My Hunt for Open Farm Raw Mix at Pet Supplies Plus
Okay, so I’d been hearing some buzz about raw diets for dogs, but honestly, the whole DIY raw thing seemed like way too much work for me. Messy, complicated, worried I’d mess up the balance. But my buddy, Max, he’s been a bit sluggish lately, and his coat wasn’t looking its best. I started poking around online, looking for maybe an easier way, like a kibble with some raw bits mixed in.
That’s when I stumbled across the Open Farm Raw Mix. Sounded kinda like what I was after – regular kibble but with freeze-dried raw pieces coated on it. Seemed like a good compromise. Now, where to get it? I remembered seeing Open Farm stuff at my local Pet Supplies Plus. It’s usually my go-to place, pretty convenient, staff are usually helpful enough.
The Trip to the Store
So, last Saturday, I drove over to Pet Supplies Plus. Made a beeline for the dog food aisles. Man, they have a lot of food. Walked up and down a bit, looking specifically for the Open Farm section. Found it tucked near the back. They had a few different Open Farm types, grain-free, ancient grains, puppy stuff. Took me a minute, but then I spotted it – the Raw Mix bags. They had a couple of recipes, I think one was chicken and the other beef?
I picked up the bag. Checked out the ingredients list on the back. Looked pretty decent, lots of meat, some fruits and veggies. The freeze-dried raw pieces were visible even through the little window on the bag. It wasn’t cheap, gotta say. Definitely more than Max’s usual stuff. Stood there for a bit, weighing the cost versus maybe helping Max feel better. Decided to just go for it, grabbed a small bag to start.
Trying It Out with Max
Got home, and Max was right there, tail wagging, curious about the new bag. I opened it up. The kibble itself looked, well, like kibble, but you could definitely see the lighter-colored freeze-dried bits mixed in. It didn’t smell bad or anything, kinda meaty.
Now, the real test. I decided to mix just a little bit of the Raw Mix in with his old food for the first few days, you know, to avoid any stomach upset. Put the bowl down. Max sniffed it… and then he actually started picking out the new Raw Mix pieces first! He totally went for those raw bits. Okay, good sign, I thought.
- First day: Mixed about 25% new food. He ate the new bits first.
- Next few days: Gradually increased the Raw Mix percentage. No tummy issues, thankfully.
- After a week: Fully transitioned to the Raw Mix.
So, How’s It Going?
We’ve been on the Open Farm Raw Mix for maybe three weeks now. What have I noticed? Well, Max definitely seems to have a bit more pep in his step. He’s more playful during our walks. And I swear his coat is starting to look shinier, less dull than before. Poops are solid, no problems there, which is always a big relief when you switch foods.
Is it a miracle food? Probably not. Is it expensive? Yeah, kinda. But seeing Max seem happier and healthier makes it feel worthwhile right now. Finding it at Pet Supplies Plus was easy enough, and the transition went smoothly. So far, so good. I’ll probably stick with it for another bag or two and see if the improvements continue. Just wanted to share my little journey trying this stuff out.
