Verdict: Raw Performance is the stronger pick for owners of working, sporting or hard-keeping dogs who want higher fat content and chunkier muscle-meat texture in a frozen raw diet. Big Country Raw wins for households feeding multiple dogs, rotating proteins often, or portioning small dogs, because its carton and box formats are easier to measure. The single deciding factor is almost always freezer capacity versus portion flexibility — not the ingredient panel. Both sit side by side in our raw dog food collection, and both are made in Ontario.
| Feature | Raw Performance | Big Country Raw |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Active, athletic and hard-keeping dogs needing calorie density | Multi-dog homes, small breeds and protein rotation |
| Protein source | Single-protein and blended recipes built on beef, chicken, turkey, lamb and fish | Single-protein "pure" style plus multi-protein dinner blends including beef, duck, rabbit and fish |
| Typical format | Frozen patties, chubs and bulk-style packs | 1 lb (454 g) cartons and multi-pound boxes |
| Approx. moisture | 65–72% | 65–72% |
| Portion precision | Good — patties weigh out quickly for medium and large dogs | Excellent — cartons split cleanly for dogs under 12 kg |
| Price tier | $$ | $$ |
| Available at Ashario | Shop Raw Performance | Shop Big Country Raw |
Where Raw Performance wins
Raw Performance's advantage is calorie density and texture. Frozen raw blends generally land between 1.2 and 1.8 kcal per gram, and the higher-fat recipes in this line sit at the upper end of that band — which matters enormously for a dog that burns through food without gaining weight.
Read the guaranteed analysis on any frozen raw carton and you'll notice the numbers look low next to kibble: roughly 13–16% protein and 8–14% fat as fed. That's the moisture talking. Strip out the 65–72% water and the same food converts to roughly 45–55% protein and 25–40% fat on a dry-matter basis, far above the AAFCO minimum of 18% protein for adult maintenance and 22.5% for growth and reproduction. Those minimums are published by AAFCO, and a 2026 revision to their model nutrient language keeps the same distinction between adult and growth formulations.
In our store we see a very specific customer for this brand: the owner of a 28 kg mixed-breed who runs the trails at G. Ross Lord Park every morning and still shows a visible tuck in winter. Those dogs respond to fat, not volume. When a customer comes in describing exactly that, our team at Ashario Pets usually starts them on a higher-fat single protein, feeds it for three weeks, then re-weighs.
The recipe line-up leans on beef, chicken, turkey, lamb and fish, with both single-protein options and blends that include organ meat and ground bone. Single-protein formats matter for elimination trials — if you're running a limited ingredient approach to identify a trigger, one protein and one carbohydrate source is the whole point. Fish-forward recipes also carry more naturally occurring omega-3 fatty acids, which pet owners tell us they notice first in coat texture. For dogs needing extra joint support on top of food, glucosamine chews from our dog health and wellness range pair well without changing the diet.
How many grams of raw should I feed per day by body weight?
Adult dogs eat 2–3% of their body weight in frozen raw daily, split into two meals. Use 2% for sedentary or overweight dogs, 2.5% as a starting default, and 3% for active dogs. Puppies need far more — typically 5–8% of current body weight, or roughly 2–3% of their projected adult weight.
- 4.5 kg (10 lb) small dog — 90–135 g per day, about 45–68 g per meal
- 10 kg (22 lb) dog — 200–300 g per day, roughly half a 454 g carton
- 20 kg (44 lb) dog — 400–600 g per day, about one to one-and-a-third cartons
- 30 kg (66 lb) dog — 600–900 g per day
- 45 kg (99 lb) dog — 900–1,350 g per day, split into two or three meals
Weigh food on a kitchen scale for the first two weeks rather than eyeballing it. A digital scale costs less than one bag of premium food and eliminates the most common raw-feeding error we hear about, which is chronic overfeeding of a 9 kg dog by 100 g a day. Re-check body condition every 14 days and adjust in 10% increments.
Where Big Country Raw wins
Big Country Raw's edge is format flexibility. Its 1 lb (454 g) cartons and stackable multi-pound boxes make portioning and protein rotation dramatically simpler, which is why it dominates in multi-dog households and among owners of dogs under 12 kg.
If you feed a 6 kg Frenchie 150 g a day, a 454 g carton is exactly three days of food — thaw one, use it, open the next. No half-frozen block chipping. Owners rotating between four proteins across a month for variety (and to reduce the odds of developing a single-protein sensitivity) find the carton system easier to plan around. The line includes single-protein options plus multi-protein dinner blends with fruit and vegetable inclusions, and several bone-in options that supply calcium at roughly the 1:1 to 1.3:1 calcium-to-phosphorus ratio complete diets target.
There's a practical hygiene benefit too. Smaller units mean less surface area sitting thawed in your fridge. The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine recommends thawing raw pet food in the refrigerator, never on a counter, and sanitizing bowls and prep surfaces after every meal. Thawed raw should be used within 2–3 days.
Monthly volume and freezer math
Here's the calculation that actually decides whether raw works in your home. Take your dog's daily grams, multiply by 30, then divide by 454 to get pounds per month.
