There are many benefits to our homestyle method of preparation. Similar to a homemade dinner at Grandma’s house, our gentle and slow method takes longer but we feel the exceptional nutrient retention and bioavailability of ingredients is worth the wait (so will your pet!). Oven-Fresh is more costly and can take up to 10 times longer to prepare compared to conventional kibble processed by extrusion. The extrusion process uses very high temperatures and high atmospheric pressures that can affect sensitive nutrients.

Our gentle and slow method of preparation provides exceptional nutrient retention and bioavailability of proteins. We are able to use more fresh meat than conventional extruded kibble with nutrients, flavour and an aroma that your pet will love. The extruded pet food process subjects nutrients to 2-3 times atmospheric pressure using steam which is hard on nutrients (not to mention flavour loss). Our Oven-Fresh method has superior nutrient retention when comparing the depletion which occurs during extrusion. In addition our Oven-Fresh homestyle method retains significantly more probiotics and enzymes. Our pet foods also maintain their molecular structure when compared to extrusion which can damage the food’s molecular structure because of large quantities of free radicals.

Extrusion is one of the least expensive processes to make pet food. By using high atmospheric pressures and high temperatures, extruders can turn inedible ingredients into sterile mass. There is loss of nutrition with this process because of the heat and atmospheric pressures involved.

Our Oven-Fresh method allows us to have a much higher fresh meat inclusion rate compared to extruded kibble. No rendered meat meal in our natural recipes!

We never outsource meats from rendering facilities and avoid Rendered Meat Meals such as Chicken Meal, Lamb Meal and Salmon Meal. We never use rendered meat meal ingredients as they are legally permitted to contain 4D animals, waste products or rendered animal parts. Companies that use rendered meat meals may choose to avoid 4D and waste products but legally the ingredient may contain them. Do your own research and see if this highly processed ingredient is something you are comfortable feeding your pet.

Our focus is on real Fresh Meats which are always the first two ingredients in our Oven-Fresh recipes.

Comparing the percentage of protein listed on the guaranteed analysis between pet foods is not how one should evaluate protein. The source of meat providing the protein must be considered to evaluate properly (Fresh Chicken vs Rendered Meat Meat like Chicken Meal). Our Oven-Fresh recipes supply your pet with very digestible and bioavailable sources of meat. Therefore a pet food with 23% protein which has a premium Fresh Meat Focus and NO Rendered Meat Meal would have more available grams of amino acids than an extruded pet food with 30% protein that is derived from rendered meat meals. Some pet foods may have a higher % of protein however it may not all be digestible and available for your pet to utilize.

It’s also interesting to note that if two pet foods both have the same protein % that it takes more real fresh meat to achieve the same level compared to a company using rendered meat meal. We believe, even though it’s more expensive to get protein from Fresh Meat, it’s worth the benefits for a superior ingredient.

YES! Our stringent quality control standards only allow fresh meats that come from human food establishments and are edible prior to production.

All of our Oven-Fresh recipes use 100% Fresh Meat/Fish as the first 2 ingredients so even after the moisture is removed meat/fish is the primary ingredient. We use more fresh meat the conventional extruded kibble because of our Oven-Fresh method.

We compliment our Fresh Meats with a concentrated high quality dehydrated fish in our recipes to provide protein, essential omega oils and DHA/EPA. Our dehydrated fish ingredient is listed as Fish and not a certain specie because it’s based on market availability of fish that meet our high quality standards. It can include Mackerel, Herring, Halibut, Atlantic Cod, Haddock, Pollock, Hake, Sardine and Salmon depending on the season.

Our recipes have a healthy amount of fat naturally occurring from our meats. We believe this matches the lifestyle and activity level of the majority of pets today. Many companies use rendered Chicken Fat as an economical way to enhance the flavour/smell of their formula. Our Oven-Fresh recipes have a distinct aroma and flavour that pets love without this ingredient. Also given that there is a growing number of obese pets in North America our lower fat content can help keep their waistline in check and your pet feeling confident!

No, rendered meat meals such as chicken meal, turkey meal, or lamb meal provide a good economical source of concentrated protein, but we prefer to avoid it because of what it may contain.

