We Feed Raw Review 2023: Is Raw Right for Your Dog?

A raw food diet closely mirrors a dog’s ancestral diet. Many owners report that their dogs have more energy and better digestion when they switch to raw food. But a raw diet must also be formulated to include all necessary nutrients. Pet owners need to get their raw food from a reputable dog food company that provides balanced meals.

I’ve done a detailed study on We Feed Raw, a popular raw food delivery service. I’ve examined prices, studied the recipes, looked at the available products, and consulted with our team of specialists. And after all my research, I feel confident in giving We Feed Raw a big thumbs-up. 

We Feed Raw is definitely a solid choice for raw dog food. It offers customized meal plans tailored to your dog’s needs and uses human-grade meat in all its meals. We Feed Raw is an excellent choice if you’re considering putting your dog on a raw diet. Read on to find out more! 

We Feed Raw Meals

As the name suggests, We Feed Raw specializes in raw dog food. Its meals are also suitable for cats, though We Feed Raw doesn’t offer customized cat meal plans yet. You could also feed We Feed Raw to ferrets or carnivorous lizards like Monitors.

Plans and Recipes

We feed Raw offers 6 recipes: chicken, duck, beef, venison, lamb, and turkey. The pasture-raised, grass-fed lamb and venison come from New Zealand. All other meats are sourced in the United States.

You can take a quiz to determine what meals best suit your dog, or you can order bulk packs in 30, 60, 90 or 120-pound sizes. We Feed Raw allows 1-time orders as well as subscriptions.

Ingredients

We Feed Raw meals are made with meat, organ meat and bones that are finely ground and mixed to provide extra calcium and roughage. There are no fillers, preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors. All meats are human-grade. 

Each recipe also contains a nutrient-boosting premix of vitamins and minerals. Premix ingredients include Flaxseed (great for its content of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids), Calcium Carbonate (for bone growth and healthy teeth), Vitamin E Supplement (for healthy cells), Riboflavin Supplement, and Folic Acid.

Nutrition

The Guaranteed Analysis is different for each of the 6 recipes to reflect the qualities of each protein. For instance, with the Chicken recipe, Crude Protein content is min. 13%, Crude Fat content is min 10%, and Crude Fiber content is min 1%. 

The Beef and Venison recipes have the highest content of Crude Protein (min. 18.5%), while the Turkey (14%), Duck (15%), and Lamb (14%) recipes are somewhere in the middle. The Duck recipe also has the lowest Crude Fat content (min. 7%).

You also get to see the caloric content of each recipe, so you can decide which works best for your furry friend. If your dog or cat is a little chubby, you may want to start with the Duck recipe since it only has 1425 kcal M.E./kg or 40 kcal M.E./oz. On the other hand, a skinny but hyperactive pooch may benefit from eating Lamb (2322 kcal M.E./kg or 66 kcal M.E./oz).

All the recipes are prepared in a USDA-certified facility with strict compliance requirements of BRC safe quality food manufacturing. All meats are cold-pressed to reduce the presence of pathogenic bacteria. This way, the producer doesn’t have to use other methods (such as heat, chemicals, preservatives, or additives) to keep the food safe to eat.

What Makes it Different?

Several things make We Feed Raw stand out from its competitors. 

Raw food 

We Feed Raw uses high pressure processing to remove bacteria. Most dog food delivery services cook their food before packaging. The HPP method used by We Feed Raw kills pathogens while preserving nutrients that may be broken down by heat. You get all the benefits of raw food without the risk of exposing you or your pet to harmful bacteria.

Commercial dog foods bear little resemblance to the foods prehistoric wild dogs ate. You might think of We Feed Raw as Paleo for Pooches. We Feed Raw meals incorporate ground bone and organ meats. These were important parts of an undomesticated dog’s diet. 

A nutritionally balanced diet

A raw diet can have many benefits for your dog, including better dental health, a shinier coat, healthier skin, and increased energy levels. Moreover, many dog owners have observed improvements in their dogs' digestive systems after switching to a raw food diet.

We Feed Raw also adds vitamins and minerals to its dog food. Some people think you can do a raw diet by buying ground beef from the grocery store. But while that meat is human-grade like We Feed Raw, it may not have everything your dog needs for good canine health.

Subscriptions are optional

Many dog food delivery services require a subscription, but We Feed Raw welcomes 1-time bulk orders. You can subscribe if you want to make sure your dog has a regular supply of raw food tailored to their nutritional needs. But you can also order whenever you want with no obligations.

Be advised that We Feed Raw’s bulk boxes require a minimum 30 lb delivery. 30 lbs of raw dog food will take up a lot of space in your freezer, so make sure you have room before your box arrives. 

Unboxing

We Feed Raw sends its meals as patties. Patties come in 3 sizes. There are 16-ounce patties for large and medium-sized dogs and 6-ounce patties for small dogs. With bulk orders, only 5-pound patties are available.

In your subscription box, you’ll find a cooler packed with dry ice to keep the patties frozen during transport. The box also includes detailed feeding instructions for each pet. Each patty is wrapped in plastic and clearly labeled, so you can’t mix them up if you’ve ordered a combination of recipes.

When the box arrives, you need to transfer the frozen patties to your freezer. Put 1 in the refrigerator to thaw for the next day, as it normally takes 12 to 24 hours for a frozen patty to thaw. Patties can stay fresh for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and up to a year in the freezer, so long as the original package is sealed.

