NEW & UNIQUE
NATURAL, REAL FRESHNESS FOR DOGS
CLEAN RECIPES
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FAQ

Questions about the USP & the most important communication topics

How does the HPP cold pressure process work?

The secret of Dog's Heaven fresh meals lies in the modern, ultra-gentle HPP technology, which enables long-lasting freshness in a completely natural way.
The term HPP stands for High Pressure Procedure. This is a cold, high-pressure process in which the packaged food is exposed to very high pressure in a cold water bath for just a few minutes. The process meets the highest safety requirements by being able to eliminate germs and bacteria using high pressure, thereby increasing product safety and food shelf life.
By using high pressure instead of high heat, the shelf life of food is gently extended. This cold pressure process inactivates germs such as listeria, E. coli and salmonella. Germs and bacteria can survive many influences such as heat or cold. However, they react strongly to changes in pressure and can be reliably and quickly destroyed by high pressure.
Vitamins, minerals and trace elements, which are extremely resistant to pressure, as well as the natural sensory properties and taste of the raw materials are almost completely preserved and remain intact.

People have been preserving food for thousands of years. They have developed countless methods and techniques to preserve food for longer. From curing and smoking in early history, to the first attempts at refrigeration in antiquity, to boiling and the addition of preservatives, the technology has evolved. Although all these techniques were able to increase the shelf life of food, there were numerous unintended side effects in terms of naturalness, taste, product safety and, in some cases, contamination.

One method that eliminates all these disadvantages is the HPP process (High Pressure Processing), in which food is efficiently and gently exposed to high pressure. In 1990, fruit jams were treated industrially for the first time in Japan using the HPP process to ensure their freshness with a longer shelf life. This laid the foundation for its spread. The preservation of food using HPP is based on high pressure and without the use of additives or heat. Dog's Heaven meals are exposed to a pressure of 6,000 bar for a short time, which is roughly equivalent to the pressure conditions at the bottom of the Marianne Trench. While undesirable microorganisms can survive even under conditions of extreme heat or cold, these germs and bacteria are susceptible to changes in pressure and can be eliminated by applying pressure. This increases product safety and shelf life.

In addition, the HPP process meets the highest ecological standards. Nothing is needed to operate the system except electricity and drinking water. As the water can be reused, no waste products or waste water are produced. Only a small amount of energy is required to operate the system. HPP is also gentle on the product itself: As no preservatives or chemicals are used, the flavors, vitamins and natural appearance of the treated products remain virtually unchanged.

What does Sous-Vide cooking mean?

Sous-vide cooking is a very gentle and slow low-temperature process (slow-cooking). The term “sous-vide” comes from the French and means “under vacuum”.
The food is vacuum-sealed and sealed in a special bag and then cooked at a constant low temperature in a water bath. The lower heat causes the products to change more slowly on a molecular level, making the cooking result all the more tender and juicy and revealing new taste sensations.
The taste of such cooked food is surprisingly intense, as the vacuum cooking intensifies the flavor.
The gentle, slow, and, compared to canning, very short preparation process and the airtight packaging preserve a large proportion of the nutrients and micronutrients in the food, which are destroyed and therefore lost with conventional cooking methods at significantly higher temperatures. The significantly higher retention of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and secondary plant substances during sous-vide cooking has been proven by studies. Studies also show that the bioavailability of the nutrients contained is significantly higher than with conventional cooking methods at higher temperatures. Canned pet food, for example, is autoclaved at over 121 degrees for up to three hours. In comparison, Dog's Heaven sous-vide cooking has a cooking time that is over 70% shorter and a cooking temperature that is 30% lower.

What does human-grade quality mean?

Genuine human-grade quality of all raw materials - a standard at Dog's Heaven. Only food-safe ingredients are used for all Dog's Heaven fresh meals. This means that at the time of production of our Dog's Heaven meals in our production facility, the quality of all raw materials corresponds to that required by law for processing in the human food sector.
As our production partner is an approved food company and has so far only manufactured products for the human food sector, only foodstuffs may be stored and processed there.
This high quality is a matter of course for us at Dog's Heaven and a standard we live by.
In addition to the unmistakable freshness and naturalness, you can smell the quality of the ingredients as soon as you open a Dog's Heaven fresh meal.

