Nature's Variety Chicken Formula Dog Food - Raw Dog Food

What is Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Frozen Diet (Chicken)?

Instinct is a delicious line of raw food diets consisting of 95% meat, organ meat, and bones. The additional 5% includes vegetables, fruits, and other whole foods. This combination of quality meat and natural foods helps to provide nutrition similar to what your pet would eat in their natural habitat. Instinct contains no grain or gluten, which makes this food a perfect choice for pets with food allergies. Instinct's Raw Diet formulas are also the first and only Raw Diet to be scientifically substantiated as complete and balanced by AAFCO's (Association Of American Feed Control Officials) nutritional Protocol Feeding Trials. All ingredients in Instinct Raw Frozen Diet are sourced in the U.S.A. The Raw Food is made under the strictest quality and food safety standards, including High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP). More information on High Pressure Pasteurization.

Note: Instinct requires FedEx Priority Overnight ($19.99 on most orders).

For:

Dogs and Cats

Benefits:

Complete and balanced for all life stages and all breeds.
Recommended by veterinarians for pets with allergies.
Convenient and ready to serve.
Grain free and gluten free.
Helps normalize underweight or overweight pets.
Decreases shedding, hot spots, and other skin issues.
Smaller stools, less waste cleanup.
Higher energy levels (No fillers or preservatives to cause lethargy).
1 year shelf life (freezer).
Pets love it!
Comes as frozen medallions or patties

How it works:

Feeding your pet Instinct Raw Diet replaces your pet's everyday kibble or canned food. The food is kept in the freezer and you only remove the portion of food you plan on feeding your pet. For morning feeding, take out the medallions or patties the night before and for evening feeding, take the medallions or patties out in the morning. Serve cold when it is feeding time. There's no need to worry about feeding your pet a raw diet because Nature's Variety uses a process known as High Pressure Pasteurization (HPP) for safety. HPP kills pathogenic bacteria through high-pressure, water-based technology. This process applies uniform amounts of pressure eliminating food pathogens without losing vital nutrients or altering the food's freshness. HPP is a USDA-approved, 100% natural process, and is allowed for use on organic and natural products.

Cautions:

Wash hands before and after handling raw diets to prevent contaminating the food. Instinct Raw Frozen Diet is not recommended for dogs with immune system problems or pancreatitis.

Directions:

Keep raw medallions or patties frozen until ready to defrost. For morning meals, defrost the night before. For evening meals, defrost in the morning.
Defrost your pet's daily portion by thawing it in a covered container in the refrigerator. (Medallions take about 4-6 hours and patties take about 8-10 hours to defrost in the refrigerator.)
Serve thawed medallions or patties in your pet's stainless steel dish. Food should still be cold to the touch when served.

Tip:

Use hot, soapy water to wash your hands and your pet's bowl after each feeding.

Instinct Raw Frozen Diet Chicken

Storage:

Keep frozen until ready to be defrosted for feeding. Instinct lasts up to one year in the freezer.

Nature's Variety - Instinct Raw Diet Chicken Formula:

Ingredients: Chicken (including Ground Chicken Bone), Turkey Heart, Turkey Liver, Yeast Culture, Pumpkinseeds, Montmorillonite Clay, Apples, Broccoli, Butternut Squash, Salt, Cod Liver Oil, Dried Kelp, Carrots, Spinach, Dried Chicory Root, Blueberries.

Guaranteed Analysis:

Amount

Crude Protein (min)

15.0%

Crude Fat (min)

9.0%

Crude Fiber (max)

2.0%

Moisture (max)

67.0%

*Omega 3 Fatty Acids (min)

0.27%

*Omega 6 Fatty Acids (min)

3.0%

Minerals

Amount

Calcium

1.2%

Phosphorus

0.8%

Magnesium

0.055%

Sodium

0.3%

Potassium

0.23%

Zinc

25.3 ppm

Instinct Raw Frozen Diet Chicken is rated 4.1429 out of 5 by 7.

Rated 5 out of 5 by Roxy's Mommy from Love! I love feeding my dog this raw diet. I understand some people may think that it is overpriced, but at the end of a busy day it is convenient to have everything prepared and know that I just have to thaw out the food. My dog loves it and I am at ease knowing that it is superior quality food that has been prepared in a clean environment for her. Highly recommend this food, especially to those pet parents who want to feed their animals a raw diet and don't have the time to prepare it for them.

