SAVE 10% WHEN YOU PURCHASE A SUBSCRIPTION BOX (MINIMUM ORDER QUANTITY 6KG OF FROZEN FOOD)
Search
Close this search box.
Developed with nutritionists
Developed with nutritionists
Read More
Human quality ingredients
Human quality ingredients
Read More
Made in Northern Ireland
Made in Northern Ireland
Read More
Delivered to your door
Delivered to your door
Read More

Frequently Asked Questions

Divider Grey.svg

Fresh food diets, raw or cooked for pets are becoming increasingly popular. Many people choose to feed a fresh diet because it’s more natural and less processed than most commercial pet diets currently available.  Dogs are carnivores, feeding a balanced and complete fresh diet emulates the food and nutrition that nature intended. Processed pet food on the other hand was created for the ease and convenience of humans, not always to the nutritional benefit of your dog.

Others feed their pets a fresh food diet because it makes sense that if they feed themselves and their family a healthy balanced diet, then it’s logical to feed their pets in the same way. Others simply feed fresh food because their dogs love it! There are many health benefits that come with feeding pets a fresh food diet, including:

  • Superior joint and bone health

  • Strengthened immune system

  • Improved skin and softer, shinier coat

  • Superior dental health

  • Reduced stool volume and odour

  • Enhanced reproductive health

  • Reduced Body Odour

  • Increases your dog’s lifespan

A raw food diet may not be the best solution for everyone. The good news is that If you are interested in feeding your dog food made from fresh and natural ingredients, but you are a little bit nervous about some of the risks associated with raw dog food, we have another fantastic option to look into, our cooked food. Our fresh cooked food diet provides your dog with ingredients that are rich in nutrients and micronutrients without any of the health risks of raw food. Our fresh cooked food diets are perfect for picky eaters and dogs with sensitive stomachs. They are also highly digestible and contain a great balance of protein, lipids, vitamins and minerals.

Human Grade means ‘food grade’ or fit for human consumption. For us, it’s a line in the sand about the quality and integrity of the finished products we send out the door.

Your delicious meals are shipped frozen. We pack your food with gel packs in an insulated box to keep them frozen in transit. They stay cold for 48 hours so there’s no need to be at home for delivery.

Yes. We there is a minimum spend of £30.00 and order weight of £6KG on frozen food as too small a quantity will thaw too quickly during transport and we want our food to reach you in perfect condition.  Orders less than this will be refunded.

Based on the quality and cost of the ingredients we source our food is fairly priced. There is absolutely NO difference between the quality of our food and the “people food” you buy at your local grocer or farmer’s market.

In fact, if you were to go purchase all of these comparable ingredients to make your own version at home, you would likely spend more money and this does not factor in the cost of prep and cooking time or the research that goes into ensuring a fresh food diet is complete and balanced (in our case, most of the nutrients in our meals come from whole-food ingredients and minimally supplemented).

Perhaps the more important question is: Why is most pet food so cheap?

BarkinBISTRO contains fresh vegetables and fruit because these ingredients provide excellent sources of antioxidants, and a variety of vitamins, not to mention they taste delicious too!

We take every effort to make sure your food arrives to you frozen. If it arrives partially thawed but still cold to the touch, it is still safe to consume, and can be refrozen.

However, if the food arrives fully thawed near room temperature or warmer, please contact us ASAP so we can replace it.

Yes. We don’t use any preservatives, meals will arrive frozen, they can be stored in the fridge.  Cooked food keep for up to 5 days in fridge or freezer for 12 months. Raw food keep for up to 48-72 hours in fridge or freezer for 12 months.

You can feed to your dog directly from the fridge (no need to reheat, however if your pup likes it warm gently heat for a special treat!).

Cooked food; there are a few ways to easily thaw down barkinBISTRO. Thaw overnight in the fridge, if you want to thaw it quicker than that, submerge in hot (not boiling) tap water or use the defrost setting on your microwave.

Once thawed our meals will last up to 5 days in the fridge. Our meals are completely safe to be kept in your freezer for 12 months (if your dog doesn’t gobble them up first).

Raw food; that overnight in the fridge.

Once defrosted our cooked food will remain fresh for 5 days refrigerated, just like your own leftovers. Our raw food will remain fresh for 48-72 hours refrigerated.

Absolutely! Many of our customers use our food as a tasty topper to serve up with their current food. Your dog gets a hit of fresh natural goodness every day, as well as enjoying their food more than ever! barkinBISTRO also makes an awesome healthy Kong filler. (Pro-tip: Try refreezing it inside of the Kong for a long lasting treat!)

We hear from humans almost every day about how our food has made their pups healthier and happier (and exponentially more excited about mealtime). Our recipes are complete and balanced, but if your dog has a history of pancreatitis, you should consult your vet about whether they need a special diet.

Veterinarians recommend that most dogs who are at risk for pancreatitis eat low fat foods, so our Chicken Casserole may be more suitable as a protein source than Beef Stew or Roast Pork.

It depends on the severity of your pup’s condition, so you should ask your vet if you can use barkinBISTRO.

Upset bellies are the worst—for dogs and humans. And they can be caused by any number of factors: an allergy, an inability to break down certain nutrients, but most commonly it is due to the new diet causing disruption of the good bugs in your dog’s gut (called the microbiome). If you transition over a period of time it will give your dog’s microbiome time to adapt to the new diet. We include transition instructions in your first box to ensure and smooth and easy adjustment to the barkinBISTRO diet!

It should take around 10 days, with each step lasting about two days: Days 1-3, serve 25% of the whole portion size of the new food mixed with 75% old food Days 4-6, serve 50% of the new food mixed with 50% of the old food Days 7-10, serve 75% of the new food mixed with 25% of the old food Day 11+, serve 100% of the new food

You can! But recent research found 95% of home recipes are lacking in crucial nutrients for dogs. Serious complications from nutrient deficiencies (and, more commonly, overdosing) could arise if a recipe hasn’t been properly calibrated.

Your Basket

No products in the basket.