed: Fresh meals need to be stored in the fridge or freezer. It must be thawed before serving, which usually takes about 1 hour.

• Cost: Fresh and gently cooked dog food can cost a bit more that traditional kibble.

• Shorter Shelf Life: Fresh food doesn’t last as long as kibble.

Best of Both Worlds: Raw Mix

Raw mix is a new way to feed. This 5th category food provides dogs with a holistic ingredient deck and whole-prey proteins that raw food is known for while being an easy-to-serve shelf stable option. 

What Are Raw Mix Food Diets?

A raw mix diet consists of uncooked ingredients, including raw meats, bones, and organs that are freeze-dried to remove moisture. This creates a shelf stable raw blended formula that is palatable and resembles traditional kibble.

The raw bites or ingredients in these foods are minimally processed to retain their high nutritional value while being safe to consume and handle. Via the HPP method or made in human-grade facilities, the process allows good nutrients to stay while bad bacteria get the boot.

Raw mixes can be ratio of dry kibble with freeze-dried bites, kibble coated with freeze-dried raw, or kibble and freeze-dried raw food blended together and extruded into bite-sized pieces.

Pros of Raw Mix

• Convenience: No refrigeration or thawing needed. Just scoop and serve! Raw Mix food has a long shelf life with some best-by dates over 1 year.

• Cost-positive: Usually easier on your wallet than raw or fresh alternatives but still more than your traditional kibble. But, with more calories per cup than kibble you'll end up feeding less. Thereby, saving you money!

• All-In-One Nutrition: Like kibble, raw mixes stand out for their convenience. These diets are a top-tier dry food, giving a boost of superfoods and raw nutrition while staying simple and balanced for all dog breeds, sizes, and ages. 

Cons of Raw Mix

• Cost: While it's sticker price will be on the higher end, raw mix food will have more calories per cup than dry kibble. So, you'll end up feeding less and your bag of food will go farther.

• Selection: The selection for raw-mix is narrow, as it's a new category. Give one a try here!

• Moisture-lacking: Similar to dry food, raw mix is dry and could use a bit of moisture to make it easier to digest. Though, it's not necessary if your dog is good about drinking a sufficient amount of water throughout the day. 

Making the Right Choice

That was a lot to cover. So, how do you as a pet parent make the right choice? Ask yourself these three questions:

1. What's Your Lifestyle: Are you on-the-go or have a busy family?

2. Consider Your Budget: Determining the daily cost per feeding will give you a snapshot of your costs!

3. Think About Convenience: If you’re short on time, kibble, raw mix, or freeze-dried raw might be the most practical options.

At the end of the day, the best choice depends on your dog’s needs and your lifestyle. Here is a roadmap to help you decide: 

Looking for pet food? You've come to the right place.

Whether you choose kibble, raw, or fresh dog food, the most important thing is ensuring your pup gets the nutrition they need to stay happy and healthy. If you’re still unsure, ask us! We're pet parents just like you and we've found what works for our pets, lifestyles, and budgets.

Shop your local store here and get your pet's dinner delivered today!