If you’re looking for a high-quality, nutritious dog food, Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food might be just what you’re looking for. This premium dog food combines all the benefits of a raw diet with the convenience of dry dog food. Let’s take a closer look at the details of this product, including its features, pros, cons, ingredients, and different ways to include it in your dog’s diet.
Red Barn Air Dried Dog Food: Pros, Cons, and Everything You Need to Know
Before we get into the review, a few disclaimers. First, this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through these links, DogVills will receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. Second, Redbarn sent me a variety pack to try for Freya. I am very picky about the foods I feed Freya and only recommend foods that I would want to feed her myself.
With that out of the way, let’s start by taking a quick look at the great features of this fantastic air dried dog food, then we’ll go over the pros, cons, ingredients, and everything else you need to know.
Redbarn air dried dog food has some great features, including:
- Air Drying Method (Obviously): This process gently removes moisture from ingredients, preserving nutrients and flavor without the need for high temperatures or artificial preservatives.
- High Protein: Contains 85% animal-based protein to support muscle development and overall health.
- Grain Free: Perfect for grain-sensitive dogs, this formula emphasizes meat, organs and bones to replicate a natural carnivorous diet.
- Versatile feeding options: Can be used as a complete meal, as a food topping or as a workout snack.
- No artificial additives: No artificial preservatives, flavors or colorings are used.
Red Barn Air Dried Dog Food Pros and Advantages
As always, let’s start with a quick look at the biggest benefits and then dig a little deeper into the details.
- Nutritious: The air drying process retains more nutrients compared to traditional dry foods.
- delicious: Dogs often love this food because of its rich, meaty flavor.
- convenience: Provides the benefits of a raw diet without the hassle of thawing or refrigeration.
- Great for picky eaters: High protein, delicious formulas and a variety of flavors will satisfy even the pickiest pets.
- Supports health: High protein and natural ingredients help support overall health, energy levels and a lustrous coat.
A nutritious dog food alternative
Red Barn’s air drying process preserves more of the original nutrients from the ingredients compared to traditional dry dog foods, which tend to lose nutrients during high temperature cooking.
This of course means your dog gets more vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients with every bite, thereby supporting overall health, strong immune function and vitality.
Dogs love the taste
The rich, meaty flavour is preserved by the gentle air drying process, making it even more palatable for picky dogs. Freya loved the taste of all of the Redbarn air dried dog food recipes we fed her (more on the recipes later).
She can be a picky eater, especially when it comes to the things I use as training treats and food toppings (more on that later). She is food motivated, but only responds to high value treats during training games. Plus, her idea of what is “high value” is completely different than mine, so the fact that she really liked this food says a lot.
Convenient room temperature storage bag
One of the main benefits of Redbarn air-dried dog food is its convenience. Unlike raw foods, which require careful handling, refrigeration, and preparation, Redbarn air-dried foods are shelf stable and can be fed straight out of the bag. Essentially, they’re just as convenient as dry foods.
A wide variety of recipes for picky eaters
If you have a picky eater, Red Barn air dried dog food is a game changer. It comes in a variety of recipes with different protein sources. The “standard” versions are beef, chicken and fish. Plus, there are three recipes that are great for gut health and digestion (beef & lamb, chicken & turkey, and fish) plus an all-new puppy recipe (the only one we didn’t try is the puppy recipe, as Freya isn’t a puppy anymore).
High Protein
It also benefits your dog’s overall health thanks to its high protein content and natural ingredients – protein is essential for muscle development, repair and energy, and the natural ingredients contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that help with immunity, coat health and digestion.
Other Beneficial Ingredients
While ingredients will vary depending on which protein recipe you buy (obviously), they all have one thing in common: Redbarn uses the highest quality ingredients possible and tests all of their ingredients to ensure they’re safe for dogs. In fact, Redbarn has not one, but two state-of-the-art labs where they do all of their own testing. Learn more here. here.
They were also really nifty. Ingredients Dictionary It explains all the functional and key ingredients used in our dog food, plus other vitamins and minerals – for example, our air-dried recipe contains sunflower oil and salmon oil, which are beneficial for healthy fur and skin.
Disadvantage
- price: Due to the high quality ingredients and special processing, it is more expensive than regular dog food.
