Before she was making raw dog food for other people, Alissa Zalneraitis was making it for ten dogs in her own kitchen. Most of them were rescues, and most came with something to fix: bad skin, sensitive stomachs, low energy.
That kitchen experiment became We Feed Raw, a subscription that delivers complete and balanced raw meals, portioned for your specific dog and formulated by a PhD animal nutritionist. It comes in two formats: Fresh Patties, kept frozen and made for all life stages, and shelf-stable Freeze-Dried Nuggets for adult dogs. Plans run from about $3 per day for a 10-pound dog to $15 per day for a 120-pound dog.
New customers get 50% off their first meal plan box, plus free shipping.
In short, this is raw feeding for people who believe in the diet but don’t want to become their own butcher and canine nutritionist.
If you’ve ever stood in a pet store aisle turning a bag over to read the back, you already know the feeling that started all of this. You probably also know the questions that come next: Is raw actually safe? Am I getting it right? Can I afford it?
This guide answers each one specifically for We Feed Raw: how the meal plan works, what’s in the food, how Fresh Patties and Freeze-Dried Nuggets compare, what it costs for each dog size, how the company handles safety, and which dogs and owners it actually suits.
The Story Behind We Feed Raw
Alissa did not set out to start a company. She set out to feed her own dogs better.
She read everything she could find on canine nutrition, then began preparing fresh raw meals at home. The results showed up quickly. Her dogs’ coats got glossier. Their energy picked up. The small chronic issues that had felt like part of the package started to fade.
Word spread, and she started making meals for a friend’s dog, then for friends of friends, one bowl at a time. The company was officially founded in 2009.
Alissa passed away in 2014, but her sister Amy Zalneraitis stepped in alongside the rest of the family. None of them had planned on a career in pet food. However, they decided the work was too important to let go, and committed to carrying it forward.
Amy Zalneraitis, Alissa’s sister, who carried We Feed Raw forward with their family.
More than 20 million meals later, the company still runs on that premise. Recipes are formulated by a PhD animal nutritionist, every meal is portioned for the individual dog, and the whole operation is built by people who believe dogs deserve better than what most bags offer. In 2026, the Pet Innovation Awards named We Feed Raw the Frozen/Raw Product of the Year.
How the We Feed Raw Meal Plan Works
We Feed Raw is not a shelf of products you pick from. It is a single meal plan, tailored to your specific dog.
You start with a short questionnaire covering your dog’s weight, age, activity level, health needs, and current diet. From there, the plan comes back with recommended recipes, a daily portion worked out for your dog, and a delivery schedule.
Portions arrive pre-measured, which removes the part of raw feeding that most people struggle with. There is no weighing and no math at the counter.
Those portions are built around your dog’s daily calorie needs. For a five-year-old moderately active neutered male maintaining his weight, a plan targets roughly:
| Dog weight | Calories per day |
|---|---|
| 10 lbs | 225 |
| 25 lbs | 450 |
| 50 lbs | 720 |
| 80 lbs | 1,080 |
| 120 lbs | 1,440 |
Those numbers shift with your dog’s specific profile. A more active dog needs more, an older dog usually less, and the plan recalculates accordingly.
The first box is a Starter Box, priced lower than ongoing deliveries and structured to ease the switch. Every Starter Box covers 10 days of transition, followed by a stretch of full feeding sized to your dog, and includes a free silicone storage container and a step-by-step starter guide. That second part is deliberate: it lands your dog on a delivery cycle where you never run out between shipments and never have to store more food than you have room for.
Raw feeding also does not have to be all or nothing. When you build your plan, you can choose a full plan or a half plan, which replaces 50 percent of your dog’s diet and leaves the rest as it is. After your Starter Box, you can also choose to feed 25 or 75 percent raw, so you can tune the balance over time. Which tiers are available depends on your dog’s size and calorie needs, with larger dogs having the most flexibility.
Answer a few questions and get a plan built for your dog.
What Is Actually in the Food
We Feed Raw offers one core meal plan in two formats. Fresh Patties are kept frozen and thawed before serving. Freeze-Dried Nuggets are shelf-stable and can be stored in your pantry.
