Is Dr. Marty dog food actually worth it?
Worth it for small dogs as a topper, not a full-time diet for everyone
Why your dog won't touch the food you just switched to
Picture the moment: you set down a fresh bowl, and your dog gives it one sniff, then walks away and stares at you like you've disappointed them. If you've been scrolling through Dr. Marty dog food reviews trying to figure out whether freeze-dried is worth the switch from kibble, that scene is exactly why. You want something better than a bag of brown pellets, but you don't want mystery odor or a stomach ache to be the price of trying.
How Dr. Marty's freeze-dried process actually works
Freeze-drying starts with the fresh stuff: real seafood, ranch-raised beef and duck, fruit and vegetables, none of it cooked at high heat the way kibble is. Instead, the ingredients are flash-frozen, then placed in a vacuum that pulls the ice out as vapor, so the water disappears but the protein structure, fat, and nutrients stay mostly intact. That's why the bag looks and smells more like dried fish than processed food, and also why you rehydrate it with a splash of warm water before serving. It plumps back into something closer to a fresh meal than a dry biscuit, which is the whole appeal for small breeds that need calorie-dense, easy-to-chew food in small portions. The salmon oil adds omega fats without needing a separate supplement, and because it's shelf-stable freeze-dried rather than frozen raw, you don't need freezer space to feed it. The tradeoff is that small-breed bags are, by design, small. A dog eating this as a full diet will go through one fast.
So you're not really buying dog food here, you're buying a rehydrated version of a raw meal, with the convenience of a shelf-stable bag instead of a freezer drawer. That convenience is the whole trade: less prep than true raw feeding, more nutrient density than kibble, at the cost of a bag that empties quicker than a giant sack of pellets.
Who Dr. Marty's Nature's Blend is for, and who should skip it
Worth it if
- You have a small breed dog and want to move off kibble without full raw feeding
- You like the idea of freeze-dried nutrition with less prep than thawing raw meat
- You want a topper or mixer rather than a sole all-day diet
Skip it if
- You have a large breed or multiple dogs, since the bag empties fast
- Your dog has a sensitive stomach and needs new proteins introduced gradually
- You want a food with no fish smell at all
Not for multi-dog households or dogs that need new proteins introduced gradually.
The Dr. Marty dog food verdict
If you've got a small dog and want to upgrade from kibble without committing to a full raw diet, this is a reasonable, quiet yes. If you've got a large or multi-dog household, or a dog with a sensitive stomach that needs new proteins introduced slowly, this specific bag won't be the efficient or gentle option you're after.
Amazon shoppers rate it 4.1 out of 5 across 940 ratings. That is their number, not ours.
Before you go
Is vet Dr. Marty dog food legitimate?
Yes, it's a real freeze-dried raw diet made from real meat, fish, and vegetables rather than a marketing gimmick, though vet formulated just means it was designed with veterinary input, not that a vet has evaluated your specific dog.
How long does one bag of Dr. Marty's dog food last?
A 6 ounce bag is sized for small breeds and works best as a topper or occasional meal, so if you feed it as a full daily diet for a small dog, expect to reorder within a week or two.
Which is better, Dr. Marty's or Farmer's dog?
They're different categories: Farmer's Dog is fresh, refrigerated food delivered on subscription, while Dr. Marty's is a shelf-stable freeze-dried bag, so the better fit depends on whether you want fridge space or pantry convenience.
Full spec sheet
| Brand Name | Nature's Blend |
|---|---|
| Flavor | Seafood |
| Age Range Description | Adult |
| Item Form | Freeze Dried |
| Specific Uses For Product | Complete Nutrition |
| Special Ingredients | Salmon Oil |
| Container Type | Bag |
| Breed Recommendation | Small Breeds |
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