Big Country Raw Dog Food Review

5/24/2014

Dog owners are constantly striving to provide the very best for their dogs, and nutrition tends to be one of the most important decisions you will inevitably make for your four-legged companions. Superior nutrition will help determine what kind of health and longevity your dog will have during its lifetime. The key to a disease-resistant, thriving dog that remains strong and energetic even into its senior years is mixture of genetics and a nutrient dense diet of fresh, whole foods.

A raw food diet is the species appropriate, biologically correct form of food dogs were designed to eat and thrive on. A raw food diet consists of raw meat, raw edible bone and raw organ from prey animals such as duck, rabbit, lamb, turkey, chicken and cows. A raw food diet is a whole food diet that consists of nutrient dense whole food and living enzymes. You can learn more about how dogs are biologically designed to eat a raw food diet here, or you can browse my article on frequently asked questions about a raw food diet for dogs!

BigCountry Raw is a raw pet food company located in the heart of the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada. BCR uses only locally sourced suppliers of meat and all of their products are federally inspected human grade, hormone and antibiotic free! This wholesome company prepares and packages the food themselves in small batches to ensure absolute freshness and control the outstanding quality they are known for.

I found BigCountry Raw when I was looking for unique protein sources to offer my prey model raw fed dogs. I really appreciate the selection they have available, and their prices are the best that I have found in Ontario. They offer chicken, beef, lamb, duck, rabbit, turkey, fish, pork and several nutritious blends of proteins. This amount of variety makes for a very balanced, nutritionally complete diet that provides the type of prey food diversity that results in optimum nutrition.

I received an order from BigCountry Raw that contained their pure duck meal and their pure rabbit meal, immediately I was impressed with the packaging and how easy it was to simply bring in the house and put away in my freezer. Very simple to thaw, very simple to store, minimal mess. The packaging contains all of the information I would require right off the bat including the ingredient read and a basic nutrition analysis.

I fed BigCountry Raw for a month, and I have to say it is [in my opinion] the best pre-made raw food on the market. One thing I noticed immediately was the freshness of the food and the moisture content in the meat. A lot of pre-made raw food tends to be very dry and often freezer burned, but BigCountry Raw products retain a lot of moisture and that is extremely important in a raw food diet.

The raw food itself must be highly palatable because my two German Shepherds licked their bowls clean enthusiastically after each meal. The ingredient read on all of the blends is fantastic - containing nothing but meat and completely free of any junk, fillers, or other useless additives. You get pure, fresh, wholesome meat in every single container.

Both of my dogs flourished on BigCountry Raw, and their coats looked fantastic. Stools were small and looked very normal, and that shows that the meat itself has the right meat to bone ratios to be nutritionally balanced.

I highly recommend BigCountry Raw to anyone who is looking for a high quality, balanced and nutritionally complete pre-made raw food to feed their four-legged family members. A fantastic business, a fantastic food and a diet designed to help your dogs thrive for all of the years of the life!

Click here to visit the BigCountry Raw website, or click here to visit their Facebook page!

Angel
K9 Instinct
www.k9instinct.com

39 Comments

Shannon

6/17/2014 12:33:35 am

Hi. I am thinking about switching to raw for my 3 year old Boxer. I have read some great reviews and some less than great reviews on BCR. One of the concerns I have is...Are the BCR dinners. Ie Chicken Dinner, Turkey dinner etc. completely balanced or do you have to add supplements? I had read they were not complete and balanced and may lack in vitamin d & e as well as Omega 3s.

