Is We Feed Raw or Primal better for dogs?

Effectively tied at A/90 vs A/90 on the v15 rubric. We Feed Raw leads with explicit 80/10/10 prey-model ratio (PMR philosophy), DTC subscription with six-variant protein rotation, and PhD veterinary nutritionist formulation oversight. Primal leads with organic produce inclusion (BARF philosophy), HPP pathogen control, broad retail distribution, established multi-decade brand track record, and chelated trace mineral forms. Pick We Feed Raw for strict PMR feeding philosophy and subscription convenience. Pick Primal for BARF philosophy with produce inclusion and HPP pathogen safety.

What is the difference between PMR and BARF feeding philosophies?

Both are raw-feeding philosophies but with structurally different formulation approaches. PMR (Prey Model Raw) targets the 80/10/10 ratio — 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat, 10% raw meaty bone — with no vegetables or grains, modeling the prey-animal nutritional composition wild canids consume. BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, originally formulated by Dr. Ian Billinghurst) includes ~70% raw meat / organs / bone but adds ~30% vegetables, fruits, and supplements based on the modern view that wild canids eat seasonal plant matter and that domesticated dogs have adapted to digesting some plant nutrients. We Feed Raw is strict PMR; Primal is closer to BARF. Both philosophies have advocates and the rubric scores both at A-tier; the pick depends on which philosophy aligns with your feeding approach.

Does Primal use chelated trace minerals?

Yes. Primal uses chelated trace minerals (amino acid chelates) in the supplement section for superior bioavailability over sulfate forms (typically 30-60% better absorption). We Feed Raw uses sulfate-form trace minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate). For owners specifically prioritizing chelated-form supplementation, Primal is the structural pick. Both brands meet AAFCO substantiation; the chelated-vs-sulfate trace mineral form is a meaningful but not critical formulation difference — the whole-food organ meat in both recipes supplies substantial bioavailable mineral content, so the supplementation form is incremental rather than primary.

We Feed Raw vs Primal: Which Is Better for Your Dog?

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The short answer: Effectively tied at A/90 vs A/90 on the v15 rubric. Both are A-tier frozen-raw beef recipes from independent US brands. We Feed Raw leads with explicit 80/10/10 prey-model ratio adherence (beef + organs + beef necks with bone), PhD veterinary nutritionist formulation oversight, and DTC subscription convenience with protein-rotation across six variants. Primal leads with organic produce inclusion (organic squash, organic carrots, organic kale), High Pressure Processing (HPP) pathogen control, broad retail distribution, and established multi-decade brand track record. Pick on feeding philosophy (strict PMR vs whole-prey-with-produce), pathogen-mitigation preference (HPP vs none), and convenience priority (subscription vs retail).

The scores

We Feed Raw Beef Recipe Frozen Raw: A (90/100) — Beef, Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Necks (with bone).

Primal Pronto Beef Recipe Frozen Raw: A (90/100) — Beef with Ground Bone, Beef Liver, Organic Squash, Organic Carrots, Organic Kale.

How the ingredients compare

The top-five ingredients reveal the formulation split between these two products:

We Feed Raw: Beef, Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Necks (with bone)

Primal: Beef with Ground Bone, Beef Liver, Organic Squash, Organic Carrots, Organic Kale

Both products earn effectively the same v15 score, but the ingredient lineups tell different stories about how they got there — that is where the actual pick decision lives.

Where We Feed Raw pulls ahead

Explicit 80/10/10 prey-model ratio adherence: We Feed Raw is formulated to the classic PMR (Prey Model Raw) ratio: 80% muscle meat, 10% organ meat, 10% raw meaty bone — beef + organs + beef necks with bone at primary positions, no plant ingredients beyond flaxseed for omega-3 ALA. Primal includes organic produce (squash, carrots, kale) at meaningful percentages, structurally aligning with BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) philosophy rather than strict PMR. For owners following PMR feeding philosophy specifically, We Feed Raw is the structurally aligned pick. Shop on Amazon →

DTC subscription with protein-rotation customization across six variants: We Feed Raw is DTC-first with subscription customization based on dog weight, age, and activity level. Protein variants include Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Lamb, and Combo — supporting rotation-diet philosophy with integrated subscription automation. Primal is widely distributed in independent pet retailers, PetSmart, Petco, Chewy.com, and Amazon but the subscription-with-rotation automation is less integrated than We Feed Raw’s DTC model. For owners wanting subscription convenience with protein rotation, We Feed Raw is structurally aligned.

PhD veterinary nutritionist formulation oversight: We Feed Raw recipes are formulated under PhD veterinary nutritionist oversight specifically. For owners specifically prioritizing PhD-nutritionist credentialing on the formulation team (vs “veterinarian-developed” or “nutritionally formulated” without specifying PhD-level credentialing), We Feed Raw is the structurally aligned pick. Primal’s recipes are nutritionally formulated to AAFCO standards but the formulation team’s credentialing is less prominently emphasized in brand communications.

Where Primal holds its own

Organic produce inclusion (organic squash, organic carrots, organic kale): Primal includes organic produce at meaningful primary positions, structurally aligning with BARF philosophy that includes vegetables as ~10% of the recipe. We Feed Raw is strict PMR with no vegetables — structurally aligned for PMR feeding philosophy but missing the polyphenols, antioxidants, fiber, and phytonutrients that organic produce contributes. For owners following BARF philosophy specifically, Primal is the structural pick. Shop on Amazon →

High Pressure Processing (HPP) pathogen control: Primal uses HPP — a cold pasteurization technique that applies 87,000+ PSI pressure to packaged raw food to inactivate Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter to safe levels while preserving raw nutritional structure (no heat). HPP-treated raw is structurally safer than non-HPP frozen raw for households with immunocompromised members. We Feed Raw does not use HPP. For households specifically prioritizing pathogen-load mitigation while staying in the raw category, Primal is the structurally aligned pick.

Broad retail distribution + established multi-decade brand track record + chelated trace minerals: Primal has been operating since 2001 with broad distribution across PetSmart, Petco, Chewy.com, Amazon, and independent pet retailers nationwide. Primal also uses chelated trace minerals (amino acid chelates) for superior bioavailability over sulfate forms. We Feed Raw uses sulfate-form trace minerals (zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate) which are 30-60% less bioavailable than chelated forms. For owners prioritizing broader retail availability, multi-decade brand track record, or chelated trace mineral forms, Primal is the structural pick.

The bottom line

Effectively tied at A/90 vs A/90 — the pick comes down to feeding-philosophy, pathogen-mitigation, and convenience priority. Pick We Feed Raw for strict PMR (Prey Model Raw) feeding philosophy (no vegetables, pure 80/10/10 ratio), DTC subscription convenience with protein-rotation across six variants, and PhD veterinary nutritionist formulation oversight. Pick Primal for BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) philosophy with organic produce inclusion (organic squash + carrots + kale), HPP pathogen control (structurally safer for immunocompromised-household feeding), broad retail distribution across PetSmart / Petco / Chewy.com / Amazon, established multi-decade brand track record, and chelated trace mineral forms.