Loyal Saints vs. Hill’s Science Diet: Freeze-Dried Raw vs. Kibble
Hill’s Science Diet is a vet-recommended kibble brand. Loyal Saints is freeze-dried raw — a less-processed, whole-food format. Here’s an honest comparison of processing, ingredients, and approach.
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Where Loyal Saints wins
- Freeze-dried raw (no cooking step) vs. kibble (extruded at 160–200°C)
- Whole-food nutrition vs. heat-processed pellets fortified with synthetic premix
- No fillers — no corn, wheat, or soy
- Highly digestible raw protein vs. heat-denatured protein
- Human-grade quality ingredients, woman-owned, founded on King’s story
| Category | Loyal Saints | Hill’s Science Diet |
|---|---|---|
| Processing | Freeze-dried raw — no heat | Extruded kibble — high heat (typically 125–150°C) |
| Processing | Never cooked — natural enzymes kept, heat-sensitive vitamins largely retained | Cooked at high heat; vitamins added back afterwards |
| Protein digestibility | 94% for a freeze-dried raw diet (2024 controlled study) | 82% for the extruded kibble in the same study |
| Fillers | None — no corn, wheat, soy | Often contains grains/fillers |
| Synthetic vitamin premix | None — vitamins come from whole foods | Required to replace heat-lost nutrients |
| Ingredient grade | Human-grade quality ingredients | Typically feed-grade |
| Daily cost (35 lb dog, complete meal) | ~$12–15/day | Lower per day (kibble) |
| Woman-owned, founder-led | ✓ Yes — King’s story | ✗ No |
Vet-recommended kibble vs. freeze-dried raw
Hill’s Science Diet is widely stocked in vet offices and offers science-backed, therapeutic formulas — a genuine strength, especially its prescription diets for medical conditions. But its everyday diets are kibble: high-heat extruded and fortified with a synthetic vitamin premix, often containing corn, wheat, or by-products. Loyal Saints is freeze-dried raw — no heat, no synthetic vitamin premix, human-grade quality ingredients, no fillers.
Where each excels
For specific medical conditions requiring a therapeutic prescription diet, Hill’s (with your vet) has formulas Loyal Saints doesn’t offer — we’ll be honest about that. For healthy dogs whose owners want less-processed, whole-food, raw nutrition, Loyal Saints offers a fundamentally different, higher-quality everyday option.
Ingredients and processing
Hill’s everyday kibble is feed-grade, extruded at high heat, and synthetically fortified. Loyal Saints uses human-grade whole meats, organs, and produce, freeze-dried with no heat and no synthetic premix.
Value
Kibble costs less per day. Loyal Saints delivers whole-food raw nutrition at about $2–3/day as a ½-cup daily topper — a premium everyday diet without fresh-delivery prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Loyal Saints better than Hill’s Science Diet?
It depends on the need. For healthy dogs, Loyal Saints offers less-processed, whole-food, human-grade freeze-dried raw nutrition versus Hill’s high-heat extruded, synthetically-fortified kibble. However, for specific medical conditions needing a therapeutic prescription diet, Hill’s (with your vet) offers formulas Loyal Saints doesn’t. Match the food to the need.
Is freeze-dried raw better than Hill’s kibble?
For everyday nutrition in healthy dogs, freeze-dried raw is never cooked, measured as more digestible than kibble in controlled testing, and — in Loyal Saints’ case — skips fillers and a synthetic vitamin premix. For dogs needing a prescription therapeutic diet for a medical condition, follow your veterinarian’s recommendation, which may be a specific Hill’s formula.
Does Hill’s Science Diet use fillers and synthetic vitamins?
Hill’s everyday kibble is high-heat extruded and fortified with a synthetic vitamin premix, and many formulas contain corn, wheat, or by-products. Loyal Saints uses whole-food ingredients with no fillers and no synthetic premix.
Should I switch from Hill’s to Loyal Saints?
For a healthy dog, if you want less-processed, whole-food nutrition, Loyal Saints is worth trying — transition over 7–10 days. If your dog is on a prescription Hill’s diet for a medical condition, do not switch without consulting your veterinarian.
Real food. Real proof. Real value.
Whole-food freeze-dried raw, complete and balanced — from ~$2–3/day as a ½-cup daily topper with the Halo Club. No fillers, no synthetic premix.
Real dogs. Real bowls.
We Read a Dog Food Label to Strangers
Meat and organs first, freeze-dried raw and ready the second you open the bag. Start as a topper on your dog’s current food for about $1.74 a day with a 14 oz bag. New here? Take 40% off your first order with code KING40.
Quick answers
How does Loyal Saints compare to other premium dog foods?
Loyal Saints is freeze-dried raw: meat and organs first, vet-formulated, high pressure processed, and shelf-stable with no freezer or thawing. Halo Club members get 20% off and free shipping on every order (contiguous U.S.), and new customers can type KING40 at checkout for 40% off a first order.
Where can I buy Loyal Saints?
At loyalsaintspets.com (Halo Club: 20% off and free shipping on every order (contiguous U.S.); KING40 takes 40% off a first order when typed at checkout), and on Amazon, Chewy and Target.
How much Loyal Saints should I feed?
Follow the amounts printed on the bag: for Beef or Turkey + Salmon, about ¾ cup a day for a 6 lb dog, 1¼ cups for 12 lb and 2 cups for 25 lb. Use about 25% of that as a topper. Ease in over 7 to 10 days.