Geraldine Brouwer link

11/30/2014 10:02:49 pm

Hello Shannon,
Thanks for thinking about BCR for your 3 year old Boxer. BCR Dinners are complete and balanced, but do not contain Omega 3 Fatty Acid's. We recommend ALL our meals be supplemented with our THRIVE Herring Oil (5 ml per 25 lb's body weight). If you dog does not like fish oil you could try Coconut Oil as a suitable alternative. For some raw feeders including a fish choice in a meal plan rotation is another alternative. We offer Pure Salmon, Pure Mackerel and Fish Dinner. Any of these 3 meals fed could be offered at least 2 meals per week as an excellent source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Sandra

12/27/2017 02:17:20 pm

Coconut Oil DOES NOT contain any Omega3! while it should be supplemented it is NOT a substitute for Fish Oil .. if you want a suitable substitute that has Omega 3 fatty acids use Hemp Oil or feed fresh canned sardines (packed in water).

Erin

6/18/2018 11:31:56 am

I just bought my boxer BCR and am hesitant to try it because she doesn’t seem to agree with a lot of proteins.
Which one did you pick and how has your boxer done on it?

Kathryn Rutledge link

3/11/2015 10:12:43 am

I started out making my own Raw food for my 4 huskies, which took a lot of time I did not have but was necessary as I could not find a Raw brand I was happy with. The constant calculating to ensue the correct ratio's was never ending just as driving 100's of kilometres for quality human grade protein choice's was daunting. I tied 4 different foods 2 of which I threw in the garbage. I then found BigCountry Raw and it was like I won the lottery. I do not take thing at face value so I get blood work done every year and that is how I have proven scientifically to myself that I am doing the right thing for my dogs. We believe in their food so much we decided to move our home based office to a commercial unit so we could offer this awesome product exclusively to our customers. The success stories we are hearing are nothing short of amazing.

Katherine

4/13/2015 11:21:20 am

I've been feeding my dog BCR since around September 2014. I was advised that the dinners were nutritionally balanced and all that was really needed was to add the herring oil. My dog wouldn't eat the food with the oil mixed in, so I feed him the oil separately. I got really positive feedback from pet store owners in regards to feeding raw. However, I brought my dog to get his annual check up and the veterinarian was extremely displeased that I was feeding raw. He told me that it's not nutritionally balanced and he's had to put puppies fed raw down because the calcium/phosphorous balance was off... I got kind of scared. I am continuing to feed my dog BCR, but now I am concerned. What if I am not giving my dog the nutrition he needs? I am happy to hear that your dog's blood work was good. I suggested I get a test done for my dog and the veterinarian seemed surprised when I asked and said he'd have to look into it... I'm not sure what I should do! My dog hates kibble and loves his raw food.

K9 Instinct

4/13/2015 11:25:52 am

My dogs have been raw fed their entire lives, and annual blood work is always perfect. I wouldn't let your veterinarian scare you into feeding something else. It's just scare tactics. If he were right, carnivores and omnivores who have been eating prey model raw for millions of years would have died out long long ago. ;)

Geraldine - Owner Big Country Raw link

4/14/2015 03:30:05 am

HI Katherine,
I can assure you that Big Country Raw diets are completed and balanced and contain the correct calcium/phosphorus ratios. We actually recently published all 36 essential nutrient information for all our diets and you can find this information on our website through the online store.
All our diets are formulated to meet AAFCO and NRC guidelines with regards to dietary needs for dogs and cats to sustain life.

We also are certainly happy to help evaluate your meal plans to ensure you are feeding a good rotation of proteins, raw meaty bones and supplements if you would like. Just contact us through the website for assistance.

5/7/2016 05:31:31 am

Of course your vet isn't happy, your vet went to school a long time ago when the benefits of raw food were not openly discussed and the school they went to was sponsored by one of the big kibble manufacturers like Hills, or Royal Canin. Your vet also makes more money off you when your animal gets sick rather than when you animal is healthy so why educate people when that leads to less money. The only way your vet has had to put a puppy down because of a raw diet is due to people feeding unbalanced diets or contaminated meat (don't get your meat from the grocery store). You should feel safe giving your dog a proper unprocessed meal rather than the MCD happy meal they want you to buy. This would be my cue to find a new vet.

Coral Nichols

12/31/2016 12:44:20 pm

Most vets are against raw food and don't take the time to read up on companies that make it.

