There's a lot of buzz about Stella & Chewy's pet foods, thanks to their use of human-grade meat and organic produce. They offer a wide range of recipes suitable for small to extra-large breed puppies, as well as adult and senior dogs. Alongside catering for all life stages and sizes, you can also find food for specific needs such as picky eaters, digestive health as well as allergies and sensitivities. 

Wag! highly rates Stella & Chewy's dog food due to its ingredient quality, excellent protein and fat percentages, and focus on sustainability. 

Read on for our full Stella & Chewy's dog food review, which includes what we like and what you need to consider. This will help you decide whether it's the right brand for your pup. 

Stella & Chewy's offers over 60 dog foods including frozen raw, freeze-dried, wet, and raw coated dry varieties. 

All Stella & Chewy's dog foods are complete and balanced, meeting the Association American Feed Control Officials' (AAFCO) nutrient profile guidelines for all life stages, adult maintenance, or growth. All topper, mixers, and treats are for supplemental feeding only. 

Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw dog foods are grain-free, complete and balanced dog foods. Each recipe is freeze-dried from raw to preserve nutrients while ensuring your pup's food is shelf stable for easy storage.

 

Made from 100% human-grade ingredients and purely organic produce, Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw is excellent quality.  Lil' Bites are the same as Freeze-Dried Raw Patties, but in bite-sized chunks for small breeds. 

Each recipe contains only quality cuts of meat and superfoods like cranberries, broccoli, and spinach. These superfoods provide your pup with natural sources of vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and antioxidants. 

Plus, all recipes are made from 95% meat, providing your canine with all the protein they need to fuel an active lifestyle. There's also a wide range of flavors, from venison to lamb—ideal for dogs with meat allergies. 

Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw recipes have excellent protein-to-fat ratios. When dehydrated, Chewy's Chicken Freeze-Dried Raw Patties contain above-average protein (53.5% as dry matter) and above-average fat (32.1% as dry matter) compared to other freeze-dried raw dog foods. 

Stella & Chewy's produces a range of gently cooked fresh and frozen dog foods that cater to canines.  Frozen Raw Dinner Patties are exactly the same as Stella & Chewy's Freeze-Dried Raw options—they're made with 95% meat and only organic produce. 

You'll find no grains in these recipes—only a handful of superfoods and high-quality meat. The only real difference is Stella & Chewy's Frozen Raw foods aren't shelf-stable, so you'll need to make space in your freezer.

Stella & Chewy's FreshMade recipes are a little different—they're gently sous-vide cooked and flash-frozen to preserve nutrients. They're made from 60% muscle and organ meats with superfoods mixed in. Overall, they're high quality, with no legumes or grains present. 

Stella & Chewy's Frozen Raw formulas have the same protein and fat levels as its Freeze-Dried foods. Stella & Chewy's Frozen Raw Chewy's Chicken Patties contain the same protein (55.3% as dry matter) and (32.1% as dry matter) as its Freeze-Dried counterpart. 

FreshMade has less favorable protein-to-fat percentages. The Meat-a-Palooza recipe contains above-average protein (40% as dry matter) and above-average fat (38% as dry matter) compared to your average fresh dog food. 

Do you want to feed your dog kibble with the added benefits of a raw food diet? Stella & Chewy's raw coated and blended kibbles enable you to do just that. In a nutshell, each recipe is either piece of cooked oven-cooked kibble coated in freeze-dried raw meat or mixed with pieces of freeze-dried raw meat. 

As with most of Stella & Chewy's recipes, its dry foods are top-of-the-line. The one downside is they contain meat meals as a secondary protein source, so they're not human-grade. Unprocessed cuts of meat are the top ingredient in all recipes, followed by meat meals and superfoods. 

Common grains in the grain-inclusive varieties include oatmeal and barley. Grain-free options are available if your dog has a grain-allergy. 

The main difference between the SuperBlends and Wild Raw sub-ranges is their meat contents. Wild Raw puts more emphasis on its animal protein, with recipes containing around 80% or more meat. SuperBlends are lower in meat but higher in fruit and veg, including pumpkin, blueberries, beets, and flaxseed.  

