Dr. Marty Nature's Blend
Dog owners looking for healthy food made up of natural, whole ingredients will enjoy the poultry, beef, turkey, fruits and vegetables included in a bag of Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend.
Dr Marty Nature's Blend Review: Legit or Hype?
Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend is a new dog food whose only ingredients are a variety of freeze-dried meat, poultry, and fish as well as fruits and vegetables.
What makes the food unique is that it uses natural, “raw” ingredients and does not contain any filler grains that you’d find with cheaper dog food. The freeze-dried element is a rare trait, too, as most food is cooked in factories first or is wet food out of a can.
Dr. Marty is a brand named after veterinarian Dr. Martin Goldstein. According to the company’s website, Goldstein is lauded as “one of the world’s leading veterinarians” for more than 40 years. Goldstein is a graduate of Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and authored a book titled, “The Nature of Animal Healing: The Definitive Holistic Medicine Guide to Caring for Your Dog and Cat”.
In a time when organic, non-GMO food is a big deal for human consumers, dog food that contains freeze-dried whole foods is certainly an appealing option for dog owners. In this review, we’ll analyze Nature’s Blend, talk about what its ingredients do, what it costs, and how it compares to other similar dog foods.
At the end of our review, we’ll include an opinion-based section that covers our thoughts about the general strengths and weaknesses of this product.
Nature’s Blend Feeding Plan
The food’s website has a very specific daily feeding schedule depending on the weight of your dog:
- 5 lbs: ½ cup
- 10 lbs.: ¾ cup
- 20 lbs.: 1 ¼ cup
- 25 lbs.: 1 ½ cup
- 30 lbs.: 1 ¾ cups
- 40 lbs.: 2 cups
- 50 lbs.: 2 ½ cups
- 60 lbs.: 2 ¾ cups
- 70 lbs.: 3 ¼ cups
- 80 lbs.: 3 ½ cups
- 90 lbs.: 3 ¾ cups
Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend Ingredients: What They Are and Their Benefits
The defining characteristics of this dog food are its ingredients. As the food’s website says, “Nature’s Blend … is a nutrition-packed formula designed to give your dog a healthier, happier life. We blend a variety of (ingredients) for the balanced, complete nutrition your dog needs.”
Here’s the list of the ingredients contained in the dog food:
- Turkey
- Beef
- Salmon
- Duck
- Flax
- Beef liver
- Turkey hearts
- Turkey liver
- Sweet potato
- Eggs
- Pea flour
- Carrots
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Pumpkin seeds
- Spinach
- Ginger
- Salt
- Mixed tocopherols
As you can see, this is a hefty list of natural ingredients devoid of the common fillers you see like cornmeal.
Now, ingredients play a big role in your dog’s nutrition, but so do the food’s balance of proteins, moisture, and other ingredients. There needs to be a certain balance in order to provide your dog with a beneficial meal.
Here’s a breakdown of these factors:
- Crude protein: 39%
- Crude fat: 23%
- Crude fiber: 2.5%
- Moisture: 5%
- Omega-3 fatty acids: 5%
We turned to PetMD’s page on balanced dog foods to get an idea of where these percentages fall in terms of the recommended allowances.
PetMD says that protein amounts should be between 18% and 25% and that the fat content of dog food should be between 10% and 15%.
And, according to pet food company IAMS, the fiber content of your dog food should be between 1.4% and 3.5%.
Also, dog website This Dog’s Life notes that moisture content should be between 6% and 10%.
Based on these numbers, we think that Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend is on the high side for protein and fat, right on the mark for fiber and a little below the normal range for moisture, which is understandable because the food is freeze-dried.
The high fat is a bit of a concern because it can have negative effects on your dog’s health only if you aren’t giving your dog daily exercise.
“The problem comes in when animals are allowed to eat excessive amounts of calories (including table scraps and treats) without proportionate exercise,” the site notes.
Now, on the positive side, proteins contain amino acids that are the building blocks for your dog’s muscles and, since they only produce half what they need on their own, they need to get a good amount from their food.
