Nature’s Blend Essential Wellness uses freeze-dried pieces made from named meats, organs, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. It is protein-rich and designed for adult maintenance, but it is expensive, uses several animal proteins, and requires raw-food handling.

Is Dr Marty dog food a smart upgrade or costly marketing? Here is a label-first review.

At a Glance: Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend Essential Wellness is a high-protein, freeze-dried raw food for adult dogs. Named meats and organ meats are strong points, and it meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance. Its main drawbacks are price, high fat, multiple protein sources, and the safety precautions required with raw pet food.

What Is Dr. Marty Dog Food?

Nature’s Blend Essential Wellness is the main Dr Marty freeze dried dog food for adult dogs. The company describes it as a premium freeze-dried raw formula made with meats, seeds, vegetables, and fruit. The official site showed a $59.95 regular price per bag when checked, while Petco listed a 16-ounce bag at $36.99 before promotions. Prices can change, so verify them before publishing or buying.

The formula is labeled to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for adult maintenance. AAFCO says the nutritional adequacy statement is the key label section for confirming whether a food is complete and balanced for a stated life stage. This recipe is for adult maintenance, not puppy growth.

Dr. Marty Dog Food Ingredients Review

The ingredient list begins with turkey, beef, salmon, duck, beef liver, turkey liver, and turkey heart. It also includes flaxseed, sweet potato, egg, pea flour or pea protein, apples, blueberries, carrots, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, spinach, kelp, ginger, sunflower seeds, broccoli, kale, salt, and mixed tocopherols. Retailer wording varies slightly, so use the package label as the final source.

Named meats at the top are a clear advantage. The liver and heart add naturally occurring protein, fat, iron, and vitamins. The ingredient list also avoids vague terms that make it hard to know which animal species were used.

However, this is not a simple formula. It combines turkey, beef, salmon, duck, and egg. That variety may improve taste, but it is a poor match for a strict elimination diet. Merck recommends a single novel protein or hydrolyzed diet for controlled food trials.

Nutrition, Calories, and Price

The figures come from product listings. Dry-matter estimates divide the as-fed values by 94%, based on the 6% moisture maximum.

Expert tip: Do not compare freeze-dried food with canned food using the front-label protein percentage alone. Moisture changes the numbers. Compare dry-matter values, calories, and the life-stage adequacy statement.

The 27% minimum fat deserves attention. Fat adds energy and flavor, but dogs with pancreatitis, weight problems, or a medical need for fat restriction may need another food. Merck notes that dogs with mild pancreatitis are commonly moved to low-fat diets and treats.

Potential Benefits

Meat-Rich Protein Base

Several named meats and organs lead the recipe, helping it reach a 37% minimum protein level. That is appealing for owners seeking healthy food for dogs without making meat a minor ingredient.

Flexible Serving

Nature’s Blend can be fed dry, rehydrated, or used as a mixer. The company suggests one cup of food with half a cup of warm water, followed by a three-minute soak. When using it as a topper, reduce the current food so the extra calories do not cause weight gain.

Shelf-Stable Format

Freeze-drying removes most moisture, making the food easier to store and travel with than frozen raw meals. The brand advises sealing the opened bag and keeping it in a cool, dry place. Its guide says opened food may last up to three months depending on heat and humidity, but buyers should follow the package instructions.

Drawbacks and Safety Concerns

The Cost Adds Up Quickly

Dr Marty dog food costs much more per ounce than most kibble. The price is easier to manage for a small dog or when the product replaces only part of a meal. For a large dog eating it as the full diet, the weekly cost may be hard to justify.

Freeze-Dried Raw Is Still Raw

Freeze-drying does not equal cooking or sterilization. The FDA states that Salmonella can contaminate frozen and freeze-dried raw pet foods and that raw pet food is more likely than other pet-food types to contain Salmonella. The AVMA also discourages raw or undercooked animal proteins because of risks to people and pets.

Wash hands, clean bowls and surfaces, and keep raw pet food away from human meals. Higher-risk households should ask a physician and veterinarian whether raw feeding is appropriate.

The FDA’s current recalls table, updated July 2, 2026, did not list a Dr. Marty product among the displayed current entries. This is not a promise about future safety, so check the FDA database and package lot before purchase.

Who Should Buy Dr. Marty Dog Food?

It may suit healthy adult dogs that tolerate several proteins, picky eaters drawn to meat-rich food, and owners who want a shelf-stable alternative to frozen raw feeding.

A different good dog food may be better for dogs needing low-fat nutrition, a single-protein trial, a prescription diet, or a lower daily cost.

Consider a 20-pound adult dog. The brand’s guide lists 1.5 cups daily, equal to about 384 calories using the published calorie figure. Adding that amount on top of a normal kibble meal would likely oversupply calories. A topper must replace part of the old meal, not simply sit on top.

How to Transition and Feed It

The company recommends a 10-day switch:

1. Days 1 to 3: 25% Nature’s Blend

2. Days 4 to 6: 50% Nature’s Blend

3. Days 7 to 9: 75% Nature’s Blend

4. Day 10: 100% Nature’s Blend

Dogs with sensitive stomachs may need a slower change. Watch appetite, stool, vomiting, itching, and body weight. Contact a veterinarian if symptoms are severe or continue.

Pros and Cons

Is Dr. Marty Dog Food Worth Buying?

Dr Marty dog food is worth considering when ingredient transparency, animal-protein content, and freeze-dried convenience matter more than price. Nature’s Blend Essential Wellness has a strong meat-first ingredient list, and its AAFCO adult-maintenance statement supports feeding it as a complete diet for healthy adult dogs.

It offers weaker value for large dogs, budget-focused households, pets needing low-fat food, or dogs with suspected food allergies. Check your dog’s calorie needs and medical history, then compare the true weekly cost with two other complete adult foods. Start with a small bag or measured topper before committing to a bulk order.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dr. Marty dog food complete and balanced?

Nature’s Blend Essential Wellness is labeled to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance. It is intended as complete food for adult dogs, but not as the adult formula for growing puppies.

Does Dr. Marty dog food need refrigeration?

The freeze-dried product is shelf-stable. Keep the opened bag tightly sealed in a cool, dry place and follow the storage directions printed on the package.

Can Nature’s Blend be used as a topper?

Yes. Replace part of the current meal rather than adding a full extra serving, since Nature’s Blend contains about 256 calories per cup.

Is it suitable for dogs with allergies?

Not for a controlled elimination trial in most cases. Essential Wellness contains several animal proteins plus egg, so ask your veterinarian whether its ingredient mix fits your dog.

Is Dr. Marty dog food good for senior dogs?

Healthy seniors may eat an adult-maintenance formula, but calorie needs and fat tolerance can change with age. The brand also sells an Active Vitality recipe for dogs age seven and older.

Manual verification before publishing: Recheck the package ingredient list, AAFCO statement, feeding chart, current price, bag size, calorie content, and FDA recall database.