Both are complete and balanced, formulated by a PhD animal nutritionist, and both are built on whole animal nutrition rather than processed ingredients. There is one difference worth knowing before you choose. Fresh Patties are formulated for all life stages, including puppies and pregnant or nursing dogs. Freeze-Dried Nuggets are formulated for adult maintenance.
Fresh Patties come in five recipes: beef, chicken, duck, lamb, and turkey. Duck and lamb are premium recipes and cost a little more. The lamb is pasture-raised in New Zealand, and the rest is sourced from suppliers in the United States. Freeze-Dried Nuggets come in grass-fed, grass-finished beef and cage-free chicken.
Each recipe is built the way a raw diet is meant to be: muscle meat for protein, organ meat for nutrients that muscle alone cannot supply, ground bone for calcium and phosphorus, and a few essential vitamins and trace minerals that close the remaining gaps, making the meal complete on its own. Getting the ratios right is the single hardest thing about feeding raw at home, and it is the part most homemade diets get wrong.
The food is sourced from USDA meats and produced in an SQF-certified facility, meaning it meets internationally recognized standards for food safety and quality. There is no grain, corn, soy, or wheat, no fillers, and no artificial colors or preservatives.
Fresh Patties vs. Freeze-Dried Nuggets: Which Fits Your Routine
Both formats are complete and balanced, so for a grown dog, this choice comes down to your kitchen and your schedule rather than your dog’s nutrition. If you have a puppy, Fresh Patties are the format built for them.
| Fresh Patties | Freeze-Dried Nuggets | |
|---|---|---|
| Life stage | All life stages | Adult dogs |
| Storage | Freezer | Pantry, fully shelf-stable |
| Prep | Thaw in the fridge, then serve | Serve dry, or rehydrate with water or bone broth |
| Once opened | Good for 4 days after thawing | Stays fresh up to 30 days |
| Included | Free silicone container and starter guide | Free portioning scoop and starter guide |
| Travel | Needs cold storage | No refrigeration required |
| Cost | Identical at the same dog size | Identical at the same dog size |
Fresh Patties are the most popular choice and the closest thing to the way Alissa originally fed her own dogs. They stack flat in the freezer, thaw in the fridge, and go straight from container to bowl.
Freeze-Dried Nuggets go from pantry to bowl in seconds. Scoop and serve, or add warm water or bone broth if your dog prefers a little moisture. They travel well and work nicely as a topper if you want to gradually introduce raw alongside your dog’s current food.
What We Feed Raw Costs, by Dog Size
This is the part most people want first, and it is the part most reviews leave vague. So here are real numbers, straight from We Feed Raw.
| Dog size | Starter Box, per day (50% off) | Ongoing, per day | Per week | Every 4 weeks | Deliveries arrive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lbs | ~$1.37 | $2.92 | $20.44 | $81.76 | every 8 weeks |
| 25 lbs | ~$2.28 | $5.00 | $35.00 | $140.00 | every 5 weeks |
| 50 lbs | ~$3.14 | $8.00 | $56.00 | $224.00 | every 4 weeks |
| 80 lbs | ~$4.28 | $11.24 | $78.68 | $314.72 | every 2 weeks |
| 120 lbs | ~$5.67 | $15.12 | $105.84 | $423.36 | every 2 weeks |
Prices reflect the standard recipes: beef, chicken, and turkey. Duck and lamb cost slightly more. Starter Box figures are approximate; you’ll see the exact price for your dog in the plan builder.
Two things worth noticing here.
The price is the same whether you choose Fresh Patties or Freeze-Dried Nuggets. You can toggle between formats while building your plan and watch the number stay put, which means the format decision is purely about your routine rather than your budget.
Delivery frequency scales with your dog. A 10-pound dog gets a shipment every eight weeks, while a 120-pound dog gets one every two. That is intentional, so you always have food on hand without storing an unreasonable amount at once.
Making it work for a bigger dog or a smaller budget
Cost scales with the dog’s size, and a large breed on a full raw plan is a real commitment. This is where many dog parents take advantage of the partial plans.