Mother nature intended foods to be in their whole nutrient rich and complex form. We focus on complimenting our Fresh Meats with market fresh produce that have a superior nutrient profile over processed ingredients, such as Pea Starch or Potato Protein. We avoid adding any plant protein, starch, fiber or flour concentrates which have already been processed before being mixed into a recipe since they’ve been leeched of nutritional value.

Almost every pet food has a source of carbohydrates in their formulas as they provide valuable vitamins and minerals. We chose to blend nutritious whole ingredients that are digestible in their whole complex form. It’s important to note, like the protein source, the quality of carbohydrates and where they are coming from is always a factor when comparing levels. If a pet food has 20% carbohydrates but they are from low quality processed/fractionated/concentrate sources it may be too much as they are leeched of nutritional value. Although if the carbohydrates come from digestible whole sources, at levels of 30-40%, it can be beneficial nutrient-wise. The majority of our plant based ingredients are low glycemic sources and of course very digestible.

A term commonly referred to in the pet food industry called ingredient splitting is where one or more of a whole ingredient are repeated in the ingredient list with an additional descriptor. For example, if your pet food contains Peas and uses ingredients labeled as Pea Protein, Pea Starch, Pea Fiber or any ingredient with an additional descriptor behind the word Pea then it may be considered ingredient splitting. Our Oven-Fresh recipes focus on complimenting our real Fresh Meat by whole market fresh produce instead of processed/fractionated ingredients that have be leeched of nutritional value.

Raw and homemade diets are great ways to feed your pet if balanced properly. However both diets do have inconveniences and concerns for some.

  • Not everyone can safely handle and deal with raw meat given their lifestyle (kids, time etc)
  • It is expensive to only feed a raw diet, it must fit in your budget
  • Safely storing and preparing raw ingredients can be daunting
  • Not every pet owner has the time to prepare and portion these diets
  • Some may have limited knowledge to sufficiently provide a balanced diet to meet all of their pet’s nutritional needs
  • Pets may not be able to tolerate a full raw diet

Compare our beautiful pieces to conventional extruded kibble and you’ll notice a few differences. Our Oven-Fresh pieces are very clean with unique golden brown grill marks on them from our gentle method of preparation. They are not greasy and sprayed with rendered Chicken Fat like conventional extruded kibble.

Upon arrival at the facility the ingredients must be accompanied by a certificate of analysis (COA). Samples are then taken and compared to samples kept on hand to confirm they meet our quality standards. These tests are done on site along with 3rd party laboratories to confirm quality and safety.

  • No Rendered Meat Meals such as Chicken Meal, Lamb Meal, Salmon Meal etc.
  • No Rendered Chicken Fat
  • No plant protein, flour, fiber or starch concentrates such as Pea Starch, Potato Flour, Lentil Fiber, Potato Protein etc.
  • No Corn, wheat or soy
  • No Dairy
  • No Animal by-products
  • No Tomato pomace
  • No Beet pulp
  • No Unnamed Fats/Oils

Our recipes are produced with many quality control initiatives in place. The Oven-Fresh facility is certified FSSC 22000 and C-TPAT. All of our ingredients must meet a raw material and supplier approval program that analyzes nutritional integrity and safety standards.

Pets that have food sensitivities generally have allergies to more commonly used ingredients such as grains and certain processed meats. We have had great feedback on both of our recipes working for pets with sensitivities since they do not use rendered meat meal ingredients and being grain free diets; however none of our recipes are prescription formulas. When trying a pet food for allergy reasons please ensure the pet is not consuming any other foods (treats, chews etc.) and trial the diet for 6-8 weeks.

All Vintage Oven-Fresh recipes are formulated to meet the AAFCO nutrient profile for All Life Stages. This is based on the notion that in the wild there is not a specific rabbit for a wolf cub, adult wolf and senior wolf. They all eat the same rabbit just different portions based on their caloric needs. Similarly for people, there is not a chicken breast on the supper table made specifically for children, adults and seniors. We all eat the same chicken breast, just the portions vary.

