Nature's Variety Instinct Raw Boost Mixers! We're Petco Pals Rewards members, and last month Petco sent us (and I'm assuming all Pals members) a free sample of these mixers. We received 1/2 ounce each of the beef and chicken mixers. Thanks Petco, we appreciate it.
I am a big fan of both raw feeding and Nature's Variety raw foods, but we're busy people with big dogs. It's not always practical or within our budget to feed raw, so when we find a product that combines raw food with convenience, we're interested. Let's dive into the specs of these mixers, and then talk about our experience with them.
Here are the specs of the two formulas:
Beef: Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Pumpkinseeds, Beef Heart, Carrots, Apples, Butternut Squash, Ground Flaxseed, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kelp, Mixed Tocepherols, Broccoli, Rosemary Extract, Salmon Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Blueberries, Dried Chickory Root
36% protein, 24% fat, 15% fiber
Chicken: Chicken (including Ground Chicken Bone), Turkey, Turkey Liver, Turkey Heart, Pumpkinseeds, Carrots, Apples, Butternut Squash, Ground Flaxseed, Montmorillonite Clay, Dried Kelp, Broccoli, Apple Cider Vinegar, Salmon Oil, Mixed Tocepherols, Rosemary Extract, Blueberries, Dried Chicory Root
36% protein, 26% fat, 15% fiber
Looking good...but let's go further and talk about what we and our dogs thought about the products.
The Great
- Ingredient quality. We love these ingredient lists, and many of the non-meat ingredients (ex. salmon oil, apple cider vinegar, kelp, flaxseed) are products we already use to supplement our dogs' diets. No filler here.
- Convenience. There's no sourcing ingredients, chopping, mixing or packaging, all the work is done for us. We don't even need a freezer for this raw - the freeze drying process leaves it shelf stable without degrading nutrition.
- Bite sized. The nuggets are perfect for training treats. If you have a tiny dog, they are easy to cut in half or into fourths. If your dog is a picky eater and wants to pick out the raw nuggets, with a little effort you can crush them and sprinkle them over your pet's dry food.
- Dogs love them! This one's pretty important. You might have found the best food in the world, but if your dogs won't touch it, it's worthless. Katara, who is a bit picky, thought they were strange at first but was quickly willing to work for them. Luka smelled them out of the bag and went into a puppy frenzy. He could barely contain himself and lost all memory of manners and training, attempting to jump up and pry the bowl from our hands. We haven't seen him this excited about treats before.
The Meh
- My only big complaint with these mixers is price. The largest package costs $29.99 at Petco for 14 oz., which means these mixers clock in at just over $34 per pound! I understand these are a supplement, and quality supplements tend to be expensive. Commercial raw itself is high priced, so adding the cost of freeze drying and the fact that these mixers are at most 6% moisture (their raw food is at max 67% moisture), I understand the high price. However, adding 1/8 cup a day to my two dogs' food bowls as recommended on the packaging would cost us over $30 per month. That $30 might be better spent on raw meaty bones or purchasing a higher quality dry food.
Final Verdict - Would buy again, but not as a daily supplement. I love these mixers, but at the current price I can't see myself making them a part of our daily feeding routine. We'll likely buy these for special occasions - things like Luka's birthday or times we need a super-motivating treat.
*Full Disclosure: We did receive a free sample of this product from Petco, but not in exchange for writing this review. We just felt like sharing our experience! I only post about products I believe in and feel are safe for my pack and yours.
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