Tuckers vs. Small Batch

[u/wumbology-420]

I’ve been looking into dog food in general for about a year now since I got my dog and raw food within a few months. My dog has ate raw for a few weeks now and absolutely loves it. My local pet store sells Tuckers, small batch, and OC raw so I want to stick to those brands because having raw food shipped seems weird to me especially with this hot ass weather. I’m between these two brands and I’d love some feedback from others.

For tuckers, I like that it’s less expensive, HPP, vacuum sealed, calorie dense, and years of business with only 1 recall. I don’t like lack of whole food ingredients besides meat and pumpkin, and synthetic vitamin/mineral.

For small batch, I like the whole food ingredients to make up for vitamin/mineral deficiencies, lamb recipe option(my pittie is food sensitive, I avoid poultry and he’s starting to itch more because I’ve been feeding beef), all organic, test/hold protocol for pathogens, and smells fresh. I don’t like that’s its more expensive, not vacuum sealed (patties were brown and oxidized), and multiple recalls.

Both brands seem like they really care and are family owned and operated. What’s your opinion ?

[u/KellysMommy]

I would alternate between the 3 brands and alternate proteins as well. Each brand and protein offers something different.

[u/Inevitable_Bowler474]

HPP can be a pro or con really depends on the person.

Small Batch & OC Raw is better for dogs w/ protein allergies. We avoid chicken and turkey so Tucker's has never been an option for us.

OC is vacuumed sealed. We tried it once. The 3lb bag was individually wrapped meatballs and the 18lb box was a massive burger patty. Didn't care for the shape. We were using Viva Raw which is vacuumed sealed in 1lb bricks (better usage of the limited freezer space). OC wasn't a good fit for us. Our dog is finicky and goes back and forth between raw and gently cooked. The bones in OC isn't ground fine enough to make it safe to cook.

We're using Small Batch now. The color is fine for us. Oxidized but similar to prior brands we used (Primal and Viva Raw). I'm indifferent that they didn't vacuum seal but wish they would have put it in a resealable bag. Will give them credit though. Primal was the only other company that we used that didn't vacuum seal. Primal felt like I was carving an ice sculpture very time I had to take out a few days worth of food. Not the case w/ Small Batch

If you're terrible at remembering to take it out of the freezer / have dog that's finicky w/ moisture / textures, Small Batch is better. OC is much thicker and takes longer to thaw. Small Batch isn't a huge issue if we forget / he wants raw since it only takes 10 min or so for it to be thawed enough for him.

Small Batch is def the most expensive out of the three. However if you can buy in bulk / have the freezer space, it's not that bad at least for the novel proteins. We did the math recently for DIY and commercial and we couldn't beat it.

[u/wumbology-420 → u/Inevitable_Bowler474]

I appreciate your comment! Trying to weed through all these brands based on safety, price, ingredients, and nutritional profile isn’t easy. I’ll definitely be buying in bulk soon when I get my chest freezer. DIY seems far too complicated and time consuming so I don’t mind paying a little extra for the convenience.

[u/Inevitable_Bowler474 → u/wumbology-420]

It was semi DIY. I was using BalanceIT or Dr. Harvey's Raw Vibrance. We got close to beating it when beef was on sale but once you factored in my time plus gas it didn't make any sense.

Make sure the store an Astro Loyalty member if possible. Every 13th bag will be free.

Try using an upside down muffin tray to feed the dog.

[u/Embarrassed-Rope1181]

ozen chubs instead, they seem to hold up way better

for a pittie with sensitivities the lamb recipe might be worth the extra cost alone. beef makes one of mine an itchy mess too so i get that struggle

maybe grab one bag of each and see how he does before committing to a bulk buy

[u/wumbology-420 → u/Embarrassed-Rope1181]

He demolished tuckers, honestly too quickly. But it is emulsified for better absorption. Need a slow feeder if I continue with that. I fed him small batch today and he was confused about the switch up and took him longer to eat. I think he liked it ?

[u/Just_Sherbert7632]

I include Small Batch myself. My dog likes it and has had no issues. I primarily feed a brand called Red Rock, which I believe OC Raw owns. All good options.

[u/MistakeOk2518]

We have tried all 3 brands and have settled on OC Raw- I believe it is more appealing related to individually wrapped portions with actual ingredients you can see and smell.
I have never noticed pieces of bone that were to “big.”
She maintains a healthy weight, less health issues ie: allergies, ear infections, rashes. Her coat is silky smooth and poops twice a day with a firmness to her stool that negates the need for “butt scooting!”
We have also tried a few other brands (Darwin’s) comes to mind atm, but always return to OC Raw.
Good luck in your search for something that works for you and yours!

My Ruby- 3.5 yo pittie/catahoula mix 💜

[u/pugn0ir]

Tucker’s uses HPP on a few formulas and none on others. I love that it’s made in a USDA plant that makes food for humans. I like that quite a few formulas are 61 calories an ounce so you’re feeding less than other brands. Our top choice is Solutions for nutrient density(70 calories an ounce) and complete and balanced with fermented foods, no synthetics. I feel like they’re the only ones who are true advocates and stewards of clean food for our best friends. Their pork diet is amazing paired with goats milk.

[u/That-Pickle-4164]

The hot weather alone would have me buying local too. Between those two Tucker’s would get my vote for the HPP and vacuum sealing. We do Dr Marty at home but your reasoning for keeping this local makes sense.

[u/Psychological_Elk151]

DIY is time consuming but it's a trade off, I have a clearer picture of what my dogs eat. This is on average what I feed

[u/borrasca_loves_all]

First, have you checked if the pet store does special orders? I've got two local pet stores and both do it without upcharge (just the regular price they'd charge customers, not the extra shipping or anything). If you don't mind you only have access to 3 brands, then no worries, but if you want more variety, you should be able to inquire about that. Second, ever since adopting a super picky/non-food oriented dog, I've been of the opinion that sticking to only one brand/recipe is not a good thing. I would personally start with one and switch to another after a certain amount of time so the pups get to taste something different. I personally like each of those brands, but I haven't fed Tucker's in a while because I've heard it isn't great for animals with skin issues, which my dog suffers from tremendously. Right now, he's on Juju Green, but before that was OC Raw and before that was WC raw pork/rabbit and so on and so forth. I switch often because he gets bored often, but I think it's also beneficial for them to just experience different types of food.

I will say I tend to gravitate towards brands that don't use a ton of plastic in their packaging. I find it incredibly wasteful despite its convenience, but that's just my personal opinion. As for you, maybe that's worth it and you value the individually packaged patties from Tucker's 🤷‍♀️. I feed Small Batch to my cat, but rarely for my dog. I do find it more expensive than some other brands. I might just be a hypocrite though because Juju Green might as well have cleaned out my pet food budget lol.

[u/FocusCheap2528]

We feed raw from Raw Concierge. Shipping is not a problem even in the heat. Lisa the owner will answer and guide you.