Frequently Asked Questions

While raw, freeze-dried and dehydrated foods generally need to be defrosted or rehydrated before feeding, RawTernative is ready to eat with a hearty texture just like real meat. RawTernative is a complete diet that does not need to be supplemented, and the gentle air-drying process used to make it maintains the nutrients and natural taste of our raw ingredients. The result is a food that is just as healthy and nutrient dense as raw, and which is free from any pathogens or bacteria that could be found in raw meat.

RawTernative is also a great option to use as a topper or treat, for those who want to give their pet the benefits of raw food without committing to a full raw diet.

Pet parents who regularly feed raw diets find that RawTernative is great to use while traveling or when a neighbor or dog sitter is feeding their pet. RawTernative provides all the health benefits of raw while being portable and not requiring extra or advanced preparation.

Use the following guideline to transition your pet to a full RawTernative Diet:

If you prefer to keep your dog on their current diet, but would still like them to reap the health benefits of a raw-alternative food, RawTernative makes an excellent topper or mix in. The addition of even a small amount of RawTernative to a kibble or canned food diet may help increase your dog’s activity levels, improve their skin and coat and increase their overall level of health and well-being.

Reduce the quantity of your dog’s current diet in proportion to the amount of RawTernative being fed and adjust the exact quantities as needed to maintain optimal weight.

RawTernative is super palatable to picky eaters, but if your dog is hooked on his or her old diet, try introducing RawTernative more slowly than suggested in our transition guidelines above. Also, don’t be afraid to incentivize with treats, and don’t hover during mealtime. Inspire confidence by walking away, or at least, by observing from afar.

While most dogs do well eating the same protein long-term, switching up proteins every 6 weeks to a few months is a great way to help avoid protein-based allergy issues. Providing variety in the form of protein rotation also discourages picky eating behavior.

It is a common misconception that crunchy foods keep pets’ teeth clean when they chew. In fact, the most important factor in doggie dental hygiene is not the texture of the food but the quality of their diet, and feeding RawTernative means your pet is getting high quality nutrition.

No, RawTernative is a complete diet that does not need to be supplemented.

Yes, RawTernative is formulated as a complete diet to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO for adult dogs of all sizes & breeds, and for medium & small-breed puppies. Large Breed Puppies should not eat RawTernative as a complete diet as their calcium needs differ from puppies of small and medium size breeds. However large breed puppies can still enjoy RawTernative as a treat or topper!

Store RawTernative in its original bag with the zip lock tightly sealed or in another air tight container. It is best kept in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. In high humidity areas, we suggest storing it in the fridge.

When stored as outlined above, RawTernative is best if fed within 6 weeks of opening.

If storing in a cool, dry place is not an option in your area or climate, we recommend consuming or refrigerating RawTernative within 7 days of opening the bag. If refrigerating, we recommend feeding within 6 weeks of opening.

The Shelf Life of an unopened bag of RawTernative is 18 months for packages that have a clear plastic window, and two years for those that do not.

RawTernative is made in New Zealand because of the nation’s high environmental standards and ethical farming practices. This allows us to source our primary ingredients—pastured-raised, free-grazing, grass-fed beef and lamb and cage-free chicken—from small family farms across the New Zealand countryside. The ingredients in every bag of RawTernative can be traced all the way back to the source

The exclusive availability of New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussels is another reason we choose to make RawTernative in New Zealand. We include them in RawTernative for their nutritional superpowers: they are natural sources of glucosamine and chondroitin, which are excellent for your dogs’ long-term joint health, and are packed with heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids and other ocean-rich vitamins and minerals. Green-Lipped Mussels are also sustainably raised and harvested and are rated among the top eco-friendly seafoods in the world.

Vegetable Glycerin keeps RawTernative moist, so it is ready to eat with a hearty texture just like real meat.

All cows and sheep in New Zealand spend their lives freely roaming and grazing on grass. With the abundance of farmland in the country, there is no need for feedlots or indoor feeding. This means that in New Zealand, grass-fed animals are grass fed for life, while in the US they need only be grass fed for a short period of time for their meat to be described as grass fed.

Cage-free chickens may roam freely either within a barn system or outdoors. If the chickens live indoors, they are still guaranteed to have perches to roost on and space to stretch their wings, providing for their behavioral needs in an environment that is as close to free-range as possible. The vast majority of chickens in the US are still raised in caged environments, whereas New Zealand is actively working to phase out the use of cages entirely.