Fats, PetMD points out, “provide energy, as well as taste or flavor, to foods, and encourage the absorption of certain vitamins.”
Their article goes on to say that fat can help dogs “maintain healthy skin and a shiny, healthy, coat.”
As a quick side note, This Dog’s Life notes that mixed tocopherols are a vitamin E supplement and are far healthier than the alternative, a preservative called “BHA”.
Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend Cost and Return Policy
With so many natural ingredients packed into a bag of Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend, it can, no doubt, be considered a premium dog food. As such, it demands premium prices compared to other dog food that we’ll talk about after we discuss pricing and returns.
Dr. Marty bags contain 16 ounces of food and, at the time of publishing, were available via the following pricing tiers:
- 1 bag: $29.95
- 3 bags: $83.95
- 6 bags: $161.70
According to a 2012 article from the Washinton Post, one pound of dog food has about four cups of food in it, which means one bag can last a 20 lb. dog for three days. Basically, the bigger the dog you have, the fewer the days your food will last, with 90-pound dogs consuming nearly an entire bag in one day.
With this in mind, we think that Nature’s Blend pricing is considerably high, as a 20-pound dog will need about 9.5 bags of food to make it through a 30-day month or around $275 a month for 10 bags.
Open Farm is another company who provides free-dried raw dog food. Their 13.5 oz. bags are $29.99, which ends up being more expensive than Nature’s Blend because each Open Farm bag contains 2.5 fewer ounces of dog food.
As for non-freeze-dried food, Blue Wilderness, a well-known healthy dog food, costs $31.99 for an 11 lb. bag from Petco. While Blue Wilderness can’t match the meats-and-vegetables-only mix of Dr. Marty Nature’s blend, it does avoid grains and features a long list of fruits and vegetables along with deboned chicken as its first ingredient as opposed to fillers.
Now that we’ve given you a comparison of this food’s pricing, we want to do a quick overview of its return policy. You have 90 days to return your food if you don’t feel it’s a good fit. The product’s website goes as far as to say they’ll refund 100% of your purchase price “if you don't’ see noticeable improvements in your dog’s health and happiness.”
The food ships to you for free but you’ll have to pay return shipping.
The Final Word: Our Overall Thoughts About Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend
This pet food is a very interesting option if, for no other reason than the fact that you’re getting straight-up meats and vegetables along with a vitamin E supplement.
If you’re a dog owner who has a desire to give your dog raw food, then Dr. Marty Nature’s Blend is a good match for you. The second part of this, though, is whether or not you have the financial means to pay for the food. The cost of Nature’s Blend may be prohibitive, as monthly supplies of the food would be:
- $275 for a 20-lb. dog
- $407 for a 30-lb. dog
- $407 for a 40-lb. dog
- $515 for a 50-lb dog
The bigger the dog, the more expensive the endeavor when it comes to this food. However, if you’re willing to pay for Nature’s Blend, then your desire to provide your dog with raw, healthy food will most likely be fulfilled.
Keep in mind, though, that the fat content in this food is above the recommended amount, which means you’ll need to be diligent with providing your dog consistent exercise every day to ensure he or she doesn’t gain weight.
Also, keep in mind that you need to transition your dog slowly from his or her current food to this food if you choose to buy it. Dogs’ digestive system can be sensitive and a sudden change from one food to a new one may cause some digestive issues.
» Recommended Reading: Dog Supplements 101: A Detailed Beginner’s Guide
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So far so good
First off, I want to say my 13-year-old 20 lb Jack Russell/Chihuahua has bad allergies, irritable bowels, and onset of joint problems. I was extremely concerned with how the food would sit with her. You should always start new food by mixing it with the old stuff to acclimate it. Well, after mixing it with her current food for 2 weeks now I am seeing a remarkable difference in Haley. Her allergies are disappearing for the first time ever! She also has so much more energy she wants to play ball all day. I have studied human nutrition for 10 years now and discovered it was the only way to truly heal myself. Well, guess what...the same was true for my best friend.