2/15/2017 06:31:25 am

Time for a new vet who is committed to continually updating their education and learning more than what the reps from the big kibble companies tell them. That said yes if done wrong the raw diet can be unbalanced. For example if you only fed muscle meat or chicken breast or ground beef yes your dog would get very sick, and rarely would that get to the point of 'putting them down'. Look up Dr. Karen Becker read her articles and find a new vet. Food for thought... when did wild dogs and wolves learn to make kibble?

Rolanda Beaudoin

10/15/2019 04:33:37 pm

Calcium and Phos levels should be relatively high in BCR because organ and bone is part of the mixture...organ and bone provide an excellent source of these minerals, including glucosamine and chondroitin which is something every large dog should get for joint health....

Tanya Dawes link

12/8/2015 10:40:08 pm

I have to say that I too was told by many vets that a raw diet is not safe for dogs and especially mine with having health issues....our 10yr old GSD has an immune deficiency and is prone to yeast infections and our 10 yr old Siberian Husky is diabetic...our 5 yr old husky/gsd mix is healthy ....trying raw for the first time in April 2015...I was very hopeful because I did lots of research on both raw and kibble and I was not happy at all with kibble due to the recalls and extra additives and fillers added to kibble not to mention all nutrients are diminished when the kibble is cooked due to the high temps and I wasn't happy with my diabetic husky...even though his sugars were regulated while he was on a vet brand of kibble he still looked sick and he was over weight and we struggled with figuring out the right amount food with the right dose of insulin for him....anyhow thankfully someone had recommended Big Country Raw to me and I called to talk to Geraldine to find out about a meal plan for Sirus our diabetic....she was very helpful and I must say I have never spoke with someone so knowledgeable about dog food before...I won't lie, it was a struggle at the beginning trying to figure out the right dose of insulin for Sirus when we first switched but it wasn't long before we found a good ratio of protein, veg & insulin for Sirus and we had him stable in no time...Meeka our GSD has never been healthier...she is on a strictly pure diet due to her yeast issues and is doing fantastic...and Diesel our husky/gsd mix waits in his crate 30 mins prior to meal time and patiently waits for his meals ...they all are eager for meals, lick their bowls clean. I am so impressed with big country raw...since we've switched here are the changes we've witnessed...clean teeth, shiny thick coats, way less shedding which is huge when you have 3 double coat dogs, they drink way less water, no more drooling and slobber, no more bad doggie breath, and way less poop to scoop in the backyard!! Meeka has only had one yeast break out since we started her on the BCR but at the time I wasn't aware not to feed her the dinners...since she's now on the pure formula she's cleared up and looks the best she ever has...and Sirus's blood sugar has been the best it ever has been since he was diagnosed ...the best part is though my 10 yr old dogs are playing like puppies and look healthier than they ever have and you can't argue with that..I am so impressed with BCR that I've decided to become a distributor for BCR...once my clients heard about how well my dogs were doing they wanted their dogs to thrive too and their cats! I currently have 2 clients with cats that are on BCR and I've heard nothing but positive feedback..mostly shiny coat, weight loss, playful and energetic and the best is that they can't smell the litter box anymore!! If you live in the Quinte Area and are interested in BCR please call me and I'll set up a meal plan, order it for you, deliver it personally to you and help you get set up and show you how easy it is to prepare the meals for all your pets. I couldn't imagine life without BigCountry Raw for my fur babies...thanks BCR!!

Brien Preston

4/1/2017 04:50:50 pm

saw your blog. I'm in the Trenton area and am considering raw food diet for our 11 month old puppy.
A local groomer who sells BCR recommends it but I would like to get a second independent opinion.
Thank you.
Brien

Carrie

5/8/2017 08:05:06 pm

Hi Brien, I'm also in the Trenton area and I'm wondering if you have put your pup on BCR yet and if so how do you like it ?

