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Viva Raw is a well-known dog and cat food brand that specializes in raw pet food. It’s made from USDA-inspected, locally-sourced meat and a small amount of organic vegetables and other beneficial ingredients. I know first-hand that choosing the best raw dog food can be a bit overwhelming, and it took me weeks of research to finally land on Viva. Here’s why I ultimately chose Viva Raw for my puppy and what my personal experience with this company and food have been like.
What’s in Viva Raw Dog Food?
Viva Raw has six options for raw dog food:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Beef
- Duck
- Rabbit
- Beef & Turkey for puppies
All of these options contain 90% USDA-inspected, hormone- and antibiotic-free protein, 5% organic fruits and vegetables, and 5% natural supplements. All six of these options are formulated to meet AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards for both puppies and adults and including large breed dogs.
To give you an idea of what the ingredient lists look like for Viva Raw, below is the full list of ingredients for the beef & turkey puppy recipe:
Turkey with Ground Bone, Beef Heart, Turkey Heart, Beef Meat, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Organic Carrots, Organic Cranberries, Organic Broccoli, Organic Green Beans, Organic Apple Pomace, Chilean Mussels, Oyster Meat, Fish Oil, Organic Ground Ginger, Organic Icelandic Kelp, Cod Liver Oil, Vitamin E (Tocopherols), Organic Shiitake Mushrooms
Added probiotics: Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium animalis, Lactobacillus reuteri
Benefits of Viva Raw Dog Food
The reasons I chose Viva Raw dog food for my own puppy over other raw food brands are outlined below. These are by far the biggest pros of this brand:
- Meets AAFCO nutrition standards. AAFCO standards ensure that a particular food is formulated to meet the minimum nutrition requirements for growth at various life stages. Foods that do not meet these standards may leave room for nutritional deficiencies.
- Locally-sourced, hormone-free meat. Viva Raw sources its protein from small, USDA-inspected farms in the United States and prepares each formula in small batches in its own kitchens.
- Specific formula for puppies. Not all raw dog food brands have a specific puppy formula – some offer “all life stages,” but this food likely does not meet AAFCO standards for puppy growth. If you are specifically looking for the best raw food for a puppy, Viva Raw should be one of your top contenders for this reason.
- Complete diet. All Viva Raw dog food formulas are a complete diet, meaning you don’t have to play mad scientist and spend a bunch more money adding supplements and probiotics to your dog’s food.
- Rigorous safety protocols. Viva Raw takes food safety seriously and has many safety protocols in place to ensure your pup is getting safe, healthy food. This includes testing each batch of food for Salmonella, E. Coli O157:H7, and Listeria, following strict sanitation protocols, and adding specific probiotics that protect against pathogens. You can learn more about Viva’s safety measures in the brand’s walk-through video.
- Convenient packaging. Viva Raw dog food comes in one-pound packages that easily tear open and are ready to serve. All you have to do is thaw and serve – it truly couldn’t be easier!
- Fast, hassle-free shipping. Viva Raw ships very quickly and efficiently and I have never had any issues with the quality of the food upon arrival.
- No more picky eating. My puppy quite literally jumps for joy when he smells a pack of Viva dog food come out of the fridge. I have never seen a dog enjoy mealtime this much! If you have a picky eater and are finding yourself adding topper after topper to kibble, give Viva a try – your dog will LOVE it!
Drawbacks of Viva Raw Dog Food
I honestly do not have much bad to say about Viva Raw. There are just a few cons, though:
- High price point. Viva Raw dog food ranges from $6.50 to $10.25 per pound, depending on the formula. This can add up really quickly, especially if you have a large or multiple dogs. Additionally, Viva Raw recently increased its prices by $0.50/pound, so expect intermittent price increases with market fluctuations.
- You’ll need lots of freezer space. If you buy in bulk (which pays off because shipping is free on orders over $250), you’ll need lots of room in your freezer.
Viva Raw Dog Food Recalls
In July 2024, Viva Raw issued a voluntary recall of particular lots of raw dog and cat food that contained turkey, due to potential listeria contamination. No illnesses related to this lot have been reported to date.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Expensive Is Viva Raw?
Viva Raw dog food ranges in price from $6.50 to $10.25 per pound, depending on the formula. My large-breed puppy, for example, needs to eat 2.5 pounds of Viva dog food per day based on Viva’s feeding calculator. The beef and turkey puppy recipe now costs $8.00/pound. That adds up to $20 per day, or around $600 per month. To help offset this cost, I currently mix half Viva Raw with half Farmina kibble.
Can You Mix Viva Raw with Kibble?
Yes! According to Viva’s own website, it is perfectly safe to mix raw food with kibble. This can be a more affordable option for many people. Even if you plan to switch your dog to 100% raw food, you will still need a transition period where you mix his current kibble with the new raw food.
Can You Cook Viva Raw Food?
Yes, you can gently cook Viva raw dog food. There are two cons to this, though: 1) Cooking at high temperatures can change the nutrient profile of the food and 2) It smells pretty awful when cooking.
Does Viva Raw Have Discount Codes?
Yes, Viva Raw often has discount codes. However, the caveat to this is that most of them are only for new customers and can only be used once per household.
Bottom Line: Is Viva a Good Dog Food?
In my opinion, Viva Raw is one of the best raw dog foods out there. I’ve compared Viva to many different brands, including We Feed Raw, BJ’s Raw Pet Food, Maeve, and others and Viva comes out on top for me. This isn’t to say that these other brands don’t have benefits, but in terms of quality, options, safety, accessibility, and convenience, Viva Raw wins.
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