How is it possible that Dog's Heaven fresh meals can be kept in the fridge for so long (up to 5 months)?

Normally, a gently cooked meal for dogs with fresh meat, vegetables and fruit would start to spoil within a few days in the fridge, as the germs naturally multiply despite refrigeration - albeit more slowly than at room temperature. Everyone knows this from their own fridge when meat - whether raw or prepared - or sausage products are stored for too long. The 5-minute HPP treatment of our fresh meals after sous vide cooking destroys all germs and bacteria in the product while retaining almost all vitamins, minerals and trace elements. HPP is a cold pressure process in which very high pressure is applied to the already packaged products for just 5 minutes at approx. 4-5 degrees Celsius. The extremely pressure-sensitive germs and bacteria burst under the pressure, while vitamins and the like, which are absolutely pressure-insensitive, are preserved. As a result, our fresh meals are germ-free and can be kept refrigerated for up to 5 months after production.

What does clean recipe mean?

Clean Recipe means that no synthetic additives are added. No synthetic preservatives, no synthetic vitamin and mineral additives, no colorants and flavorings. We do not use any binding agents either, such as carrageenan, which is common in the animal feed industry and is often used in canned products.
Dog's Heaven hypoallergenic menus are an exception to this rule. Due to the very reduced, hypoallergenic recipe, a vitamin-mineral mix must be added here.

Do the meals contain all the essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements?

Yes, Dog's Heaven meals contain all the vitamins, minerals and trace elements essential for dogs in a purely natural way thanks to the raw materials and the natural additives linseed oil, brewer's yeast, oyster shell, sango coral and iodized salt. Thanks to the significantly gentler production process (70% shorter cooking time and 30% cooler cooking temperature), a higher proportion of the natural vitamins, minerals and trace elements is retained than with conventional production processes.
The bioavailability of natural vitamins, minerals and trace elements is higher than that of synthetic vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Bioavailability indicates how much of a vitamin, for example, ends up in the cell and can be utilized.

Where are Dog's Heaven meals produced?

Dog's Heaven fresh meals are produced in an approved EU food company in Upper Bavaria near Munich.

Is the manufacturing company a food company?

Our manufacturer is an EU food company in the Munich area. Its expertise in the food sector lies in fresh products that are preserved naturally using the HPP process by means of a short (5-minute) cold-drying treatment. The company has set itself the task of preserving freshness in a natural way without preservatives and without heating, thereby preserving the naturalness and the natural occurrence of nutrients, vitamins, minerals and trace elements in food.
Dog's Heaven has the special opportunity to have its products manufactured there. We are very grateful for this and are delighted to have this opportunity with every production, which enables us to offer a uniquely fresh and long-lasting product for dogs for the first time in the industry, which cannot be frozen but can be easily stored in the fridge.

What is the difference between Dog's Heaven meals and Terra Canis meals?

The difference lies in the freshness compared to canned food and therefore in the production process. Dog's Heaven meals are fresh products that must be stored in the refrigerator. Canned food is stored unrefrigerated and can be kept for up to 10 years.
Canned food is usually autoclaved at 121 degrees Celsius or warmer for up to 3 hours. Dog's Heaven fresh meals are only cooked sous vide for 50 minutes at 90 degrees Celsius in a water bath and then pressure treated for 5 minutes in a cold area, which destroys all germs and keeps the product germ-free and shelf-stable in the refrigerator for up to 5 months. Vitamins, minerals and protein and fat structures are retained in their structure. Due to the significantly lower processing (70% shorter cooking time, almost 30% lower temperature), a higher degree of naturalness of the raw materials and thus the nutrients is achieved.

Are Dog's Heaven meals more natural than canned food?

Dog's Heaven fresh menus are subject to significantly less processing (70% shorter cooking time at 30% lower temperature) than canned products or dry food. The less a product is processed, the more natural it is. The absence of synthetic additives also makes Dog's Heaven menus a more natural product compared to products with synthetic additives.

Questions about the fresh meals

Why does the color or consistency of a meal sometimes vary within the same line and meat type?

