Dr Marty freeze dried dog food is made for owners who want a meat-forward, raw-style diet without storing frozen packages. The Nature’s Blend range includes formulas for adult dogs, small breeds, puppies, seniors, and dogs marketed as having food sensitivities.
That choice can appeal to picky dogs, but it raises questions about cost, calories, preparation, and food safety. Before buying several bags, check what is inside the food and whether the exact recipe fits your dog.
What Is Dr Marty Freeze-Dried Dog Food?
Dr Marty Nature’s Blend is freeze-dried raw food that can be served dry or softened with water. Essential Wellness is marketed for adult dogs, Healthy Growth for puppies, Active Vitality for dogs aged seven and older, Sensitivity Select for dogs with food sensitivities, and Small Breed in smaller pieces.
Freeze-drying removes much of the moisture and creates a light, shelf-stable format. It does not cook the raw ingredients. Adding warm water changes the texture, but it does not remove raw-food handling concerns. The FDA includes freeze-dried products when discussing bacterial risks from raw pet food.
What Is Inside Nature’s Blend?
Nature’s Blend Essential Wellness lists turkey, beef, salmon, duck, beef liver, turkey liver, and turkey heart before flaxseed, sweet potato, egg, pea flour, fruits, vegetables, seeds, kelp, ginger, and mixed tocopherols.
The multiple-protein approach may suit a healthy dog that enjoys varied meats. It is less practical for a controlled food-allergy trial because the dog receives several animal proteins at once. Sensitivity Select uses turkey, duck, goose, and quail, but “novel” depends on what that dog has eaten before.
Essential Wellness is grain-free and contains pea flour. Grain-free is a recipe feature, not proof that a food is healthier or suitable for every sensitive dog. Judge the full formula and your dog’s medical needs.
Protein, Fat, and Calories
Current Essential Wellness information lists 37% minimum crude protein, 27% minimum crude fat, 4% maximum crude fiber, and 6% maximum moisture. It provides about 4,990 kilocalories per kilogram and 256 kilocalories per cup.
Freeze-dried food is concentrated because most moisture has been removed. A serving may look smaller than canned food while still supplying substantial calories.
The company’s chart ranges from half a cup daily for a five-pound dog to four and a half cups for a 90-pound dog. It recommends dividing the daily amount into two meals for a healthy adult. Weight, activity, body condition, treats, and health may require adjustments.
How to Prepare Dr Marty Nature’s Blend Dog Food
The company recommends adding warm water at a ratio of two parts food to one part water and soaking it for about three minutes. One cup of food would use roughly half a cup of water. The guide also says it may be served dry.
Rehydration makes the pieces softer. Prepare only what your dog will eat, wash the bowl and utensils afterward, and do not leave moistened raw food sitting out. The FDA recommends washing hands and cleaning pet-food bowls and scoops with hot, soapy water.
How to Switch Foods
Dr Marty’s guide suggests a ten-day transition:
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Days 1–3: 25% new food
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Days 4–6: 50% new food
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Days 7–9: 75% new food
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Day 10: 100% Nature’s Blend
When using Nature’s Blend as a mixer, reduce the original food to avoid overfeeding.
AAHA recommends transitioning dogs over about seven days because sudden changes can cause digestive upset. Dogs with sensitive stomachs may need longer.
The brand guide uses the term “detoxing” when discussing early vomiting or loose stool. Do not use that label to dismiss persistent symptoms. Contact a veterinarian if vomiting or diarrhea is severe, includes blood, occurs with weakness or pain, or does not improve quickly.
Raw-Food Safety Matters
The FDA reports that raw pet food has been more likely than other tested food types to contain disease-causing bacteria. Dogs can become ill or spread organisms through saliva, stool, bowls, floors, and preparation surfaces.
Use extra care around young children, pregnant people, older adults, or anyone with a weakened immune system. Use separate utensils, wash your hands, clean surfaces immediately, and refrigerate or discard leftovers promptly.
This does not mean every bag is contaminated. It means the food should be handled as a raw animal product rather than as ordinary kibble.
Which Nature’s Blend Formula Fits Your Dog?
Essential Wellness
This is the general adult formula. It combines turkey, beef, salmon, duck, organs, seeds, produce, and other ingredients.
It may suit healthy adult dogs that tolerate several proteins and do not need a restricted diet.