When comparing macros, Wild Raw and SuperBlends varieties are superior to most dry dog foods on the market. 

Wild Raw Red Meat Grain & Legume recipe contains above-average protein (39.7% as dry matter) and slightly above average fat (18.7% as dry matter) compared to similar kibbles. 

SuperBlends Chicken & Duck + Superfoods recipe contains above-average protein (29.5% as dry matter) and around average fat (15.9% as dry matter) compared to similar kibbles. 

 

Stella & Chewy's serves up three wet dog food lines: Wild Raw (canned), Shredrs (pouches), and Lil' Bites Savory Stews (trays).

Wild Raw are premium quality canned foods, made with 95% animal protein. They're grain and legume-free and include pumpkins and carrots in the top five ingredients. They have relatively limited ingredients (aside from added vitamins and minerals), making them a good choice for pups with food allergies. 

Shredrs are Stella & Chewy's newest wet food range, made with less than six or seven primary ingredients each. Most ingredient lists are as follows: a cut of meat, broth, another cut of meat, tapioca, and sunflower oil. They're all free from grains, legumes, and artificial flavors, colorings, and preservatives. Highly recommended for dogs with sensitive stomachs.

Lil' Bites Savory Stews are largely the same as Shredrs, but made for pint-sized pups. Each recipe contains largely the same ingredient in a similar, shredded-meat-in-stew consistency. 

Shredrs protein and fat percentages are excellent. Beef & Chicken in Broth contains high protein (58.8% as dry matter) and average fat (11.7% as dry matter) compared to your average wet dog food. Lil Bites Savory Stews are largely the same.

Wild Raw canned dog food also have great macros—all recipes have above-average protein (46.6% as dry matter) and average fat (13.3% as dry matter). 

There are wet and dry food toppers which can be added to your dog's food for variety and are ideal for picky eaters. Among the options are Magical Dinner Dust, which can be sprinkled on their food and is made with 95% meat, organ and bones.

Bone Broth is another popular topper from Stella & Chewy's that add flavor and moisture to mealtimes, helping prevent dehydration. Turmeric and cinnamon are added for their anti-inflammatory properties, while squash and pumpkin provide additional fiber. 

Stella's Solutions are the most unique topper line from Stella and Chewy's. They're designed to support specific health needs, ranging from hip & joint to heart health. 

Overall, each topper and mixer is premium quality and made with the finest ingredients. 

Stella & Chewy's offers four dog treat ranges, for when you want to spoil your canine companion. 

Heart, Liver, and Breast Treats are made from 100% meat and only contain one ingredient, providing your pup with a protein boost. 

Wild Weenies are hot dog-style treats made from 97% meat and freeze-dried to preserve nutrients. They're around 15 calories per weenie, so should be fed your furry friend sparingly. 

Dental Delights are clinically proven to clean a dog's teeth, thanks to their ridged design. They also contain peppermint and parsley to keep your pooch's breath smelling fresh. With brown rice flour and rice flour as top ingredients, they're not the most nutritious dog treats. 

Carnivore Crunch are ideal for training—these treats are less than 3 calories a piece. The ingredient quality is good, consisting mostly of cuts of muscle and organ meats. 

There’s a lot to like about Stella & Chewy. Here are a few of the top things that stand out to us.

Only organic, sustainable, and carefully selected ingredients feature in these recipes. The animal protein is responsibly sourced — so either grass-fed, cage-free, wild-caught or farm-raised. 

Each recipe includes 90 - 98% meat, organs and bone. Some of the food is 100% human grade while meat is always listed as the first ingredient. Alongside this is 100% organic fruits and vegetables. Plus, vitamins, minerals, probiotics and antioxidants. The manufacturing process helps preserve as many of the nutrients as possible.

Some high-quality recipes still contain ingredients you’d rather not see in your dog’s food. Stella & Chewy's are committed to safe, quality nutrition. They guarantee their food contains no artificial preservatives or colorings and no corn, wheat or soy. There’s also no added hormones or antibiotics and no by-products. 

