I’ve fed my Dachshunds Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals on and off for years.
I feel it’s top quality, I really like that I can have it delivered, firm relies right here in Western Washington so I can be ok with supporting a small, native firm.
On this article, I share my expertise with the Darwin’s uncooked weight-reduction plan to assist individuals that could be contemplating it for his or her canine.
About Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals
Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals is comprised of high-quality, human-grade meats and greens.
Darwin’s uncooked meal components is:
- 75% meat
- 25% greens
- Gluten-free & grain-free
- Freed from steroids, hormones, and antibiotics
- A nutritionally balanced full meal
- Excessive in protein, average in fat, and low in carbohydrates
With that being mentioned, there are three totally different meal varieties accessible on their web site.
Darwin’s Pure Alternatives™
Darwin’s Natural Selections™ is their premium recipe line of uncooked pet food comprised of cage free (free-roaming), pasture raised, or grass fed (relying on the proteins) meats and natural greens.
Darwin’s BioLogics™
Darwin’s BioLogics is their worth line.
It makes use of the identical full and balanced components as Pure Alternatives, however the components is comprised of recent, conventionally-raised and grown meats and greens.
Though the meats will not be free vary or grass fed, they’re nonetheless hormone and steroid-free.
The greens used are from the identical farms that provide supermarkets.
Darwin’s Clever Design™
For canines with particular wants, in addition they have an Intelligent Design™ line (accessible by prescription solely) which features a kidney, liver, most cancers, and joint & musculoskeletal help formulation.
From what I can inform on their web site, this meals relies on the Pure Alternatives formulation, however could have much less of 1 ingredient, or an extra one, to deal with particular well being points.
What Makes Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals Completely different?
Darwin’s uncooked pet food was one of many first that I heard of and positively the primary I used to be conscious of that delivered.
At present, there are a lot of uncooked canine meals in the marketplace and a minimum of a dozen of corporations that may ship the meals on to you.
So what makes Darwin’s stand out to me?
- Gary, the corporate’s founder, began in his personal kitchen making uncooked meals to deal with his personal canine’s well being points. He refined his formulation via years of expertise.
- Darwin’s provides a free menu consultation (for each new and present clients) if you’re unsure what or how a lot to feed your canine.
- You possibly can place an introductory 10 lb order for $14.95 to check out the meals earlier than absolutely committing to a subscription.
- Delivery is free for orders which might be 20 or extra kilos, besides to Hawaii and Alaska. Orders below this quantity are charged a $10.00 flat fee delivery price.
My Expertise With Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals
I attempted Darwin’s for the primary time round 2014. I signed up with their introductory offer for new customers, however went again to getting my Dachshund’s frozen uncooked pet food in individual from the pet retailer after nearly a yr.
Nevertheless, after making an attempt a number of totally different manufacturers of uncooked pet food, I got here again to Darwin’s.
Be aware: In case you’ve been following us you already know I prefer to rotate dog’s food regularly.
To today, Darwin’s meals continues to be one of many uncooked meals in our rotation.
My favourite occasions to make use of Darwin’s meals are:
- Once I wish to feed a uncooked meal with out including organs and greens myself
- In a Kong or on a lick mat in order that I do know my canines will go nuts and they’re getting balanced diet as a substitute of junk meals
- Once I get bored with having to run to the pet retailer the entire time
The meals is available in particular person pouches. I neither like or dislike this.
The most important plus for Darwin’s is that the pouches are simple to open, even with moist palms.
I don’t use one full pouch, even to feed two miniature Dachshunds one meal, so there’s all the time {a partially} opened pouch within the fridge.
It could be good if there was an choice to purchase a bulk container so much less packaging is used, however the person pouches assist forestall the meals from being contaminated by micro organism, so I’m not constructive I would love one massive container.
Shipments have all the time arrived in a well timed method, with out harm, and the meals was nonetheless frozen.
Have There Been Any Remembers for Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals?
In case you don’t find out about them already, in some unspecified time in the future, you’ll most likely uncover that there have been voluntary remembers of Darwin’s uncooked meals, and a pair Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings, previously.
Darwin’s pet meals is monitored for probably unsafe micro organism each by the corporate and by the FDA.
The FDA maintains a zero-tolerance coverage which disallows any presence of Salmonella, even in portions too low to trigger hurt to both people or pets, in pet meals.
In keeping with my data and DogFoodAdvisor, that is the recall historical past.
2017 – voluntary recall by Darwin’s on account of inner testing that detected potential Salmonella contamination. No pet diseases have been reported to the corporate.
2018 – voluntary recall by Darwin’s on account of inner testing that detected potential Salmonella contamination in a single case of pet food. No pet diseases have been reported to the corporate.
2018 – voluntary recall by Darwin’s on account of inner testing that detected potential Salmonella and/or E. Coli contamination. No pet diseases have been reported to the corporate.
2019 – the FDA issued a public warning after testing indicated Salmonella contamination. No pet diseases have been reported to the corporate.
Essential observe: Darwin’s had already contacted clients who indicated the meals had already been consumed with no points. The FDA issued the warning after Darwin’s refused to turn over private customer data.
2023 – the FDA issued a public warning after testing indicated Salmonella contamination. No pet diseases have been reported to the corporate.
You possibly can learn the official assertion by Darwin’s made after the newest FDA warning HERE.
I feel it’s related to say a few factors right here:
- The digestive system of most canines is ready to course of pathogens resembling Salmonella or E. coli with out hurt, until they’re already ailing with another situation.
- Likewise, people are usually unaffected by low ranges of bacterial contamination until they’ve an underlying well being situation or compromised immune system.
- Remembers will not be one thing that solely occurs with uncooked meals. Voluntary remembers have been made on all types of meals previously – kibble, canned, and uncooked.
Personally, I’m zero apprehensive about these voluntary remembers and warnings.
In reality, voluntary remembers inform me that they firm is monitoring their meals for security and all the time erring on the facet of warning.
Neither my canines or I’ve vital well being points or compromised immune techniques although.
Disclosure: I really like Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals and purchase it myself. Nevertheless, they’ve despatched me a pair shipments previously for gratis in change for sharing my ideas with you.