An 80-pound dog on a full plan costs $11.24 per day, or about $79 per week. The same dog on a half plan runs closer to $5.60 a day, roughly $39 a week, with the other half of the bowl staying exactly as it is. After the Starter Box, large dogs can go as low as 25 percent, which brings raw within reach of most budgets.
The Starter Box also lowers the barrier to finding out whether raw works for your dog. New customers get 50 percent off their first meal plan box, plus free shipping, and Starter Boxes are backed by a 30-day Happiness Guarantee.
What you are paying for is worth naming plainly: whole-food ingredients, portioning tailored to your specific dog, and delivery to your door. Making raw at home means handling all three yourself. Whether that saves money depends on what you pay for meat, organ, bone, and supplements where you live, but it reliably costs more in time, sourcing, and the risk of getting the balance wrong.
Get 50% off your first meal plan box plus free shipping.
Is Raw Dog Food Safe? How We Feed Raw Handles It
Safety is the objection that keeps some people from trying raw, and it deserves a straight answer.
Every We Feed Raw meal goes through high-pressure processing, an FDA-approved cold pasteurization method. Sealed food is subjected to intense pressure, which inactivates pathogens such as Salmonella and Listeria without cooking the food. The nutritional content stays intact, which is the entire point of feeding raw in the first place.
That is what makes raw practical for an ordinary household, including homes with young children or family members with weaker immune systems. The safeguard is built into the food before it reaches your door.
The meats are USDA-sourced and produced in an SQF-certified facility, and the company reports it has never had a product recall since its founding in 2009.
Day-to-day handling looks much like handling raw meat for yourself. Thaw patties in the refrigerator rather than on the counter, using the sealed silicone container that comes with your first box, and keep them on a lower shelf. Wash bowls after meals and wipe down prep surfaces. Nothing exotic, just the habits you already have.
Switching Your Dog to Raw
The transition is built into the first box, which is one of the more thoughtful parts of the system. Every Starter Box covers 10 days of gradual transition, followed by a stretch of full feeding sized to your dog, and comes with a guide that walks you through each stage.
The pattern is simple. You begin by replacing a small portion of your dog’s current food with raw, then increase the raw share every few days while decreasing the old food, until you are feeding raw alone.
A few things are normal in the first couple of weeks. Stools usually get smaller, firmer, and less frequent, which is the change most owners notice first. Some dogs drink less water, since raw food carries far more moisture than kibble. Appetite at mealtime often picks up noticeably.
If your dog develops loose stools, the usual fix is to slow down rather than stop. Hold at the current ratio for a few extra days before increasing again. Dogs with sensitive stomachs sometimes need a longer runway than 10 days, and that is fine.
Once you are settled, the routine is short. Move the next few days of food from the freezer to the fridge, keep thawed patties in the included container, and use them within four days.
Managing Your Plan
Plans are meant to flex, and most of the friction people report with subscription food comes from not knowing the rules up front.
- You can change portions, swap recipes, skip a delivery, or pause your plan in the My Account portal up until Thursday 5:00 PM ET, before the next order is processed and shipped.
- One account covers all of your dogs, with a meal plan built for each of them, so there is no need to set up separate accounts.
- Because the food is perishable, We Feed Raw does not accept physical returns. If something arrives damaged, or you have another concern, email hello@wefeedraw.com, and their team will sort it out without asking you to ship food back.
Who We Feed Raw Is Best For
No food is right for every dog. Based on what the company offers and what customers consistently report, here’s who it’s best for:
- Picky eaters. Enthusiasm at the bowl is the most common thing owners mention after making the switch.
- Dogs whose owners are working through digestive or skin issues, and who want to see whether diet is part of the picture.
- Owners drawn to raw but hesitant to source, balance, and portion it themselves. This is the core of the value here.
- Households that want to start small. Beginning with a topper or a half plan and scaling up over time is a legitimate way in.
- Large breed owners who want to look closely at the partial plans before committing to a full raw diet.
If your dog is on a therapeutic food prescribed by your veterinarian, talk with them before making any dietary changes.
Sound like your dog? Build a plan and see the price for their exact size and needs.
