Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food Review: A Nutrient-Packed Alternative to Traditional Kibble

If you’re on the hunt for high-quality, nutritious dog food, Redbarn’s Air Dried Dog Food might just be what you’re looking for. This premium dog food aims to provide all the benefits of a raw diet with the convenience of dry kibble. Let’s dive into the details of this product, including its features, pros, cons, ingredients, and the different ways to incorporate it into your dog’s diet.

Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food: Pros, Cons, and Everything You Need to Know

Before we jump into my review, I just want to go over a few quick notes. First, this post includes affiliate links. If you buy anything through these links, DogVills earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Second, Redbarn sent me a variety pack to try out with Freya. I am SUPER picky about what I feed her and only recommend foods that I would give her myself.

Now that we’ve covered that, let’s start with a quick look at the standout features of this awesome air-dried dog food. Then we’ll go over pros, cons, ingredients, and everything else you need to know.

Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food boasts several standout features, including:

1. Air-Dried Process (Obviously): This process gently removes moisture from the ingredients, preserving nutrients and flavor without the need for high heat or artificial preservatives.
2. High Protein Content: With 85% protein from animal sources, it supports muscle development and overall health.
3. Grain-Free: Great for dogs with grain sensitivities, this formula focuses on meat, organs, and bones, replicating a natural, carnivorous diet.
4. Versatile Feeding Options: It can be used as a complete meal, a food topper, or even as a training treat.
5. No Artificial Additives: Free from artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors.

Redbarn Air Dried Fish Recipe Dog Food (by Nicole Etolen)

Pros & Benefits of Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food

As always, we’ll take a quick peek at the biggest pros, then we’ll dig into the details a bit more.

1. Nutrient-Rich: The air-drying process retains more nutrients compared to traditional kibble.
2. Great Taste: Dogs often find this food irresistible due to its rich, meaty flavor.
3. Convenient: Offers the benefits of raw feeding without the hassle of thawing or refrigeration.
4. Good for Picky Eaters: The high protein content, tasty formula, and variety of flavors can entice even the fussiest eaters.
5. Supports Health: The high protein and natural ingredients support overall health, energy levels, and a shiny coat.

A Nutrient-Rich Kibble Alternative 

Redbarn’s air-drying process makes sure that more of the original nutrients in the ingredients are preserved compared to traditional kibble, which often loses nutrients during high-temperature cooking. 

This, of course, means that your dog gets more vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients in every bite, which in turn supports overall health, strong immune function, and vitality.

A taste dogs love

The rich, meaty flavor is preserved through the gentle air-drying process, making it more appetizing for even the pickiest eaters.  Freya LOVED the taste of every single one of the Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food recipes that we gave her (more on those in a moment). 

She can be picky, especially when it comes to anything that I use as training treats or food toppers (again, more on that below). She’s food-motivated, but only really responds to high-value treats during training games. Plus, she has a very different opinion of what counts as “high value” to her than I do. So, the fact that she really loved this food says a lot.

Convenient Shelf-Stable Bags

One of the main advantages of Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food is its convenience. Unlike raw diets, which require careful handling, refrigeration, and preparation, Redbarn’s air-dried food is shelf-stable and ready to serve straight from the bag. Basically, it’s as convenient as kibble.

A wide variety of recipes for picky eaters

If you have a dog that is a finicky eater, Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food can be a game-changer. It comes in a variety of recipes with different protein sources. The “standard” version comes in Beef, Chicken, and Fish. Then they have three gut-health and digestion recipes (Beef & Lamb, Chicken & Turkey, and Fish), plus a brand-new Puppy recipe (that’s the only one we didn’t try, since Freya isn’t a puppy anymore). 

Freya checking out the different Redbarn Air-Dried Dog Food recipes (by Nicole Etolen)

High in Protein

The high protein content and natural ingredients also contribute to your dog’s overall health. Protein is essential for muscle development, repair, and energy, while natural ingredients provide antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that support immune health, a shiny coat, and optimal digestion. 

Other Beneficial Ingredients

Ingredients vary depending on which protein recipe you buy (obviously), but they all have one thing in common. Redbarn uses the highest quality ingredients possible and tests each and every one to ensure that it’s safe for your dog. In fact, they actually have not one, but TWO state-of-the-art labs where they do all of their own testing. You can read more about that here. 

They also have a really nifty Ingredients Dictionary that explains all of their functional and core ingredients, plus other vitamins and minerals that they use in their dog food. For example, the Air-Dried recipes include sunflower oil and salmon oil, both of which are beneficial for healthy fur and skin. 

Drawbacks

1. Price: It is more expensive than regular kibble due to its high-quality ingredients and specialized processing.
2. Availability: May not be available in all pet stores, requiring online purchasing. I don’t see this as a con, though, because I buy almost everything online anyway. 
3. Transition Period: Some dogs may need a gradual transition to this richer diet to avoid digestive upset, especially if you’re transitioning off a lower-quality kibble. 

Honestly, the only major drawback, especially for those on a budget, is the price. I won’t sugar-coat it, if you use Redbarn Air-Dried Dog Food as your dog’s whole meal, it’s gonna cost a pretty penny, especially for larger breeds.

You can still reap the rewards of Air-Dried food without busting your budget. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the ways you can use it. 

How to Use Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food

First, the obvious- as a main food. Again, though, unless you have a toy breed, that can get expensive. I opted to go a different route with Freya because I wanted to stretch out our sampler bag as much as possible since she loved everything so much. 

Close-up of Redbarn Air-Dried Dog Food (by Nicole Etolen)

As a Food Topper:

Redbarn Air-Dried recipes make the perfect dog food toppers! Just sprinkle a handful over your dog’s regular kibble to add variety and excitement to their meals. This is a great way to get your picky dog excited about their food again. Especially if they get bored with their regular kibble like Freya does.

It makes a great complimentary topper to Redbarn Grain-Free dog food. We’re trying out the Land Recipe right now, and Freya is currently eating with without a topper. At some point, though, the novelty will wear off and she’ll be back to demanding a little extra “something something” on top. That’s not because of the food itself, she’s that way with literally EVERY kibble we give her.

As a Training Treat: 

Due to its high meat content and tasty flavor, Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food can be an excellent training treat. The pieces are already small enough for larger dogs, but you can easily break them up a bit for teensy pups. Side note, we actually do that for my cat, Alex, who thinks he’s a dog and tries to steal Freya’s treats. While it is formulated for our canine companions, there’s nothing in it that’s harmful to cats. 

It’s also lower in calories than a lot of training treats on the market. While one cup has about 360 calories (give or take depending on the recipe), I only use about a teaspoon’s worth during our games. It comes out to about 10 calories or fewer per training session.  

In Snuffle Mats:

Freya has “snuffle time” every night at 8PM. I’m always looking for new ideas that she’ll actually like, because otherwise she snuffles for about two seconds and then flips the whole thing over and just eats the treats off the ground. Redbarn Air Dried food is one of the few lower-calorie treats that keep her attention long enough for her to snuffle out every last piece. 

FAQs About Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food

Let’s finish up with a few frequently asked questions, shall we?

Redbarn Air Dried Dog Food offers a convenient and nutritious alternative to both traditional kibble and raw diets. Its high protein content, palatability, and versatility make it an excellent choice for dog owners looking to provide the best for their furry friends.

Whether used as a main food, a topper, or a training treat, it’s a versatile addition to your dog’s diet that you and your dog are likely to love.