Brody’s been munching his way through a large variety of food products lately, both good and bad, so I thought this was a good time to share his latest product review. The folks over at The Honest Kitchen sent us a variety of samples from their dehydrated raw food product line to try out, and Brody was more than happy to oblige.
The food he chose to sample was Embark, one of their two “All life stages” formulations.
1. It starts off looking kind of like green soup mix (it has that bouillon aroma, as well).
2. Then you add warm water, and it kind of looks like green soupy sludge. That’s OK though, it gets better.
3. After it rehydrates, it looks rather like stew. You can serve it as is (like I do), or mix it with fresh veggies and meat like my less lazy clients do. As a person who came close to gagging during my brief foray into the world of a raw vension diet for Apollo, I sincerely appreciate the chicken soup-y non offensive aroma of this stuff. Not that my opinion matters, though.
Did Brody like it?
I think the picture speaks for itself. See the worried look on his face? Despite licking the bowl to a reflective sheen, he is angling to get the remaining bits from the side.
I attempted a video like I’ve done with other product reviews, but trust me when I say we’re all happier without me unleashing it on the blog. It was not my finest work. I had some technical difficulties with the PowerShot, which I’ve never used for video before, and let’s just say I needed a Dramamine to make it through the first 30 seconds. Next time I’ll make my husband shoot it.
Anyway, a little more about the Honest Kitchen product: One of the reasons I like this food, and use it often in my rotation, is the following (from their website):
All our products are safe for human consumption, a requirement for entry into the human food facility where our products are made… Production occurs in a FDA inspected human food facility right here in California, alongside products such as breakfast cereals and beverage mixes for human consumption.
And this: “Our meat and egg ingredients are dehydrated at a high enough temperature to kill any pathogenic bacteria that may be present.” So this is a good choice for someone like me who is interested in raw, but has a hard time with the squidgy factor.
There are lots of other great reasons to check this food out. There is tons and tons of information about The Honest Kitchen’s product line,dedication to sustainably sourced materials, and processing on their website. It’s easy to feel good about and still very convenient.
So let’s share the wealth! I have three samples to hand out: 2 one ounce samples ofย Thrive (this is the one I have a big box of for Brody), and a 4 ounce sample of Verve. Leave a comment with which one you’d like to try, and I’ll pick winners at random at the end of the day. Only catch is you must let me know what your dog thinks of it. ๐
Tassia says
Hmm, I’d like to try the Thrive. We’d like to start incorporating raw into Chewy’s diet, since we’ll have to for the new puppy, and this greatly intrigues me. I’ll even take a video of it. ๐
Ashley says
I have been wanting to start Pru on Honest Kitchen, so maybe this will give me a jump start ๐ I think she’d like the Verve.
Debbie says
I have 2 dogs, a very active 7 yr. old FCR and a VERY active 9 yr. old mix. Both compete in agility. I ‘home cook’ (mixed with kibble) for them but have been interested in a raw diet, but can’t seem to bring myself to feed raw meaty bones, etc. since they eat (and live) in my house. I don’t know which formula would be best…you decide. I just got my first digital camera, so I would probably be able to send you pics!!! Thanks.
wikith says
I wouldn’t mind trying some of the Thrive on Puzzle; he’s been a bit of a picky little snot lately (it’s what I get for introducing him to the wonder of stuffed Kongs, I guess) and I’ve been hankering to try out some new stuff to see if I can get him to eat better.
Nancy says
I’d love to get a sample for my dog Lila to check out. Is it pretty easy to get a hold of ?
Deb Mendez says
I noticed a nice selection at http://www.k9cuisine.com and free ship on orders over $50. No affiliation or vested interest – just like the site and owner’s nice matching donations during the Blogathon!
Dr. V says
It’s readily available online (love the site Deb linked) but you’re so close to their main location you can find it in probably any boutique pet store by you (and there are tons of them ๐ )
Nancy says
Oh and since you want us to specify which sample – Ill go for the verve
Dianne says
Hi and thanks for the chance to try some Honest Kitchen food! My home is shared with three 50 lb senior/geriatric pups and think the Verve would be a good food for them. Thanks for the offer…
Megan says
Ok so this blog posting is a few days old now, but I was just reading the VIN humor boards (a lovely diversion when your week is going crappy in the clinic) and came across a, ahem, different brand of dog food. Behold, Disney’s attempt to enter the dog food market: Old Yeller dog kibble.
http://www.43rdstateblues.com/?q=old_yeller_dog_food
I can’t make this stuff up.
macula_densa says
I actually just tried an Honest Kitchen sample on Summer yesterday evening when she turned her nose up at her food. I think I’m going to have to go pick up some of this because I’ve *NEVER* seen her get that excited about anything before!
COLORADOGAL says
It is difficult to find a dog food that both a Senior Pomeranian and a young adult Aussie/Collie both like. But in an effort to find a better quality dog food for them, I was given a sample of the Embark. Oh my gosh!!!! They both attacked their bowls as if they had not eaten in weeks. Then they kept returning to give the bowls a good lick in case they had missed some. If this product indeed gives them the benefits it claims, we have a WINNER!!!!