Cold Pressed vs Raw Dog Food: Which Is Better for Your Dog?
- Ryan Rothon
- Jan 21
- 4 min read
Cold pressed and raw dog food are both popular choices among owners who want to move away from heavily processed kibble and feed something closer to a natural diet. But which option is the right choice for you?
In fact, cold pressed and raw dog food can work extremely well together, and many owners now use cold pressed food either as a full alternative or as a simple way to add balance to a raw-fed diet.
This guide explains the differences clearly, and helps you decide what works best for your dog and your lifestyle.
What Is Cold Pressed Dog Food?
Cold pressed dog food is made by pressing ingredients together at lower temperatures than traditional kibble. This gentler process helps preserve nutrients while creating a shelf-stable food that is packed full of nutrition.
Key characteristics of cold pressed dog food:
Lower-temperature production
Nutrients remain closer to their natural form
Pellets soften and break down easily during digestion
Complete and balanced by design
Convenient storage and feeding
Cold pressed food is often chosen by owners who want natural-style nutrition with
everyday simplicity.
What Is Raw Dog Food?
Raw dog food is based on feeding uncooked meat, organs, bones, and sometimes vegetables, either as off the shelf prepared meals or home-prepared diets.
Many dogs do very well on raw food when it is:
Carefully balanced
Hygienically handled
Properly portioned (portion control is important for both dogs and humans!)
Raw feeding appeals to owners who want maximum transparency on ingredients and a diet that closely resembles what the our dog's ancestors may have eaten in the wild.
Nutritional Approach: Cold Pressed vs Raw Dog Food
Raw Feeding
Raw food can be rich in high-quality animal protein and healthy fats. When prepared and formulated correctly, it can support everything from muscles and growth to energy levels and a shiny coat.
However, achieving consistent nutritional balance can take planning and it is especially difficult for DIY raw feeders. It can be hard to find all of the necessary ingredients to create a proper balance, not to mention the dangers of poorly prepared raw food (bacteria) and time/space needed to maintain such a diet.
Cold Pressed
Cold pressed food is carefully developed to be nutritionally complete, meaning every portion contains the correct balance of:
Protein
Fats
Carbohydrates
Vitamins and minerals
For example, here at Gentle we have developed our recipe over 15 years using a process that is over 50 years old. We have thousands of happy and healthy dogs across Europe and have access to beneficial ingredients like Yucca Schidigera, Seaweed and Green Lipped Muscle Meat that can be difficult to find or prepare if used in a raw diet.
This consistency makes cold pressed food particularly valuable as:
A full diet (you know you are giving your dog everything they need)
A safety net for raw-fed dogs
A balancing component alongside raw meals (many of our customers mix Gentle with raw food to diversify the diet).
Digestibility & Gut Health
Both diets are generally well tolerated, and break down in similar ways. Both contain the natural enzymes of the ingredients and this promotes natural and easier digestion.
For dogs that struggle with digestion on raw alone, adding cold pressed food can stabilise the gut without abandoning raw feeding.
With cold pressed being pre-treated, it also removes any chance of bacteria that can occur in raw food.
Mixing Cold Pressed and Raw Dog Food
One of the biggest advantages of cold pressed food is how easily it integrates with raw feeding.
Why Owners Mix Cold Pressed with Raw
Adds nutritional balance without complex calculations
Helps ensure vitamins and minerals are consistently met
Simplifies feeding when raw ingredients are unavailable
Ideal for travel, holidays, or busy days
Common Mixing Approaches
Raw as the main meal + cold pressed as a topper
50/50 raw and cold pressed
Raw most days, cold pressed on odd days for convenience
Because cold pressed food digests gently, it is generally well suited for mixed feeding.
Safety, Storage & Practicality
Raw feeding requires freezer space, thawing, and careful handling. Many owners are okay with this but it isn’t always practical every day.
Cold pressed food offers:
Easy storage (no freezer full of dog food!)
Simple portioning (just follow the daily feeding guide)
No thawing or prep (just scoop and serve)
Reliable nutrition when raw isn’t convenient
For many, cold pressed food becomes a stress-free alternative or complement rather than a replacement.
Cost & Long-Term Flexibility
Raw feeding costs can vary significantly depending on protein sources and availability. Many owners are paying upwards of 5-10 euros per day and they don't even realise!
Cold pressed food offers:
Predictable monthly costs (starting at 70 cents per day!)
Less waste
Easier scaling for growing or ageing dogs
This makes cold pressed food especially useful for owners who want flexibility without sacrificing quality.
Which Option Is Best?
There is no single “correct” answer.
Some dogs thrive on 100% raw
Others do best on 100% cold pressed
Many benefit most from a combination of both
The best diet is one that is:
Balanced
Digestible
Sustainable for the owner
Consistent over time
Cold pressed food can be a standalone food or the perfect partner to raw feeding.
Final Thoughts
It isn't really Cold Pressed vs Raw Dog Food. Both approached share the same goal: better nutrition with fewer compromises.
Rather than choosing one over the other, many owners are discovering that cold pressed dog food is one of the easiest ways to support raw feeding, offering balance, convenience, and peace of mind.
Whether fed alone or alongside raw, cold pressed food provides a practical path to high-quality nutrition that fits real life.
Why not give Gentle a try?!
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