We Feed Raw vs The Farmer's Dog: Which Diet Is Truly Best for Your Dog?

The primary differences between We Feed Raw vs The Farmer's Dog center on processing methods, carbohydrate content, and storage flexibility.

We Feed Raw delivers a completely uncooked, ancestral diet composed of meat, organs, and bone designed to match a canine's biological needs. The Farmer's Dog provides a gently cooked, fresh meal plan that incorporates active plant starches, grains, or legumes. 

Understanding why a species-appropriate raw food is good for dogs helps pet parents identify which fresh alternative offers the most natural health upgrades.

What Is the Difference Between Raw and Gently Cooked Dog Food?

The core distinction between raw and gently cooked dog food is the application of heat during manufacturing:

• •We Feed Raw remains completely uncooked, preserving vital live enzymes, high moisture levels, and fragile micronutrients in their most natural state.

• •The Farmer's Dog utilizes gentle heat to cook their whole-food recipes, which upgrades standard nutrition relative to ultra-processed kibble but structurally modifies heat-sensitive vitamins and eliminates natural digestive enzymes.

This choice of processing directly impacts canine nutrient absorption and digestibility. Uncooked raw diets keep proteins fully intact, allowing your dog's short, highly acidic digestive tract to process meals rapidly and cleanly without heat-damaged elements.

Is High-Pressure Processing Better Than Cooking for Pathogen Safety?

Yes, high-pressure processing is a superior method for preserving ancestral nutrients because it eliminates pathogens without using heat.

While The Farmer's Dog relies on cooking to eliminate potential bacteria, We Feed Raw protects your household through cold-water high-pressure processing (HPP). This advanced safety intervention applies intense water pressure to naturally neutralize Salmonella and E. coli while keeping the product 100% raw and biologically intact.

Because of this rigorous standard, We Feed Raw has maintained a flawless, recall-free safety record across our entire product line.

How Do the Ingredient Philosophies of We Feed Raw vs The Farmer's Dog Compare?

The ingredient philosophies differ based on recipe structure and how plant-based ingredients are utilized across product lines :

• •We Feed Raw tailors its approach. Our five core frozen raw recipes follow a strict carnivorous framework consisting of 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat, and 10% ground bone fortified with essential trace vitamins. Our shelf-stable freeze-dried recipes utilize a balanced blend of 85% premium animal proteins and 15% non-GMO fruits and vegetables to deliver healthy fiber and antioxidants without freezer storage. 

• •The Farmer's Dog blends real meats with a heavy portion of vegetables and legumes like sweet potatoes, lentils, or carrots, which adds unnecessary plant carbohydrates to a dog's daily intake.

Renowned PhD animal nutritionist Dr. Richard Patton highlights the biological mismatch of starchy diets: "Dogs do not have a nutritional requirement for starch. They do have a requirement for quality protein and fat."

Which Brand Offers More Recipe Variety and Product Formats?

We Feed Raw offers a superior recipe format variety by providing both premium frozen raw patties and shelf-stable options.

Our menu features five core frozen raw proteins (chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, and duck) formulated for dogs of all life stages, plus two freeze-dried raw recipes (chicken and beef) developed exclusively for adult dogs.

The Farmer's Dog provides four standard cooked proteins (beef, chicken, turkey, and pork) packaged exclusively in a fresh-frozen format that requires constant refrigeration.

How Do Convenience, Storage, and Cost Compare?

The practical user experience varies significantly based on meal shapes and storage requirements.

We Feed Raw ships frozen meals into pre-measured, individual patties that stack neatly and allow you to thaw only what you need. The Farmer's Dog packages food in larger, flexible plastic tubes that must be manually squeezed out and stored in the refrigerator once opened, which can create a messier kitchen routine.

Key lifestyle factors to consider include:

• •Storage space: We Feed Raw patties thaw individually as needed, and our freeze-dried lines require zero refrigeration, whereas cooked fresh tubes take up continuous space in your refrigerator or freezer

• •Leftover management: We Feed Raw includes a complimentary, sealable container with your first order to store partial patties cleanly

• •Nutrient density: Raw meat and bone diets are exceptionally nutrient-dense, meaning your pet requires smaller daily physical portions than they would on a cooked plan loaded with heavy plant fibers

What Is the Final Verdict on We Feed Raw vs The Farmer's Dog?

The decision between We Feed Raw vs The Farmer's Dog depends on whether you want a truly ancestral raw diet or a cooked fresh meal.

While gently cooked food represents a massive upgrade over traditional dry kibble, it cannot match the raw enzyme activity, high bioavailability, and low-carbohydrate profile of an uncooked diet.

We Feed Raw delivers complete, AAFCO-compliant nutrition that aligns perfectly with canine evolutionary biology while securing total peace of mind through non-thermal pasteurization.

Take our quiz now to build a custom raw meal plan tailored specifically to your dog's age, weight, and lifestyle needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About We Feed Raw vs The Farmer's Dog

What is the main difference between We Feed Raw and The Farmer's Dog?

The primary difference is the cooking process and ingredient layout. We Feed Raw provides an uncooked, species-appropriate raw diet of meat, organs, and bone. The Farmer's Dog provides a gently heated fresh diet that blends meat with whole vegetables and legumes.

Is We Feed Raw or The Farmer's Dog safer against bacteria?

Both brands deliver elite pathogen safety but achieve it differently. The Farmer's Dog utilizes heat to cook away potential bacteria. We Feed Raw uses cold-water high-pressure processing (HPP) to completely inactivate pathogens while preserving 100% of the live nutrients and enzymes.

Do raw dog food diets have better digestibility than cooked fresh food?

Yes, scientific testing indicates that uncooked raw diets show exceptional protein bioavailability and digestibility over cooked alternatives. Canines process raw animal tissue more rapidly, which leads to significantly smaller, firmer, and less smelly stools.

Which fresh food brand is more convenient for travel?

We Feed Raw offers greater travel convenience through our shelf-stable, freeze-dried raw recipes. These complete meals require no freezers or refrigeration, unlike the cooked fresh tubes from The Farmer's Dog, which must remain cold at all times.