The mere fact that it is a kibble means that raw still beats it in my books. It has great ingredients, yes. But it is still an over processed, dried nugget, supplemented with additional and/or artificial supplements to replace the natural nutrients lost during the processing.
There is still much too much starch for my liking. Starch is impossible to avoid in a kibble, it is required to hold everything together in kibble form. So no matter what kibble you are looking at, there will be starches in there just for the sheer mechanics of it. More starch than dogs need. Granted, pea or potato starch is better than grain-based starch, but it is still more than what is ideal for a dog.
I liken it to serving your family a whole grilled chicken breast or the best top of the line chicken nugget. Sure, that nugget is still chicken. It may be made of high quality chicken with no added preservatives or flavorings. But is anyone going to argue that the chicken nugget is better than the chicken breast? No. Why? Because the chicken breast is whole, unadulterated, and unprocessed (as unprocessed as grocery store meat can be).
I hope to never find myself in a situation where I have to switch off of raw. If I do, then I will certainly consider a brand like Horizon or Orijen. But I would never choose any kibble, no matter how great it looks, over a natural raw diet. Not even considering ingredients, kibble is too dry, adding extra stress to kidneys and provides no dental, physical, or mental stimulation. So before we even consider ingredient quality, I feel raw is better than kibble already. Not to mention, that a high quality kibble such as Horizon or Orijen is much more expensive than a well balanced raw diet. So you are spending more money on an inferior product. Doesn't add up in my books.
There is still much too much starch for my liking. Starch is impossible to avoid in a kibble, it is required to hold everything together in kibble form. So no matter what kibble you are looking at, there will be starches in there just for the sheer mechanics of it. More starch than dogs need. Granted, pea or potato starch is better than grain-based starch, but it is still more than what is ideal for a dog.
I liken it to serving your family a whole grilled chicken breast or the best top of the line chicken nugget. Sure, that nugget is still chicken. It may be made of high quality chicken with no added preservatives or flavorings. But is anyone going to argue that the chicken nugget is better than the chicken breast? No. Why? Because the chicken breast is whole, unadulterated, and unprocessed (as unprocessed as grocery store meat can be).
I hope to never find myself in a situation where I have to switch off of raw. If I do, then I will certainly consider a brand like Horizon or Orijen. But I would never choose any kibble, no matter how great it looks, over a natural raw diet. Not even considering ingredients, kibble is too dry, adding extra stress to kidneys and provides no dental, physical, or mental stimulation. So before we even consider ingredient quality, I feel raw is better than kibble already. Not to mention, that a high quality kibble such as Horizon or Orijen is much more expensive than a well balanced raw diet. So you are spending more money on an inferior product. Doesn't add up in my books.
