FAQs
About Dry Raw Food
Is LeckerBites dry raw food the same as fresh or frozen raw meat?
Our dry raw dog food is basically raw meat that’s been gently freeze-dried. This technique guarantees that all the vital vitamins and nutrients are ‘locked in’ and maintained. This differs greatly from the dry processed kibble that is mass-produced and treated at extremely high temperatures (‘extrusion’). Extrusion kills vital nutrients and vitamins, including omega oils and enzymes.
Is there a difference between dry raw, raw dried and freeze-dried dog food?
No. It's all the same.
Is freeze-dried raw food (like Lecker Bites) healthy for dogs?
Freeze-dried raw food is packed with goodness. It contains no moisture (unlike frozen raw), so your dog gets their meat in almost its purest form – as long as you pick food made from a quality, fresh ingredients that is! The added benefit is that vitamins and enzymes that are often lost during the cooking process are preserved. When you rehydrate it, freeze-dried food is very close in nutritional value to fresh raw food.
Is Lecker Bites freeze-dried food safer than raw dog food?
Raw freeze-dried dog food is still raw dog food. Freeze-dried meals have the advantage of seeming less ‘raw’ than raw-frozen or fresh raw foods, but it’s essential to understand that they are, in fact, uncooked. If you struggle with the sight and smell of raw meat but still want to feed your dog the best natural diet you can, raw dried is an excellent way to do this.
What is the BARF diet and is it different from feeding freeze-dried raw?
BARF means either ‘Biologically Appropriate Raw Food’ or ‘Bones and Raw Food’. Founded by veterinarian and nutritionist Dr Ian Billinghurst, the principle is to feed dogs the diet they evolved naturally to eat—a raw diet composed of meat and greens that are found in the wild and are fresh and uncooked. If you feed your dog Lecker Bites dry raw products you’ll be feeding your dog BARF – in other words, as nature intended.
What is the difference between freeze-dried and dehydrated dog food?
Freeze-drying removes moisture from raw meat without using heat. As a result, it retains nutrients and live enzymes, while also destroying any harmful pathogens. So the end result is still considered a raw food. Dehydration on the other hand uses heat to remove moisture. Cooking with heat can damage nutrients and destroy enzymes, which are important for maintaining healthy digestion. So freeze-dried foods are a great way to give your pet the nutrition nature intended. It also keeps its natural scents, original texture and flavour which makes it taste better for your dogs.
I've heard raw feeding is expensive. How much will it cost feed my dog Lecker Bites?
Feeding your dog a dry raw diet can cost less than you think. An adult 20kg dog eating our Gourmet complete meal costs less than £2.50 per day. A smaller 5kg dog eating the same products will cost less than £25.00 over one month.
Is freeze-dried raw food (like Lecker Bites) healthy for dogs?
Freeze-dried raw food is packed with goodness. It contains no moisture (unlike frozen raw), so your dog gets their meat in almost its purest form – as long as you pick food made from a quality, fresh ingredients that is! The added benefit is that vitamins and enzymes that are often lost during the cooking process are preserved. When you rehydrate it, freeze-dried food is very close in nutritional value to fresh raw food.
How do I switch to raw freeze-dried diet?
If you’re switching your dog from traditional dry or canned food, we recommend a quick transition to a raw diet: don’t feed your dog for 12 to 16 hours after their last meal, and then feed the new raw food. There are always exceptions to this rule though. A slower transition to a raw diet is recommended if your pet has difficulty switching between various diets, experiences digestive upset from time-to-time, is suffering from a degenerative disease or is a senior dog.
My dog already eats a raw meat diet. Can I switch easily to Lecker Bites freeze-dried food?
If your dog is already on a raw meat diet, you can switch seamlessly between frozen or fresh raw, and freeze-dried raw food. Remember that Lecker Bites is basically raw food, so your raw fed dog won’t experience any problems.
How much raw dried Lecker Bites should I give my dog?
Every dog is different and these are guidelines only. Monitor your dog and adjust the feeding amounts if they are losing or gaining too much weight: ● Puppies: (weaning to 12 months) and pregnant/lactating mothers should be fed 4-10% of their body weight ● Adult dogs: (12 months and up) should be fed approximately 2% of their ideal body weight
Do I need specific food for puppies, seniors or special breeds?
No! All our raw dried products are specifically designed for dogs of all breeds, ages, and sizes.
How can I make sure that my dog's diet is complete and balanced at every meal?