Warren

2/10/2019 07:24:17 am

I have a 22 month old Bernese Mountain dog/Border collie cross, and I switched her from kibble to BCR when she was about 8 months old. I did a fair amount of research looking for a food that would offer the best nutrition, but also help be a preventative measure against hip and joint issues as she got older. Bernese are highly prone to hip/joint problems and cancers. She LOVES her BCR, she is incredibly healthy....and while I continue to research different options, BCR is still what she is being fed, and I highly doubt, at this point, that I will find another product to change that.

Tanya

12/19/2015 03:22:46 am

After having a lot of problem with my little Westie Samson and making the decision to take him to a dermatologist due to yeast infection and flea allergy dermitis. Through an elimination diet we pin pointed that Samson may have an intolerance or food allergy to fish as he was previously on Orijen Six fish kibble. So I switched his food to a novel diet, kibble (Rayne/ Kangaroo and sweet potato formula) and it was working. His yeast issues seemed to subside and he was healthy until now :( I am not a fan of kibble but my vet recommended that I keep him on his diet. I started to see the same signs as before, yeasty and then I noticed that he had gotten fleas/dermitis again. I'm feeling so defeated at this point because I believe that because of his food quality and his allergies that he is not going to get better and he keeps getting other issues. My vet tells me that he doesn't recommend a raw diet and that I should keep him on his kangaroo diet. He also suggested antibiotics or steroids which I'm totally against! So after much time researching, im taking matters into my own hands and not taking my bets advice. Im clearing up his flea/dermitis issue naturally at home. And he's seems to be getting better... I've decided to try Big country raw turkey dinner and his first meal was yesterday. I did fast him first so he would be hungry and I added what I had previously added to his kibble which was cooked sweet potato cooked in organic coconut oil and I added it to his meal and he wasn't too sure about it. So I read that I could slightly warm it just to add more flavour and he ate it up!! So last night I gave him another helping without cooking and he was a bit fussy at first but I could tell that he was starving at this point so he ate it. I'm following my gutt and I'm going to try this to see if this helps with clearing him up. At this point I have nothing to lose so I have my fingers crossed that he's ok with this. So far no more rumbling tummy or vommting. I'm not sure how long I should try the turkey for but if he has any adverse affects then I wouldn't be opposed to trying the Kangaroo. Thank you to BCR for making my life easier and making great quality food. I will keep you posted on Samson. Thanks!

Tanya Dawes link

12/19/2015 09:12:32 am

Hi Tanya,

I read your post...and from my training and experience if you dog has a history of yeast infections than it's best not to feed the dinner that include fruit and veg..as they are high in sugar content and yeast feeds off sugar. My shepherd is prone to yest infections and since I switched her to the pure formula's - Rabbit to be specific she no longer has had any breakouts at all...her paws, tummy, armpits are all clear and look very healthy..she has never looked better...I just don't want you to give up on BCR if the turkey dinner doesn't assist with preventing further yeast infections. Hope this helps :)

Tanya

5/7/2016 06:24:22 am

Thank you! I did exactly what you just stated, I switched him to the Pure Blend Rabbit a while ago and he has cleared up nicely. And now I've started introducing new proteins, so I'm now trying Pure Duck and he is loving it. His skin has cleared up and he looks so healthy now, no yeast. I'm so pleased with BCR and their products.

5/7/2016 05:33:19 am

BCR has kangaroo.

marcia

6/20/2016 09:25:55 pm

Great feedback, just a little lost at where to start, do you recommend their pure blends off the hop? How much do you buy at once...

