I’ve fed my Dachshunds Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals on and off for years.
I feel it’s prime quality, I 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 food regimen to assist individuals which may be contemplating it for his or her canine.
About Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals
Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals is made out of high-quality, human-grade meats and greens.
Darwin’s uncooked meal formulation is:
- 75% meat
- 25% greens
- Gluten-free & grain-free
- Freed from steroids, hormones, and antibiotics
- A nutritionally balanced full meal
- Excessive in protein, reasonable in fat, and low in carbohydrates
With that being mentioned, there are three completely different meal varieties accessible on their web site.
Darwin’s Pure Alternatives™
Darwin’s Pure Alternatives™ is their premium recipe line of uncooked pet food made out 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 formulation as Pure Alternatives, however the formulation is made out of contemporary, conventionally-raised and grown meats and greens.
Though the meats are usually not free vary or grass fed, they’re nonetheless hormone and steroid-free.
The greens used are from the identical farms that offer supermarkets.
Darwin’s Clever Design™
For canines with particular wants, in addition they have an Clever 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 might have much less of 1 ingredient, or a further one, to handle 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.
As we speak, there are numerous uncooked canine meals available on the market and not less than 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 handle his personal canine’s well being points. He refined his formulation via years of expertise.
- Darwin’s provides a free menu session (for each new and present clients) if you’re unsure what or how a lot to feed your canine.
- You may place an introductory 10 lb order for $14.95 to check out the meals earlier than totally committing to a subscription.
- Delivery is free for orders which might be 20 or extra kilos, besides to Hawaii and Alaska. Orders underneath this quantity are charged a $10.00 flat charge transport payment.
My Expertise With Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals
I attempted Darwin’s for the primary time round 2014. I signed up with their introductory supply for brand new clients, however went again to getting my Dachshund’s frozen uncooked pet food in particular person from the pet retailer after nearly a 12 months.
Nonetheless, after attempting a number of completely different manufacturers of uncooked pet food, I got here again to Darwin’s.
Be aware: In the event you’ve been following us you recognize I prefer to rotate canine’s meals usually.
To today, Darwin’s meals remains to be one of many uncooked meals in our rotation.
My favourite instances 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 all the time
The meals is available in particular person pouches. I neither like or dislike this.
The largest plus for Darwin’s is that the pouches are straightforward to open, even with moist palms.
I don’t use one full pouch, even to feed two miniature Dachshunds one meal, so there may be at all times {a partially} opened pouch within the fridge.
It might be good if there was an possibility 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 large container.
Shipments have at all times arrived in a well timed method, with out injury, and the meals was nonetheless frozen.
Have There Been Any Recollects for Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals?
In the event 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 recollects of Darwin’s uncooked meals, and a pair Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings, prior to now.
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 line with my information and DogFoodAdvisor, that is the recall historical past.
2017 – voluntary recall by Darwin’s because of inside testing that detected potential Salmonella contamination. No pet sicknesses have been reported to the corporate.
2018 – voluntary recall by Darwin’s because of inside testing that detected potential Salmonella contamination in a single case of pet food. No pet sicknesses have been reported to the corporate.
2018 – voluntary recall by Darwin’s because of inside testing that detected potential Salmonella and/or E. Coli contamination. No pet sicknesses have been reported to the corporate.
2019 – the FDA issued a public warning after testing indicated Salmonella contamination. No pet sicknesses have been reported to the corporate.
Necessary be aware: 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 show over personal buyer knowledge.
2023 – the FDA issued a public warning after testing indicated Salmonella contamination. No pet sicknesses have been reported to the corporate.
You may learn the official assertion by Darwin’s made after the latest 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, except they’re already unwell with another situation.
- Likewise, people are usually unaffected by low ranges of bacterial contamination except they’ve an underlying well being challenge or compromised immune system.
- Recollects are usually not one thing that solely occurs with uncooked meals. Voluntary recollects have been made on all types of meals prior to now – kibble, canned, and uncooked.
Personally, I’m zero nervous about these voluntary recollects and warnings.
In reality, voluntary recollects inform me that they firm is monitoring their meals for security and at all times erring on the facet of warning.
Neither my canines or I’ve important well being points or compromised immune techniques although.
Disclosure: I like Darwin’s Uncooked Canine Meals and purchase it myself. Nonetheless, they’ve despatched me a pair shipments prior to now without charge in alternate for sharing my ideas with you.