Date published: 2012-10-10

Rated 5 out of 5 by Odie from The Best Cat Food! My 17 year old cat started refusing to eat kibble 6 months ago. Canned food made him throw up and gave him Diarrhea. He's a long and tall cat and got down to 7.2 pounds, didn't play or do much anymore. I thought he was dying. I went into a Natural Pet Food store and the owner recommended this product....he is now 9 lbs!! and running around the house like a kitten, jumping up in my lap, purring and constantly talking to me. No more throwing up or diarrhea AT ALL! The BEST Diet for your cat or dog :)

Date published: 2012-01-21

Rated 5 out of 5 by Baz from Life Saver! My little man suffers from idiopathic epilepsy. This means he has seizures for no reason. We have been to countelss vets, had MRI's and spinal taps done, with nothing working. The vets wanted to put him on phenobarbital this would mean that he would have to be on this for the rest of his life and he would have to have blood test all the time. We really didn't want to go this route, I wanted to know the cause! Finally we went to an AMAZING vet in Beaver, PA and he found out that my little one is allergic to wheat and he suggested this food. We switched him and the change was immediate! He had so much more energy his skin rashes cleared up and the epilepsy.....yep its not a concern. I has been over 10 months with no episode. THANK YOU!!!

Date published: 2011-12-28

Rated 5 out of 5 by alleycats from they'll eat it i feed it to my three cats every couple of days. when they're not eating this, they're eating canned grain-free food. they have no problem switching between the two although one of the cats will look at me as if to ask if anything else is available. it is a major adjustment for many animals to go from their previous feeds to something like this. don't expect them to love it right away. it's like a human's love of bleu cheese. it's cultivated. it does result in much shinier coats with less shedding.

Date published: 2011-10-27

Rated 1 out of 5 by ktykat70 from worst purchase ever tried to feed this to 5 different dogs none of them would eat it

Date published: 2011-10-17

Rated 3 out of 5 by Sorano from Great Food Quality Food But Also A Scam First let me say this food is high quality food and is a top notch dog food. But it's also a ploy to generate huge profits for little ingredients. Chicken, Turkey, Liver, other meats, and organs can all be bought at local butcher shops and even regular grocery stores. I have fed my dogs a completely raw diet before however I didn't need prepackaged raw that's probably 5-10 times the price per weight. Dogs don't need the extra vegetables in this food meat and bone coupled with internal organs provides a balanced nutrition the same as their ancestors the wolf ate. (Eggs are part of a raw diet, shells and all, some dogs don't like the outer texture of the shell while others will gobble it up 1-2 eggs every other week). Dogs also don't need finely ground bone either. As long as the dog food is 100% raw bones such as chicken/turkey neck, wings, etc... are all edible, the same goes for beef soup bones, fish (whole), rabbit, etc... The bones are actually what helps to keep a dogs teeth in tip top shape and my 7 year old Border Collie mix has literally NO tartar buildup because she has been on a raw diet with whole bones. The biggest mistake that owners can make however is failing to provide internal organs, failure to do so will cause nutritional deficiency. Every week your dog should receive a mix of the following for a whole meal: heart, liver, kidney, gizzards, etc... (kidney seems to be the hardest for older dogs to adjust to the taste of and the problem seems to lie in the texture, if your dog doesn't care for kidney try feeding it frozen or half frozen). Naturally internal organs make up a small percentage of total meat consumption so make sure the total amount of these internal organs does not exceed the meat content if small portions of the internal organs are fed daily. As for bones, avoid chicken wings, necks, and backs. These items have a high bone to meat ratio where bone far outweighs the amount of meat, there should always be more meat than bone daily chicken quarters portion out the meat to bone ratio quite well however this only works for larger dogs. I would recommend chicken legs for smaller dogs since these tend to have more meat than wings, backs, and necks. Note 1: Feeding outside is easiest as cleanup is minimal. If you feed indoors make sure to clean up EVERY spot raw food touches. Note 2: Generally I avoid pork because there is the possibility of parasites in pork. If you want to feed pork make sure it has been thoroughly frozen for a minimum of 2 weeks.

Date published: 2011-09-16

Rated 5 out of 5 by LILA454 from THE BEST DOG FOOD MONEY CAN BUY THIS IS MY DOGS REGULAR FOOD AND THEY HAVE FALLEN IN LOVE WITH IT SINCE I FIRST STARTED THEM ON IT (ABOUT 7 WEEKS AGO) I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THERE STOOL BEING MORE FORMED MY VET TOLD ME A DOG SHOULD HAVE FORMED STOOL AND WHEN I THOUGHT MY DOGS STOOL LOOKED UNHEALTHY I TOOK THEM TO THE VET AND THEY TOLD ME TO PUT THEM ON A RAW MEAT DIET.

Date published: 2011-07-13

How about over weight dogs

I have an over weight Dachshund, she's at 17lbs and should be at about 15lbs according to my vet. She is a medium size, How much would I need to feed her to keep her healthy yet lose and maintain a good weight ? we are seniors and don't get much walking done daily

Asked by: Sharon

My mother-in-law had doxies: and they do like their treats. Firstly, cut treats in half, stop giving "people food", and give a little more attention/loves.Try to increase play time, chasing toys, etc. That's good exercise if you can't get out much. That's the easy part; after consulting with your Vet, you might try feeding a SMALL amt. of daily food in the morning, and the remaining amt. of daily food for dinner. I try to keep on schedule, so my dog & cat have dinner at the same time each day. The amount to decrease depends on dog 's size and wt. guidelines. It can help to measure the food, also make sure there is plenty of fresh water available all day long. For my dog, I cut back on the amount of canned food I added to his kibble at dinner, and added a tablespoon or 2 of cooked vegetables (peas, carrots, sweet potatoes), plain brown rice, and maybe a little chopped sprig of parsley (good for breath!) if you want. Vegetables add bulk, but not many calories to his dish, and he always cleaned his plate. Good luck to you!

