Before trying out Heed Foods, I was somewhat familiar with the brand. I had seen a few Instagram posts and was intrigued. Not only does the company have a strong focus on creating premium kibble with high-quality ingredients, but the brand also has adorable packaging.

As with all dog parents, I was apprehensive about introducing a new food to Ruby’s diet. She doesn’t have any allergies or digestive issues, but she’s a bit neurotic, which I heavily relate to. (Like mother, like dog daughter, am I right?) Anyway, she sometimes refuses to eat if her schedule is disrupted. For instance, when my partner went on a business trip recently, she decided to go on a hunger strike until his return. The only way that I was able to convince her to eat was to hand feed her pieces of chicken, which I did because she’s a spoilt princess and I am an enabler.

So to ensure that Ruby wouldn’t try to starve herself again, I decided to mix in the Heed kibble with her regular food. (The company recommends new customers to do this anyway, so that the switch to their food doesn’t cause your pup to have any tummy issues.) After three days of mixing the two foods, I decided it would be fine to start giving her just the Heed kibble and to introduce the company’s 100% Human-Grade Freeze-Dried Toppers to her diet. According to the directions that the company provides, a pup of Ruby’s size, which is 10 pounds of pure muscle, should have ¾ to1 cups of food a day with a sprinkle of the toppers. As I expected, Ruby just picked out the toppers. And you know what, I can’t blame her. I used to do the same with M&Ms in trail mix as a child, which caused some resentment among family members on hikes. I digress.

I decided that a way to make the dry food more enticing was to wet it. According to my partner, I was “overzealous” with adding water to the mixture, causing her food to resemble a stew. But a delicious stew nonetheless that Ruby thoroughly enjoyed.

I’ve been feeding Ruby the kibble and toppers for about two weeks now and I’ve noticed a shift for Ruby. The brand is heavily focused on making food that promotes healthy digestion and I can vouch for that. Just a word of warning -- this is about to get a little TMI.

Recently, when Ruby was doing her business, my partner exclaimed, “now that’s what I call a healthy poop!” The situation made me laugh because 1) he was so enthusiastic and 2) it sounded like he was paid by the company to say that. But I assure you that wasn’t the case. He was unaware of the brand’s dedication to dogs’ gut health.

Our Woof Rating:

I would give Heed a solid 9/10 bones. Ruby seems to be thoroughly enjoying the food, especially the Toppers, and she’s pretty picky. I would say her favorite flavor is the Cod, Apple, and Carrots.

The kibble is also protein-packed and made from quality ingredients. If you, as a human, want to snack on it you can. I want to clarify that I’m not encouraging this, but it is an option as Heed Foods are human-grade.

The food is shipped directly to you which is super convenient, especially now.

The only note from Woof, is that Heed Foods is like the Mercedes Benz of dog foods. The proof is really in the poop! These quality ingredients are human grade and make this quite an investment over traditional kibble foods. This is something to keep in mind when evaluating your dog’s food. However, when comparing the quality of ingredients it is similar to comparing the ride in an economy car vs. a luxury SUV. The quality really makes a difference in a lot of ways.

As Ruby’s Mom, as with all dog moms I want the highest quality of life for my pup! At Woof we believe that you need to ensure that you are making the right decisions for you and your pup. We recommend Heed Foods!