I came across Vital Essentials yesterday and picked up a bag of frozen kibble raw chicken dog food (instead of patties, it's small round balls, twice the size of the average dry kibble). I handed out the frozen 'kibble' as treats to G&S and they seem to like it alot.

http://www.vitalessentialsraw.com/html/products/ingredients.htm

It comes in frozen and freeze dried patties and 'kibble'.

Ingredients & Guaranteed analysis
Vital Essentials USDA Certified Pet Food is made with the finest ingredients that provide the essential, natural nutrition necessary for your pet's peak performance. Our nutritionally balanced raw diets meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog & Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages. Vital Essentials contains the optimum free-range sources of dietary goodness and does NOT contain any added fillers, grains, colorings, antibiotics, hormones, or steroids.

BEEF INGREDIENTS
Beef, beef tripe, beef lung, ground beef bone, beef liver, beef heart, beef kidney, beef blood, beef fat, herring oil (a natural source of vitamin D) d-alpha tocopherols, mixed tocopherols, (a natural antioxidant), natural vitamin E.

CHICKEN INGREDIENTS
Ground chicken with bone, chicken heart, chicken liver, herring oil (a natural source of vitamin D) d-alpha tocopherols, mixed tocopherols, (a natural antioxidant) natural vitamin E.

Fish Ingredients
Whole, cold-water, Lake Superior Cisco, mixed tocopherols, (a natural antioxidant), natural vitamin E

chicken w/Liver Ingredients
Ground chicken with bone, beef liver, chicken liver, chicken heart, herring oil (a natural source of vitamin D), d-alpha tocopherols, mixed tocopherols (a natural antioxidant), natural vitamin E.

What's "kibble"?

I'm curious, but my guess is that it's rather expensive? What's the protein and calorie count?

Koda wrote:

What's "kibble"?

I'm curious, but my guess is that it's rather expensive? What's the protein and calorie count?

They don't have calorie count, but rather cost per weight of your dog, which right about $2/day for a 25lb dog, so for most of us, it would be about $4/day.

Kibble or nibblets are just small balls of the food instead of formed patties.

cmanding wrote:

Koda wrote:

What's "kibble"?

I'm curious, but my guess is that it's rather expensive? What's the protein and calorie count?

They don't have calorie count, but rather cost per weight of your dog, which right about $2/day for a 25lb dog, so for most of us, it would be about $4/day.

Kibble or Niblets


I bought a small bag of the chicken niblets and use them as treats. Works great for Storm's crate training

Sounds pretty good. So I take it the Nibblets are just tiny balls of frozen raw? That's very interesting and would make a fantastic treat for raw feeders. Nice find.

It's so hard to keep up with pre-made raw foods these days, seems like everybody is jumping on the raw bandwagon and creating their own food to sell.

Huskyluv wrote:

Sounds pretty good. So I take it the Nibblets are just tiny balls of frozen raw? That's very interesting and would make a fantastic treat for raw feeders. Nice find.

Yep, you got it. It's about double the size of regular, dry dog food kibble. And that's what I use it for. G&S perked up when I opened the bag and went right in their crate, laid down, gave me a paw and drooled.

Huskyluv wrote:

It's so hard to keep up with pre-made raw foods these days, seems like everybody is jumping on the raw bandwagon and creating their own food to sell.

I compared the price to Stella and Chewy's frozen raw, and if I did my calculations right, it's a little cheaper, and without the fruits and/or veggies.

Since I don't have the stomach to feed the organs to make it a true raw model, I'm always looking for other options that will give me that alternative. And when I found they had the 'kibble' or 'niblets', for some reason, I got excited!

Too bad they don't make the fish formula in niblet size...

It looks awesome. John would just murder me in my sleep for spending that much

cmanding wrote:

I compared the price to Stella and Chewy's frozen raw, and if I did my calculations right, it's a little cheaper, and without the fruits and/or veggies.

That's the biggest plus is that it doesn't have the fuller fruits and veggies which are not necessary. Although there's nothing wrong with variety either. I'm sure the veggie inclusive raw is probably lower in useable calories.

cmanding wrote:

Since I don't have the stomach to feed the organs to make it a true raw model, I'm always looking for other options that will give me that alternative.

That's my hang up too. That and also the fact that I can't get organs for cheap around here keeps me from going full PMR. But hey, that's why I rotate so many other things like premium kibble, THK, cans, Ziwipeak, and Stella & Chewy's. I do supplement frozen pre-made raw every now and then but it's only maybe once or twice a year because it's so expensive.

Even if I calculated Storm's body weight at 75 lbs, he would still cost $6/day

I can get chicken legs and thighs at Costco for $.99/lb, and that's what I have been doing for Ginger...

But like Val, I can't find organs for cheap and readily available, nor do I think I have the stomach to feed it - so I do like the frozen, pre-made, calculated food they have out there.

You would think with all these companies out there with frozen/freeze-dried options for raw feeders, the price would come down from competition....??

I wouldn't expect prices to drop due to more competition. Meat is expensive and the cost is steadily rising so you get what you pay for, plus the company does all the work of grinding the meat and balancing ingredients to make it a "complete" diet.

I try to buy treats that are composed of organ and muscle meat such as beef liver and lamb lung. I also use the Natural Balance meat rolls as treats since (depending on which flavor you get) they contain heart, liver, lung, kidney, and spleen. I know those items are in small quantities but I figure if they get a little each day, combined with all the other stuff I supplement their diets with they are doing pretty good.

Where did you get these Claudia? I'd love to get some for Koda as we're going to do more crate training with him!

Heatherlee wrote:

Where did you get these Claudia? I'd love to get some for Koda as we're going to do more crate training with him!

I got them at Chewy's near my house.

Go to their website and see if there are any stores that carry them near you. Otherwise, I can check if Chewy's carries the freeze-dried version in the niblets and get you some and bring to the hike on Sunday.

How much are they, about $20? The closest place is an hour away so if you do stop by there pick me up a bag please of the chicken! BTW would you be interested in going to Sweet Tomatoes for lunch/dinner afterwards or something? I have a coupon for my birthday I need to use! Thought if Jenn or you wanted to go we could.

I need to go back to Chewy's because I picked up the wrong beef flavor! I wanted just the plain beef instead of the beef tripe.

I can call you when I go back....PM me your number.