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Rufus eats now
Rufus is a fourteen-year-old mix of Terrier and Australian Sheepdog. I adopted him from a local shelter when he was three years old. He has always been timid to eat his food. In fact, I have to stand by the bowl while he eats. I have to continue to praise him while he eats most of the time. However, ever since I've been mixing Dr. Marty's blend of dog food into his bowl he goes after his food without being coached and seems to love it because now he eats a small bowl in the morning and night!
The other benefit from this product is Rufus's coat seems to be softer and more heathy looking. I have been using it two months now and will continue to use it and of course tell others.
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Old and happy
My dog Polly will be 19 years old next month. Her younger sister was 15 when she passed away last May. Polly started to not eat the food we had given her, her entire life and I thought, "oh no," she is on her way to join her sister in doggy heaven. That same day there was a pop up on my computer about Dr. Marty's food. I watched the entire video and almost did not order the food when he said, "the hardest part of your day will be the three minutes you have to wait to re-hydrate the food." I thought to myself, that is crazy! Well, I have to tell you that he was right. My 18-year-old dog screams at me to feed her! It is really true and absolutely amazing but I think my 18-year-old Polly may go another 18 years so she can continue to eat Dr. Marty's food.
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Expensive
My 90lbs Shep/Lab mix LOVES the food. However, I find it's much too expensive to feed him on a daily basis.
Being retired, my budget is more in line with Purina Dog Chow!
But he does love the food!
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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1 out 1 people found this review helpful
Dr. Marty's food is NOT GOOD for all dogs!
Dr. Marty's food is NOT for all dogs.
My 12.5 pound, 11-year-old Havanese got bladder stones from this food. She had been in the vet for constipation in March and had x-rays and my vet went back to see there was nothing in her bladder at that time. I started Dr. Marty's food in April 2019. On July 31st she kept squatting to urinate and could not stop the urge. I took her to the emergency vet. She was in distress. She had a bladder full of stones that were removed the next morning. This was close to $5000. She will be on urinary tract vet prescription diet for the rest of her life to avoid this happening again.
I put her on this food after listening to Dr. Marty's talk online about how this food can extend their lives. Lulu was a puppy mill mom for 8 years and has been with me for 3 years. I knew she was treated poorly in the puppy mill. I wanted to extend this sweet dog's life for as long as I could. Dr. Marty's high protein, raw diet almost killed her! The treats, freeze-dried organ meat/beef liver helped cause the stones to form.
I give this product zero stars.
The company was extremely polite. I was going to have to return the food and pay for the return. I asked to speak to a manager and he told me that I am credited for all of it and I can throw it away, I do not have to return it. I have 3 unopened bags from my auto order. My husband wanted me to donate the food to our local shelter and I decided I can not ever give this food to any dog. I am going to throw it all in the garbage, along with the bag of treats I have left.
This is another lesson for me to stop listening to what people/doctors say online.
I am writing this review to stop others from trying this diet and causing damage to their dog!
I give this food zero stars.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
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Aug 20, 2019
Hi Michelle. My name is Kat and I am with Dr. Marty Pets. I am sorry to read your review and I apologize for your experience with Nature’s Blend. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for you and your family during your dog’s medical troubles. We always advise our customers to consult their pet’s veterinarian prior to making any changes to their daily feeding regimen, as results may vary. Only the veterinarian will be able to provide the best medical advice given your dog’s complete medical history. It is for this reason we provide a complete list of ingredients for all our products on our website so that you and your vet may make the most informed decision. I am happy our customer service was able to provide the best possible solution for you. If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at kat@drmartypets.com. Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback for Nature’s Blend. We appreciate all the feedback we receive and look at this as an opportunity to improve. I wish you and your Havanese a wonderful day.
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3 out 5 people found this review helpful
Very small quantity of product for a lot of money, very disappointed.
