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Choosing the right food for your dog is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Two of the most popular premium options are fresh dog food and raw dog food. But which is better for your pup’s health, happiness, and longevity?
At Ollie, we believe fresh dog food offers the best balance of nutrition, safety, and convenience — and experts agree.
Let’s break it down.
Fresh dog food is made from real, human-grade ingredients like meats, fruits, vegetables, and grains. It’s gently cooked to preserve nutrients, then delivered fresh — never shelf-stable for months like kibble.
Ollie recipes are carefully formulated by veterinary nutritionists to meet all AAFCO standards, ensuring your dog gets complete and balanced meals with every bite.
Raw diets are typically made up of uncooked meat, bones, and sometimes fruits and vegetables. The idea is to mimic what dogs’ wild ancestors might have eaten.
According to the U.S. FDA, “Feeding raw foods to pets carries a higher risk of foodborne illness, both for the pet and for humans in the household.
Dr. Renate Reimschuessel, VMD, PhD, states, that the pet food study performed by the FDA study has “identified a potential health risk for the pets eating the raw food, and for the owners handling the product.”
Feature | Fresh Food | Raw Food |
Ingredient Quality | Human-grade, cooked safely | Often human-grade but uncooked |
Safety | Cooked to eliminate pathogens | Higher risk of harmful bacteria |
Nutrition | Complete and balanced | Can be unbalanced without expert formulation |
Convenience | Delivered ready-to-serve | Often requires special handling or thawing |
Shelf Life | Refrigerated and portioned | Frozen and requires thawing |
Cost | $2-10/day | $4-12+/day |
Fresh dog food is gently cooked to kill harmful bacteria without destroying nutrients. Raw food, by contrast, carries a documented risk of foodborne illness for both dogs and their human family members.
Ollie fresh dog food recipes are created with veterinary nutritionists and exceed AAFCO standards for complete nutrition. Many raw feeders unintentionally create unbalanced meals, leading to long-term health problems like bone deformities, heart issues, and vitamin deficiencies.
A 2019 study of raw dog food diets found that “Many homemade or commercial raw diets are not nutritionally complete, which can cause serious health consequences.”
Ollie pre-portioned, ready-to-serve meals take the guesswork (and mess!) out of feeding time. No handling raw meat, no thawing, no worrying about contamination.
Fresh food often ends up being more affordable when you account for convenience, balanced nutrition, and reduced veterinary risks.
Numerous studies show that dogs on fresh, balanced diets can experience:
In fact, a study found that dogs who were fed a fresh diet lived an average of 13.1 years, while those fed commercial, canned dog food lived an average of 10.4 years. In other words, a fresh food diet could help you and your dog enjoy an additional 2.5 years of love, laughter and licks.
While both fresh and raw diets focus on giving your dog better nutrition than traditional kibble, fresh dog food — like Ollie — is often considered safer, more convenient, more nutritionally balanced, and easier to trust.
If you want all the benefits of a fresh, wholesome diet without the risks and hassle of raw feeding, Ollie is the perfect choice for your pup.
Explore Ollie fresh dog food plans today and see the difference for yourself!
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The nutrition your dog needs,
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