June 23, 2023
Cold Brew Club Coffee Review
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Coffee & Tea Reviews
For our Raw Paws reviews, we received a sample and this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase we may be compensated. All opinions are our own.
Written By Alison Chew
Raw Paws is on a mission to make the healthiest pet food, treats, chews, and supplements practical, affordable, and accessible. They believe that quality nutrition leads to a happy and healthy pet.
This is why they source the freshest raw food ingredients from responsible and ethical farms in the USA that humanely raise their animals without the use of added hormones, GMO’s, and antibiotics. This is also why their raw food, treats and chews never contain fillers, additives, or preservatives.
A Raw Dog Food Diet typically consists of raw muscle meat, bones (whole or ground), organ meats such as livers and kidneys, raw eggs, vegetables, fruit, and some dairy.
Many believe that feeding your pet a diet of raw food is the single best thing you can do for your pet. They feel that processed foods, for you and your pet, have contributed to a rise in health issues like obesity, allergies, and diabetes. Raw Paws, and those that support a raw food diet, have seen the following benefits for pets:
According to Raw Paws, the benefits for Owners include a longer, healthier pet life with fewer visits to the vet due to a reduced chance of disease. In addition, raw food has been linked to less shedding, more compact and less smelly stool, less gas, a reduction in bad breath, as well as a reduction in hyperactivity. Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>
Yes, it’s safe, but with precautions. In general, your pet can handle much more bacteria than we can. Starting with their antibacterial saliva down to their short digestive tract (which allows food to exit before bacteria has time to grow) and ending in their gut which is a highly acidic environment that bacteria hate.
With that said, you should feed your pet food from a trusted source, store it in the refrigerator/freezer, and should always wash your hands and work areas as to not make you or your family sick.
There are also many veterinarians that caution pet owners about feeding a diet of raw food as it may not be good for all pets. Some experts warn:
There are pros and cons to every diet and it’s up to you to make the best choice for you and your pet. You also want to consider their activity level, age, size, and any food allergies. And finally, think about your lifestyle and budget. Always keep your pet’s health in mind and feed them a balanced, nutritional diet approved by your vet.
Before starting any new diet we recommend consulting your veterinarian. Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>
When you order from Raw Paws, your raw food will arrive frozen in a styrofoam cooler packed with dry ice. As soon as you can, transfer your raw food from the cooler to your freezer to maintain freshness.
Raw Paws says to avoid leaving raw food outside of the cooler for more than 5 hours.
To prepare your raw food for feeding, in accordance with AAFCO standards, you should thaw the frozen food in the refrigerator (never on the counter) for around 24-48 hours. Raw Paws recommends thawing up to three days worth of food at a time to prevent spoilage and ensure freshness.
Remember that you are handling raw meat and should properly wash your hands, utensils, and surfaces after contact. You should also store your raw food in a plastic or metal container or bag in the refrigerator away from other foods. Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>
If you are transitioning from kibble to raw food it’s important to take it slow. When you start the switch, feed your pet 75% old food and 25% new raw food for a week. If you know that your pet is sensitive to food changes, try adding only 10% new raw food at first. Raw Paws recommends the following transition schedule:
Increase the amount of raw food once your pet’s stool is normal. Raw Paws says that it takes around three weeks for a pet’s body to adapt to a raw diet, but that the full transition time may vary. As you continue to feed raw you should monitor your pet’s weight and adjust portions as needed.
Raw Paws does not recommend mixing raw proteins as they may upset your dog’s stomach. If you do want to mix proteins they say to start with one protein source and monitor your dog’s stool until it is back to a normal consistency of firm and small then you can begin to incorporate additional protein sources.
Raw Paws has a ton of great resources on their site and a customer support team to answer your questions, help you get started, and customize a meal plan.
Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>
For our Raw Paws reviews, we tried a 1lb Signature Tripe, 1lb Signature Chicken, 1lb Signature Beef, 1lb Signature Beef & Mackerel, 1lb Signature Turkey, 1lb Signature Goat, lb Signature Salmon, 1lb Signature Lamb, 4oz bag of Chicken Heart treats, and a 2-pack of Jumbo 6″ Bully Sticks.
Our Daisy currently eats a premium kibble and for our review, we added the Raw Paws Signature Raw Dog Food as a topper and did not transition our dog fully over to raw food. There are a lot of pros to feeding raw, as listed above, but there are some cons as well.
For us, the cost and amount of work needed to feed 100% raw is not for us right now. We fed raw to our previous dog (Sal- a 140lb Italian Mastiff) and can appreciate all of the amazing health benefits that go along with this food.
