Bramble Vegan Dog Food Review

Bramble was founded in July 2021 by a New York City Lawyer and pet parent after her own dog passes away due to cancer. As someone who was plant-based, she saw the benefits of a fresh food vegan diet for herself, and she felt that the same benefits could be seen for dogs . Thus she enlisted the help of a board-certified veterinary nutritionist to create a line of vegan dog food recipes.

Both of the Bramble vegan dog food recipes are moderate protein, high fat, and moderate in carbohydrates (25-28% protein, more than 40% fat, and 28-35% on a caloric basis). Making these recipes appropriate for dog with average to moderate activity level – like the typical urban dog or pet getting two walks per day with playtime.

Vegan and vegetarian recipes can be particular useful for dogs with severe allergies to animal proteins or that require a vegan diet for medical conditions like purine crystals. In these cases speaking to your veterinarian to see if the Bramble fresh food diets would be appropriate for your pup would be advised.

OVERVIEW:

Company Responded to Questions Asked via Email: Yes, company responded to interview questions December 2021 And additional information was found on their website.

Who formulated Bramble Dog Food? Bramble is formulated by board-certified veterinary nutritionists and an expert animal nutritionist with over 20 years of experience formulating various pet food formats. 

Where does Bramble source their Ingredients from?  Bramble carefully sources all of their ingredients from human-grade restaurant-quality suppliers. All of the ingredients are sourced in the United States. 

Where are Bramble’s Human Grade Dog Food Recipes Manufactured?  Bramble recipes are manufactured at the Rutgers Food Innovation Center — where Impossible Burger launched their manufacturing — and will be moving to a larger facility early next year, which is also a USDA-approved and regulated commercial kitchen. 

What Quality Control Procedures does Bramble Lightly Cooked Dog Food perform on their foods?  All Bramble dog food recipes are manufactured in a USDA commercial kitchen and batches are routinely tested at a third-party independent laboratory. 

Has Bramble Invested in Digestibility or AAFCO Feeding Trials?  According to the company executives they are about to start a feeding trial shortly on their recipes.

Are Full Nutritional Profiles Found Online for the Bramble Recipes?  The ingredients and guaranteed analysis is available on our website’s recipe page.

Has Bramble Vegan Dog Food ever been Recalled? No

Bramble Dog Food Recipes:

Bramble Dog Food Recipe: The Cowbell

The Bramble Cowbell Dog Food Recipe is moderately high in protein and moderate in fat, making it a nice choice for dogs who are moderately active. Since the Bramble recipes are vegan, and do not contain animal-based proteins Bramble may also be a good choice for dogs with severe allergies or that cannot tolerate animal proteins.

Estimated Nutrient Breakdown based on Guaranteed Analysis:

Dry Matter		Caloric Distribution		Nutrient Density
Protein	31%	Protein	26%	Protein	82.8	g/1000 kcal
Fat	20%	Fat	41%	Fat	53.0	g/1000 kcal
Carbs	43%	Carbs	33%	Carbs	106.0	g/1000 kcal

Ingredients: Organic Pea Protein, Lentil, Sweet Potato, Carrots, Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Flax Oil, Peas, Apples, Malt Extract, Potato Starch, Nutrient Mix [Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, L-Methionine, Tricalcium Phosphate, Taurine] Vitamins [D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin E Supplement, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D2 Supplement], Trace Minerals [Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Selenium Yeast], Nutritional Yeast, Caramel Color, Tricalcium Phophate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Magnesium, Salt

AAFCO Statement: Bramble Dog Food is formulated to AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.

Balanced for adults only.

Bramble Dog Food Recipe: The Roost

The Bramble Roost Dog Food Recipe is moderately high in protein and moderate in fat, making it a nice choice for dogs who are moderately active. Since the Bramble recipes are vegan, and do not contain animal-based proteins Bramble may also be a good choice for dogs with severe allergies or that cannot tolerate animal proteins.

