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View 4 More +We give Darwin’s Natural Selections a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
If you’re a proud owner of a dog, you’ve likely heard about raw dog food diets and subscription services. While there are lots out there to check out, the big question is, are they all the same? That’s what we’re here to answer by taking a look at Darwin’s Natural Selections Pet Food.
Darwin’s sets itself apart from other companies with several innovative approaches to natural raw dog food. To start, the Natural Selections line gets inspiration from the canine ancestral diet, so processing is reduced to a minimum, preserving essential nutrients. The human-grade ingredients are ethically sourced and don’t contain fillers, hormones, preservatives, or grains. And perhaps most importantly, the meal plans are tailored to your pets’ nutritional needs.
With five recipes to choose from, we sampled three of our dogs’ favorite flavors with the hopes of sharing the experience so you can decide whether this dog food is the one for your pet.
At a Glance – What We’ve Reviewed:
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Our Favorite
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Darwin’s Natural Selections Beef Recipe |
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Darwin’s Natural Selections Chicken Recipe |
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Darwin’s Natural Selections Turkey Recipe |
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About Darwin’s
Who Makes Darwin’s Natural Selections and Where Is It Produced?
Darwin’s Natural Selections Dog Food is part of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products. While the company itself is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, they have facilities located in Utah and Pennsylvania.
Which Types of Dog Is Darwin’s Natural Selections Best Suited For?
Darwin’s Natural Selections Dog Food is suited for dogs of all breeds, ages, and sizes. Darwin’s products are grain-free, catering to all canines, because while healthy grains are good for most dogs, there are many canines out there that suffer from digestive issues or grain allergies. Those dogs will have the opportunity to enjoy this raw dog food without the worry of an upset tummy or itchy skin. With any new dog food, it’s best to have your veterinarian approve the switch, especially if your dog suffers from allergies or other medical conditions.
- Features 75% meat and 25% veggies
- Offers multiple recipes
- Made in USDA food facilities
- Crafted in the USA
- Features complete and balanced nutrition
- Food is proportioned specifically for your dog’s feeding needs
- Easy to use subscription service
- Can only be purchased by subscription, with no a la carte options
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)
Primary Meat
Each recipe offered by Darwin’s Natural Selections includes 75% antibiotic- and hormone-free meat. The diet fed to the cattle, chicken, lamb, and turkey is completely grain-free as well.
Darwin’s believes in creating the most nutritious recipes for our pets and that starts with using real animal proteins as the first ingredient. Each of their recipes also includes lean and organ meats.
Organic Vegetables
All of the vegetables used in Darwin’s Natural Selections are USDA-Certified organic, providing pet owners with peace of mind knowing their dogs will not ingest pesticides or other harmful chemicals.
Vitamins and Minerals
Just like many pet owners, the team at Darwin’s wants your dog to have nothing but the best, so their recipes contain several trace vitamins and minerals like Magnesium, Manganese, Iron, Zinc, and Vitamin E. In addition to being easy for your pup to absorb, they are all sourced naturally.
Reviewing the Most Popular Darwin’s Natural Selections Dog Foods
Let’s take a look at three of the most popular Darwin’s Natural Selections products: Beef Recipe, Chicken Recipe, and Turkey Recipe.
1. Darwin’s Natural Selections Beef Recipe Raw Dog Food
Darwin’s Natural Selections Beef Recipe features grass-fed beef as the primary ingredient. Lean beef muscle, hearts, and liver ensure your pooch is getting all the protein they need to stay energized. The vegetables included in this blend are completely organic and safe for canine consumption. Carrots, zucchini, and leafy greens are a few staple ingredients necessary for your pet to get the nutrients it needs. You’ll even find that Darwin’s Beef Recipe is high in omega-3 and -6 fatty acids thanks to added organic sunflower oil.
The guaranteed analysis of this recipe is:
| Protein: | 14% minimum |
| Fat: | 8% minimum |
| Fiber: | 1% minimum |
| Moisture: | 71% minimum |
| Calories: | 36 kcal per ounce |
- Made with grass-fed beef
- Features USDA-certified organic veggies
- High in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids
- None that we could find
2. Darwin’s Natural Selections Chicken Recipe Raw Dog Food
Like the other dog food blends offered by Darwin’s, their Chicken Recipe features USDA-certified organic vegetables like carrots, lettuce, and squash. Their hormone-free chicken is comprised of livers, hearts, gizzards, and muscle. This provides dogs with essential vitamins and minerals including selenium, as well as amino acids.
Chicken may be an allergen for some dogs. If your pup has never tried chicken, closely monitor their behavior after eating and contact your vet if you notice any changes.
The guaranteed analysis of this recipe is:
| Protein: | 13% minimum |
| Fat: | 7% minimum |
| Fiber: | 1% minimum |
| Moisture: | 74% minimum |
| Calories: | 36 kcal per ounce |
- Features tasty veggies like squash and carrots
- No hormones or antibiotics
- Chicken is the main ingredient
- Not suitable for dogs with chicken intolerances
3. Darwin’s Natural Selections Turkey Recipe Raw Dog Food
Turkey is a great choice for dogs looking to get their weight in check, as it’s lower in cholesterol and saturated fats than beef or chicken. It also contains immune system boosters like tryptophan and B6, which are important for the healing process. The birds are free-range and fed a human-grade diet.
We love that this recipe is high in protein but lower in calories.
The guaranteed analysis of this recipe is:
| Protein: | 14% minimum |
| Fat: | 7% minimum |
| Fiber: | 1% minimum |
| Moisture: | 75% minimum |
| Calories: | 31 kcal per ounce |
- Great source of vitamins and minerals
- Low calorie
- Immune system benefits
- None that we could find
Our Experience With Darwin’s Natural Selections
Our experience with Darwin’s Natural Selections Raw Dog Food was amazing! The product arrived as expected and was packaged really well, a crucial part of keeping the food frozen during shipping. Upon opening the box, we found the three recipes we ordered snuggly and still very much frozen inside. They also included a handy Tupperware dish with Darwin’s logo. According to the instructions, the dish is intended for thawing out our dog’s meals.
It didn’t take long to thaw out the first pack of dog food, but the others seemed to take a little more time. I noticed that the thick packs of food sometimes took up to two days to thaw in the fridge, so I would recommend thawing them on the counter instead to speed up the process. The thawing dish was super handy for storage and keeping the food contained while it defrosted.
The taste was where things excelled. My dogs are not overly picky eaters, but they will walk away from food if it isn’t up to their standards. They pounced on all three recipes! While it seemed that beef was the favorite, it was hard to truly determine. Every bowl was licked clean.
A couple of things to consider. First, each pouch is two pounds of food, so if you order a larger quantity, you’ll need ample freezer space. Raw food should be kept frozen until thawing the day before feeding. Second, if you had a truly picky eater, you would very likely be able to entice them by mixing this food with kibble to gauge their interest. And finally, it takes some trial and error to manage portion control and the subscription service, but Darwin’s offers free menu consultations by phone or email to help you get it right.
Overall, we loved Darwin’s Natural Selections, and we’re looking forward to the next shipment!
Conclusion
If you are looking for tasty, healthy raw food for your dog, Darwin’s Natural Selections is a great option. Darwin’s has ensured all their ingredients are of the best quality. They also make sure all facilities used to craft your dog’s food are up to standards. For pet owners who are willing to pay a bit more to offer their dogs something besides everyday kibble, give Darwin’s Natural Selections a try. You’ll be glad you did.
