Freeze Dried Raw Dog Food Case Study: Montana Dog Food Co

When we first heard about Montana Dog Food Co’s freeze-dried raw dog food, we had one question: can it really stand up to the hype, and how do its three flavors compare?

With more dog owners turning toward raw and minimally processed diets, freeze-dried options have exploded in popularity. Many pet parents want the benefits of raw feeding (high protein, better digestibility, real-food ingredients) without having to store raw meat in their fridge or deal with complicated meal prep.

With freeze-dried raw dog foods becoming so popular, we decided to put one of the players in the space, Montana Dog Food Co, to the test. We’ll review their Beef, Chicken, and Surf & Turf flavors, running a small real-world feeding trial with an everyday dog. Our goal: provide our readers the fast facts on these freeze-dried foods and find out whether Montana Dog Food Co delivers on nutrition, palatability, convenience, and value.

Fast Facts: Montana Dog Food Co Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food

Montana Dog Food Co’s freeze-dried raw dog foods are positioned as a premium, high-quality meal “prepared with select cuts of raw beef, chicken, or trout.” These high-grade animal proteins are blended with a medley of flavorful fruits, vegetables, and other nutrients, and then freeze dried to lock in freshness and nutritional value.

Available in three flavors at $19.99 per bag – Beef, Chicken, and Surf & Turf – Montana Dog Food Co’s freeze-dried raw dog foods offer a combination of nutrition and . convenience. Its shelf stability from the freeze-drying process makes the product extremely easy to use as either a meal topper or a meal in its own right.

How We Tested It (Case Study Set Up)

For this review, we set up a trial using one dog, our rescue pup Wally. He’s a roughly seven (or eight) year old shepherd mix rescue, weighing in at roughly 65 pounds. His diet consists largely of standard kibble, and he doesn’t have any known food sensitivities or other health ailments.

For our test, we looked to gradually incorporate Adventure Fuel as a topper for a roughly three-week period, rotating in one flavor each week.

To review, we kept an eye on some key metrics including: Palatability (how quickly he ate it!) Ease of transition Digestibility Coat/Skin Response Feeding ease

Review of Each Flavor

Across all flavors, the packaging and ease of use were extremely convenient. Each flavor arrived in bags that were lightweight, easy to open, and resealable. The size of the actual bag made it easy to find a place to store in our home, and it needed no refrigeration making it even easier to serve.

Beef

Montana Dog Food Co’s Beef flavor is made with select cuts of raw beef and a medley of fruits and vegetables. Wally’s standard kibble is a meat flavor, and so transition here was very easy. The flavor was super palatable – as Wally took to it very quickly without hesitation. There were no noticeable differences in his coat or with his digestibility. And the product was extremely easy to serve.

All in all, we’d recommend the Beef flavor to any pet parent.

Chicken

Montana Dog Food Co’s Chicken freeze-dried raw dog food is made with select cuts of chicken and a fruit and vegetable blend. Similar to the beef, Wally took this pretty easily, and we found the flavor extremely palatable. Like the beef as well, there were no noticeable changes to his digestion, and the product was easy to serve.

With its ease of use and amenable flavor profile, we’d gladly recommend Montana Dog Food Co’s Chicken flavor to any pet parent.

Surf & Turf

Montana Dog Food Co’s Surf & Turf freeze-dried raw dog food is made with a mix of trout and beef medley, combined with additional fruit and vegetables. Wally was slightly slower to take this flavor, but possibly because he rarely (if ever) has had fish-based protein before. Even with the slow start, we found the flavor palatable. There were no noticeable changes to his digestion as we went through the trial, but we did notice by the trial’s end some shifts in his coat being a bit softer.

Like the other two flavor profiles, we found this freeze-dried raw dog food to be extremely easy to serve, and would recommend it to pet parents.

How to Use It In Your Dog’s Feeding Plan

Start by choosing the flavors you think your pet will gravitate to, and start the transition by using the product as a topper (replacing up to 50% of your kibble amount with the product) for three to five days before increasing to a full meal (if desired).

If transitioning into a full meal, find the suggested serving size based on your pet’s body weight. For every cup of food required, add roughly ¼ cup water to rehydrate the product before serving.

Keep in mind that Adventure Fuel is lightweight, packable, easy to fit into luggage or hiking gear. It’s perfect for backpacking, camping, and traveling with your dog.

FAQs

Conclusion

After three weeks of testing, we can confidently say that Montana Dog Food Co’s freeze-dried raw meals deliver on flavor, digestibility, and convenience. All three flavors performed well with Wally, and the ease of using freeze-dried raw made meal prep surprisingly simple.

If your dog thrives on high-protein, minimally processed food and you’re willing to invest in premium nutrition, Montana Dog Food Co freeze-dried raw dog food is worth trying. As always, check with your veterinarian before making major dietary changes.