Dog's Heaven meals are 100% natural products. No synthetic additives, no synthetic vitamins and minerals, no binding agents and no preservatives are used. All raw materials are subject to certain natural variations. Sometimes the apple is sweeter, sometimes more sour, sometimes the meat is a little fattier, sometimes a little leaner (in the case of game, for example, depending on the season), sometimes the carrot is firmer, sometimes softer. Accordingly, the finished menus of a variety can vary from production batch to production batch in terms of firmness, appearance and the amount of free water or fat that is released. This is completely normal and reflects the naturalness and artisanal production of our products.

Why are there no Dog's Heaven meals with cereals/pseudo-cereals?

Cereals or pseudocereals are not essential for dogs. The wolf's natural prey spectrum does not include cereals in its immediate diet. Only through the gastrointestinal contents of its prey does the wolf ingest small amounts of pre-digested grain.
The dog draws its energy primarily from proteins and fats. Carbohydrates in the form of grain are not essential for this. Carbohydrates in the form of fiber (see below), as contained in vegetables, are more optimal for dogs.
Therefore, a natural diet for dogs, following the evolutionary prey concept of the wolf, does not require cereals. If you look at the digestive physiology of our dogs, their gastrointestinal tract is still not predestined for the lengthy breakdown of difficult-to-digest grains, but is much more geared towards the efficient, rapid processing of animal protein. Dogs have a comparatively short intestine and the composition of their digestive enzymes does not predestine them for breaking down cereals.

Carbohydrates are organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbohydrates can be divided into different categories:
  • simple carbohydrates (such as fructose or table sugar)
  • complex carbohydrates - starch (in cereals, pulses and potatoes)n)
  • Dietary fiber (in plant-based foods)

Cereals
Cereals are the seeds of certain grasses. The most common cereals include wheat, oats, barley, rye and maize. Cereals mainly contain carbohydrates, but also proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals. As cereal products such as bread, pasta, rice and muesli often serve as the main source of carbohydrates in the human diet, they are often equated with carbohydrates - which is not correct by definition.
Due to their high starch content, the various cereals provide a lot of energy in the form of glucose. Depending on the dog's activity level, this can of course lead to an oversupply of energy, resulting in weight gain. Compared to other sources of carbohydrates, most cereals contain relatively fewer micronutrients.

Pseudocereals 
So-called “pseudo-cereals” are often used as an alternative to traditional cereals. Pseudocereals are seeds from plants that, despite their name, do not belong to the real cereals - for example quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet and rice. In dog food, pseudograins can be a good alternative to conventional grains, especially for dogs with grain intolerances. Many pseudocereals are naturally gluten-free, which can be an advantage if dogs suffer from gluten intolerance. They often contain a variety of nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals and are generally easier to digest than traditional grains.

Vegetables as a source of carbohydrates t
At Dog's Heaven we concentrate - following the natural nutritional model or food spectrum of the wolf - on various types of vegetables as a source of carbohydrates and thus as an additional source of energy. Vegetables are also rich in valuable dietary fiber, which promotes intestinal peristalsis and thus intestinal health. Dietary fiber contributes to the regulation of intestinal function, helps prevent constipation and supports healthy digestion. Vegetables also contain a variety of vitamins (such as vitamins A, C and K) and minerals (such as calcium, iron and magnesium) that support important functions in the body. These nutrients contribute to the health of the skin, coat, eyes, bones and other organs. In addition, vegetables have a high antioxidant content, which can help neutralize free radicals in the body and thus protect the body from cell damage.

From our point of view, vegetables are therefore an all-rounder that corresponds to the natural nutritional concept and, with a high content of micronutrients, antioxidants and important dietary fiber, has a moderate calorie content that optimally meets the energy requirements of most dogs.

Why do the meals contain iodized salt?

The natural nutritional concept of wolves can serve as a basic model for the diet of our dogs. In nature, wolves literally eat a prey animal with skin and hair - and with bones and blood. The latter has a not inconsiderable salt content in the form of the electrolytes sodium and chloride. These are essential for our dogs' bodies and play an important role in maintaining electrolyte balance, regulating the water balance and other physiological functions. When feeding meat (without blood) in combination with vegetables and fruit, it is therefore essential to substitute sodium and chloride or salt. We use high-quality iodized salt for our Dog's Heaven fresh meals in order to provide dogs with sufficient iodine in a completely natural way through their food.