Brian R Johnston

8/17/2016 09:16:32 am

I've been feeding my dog BCR for 2 months now and loves it. at the moment my 2 and a half year old Korean jindo cross is suffering from a recurring yeast infection. is there any sugar provided in any of these foods? I usually get the breeders blend, pure chicken, chicken blend, Turkey blend

Stacy

10/8/2016 04:30:45 pm

We have been feeding our 1 1/2 yr old French Bulldog BCR for aprox 6 months now and we think it is the most amazing dog food on the market! After many many weeks of vomiting sometimes multiple times per day our Frenchie was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel disease at 10 months of age as well as a gastrointestinal bacterial infection which caused several ulcers in his esophagus and intestines. After treating his infection and trying many many different vet prescribed and commercial dog food his vomiting stopped, however he continued to have a very low appetite. He simply did not want to eat and it was a daily struggle to get him to eat. He remained underweight, was getting repeated ear infections and yeast infections, his nails were cracking regularly and his muscle tone was starting to diminish. We discovered BCR and he absolutely loves it!, The convenience of the many different proteins available allows one to figure out food allergies if they exist. We discovered that he is allergic to beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey simply by experimenting with the raw food. He is now eating the pure form of Kangaroo, rabbit, buffalo and Duck . He is eating regularly, has gained back all the weight, no more ear infections, no more yeast infections his fur is soft again and he has gained back all the muscle that he had lost. We cannot say enough about BCR, it is amazing. If you are having any issues at all especially with food allergies it is definitely worth trying BCR.

10/14/2016 08:30:14 pm

Hi, I've been feeding my two 9yr old dogs BCR for a bit over a year now. They seemed to like it at first but now i have to spoon feed them! I put their food bowls down and the back away like they saw a ghost. I have to convince them for 20 minutes before they finally try it. Sometimes they don't eat at all. I have added yogurt, cheese, eggs, sauce, etc and they still won't eat it. It is very frustrating because I thought they they loved it and now I don't know what to do. Thanks for reading

susan

11/5/2016 05:47:10 am

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with struvite crystals, my golden retriever is on vet food urinary so. She has aged very a lot. When ever we try to change dog food the crystals come back. I'm told her body acts to the proteins in the food and her ph goes way up.

cassie

3/13/2017 10:19:58 am

Hello! My little corgi has crystals and was on vet kibble and it was all cleared up. But I did some research and realized raw could be the best option. He has been on BCR for 7 months now and is thriving. Make sure you do your raw research as not all brands are created equal. But BCR has a good balance of protein/moisture. Our local rep. showed me his binder that tells you what proteins to feed, what ones to avoid etc. Very helpful and my corgi loves meal time and I feel happier knowing he isn't in pain and healthier from this switch.

Jennifer

11/5/2016 02:02:24 pm

Hi there,

I have 3 Shih Tzus and one of my girls also gets struvite crystals and has been diagnosed with a liver shunt. The vet recommended NO protein and a Royal Canin Diet... I found no protein odd seeing as this is an important nutrient especially for an active dog... Since being on the veg diet she hasn't had any issues however I am not a fan of kibble or vet recommended brands. With the BCR being a lot of protein I'm concerned to try... Any advice?

Sandra

12/27/2017 02:25:44 pm

Royal Canin you say? That is manufactured by Mars (the Candy Bar Company) and it has over 50% sugar in the bag ... you keep feeding that and you will certainly cause health risks to your dog.

Jennifer

11/5/2016 02:04:26 pm

Also what Susan said about the PH increases as a result of the protein

Kim

8/5/2017 10:06:02 am

I have been feeding raw for a while now and usually make my own. I follow the PRay model raw 80/10/10 I was wondering if your brand covers that? Or would I need to add extra organ to it?
Also does your pure salmon meal cover the omega 3 requirement of one ounce per 35 lbs of body weight?

Cheryl

8/25/2017 05:07:15 pm

I have been feeding my 12 week old puppy big country raw for almost a month now and he loves it and looks great. Of course vet recommends switching to scientifically proven food royal canin or hills due to the puppy stage and ensuring proper nutritional content. If I stay with raw, how can I ensure he is getting what he needs?

Sandra

12/27/2017 02:28:16 pm

Of course your vet is recommending this food -- Mars makes Royal Canine and Mars owns VCA which owns all the conventional veterinarian practices across North America -- they also own the vet schools and this is what young veterinarians are taught about "nutrition" -- they get $$ kick backs for promoting the sale of Royal Canin.

