We Feed Raw vs Ollie: A Deep Dive Into Safety, Convenience, and Nutrient Density

As the "fresh food" movement in pet nutrition continues to grow, pet parents are increasingly moving away from kibble and toward whole-food options. When researching the best way to upgrade your dog's bowl, two prominent names often lead the pack: We Feed Raw and Ollie.

When you look at We Feed Raw vs Ollie, you are looking at two different nutritional philosophies. Navigating the marketing around organic vs fresh vs all-natural dog food can be confusing, but the core difference here is simple: raw versus cooked.

While both brands use high-quality, human-grade ingredients, the way those ingredients are processed—or not processed—makes a massive difference in your dog's long-term health.

This guide breaks down the science, the safety, and the daily reality of feeding these two popular brands to help you decide which one is the right fit for your pup.

Processing and Nutrition: The Heat Factor

The primary differentiator between We Feed Raw and Ollie is how the food is prepared. Ollie is a fresh-cooked dog food company, while We Feed Raw provides a 100% raw diet.

Ollie: Gently Cooked for Human Appeal

Ollie’s recipes are "gently cooked" at low temperatures. While this is a significant step up from the extreme heat used to make kibble, even low-heat cooking impacts the nutritional profile of the food:

• •Nutrient Degradation: Heat, even at low levels, can denature proteins and destroy or reduce the bioavailability of delicate enzymes, vitamins, and amino acids.

• •Fillers and Starches: Ollie recipes include a significant amount of plant matter, such as rice, oats, sweet potatoes, and peas. While these are whole foods, they contribute a higher carbohydrate load than a dog's ancestral diet requires.

We Feed Raw: Uncompromised Raw Integrity

We Feed Raw believes in keeping food in its most bioavailable state. By serving food raw, we ensure that every enzyme, amino acid, and nutrient remains exactly as nature intended.

Ancestral Diet

Our frozen raw recipes follow a precise 80/10/10 Prey Model Raw ratio: 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat, and 10% finely ground bone.

Similarly, our freeze-dried recipes are crafted with an ancestral focus, containing 85% muscle meat and organ meat alongside 15% non-GMO fruits and vegetables to provide a complete, shelf-stable hybrid diet for adult dogs.

Both lines ensure your dog receives the nutrient-dense profile their biology requires.

Compositional Simplicity

We do not use grains, legumes, or starchy fillers. This makes our food easier for dogs to digest and absorb, often leading to smaller, firmer stools and improved energy.

By choosing a raw diet, you are providing the most nutrient-dense option available, without the losses associated with cooking.

Formulated for Superior Digestibility

While fresh-cooked brands often highlight their veterinary involvement, We Feed Raw takes nutritional science to the highest level. Our recipes are formulated by a highly experienced PhD animal nutritionist with over 30 years of experience in the field.

This ensures that every meal is not just "fresh," but scientifically balanced for long-term health.

True Ingredient Simplicity

While some cooked diets claim to be good for sensitive dogs, our frozen recipes offer the ultimate in limited-ingredient nutrition.

By focusing purely on meat, organs, and bone, we eliminate the complex starches and plant-based binders that can often trigger sensitivities in dogs.

The Digestibility Advantage

It is a common misconception that cooking makes food easier to digest. In reality, raw and fresh dog foods have been shown to outperform extruded and "lightly cooked" diets when it comes to nutrient digestibility. 

Because raw food works in harmony with a dog's short, acidic digestive tract, your dog can absorb more nutrients with less metabolic waste. This leads to the smaller, firmer stools and improved gut health that raw feeders consistently report.

Safety First: The Power of HPP (High-Pressure Processing)

A common concern raised in discussions about raw feeding is the risk of pathogens. In the We Feed Raw vs Ollie debate, many assume that Ollie is "safer" because it is cooked. However, this ignores the advanced technology We Feed Raw uses to ensure safety without the need for heat.

High-Pressure Pasteurization: Safety Without Heat

At We Feed Raw, safety is non-negotiable. Every recipe we produce—both frozen and freeze-dried—undergoes high-pressure processing (HPP), also known as high-pressure pasteurization:

• •Inactivating Pathogens: HPP uses extreme water pressure (up to 87,000 psi) to inactivate pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. It also helps protect against viruses, including bird flu.

• •The Cold Pressure Advantage: Because this is a non-thermal process, the food stays 100% raw. You get the safety of a cooked diet with the superior nutrition of a raw one.

Ollie: Safety Through Heat

Ollie ensures safety by cooking their meat to an internal temperature of 165°F. While this effectively kills bacteria, it also changes the molecular structure of the meat and reduces the levels of naturally occurring nutrients.

When you choose We Feed Raw, you don't have to choose between safety and raw nutrition. Our use of high-pressure processing (HPP) ensures that your dog—and your family—is protected.

Convenience and Variety: Which Fits Your Lifestyle?

Pet parents often worry that raw feeding is too much work. In the We Feed Raw vs Ollie comparison, convenience is often cited as a win for cooked food, but that is an outdated perspective.