Prices

To help you understand the costs of feeding different dogs, I ran the numbers for a 5-lb Chihuahua and a 70-lb Staffordshire Terrier. I selected the Chicken recipe for both breeds and filled in the quiz.

A subscription cost $3.14 per day for the Chihuahua and $16.28 per day for the Staffy. 

The Chihuahua would need 4 oz of raw food a day, for a cost of $124 (1 Small box) every 6 weeks. The Staffordshire Terrier would need 40 oz per day for a cost of $264 (1 Large box) every 2 weeks. 

High-quality raw food isn’t cheap. And if you have a big dog, you’ll need both a big budget and a big freezer. But given the benefits to your pet’s health and quality of life, it’s a good investment in your canine companion’s well-being. We Feed Raw also offers 50% and 75% plans that let you mix raw food with your dog’s current diet, which can save you some money. 

Shipping & Delivery

We Feed Raw has free cold-shipping to all 48 contiguous states for meal plans and bulk orders (minimum 30 lbs per order). Also, once your order is on its way to your door, you’ll receive an email containing the tracking information (also available on your online account).

The cutoff date for orders is Saturday at 11:59 pm ET. All orders are shipped on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, depending on your zip code. If there are delays or your order is shipped among the last, you should receive your patties by Friday at the latest. If you miss the cutoff date, your order will ship the following week. 

How We Feed Raw Works

We Feed Raw accepts both subscription-based orders and bulk orders. For bulk orders, you can order boxes (big, classic, and small), bones (in 30lb increments), or individually wrapped 5lb patties (as long as the weight of your cart is 30+lb).

The 5lb bulk patties are ideal for felines (cats) and small dogs of all life stages. The recipes are the same as the ones included in the meal plans, but you won’t get the feeding instructions. However, it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out how much to feed your tiny furry friend.

You don’t need an account or a subscription to order in bulk. However, you can easily turn a one-time purchase order into a subscription during checkout.

How to Sign Up

Signing up for a We Feed Raw subscription takes just 5 simple steps: 

1. Click the Create your Meal Plan Button

2.  Take the Introductory Quiz

This short quiz asks you questions about your pet’s health condition, weight, age, level of activity, and allergies. 

3. Provide Your Email Address

When you provide your email address, We Feed Raw opens your account. It will use that address for all further communications unless you change it. 

4. Choose Your Trial Meals

We Feed Raw provides you with suggested meals based on your quiz results. You can accept its suggestions or choose other meals. You can also order meals that cover 50% or 75% of your dog’s complete diet, which is a nice option for those feeding large dogs or multiple dogs. 

5. Provide Billing, Shipping, and Payment Information

If you’re interested in a subscription, click the Create your Meal Plan button and fill in the quiz with your dog’s details. Once you place the first order, you’ll also have an account where you can track orders and manage subscriptions.

Managing Your Subscription

Using your online account, you can cancel your subscription, skip a delivery, or edit the order. The cutoff date for making any changes is Saturday at 11:59 pm ET. Also, if you opt for a subscription, you can select the delivery frequency for every 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 weeks. 

Keep in mind that the company doesn’t accept returns due to the perishable nature of the product, but you can get a refund if the product gets lost or damaged before entering your possession. For this, you’ll have to get in contact with the customer service team.

Customer Service

The customer service team is available via phone, email, and live chat from Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm ET. You can also find answers to your questions by checking the extensive FAQ section or We Feed Raw’s social media accounts on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.

We Feed Raw Recalls

There are no recalls to date for We Feed Raw food.

How We Feed Raw Compares to Other Pet Food Services

• We Feed Raw vs The Farmer’s Dog: We Feed Raw offers nutritionally formulated raw meals, while The Farmer's Dog offers fresh personalized meals cooked at low temperatures and tailored to your dog's specific dietary needs and preferences.

• We Feed Raw vs Nom Nom: We Feed Raw focuses on raw, uncooked meals made from meat, bones, and organs, while Nom Nom offers a variety of cooked fresh meals made with high-quality proteins and vegetables designed to improve your dog’s gut microbiome.

• We Feed Raw vs Spot & Tango: We Feed Raw specializes in raw diets, while Spot & Tango offers dog owners a choice between gently-cooked fresh meals and Unkibble, a unique gently-dehydrated kibble substitute.

The Bottom Line: Is We Feed Raw Worth It?

Yes! While it’s a bit on the pricey side, you receive a lot of value for your money. The meals are nutritionally balanced and arrive at your door ready for your pooch to enjoy (once thawed, of course). As a bonus, all We Feed Raw recipes contain human-grade quality protein and are prepared in facilities that follow current rules and regulations. 

However, if the price is a bit too steep for your budget or you have a rambunctious, huge dog to feed and want to try something else, we tested other top pet delivery services and shortlisted the best dog food delivery services in this post.

FAQ

Is feeding dogs raw food safe?

Yes, but only if the food preparation process follows strict safety rules. We Feed Raw makes sure that all ingredients are high-quality and safe to consume, plus the food is cold-pressed to avoid any bacterial contamination.

How does We Feed Raw work?

We Feed Raw delivers frozen raw meals to your doorstep. Everything is packed and tailored to meet your pet’s needs, and you can store the meals in the freezer for convenience. And We Feed Raw meals are designed by a PhD nutritionist to meet all your dog’s nutrient needs.

Is a raw diet better than kibble?