Please refer to our detailed feeding guides to help determine the amount to feed your pet. Important to note is that the Calcium/Phosphorus levels in all of our recipes are controlled and balanced for large breed puppies.

Absolutely! Dogs’ nutritional requirements are the same no matter what size they are; it is just feeding portions that change based on their caloric needs. In comparison, at our own supper table we don’t have a chicken breast that is specifically for tall or short people. Our pieces are a regular size which allows small, medium and large dogs to enjoy it!

It is important to note that some pet foods make size specific formulas such as “Large Breed” where they usually add supplements for their joints. We believe to ensure your pet is getting the most out of their supplements that it should be done separately so they are receiving sufficient and controlled amounts. Pet foods that contain joint supplements such as glucosamine measure it in milligrams per kilogram; therefore to get the amount of glucosamine listed on the bag you would be required to feed 1kg of dog food that day which is not realistic (example: 600mg/kg would require you to feed 1kg of dog food to get 300mg).

Vintage Oven-Fresh recipes are formulated to meet the nutritional needs of all breeds. Again drawing the comparison to people; there are not chicken breasts made for certain races or ethnicities.

Some companies can build these programs into their marketing budget, thus increasing the cost of each bag to cover the expense of these programs. Instead of a large marketing budget, Vintage chose to focus on using the highest quality ingredients that money can buy. Please inquire with the retailer in your area to see if they offer any volume discounts for breeders.

We do not, and will never, conduct tests in a laboratory environment. Instead we trial our products with our own pets along with breeders, where we ensure our pet foods are performing as they should. During our product development we monitor a variety of important factors which include stool consistency and palatability through non-invasive tests.

Yes, all of our recipes were formulated by an experienced animal nutritionist to meet the Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages established by AAFCO.

Yes we use both, in addition our Oven-Fresh homestyle method retains significantly more probiotics and naturally occurring enzymes.

During the transition stage pets may have what seem as larger (or what we call fluffier) stools. The quality fiber, prebiotics and probiotics in our recipes help cleanse their digestive tract. It is normal, but you should see their stool go back to normal after their digestive system has adjusted.

We preserve our recipes with natural mixed tocopherols and never preserve our pet foods with any artificial or chemical preservatives (no BHA, BHT or Ethoxyquin).

Just like people, pets are very unique in their individual needs. Our detailed feeding guide is meant to be a starting point on how much to feed your pet; adjust accordingly based on their weight and activity level to achieve optimal body weight. Remember to consider calories from other sources, such as treats, when considering feeding amounts.

When transitioning to Vintage, we recommend gradually switching over a 10 day period so the pet’s system can adjust to the new diet. On day 1, feed 10% Vintage and 90% of the old food. Increase the amounts of Vintage by 10% each day while decreasing their old food by 10% each day (example: Day 5 would be 50% Vintage and 50% old food).

Many pets can adjust easily to a new diet however some require a slower transition. It depends on how your pet’s stomach and digestive tract is responding to the change in diet. During the transition your pet may experience a change in the frequency of their bathroom schedule, stool texture and/or stool colour because of changes in fiber quality/levels, additions of probiotics and/or digestive enzymes. The majority of pets transition smoothly, however if these changes occur they should subside after the transition period (it can take a pet up to 4-6 weeks to fully adjust to a new food). Depending on how delicate your pet’s system is, an upset stomach may occur during a diet change. In this case slow down the transition process.

Vintage Oven-Fresh recipes are produced in Quebec, Canada, while our head office and distribution warehouse is centrally located in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Vintage Oven-Fresh is owned by NorthPaw Nutrition which is a small Canadian-owned family company that focuses on providing the absolute healthiest pet food recipes for your best friend. We have been producing our natural recipes since 2010.

No, we do not make this claim since these claims can be misleading without a 3rd party certification such as a USDA Organic label. It is very difficult to confirm every ingredient is GMO Free especially considering this would mean the animal products included are exclusively fed GMO Free feed. The only way to confidently claim this is with a certified Organic label and we cannot be sure in this situation so therefore do not make the claim.

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