We Feed Raw Review

If you’ve ever had a dog that gets bored with food, you already know the struggle. One week, they’re scarfing down every meal like you finally figured out the secret to life, and the next, they’re staring at the same bowl like it personally offended them.

In our household, that’s Cooper.

He’s my 50-pound Bernese Mountain Dog / Australian Shepard / Border Collie mix, which really just means equal parts brilliant + stubborn + dramatic. He’s also the goodest boy ever, but I swear he treats every bag of kibble and can of stew like a limited-time relationship. We’ve been through every premium brand on the shelf, all the sensitive stomach formulas, and all the dinners that look better (and cost more) than mine. He’ll eat them for a while, then suddenly just…stop.

So when my local pet’s store nutritionist suggested trying a raw diet (again) when I was looking for a different food for him (again), I decided to finally listen. After all, we already do a raw diet for our Bengal cat – maybe adding raw food to Cooper’s diet would be something different enough to keep him interested.

That’s how I found We Feed Raw. 

The website was simple, and the ingredients were clear. The starter pack looked like a good deal, and I liked the idea of a subscription, so I didn’t have to regularly run to the pet store. Also? I was curious if a company could make raw feeding easy. Spoiler: It mostly can.

Why I Considered Raw Feeding

If you’ve never gone down the rabbit hole of raw feeding, it’s a whole world of passionate opinions, science debates, and freezer-storage hacks.

At its simplest, raw feeding means giving your pet fresh, uncooked food – usually a mix of muscle meat, organ meat, bone, and sometimes fruits or vegetables. The idea is to mimic what animals would eat in the wild before kibble became the default.

Why people love it:

• It’s unprocessed and preservative-free.
• Dogs often have shiner coats, cleaner teeth, and smaller, less-smelly poops.
• It can help picky eaters or dogs with allergies who react to fillers in kibble.

Why people hesitate:

• It’s more expensive and requires freezer space (unless you want to go to the pet store every couple of days).
• Handling raw meat safely matters (bacteria, cross-contamination, etc.).
• Some worry about balancing nutrition if the meals aren’t formulated properly.

That’s what made We Feed Raw interesting to me – they claim to handle the balanced nutrition part for you. Their meals are formulated by a Ph.D. animal nutritionist and meet AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards, so it’s not just tossing your dog a raw meatball while you’re prepping spaghetti and hoping for the best.

For someone like me who wanted to try raw without turning my kitchen into a science lab, that was a big selling point.

Ordering the Starter Pack

The starter pack was what really sold me. For around the price of a big bag of premium kibble, I got 14 days worth of pre-portioned, vacuum-sealed packs of different proteins to test: beef, chicken, and duck. Note: there were other options to pick, including lamb, turkey, and venison, but I wanted to go with what he already likes in canned stews. It felt like a dog version of the meal-kit subscription we get for the rest of the (human) family.

The ordering process was simple. You answer a few questions about your dog’s age, weight, activity level, and whether you’re going full raw or mixing it with their current food. I opted for a 50 / 50 mix, partly to make the transition easier for Cooper, partly because I’m nervous about him getting all his nutrients, and he loves his crunchy kibble snacks.

The order itself did take just over a week to be delivered – so take note if and make sure you have enough food on hand the first time you order. I’ll add a spoiler alert here that I did continue the subscription, and they had the re-order set up with enough time for it to be delivered just prior to the starter kit running out. The order itself was in a well-insulated box, packed with dry ice, and everything was still frozen solid. 

And beyond the food? The world’s cutest silicone defrost tray for thawing the meats and a transitional digestive mix in powder. The defrost tray is small, lightweight, and is already being used to defrost the chicken we’re having for dinner since Cooper’s was defrosted this morning. It’s a small thing, but I appreciate the company thinking about things like catching the condensation as their product thaws.

Transitioning Cooper to Raw

If you’ve ever switched a dog’s diet, you know you can’t just dump new food in the bowl and call it a day. Their digestive systems like gradual change. We Feed Raw’s starter guide (and their follow-up emails) walked me through the process clearly. And when I lost the guide, I was able to log into my online portal and review the information there, too.

I started Cooper with just two ounces per meal, mixed into his breakfast and dinner along with the digestive powder. I kept him on that for a couple of days, and then slowly increased the ratio.

The problem – or, rather, the only hiccup – was that the starter pack portions were all 16 oz packs. That’s great once you’re fully transitioned (because he’ll eat 8 oz per day, going through one pack in two days), but in the first few days, you’re only using tiny amounts. Because the food is fresh and not filled with preservatives, it has to be used quickly once thawed.

That meant some of the first pack went bad before I could use it all. It wasn’t a dealbreaker, but it did feel like a bit of a waste. I found myself wishing they offered smaller “transition size” portions for the starter pack. 