Why is oyster shell included in the meals and does it come from controlled oyster farming?

Finely ground oyster shell is added to all Dog's Heaven fresh meals (except the hypoallergenic meals) as a natural source of calcium. Oyster shell has a very high native calcium content. The oyster shell powder we use comes from controlled oysters.

Why is brewer's yeast included in the meals?

With our Dog's Heaven Fresh meals, it is important to us to offer recipes in the sense of “clean recipes”. We therefore do not use synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements. Only in the hypoallergenic menus do we have to add a small amount of vitamins and minerals due to the small number of ingredients.
The micronutrients that are essential for dogs are added to the meals via fresh ingredients such as meat, vegetables and fruit, as well as salads, herbs and berries. We also add purely natural additives, such as brewer's yeast as a source of vitamins. Brewer's yeast provides the dog with all the B vitamins in a completely natural way.

Why is sango coral included in the meals?

With our Dog's Heaven Fresh meals, it is important to us to be able to offer recipes in the sense of “clean recipes”. We therefore do not use synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements. Only in the hypoallergenic meals do we have to add a small amount of vitamins and minerals due to the small number of ingredients.
The micronutrients that are essential for dogs are added to the meals via fresh ingredients such as meat, vegetables and fruit, as well as salads, herbs and berries. We also add purely natural additives such as sango coral. Sango coral contains over 70 minerals and trace elements, especially calcium and magnesium.

Why are synthetic vitamins and minerals included in the hypoallergenic meals?

As hypoallergenic meals contain significantly fewer ingredients to meet the needs of food-sensitive dogs, we have to add a few minerals and vitamins to these recipes to meet the NRC recommendations. Ideally, hypoallergenic meals consist of only one rare protein source (e.g. horse, kangaroo, ostrich) combined with a well-tolerated type of vegetable (e.g. carrot, pumpkin, zucchini). This very reduced composition, which is absolutely necessary for dogs with food intolerances or allergies, cannot provide all the vitamins and minerals necessary for the dog. The missing substances must be substituted.

Why is it not necessary to add vitamins and minerals to puppy meals, even though puppies have a higher requirement of these per kg of body mass?

Puppies and young dogs generally have a higher requirement for micronutrients than adult dogs - however, in relation to their body weight, they consume significantly more food per day during the growth phase in accordance with our feeding recommendation and therefore also more nutrients and micronutrients per kilogram of their body mass. In addition, a slightly higher amount of oyster shell, sango coral, brewer's yeast and iodized salt is added to our puppy meals.

Why is the Dog's Heaven Salmon Adult meal not a complete food?

Dogs are carnivores and omnivores in terms of their nutritional physiology. To ensure that a dog receives a balanced and complete diet, fish should only be offered as a small part of a varied diet that primarily includes meat as a protein source as well as vegetables and fruit. They need a balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrients, including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Fish alone cannot provide all the necessary nutrients in the right amounts for our dogs. And although fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can have an anti-inflammatory effect, dogs also need omega-6 fatty acids, which are often not present in sufficient quantities in fish. Dog's Heaven therefore recommends feeding dogs fish 1-2 times a week in addition to their meat meals.

Why is the consistency of the meals sometimes a little firmer?

After filling, the individual packs are vacuum-sealed. This means that the air is removed from the bag to achieve maximum freshness and shelf life. The vacuuming process slightly compresses the minced meat, vegetables and fruit in the bag, as does the five-minute HPP cold pressure treatment, which takes place after the gentle sous-vide cooking process. As a result, the product is very compactly sealed in the bag and can be slightly firmer, especially if the meal is fed chilled. The menus should therefore be loosened up a little with a fork after removal from the bag into the bowl.

Why does a little free water form in the packaging of some meals?

All our meals are grain-free. The water that escapes from the meat when the sealed bags are cooked in a water bath can therefore settle a little in the bag. This is nothing other than a deliciously intense meat stock that contains numerous micronutrients from meat, vegetables and fruit. Due to the absence of cereals and binding agents, this meat juice cannot be bound in the packaging and sometimes settles in the packaging. Dogs love this meat juice - please always include it in their food.