 

Stella & Chewy's was once just a raw pet food brand. But, over the years they have expanded beyond this. Now, they provide high-protein diets with all the benefits of raw food. You can choose from frozen or freeze-dried raw food, raw-coated kibble, and freeze-dried raw treats and toppers. But, alongside this is also a selection of non-raw products including their wet food range. 

There are lots of tasty flavors to choose from and something to suit every life stage as well as specific requirements. Plus, you have the option of completed and balanced meals or toppers to add to the current diet. 

There are, however, a few things you should be aware of and consider before deciding whether this is the right food for your pup. 

Some pet parents say that this food is quite expensive, especially compared to other dog food. More recently they’ve said the price has gone up. However, it’s not surprising when it includes such high-quality ingredients. Plus, you can always save through bundles and deals on sites such as Chewy. 

Both the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the FDA discourage pet parents from feeding their pups raw food.

This is because there are some concerns about how safe it is to feed dogs a raw food diet. There are health risks due to the lack of cooking and processing, raw food is more likely to be contaminated with bacteria Listeria and Salmonella.

 

Obviously one of the concerns with raw food is that there is a higher chance of it being contaminated with Listeria. Stella & Chewy's has been recalled for that reason. However, this was back in 2015 and it hasn’t been recalled since. It’s also worth noting that Stella & Chewy’s raw dog food is freeze-dried to ensure safety.

“Freeze dried dog food {provides} the best source of nutrients for your dog. However, it can be too expensive to feed them solely a freeze-dried diet. These meal toppers are the perfect addition to my {dog's} kibble. He licks the bowl clean every time.”

“After much research over the years, I've tried a wide variety of high quality kibble, canned food, Rx food, and even subscription fresh food for my sensitive Yorkie who is prone to colitis. But nothing has consistently settled better with her system than Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw. Transitioned without a hiccup (rare!), and no gas, no gurgly discomfort, and no diarrhea since starting this food months ago. Better energy, shinier coats, and less eye discharge too. I'm a bit concerned about the high fat content of freeze-dried raw, so I do feed about a 50/50 mix with premium kibble. This product pulls apart and rehydrates easily, and both my dogs attack their bowls with this mixed in. The duck is their favorite, but they find the turkey tasty too. Stella & Chewy's is SO worth it!”

“I have never seen my dog so excited for breakfast and dinner. He struggles with super bad skin allergies and after just about 2 weeks of slowly transitioning him into this food I have noticed the pigment of his skin has changed (less red) and his energy is up! I started with the 3.5 pound bag to start but this is definitely going to be a long time meal for my pup!”

Read more reviews on Chewy.

Stella & Chewy's is named after the two dogs the founder, Marie Moody, adopted from a local animal shelter. Stella was adopted in 1997, followed by Chewy. When Chewy joined the family he was quite sick.

 

To help with health issues, Marie began to feed him a raw diet on the advice of a veterinarian. As he recovered so quickly and both dogs were thriving on their new, Marie decided to start her own business, pursuing her passion for pet nutrition and helping other dogs.

There have been two Stella & Chewy's dog food recalls — both in 2015. 

In December 2015, four products were recalled due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The total was 990 cases, the majority were in the USA with 26 of those in Canada. The products recalled were 8.5oz and 4lb bags of Frozen Stella’s Super Beef Dinner Morsels for Dogs and 1.25lb bags of Frozen Duck Duck Goose Dinner Morsels for Cats. They also recalled 1.25lb bags of Frozen Chick Chick Chicken Dinner Morsels for Cats as there was a chance they had come into contact with the affected products.

In July 2015, the Maryland Department of Agriculture notified Stella & Chewy's that they had issued a stop sale order on a single lot of Chewy’s Chicken Freeze-Dried Dinner Patties for Dogs. This was due to possible exposure to food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The affected items were with wholesale distributors and retails stores across the USA for resale to consumers. The company voluntarily recalled all products from the lot and as a precautionary measure, recalled a number of frozen and freeze-dried products that may have been exposed to them. There were no reported illnesses associated with the recall.