Estimated Nutrient Breakdown based on Guaranteed Analysis:

Dry Matter		Caloric Distribution		Nutrient Density
Protein	36%	Protein	28%	Protein	89.9	g/1000 kcal
Fat	23%	Fat	44%	Fat	57.8	g/1000 kcal
Carbs	36%	Carbs	27%	Carbs	86.7	g/1000 kcal

Ingredients: Organic Pea Protein, Long Grain Brown Rice, Potato, Garbanzo Beans, Carrots, Organic Sunflower Oil, Peas, Blueberries, Malt Extract, Potato Starch, Nutrient Mix [Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, L-Methionine, Tricalcium Phosphate, Taurine] Vitamins [D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin E Supplement, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D2 Supplement], Trace Minerals [Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Selenium Yeast], Nutritional Yeast, Tricalcium Phophate, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Phosphate, Magnesium, Salt

AAFCO Statement: Bramble Dog Food is formulated to AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance.

Balanced for adults only.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ( FAQ )

Where to buy Bramble Dog Food?

Bramble is a direct-to-consumer brand that ships from New York to select states within the USA (mostly on the east coast). You can set up your dog for a plant-based doggie meal plan via their website with automatic delivery every two weeks. The full Bramble Menu includes two quality vegan dog food recipes – the cowbell and the roost. You can choose one or both meals delivered to your door.

How do you store and feed Bramble?

Bramble recipes are shipped frozen on dry ice on a weekly basis. Once received foods will need to be thawed prior to feeding. Ideally, foods should be placed in the fridge overnight to defrost, however, if you need the recipes immediately you can do a rapid-thaw.

To do this you have two options. One is to remove the Bramble meal from the original package and place in a microwave-safe container. Then use the “defrost” setting to bring the food to room temperature. The second is the place the recipe within the plastic packaging into cool water, and rotate until defrosted.

Do not heat up Bramble in order to defrost – this may degrade heat-sensitive nutrients. Instead, foods should be fed room temperature and defrosted in a food-safe way. Do not leave Bramble on the counter to defrost – this is not a safe way to defrost foods considering food safety.

Over time you will get into the habit of rotating foods from the freezer, to the fridge, then to the bowl, and know exactly how much to store in your fridge. As the Bramble recipes are vegan – you can store recipes thawed in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. 

For full instructions on how to store and feed Bramble you can always contact customer service on their website.

Is Bramble Food Balanced for Puppies?

No Bramble is only complete and balanced for adult dogs.

Bramble vs. Kibble – how does it compare?

Bramble can offer a healthy, less-processed alternative to a kibbled diet. As Bramble uses the freezer for preservation – it contains no preservatives (other than vitamin E), and uses a gentle cooking method rather than the traditional high heat, or extended dehydration that most kibbled foods do. Bramble also uses a combination of whole food ingredients along with supplements to create a complete and balanced diet for adult dogs.

Is Bramble a Raw Dog Food?

No – Bramble is a plant-based vegan dog food and does not contain any meat. 

Can Bramble Dog Food be Used as a Topper?

Bramble does offer a topper plan for those two who are looking at adding some fresh food to the bowl, but do not have the budget or ability to go 100% onto a lightly cooked food. Fresh vegan dog foods such as Bramble may also be a good option for picky dogs, looking to supplement their regular diet.

How much does Bramble Cost?

The price of Bramble will highly depend on the size of your dog, and their activity level. Their website allows you to obtain a quote based on your dog’s individual needs. According to their website a 50 lb dog would cost about $320 to feed each month the Roost recipe, or about $10.70 to feed per day. Depending on what you are currently feeding this may be more or less expensive.

Are Bramble Recipes Good for Dogs with Allergies?

As the Bramble recipes do not have animal-based proteins they can be excellent options for dogs with food allergies – especially those with more common allergies like chicken, beef, fish, or egg. However, for dogs that do have plant-protein-based allergies, these recipes may not be a good choice.

For dogs with environmental allergies, these recipes may not be particularly helpful – though they have higher in fat and protein, they do not contain marine-based sources of DHA/EPA which have been shown to be helpful for dogs with seasonal allergies. We also do not know the total protein digestibility of these recipes to know how bioavailable the diet is to help rebuild and strengthen the skin layer.

Are Bramble Meals Good for Dogs with Loose Stools or Diarrhea?

Typically when we look for diets for dogs with sensitive stomachs we reach for recipes that are highly digestible and low in fat (with certain exceptions for fiber-responsive, or dogs who need a novel protein). The fat content in the Bramble recipes is rather high (40% fat on a caloric basis) and may not be tolerated by dogs who need a low-fat diet.