Why are there sometimes little fat deposits in the package of the meals?

During sous-vide cooking in a water bath, the fat contained in the meat can separate from the meat fibers and settle in the bag, e.g. on the edges and/or in the corners. The fat is then visible through the transparent packaging when the product has cooled down. The situation is similar when preparing meat or roast dishes. As soon as they cool down or are in the fridge, you can see the fat that has settled. This is a completely natural process. Animal fat is essential for dogs. Unlike humans, dogs get their energy primarily from proteins and fats rather than carbohydrates. A certain amount of animal fat is very important for dogs and should always be included in their diet.

Why don't I get the packaging weight if I weigh it at home?

To ensure that the actual net weight of the contents of a bag corresponds to the weight stated on the label, it is best to weigh the bag while it is still closed (without the flapper) and subtract the empty weight. The empty weights of the bags are: 400g: 6g; 800g: 9g. A deviation of +/-1 to 2 g is possible.

How high is the protein content of the Dog's Heaven meals?

The protein content in dog food must always be in the right proportion to the energy content of the food in order to ensure a balanced diet. Due to their high proportion of muscle meat and hollow muscle organs (hearts, poultry stomachs), Dog's Heaven fresh meals contain a lot of valuable and highly digestible protein that is in the optimum ratio to the other macronutrients. We follow the recommendations of veterinary medicine. All menus contain 58% meat (venison and deer 55%). The protein content in the wet matter can be found on the back of the paper flap under the designation crude protein.

What is the calcium-phosphorus ratio in Dog's Heaven meals?

The calcium-phosphorus ratio of food for adult dogs should be between 1:1 and 2:1 to ensure a balanced diet. Dog's Heaven fresh meals take this ratio into account in all products. In the puppy menus, the lower range of the calcium-phosphorus ratio and the higher requirement values for vitamins and minerals are taken into account, so that no additional feeding of calcium or phosphorus via supplements is necessary.

Why does every fresh meal contain cucumber juice (except Hypoallergenic)?

The cucumber juice we use is freshly pressed in-house on the same day for each production run. Cucumber juice is extremely healthy and provides numerous natural vital substances, enzymes and antioxidants. It also supplies the body with secondary plant substances, bioavailable minerals and water from fresh vegetables. For us, cucumber water therefore has a significantly higher nutritional value than ordinary water.

For this reason, we also add a special bone and meat broth to our meals. This broth is not a conventional instant powder, as is often used in the animal feed industry. Instead, it is a 100% natural broth that is cooked for 24 hours from bones and fresh meat by a sister company of our manufacturer. It contains valuable nutrients from the bones and the meat attached to them and naturally provides the dog with gelatine, which is important for bone and joint health, as well as pure, natural vitamin D.

In commercially available dog food, vitamin D is often added synthetically, but our bone broth contains a significant proportion of natural vitamin D, so that we can dispense with the addition of synthetic vitamin D. Our aim is to incorporate all the micronutrients essential for dogs into the product in a natural way and therefore avoid artificial additives. Our analyses have shown that the addition of bone broth provides sufficient vitamin D in the product.

Questions about your dog's health and digestion

My dog has kidney problems - what can I do?

Every patient is individual and a “kidney problem” can have different causes and treatment strategies. Your veterinarian is of course the first point of contact when it comes to how you can support your dog with regard to feeding.

In principle, quite a few dogs have a decreasing filtration capacity of the kidneys in old age and a protein-reduced diet is often recommended. The common opinion that dogs with declining kidney performance should be fed a protein-reduced diet is based on the assumption that a lower protein intake would put less “strain” on the kidneys. This has long been the conventional recommendation for dogs with kidney problems. However, recent research and findings on this issue have led to a review of this assumption. There is now a growing consensus among veterinarians and nutrition experts that a moderate intake of a high-quality protein with a high level of digestibility is very good for patients. Patients who already have proteinuria as a result of their kidney disease, i.e. who lose protein in their urine due to the increased permeability of the kidney filters, absolutely need sufficient amounts of high-quality protein in their diet so that even more valuable protein is not lost and lost from the body.