- availability: Not all pet stores have it so you will have to buy it online, however I don’t see this as a drawback as I buy almost everything online.
- Transition Period: Some dogs may need to be transitioned to this nutritious diet gradually to avoid digestive upset, especially if switching from a lower quality dog food.
To be honest, the only major drawback, especially for those on a budget, is the price. I won’t sugar coat it, but using Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food as your dog’s diet can be quite costly, especially for larger dogs.
With that in mind, let’s look at some ways you can use air-dried foods to your advantage without breaking the bank.
How to use Red Barn air dried dog food
First, the obvious one, as a staple food – although this can get pricey unless you have a toy breed – and Freya loves everything, so I wanted to use up as much of the sample bag as possible, so I opted for a different approach.
As a topping for dishes:
Redbarn Air Dried Recipes are the perfect topping for your dog’s dry food. Simply sprinkle a small amount on your dog’s regular dry food to add variety and excitement to their meals. This is a great way to get your picky dog excited about eating again, especially if, like Freya, she has grown tired of her usual dry food.
this is, Redburn grain free dog foodWe are currently testing the Lando recipe and Freya is eating it without any toppings for now, but at some point the freshness will wear off and she will start asking for “something something” toppings again – this is not the fault of the food itself, but of all the dog foods we feed her.
As a training reward:
Red Barn air-dried dog food is great for training treats because of its high meat content and delicious taste. It’s already made small for larger dogs, but it’s easy to break it into smaller pieces for smaller puppies. By the way, I do this for my cat Alex, who thinks he’s a dog and tries to steal Freya’s treats. This food is made for our canine friends, but it doesn’t contain anything harmful to cats.
They’re also lower in calories than commercial training treats: about 360 calories per cup (this varies slightly depending on the recipe), but you’ll only use a teaspoon during a match, which works out to about 10 calories or less per training session.
For snaffle mats:
Freya has “snuffle time” every night at 8pm. I’m always looking for new ideas that she’ll really like, otherwise she’ll snuffle for 2 seconds, then flip the whole thing over and eat only the treat that fell on the ground. Red Barn air dried food is one of the few low calorie treats that will hold her attention until she’s snuffled down to the last piece.
Frequently asked questions about Red Barn air dried dog food
Finally, let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
What is the difference between air dried dog food and traditional dog food?
Air dried dog food is processed to gently remove moisture without high temperatures, preserving more nutrients and flavor. Traditional dry food is cooked at high temperatures, which can destroy some nutrients and affect taste.
Can I mix Redbarn air dried dog food with my current dog’s food?
Yes, you can mix it into your dog’s current diet. In fact, we recommend gradually introducing Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food into your dog’s current diet over a period of 1-2 weeks to avoid any digestive upset.
Is Redbarn air dried dog food suitable for dogs with grain allergies?
Yes, Redbarn air dried dog food is grain free and suitable for dogs who are sensitive to grains or have allergies.
How should I store Redbarn air dried dog food?
It is shelf stable, but to maintain its freshness and nutritional value it is best stored in its original packaging or in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
How much Red Barn air dried dog food should I feed my dog?
Feeding guidelines vary depending on your dog’s weight, age and activity level — refer to feeding chart on package for specific recommendations and adjust as needed to maintain a healthy weight.
Is Redbarn air dried dog food suitable for puppies?
Yes, it is suitable for puppies (there are even recipes specifically for puppies), but it’s important to follow puppy feeding guidelines and consult your vet to make sure it’s meeting your puppy’s specific nutritional needs.
Does Redbarn air dried dog food contain any artificial preservatives or additives?
No, Redbarn air dried dog food contains no artificial preservatives, flavors or colors – it uses natural preservatives like salt and vinegar.
Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food is a convenient and nutritious alternative to traditional dry and raw foods. Its high protein, great taste and versatility make it the perfect choice for owners who want the best for their dogs.
Whether used as a main food, a topping or a training treat, it’s a versatile addition to your dog’s diet that you and your dog are sure to love.
Made with over 85% fish, beef and chicken, Redbarn air-dried dog food is sure to satisfy your pup’s meat cravings. Each recipe is complete and balanced with a blend of wholesome ingredients like salmon oil, flaxseed, pampas grass, vitamins and minerals. It’s also grain-free, gluten-free and non-GMO.
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