You may be thinking about adding raw food to your dog’s diet and the good news is that you don’t have to feed 100% raw, you can feed 50% raw, or even add raw as a topper, as we did, and your pet will still benefit. Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>
And Raw Paws understands that feeding raw is not for everyone and that giving your dog some raw food is better than none at all. They recommend feeding your dog high-end dry dog food, which Raw Paws offers, to ensure that your pet is getting the nutrients needed.
Most dry food is cooked at high temperatures which depletes the natural nutrients, but in high-end kibble, those nutrients are supplemented back into the food. Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>
For our Raw Paws reviews, we received 8 lbs of Signature Raw Dog Food in 8 different flavors. Raw Paws Signature Dog Food offers a complete blend that gives your pet everything they need and makes feeding raw super easy.
Raw Foods uses the term ‘Complete’ to mean the “…ratio of food that is equivalent to what a dog or cat may eat in nature if it were a wild animal. This ratio is referred to as the 80/10/10 rule, meaning 80% meat, 10% bone, and 10% organ.”
All Raw Paws Signature Raw Food is:
Our Daisy is not a picky eater and was excited to try each and everyone one of the Signature Raw Food flavors. We gave Daisy, who is 100lbs of love, around 5oz (or 1/3 of the 1lb chub) of raw food during each feeding in addition to 1 cup (this is half) of her kibble. One of the drawbacks of feeding raw is that it can be messy and not super easy to portion and serve.
Raw Paws offers raw food in 1- and 3-lb chubs (or tubes) as well as frozen patties. The frozen patties help make it easier to get the portioning right each time but are more expensive than the chubs.
We monitored our Daisy’s stool to ensure that her stomach was handling each protein well before trying the next flavor. Over the course of 2 weeks, the first thing we noticed was that Daisy always ate the raw food first and then ate her kibble. I take this to mean that she really likes the raw.
The second thing we noticed, was that Daisy’s stool was more compact/firm and less smelly. As you can imagine, this is a welcome change as we have less to pick up on our daily walks. Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>
The cost of Raw Paws raw pet food starts at $3 per day for a 20lb dog. The actual cost will depend on the size and age of your pet as well as activity level.
We recommend consulting your vet and using the Raw Paws tools (like feeding calculator) and meal plan resources to figure out exactly how much your pet needs every day.
When buying the 3 lb Complete Blend chubs the cost per day for 4 different adult dogs is below:
Free Shipping on all orders of $199+.
Raw Paws has a large assortment of dog treats including dehydrated, baked, freeze-dried, smoked, and grilled treats with many protein and diet options.
They also have dozens of popular chews for every size dog from bully sticks to hooves, bones, and dental chews, you can even filter by the chew “hardness” to find the right chew for your pet.
For our aggressive chewer and large dog, we recommend the marrow bones. Serve them frozen, right from the freezer! Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>
In addition to the raw food, we received 1 package of Chicken Heart treats and Jumbo Bully Sticks.
These treats contain one ingredient, 100% fresh, freeze-dried chicken hearts. These natural treats are easy to digest and the perfect nutrient-dense treat for sensitive stomachs. And picky eaters will love the taste. Our Daisy really liked these treats! They are a bit on the expensive side for our daily treats, but perfect for a special occasion or to add in a stocking at Christmas.
4 oz for $18.99 (Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>)
Raw Paws bully sticks are sourced from high-quality, free-range European beef and are free of antibiotics, preservatives, and additives. The jumbo 6-inch bully sticks were a little small for our 100lb St. Berdoodle as she can quickly eat through most chews, but each stick lasted around 5-10 min. I would recommend the 6″ size for medium size dogs and 12″+ for large dogs or aggressive chewers.
2ct $15.99 ($25 Off Chews Orders Of $100+ with code RAWCHEWS25>>)
Raw Paws delivers on its mission to make the healthiest pet food, treats, chews, and supplements practical, affordable, and accessible. With easy online ordering, dozens of healthy feeding options, and a team of “feeding specialists”, Raw Paws is a great option for those looking for natural pet food and treats.
And while feeding your dog Raw Paws raw pet food is more expensive than premium kibble, they are in line with or less than most premium fresh and raw pet food retailers.
If you are thinking about switching to fresh or raw pet food, we recommend starting slow, consulting with your vet to ensure that your pet is receiving a balanced nutrient-rich diet, and purchasing quality raw food from a trusted retailer like Raw Paws.
We love that with the Raw Paws Signature Blend your pet is receiving everything they need for a long and healthy life. And that the raw food comes in several different protein choices and sizes. We also like that Raw Paws offers dozens of natural pet treats and chews, free from fillers and artificial ingredients so that you can continue to give your pet the nutrition that they deserve even at snack time. Save 15% with code MEALFINDS15 >>
