What is REALLY in your Dog Food?

*I was provided samples in exchange for writing this post. This post contains affiliate links. 

As a pet owner, you probably try to get the best food you can for your pet. Did you know that your dog food may be setting your dog up for health issues later on? most dog food has ingredients that would horrify you if you realized what was actually in them. TruDog is working to change that with high-quality meat-based, freeze-dried, raw dog food that uses a generous amount of beef and beef organs as its main sources of animal protein.

If you’ve followed me on Instagram, you know that we have two dogs we are a bit obsessed with. Our dogs play such a huge role in our home and we are always looking for ways to help keep them healthy so they can enjoy an active lifestyle.

Our first dog, Ted, is a little Corgi/Australian Shepherd mix that we originally got as an emotional support dog for my son with Aspergers. He quickly decided that it was his job to protect the entire house (despite the fact that he is 12-inches tall) and he makes it his life work to catch every tennis ball within eyesight.

Gracie is a Golden Retriever mix (although mixed with what we have no idea) that was found wandering the desert on the Arizona border. She was severely underweight and appears to have been a stray for most of her life. At only about a year old, she is still quite the puppy and is so happy to have a home that she has been the sweetest, most loving dog who loves any chance she gets to cuddle with her people.

Both dogs have very different nutritional needs. Ted is a bit on the …. we’ll say well-fed side, while Gracie has gained 15 pounds since we got her and is still underweight.

After hearing that the majority of dog foods on the market use primarily rendered meat (if you want to seriously be grossed out Google that) or meal products.

Think about that. 

The food you are feeding your dog comes from meat that has been found unfit for consumption. It may be contaminated with toxins or mouse droppings. It may come from diseased animals.

I don’t want that in my house, let alone want to feed it to my dogs.

I want to make sure our dogs have the nutrition they need to live a long and healthy life.

 

The TruDog Difference

After losing her beloved Great Dane to cancer at a young age, TruDog founder Lori R. Taylor began doing some research into pet nutrition. What she found shocked her and led her to create TruDog, a dog food line made out of dehydrated raw food. This meat-based line of dog food is created using ingredients you can understand to give your pet the nutrition they need.

We started with their TREAT ME line because of the ingredient list. The Chicken jerky is literally just freeze dried chicken (SERIOUSLY. Check out the ingredient list here).

You don’t have to wonder about any of the ingredients and my dogs LOVED it.

TruDog FEED ME Raw Dog Food

TruDog has a great line of freeze-dried dog food. I’m used to buying huge bags of food for my two dogs so I was skeptical of the size of the bag.

It turns out, I didn’t need to be. By freeze-drying the food you remove the water and cut down drastically on the bulk of the food. Just add warm water before serving and you have a dish of dog food that looks like a real meal AND you get to cut down on the storage space you need for dog food.

That’s a win-win.

TruDog also has some great dog food toppers that you can use with their freeze-dried dog food or over your existing dog food if you want to give it a try first. The toppers are filled with all kinds of foods that are fabulous for your dog, like beef heart, salmon skin, pumpkin, coconut oil, blueberry, carrots, and more.

I’ve seen a huge difference in the amount my Golden Retriever has been shedding so I’ve loved that change and both of my dogs have gorgeous, shiny coats.

I know when I eat foods that are good for my body there is a big difference in the way I feel and I’m sure my dogs are experiencing the same thing now that they are eating the foods that their bodies need.

FORTIFY ME is my favorite for my dogs. Gracie has had some stomach issues since we first rescued her. She was used to foraging in the desert for food and who knows what she was eating while she was out there. She’s still in the habit of scavenging for food so every once in a while she gets something she shouldn’t. FORTIFY ME includes a digestive omega booster that has really helped her stomach issues.

RawGo Raw Dog Food

If you are looking for an affordable raw food option, we love the RawGo dehydrated dog food line. This comes in some amazing flavor options and each bag makes up to 6 pounds of food that can be served on its own or mixed with your current dog food.

Go here to earn more about TruDog and find out why your pet would do best on a raw food diet.