This post goes over my 3 favorite dog gear and raw dog food brands. I made the switch from kibble to in 2015, and believe in combining fresh, raw dog food with daily exercise for a healthy pup.
Just like with us humans, dogs are what they eat, and my guys need the raw fuel to thrive and get the most out of our walks and hikes.
That said, you’ll be able to watch an unboxing video from each of the 3 raw dog food brands. You’re also getting a ton of social media footage and pictures of the different foods.
Additionally, I’m sharing video & picture footage of my 3 go-to dog gear brands.
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
Are you ready? OK, let’s go!
Raw Dog Food Brands
Let’s start with the raw dog food brands.
My favorite raw dog food brands here in the US are Darwin’s Natural Pet, Raw Paws Pet Food, and Raw Feeding Miami.
Darwin’s Natural Pet
It all started with Darwin’s Natural Pet. Raw dog food blogger Kimberly from KeepTheTailWagging had recommended the brand as a spring board into my raw feeding journey.
That was after Missy’s first cancer diagnosis in late 2014, and it was a wonderful recommendation.
Their pre-made meals make raw feeding a breeze and offer the peace of mind of knowing that you’re feeding your pooch nutritiously complete food.
By now, I’ve fed all 3 of their lines:
Natural Selections
Made with 75% meat & 25% organic vegetables. It comes in cage-free/free-roaming poultry: chicken, duck and turkey. It’s also available as grass-fed beef and lamb. All are free of steroids, antibiotics and artificial growth hormones.
BioLogics
Also made with 75% meat & 25% vegetables. It comes in chicken, turkey and beef. It’s less expensive than the Natural Selections because it’s made with conventionally grown meats & vegetables.
These are veterinary meals that are available with a prescription only. They consist of hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and pesticide-free meats and organic vegetables, with no grains, added fillers or chemical preservatives.
I fed Missy the Intelligent Design™ CS Cancer Support Formula for Canines when she was re-diagnosed with cancer in early 2018.
Founder Gary Tashjian Addresses Recent Recall
Darwin’s recently conducted a voluntary recall of some of their products (this was in April 2018). The company wants pet owners to know that the pathogens which caused the recall are largely harmless to cats and dogs. They’re also outweighed by the benefits of a raw-food diet.
As long as pet owners follow the same food-hygiene procedures when handling their products, they are perfectly safe to feed. For example, wash your hands after you handled raw dog food, just like you would when you prepare meat for yourself.
The following video clip features a message from founder Gary Tashjian about the recall.
I’ve been asked by a follower on Instagram whether or not I’m worried about those recalls.
I am not worried.
I continue to trust Darwin’s Natural Pet. This trust lies in the fact that neither I nor Missy & Buzz have ever been sick when handling (me) and eating (the pups) their meals. Beyond that, I realize that media coverage has a tendency of overdramatizing recall stories.
As I said in a comment on the YouTube video of Mr. Tashjian’s message, I didn’t hesitate one second to put Missy on their cancer support formula. It was recommended by our homeopathic veterinarian Dr. Loops.
In case you’re wondering what else he recommended to keep her quality of life high as her body is dealing with cancer, I invite you to check out my blog post K9 Cancer Supplements Suggested By Our Homeopathic Veterinarian Dr. Loops.
Raw Feeding Miami
As I started learning more and more about raw feeding, I came across Raw Feeding Miami in 2016. They’re a raw dog food retailer with headquarters in Miami, FL. The company has a huge selection of all the different cuts of meat that make up balanced raw meals and ships them nationwide.
Whenever I browse their online shop I feel like a little kid in a candy store!
They carry such a large variety of protein choices, it’s awesome!!
Their products range from poultry (including goose) to beef, lamb, goat, emu, pork, rabbit, wild game, fish, quail, and then some.
I typically buy whole cuts of meat like heads, hearts, lungs, gizzards, etc. Then I cut them up myself on meal prep day.
However, I also take advantage of some of their ground options, particularly their organ grind Monster Mash.
That mix of organs costs $4/lb and is super convenient when you don’t feel like putting the right ratio of secreting organ meats together yourself.
Good to know: Balanced raw dog food consists of 5% liver and 5% other secreting organ, as well as 70-80% muscle meat.
Last but not least, it also features 10% raw meaty bone, along with some optional veggies & fruit, depending on which model of raw feeding you’re following. There’s PMR without veggies or BARF with veggies.
My last order for Buzz from Raw Feeding Miami consisted of a total of 27 lbs for $99.85. The different cuts of meat were $72.91, and shipping was $26.94.
That’s a really good deal! If you’re lucky enough to live in the greater Miami area, you can pick up your order at the Raw Feeding Miami warehouse in person.
Tip: You can save 10% off your Raw Feeding Miami order with my referral discount link.
Raw Paws Pet Food
Raw Paws Pet Food is another raw dog food retailer that I discovered in my first year of raw feeding, back in 2015. They’re headquartered in Indiana and have a decent selection of individual cuts of raw meat:
They also carry a ton of complete meals that are already balanced and put together for you.