Small Breed
The Small Breed recipe provides the Essential Wellness style of nutrition in smaller pieces. The reduced bite size may be easier for small dogs to pick up and chew.
Small dogs still need carefully measured portions. A little extra food can represent a meaningful calorie increase for a toy breed.
Healthy Growth
Healthy Growth is marketed for growing puppies and includes goat milk in the company’s description.
Check the physical package for the nutritional adequacy statement before using it as the puppy’s only food. Large-breed puppy owners should confirm that it is suitable for the growth of large-sized dogs.
Active Vitality
Active Vitality is designed for dogs aged seven and older. The company highlights tart cherry and New Zealand green mussel in the formula.
Senior branding does not make one food suitable for every older dog. A thin senior with muscle loss may have different needs from an overweight dog or one with kidney disease.
Sensitivity Select
Sensitivity Select uses poultry proteins that include turkey, duck, goose, and quail. It is marketed for dogs with food sensitivities.
This does not make it a true limited-protein elimination diet. A dog that has already eaten those proteins may not find them novel. Dogs undergoing a formal food trial should use the exact diet selected by their veterinarian.
Which Dogs Need Veterinary Advice First?
Speak with your veterinarian before changing to Dr Marty Nature’s Blend dog food when your dog has:
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Pancreatitis or a history of fat intolerance
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Obesity or a strict calorie target
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Kidney, liver, or urinary disease
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Diabetes
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Chronic vomiting or diarrhea
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Confirmed food allergies
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A prescription or elimination diet
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Pregnancy or nursing needs
A food can contain appealing ingredients and still be a poor match for a specific medical condition.
How Expensive Is It?
The official Essential Wellness page showed a regular price of $59.95 per bag during this research, with a lower account price displayed. Prices, discounts, package sizes, and subscription terms can change.
Calculate value with this formula:
Daily cost = Price paid ÷ Number of feeding days
A small dog may use a bag slowly. A large dog can make the daily cost much higher.
Using the food as a topper may reduce spending. However, replace part of the dog’s normal meal rather than placing Nature’s Blend on top of the full serving.
Cost is one reason it may not rank among the Best Dog Food Brands for every family. Long-term affordability matters as much as premium positioning.
Is Dr Marty Freeze-Dried Dog Food Worth Buying?
It may suit a healthy dog that enjoys meat-rich food, tolerates several proteins, and has an owner comfortable with the price and raw-food hygiene.
Its practical strengths include:
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Clearly named animal ingredients
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Published calorie information
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Several age and size-focused formulas
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A texture that can be served dry or rehydrated
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Convenient storage compared with frozen raw food
It may be a weaker fit for households needing low-cost feeding, strict allergy testing, low-fat nutrition, prescription nutrient control, or minimal raw-food risk.
WSAVA recommends looking beyond the ingredient list. Ask who formulates the food, what qualifications they hold, how ingredients and finished products are tested, and whether detailed nutrient information is available.
Check the Label Before You Buy
Before ordering Dr Marty freeze-dried dog food, confirm the life-stage adequacy statement, calories per serving, daily feeding cost, and your ability to handle raw food safely.
Start with one bag, introduce it gradually, and track stool quality, appetite, weight, and energy. For puppies, seniors, or dogs with medical conditions, ask your veterinarian to review the exact formula.
Do not buy Nature’s Blend only because the ingredient list sounds premium. Buy it when the formula, preparation routine, safety requirements, and cost make sense for your dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dr Marty freeze-dried food need refrigeration?
The unopened dry product is sold as shelf-stable. Keep the bag sealed and follow its storage instructions.
Once water is added, treat the meal as moist raw food. Refrigerate or discard leftovers promptly.
Can Nature’s Blend be mixed with kibble?
Yes. The company allows mixing it with wet or dry food, but advises reducing the other food to prevent overfeeding.
Is it suitable for picky dogs?
Its meat aroma and soft rehydrated texture may appeal to some selective dogs, but acceptance varies. Begin with one bag rather than placing a large order immediately.
Is it safer after adding warm water?
No. Warm water softens the pieces but does not cook them. Continue using raw-food hygiene during preparation and cleanup.
Can it be used only as a topper?
Yes. Nature’s Blend can be mixed with another suitable food. Measure both products and control the combined calories.
