Recently, many dog owners have been considering switching from raw food to freeze-dried food. Freeze-drying is an innovative process of removing the water from the food. This ingenious technique is also used to prepare the food our dear astronauts take with them when they climb away the earth’s atmosphere. However, freeze-dried foods are different from dehydrated food.
Freeze-drying starts with already frozen foods, which when placed in large machines lower in atmospheric pressure causing water to transition from ice to gas and diffusing out the food. At no point in the process do these yummy doggie treats come in contact with heat, while dehydrated food, on the other hand, involves placing the food in a low-heat environment.
What makes our furry friends love these treats? First, most dogs find these freeze-dried goodies to be drool-inducing and delectable. Second, these foods are made of high-quality components including meat, organs, fruits, and vegetables. Mostly they are gluten- and grain-free. Aside from our dogs loving these freeze-dried ones, owners also love this for the inconvenience it brings them. Having a long shelf life, owners can stack up on their favorite brands in one run to the grocery. Owners also love the mess-free advantage since all they have to do is to put the food in a container and add water. No more dirty floors or kitchen counters for them.
To help you decide if you will make the switch, here are three practical tips to serving freeze-dried food.
1. Check the ingredients list.
Be on the lookout for brands that contain omega fatty acids, antioxidant- and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. Salmon, flaxseed, assorted vegetable fats, fish meals, and oils are the most common ingredients found in freeze-dried foods. Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, include cranberries, blackberries, spinach, carrots, and parsley. Orijen dog food is a rich-tasting dog food that dogs just love. It also contains fresh ingredients rich in proteins and is low in carbohydrates and calories. With its impressive lineup of ingredients, most owners tend to reach out for this brand in supermarkets.
2. Avoid artificial colors, additives or flavors.
Despite being a rare problem when choosing freeze-dried foods, still, this is something an owner should look out for. Stay away from brands that contain artificial colors, additives or flavors because these can trigger food allergies on your precious ones.
3. Stay away from the cheap ones.
Freeze-dried foods lean more towards the expensive side, and it’s an additional expense, yes. But if you really care for your dog and you prefer to feed it with freeze-dried food, then avoid those cheap low-quality brands. Remember that these are low cost and affordable for a reason and it can be dangerous for your dog. The manufacturers may result in cheaper packaging- freeze-dried food when moisture seeps in can lead to bacterial growth. So the money you think you saved on freeze-dried food, you will use to bring your dog to the vet when it gets infected with the bacterial growth.
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