Was quite surprised at how small a bag this was. You would have to be very wealthy in order to feed this as a whole food for your dog. My dog is 57 pounds and this bag definitely won't last very long. I was really hoping that this would replace the kibble that my dog gets but there isn't enough in each bag to last a month. One bag was torn upon receipt and I put it in a gallon-size plastic bag and the product doesn't even fill the bag it's 2/3 full. The bag is 16 oz. It might be a great product but very very expensive and not sure I could afford to continue to buy given the small amount in the bag. Very disappointed.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
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Aug 19, 2019
Hello Shelley. My name is Kat and I am with Dr. Marty Pets. I am sorry to read your review of Nature’s Blend. We have many satisfied customers who use Nature’s Blend as a topper in conjunction with their daily feeding regimen. Your dog will still receive great nutritional benefits with this reduced serving size. I would like to apologize for the state of your shipment. As a courtesy, I would like to issue a reship for the bag that arrived torn. Please email me at kat@drmartypets.com so that I may get this resolved as soon as possible. I want to thank you for taking the time to review us. We appreciate your feedback and every chance to improve our customer service experience. I wish you and your dog a wonderful. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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3 out 4 people found this review helpful
Saved our sanity
My year-old Cavachon puppy was making monthly trips to the vet. His stomach was very sensitive and he frequently would vomit and suffer with diarrhea for days, he would get listless and dehydrate. He was surviving on antibiotics and super probiotics. Then we discovered Dr. Marty's food. He didn't like it at first, we had to doctor it up with homemade bone broth and a bit of crumbled chopped meat. It was like an off switch. He is 2 years old now, he hasn't vomited in a year, he has puppy energy and his stool only gets soft if and when he gets into goose poo. He now loves his food, feels good all the time and (by the way) no longer chews his feet.
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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4 out 4 people found this review helpful
HORRID Customer Service!
You will NOT get your money back if you don't like this product, or even if you don't want this product. I sent this company 3 emails to support@drmartypets.com and told them NOT to ship this product. They shipped the product anyway and charged my credit card. I am returning the product. I called their customer service line and was treated like I was stupid or less than by a RUDE woman. They are refusing to refund my money. I will not let this go. I want my money back.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
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Aug 15, 2019
Hello Donald. My name is Kat and I am with Dr. Marty Pets. I am sorry to read your review of our customer service. Dr. Marty Pets works hard to process orders as soon as they are placed, and we were, unfortunately, unable to cancel your order in time. I see on your account that you have been issued a full refund for your trouble. I would like to apologize again on behalf of the entire Dr. Marty Pets family for your ordeal. We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service, and I regret that we did not provide that for you. I would like more information on your experience. Please do not hesitate to email me at kat@drmartypets.com so that I may find out more. I wish a wonderful day and I look forward to hearing from you.
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3 out 3 people found this review helpful
Won’t stop throwing it up
I have emailed the customer service a couple of times now and they won’t reply. It’s very disappointing as my cat was throwing up the food. I am still trying to mix it in so she does not notice the new food as much. Also, I ordered one bag and they charged me for four. I guess I will have to chargeback my card as no one seems to work there. 100% money-back guarantee...I have yet to see that, unfortunately.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
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Aug 14, 2019
Hi Jennifer. My name is Kat and I am with Dr. Marty Pets. I am sorry to read your review of Nature’s Feast. We have many satisfied kitties, but we understand that results may vary. We always advise our customers to consult their pet’s veterinarian prior to introducing any new food into their daily regimen, as the veterinarian will know your pet’s complete medical history. I see on your account that a Return Authorization was emailed to you on August 7th. As a courtesy for your trouble, I would like to offer you a full refund for your purchase. Please email me at kat@drmartypets.com so that I may process this as soon as possible. I would like to apologize again for your experience with Dr. Marty Pets. I look forward to receiving your email. I hope you and your cat have a wonderful day.
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3 out 4 people found this review helpful
My girl loves it
My 80 lbs Doberman ruby love it and her skin is clearing up. But I live on Social Security and can't afford it. Even mixing half and half with her regular food a bag only last 5 days. It would get 5 stars if it was more affordable.
Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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13 out 13 people found this review helpful
Don't think you'll get all your money back...YOU WON'T.
BUYER BEWARE.
