Raw dog food has become more accessible over the past few years.
If you spend time admiring dogs on social media, you’ll find more and more pet parents who have switched their canine companions to a raw-fed diet.
The topic of raw dog food can be quite a controversial topic, with pros and cons to this method of pet nutrition.
Where To Buy: www.chewy.com
We advise that dog owners do their own research on raw dog food as well as consulting with your local vet.
Editor's note: The content on this website is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as veterinary, medical or professional advice. The content of our articles does not constitute veterinary advice. It’s always best to speak with your vet or a certified pet nutritionist before making any changes to your pet's diet or feeding routine.
There’s no shortage of raw dog food options and we’re going to take a look at Instinct by Nature’s Valley in this article.
We’ll take a look at Instinct’s recipes, the ingredients in their raw food, as well as what customers have to say about it.
Jump To Section
Instinct – The Basics
Where To Buy: www.chewy.com
Instinct by Nature’s Variety are on a mission to transform the lives of pet thanks to their raw and real food.
They operate from their company-owned facilities in Lincoln, Nebraska.
They believe in sticking with what’s “natural” as well as keeping it simple to help your dog get the best out of life.
You won’t find any fillers, by-products or artifical preservatives in their raw dog food.
Instinct believe in pure, real nutrition to raise the bar where pet food is concerned.
They want to make raw food diets accessible to everyone, ensuring that pets can enjoy what they believe are the benefits to this type of nutrition.
What Service Do Instinct Provide?
Instinct by Nature’s Variety can’t be purchased directly on their website. You can find their raw food available to purchase through online marketplaces or at your local pet store.
We recommend visiting Chewy.com to check out the various Instinct recipes on offer for pet owners.
Unlike some other raw dog food companies, there isn’t an option to get a custom Instinct meal plan.
Nature’s Variety offer a number of different options within the Raw line. These include Raw Signature, Raw, Raw Meals, Raw Boost, Original, Be Natural, Limited and Wet.
Raw Signature and Raw have been minimally processed using real meat, organs and bones, as well as vegetables, fruits and other wholesome ingredients.
Freeze-Dried and Raw Boost provide alternatives for pet parents who want to make a gradual switch to a raw food diet.
What Raw Dog Food Options Do Instinct Offer?
As we mentioned above, Instinct have a number of different lines within their range to give pet parents plenty of options.
Instinct Raw Signature – Minimally processed, all natural, raw frozen dog food. Made with 95% real meat, organs and bone, 5% vegetables, fruits and other wholesome ingredients.
Instinct Raw – Minimally processed, never cooked, pure, real nutrition – made with 85% meat and organs, 15% vegetables & fruits, vitamins & minerals.
Instinct Raw Freeze-Dried – Minimally processed, pure, complete nutrition of raw in a convenient freeze-dried form that’s ready to scoop and serve.
Raw Boost – Raw Boost kibble puts high protein kibble and freeze-dried raw all in the same bag and Raw Boost Mixers make it easy to add raw to any meal.
Original – Made with 70%+ real animal ingredients and nutritious oils, with the pure, real nutrition of raw on every piece.
Be Natural – Wholesome kibble with freeze-dried raw coating on every piece.
Price And Delivery
You can’t order Instinct by Nature’s Variety on their website so you’ll have to go to your local pet store or order online.
For instance, you can place an order on Chewy.com who will ship your Instinct order direct to your doorstep.
Instinct can vary in price depending on whether you’re buying Instinct Raw, Instinct Raw Freeze-Dried or Raw Boost. The prices range from $11.99 to $69.99.
What Are Customers Saying?
Instinct have great reviews on Chewy.com across all of their lines. For the purposes of this article, we examined the reviews of Instinct Raw Boost. The product gets 4.5 stars out of 5 based upon over 274 customer testimonials.
Angel was delighted to see her sensitive pup thrive on Instinct Raw Boost.
My boy is 6yrs old and he has been eating this since he was a pup. He has a lot of allergies and we went through multiple foods that he tried and finally this one worked for him without any stomach issues. His movements are good which is what we were having problems with.
Marie highlighted that her dogs find Instinct Raw Boost easy to chew.
I recently switched my two small (10 and 20 lb) Terriers to this and they LOVE it. I think it’s easier to chew than other similarly priced/quality foods we’ve tried and the balance of ingredients makes me feel confident they are getting an appropriate and nutritious meal.
Ozzy’s picky Malamute mix is a big fan of Instinct Raw Boost.
My now extremely picky two-year-old Labrador Malamute seems to like this food. It is not crumbly and has a good amount of the yummy bits mixed with kibble. Definitely a keeper.
Any Negatives?
Instinct by Nature’s Variety appears to be a good option for pet parents who want to give a raw food diet a try.
However, you can’t order their food directly from their website, so you’ll have to purchase online or at a pet store.
Unfortunately you won’t be able to tailor their meals to meet your dog’s specific requirements.
However, it could be a good first step into raw dog food.
Is This The Best Raw Dog Food?
Puppy Jack Russell Terrier with dogs food (Photo: Adobe)
There’s no doubt that Instinct is a hit with a lot of dogs across the USA.
Their raw food get good reviews online, even keeping picky eaters motivated at mealtime.
You can’t customise Instinct to meet your dog’s needs but they’re still a good option for pet parents looking to make the switch to raw.
You can check out the best raw food options via the link below.
RELATED: The five best raw dog food companies
Anything Else To Consider?
Instinct provide pet parents with some helpful advice where transitioning to their raw food is concerned. They advise making a gradual transition to avoid the risk of an upset stomach due to a rapid change.
Nature’s Variety add that loose stools or digestive upset could happen in the initial days as your dog’s system gets used to the texture and temperature change.
As we mentioned above, we’re no experts where pet nutrition is concerned. This article doesn’t constitute expert or medical advice. You should consult with your local vet before you make a change to your dog’s diet.
Instinct Conclusion – Our Final Thoughts
We’ve reached the end of our review of Instinct by Nature’s Variety.
They’ve got a number of different raw food options for dog owners to choose, allowing pet parents to select a type that best meets their dog’s needs.
Instinct has great reviews online across all of their products from pet parents who have tried and tested their food on their four-legged friends.
You can only buy Instinct by Nature’s Variety at your local pet store or through an online retailer, such as Chewy.com.
Therefore, it’s not possible to tailor Instinct to meet your dog’s specific needs.
Having said that, you won’t go wrong if you decide to give Instinct a try.
