New to Raw Feeding?

Raw dog food is essentially feeding your pet raw ingredients, rather than the traditionally cooked food or dry biscuits that you’ll no doubt be used to seeing on supermarket shelves.

A raw diet normally includes meat, bone and offal and can have added foods like green vegetables. Feeding a variety of proteins like chicken, tripe, lamb, beef, fish gives our dogs a balance of all the nutrients they need.

Raw dog food is packed with all the nutrients required to support your pup's growth, energy and healing. Raw dog food benefits can include shinier coats, weight management, fewer and firmer stools, dental hygiene, extra energy and more!

Some dogs love frozen food, so start by giving them little portions to see if they like it, and then incorporate it into their daily routine. Although a 100% raw diet is suitable for the majority of dogs – in some cases if your pet has a medical condition, you should ask your vet before changing their diet.

It wouldn’t harm your dog if it was still a bit frozen but your dog will likely enjoy their food more if you defrost it before feeding it to them so we recommend letting it defrost fully before giving it to them.

In summer, be cautious of feeding lots of very cold food to your pet if they are very hot as it can be a shock to their system.

The best way to defrost raw dog food is by placing it in the fridge in its container to gradually decrease its temperature. To defrost you want to choose the right portion size for your dog, think about grabbing 1-2 feeding portions at a time to make your life a little easier! Remember to store it in the same area as any other raw meat you have, away from cooked meat.

Alternatively, you can thaw your pet's food in a cold water tub, and serve once completely defrosted.

Again, please follow the instructions on the food’s packaging, as brands may differ in their recommendations.

Raw food is not normally designed to be cooked so we recommend it is fed raw. Some products contain bones which are safe for your pet to eat raw, but are not designed to be fed cooked as it may make them more brittle. If you are unsure, contact the brand for further information.

Keep in mind that dogs are built differently to humans and that raw dog food is natural to them. Seek your vet’s advice should you need clarification on your dog’s diet.

When it comes to meal time, some pets like to graze, so be sure to pick up their food after 30 minutes and keep the bowl away from heat and contamination. If they don't consume it after 30 minutes you can store it in the fridge if there's room, but remember to throw away the raw food after 2-3 days.

If your chosen brand provides guidance on this, please consult their packaging.

Fully defrosted meat shouldn’t be refrozen. If your dog’s food has defrosted slightly on your drive home from store, but there is still ice on the outside, put it into the freezer as quickly as possible.

All brands differ, so always consult your packaging instructions when considering the above guidelines.

Most complete meals are designed to be the only major component of your pup’s diet. If you did want to feed your dog a mixture of kibble/tinned and raw foods, the two products need to be balanced against each other to help keep your pet lean and healthy. This can be a fantastic approach for owners who are unable to feed their dogs raw food alone but still want the benefits of raw feeding. We also have a range of supplements and treats in stores such as kefir and bone broth which can be added to your dog’s bowl at dinner time.

You can buy raw and frozen dog food right here at Jollyes! You can find The Raw Store in most of our pet stores, where we have plenty of recognisable brands offering a variety of proteins such as duck, chicken, lamb, beef and more. Alternatively, you can also order with us online for Click and Collect. Browse our raw dog food range to shop online

Food intolerances are not uncommon in dogs as they can be allergic to certain grains, preservatives, meats and other ingredients.

A raw diet can be particularly helpful for dogs who have dietary intolerances and need to try an exclusion diet to identify the cause. This will allow you to try single proteins at a time to see which are best suited for your dog. If this doesn’t sound right for your dog, we do still offer kibble/ tinned natural dog food with no added artificial colours or flavours, and no added grains.

Wet dog food tins and trays can be frozen to keep them fresher for longer than they would at room temperature. However, it is essential to use proper food safety measures particularly when defrosting the food. Please check all guidelines and literature on the packaging pertaining to freezing your wet or tinned dog food before you do this to ensure your dog’s safety.

When freezing wet food, make sure you transfer canned food into freezer-safe containers to avoid it expanding which could cause cracking. To avoid this happening, a good way to store food is to divide the food into small portion sizes before placing it in the freezer.

Several brands have raw food recipes specially designed for cats. These include ingredients that are higher in taurine than similar dog recipes, a nutrient that is essential for cats but that dogs can make naturally.

Cats prefer to eat warmer food than dogs, so make sure their food has fully defrosted before giving it to them.

Yes, you can mix! We recommend mixing raw with wet canned foods as cats require food with a high moisture content, this can also be a great budget transition option whilst also contributing positively to their health. This is far preferable to mixing with dry cat food and kibble. Please check all literature and guidelines on your cat’s foods and discuss further with your vet for clarification.