I wasn’t sure if my 2 senior dogs could eat this food, especially when one is diabetic so I sent in a question to Dr. Marty’s email and I also asked if they had a lower cost for senior citizens or for disabled because the cost of this food is out there! But I wanted my picky babies to try it. I waited a few days and their answer was "ask your vet" and "no we do not have a lower cost for Senior citizens or the disabled." (That was a lot of help.) Next, I did ask my vet and she said the ingredients look good but we’d have to try it out. So I ordered it. I wanted 1 bag to start with but got caught up in the frequent pop-up offers of "get 3 more bags for $74.85" and "Get it now this is a 1-time offer." Well, after the constant pop-up I said, well, I'll get it...maybe the boys will love it.
I'm telling you, DON’T do it! If your fur babies like it and you sign up for updates, you’ll get offers via email for discounts.
Days went by...I emailed asking where my order was (my credit card was charged right away but no info on the food!). I finally got the order. Went to read instructions which stated mix with water and how much, but it didn’t say you have to wait x amount of minutes before serving. I was wondering about that because somewhere on the website (which needs A LOT OF WORK BTW!), I either read or heard on a video to wait 3 minutes but was looking for those instructions which were NOT ON THE BAG! (Don’t you think that’s important?)
Sorry to say after 4-5 tries, my 2 dogs DID NOT LIKE IT! So I looked up the process of sending it back...WELL, don't think you'll get all your money back...YOU WON’T!
I saw on the reviews (should have look at these beforehand) how many people were complaining about getting their money back or that they send the food back and were not getting their refund. So I called, explained the situation requested a refund.
Was informed of the amount I was getting back does not include the shipping I initially paid for! What?? (What was I thinking? Clearly this was not Amazon where you request a return…they email the box label for the return, you DO NOT PAY SHIPPING, you get your refund right away and you can even have UPS pick it up at your house.)
Not only was I not getting the shipping I paid for, but in addition, I would have to pay for the return shipping at my expense (more money lost!). And to top it off, they DO NOT EVEN EMAIL YOU A SHIPPING LABEL as a convenience. I was told in a tone I did not appreciate, "well, you have to write the address on your own, we do not send labels." By this time I was mad, not getting a refund on what I totally paid, then I have to pay to send the food back and no labels provided.
BUT GET THIS - I was offered only 40% back as a refund if I wanted to keep the food. All I said was NO! I can do the math on that and will lose more! 40%? What are they thinking?
BEWARE.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
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Aug 8, 2019
Hello Beki. My name is Kat and I am with Dr. Marty Pets. I am sorry to read your review of Nature’s Blend. Dr. Marty Pets is not able to provide medical advice for your pets, as we are not aware of your pets’ complete medical history. This is why we always advise our customers to consult their veterinarian prior to making any changes to their feeding regimen. We provide the complete ingredient information, in addition to proper preparation under our Frequently Asked Questions section, on our official page for Nature’s Blend, so that you and your veterinarian may make the most informed decision. Dr. Marty Pets does not currently offer senior citizen/disabled discounts, but we do offer specials for our newsletter subscribers and for first-time customers. Our Terms and Conditions state that customers are responsible for any shipping charges incurred in returning the product. As a courtesy for your trouble with our customer service, I would like to offer a full refund for your purchase without any need for return. Please send me an email with your order information to kat@drmartypets.com so that I may get this taken care of right away. I would like to apologize for any confusion we may have caused and for your experience with Dr. Marty Pets and Nature’s Blend. We appreciate all the feedback we receive and thank you for taking the time to leave your review. Please have a wonderful day and I look forward to your email.
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Company Response from Dr. Marty Pets
Hello Karl. My name is Kat and I am with Dr. Marty Pets. I am happy to read your review of Nature’s Blend. I am sure it must be such a relief to see your dog bursting with energy. When it comes to switching from your dog's current food to Nature's Blend, we always advise to do this gradually. Otherwise, a sudden change could lead to digestive issues and an upset tummy for your pup. Be sure to keep an eye on how your dog is doing with the transition, as results may vary. Dr. Marty Pets works hard to provide optimal nutrition using human-grade ingredients. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at kat@drmartypets.com. I would love to hear from you. Thank you for taking the time to review Dr. Marty Pets. I wish you and your Jack Chi a wonderful day.