Gloria Newhouse

12/7/2017 09:53:48 am

My westie is suffering food allergies,my vet said,I know he is allergic to wheat and grains,he has red itching skin,that has turned black on his groin,he is on turkey,salmon,duck with coconut oil,,,this sounds healthy,,,,wondering what could BCR offer for my fur baby,,,,,,oh I did give him daily a dent a bone,,,,any thoughts?thank you in advance

Joanne

2/11/2018 02:15:07 pm

I have two schnauzer/poodle mix dogs that have been on BCR for about a year. They love it, and they look better....but their resent blood tests show ALT levels are elevated in both of them. Female, 14yrs old, 15 lbs, has ALT>300. Male, 10yrs old, 23lbs, has ALT >400. Any recommendations (the vet wants them put back on their old food)?

Sue

3/22/2018 09:11:03 am

I have two Fenchies and feed them BCR. Just curious if I can feed pure salmon one day and the next day pure turkey. In other words, is it ok to rotate different proteins daily?

Kathleen Jenkins

3/31/2018 06:25:33 am

After watching the documentary " Pet Fooled" I was disgusted to realize just how much we are being conned into using kibble. I just started feeding my 5 Month old Mini Schnauzer a raw food diet. I started out trying to make my own but that was way too difficult. After trying one other local brand of Raw Food which arrived freezer burned and old looking I finally found Big Country Raw. I have been so impressed with the look, quality, smell (or lack of) packaging not to mention how much my 4 legged kid loves it. I have heard that one can visit their location in Niagara and would love to do that and see how their food is prepped. Has anyone been to the facility or have any information on it?

Brian

4/30/2018 04:52:04 pm

Noticed that the bone content is about 15%, which is higher than the recommended 10% bone. My dog is getting constipated and have had to give her canned pumpkin.

Dora

7/20/2018 07:51:54 am

My chocolate lab has been on BCR for 7 years since he was 9 months old. He is in great shape, high energy, great stamina, beautiful coat. Everyone thinks he is about 2. We do blood test and fecal test twice a year, and the results have always been great. We do Hair-Q test once a year to assess mineral content and toxicity level stored in his body. This is where you can tell that he's been on raw diet, because compared to kibble fed dogs, he doesn't have have any deficiencies. I do want to say that although BCR is a great raw diet for dogs, it's not a magic cure for everything. Preventative care, good exercise routine, and loads of love are also important to a dog's longevity.

Victoria

4/8/2020 03:10:14 pm

I have a 4.5 month old lab/mastiff/ridgeback mix, and shortly after he was weaned off of his mother's milk and put on kibble, we noticed that he had a big bloated belly and was smaller than his 5 siblings.

He was dewormed twice, and when that didn't help we took him in to see the vet who palpated his tummy and told us he has an enlarged liver. (He said it could be a birth defect/injury/infection). He said to just wait and see if he grows into it, and gave us Hill's Prescription Diet Digestive kibble.... My pup didn't enjoy it and he had diarrhea for the entire bag, so I switched him back to his original kibble, Hill's Science Diet Large Breed Puppy because he liked it better and it gave him more solid poops.

I got bloodwork done for him about 1.5 months ago and everything came back in normal ranges, liver/kidneys/gall bladder all functioning normally. When I took him last week to get his shots, the vet was concerned because his liver is still enlarged and he gave him Hill's Prescription Diet Liver Care kibble.

As I slowly made the transition, he became more lethargic, had the worst diarrhea pooped all over the floor, vomited a few times, seemed to be in pain and couldn't get comfortable. Of course I stopped with that and went back to the regular large breed puppy food. The vet told me to try again with the Liver Care food but I don't feel comfortable with that, which is when I began researching foods.

I just bought a bag of Instinct Raw Boost kibble, but now I'm thinking that I should give Big Country Raw a try. Desperate at this point to find something that works for him. The vet wants to do an x-ray on his belly next month... if anyone has any input or has experienced anything similar I'd so appreciate some insight! xo

Big Country Raw Dog Food Review

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