Differences between Air-Dried and Freeze-Dried Dog Food: Which Is Best?

When choosing the best dog food, pet owners want nutrition, convenience, and safety in one package. Air-dried and freeze-dried dog food offer a raw, minimally processed alternative to traditional kibble. But how do they compare?

At The Innocent Hound, we specialise in handcrafted, air-dried dog food made in our Yorkshire factory. Our gentle air-drying method preserves the integrity of raw ingredients while ensuring a shelf-stable and safe product. Let’s explore the key differences between air-dried and freeze-dried dog food to help you decide what’s best for your furry companion.

What Is Air-Dried Dog Food?

Air-dried dog food is a premium alternative to raw and traditional dry dog food. It undergoes a slow, gentle drying process at low temperatures, removing moisture while preserving nutrients.

How We Make Our Air-Dried Dog Food:

• We start with high-quality, raw meat.

• Our expert team prepares and portions the ingredients to our exacting standards.

• The food is placed in our bespoke air-drying units.

• A controlled process of low heat, humidity, and air circulation removes moisture while locking in nutrients.

• The food is dried optimally to prevent bacterial growth, ensuring safety and a long shelf life.

This method means our air-dried dog food retains all the goodness of raw dog food without the hassle of freezing or rehydrating. It’s ready to serve straight from the pack, making mealtime easy.

What Is Freeze-Dried Dog Food?

Freeze-dried dog food is another method of preserving raw ingredients while extending shelf life. This process involves rapidly freezing at extremely low temperatures Once frozen solid, the food undergoes sublimation, a dehydration process where moisture is removed as vapour, bypassing the liquid stage entirely.

While freeze-dried dog food retains much of its original nutritional value, the extreme cold and vacuum process can cause some degradation of delicate fats and enzymes.

Though convenient in some ways, freeze-dried dog food can be less practical for everyday feeding due to the need for water and preparation time. This is where air-dried dog food stands out as a ready-to-serve, safe, and nutrient-rich alternative.

Why Air-Dried Dog Food Is the Best Choice

Choosing the best dog food means considering both nutrition and practicality. Here’s why air-dried dog food is the ideal solution:

Raw Nutrition Without the Hassle

Air-dried dog food offers all the benefits of raw dog food but the convenience of dry food. It does not require freezing, defrosting, or rehydration—just pour and serve. A few freeze-dried brands can add some additional steps to the serving process, where water is required, whereas the dried food from the Innocent Hound is much simpler to serve in a bowl, with no additional legwork required.

Unlike raw diets, air-dried dog food does not require freezing or refrigeration. Our careful drying process prevents bacterial growth, giving you peace of mind. Whether you’re feeding a growing puppy or a senior dog, our air-dried recipes provide complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages.