Loyal Saints vs. Royal Canin: Freeze-Dried Raw vs. Kibble
Royal Canin is known for breed- and condition-specific kibble. Loyal Saints is freeze-dried raw — a less-processed, whole-food format. Here’s an honest comparison of approach, ingredients, and processing.
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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 | Royal Canin |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Specialized kibble vs. freeze-dried raw
Royal Canin is known for its breed-specific and condition-specific formulas and veterinary diets — a genuine strength, especially its prescription lines. But its everyday diets are kibble: high-heat extruded, synthetically fortified, and often containing corn, wheat, by-products, and additives. Loyal Saints is freeze-dried raw — no heat, no synthetic vitamin premix, human-grade quality ingredients, no fillers.
Breed-specific marketing vs. format quality
Royal Canin’s breed-specific kibbles are precisely marketed, but the underlying format is still extruded kibble. Loyal Saints takes a different approach: rather than a different kibble shape per breed, we offer genuinely raw, whole-food nutrition suitable across breeds, with breed-specific feeding guidance in our learning library.
Where Royal Canin fits
For specific medical conditions requiring a therapeutic prescription diet, Royal Canin (with your vet) offers formulas Loyal Saints doesn’t — we’re honest about that. For healthy dogs whose owners want less-processed whole-food nutrition, Loyal Saints is a higher-quality everyday option.
Ingredients and value
Royal Canin everyday kibble is feed-grade with fillers and additives; Loyal Saints is made with human-grade quality ingredients with none. Kibble costs less per day; Loyal Saints runs about $2–3/day as a ½-cup daily topper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Loyal Saints better than Royal Canin?
For healthy dogs, Loyal Saints offers less-processed, whole-food, human-grade freeze-dried raw nutrition versus Royal Canin’s high-heat extruded, synthetically-fortified kibble (often with fillers and additives). However, for specific medical conditions needing a therapeutic prescription diet, Royal Canin (with your vet) offers formulas Loyal Saints doesn’t. Match the food to the need.
Are Royal Canin breed-specific diets necessary?
Breed-specific kibbles are a marketing and formulation approach, but the underlying format is still extruded kibble. Loyal Saints offers genuinely raw whole-food nutrition suitable across breeds, with breed-specific feeding guidance in our library rather than a different kibble per breed.
Does Royal Canin contain fillers and additives?
Royal Canin everyday kibble is high-heat extruded, synthetically fortified, and many formulas contain corn, wheat, by-products, and additives. Loyal Saints uses human-grade whole foods with no corn, wheat, soy, additives, or synthetic premix.
Should I switch from Royal Canin 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 Royal Canin 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.
