Getting Started

If your dog is healthy (no known food allergies) and you are considering a raw diet we would recommend to start with a rotational diet of our Chicken Dinner, Pork Dinner and Turkey Dinner. Our commonly recommended rotation is to offer one protein for 1-2 days before introducing another option.

Visit our Feeding Calculator. Our calculator will give you a daily food requirements and cost.

No, uncooked raw bones are safe for your dog if fed appropriately. We recommend supervising your dog when eating raw meaty bones. For dogs that LOVE their raw food and especially young dogs that tend to eat quickly, we would advise feeding these bones partially frozen as this helps to slow them down and helps to ensure they chew and swallow properly. We do advise caution when feeding marrow bones, flat rib bones or other recreational chewing bones as these are calcified bone, and although great for chewing you should ensure your dog is chewing appropriately. We do NOT recommend feeding smoked or cooked bones to dogs as these are dangerous.

Many processed pet foods contain addictive ingredients such as sugar, salt, sweet tasting propylene glycol or MSG to help disguise the taste of poor quality ingredients. For this reason occasionally it is difficult to transition to fresh natural raw pet food. Some barriers may also be the consistency or texture of a raw diet, or even temperature.

If you are having trouble getting your dog to try the raw we recommend the following:
Wait at least 12-24 hrs between the last meal they ate and the raw diet. This will create hunger and more acceptance to try the food. You may also need to determine whether the refusing to eat is just your pet's stubbornness to eat rather than the particular diet you are offering.

If your dog is healthy, holding out offering other food options until they do eat may be stressful and frustrating at the time, but in the long run may result in less problems with eating in the future.

Offer the food at room temperature or warm slightly if they will not eat it immediately. You can also slightly cook the outside (just pan sear the sides) to help create an interest.

Yes, you can feed both kibble and raw. We suggest considering a premium all natural holistic dry food containing only human grade ingredients, and NO GRAINS OR CORN. If your dog experiences loose stools, or you notice undigested food in their stool, we strongly recommend feeding 100% raw.

Ideally a raw food diet should help cut the amount of gas your pet creates. However when first beginning with a raw diet this is very possible. It is also possible when switching proteins. For dogs with gas we recommend adding a digestive enzyme to their daily meals, and many dogs (particularly those with sensitive digestive systems) will benefit from daily digestive enzymes for their entire life.

Raw food is rich in enzymatic activity whereas cooked dry kibble is devoid of enzymes. You dog's digestive system during the transition period from dry to raw must compensate for the new diet and therefore the digestive discomfort. Supplemental digestive enzymes can be very beneficial as they can help speed up this transition process and provide needed good digestive bacteria to break down food.

Gulping food is very common in young dogs in particular, but can be frightening for many pet owners. When feeding our prepared ground meals we recommend adding water to make a thick soup or mashing out with a fork onto a plastic tray or large bowl to help slow them down.

When feeding raw meaty bones, start with larger options like turkey necks and offer slightly frozen to help slow them down. For super eager eaters even offering them the food from your hand, making them pull the meat off the bone may be a good idea until they learn to chew properly and slowly.

Dogs' digestive systems are not the same as humans. They digest food more quickly and their digestive systems are also more acidic which means bacteria does not have time to colonize. Dogs are also well equipped to handle bacteria. Their saliva also contains lysozymes and enzyme that destroys harmful bacteria. The combination of these 3 factors (lysozymes, acid and speed of digestion) all make raw feeding what nature intended.

We do however recommend following safe handling practices when preparing and serving your dogs food. Simply wash your hands, counters and dog dishes after feeding, keep pet food frozen in your freezer, thaw in refrigerator and do not allow pet food to sit out a room temperature for longer than 20 min.

Yes! This is completely expected. On a dry commercial dry food diet your dog needs to consume significant amounts of water to help digest the food as well as stay hydrated. On a raw diet your pet's food is naturally about 55-65% moisture and therefore they do not need much water to create bile for digestion or stay hydrated.

Your dog's stools will be firmer and smaller when fed a raw diet, however they should be firm and formed but not be white, yellow and crumbling.

If your dog is showing signs of constipation this is also signs that the digestive system needs less ground bone and we would advise you to rotate more beef into the diet . This concern is more common in older/senior dogs.

No, your dog’s stools should be light brown and formed stools. It is okay for the stools to be dark brown in colour, but not black. If your dog has dark brown/blackish loose stools we would recommend adding more ground bone to your dog’s diet. This concern is more common when first transitioning your dog to a raw diet or for young puppies that have trouble digesting organ meats. We would advise feeding less beef and offering more chicken, turkey or turkey salmon lamb.

There are normally a few reasons why your pet may have vomited their meal. The most common reason is for feeding the raw food too cold or eating too quickly. If they regurgitate their meal and then return to eating it (perhaps more slowly this time) this is normal. To prevent this from happening again, feed more slowly and offer ½ the meal, wait 5 min and offer the other ½ of the meal.

Vomiting is occasionally a result of a new food item that does not agree with your dog. If they do vomit up a particular protein or food choice, trust their digestive system and offer other food choices instead.

Good to Know :
If the vomit is yellow bile this indicates that your dog's stomach is completely empty and they are hungry.
If the vomit is clear and white with mucous this is from drinking too much water too quickly.

If you have just started the raw diet we recommend transitioning from dry food to the raw diet with simpler proteins such as chicken or turkey. Offering beef too soon may cause loose stools.

Add some Pure Pumpkin (available at your local grocery store in the baking section) to their next meal will also help to bind them up and prevent more loose stools.

Adding Slippery Elm Powder to the next meal may also help to settle their digestive system.

No added hormones or antibiotics! We only use GRADE A CFIA inspected human grade meat suppliers to ensure a safe raw pet food diet. We only use CANADIAN suppliers, and in almost all cases all Ontario growers!

Yes and yes! Cooked processed dry diets create soft stools which allows annal glad secretions to build up causing painful compaction or possible rupture of the glands. A raw diet contains ground bone which helps to keep stools firm, and with every bowel movement anal glands are naturally squeezed and eliminated. No need for expensive and time consuming vet appointments to get your dog's glads expressed.

No! There is no relationship between dog aggression and feeding a raw diet. Prior to 1930 there was no such thing as commercial dry food and yet many people lived peaceably with very gentle domesticated dogs and cats, that thrived on a raw food diet.

Raw eggs are very healthy for your dog and are an excellent source of protein. We do not include eggs in our diet as eggs are also an allergen for many dogs.

If your dog is allergic to chicken, they likely are also allergic to egg as well.

Yes, the key to preventing bloat and torsion is maintaining a healthy digestive system. Bloat and torsion is extremely rare in dogs that consume a high protein, raw meat based diet, containing less than 25% carbohydrates.

Hungry Hunter sources only from CFIA Government inspected suppliers and producers, which also adhere to Industry Guidelines that set forth by Provincial Organizations such as the CPC (Chicken Farmers of Canada) and the CARC (Canadian Agri-Food Research Concil). These organizations require their members to follow Codes of Practices that govern the handling of animals particularly on how they are raised, transported and slaughtered. We rely on these organizations which consist of members from farm groups, animal welfare groups, veterinarians, animal scientists, and governments, to monitor and ensure the animals are respected and humanly treated through their entire lifecycle.

Yes, Food products from Canada, including frozen pet food are permitted from Canada into the United States. Frozen raw dog food products must be commercially packaged and sealed with ingredients listed in English. Lamb products are not permitted into the United States. You may be required to provide proof of the origin to bring them into the United States. Examples of proof of origin would include your receipt where the product was purchased.