We’ve had our dogs Jackson (a Doberman, age 5) and Luna (an American Eskimo, age 11) since puppyhood, and have been spoiling them with treats, dog parks, and tummy scratches since. Same (or so we thought) when it came to their food – feeding them only high protein, “premium” natural dry food.
But recurring health issues like itchiness and GI upset for both dogs made us take a closer look at their diet. We learned about the benefits of minimally processed diets – proven to improve coat, GI health, and overall health in dogs.1,2
So we put two raw and two fresh dog food brands to the test over the course of four weeks – We Feed Raw, Maev, JustFoodforDogs, and Ollie – and consulted with holistic Veterinarian Dr. Katie Woodley (DVM). We compared the four brands on nutrition, taste, convenience, and price – and found one clear winner.
What To Look For In Dog Food
We asked holistic vet Dr. Woodley what pet parents should prioritize when considering a switch to healthier, less processed foods:
✅ Nutrient Bio-Availability: “Less-processed food is more biologically appropriate. Nutrients remain closer to their natural state. Just because something has ‘fresh’ on its packaging doesn’t mean you’re getting a complete and balanced formulation.”
✅ Raw, Natural Ingredients: Look for unprocessed animal proteins, organ meats, and, yes, bone. Organ meats are dense in necessary nutrients such as vitamins A, B, D, E, and K, iron, and zinc – all necessary for health of your dog’s heart, brain, immune system, bones, and more.3,4 Raw bone, meanwhile, is high in calcium and collagen for healthier bones and skin.5
✅ Low-Carb: Many brands “rely on high-carb ingredients like rice, potatoes, or lentils, which can contribute to inflammation or blood sugar imbalances.” High-carb ingredients are hard to digest and contribute to risk of health issues like pancreatitis.6 Carbs are also not nutritionally required for dogs.7
✅ Palatability: “Taste is critical because if your dog won’t eat it, it’s not going to benefit them.”
✅ Consistency Is Key: Food must be easy to prepare and serve to build consistent feeding habits.
Let’s see how We Feed Raw, Maev, Ollie, and JustFoodForDogs compare.
1. Ingredients & Nutrition: We Feed Raw Wins
To start, let’s answer what’s healthier for dogs: raw or fresh? According to Dr. Woodley DVM, “cooking (even at low temperatures) degrades essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. In raw food, nutrients remain in their natural state.”
In fact, dogs’ digestive systems are designed to better absorb nutrients in raw form. Cooking dog food reduces protein quality and amino acid availability, and heat can produce advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which contribute to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration in dogs.8 That’s why it’s best to mimic what dogs would eat in the wild – unprocessed raw meat, organs, and bones.
Let’s see how the beef recipes compare for our four brands:
🥇 Winner: We Feed Raw stands out with exclusively nutrient-dense raw meat, organs, and ground bone – high in calcium and collagen to improve dogs’ bone density and coat5 – and no unnecessary carbs or fillers.
🥈 Maev – the other raw food we tested – contains some organ meats but several fruits and grains, which can impact digestion and increase risk of pancreatitis.6 We question if Maev’s recipe is more focused on what looks good to humans instead of what is good for dogs. Maev also includes peanut butter which contains unnecessary added sugar and minimal nutritional value for dogs.
❌ Ollie and JustFoodForDogs – the fresh brands we tested – are carb-heavy and cooked, preserving fewer nutrients than raw. These are “human-grade,” but not made for dogs’ unique biological or digestive needs.
2. Taste: We Feed Raw Wins
The best ingredients are meaningless if your dog won’t eat them. We tested each brand separately:
🥇 Winner: We Feed Raw wins with the tastiest food. Both Luna and Jackson devoured their bowls quickly, and the excitement never waned. No digestive issues – and no leftovers.
🥈 Ollie & JustFoodForDogs tied for second. Our dogs were enthusiastic at first, but that excitement wore off after a few days, and they ended up leaving the veggie chunks in the bowl.
❌ Maev was the least appetizing for Jackson and Luna – at first, neither dog was interested in the frozen cubes; we learned that we had to let them thaw on the counter before serving. Still, we never saw the same excitement as when we started testing the other brands.
3. Convenience: Depends On How You Like To Serve
All four companies offer customizable subscriptions that ship to your door.
🥇 Winner: Maev’s frozen meals come in individually packaged bowls that are easy to store in the freezer.
🥇 Winner: We Feed Raw’s packs are easy to scoop into a bowl and serve after thawing overnight in the fridge; they also offer a shelf-stable freeze-dried option that has the same nutrition but doesn’t require freezing or refrigeration.
❌ JustFoodForDogs does not come pre-portioned, requiring you to portion meals based on their feeding guide using your own measuring cup.
❌ Ollie is messy to serve – the cooked, mushy texture requires scooping and means food sticks to the packaging (and counter).
4. Price & Value: We Feed Raw Wins
Here’s how each brand broke down in price per meal for my 45lb American Eskimo who eats 2 meals a day:
🥇 We Feed Raw is the best value at $3.51 per meal with Holistic Digest’s discount – and the best nutrition and ingredients. Even without the discount, it’s still cheaper than Maev and JustFoodForDogs at $4.68 per meal.
🥈 Ollie came in second at $3.77 per meal – but without the health benefits of raw.
❌ Maev is the most expensive option at $5.88 per meal.
❌ JustFoodForDogs is just as expensive at $5.69 – and does not use nutrient-dense raw ingredients.
Conclusion: Our Dogs Thrived on We Feed Raw
After trying all four brands, We Feed Raw is our dogs’ clear favorite, and we see the benefits everyday.
After feeding We Feed Raw for a month we’ve seen more energy (even from older Luna), more excitement, and no more GI issues.
Dr. Woodley agrees: “I recommend We Feed Raw because it’s biologically appropriate and complete, made with high-quality raw ingredients, and backed by nutritional science.”
Ready to try We Feed Raw? Save 25% with our exclusive discount.