What Customers Report
We Feed Raw surveyed its own customers about what changed after switching. Among those who responded:
- 96% said their dogs had smaller, firmer, less smelly stools
- 90% said their dogs maintained a healthy weight
- 88% said their dogs’ skin and coat got healthier
- 86% said their dogs showed more excitement at mealtime
Those are owner observations rather than clinical measurements, and they come from customers who stayed with the service. But they line up closely with what shows up in independent reviews across platforms, where coat condition, stool quality, and enthusiasm at the bowl are the three things owners mention first.
Dachshund mom Debra wrote:
“We have two Dachshunds, one super picky and one who’s allergic to everything under the sun! We spent so much time ‘doctoring’ their food only to not have them eat it. Finally tried We Feed Raw and hallelujah, they love it! They love all the options! Thank you for making great food!”
Another customer, Anni, wrote:
“The food came quickly and very thoughtfully packaged with a lovely storage bowl and explicit instructions. My dogs (2 Standard Poodles) absolutely love their new food!! In just 2 weeks their coats are softer and healthier, and their stools are firmer and smaller. The We Feed Raw team is very caring and follow up with so much support to make sure your dog(s) transition smoothly. All that caring and support goes a long way!”
The practical feedback is worth knowing, too. The most common complaints involve subscription timing rather than the food itself, usually from customers who missed a modification deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is We Feed Raw complete and balanced?
Yes. Both patties and nuggets are complete and balanced and formulated by a PhD animal nutritionist, with one difference worth knowing before you choose. Fresh Patties are formulated for all life stages, including puppies and pregnant or nursing dogs. Freeze-Dried Nuggets are formulated for adult maintenance. If your dog is fully grown, either format works. If you have a puppy, go with Fresh Patties.
How much does We Feed Raw cost for my dog?
It depends on your dog’s weight, since portions are sized for each dog. A 25-pound dog runs $5.00 a day on an ongoing plan, while an 80-pound dog runs $11.24. See the table above for other sizes. Pricing is the same for both formats, and your first meal plan box is 50 percent off with free shipping.
Do I need a separate freezer?
Not necessarily. Patties stack flat, and a month’s worth of food takes up modest space. Larger dogs and multi-dog homes require more food, so a chest freezer may be useful. If freezer space is the obstacle, Freeze-Dried Nuggets remove the problem entirely.
Can I mix it with my dog’s current food?
Yes, and the plan builder has an option for exactly that. You can choose a half plan at signup, which replaces 50 percent of your dog’s diet with raw. After your Starter Box, 25 and 75 percent options become available depending on your dog’s size and calorie needs.
Is it appropriate for puppies and senior dogs?
Fresh Patties are formulated for all life stages, so they suit puppies, seniors, pregnant, and nursing dogs alike. Freeze-Dried Nuggets are formulated for adult maintenance, so they are the right choice for grown dogs but not for puppies. Either way, the questionnaire accounts for your dog’s age when building the plan, so portions are sized appropriately.
Can I feed more than one dog?
Yes. Plans are built per dog, so each dog gets portions sized to them. You can add and manage multiple profiles under a single We Feed Raw account by setting up individual meal plans for each dog.
What if my dog will not eat it?
Most dogs take to raw food readily, and enthusiasm at the bowl is one of the most commonly reported changes. If your dog is hesitant, try serving it at room temperature instead of cold from the fridge. New customers are also covered by We Feed Raw’s 30-day Happiness Guarantee, which includes refunds on Starter Boxes if your dog does not enjoy the recipes.
So, Is We Feed Raw Worth It?
We Feed Raw is not the cheapest way to feed your dog, and it does not try to be. What it sells is a complete raw diet without the things that stop most people from feeding raw: the sourcing, the handling, and the math.
If you have a small or medium dog, a picky eater, or a dog whose skin or digestion has you reading labels more carefully than you used to, this is a straightforward way to find out whether a raw diet makes a difference. If you have a large breed, run the numbers before you commit, and look hard at the partial plans.
Alissa started this by making meals in her kitchen for dogs she loved, one bowl at a time. What the company sells now is essentially that, at scale, portioned for your dog and delivered to your door.
The lowest risk way to find out is the Starter Box, at 50 percent off with free shipping and backed by a 30-day Happiness Guarantee. You can build your dog’s plan and see the actual price for your dog in a couple of minutes.
Toledo, United States.