I’m getting ready to board my pups with Nature’s Variety Raw Dog Food for a few days. The Instinct beef patties to be specific.
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Why don’t I board the pups with pre-made raw dog food from Raw Paws Pet Food or Darwin’s Natural Pet?
Those are the brands I typically buy pre-made raw dog food from when I’m not making my own.
Because I’m out. Oops.
Since I’m going on a last minute trip, I don’t have enough time to wait for an online order.
That’s why the pups & I popped into a local Petco’s and bought some of Nature’s Variety complete raw beef patties yesterday.
What’s The Price For Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Beef Patties?
Their 6 lb bag is the largest and costs $39.99. A bit steep price-wise, so I decided to buy only one and stretch it a little with chicken gizzards, hearts, and liver from the grocery store.
5.5 lb of those cost me just about 10 bucks. So we’re looking at a total of $50 for 6 days of doggie food during boarding.
Buzz eats 8 ounces of food twice per day, and Missy needs 6 ounces with every meal, so I need just shy of 2 lbs in food for the pups per day (1 lb 12 oz).
Why Didn’t I Just Make My Own Raw Dog Food?
You may wonder why I didn’t just make my own raw dog food? Well, the reason are raw meaty bones.
I’m not boarding the pups at our usual doggie hotel since they were completely booked. Instead, they’re staying with our vet’s this time around.
So what’s the deal with the raw meaty bones? They’re part of balanced, raw dog food and I have no way of grinding them myself.
Our vet is a traditional vet and she does admit that the pups are super healthy on the diet I feed them. However, she’s not a fan of feeding bones.
That’s why I don’t want to push it and send along fresh duck heads or turkey necks and expect her staff to feed those to the pups.
So pre-made raw dog food it is! That kind comes ground and includes bones.
Tip: It’s easiest to transition your pups to a raw diet with pre-made raw dog food.
It’s complete and balanced, and ready to feed. That means it already consists of the perfect balance of muscle meat, secreting organs, and bone. Some brands also add veggies and/or fruits and herbs.
I recommend Raw Paws Pet Food and Darwin’s Natural Pet to make the transition from kibble or home cooked to raw.
Tip: You can save 15% off your Raw Paws Pet Food order with my affiliate discount code K9Savings at checkout.
Nature’s Variety Instinct Raw Dog Food Ingredients: Beef Patties
I will say that Nature’s Variety’s ingredients are top notch and justify their price point.
The beef patties consist of muscle meat, secreting organs (liver + another secreting organ, in this case kidney), and bone.
Additionally, they also feature antioxidant rich non-GMO veggies, fruits, and supplements.
I typically make an effort to support smaller businesses when I purchase pre-made raw meals. Like Raw Paws Pet Food and Darwin’s Natural Pet.
This time though, I admittedly dropped the ball on that one, so the Nature’s Variety Instinct raw dog food was the most practical option for me.
I Also Order From Raw Feeding Miami
I also order from Raw Feeding Miami. Mostly individual cuts of raw meat I need for my raw meal prep.
For example, duck heads, lamb brains, or goat liver to name just a few.
Boarding The Pups With Nature’s Variety Raw Dog Food: Bottom Line
Nature’s Variety raw dog food is pre-made raw and super convenient.
There’s just no doubt about that. You thaw and serve, that’s pretty much it, without having to worry about getting all the ingredients right.
That peace of mind is one of the huge advantages of investing in pre-made raw dog food. Keep in mind though that you’re paying someone else to create a raw dog food formula for you, and that comes at a price.
It’s considerably more expensive than putting your own raw dog meals together.
That said, the price of raw dog food depends on how willing you are to put in the time and energy to learn about whipping up your dog(s)’ own raw meals.
And don’t get me wrong – no judgment here at all.
It IS time consuming and I realize that not everyone has that time.
I personally can’t afford to only buy pre-made raw meals. That would translate into just about $500 of raw dog food costs for my two guys over a 30 day period.
However, I still buy it from time to time, usually when I can get a deal on it or when I run out of my own raw meals.
At least I don’t have to pay any shipping costs when I go to Petco!
Have your pups had Nature’s Variety raw dog food before? Or any other pre-made raw dog food? As always, we’d love to hear from you in our comment section!
Remember when Petco didn’t even carry any natural DRY brands? They’ve come a long way in 10 years or so!
Oh gosh, yes!! They sure have. I get super excited these days whenever I see a freezer (section) pop up at a pet retail store.
You had a great idea to mix in the chicken hearts/gizzards to make the Nature’s Variety food last longer.
Thanks, Lindsay. I just couldn’t get myself to spend $86 + tax on 12 lbs of pre-made raw. Ouch.
When I brought home Archer his breeder was feeding him Nature’s Variety RawBoost. When I went to PetSmart to pick him up more food the Nature’s Variety Rep was there and I talked to her for about an hour about their food especially the pre-made raw. Unfortunately, the pre-made raw was too expensive so we stuck with the Nature’s Variety RawBoost.
I hear ya. Those are about the only times I wish Missy & Buzz were tiny lap doggies. Pre-made raw would be SO affordable in that case 😉
Yes! My in-laws have a Yorkie. I think the pre-made raw would work great for them.
Oh yes, I agree! Even at 3% of a target weight of say 8 lbs, the pup would only need about 2.5 ounces of raw food PER DAY!!!