Fidelis Fresh Menu in glass jars

Better than BARF

Fidelis Fresh Menu	BARF (raw feeding)
High-quality fresh ingredients, balanced recipes	Often meat-heavy and very high in protein
Meat is gently cooked	Raw meat can carry harmful bacteria
No artificial additives or preservatives	Risk of illness from germs in raw meat
High natural nutrient content	Also high in natural nutrients
Smells like real food	Smells of raw meat
Shelf-stable, no fridge or freezer needed	Must be kept chilled or frozen

The problem with raw

Is BARF (raw dog food) safe?

BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food) has real advantages: it’s fresh and natural, dogs love it, and it’s rich in nutrients and easy to digest. But it also has two big drawbacks.

Bacteria in raw meat

Raw meat, offal and bones are often contaminated with bacteria such as salmonella, campylobacter, listeria, clostridia, yersinia and other enterobacteria. These can upset the balance of the gut flora, which may show up as diarrhoea, wind, itching or skin problems. Some of these bacteria are resistant to antibiotics, and over time they can lead to more serious stomach and gut problems.
Too much protein

BARF rations are usually meat-heavy and low in carbohydrates, sometimes with more than double the protein a dog needs. This can put extra strain on the liver and kidneys, seen as raised urea levels in blood and urine. Rations high in connective tissue can also upset the gut and cause soft stools or diarrhoea.

Not for every household: raw feeding isn’t well suited to dogs with liver or kidney disease or non-allergic gut conditions. It’s also generally not recommended if your dog lives with pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system.

No fridge? No problem

Our Fresh Menus in jars

No fridge or freezer space, but still want to feed fresh? We gently steam-cook the meat outside the jar first, then add fresh vegetables, fruit and high-quality oils and sterilise the jar for a much shorter time. That keeps far more of the nutrients than tinned food, which is cooked entirely in the tin, and the meat stays in real pieces instead of turning to “mush”.