Quick answer
Dr. Marty dog food is a premium freeze-dried raw diet designed to provide biologically appropriate nutrition for dogs. The core formula, Nature's Blend Essential Wellness, uses a variety of meats, organ meats, and fish along with superfoods like sweet potato, blueberry, and kale. It is grain-free and contains no artificial preservatives or fillers. Other formulas target puppies, small breeds, and senior dogs. Dog Food Advisor gives the Nature's Blend recipe a high recommendation, noting its notable amount of named meats as the main protein source.
Main explanation
Dr. Marty Pets offers a range of freeze-dried raw dog foods that aim to mimic a dog's ancestral diet. The products are gently freeze-dried to preserve nutrients without cooking. Below is a breakdown of the available formulas based on the official welcome guide and product pages.
Available formulas
- Nature's Blend – Essential Wellness: The flagship product for adult dogs, including premium meats, seeds, vegetables, and fruit.
- Nature's Blend – Small Breed: Same ingredients as Essential Wellness but in smaller pieces for small-breed dogs.
- Nature's Blend – Active Vitality: For dogs aged 7 and up, with antioxidant-rich tart cherry and New Zealand green mussel (a source of glucosamine and chondroitin).
- Nature's Blend – Healthy Growth: Designed for puppies, with protein-rich meats and omega-3-rich goat milk to support brain, bone, and muscle development.
All formulas are freeze-dried raw, meaning they are not cooked and retain more natural enzymes and nutrients. The food is rehydrated with water before serving.
What do the sources say?
- Ingredients: The food includes a mix of meats, organ meats, and fish, plus fruits and vegetables such as sweet potato, blueberry, and kale.
- Quality: The Amazon listing states the food is made with "whole ingredients and zero artificial preservatives or fillers".
- Dog Food Advisor rating: The Nature's Blend recipe received a high recommendation, with the review noting that it uses a notable amount of named meats as its main animal protein source.
- Retail availability: In addition to the Dr. Marty Pets website, the food is sold on Amazon and at retailers like Pet Supplies Plus, where the 48-ounce bag has a 4.8 out of 5 star rating from 69 reviews.
Transition and feeding guidelines
The welcome guide emphasizes a slow transition to avoid digestive upset. The recommended process is:
- Days 1–2: Mix 25% Dr. Marty food with 75% current food.
- Days 3–4: Mix 50% Dr. Marty with 50% current food.
- Days 5–6: Mix 75% Dr. Marty with 25% current food.
- Day 7 onward: Feed 100% Dr. Marty food.
- Puppy (under 1 year): Choose Healthy Growth.
- Adult (1–6 years): Choose Essential Wellness.
- Senior (7+ years): Choose Active Vitality.
- Small breed (under 20 lbs): Choose the Small Breed formula for smaller kibble pieces.
- Medium to large breed: Use the standard Essential Wellness, Active Vitality, or Healthy Growth formulas.
- All formulas are grain-free and contain no artificial preservatives or fillers. If your dog has specific allergies, check the full ingredient list on the product page.
- Follow the 7-day transition schedule from the welcome guide to minimize digestive upset. Do not switch abruptly.
- Add warm water to rehydrate the freeze-dried food before feeding. The exact water-to-food ratio is provided in the welcome guide.
- Shop Dr. Marty Pets | Freeze Dried Raw Dog & Cat Food. https://drmartypets.com/products
- Nature's Blend – Essential Wellness. https://drmartypets.com/product/natures-blend
- Dr Marty Dog Food on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dr-marty-dog-food/s?k=dr+marty+dog+food
- Dr. Marty Nature's Blend Small Breed Freeze-Dried Dog Food. https://www.sbarkles.com/products/sbarkles/dr-marty-natures-blend-small-breed-freeze-dried-dog-food-80-oz
- Dr. Marty Pets homepage. https://drmartypets.com
- Dr. Marty Nature's Blend Premium Freeze-Dried Dog Food at Pet Supplies Plus. https://www.petsuppliesplus.com/categories/dog/food/freeze-dried-dehydrated-food/dr-marty-nature-s-blend-premium-freeze-dried-dog-food/20466
- Dr. Marty Dog Food Review (Freeze-Dried Raw) by Dog Food Advisor. https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/dr-marty-freeze-dried-raw
- NATURE'S BLEND WELCOME GUIDE. https://cdn.drmartypets.com/guides/welcome-guide-natures-blend.pdf
Feeding amounts depend on your dog's weight and activity level; the guide provides specific measurements for each formula. The food is freeze-dried and must be rehydrated with warm water before serving.
Important note on testing
This article is based on desk research using the cited sources. Dog Food Nerd has not conducted independent laboratory testing or feeding trials of Dr. Marty dog food. The claims above are sourced from the manufacturer, retailers, and a third-party review site.
Practical takeaways: A decision framework for choosing Dr. Marty dog food
Use these ordered steps to select the right formula for your dog:
Step 1: Determine your dog's life stage
Step 2: Check your dog's size
Step 3: Consider any special dietary needs
Step 4: Plan the transition
Step 5: Serve correctly
Summary table
| Formula | Life Stage | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Wellness | Adult (1–6 yrs) | Multi-protein, superfoods |
| Small Breed | Adult small breed | Smaller pieces, same ingredients |
| Active Vitality | Senior (7+ yrs) | Tart cherry, green-lipped mussel |
| Healthy Growth | Puppy | Goat milk, higher protein |
