Freeze-Dried and Dehydrated Food Questions

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with these? They are definitely intriguing to me, and I think I would maybe add these to our rotation (I feed Acana and Fromm). But they seem way more expensive? Or am I missing something?

For example, I was looking at the freezer in a pet expo that had Nature's Variety Instinct RAW patties- the most cost effective one. The bag had something like 48 patties. I was like sweet, the bag should last awhile. But then when I read the feeding instructions, it sounded like my 15 pound schnauzer would need to eat 8 of those patties a day??? So the 48 patty bag would last all of 6 days, or only 3 days since I have two schnauzers?

I contacted many of the companies asking for samples. So far the Honest Kitchen replied saying they are going to send me samples. and Stella and Chewys said to ask a local retailer if they had any samples.

It sounds like a great nutritional concept, but is it really that outrageously expensive?

So looking for feedback on the feeding instructions/cost of feeding a 2x 15 pound dogs, as well as any experience you have with feeding any of these foods (what brand?).

Thanks!

I use the Stella and Chewy's as training treats and my dogs LOVE them. Probably their highest-valued treats.

But it gets expensive just using them that way, I can't imagine feeding it as a staple.

I LOVE The Honest Kitchen. Marsh looked AMAZING on it, and he hasn't looked great since he was 3. Plus it was fun to feed. I really, really like it. I just can't afford to feed it unless I get a good price.

NVI Raw I like a lot. It is premade raw food, frozen is raw, freeze dried is raw, dehydrated isn't. When I got NVI half off through work, I fed it and liked the results. Not cost effective for me anymore, but I'll get a bag of beef nuggets occasionally. Marsh liked the chicken, wgich is cheaper, but pilot is itchy on chicken.I use the little trial size bags as training treats though. My favorite treat, but hard to use in the summer.

I liked Orijen's freeze dried (good for training too, except they're kinda messy). Stella and Chewys my dogs didn't digest unless I soaked it overnight or longer. I'll feed pretty much any freeze dried or dehydrated or frozen, I like giving my dogs variety of foods and forms and textures, its just generally not cost effective for me to make it routine.

I've done Stella and Chewy's and Honest Kitchen, the HK is way more cost effective. 40-pound Brisbane maintains his weight on the same amount of food as 6-pound Ru which us the only reason I can afford to use those foods, and I just have them in our regular food rotation with assorted kibbles, canned, and frozen stuff.

I have fed Sojos and Honest Kitchen. I typically feed about 1/3 dehydrated food and 2/3 kibble by volume to cut down on the cost. I also get the ones without meat and add my own ground meat that I get cheaply. I always cook the meat rather than serving raw, mostly because it's a cheap source (BJs/Sam's Club) and I don't trust it the way I would from a good butcher or something. I mix batches that last about a month, and freeze most of it in tupperware containers.

I've never tried the versions that have meat already added, but I would like to some day.

I fed Sojos for most of Watson's life and it was great. I went to Honest Kitchen this time to change things up, and he doesn't like it so I don't think I'll get it again. Not that he won't eat it, but he gives it a disgusted look before he eats. lol

One bag lasts a pretty long time since I also feed kibble. I checked my order history and I ordered a bag of Sojos in May, and didn't order Honest Kitchen until November. So one bag is lasting me about 6 months. So let's say that Watson is 45lbs, and he's getting 1/3 of his calories from dehydrated food, which is like feeding one 15lb dog. I probably spend an additional $6-8 a month on the meat I buy to mix in.

I have a huge box of HK Verve if you'd like it. Tango thought it was the devil so we have probably 3.75 of the original 4lbs left.

for free, or? If Raegan doesn't take it, I will!!!

I figure whoever wants it pays shipping and we'll call it even!

That would be awesome!! I'll send you a PM

Great, I'll keep an eye out for the PM. I'll use a flat rate box so shipping should't be much over $12.

My dogs didn't like HK. I thought it was a great product, they said it was icky. Dekka loved K9 natural though. Very expensive as its from New Zealand but she is so tiny it was ok.