Gently cooked fresh dog food: what it is and how to choose

Gently cooked dog food is made from meat, vegetables and grains or legumes, cooked at low temperatures and then frozen or chilled. It looks like food you'd make at home. Owners often choose it because they want fresh food for their dog but don't want to handle raw meat.

How it compares

Who it suits

• Picky eaters, and older dogs whose appetite has dropped
• Dogs with sore or missing teeth, since the food is soft
• Homes where raw isn't a good idea, such as with young children or someone with a weakened immune system
• Dogs that need a lower-fat diet: some recipes are made low in fat, which your vet may suggest for a dog prone to pancreatitis
• Any dog, as a topper on kibble

Check that it's a complete meal

Some gently cooked products are complete and balanced meals; others are meant as toppers or treats. Look for the AAFCO statement for your dog's life stage on the package. Mixes that you finish at home, like the Canine Life pre-mix, are only balanced if you follow the recipe exactly.

Serving and storing

• Keep it frozen, and move a day or two of food to the fridge to thaw.
• Use thawed food within the time printed on the package.
• Because it's already cooked, you can warm it slightly. Stir it and check that it's only lukewarm before serving.
• Pick up leftovers after about 30 minutes and wash the bowl.

How much to feed and how to switch

Calories vary a lot between recipes, so follow the feeding guide on the package and weigh your dog once a month. If you use gently cooked food as a topper, feed less kibble to make room for it. Switch over 7 to 10 days by mixing the new food into the old one. Our raw feeding guide has a day-by-day switching table that works for any food.

The brands we carry

Canine Life

Baked, frozen muffin meals in turkey, chicken and beef, plus a 20-pack variety box. You thaw a muffin, break it up in the dish and serve. The recipe has no corn, soy, wheat or yeast. Canine Life also makes a Health Food Pre-mix: the dry ingredients come in the bag, and you add the meat, vegetables, apple, egg, oil and water, then bake.

All Good

Gently cooked meatloaf in 750 g trays, in beef, chicken and lamb. Canadian meat is the first ingredient, with vegetables, fruit, eggs and grains.

Tom & Sawyer

Gently cooked frozen meals in one-pound packs, made by chefs in Tom & Sawyer's Canadian kitchen. Recipes include Italian Beef Pasta, Turkey Gobbler, Kangaroo, Coconut Chicken and Fisherman's Best Friend. Several are low in fat.

YUPP

MuttBalls from Toronto-based YUPP, about 34 g each, which work as a meal or as training rewards. They come in beef, chicken, lamb, turkey, fish and a meat-free recipe.

Frozen meals are sold for pick-up at our store. Call 905-509-3417 to check what's in stock.

• Canine Life Muffins Variety 20 Pack BCT
• Canine Life Health Food Pre-mix 6kg
• All Good Beef Meatloaf 750 g
• All Good Chicken Meatloaf 750 g
• Tom & Sawyer Italian Beef Pasta Gently Cooked Frozen Meal For Dogs 1lb
• Tom & Sawyer Turkey Gobbler Gently Cooked Frozen Meal For Dogs 1lb
• Tom & Sawyer Kangaroo Gently Cooked Frozen Meal For Dogs 1lb
• Yupp Mini Muttballs Pack6 Chicken

• Gently cooked dog food
• Dog raw food
• Dog wet food

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