The Ease of Freeze-Dried Raw

While our frozen patties require 24 hours to thaw in the fridge, We Feed Raw offers an incredibly convenient alternative: freeze-dried raw:

• •Shelf-Stable: Our freeze-dried recipes (for adult dogs) are lightweight and can be stored in the pantry.

• •Scoop and Serve: There is zero thawing and zero mess. This provides the same level of convenience as Ollie’s fresh-cooked portions—or even a high-end kibble—but with 100% raw nutrition.

Ollie’s Packaging

Ollie meals come in vacuum-sealed trays or pouches. They must be kept frozen and then moved to the fridge to thaw. Some owners find the "mushy" texture of cooked food a bit messy to portion out, but the pre-portioned nature of the subscription makes it relatively straightforward.

Protein Variety

Variety is the spice of life—and it’s great for a dog's immune system:

• •We Feed Raw: We offer five core proteins in our frozen line—beef, chicken, turkey, duck, and lamb—as well as two proteins in our freeze-dried line—beef and chicken.

• •Ollie: Typically offers four to five recipes (beef, chicken, turkey, lamb, and sometimes pork).

The ability to rotate through more exotic proteins like duck is a major benefit for dogs with common chicken or beef allergies.

Value: Nutrient Density vs. Water Weight

When comparing the price of We Feed Raw vs Ollie, it is important to look at more than just the monthly cost; you have to look at what you are paying for:

• •Nutrient Density: Because We Feed Raw has zero fillers, every ounce of food is packed with bioavailable nutrition. Dogs often need to eat less volume of a raw diet than they do of a cooked diet to get the same caloric and nutritional intake.

• •Filling the Bowl: Ollie recipes include significant amounts of moisture and plant fiber. While this is healthy, it means you are paying for ingredients like sweet potatoes and rice that don't have the same biological value as the high-quality organ and muscle meats found in a raw diet.

Pet parents often find that while the price point may be similar, the transformative health results—from shinier coats to the resolution of itchy skin—make We Feed Raw the higher-value investment.

Which Should You Choose?

In the end, the choice between We Feed Raw vs Ollie depends on your comfort level and your dog's specific needs:

• •Choose We Feed Raw if: You want the highest possible nutrient density, you want to follow a biologically appropriate ancestral diet, and you want the peace of mind that comes with high-pressure processing (HPP) to inactivate pathogens without heat.

• •Choose Ollie if: You are not yet comfortable with raw feeding and prefer a fresh-cooked diet that includes a higher percentage of vegetables and grains.

Ready to Choose We Feed Raw? 

At We Feed Raw, we are committed to making raw feeding safe, simple, and convenient. Whether you choose our easy-thaw frozen patties or our grab-and-go freeze-dried line, you are giving your dog the best chance at a long, vibrant life.

Ready to see the difference a safe, simple, and raw diet can make? Take our quiz today to get started on your dog's personalized meal plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does We Feed Raw require a lot of freezer space?

While our frozen patties require freezer storage and a 24-hour thaw in the refrigerator, we offer a highly convenient alternative for those with limited freezer space.

Our freeze-dried raw line requires no freezer space, no fridge space, and zero thawing. It is shelf-stable and can be stored in your pantry, making it the perfect solution for small kitchens, travel, or anyone looking for the ease of scoop-and-serve feeding without sacrificing raw nutrition.

Is raw dog food really safe to handle in my kitchen?

Yes, at We Feed Raw, we go to great lengths to ensure our food is safe for both your dog and your family.

Unlike many raw brands, every We Feed Raw recipe undergoes high-pressure processing (HPP), also referred to as high-pressure pasteurization. This cold-water pressure method effectively inactivates pathogens such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria—and even protects against viruses like bird flu—without using heat.

This ensures a safe, pathogen-free environment in your home while keeping the food 100% raw.

How does the digestibility of We Feed Raw compare to "gently cooked" food like Ollie?

Many owners assume cooked food is easier on the stomach, but biology tells a different story. Dogs have short, highly acidic digestive tracts designed to process raw meat efficiently. In fact, raw food is more digestible than even "gently cooked" food.

While Ollie is a step up from kibble, the cooking process still denatures proteins and reduces the bioavailability of nutrients. With a raw diet, your dog absorbs more nutrients with less metabolic effort, leading to smaller, firmer stools.

Who formulates the recipes at We Feed Raw?

Our recipes are not "chef-inspired"; they are scientifically designed for long-term health. All of our meals are formulated by a highly experienced PhD animal nutritionist with over 30 years of expertise in pet nutrition.

This ensures that whether you choose our simple frozen recipes or our convenient freeze-dried line, your dog is getting a perfectly balanced meal that meets all AAFCO nutritional requirements for their specific life stage.

Please note that our frozen recipes are formulated for dogs of all life stages, while our freeze-dried line is for adult dogs only.

What ingredients are in the freeze-dried raw line?

Our freeze-dried line is designed as a complete and balanced hybrid diet for adult dogs. These recipes contain 85% muscle meat and organ meat alongside 15% non-GMO fruits and vegetables.

This combination provides the essential animal proteins and fats dogs need, with added fiber and phytonutrients from high-quality produce. It offers a convenient, shelf-stable way to feed raw while including the plant-based benefits that many pet parents appreciate.