Answered by: DogMom

Date published: 2013-04-16

can Ifeed my puppy this raw food

Asked by: angie

I would wait until the puppy is 7 or 8 weeks old.

Answered by: ronnie

Date published: 2013-02-25

How long does a 3 lb bag last for 2 kittens?

Hi, I have 2 kittens that are 5 months and 4 months old. How many medallions are in a 3 lb bag and how often are they fed the medallions and how much? Thanks!

Asked by: twiggy

Thank you for your question Twiggy. There are approximately 48 medallions in a 3lb bag. Depending on your kitten's weight each medallion is 1oz. Due to its perishability, your kittens should be fed 2x per day with the amount of food divided among each feeding. If the medallions are not finished, either discard or refrigerate.

Answered by: Chris B PetMed Pro

Date published: 2013-02-19

What is the iodine content of this food for cats?

I have a cat that has early onset thyroid disease. I am looking for a tasty cost effective pet food for him that is extremely low in iodine. Any information on this would be extremely helpful.

Asked by: Misyrabi

Thank you for your question, the iodine content per ounce is 0.017 mg/kg. Here is the nutrition information for this product: Calories 65 per oz Guaranteed Analysis Crude Protein (min): 13.0% Crude Fat (min): 6.0% Crude Fiber (max): 2.0% Moisture (max): 68.0% Other Nutritional Data Carbohydrates: 2.05% Linoleic Acid (Omega 6): 0.999% Linolenic Acid (Omega 3): 0.249% Arachidonic Acid: 0.115% Vitamins Vitamin A: 12161.55 IU/kg Thiamin: 1.60 mg/kg Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 2.39 mg/kg Niacin (Vitamin B3): 36.54 mg/kg Pantothenic Acid: 10.12 mg/kg Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6): 2.02 mg/kg Folate: 408.85 mg/kg Vitamin B12: 0.03 mg/kg Vitamin D: 240.00 IU/kg Vitamin E: 9.60 IU/kg Minerals Calcium: 0.320% Copper: 1.60 mg/kg Iron: 145.04 mg/kg Magnesium: 0.026% Manganese: 2.40 mg/kg Phosphorus: 0.256% Potassium: 0.192% Selenium: 0.127 mg/kg Sodium: 0.067% Zinc: 24.00 mg/kg Amino Acids Arginine: 0.802% Cystine: 0.352% Histidine: 0.322% Isoleucine: 0.557% Leucine: 0.867% Lysine: 0.929% Methionine: 0.300% Phenylalanine: 0.467% Threonine: 0.490% Tyrosine: 0.375% Tryptophan: 0.129% Valine: 0.589% Taurine: 0.064%

Answered by: Chris B PetMed Pro

Date published: 2012-07-18

Does this product have enough Taurine in it to avoid heart problems?

I have heard that when you feed raw food, one concern is that Taurine levels can be too low and thus need to be supplimented...

Asked by: Breathless

Raw food for a dog? Dogs are related to the wolf and can be fed raw food. I know of a woman in Cali who breeds dogs and only feeds them raw, wholesome foods. I would look to her for advice. She is an expert when it comes to food for fido. Feeding your dog a raw diet can also alter their personality, often for the better. Do some research, you will find contradicting information but use your own judgment. Good Luck!

Answered by: Mothertrucker

Date published: 2012-03-08

Is this food good for a dog possibly in the beginning of renal disease?

Asked by: Anonymous

I believe this food is the BEST for any cat/dog in any condition. It has everything they need & crave. This is what they were designed to eat and it completely gave my cat his health back...it's balanced and doesn't have any preservatives, additives or chemicals or grains that are unhealthy for our pets.

Answered by: Odie

Date published: 2012-01-23

Is a raw diet good for kittens? My kitten is 6 mos old?

Asked by: PatF

Your kitten can certainly eat a raw food diet! Since cats are obligate carnivores, a raw food diet most closely approximates what your cat would eat in her natural habitat. Just transition slowly from your kitten's current diet to the raw food diet.

Answered by: Abby, PetMed Pro

Date published: 2011-09-16

How many Medallions are in a 6lb bag?

I have a 75lb dog and I'm trying to figure out how long a bag will last if he is fed 1X per day.

Asked by: Deanna

Each 3 lb bag contains approximately 48 medallions. The 6 lb bag is made up of two 3 lb bags so it has approximately 96 medallions. This will last just over 3 months giving 1 medallion per day.

Answered by: Gary, Dir. of Pharmacy Services

Date published: 2011-09-15

Instinct Raw Frozen Diet Chicken Questions - page 2