- 4.5 kg dog at 110 g/day — 3.3 kg (7.3 lb) per month, roughly 0.2 cubic feet of freezer space
- 10 kg dog at 250 g/day — 7.5 kg (16.5 lb) per month, roughly 0.4 cubic feet
- 20 kg dog at 500 g/day — 15 kg (33 lb) per month, roughly 0.7–0.9 cubic feet with packaging — about one full drawer of a standard upright freezer
- 30 kg dog at 750 g/day — 22.5 kg (50 lb) per month, roughly 1.2 cubic feet
- Two 25 kg dogs — around 37 kg (82 lb) per month, which realistically means a dedicated chest freezer
To convert that into your own cost per month, divide the price of a box by its total weight in grams to get cost per gram, then multiply by your dog's daily grams and 30. That formula lets you compare any two frozen raw diets honestly, and it's how our staff walks through the numbers at the freezer with customers who are on the fence. Prices shift with supply, so check current shelf tags — and if you've seen a lower advertised number elsewhere, our price match guarantee applies.
Which should you pick?
Match the brand to your dog's body condition and your freezer, in that order. Three scenarios cover most of what we see across the counter.
Scenario 1 — The 30 kg athlete who won't hold weight. Agility dog, sled dog, or a young shepherd on four walks a day. Go with Raw Performance and start at 3% of body weight (900 g/day). The higher fat content does the work that adding volume can't. Re-weigh at three weeks.
Scenario 2 — Two small dogs in a condo with one freezer drawer. A 5 kg and a 7 kg dog need about 300 g total per day, or 9 kg a month. Big Country Raw cartons portion cleanly for both dogs and stack into a shallow drawer. Rotate two proteins per month.
Scenario 3 — First-time raw feeder with a 15 kg adult dog. Either brand works, so choose based on how you buy. Buying weekly? Cartons. Buying monthly in bulk? Larger packs. Transition over 7–10 days, replacing 25% of the old food every two or three days, and consider adding probiotics during the switch — our dog treats aisle carries freeze-dried single-ingredient options that work as low-calorie toppers during that window.
If you want a deeper ingredient breakdown of one brand rather than a head-to-head, our earlier Raw Performance Dog Food Review: Ingredients, Feeding Guide and Where to Buy in Canada covers the panel line by line, and our made in Canada pet products page lists the other domestic producers we stock.
At a glance: Adult dogs eat 2–3% of body weight in frozen raw daily — 400–600 g for a 20 kg dog, which works out to about 15 kg and 0.7–0.9 cubic feet of freezer space per month. Raw Performance suits high-output dogs needing calorie density; Big Country Raw's 454 g cartons suit small dogs, multi-dog homes and protein rotation. Talk to your veterinarian before starting raw with a puppy, senior, or immune-compromised dog.
Shop the Brands Mentioned in This Article
Find Raw Performance, Big Country Raw, and other premium pet supplies in-store or Browse raw dog food online →.
Visit us at 1111A Finch Ave W, Unit 2, North York, ON M3J 2P7 — we're open 7 AM to 11 PM daily, and delivery is available across the GTA through apps like Uber Eats.
Questions owners ask us at the freezer
Is frozen raw dog food complete and balanced?
It depends on the specific recipe. Look for a nutritional adequacy statement on the package naming a life stage — adult maintenance, growth, or all life stages. Some frozen raw products are labelled as complete diets; others are sold as supplemental toppers or base mixes meant to be completed with bone, organ and minerals. Read the label, not the front panel.
The American Veterinary Medical Association has published cautionary positions on raw diets, largely around pathogen handling, so this is a conversation worth having with your own vet — particularly in a home with infants, seniors, or anyone on immunosuppressive medication.
How do I switch my dog from kibble to raw safely?
Transition over 7–10 days rather than overnight. Replace 25% of the meal with raw for two to three days, then 50%, then 75%, then full raw. Feed the two foods in separate meals if your dog has a sensitive gut. Loose stool for 2–4 days is common; stool that stays loose past a week means slow down.
Some owners feed raw in the morning and a dry or wet meal at night long-term. That's fine nutritionally as long as total daily calories stay in range — our dog wellness needs page walks through how to balance mixed feeding by kcal.
Can puppies eat frozen raw dog food?
Yes, provided the recipe carries a growth or all-life-stages adequacy statement and supplies correct calcium and phosphorus levels. Puppies typically eat 5–8% of current body weight daily, split across three meals until about six months. Large-breed puppies need tighter calcium control, so confirm the formulation with your veterinarian before committing.
Skeletal growth errors in large breeds are difficult to reverse. The American Kennel Club and most veterinary nutritionists flag calcium excess as the specific risk during the first 12 months.
How long does frozen raw dog food keep?
Sealed frozen raw generally keeps 9–12 months at -18°C, though quality holds best in the first six months. Once thawed in the refrigerator, use it within 2–3 days and keep it in a covered container. Never refreeze fully thawed raw, and never thaw at room temperature. Wash bowls in hot soapy water after every meal.
For anything else — recipe availability, freezer capacity planning, or which protein to start with — our team is happy to talk it through. You can also contact our store or read the pet store FAQ before your first raw order. And as always, any question touching on your dog's health, medication, or diagnosed condition belongs with your veterinarian first.
