What's Really In Your Dog's Bowl? A Recipe-by-Recipe Breakdown

When I started Pip Pets, the question I kept coming back to was simple: Would I eat this? And if not, then why would I feed it to my dog?

Most commercial dog food tells you very little about what's actually inside. The ingredient list is written to satisfy labelling requirements, not to inform you. So in this post, I want to do something different.

I'm going to walk you through every Pip Eats recipe — what's in it, why it's there, and what all those numbers on the nutritional panel actually mean. Including the fat question, which we get asked about a lot.

Formulated by a specialist — and why that matters

Every Pip Eats recipe has been developed by a Veterinary Nutritionist with a DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine), a PhD in clinical nutrition, and more than 25 years of experience in companion animal nutrition — including academic research, pet food industry formulation, and clinical practice.

That's a very different thing from a "pet nutritionist", which is an unregulated title in Australia. Anyone can use it, often after completing a short, part-time, online course. There's no licensing body, no standardised training, and no way to verify credentials. We're not saying everyone who uses the title is unqualified — but frankly, it's very hard to tell.

With Pip Eats, you can. Every ingredient is in your dog's bowl for a clinical reason, and every recipe meets AAFCO standards for complete and balanced nutrition.

The recipes: what's in them and why

All five recipes are built on the same foundation: single-protein wholefood meals using human-grade ingredients, chunky-minced and snap-frozen to lock in freshness. No fillers. No artificial preservatives. Nothing you couldn't identify in your own kitchen.

Every meal is crafted into 90g heart-shaped patties — and yes, the hearts are adorable, but that's not why we do it. Each patty is a precisely portioned serving, designed specifically for small dogs. 90g is the right amount for a small-breed meal: enough to deliver complete balanced nutrition in one serve, easy to defrost, and simple to portion accurately without needing to weigh or measure. The shape just happens to be the cutest part.

Two hero supplements feature in Cheeky Chicken, Brilliant Beef, and Luscious Lamb:

• New Zealand organic green-lipped mussel — for joint support, omega-3s, and natural anti-inflammatory benefits
• Atlantic kelp — for digestion, thyroid support, and naturally fresh breath

Tasty Turkey and Excellent Emu take a different approach: psyllium husk and chia seeds support digestion and gut motility, while Tasty Turkey also includes salmon oil and flaxseed oil for a rich omega-3 hit.

Cheeky Chicken

Our most popular starting point — Steggles chicken breast with chicken heart, liver, and giblets for complete organ nutrition. Carrot, pumpkin, and baby spinach add fibre and antioxidants; apple provides natural prebiotics; chia and turmeric round out the anti-inflammatory profile.

Fat: 4% | Protein: 14% | Energy: 1,118 kcal/kg

Our lowest fat and lowest energy recipe. A great first meal for dogs new to fresh food, or those with a sensitive stomach.

Excellent Emu

Our leanest recipe overall, built around emu — a genuinely novel protein with a naturally low fat profile. Kumara, millet, spinach, cauliflower, and peach make this a nutrient-dense, gently flavoured meal. Psyllium husk and chia support healthy digestion and good stool formation.

Fat: 5% | Protein: 11% | Energy: 1,317 kcal/kg

An excellent option for dogs needing variety, managing their weight, or with sensitivities to more common proteins.

Tasty Turkey

A gourmet recipe built around turkey thigh fillet — gentler on digestion and lower in common allergens than chicken. Sweet potato, millet, zucchini, carrot, apple, and raspberries create a rich nutritional base. The combination of salmon oil and flaxseed oil makes this our most omega-3 rich meal — great for skin, coat, and cognitive support.

Fat: 6% | Protein: 11% | Energy: 1,351 kcal/kg

A strong choice for dogs with itchy skin, dull coats, or food sensitivities. The dual-oil combination is particularly effective.

Brilliant Beef

Our most energy-dense recipe — 90% lean Australian beef steak with beef liver, tripe, and an ingredient list that reads like a proper meal: kale, cauliflower, blueberries, rice, and fresh basil. Beef tripe is a natural probiotic and often the reason previously fussy eaters suddenly become enthusiastic about mealtime.

Fat: 6% | Protein: 11% | Energy: 1,466 kcal/kg

Our highest energy recipe. Watch portion sizes for less active or weight-conscious dogs.

Luscious Lamb

Our most complex and satisfying recipe — 85% lean Australian grass-fed lamb with lamb heart, liver, and kidney, plus potato, quinoa, pumpkin, carrot, broccoli, baby spinach, apple, and a hint of fresh mint. Quinoa is one of the few plant sources of complete protein, a thoughtful addition to an already rich bowl.

Fat: 6% | Protein: 8% | Energy: 1,250 kcal/kg

Deeply nourishing — can be rotated with leaner options for dogs managing their weight.

All five recipes at a glance

As fed % = what your dog is actually eating. DM % = moisture removed (for comparison to kibble only).