As mentioned at the beginning, however, the individual diagnosis, the current laboratory values and the patient's condition are always decisive in deciding which diet can best support your dog.

My dog defecates too often and/or too much.

Frequent or excessive defecation in dogs can be caused by various factors, including too much food, individual intolerance to food ingredients, a sudden change of food, intestinal parasites, gastrointestinal diseases, stress, medication or excessive water intake. In order to find the cause in a specific case, it is always advisable to see a vet to rule out any health-related causes and, if necessary, to determine a suitable treatment.

In the case of very sensitive dogs, it is generally advisable to change their diet or food very slowly. For some “sensitive” dogs, it can also be a good idea to stick to a well-tolerated protein source and not change the types too often.

Dog's Heaven recommends feeding exclusively moist food, as the wolf's or dog's diet and thus its digestive physiognomy is evolutionarily geared towards eating moist prey.

My dog is too thin - what should I feed?

Healthy dogs should ideally have an ideal weight at any age. This can be easily determined using the so-called Body Conditioning Score (BCS).

The ideal weight corresponds to a BCS of 4-5 in Laflamme's 9-step system, which is by far the most commonly used. Here, for example, the ribs are easy to feel and can even be easily seen when short-haired dogs are running. When making an assessment, it is of course important to take into account breed-specific characteristics in terms of build and amount of coat. Ideal weight is the best health precaution - especially the cardiovascular system and joints benefit from it.

If your dog is too thin, i.e. has a BCS of 1-3, it is important to consult a vet first to rule out a physical illness as the cause of the underweight.

Of course, if a very slim or thin dog is physically healthy, the underweight may also indicate that the ratio of calorie consumption (through activity/exercise) to calorie intake is not optimal. In this case, increase the daily amount of food slightly and check the weight regularly. The feeding recommendation always refers to the dog's target final weight. If your dog is not gaining weight, continue to increase the amount of food until a slow weight gain occurs. The energy content can be further increased by adding oils.

My dog is too fat - what should I feed?

Studies show that, on average, every second dog is overweight. And the effects of this overweight are even worse: further studies show that overweight dogs die on average two (!) years earlier than dogs of ideal weight - due to the many diseases that are promoted by being overweight. An ideal weight is therefore the best health precaution.

The ideal weight can be easily determined by the so-called Body Conditioning Score (BCS) and corresponds to a BCS of 4-5 in the most frequently used 9-step system according to Laflamme. Here, for example, the ribs are easily palpable and can even be easily seen when walking short-haired dogs. When making an assessment, it is of course important to take into account breed-specific characteristics in terms of build and amount of coat. Ideal weight is the best health precaution - especially the cardiovascular system and joints benefit from it. .

If your dog is too fat, i.e. has a BCS of 6-9, it is important to consult a vet first to rule out a physical illness as the cause of the excess weight.

In order for an overweight dog in which organic causes have been ruled out to regain its ideal weight, it is important to adjust its diet and at the same time ensure that it receives all the necessary nutrients. The daily calorie intake should be reduced. The dog should therefore receive the amount of food recommended for its ideal weight, at most. Foods with a higher protein and lower fat content are ideal in order to maintain muscle mass. The amount of food should be measured precisely and preferably fed in several smaller portions throughout the day. The amount of treats given should also be significantly reduced and low-calorie alternatives such as carrots or apple pieces should be chosen. Of course, the calories of the treats must be deducted from the daily food ration.

The dog's exercise should also be encouraged through longer walks, games or swimming and the intensity and duration of the activities should be increased slowly to avoid overexertion. In order to permanently counteract a renewed increase in weight, the amount of exercise must of course be maintained. In addition, daily exercise in nature is of course also essential for our dogs' - and our - well-being.

The dog's weight should be checked regularly to keep an eye on the progress. We always aim for a slow and steady weight loss.

The dog's joints and heart in particular benefit from a permanently lean optimum weight.

Questions about storage and feeding

How long can I keep an opened pack of Dog's Heaven in the fridge?

