While dry kibble still dominates most pet food store shelves, many dog owners have embraced the raw food trend that’s gained traction in recent years. And with more and more manufacturers entering the market, pup parents no longer have to deal with the mess and stress of creating meals from scratch to ensure their dogs receive the health boost from going raw. Viva Raw Dog Food is leading the pack with its unique chunky formula that features the human-grade, high-protein ingredients dogs were designed for. In this review, we’ll walk through why Viva Raw may make all the difference in your dog’s day.
| Pros |
|---|
| 100% human-grade ingredients, made in USDA kitchens |
| Balanced with organic whole foods with no synthetic ingredients |
| 5 single protein recipes in a chunky or ground texture |
| Sourced from animals humanely raised with no hormones or antibiotics ever |
| Satisfaction guarantee on your first order. |
What is Viva Raw?
Beyond the numerous health benefits a raw food diet can have for your precious pooch (think less inflammation, more energy and better gum health), Viva Raw Dog Food focuses on providing only the highest-quality, ethically sourced ingredients from the same farms as your local Whole Foods and favorite restaurants. Their protein-rich, wholesome recipes are developed by nutritionists and formulated to meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) standards. They’re made in small batches in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) kitchens, frozen at the peak of freshness and delivered right to your door in eco-friendly coolers. So you can feel good knowing you’re making the best choice for your pet—and for the planet.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Highest-quality, human-grade ingredients | Pricier than kibble but comparative to other raw dog foods |
| Ethically sourced meats from small farms | Need to have adequate freezer space to store meals |
| Zero chemicals, antibiotics, hormones & fillers | Shipping is only free for orders over $250 |
| Whole foods help ensure maximum healthy benefits | |
| Prepared in USDA kitchens for superior safety | |
| Small batches help promote highest quality standards | |
| Variety of ground and chunky recipes | |
| Transparency from ingredient list to manufacturing process | |
| Complete, well balanced raw meals without the mess | |
| Delivered frozen in an eco-friendly cooler |
Ingredients in Viva Raw Dog Food
Viva Raw Dog Food stands out by carefully selecting quality, wholesome ingredients that will impress both you and your pet. They only work with farms who refuse to use hormones and antibiotics, and are committed to creating a healthy, happy environment for their animals. They feature single source protein recipes like Chicken, Beef and Duck with organic fruits and veggies, plus superfoods like green mussels and shiitake mushrooms, to provide meals full of whole foods you can actually see.
Nutritional Composition of Viva Raw Pet Food
All of the nutritionist-developed recipes in Viva Raw Dog Food focus on whole food ingredients over synthetics to provide the vitamins and nutrients your dog needs in the most natural form, which can be more easily absorbed and utilized. On top of meeting AAFCO requirements, each recipe is optimized to provide a well-rounded meal made up of:
- 90 percent meat featuring lean, quality cuts
- 8 percent organic fruits and vegetables—no starchy fillers
- 2 percent natural supplements from whole foods
How Does Viva Raw Pet Food Work?
Viva Raw Dog food makes it easy to prepare high-quality, nutritionally balanced raw meals your dog loves—without the work. They make their protein-rich meals in USDA kitchens that require the same food safety standards as the ones we eat in. Prepared in small batches to ensure the best flavor and freshness, all Viva Raw dog food is tested for pathogens to ensure it’s as safe as it is satisfying for your pup.
It’s easy to order directly at Vivarawpets.com where you can either choose to take a quick quiz to receive personalized quantity and recipe recommendations for your pooch, or skip directly to adding recipes of your choice. They even have staff on hand to help address your feeding or recipe questions, so feel free to reach out if you’re looking for more specific guidance.
You can select between either chunky or ground textures as well as single protein Complete recipes, like Chicken, Turkey, Beef and Duck (ground recipes also include Rabbit and a combination of Turkey and Beef).
While Viva Raw recommends starting with their Complete recipes that follow AAFCO guidelines for dogs, they also offer a Pure line of meals that are prey model-based mixes with no added vegetables or natural supplements. This line may appeal to the pickiest pets, those with allergies or for pup parents looking to add their own ingredients.
You have the option of placing a one-time order (10-pound minimum) or sign up to have your pup’s meals sent automatically every two, four, six or eight weeks. Your order will be shipped directly to your doorstep between Monday and Wednesday, and each recipe will arrive frozen in a two-pound pouch, so you’ll need to thaw them in the fridge for about 12 to 24 hours before feeding. You can even thaw, portion it into smaller sizes, and refreeze as needed!
Cost of Viva Raw Dog Food
Feeding your pup a high-quality raw diet doesn’t always come cheap, but most pet parents would agree that the human-grade, ethically sourced ingredients, plus the peace-of-mind that comes with feeding your pet Viva Raw is well worth it.
