Kibble, Raw, Freeze-Dried, Wet, and Fresh: What’s Really in Your Dog’s Bowl

Pet parents today face more food choices than ever before. Walk into a pet store—or browse online—and you’ll find shelves stacked with kibble, raw, freeze-dried, wet, and freshly prepared meals. But what do all these options mean for your dog’s health? Let’s break down the differences so you can make the best choice for your pup.

Kibble: Convenience Over Quality?

Kibble is the most common type of dog food. It’s made by grinding ingredients into a dough, cooking them at high heat, and forming them into dry pellets.

• Pros: Affordable, long shelf life, easy to store and portion.
• Cons: High heat destroys some nutrients. Many brands use fillers (corn, wheat, soy) and artificial preservatives.

While there are high-quality kibble options with whole ingredients, most are still highly processed. Think of it as the fast food of the dog world: convenient, but not always the healthiest choice.

Wet (Canned) Food: Palatable but Processed

Canned food often contains higher moisture content, making it more palatable and hydrating for dogs.

• Pros: Tasty, easier to chew (good for seniors), higher protein than many kibbles.
• Cons: Heavy, pricier, can contribute to dental issues if not balanced with chewable treats or brushing.

Canned foods can be better than low-grade kibble but still undergo heavy processing.

Raw: Back to the Ancestral Diet

Raw feeding focuses on mimicking what dogs’ wild ancestors ate—uncooked meat, bones, and organs.

• Pros: Nutrient-rich, high in protein, supports shinier coats, cleaner teeth, and leaner muscle.
• Cons: Requires strict handling to prevent bacterial contamination, expensive, not always balanced if homemade without guidance.

When done correctly (especially with guidance from a canine nutritionist), raw can be incredibly beneficial.

 

Freeze-Dried: Raw with Convenience

Freeze-dried food is essentially raw food that’s moisture-removed through a low-temperature process.

• Pros: Retains nutrients, lightweight, long shelf life, safer than raw when handled.
• Cons: Expensive, usually needs rehydration, not always a full meal unless formulated as complete and balanced.

This option offers the nutrition of raw with easier storage and travel convenience.

Dehydrated: A Middle Ground

Dehydrated food is slowly cooked at low temperatures to remove moisture.

• Pros: Retains more nutrients than kibble, lightweight, longer shelf life than fresh.
• Cons: Rehydration needed, can be costly, and texture may not appeal to all dogs.

It’s often seen as a balance between kibble and raw/fresh.

Fresh (Gently Cooked): The New Gold Standard

Fresh food is minimally processed and cooked at lower temperatures to preserve nutrients while ensuring safety.

• Pros: Whole-food ingredients, digestible, nutritionally dense, often customized per dog.
• Cons: Shorter shelf life, requires refrigeration/freezing, higher cost.

Think of it as home cooking for dogs—nutritious, fresh, and clean.

So, Which is Best?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The best diet depends on your dog’s age, health, lifestyle, and your budget. However, the less processed, the better—which is why fresh, freeze-dried, and balanced raw diets are often superior to kibble and canned foods.

 

Fleet & Fur’s Mission

At Fleet & Fur, we believe your dog deserves more than just filler food. That’s why our treats are crafted with whole, natural ingredients you can trust—because every bite should fuel health, happiness, and longevity.

✅ Takeaway: When choosing your dog’s food, remember—you get what you pay for. Invest in nutrition now, and you’ll save on vet bills later.

Fleet and Fur

Veteran-owned. Nutrition-focused. Mission-driven.