Their balanced meals consist of ground muscle meat, bone, and organs, and some also come with veggies. They also ship nationwide and offer free shipping on frozen goods with orders totaling $199 and more.
Raw Paws Pet Food also offers free ship packs (8 lb, 10 lb, 19 lb, 20 lb), including a one time introductory offer for raw feeding beginners. That’s their variety pack (9 lb).
Tip: You can save 15% off your Raw Paws Pet Food order with my affiliate discount code K9Savings at checkout:
Now that you know what I fuel my pups’ bodies with, let’s talk dog gear!
My Favorite Dog Gear Brands
Those doggie gear brands are Ruffwear, Mighty Paw, and CoLLaR.
Ruffwear – Performance Dog Gear
The brand I’ve used the longest in this category is Ruffwear. They create performance dog gear and carry everything an active dog owner could possibly want to get their paws on.
Collars, leashes, harnesses, backpacks, collapsible bowls, jackets, boots, life jackets, sleeping bags, cooling supplies, toys…you name it, they have it!
Our Ruffwear gear currently consists of:
The pups’ Top Rope collars featuring an all-metal side release buckle and reflective stitching.
Front Range & Load Up harnesses.
Approach Pack backpacks.
Update 2020: Commuter backpack for my new pup Wally.
Cloud Chaser jackets.
I wrote about our two Ruffwear harnesses in my blog post Ruffwear’s Front Range Vs Load Up Harness – Which One Is Better?
Ruffwear’s Approach Pack is featured in my post Dog Fitness & More With The Ruffwear Approach Pack.
And my post Ruffwear’s All-Weather Sleeved Jacket “Cloud Chaser” is all about the versatile doggie jacket.
Mighty Paw
I didn’t find out about this company until 2017.
Fun fact 2021: I began working for the brand in 2020 after I had to close my dog walking & pet sitting business K9sOverCoffee Pet Services – due to the worldwide Corona pandemic.
They carry leashes, collars, harnesses, dog treat pouches, potty bells, and poop bag holders. All orders ship free within the US.
My all-time favorite gear from them is their dog treat pouch.
It’s like the Ferrari of dog treat pouches, HA!
You can immediately tell the difference in quality and functionality between Mighty Paw’s Treat Pouch and my previous, generic one just by looking at them side by side:
It was a no-brainer to write about it since I’ve come to love it so much – feel free to check it out here: Mighty Paw’s Dog Treat Pouch – Perfect For Dog Walking & Training.
Another one of their cool products is their short traffic leash. It’s great for environments where you want your dog close by, like the vet, pet retail stores or events that let you bring your leashed dog such as dog expos or pet specific conferences.
CoLLaR
CoLLaR is a Ukrainian wholesale company who make amazingly soft leather leashes and collars for dogs. They also make several dog toys. For example, the Puller dog toy and the Liker ball.
If you’re the owner of a pet retail store or know someone who is – do yourselves a favor and contact a CoLLaR rep. Or share this info with your store owner friend so you/they can start carrying their amazing products rather sooner than later!
I had the immense pleasure of meeting reps of the company at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, FL, in 2016.
I would have loved to take home a leash & collar combo of every single color that was displayed at their booth. They’re just SO beautiful!!
I did end up going home with a beautiful yellow, soft adjustable leather leash & collar combo for Missy. I use it all the time, and wrote about the hands-free hiking experience the leash offers in my blog post Hands-Free Hiking With Collar’s Adjustable Leather Leash.
Also brought back a patriotic collar & leash set for Buzz. I’ve only used the collar on special occasions such as July 4 because it’s a little big on him, but I use the leash all the time. There’s just something about soft leather leashes!!
I blogged about their soft leather collection in general in my post CoLLaR SOFT Genuine Leather Collection For Your Best Friend.
As you can tell from the following pictures, CoLLaR’s yellow & patriotic leather leashes have become the pups’ daily go-to leashes!
My Favorite Dog Gear & Raw Dog Food Brands: Bottom Line
I love spoiling Missy & Buzz with top notch nutrition and shopping around for deals between different raw dog food companies.
Darwin’s Natural Pet, Raw Feeding Miami, and Raw Paws Pet Food have earned my trust over the years, and I’m happy to provide any further information you might be interested in. Just leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you.
I’m equally enthusiastic about Ruffwear, Mighty Paw, and CoLLaR. Not only are their products easy on the eye, they’re also highly functional and durable, and I love that combination.
Are you familiar with any of the 6 brands I mentioned? What’s one of your favorite brands? As always, we’d love to hear from you in our comment section!
Related Reading:
- 3 best raw dog foods in the US that I recommend
- What’s so great about single-ingredient dog treats?
- Best training treats for small dogs & puppies
- Best stocking stuffers for raw-fed dogs
- Resources