Since feeding amounts will vary based on your dog’s size, age and activity level, your price point will be much different for a larger breed like a Lab versus a smaller sized Yorkie. The average cost of Viva Raw dog food runs about $6 to $7 a day for a 30-pound dog.
With Viva Raw, you’ll get free shipping on orders over $250 (additional charges apply to customers in Alaska, Hawaii and certain parts of Texas and Montana). If your order is under that amount, you’ll be charged a flat-rate shipping fee between $10 and $20 based on your location.
Viva Raw Trial and Money Back Guarantee
As part of their Clean Bowl Guarantee, Viva Raw will offer a refund or credit on the remainder of your first order if you contact them within 30 days of delivery, although they stipulate that this guarantee is at their discretion. They can also ship your first order in a two-week increment so your pup can try the food before you fully commit and receive a larger quantity.
Viva Raw Pets Discount Code
While Viva Raw dog food doesn’t typically run promotions directly on their own site, they do work with veterinarians and an active social network community that may be able to help provide special partner pricing.
What Makes Viva Raw Dog Food Different?
While the fresh pet food market sees new manufacturers popping up daily, Viva Raw Pet stands out from the crowd in more ways than one.
Top-Tier Ingredients
The people at Viva Raw get just how important your pup is to you, and they believe you shouldn’t have to settle for feeding your pooch anything but the best ingredients, so neither do they. They thoughtfully source their protein from smaller farms that are committed to raising healthy, happy animals free from hormones or antibiotics and are certified humane through third-party audits like Global Animal Partnership (GAP) or the American Humane Program. Viva Raw dog food features whole food ingredients that are organic or wild-caught when possible, plus superfoods to ensure your pup is getting the health benefits they need in every bite.
Distinct Texture
With many pet foods, you often can’t tell what is what in that brownish mush or hard kibble you’re pouring into your pup’s bowl. Viva Raw is the only fresh food company producing recipes with one- to two-inch chunks of food so you can easily distinguish the different ingredients, plus provide your pup with something to sink their teeth into. (They also offer ground recipes they recommend for pickier pups or those new to raw.)
Small batch from scratch
The people behind Viva Raw pet food hold themselves to high standards. In order to ensure the highest food quality and safety standards, they grind, mix and package their recipes in small batches in USDA kitchens that follow the same requirements that go into making human food. These small batches allow them to constantly test for pathogens like E. coli and ensure peak freshness and quality.
About Viva Raw
Born from the brains and kitchen of two pup parents looking to feed their dog healthier during the pandemic, Viva Raw remains a family-run company committed to providing the highest quality, ethically sourced, nutritionally balanced fresh meals so your pet can reap the rewards of raw food without you doing all the work.
Viva Raw Customer Service
At Viva Raw, there is a team of caring pet lovers available to help answer feeding questions, providing recommendations or just general support via:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: 919-371-8882
- Live chat at Vivarawpets.com
Viva Raw vs. Other Dog Food Delivery Services
Here’s a look at how Viva Raw compares to another leading raw dog food company.
We Feed Raw vs Viva Raw
We Feed Raw is a respected, popular pick in the industry, and Viva Raw dog food shares a lot of the same standards while stepping it up a notch by sourcing only hormone-free, ethically raised meats, using only whole ingredients and natural supplements, and providing a greater variety of recipes to choose from with their ground and chunky textured meals. Viva Raw also offers more flexibility for one-off orders as you can order as little as 10 pounds of food, while with We Feed Raw, you need to order in increments of 30 pounds (eg, 30, 60, 90), which may not work for your pup’s needs or freezer space.
The Bottom Line: Why We Love It
The long list of health benefits that can come along with feeding your pup a raw food diet may be reason enough, but we really value the dedication of Viva Raw to creating quality, balanced meals by following the highest standards of care from start to finish. From ensuring the animals they source come from enriched, chemical-free environments, to promoting transparency through each step of their top-notch manufacturing process, Viva Raw removes the stress of creating raw meals for your four-legged family member—so both you and your pup can live your best lives.
FAQ
Where is Viva Raw Dog Food located?
Viva Raw was founded in 2020 by two dedicated pet parents and is based in Hillsborough, N.C.
How many calories are in Viva Raw?
Viva Raw offers a range of products with varying calorie counts. Their popular Chicken recipe has approximately 35 kilocalories per ounce, while their beef recipe runs around 50 kilocalories per ounce.
Overall, the amount of calories in Viva Raw products varies depending on the specific product you choose.
Who owns Viva raw?
Viva Raw was founded by two pup parents, Zach and Jenn, who were determined to feed their beloved dog Karoo a healthier, fresh diet to help her live her best doggie life. Frustrated by the process and mess of creating raw meals at home, plus the lack of transparency from other fresh food brands on the market, they set out to do things better by creating their own company in 2020—and they’re still at the helm of Viva Raw today.
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