If you do not feed your dog a Dog's Heaven menu in its entirety but divide it into two or three meals, you can easily store the remainder in a storage container in the refrigerator at +/- 7 degrees Celsius for approx. 7 days. If you divide our menus for your dog into two or more meals, we recommend storing the remaining part of the menu in a fresh food container in the refrigerator. Dog's Heaven offers an ideal storage container for this purpose. Closed with a lid, it keeps the menu perfectly fresh for approx. 7 days. You can purchase the Dog's Heaven container in the Dog's Heaven webshop.

How do I switch from another wet food to Dog's Heaven?

The bacterial colonization of the intestine is different for every dog and is influenced by factors such as age, breed and diet. It is important to proceed carefully when changing food so as not to disturb this intestinal flora. We therefore recommend a gradual change over a period of three to five days. Mix the old and new food and increase the proportion of the new food slightly each day. Slight diarrhea may occur temporarily, but normally the dog's intestinal flora will quickly adapt to the new food and digestion will normalize. If diarrhea persists for more than four days, a veterinarian should be consulted to rule out infectious diseases.

How do I switch from dry food to Dog's Heaven?

We generally recommend changing the food over a period of three to five days.Gradually add more and more of the new food until the previous food has been completely replaced.This applies to both wet and dry food.For example, if you want to switch from dry food to wet food, you can initially offer a small amount of wet food per day as a separate meal.The second meal should continue to consist purely of dry food.After a few days, replace the second meal, which still consists of dry food, with a pure wet food meal. When switching from dry food to wet food, the frequency of defecation as well as the amount and consistency of the feces often changes. This is completely normal. The dog's drinking behavior can also adapt to the new diet, as the dog regularly consumes a significantly higher amount of moisture through the wet food and may need less water by drinking directly.

Can I mix wet and dry food?

There is no scientific evidence to prove that wet and dry food cannot be mixed. The quality and nutritional content of the food are primarily important.

Can I feed my dog the fresh meals cold, straight from the fridge?

Dog's Heaven fresh meals can be fed to dogs immediately after removing them from the fridge. For sensitive dogs, it is advisable to “warm” the menus briefly at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

How many times a week can I feed my dog a vegan menu?

In order to feed a dog in a natural and species-appropriate way with regard to its descent from the wolf and its evolutionary nutritional physiognomy, it should always be fed a very high-quality, natural meat-based wet diet. 
According to our philosophy and the findings of veterinary medicine, a purely plant-based diet is not appropriate for the species.

While the idea of feeding dogs a completely vegan diet is still the subject of some controversy among vets and nutritionists and the studies do not yet provide definitive scientific evidence, there are many good arguments for considering at least a partially vegan diet or the occasional meat-free meal.

In order to contribute to the general reduction of meat consumption with regard to sustainability and animal welfare aspects, we recommend replacing your dog's meat meals 1-4 times a week with a purely plant-based meal. With 2 meals a day, 1-4 of the total of 14 meals are replaced by a plant-based meal. This means that the dog is largely fed on a meat basis and is therefore species-appropriate.

Can I freeze Dog's Heaven menus?

Dog's Heaven menus can also be stored in the freezer compartment if you don't have enough space in the fridge. It also makes sense to keep a few packs in the freezer compartment in case the Dog's Heaven order from DHL is not delivered on time or you have forgotten to order supplies in good time.

What happens if a Dog's Heaven menu has not been chilled for several hours or overnight?

If a Dog's Heaven fresh meal has not been refrigerated for a few hours or overnight, it can still be fed without hesitation. Thanks to the HPP process, the menu is germ-free and remains so for several weeks/months in the refrigerator. If it is now exposed to room temperature for a few hours, germs will slowly form. This very small amount of germs after a few hours without refrigeration is harmless and, in case of doubt, lower than with fresh human-grade meat bought from the butcher. Fresh meat from the butcher or from the fresh food counter in the supermarket always contains a certain amount of germs, but at this low level it is normal and harmless for humans and dogs.

Fresh meals should not be fed if they have been stored at room temperature for more than 10 hours.

How long should I feed puppy food?

During the growing phase, puppies and young dogs need a special diet rich in nutrients such as protein, calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals to support their rapid growth and development. Puppy food is designed to meet these specific needs.

How long to feed puppy food ultimately depends on several factors - including the puppy's breed, its expected final weight and growth curve, and its health needs. For example, the individual time to make the switch may be between 9 and 18 months of age.