Still: Cooper was thrilled. From day one, he devoured every bite – even the pate-style blends, which he typically hates.

Two Weeks In: Real Results

We knew after day three of Cooper’s absolute joy in eating that we’d keep going with raw food. But it wasn’t until he was just about through his starter pack that we started to see other obvious changes.

Of course, his appetite. Cooper has always been a moody eater, but now he’s actually excited for meals again. He hovers while I prep it, tail wagging like he’s suddenly realized dinner is worth showing up for. He’s also staying out of the cat’s bowl for the first time in…ever.

Then, his coat. It’s noticeably shinier and softer, and this is an already soft boy. I didn’t realize until I was brushing him out, and he just seemed to shine a little more.

Also? His digestion has improved, and that’s a big one for him (and us). His poops are smaller, more consistent, and way easier to pick up, which is a huge bonus as we enter the rainy PNW season.

He’s also got more consistent energy. Not just his wild puppy zoomies, but more steady, healthy energy throughout the day.

The biggest surprise? He’s eating more overall. Cooper used to skip meals out of boredom, something that we worried about because he is a Very Active Dog. Now he finishes every bite and gives me an Oliver Twist with a look that says, “Please, sir, may I have some more?”

What I Loved About We Feed Raw

What I really love about We Feed Raw is how genuinely easy it makes the whole process. I expected a learning curve, but it’s so straightforward. The packs are pre-measured, clearly labeled, and the instructions couldn’t be simpler. Thaw, mix, serve. That’s it.

The educational emails were another unexpected win. They don’t just ship you food and wish you luck; they walk you through every step with bite-sized info about portioning, thawing, and what to expect from your dog’s digestion during the transition. It’s like having a calm, knowledgeable friend guiding you instead of a wall of fine print.

And the packaging itself? Excellent. Each vacuum-sealed pack is flat, which makes freezer storage easy. I will note that six weeks worth of food (which is what you start getting after the starter pack) takes up space. Plan accordingly, and maybe do that freezer reorganization you’ve been putting off before your next shipment comes in.

The biggest win is, of course, the meat itself. I’m a crunchy organic mom who wants to give my animals the same quality I give my humans, and the quality with We Feed Raw was obvious. They state that they source their food from high-quality, USDA, human-grade meat and bone, and you can tell. I’m not scared to give this to Cooper.

What Could Be Better

The one area where I think We Feed Raw could improve is in how the starter packs are portioned. When you’re just starting and following the recommended 2-oz ramp-up, the 16-oz packs feel too large. You can’t always use them before they go bad once thawed, especially if you’re transitioning slowly or doing a 50 / 50 mix like I did. Smaller intro-sized packs would make that first stage a lot easier and reduce waste.

Storage is another practical consideration. It’s not We Feed Raw’s fault – it’s just the reality of raw feeding. You’ll need freezer space, especially if you have more than one pet or plan to stock up. The good news is the flat packs stack beautifully, so it’s manageable once you plan for it.

And of course, cost is always part of the conversation. Raw food isn’t cheap, and We Feed Raw is definitely a premium option. But let’s do the math breakdown:

• Before feeding Cooper raw, I was feeding him two cans per day of premium canned food along with two – three scoops of premium kibble. The cans cost anywhere from $3 – $5 per can, meaning Cooper was eating around $8 – $10 per day worth of food.
• We Feed Raw costs about $4.68 / day for the 50 / 50 plan we’re on. I’ve substituted one of their cans of food, and they still get a few scoops of kibble. Cooper is still eating around $8 – $10 per day worth of food.

TL:dr; it costs me the same to give Cooper food that makes him excited, happier, and healthier. 

So, Is We Feed Raw Worth It?

For me – and for Cooper – it’s a resounding yes.

It’s not just that he’s eating better or that his coat looks amazing (though both are true). It’s that I finally feel like I’ve found a way to feed him that makes sense for him.

We Feed Raw took what could have been a complicated, messy experiment and made it incredibly approachable. From the starter pack to the educational support, it felt like having a guide through the process instead of figuring it out alone.

Would I change a few things? Sure. But overall, it was easy, it’s high quality, and it made raw feeding a lot less scary.

Cooper’s still on a 50 / 50 mix – he gets his raw mixed with half a can, and his favorite kibble snack for lunch – and that seems to be his happy balance. I like that We Feed Raw was able to fit into his routine without making life harder.

And honestly, watching him clean his bowl with enthusiasm every meal is worth every penny.

Final Thoughts

If you’re on the fence about raw feeding, I get it. It feels intimidating at first, like you’re signing up for extra work or risking something going wrong. But with the right company, it’s not like that.

We Feed Raw takes the mystery out of it. The food is fresh, balanced, and clearly made with care. It’s easy to order, store, and service. And for dogs who turn their noses up at everything else, it can be a game-changer. 

Cooper’s tail wags don’t lie: this one’s a keeper.