What do those percentages actually mean?

The nutritional panel shows two sets of figures: "As Fed" and "DM" (Dry Matter). Here's the simple version.

As Fed — the number that matters for your dog. The As Fed percentage is exactly what it sounds like: the nutrient content of the food as your dog eats it, moisture and all. This is the real-world number. When we say Cheeky Chicken contains 4% fat, that's 4g of fat per 100g of food going into your dog's bowl.

Our meals are 68–75% moisture — just like any whole, fresh food. That high moisture content is one of the reasons fresh food supports kidney health and hydration so well. It also means the as-fed percentages look lower than you might expect, simply because the meal is real ingredients.

DM (Dry Matter) — only useful for comparing to kibble. Dry Matter strips out all the moisture to create a standardised baseline. It doesn't describe what your dog is eating — it's a comparison tool, designed so you can put fresh food and kibble side by side on the same scale.

Kibble is typically only 8–10% moisture. So if a kibble label shows 15% fat, that's already essentially a dry matter figure. To compare fairly with our meals, you'd use our DM column — not the as-fed column.

Practical example: Tasty Turkey shows 6% fat as fed and 22% DM. A premium kibble at 15% fat on its label is using a similar scale to our DM figure. On a like-for-like basis, they're in the same range — but your dog eating Tasty Turkey is consuming far more moisture, fewer calories per gram, and real whole ingredients rather than processed ones.

For day-to-day feeding decisions, use the As Fed column. DM is only relevant if you're comparing products.

Fat content: what's normal and when it matters

What's a normal fat level for dogs? The minimum fat requirement for adult dogs under AAFCO guidelines is 5.5% on a dry matter basis. Most healthy adult dogs thrive anywhere in the 8–18% DM range depending on their energy needs and life stage — and all our recipes fall comfortably within that healthy window.

As fed, our meals range from 4–6% fat. That's moderate and appropriate for healthy adult small dogs — not ultra-low, but well within the range most vets consider unremarkable.

When does fat intake become a health consideration? For the vast majority of dogs eating a complete, balanced diet, fat content is not something you need to actively manage. But there are specific conditions where your vet may want to take a closer look.

Pancreatitis. Pancreatitis — inflammation of the pancreas — is one of the conditions most commonly associated with dietary fat. Dogs recovering from an acute episode are often prescribed a low-fat diet in the short term, and those with a history of pancreatitis may be advised to stay on a lower-fat diet long-term.

What we can share is this: a number of dogs have come to Pip Eats after having pancreatitis managed, and have been happily eating our meals for years without issue. We hear from their owners regularly. That said, every dog is different, and the right diet for a dog with a pancreatitis history depends on their individual case.

If your dog has had pancreatitis — past or present — please speak with your vet before introducing any new food, including ours. We're happy to share our full nutritional information to support that conversation.

Weight management. Overweight dogs benefit from reduced calorie intake, and fat is the most calorie-dense macronutrient. Reducing fat is one tool — but overall portion control matters just as much. If weight is a focus, Cheeky Chicken (4% fat, 1,118 kcal/kg) and Excellent Emu (5% fat, 1,317 kcal/kg) are our lightest options by both fat and energy content.

Hyperlipidaemia. Some breeds — Miniature Schnauzers in particular — are genetically predisposed to elevated blood fats (hyperlipidaemia), which can increase pancreatitis risk. Dogs with this condition are often managed with a lower-fat diet long-term. Always follow your vet's specific guidance for your dog's breed and bloodwork.

Liver disease. Depending on type and severity, liver disease may require fat to be moderated. A vet or specialist can advise on the appropriate range for your individual dog.

A note on all of the above: these conditions exist on a spectrum, and every dog is different. The information here is a starting point, not a substitute for individual veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed health condition, please always consult your vet before changing their diet — and we're happy to share our full nutritional panel to support that conversation.

Which recipe is right for my dog?

As a general starting guide:

• New to fresh food or sensitive stomach → Cheeky Chicken
• Managing weight or fat intake → Cheeky Chicken or Excellent Emu
• Itchy skin or dull coat → Tasty Turkey (omega-3 rich)
• Very active dog or needs more energy → Brilliant Beef
• Food sensitivities or novel protein needed → Excellent Emu or Tasty Turkey
• Loves a rich, deeply flavourful meal → Luscious Lamb
• Managing a health condition → please consult your vet first

We also recommend rotating between recipes where you can. Variety supports a more diverse gut microbiome and reduces the chance of developing food sensitivities over time.

Want to try Pip Eats?

All five recipes are available in our trial packs — the easiest way to discover your dog's favourites before committing to a regular delivery. And if you have questions about your dog's specific nutritional needs, our team is always happy to help — or point you towards a vet who can.

→ Build Your Trial Pack

This article is intended for general educational purposes only and does not replace individual veterinary advice. If your dog has a diagnosed health condition, always consult your vet before making changes to their diet.