It is best to seek veterinary advice to ensure that your puppy is receiving the correct diet and to make any adjustments tailored to your puppy's individual needs or health conditions. Drawing up an individual growth curve and adhering to the weight values calculated there can help to determine the individual timing for the change of food. If the growth curve shows that the puppy's growth is slowing down and it is approaching its expected final size, the young dog can be switched from puppy food.

The growth curve is a very important tool for the healthy development of our puppies anyway. By regularly weighing and measuring the puppy and entering this data into a growth curve, you can see how fast the puppy is growing and whether it is within the expected norms for its breed and size, or you can make the necessary adjustments if you see that it is getting too heavy too quickly. Too rapid growth can be a factor in various joint diseases and should be avoided at all costs.

Questions about packaging / shipping cartons / cooling units

What is the advantage of the packaging of Dog's Heaven fresh meals compared to conventional tins/canned food?

Dog food cans are always covered with a paper label. The can and label are therefore a composite of two different materials, tinplate and paper, and therefore cannot be optimally recycled. With our Dog's Heaven packaging, the paper flap can be separated from the bag. This results in two mono-materials (=single-material packaging) that can be disposed of and recycled separately. The paper flap is also made from paper that has already been recycled. In addition, the Dog's Heaven product packaging produces approx. 90% less waste volume compared to the can.

Is the packaging of the Dog's Heaven meals recyclable?

With our Dog's Heaven packaging, the paper flap can be separated from the bag. This gives you two mono-materials (=single-material packaging) that can be disposed of and recycled separately. The paper flap is also made from paper that has already been recycled.

How much less packaging volume is created by the packaging of Dog's Heaven fresh meals?

Our more environmentally friendly packaging results in approx. 90% less packaging and therefore less waste.

Questions about shipping

Which countries does Dog's Heaven ship to?

We currently deliver to Germany and Austria. Shipping to EU neighboring countries is planned.

How long does shipping take?

Orders received by us before 12 noon on weekdays are usually dispatched on the same day; orders received later are dispatched on the next working day. DHL shipping times within Germany are 1-2 working days. Please note that we do not ship chilled goods on Fridays (depending on DHL delivery times) and Saturdays. Further information can be found under Shipping and Returns.

How much does shipping cost?

You can find an overview of our shipping costs under Shipping and Returns.

Which shipping service provider does Dog's Heaven work with?

Our parcels are sent with DHL.
Further information can be found under Shipping and returns.

What happens if I am not at home?

Please make sure that you or another person can accept the parcel. Otherwise, if the maximum delivery time of 48 hours is exceeded because the refrigerated parcel cannot be delivered, the goods may not be sufficiently cooled by the time they arrive.

Why do parcels containing Dog's Heaven fresh meals have to be sent refrigerated?

Our fresh meals are real fresh menus that need to be refrigerated due to their freshness, naturalness and minimal processing in the manufacturing process. This is what makes them special compared to conventional canned products and dry food. As with food in the fresh food segment, the cold chain must not be interrupted. With the enclosed cooling units, the fresh menus are cooled at 4-7 degrees Celsius during dispatch with a package transit time of 24-48 hours. Our cool packs are 100% recyclable.

What is the temperature in the parcel during shipping?

With a maximum DHL transit time of 48 hours until arrival at the delivery address, the temperature inside the parcel is 5-7 degrees Celsius thanks to our recyclable cool packs and an insulating wall made of paper and cellulose.

Questions about the order process

I cannot log in to my customer account

Login problems are often caused by unfavorable settings in the browser used, such as security settings that are too high. Technically necessary cookies from the store must not be blocked, as this can cause errors when logging in or displaying the store page. If you continue to have problems with the login, please contact our Customer Service.

I have forgotten my password

No problem. Just click on “password forgotten” on the login page and you will receive an e-mail with all the important information and a link to set a new password. You can then log in again with your new password and change it in your account if necessary.

What payment methods does the Dog's Heaven online shop offer?

We offer the following payment methods in our online store:

  • Invoice
  • Credit card (Visa, Mastercard)
  • PayPal
  • ApplePay
  • GooglePay