It’s not necessary for each meal you give your dog to be complete and balanced – it’s your ‘whole’ feeding program that provides balance for your dog. If you follow our guidelines (found on the individual product pages), your dog will receive everything he needs for total health. But we also offer a balanced Gourmet complete meal in an easy-to-use patty form to make it simpler for you.
I like the look of your sample bags. What do they include?
Our sample bags include all the dried raw food products from our range, including our complete gourmet patties. We also include some of our most popular long-lasting chews, Bully Sticks and Oxtail.
Food preparation and handling
Do I need to add water to freeze-dried raw food?
You can either serve Lecker Bites food to your dog as it is, or rehydrate it by adding warm water and leaving it for 5 minutes. We recommend rehydrating it if your dog doesn’t drink much water at mealtimes. To rehydrate, crumble and add 1⁄4 cup of water for every two patties or a handful of meat. If you feed it dry, always make sure your dog drinks enough fresh water at mealtimes.
Do I need to add any other food to Lecker Bites meals?
No, you don’t have to add anything. The BARF raw dried diet imitates nature’s way of providing everything a dog needs. Our Gourmet complete meal is a complete BARF meal, including raw meat, bones, fish, organs, vegetables, and fruits. It contains many nutrients that are important for your dog. But you can always add some of our Mixers with herbs, seaweed and grains if you want.
Can I feed my dog processesd kibble and dry raw food?
If you feed kibble and raw, the kibble slows down the digestion of the raw food.
However, it’s safe to mix dry raw with dry kibble, as long as you don’t moisten it. Simply crumble up dry raw meat directly onto your dog’s diet. This is a great solution for the picky eater — most will eat their food right up.
Or if you want to give them half-and-half, feed kibble for one meal, raw dried dog food the next. We think your dog will let you know quickly that BARF is in and kibble is out!
But if you really feel the need to feed kibble (alone or in addition to BARF) or just haven’t made up your mind to switch entirely to BARF, you may want to try a natural, healthy and holistic dog food. We recommend Gourmet complete meal which contains all-natural, human-grade ingredients, and NO corn NO wheat NO dairy and NO additives!
How long will Lecker Bites freeze-dried food keep for?
Our dry raw food and treats have an amazingly long shelf-life – you can keep it up to 18 months safely.
How do I handle raw dried food?
The general rule is to handle raw dried dog food in the same way as you’d handle all fresh raw meat – either for your dog or for yourself: ● Wash utensils and work surfaces with hot soapy water as you would when preparing your own food ● Use stainless steel or other non-porous material dishes, for example ceramic or enamel ● Make sure your pet’s dishes and feeding area are thoroughly cleaned after use.
How long will the Lecker Bites food keep for?
Our dry raw food and treats have an amazingly long shelf-life – you can keep it up to 18 months safely.
Health & Nutrition
What is offal and green tripe?
Offal refers to organ meat and it really is superfood for your pets! The most frequently used offal is kidney, liver, heart and tripe. It’s all packed with proteins, minerals, vitamins and fats which are essential for our dog’s overall health and wellbeing.
Green tripe is the edible lining of a cow’s stomach. Dogs benefit from eating tripe as it contains a great variety of living nutrients, including enzymes, omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, probiotics, and phytonutrients. It has often been referred to as ‘the finest of natural foods’.
Check out our range of raw dried dog food containing offal and tripe.
Are bones safe to feed to my dog?
You must never feed your dog cooked bones. However, fresh raw meaty bones and raw dried bones are a natural source of calcium and other minerals. The calcium dogs get from ground bones is much more healthy for them than artificial calcium sources such as bone meal. But we understand that some pet owners may still have some fears about feeding bones to their dogs. This is why we grind the bone in our Gourmet complete meal. Grinding bone makes it easier to digest and your pet still gets all the benefits of bone. When you feed our Natural Chews always supervise your pets while they enjoy their treats.
Is there any risk of Salmonella and E Coli if I feed my dog a raw diet?
Risks are almost non-existent in healthy adult animals. Dogs have a digestive system designed to handle and destroy many bacteria that are harmful to humans, such as Salmonella and E.Coli. The digestive system of dogs is designed in such a way that it removes the germs before they can manage to multiply. Bacteria such as salmonella have been detected in dog stools from both dry kibble and raw food. However, when the dogs were examined, they were in perfect health. The small intestine of the digestive system ensures that the salmonella germs are removed before they can cause problems to the animal.
Handling and hygiene of raw meat should be in the same fashion as any other meat, and your pet’s dishes and the eating area should be thoroughly cleaned after each meal.
Do I need to refrigerate freeze-dried dog food?
Our dry raw food and treats No, freeze-dried food does not need to be refrigerated.
