We’ve had our American Eskimo, Luna, since she was a puppy, and have spoiled her with treats, trips to the dog park, and high-protein “premium” natural dry food. But ongoing issues like itchiness and digestive upset led us to take a closer look at her diet. That’s when we discovered the benefits of minimally processed diets - shown to support a healthier coat, better digestion, and overall improved health in dogs.^1,2

So we put two raw and two cooked dog food brands to the test – We Feed Raw, Maev, JustFoodforDogs, and Ollie – and consulted with holistic Veterinarian Dr. Katie Woodley (DVM). We compared the four brands on nutrition, taste, convenience, and price – and found one clear winner.   

Fresh & Raw Dog Food Brands, Compared

1. Ingredients & Nutrition: We Feed Raw Wins

To start, let’s answer the question of what’s healthier for dogs: raw or cooked? Dr. Woodley explains that “cooking (even at low temperatures) degrades essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. In raw food, nutrients remain in their natural state.”

Dogs’ digestive systems are naturally adapted to absorb nutrients more efficiently from raw foods. When dog food is cooked, it not only lowers protein quality and amino acid availability, but also creates advanced glycation end products (AGEs) - compounds linked to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative conditions in dogs.³ That’s why it’s best to mimic dogs' ancestral diets – unprocessed raw meat, organs, and bones, all packed with vital nutrients and vitamins that support heart, brain, immune, and overall health.^4,5,6

Let’s see how the beef recipes compare for our four brands:

🥇 Winner: We Feed Raw wins with only nutrient-dense raw meat, organs, and ground bone – high in calcium and collagen to improve dogs’ bone density and coat⁵ – and no unnecessary carbs or fillers. 

🥈 Maev – the other raw food we tested – does include some organ meats, but also adds fruits and grains that can affect digestion and may increase risk of pancreatitis.⁷ We can’t help but wonder if Maev’s formula is designed more for what looks good to humans than what is good for dogs. It also contains peanut butter, which brings unnecessary added sugar and offers little real nutritional benefit for dogs.

❌ Ollie and JustFoodForDogs – the cooked brands we tested – are carb-heavy and cooked, preserving fewer nutrients than raw. These are “human-grade,” but not made for dogs’ unique biological or digestive needs. Per Dr. Woodley, carbs "can contribute to inflammation or blood sugar imbalances.”

2. Taste: We Feed Raw Wins

The best ingredients will do nothing if your dog refuses to eat them.. “Taste is critical because if your dog won’t eat it, it’s not going to benefit them," says Dr. Woodley. We tested each brand separately:

🥇 Winner: We Feed Raw won our taste test.  Luna cleaned her bowl every time, with zero digestive issues - and not evena scrap left behind.

🥈 Ollie & JustFoodForDogs tied for second. Luna was excited at first, but after a few days, her enthusiasm dipped, and she started leaving the veggie chunks untouched.

❌ Maev was the least appetizing for Luna. At first, she showed no interest in the frozen cubes, and we had to thaw them before serving. Even then, we didn’t see the same enthusiasm as with the other brands.

3. Convenience: Depends On How You Like To Serve

All four brands offer customizable subscriptions delivered straight to your door.

🥇 Winner: Maev’s frozen meals come in resealable bags, making them easy to pour and store in the freezer.

🥇 Winner: We Feed Raw’s portions are simple to scoop into a bowl after thawing overnight in the fridge, and they also have a shelf-stable freeze-dried option with the same nutrition - no freezing or refrigeration required.

❌ JustFoodForDogs isn’t pre-portioned, so you’ll need to measure servings yourself using their feeding guide and your own measuring cup.

❌ Ollie is messy to serve - the cooked, mushy texture clings to the packaging (and the counter) when scooping.

4. Price & Value: We Feed Raw Wins

Here’s how each brand broke down in price per meal for my 45lb American Eskimo who eats 2 meals a day:

🥇 We Feed Raw is the best value at $3.51 per meal with TCD's discount – and the best nutrition and ingredients. Even without the discount, it’s still cheaper than Maev and JustFoodForDogs at $4.68 per meal.

🥈 Ollie came in second at $3.77 per meal – but without the health benefits of raw. 

❌ Maev is the most expensive option at $5.88 per meal.

❌ JustFoodForDogs is just as expensive at $5.69 – and does not use nutrient-dense raw ingredients. 

Conclusion: We Feed Raw Is Our Top Pick

After trying all four brands, We Feed Raw is Luna's clear favorite, and we see the benefits everyday.

After feeding We Feed Raw for a month we’ve seen more energy, more excitement, and no more GI issues.

Dr. Woodley agrees: “I recommend We Feed Raw because it’s biologically appropriate and complete, made with high-quality raw ingredients, and backed by nutritional science.”

Ready to try We Feed Raw? Save 40% with our exclusive discount.

References

1. Feed Real
2. BMC Veterinary Research‍
3. Journal of Animal Science‍
4. Vetericyn‍
5. Metabolites‍
6. Animal Med Center
7. Veterinary Clinical Pathology

‍