FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

At Redbarn Pet Products, we take pride in the care and attention that goes into each and every treat and food item. We welcome your questions and hope you find these answers helpful. Don’t see your question answered here?

Contact our customer service department.

How do I read the Best Buy or Expiration Date?

The “Best By” date is read as MM/DD/YY and the last digit or letter is an internal batch number. For example, EXP 091520A expires on 09/15/20. You can ignore the “A.”

What is SQF Certification?

Redbarn Pet Products has been awarded SQF Food Safety Code for Manufacturing certification by the Safe Quality Food (SQF) Initiative. The SQF Initiative has been addressing food safety and quality requirements since 1994. Their programs are recognized internationally to certify high standards of food safety and quality for food manufactures and production companies across all industry sectors. With this certification, Redbarn has joined an elite group of manufactures that are able to achieve and uphold our standards. SQF is not a requirement in the pet product industry. Certification in the pet industry means a company is highly dedicated to the safety and quality of their products.

Where are Redbarn Products Sourced?

As a U.S. based company, we do our best to source wholesome, quality ingredients from America. But when we can’t find natural, sustainable products here, we partner with like-minded farmers across the globe. And because we control our own sourcing and manufacturing – including our company-owned SQF Certified bully stick manufacturing facility in Paraguay – we can hold our local and global suppliers to the same USA standards, including surprise audits of their facilities and fields. But no matter where our ingredients come from, they all visit our Kansas quality assurance labs.

What Does Natural Mean to Redbarn?

We made it a priority to align with The American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) definition for “natural” pet foods, treats and chews. This means the product is free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, and the cooking process excludes the use of artificial chemicals.

Dive Deeper: Redbarn’s Commitment to Transparency

Why Don't You Make Organic Food or Treats?

The USDA does not allow pet food labels to display an organic seal or imply National Organic Program compliance unless it meets standards for organic human foods. While we are confident our products are natural and safe, Redbarn does not make pet food or treats suitable for human consumption. USDA’s standards for human foods would not address some of our products meant specifically for pet enjoyment.

Without those clear definitions, we find it unnecessary to pursue organic certification. As always, Redbarn will continue to offer healthy and delicious foods, treats, and chews.

Do You Donate Product to Events or Fundraisers?

We love supporting local like-minded organizations. If you are a non-profit or hosting a pet-related event near our headquarters in Long Beach, CA or our manufacturing facilities in Great Bend, KS, and Rochester, NY, please send your event information and donation request to [email protected] for further consideration. While we’d love to support charitable organizations across the country, due to a high request volume, we are limiting our donations to pet-related events near our local communities.

If you are a pet store that sells Redbarn products and are hosting an event for your shoppers, please contact your local sales rep with any donation, goody bag, or booth requests.

What are Chew Personalities?

While all dogs have a natural urge to chew, each has unique preferences and chews at different rates. Understanding your dog’s chew personality is one of the most important steps in selecting the safest chew for your dog. Generally, dogs are one of three types of chewers: light chewers, moderate chewers, or power chewers.

Light Chewers: Nibblers who take their time to savor chews and may lose interest over time. Light chews, identified on our product pages with our light chewer icon, are also great for dogs 6 months and younger as these softer chews should not damage their puppy teeth.

Moderate Chewers: The hardest to identify, these pickier pups either inhale their favorite treats and chews while showing no interest in others.

Power Chewers: These chewers are happy to chew on anything and everything and often destroy chews. To keep these dogs away from your furniture, power chewers need palatable, durable, long-lasting chews like Bully Sticks, Beef Cheeks, Collagen Sticks, or Whole Antlers.

Are Bully Slices® Made from Bully Sticks?

We make our delicious Bully Slices® from all-natural cowhide for a long-lasting treat dogs love. Each slice is coated in bully gravy, made from liquified Redbarn Bully Sticks, and slow-roasted to lock in its savory taste. To maximize the health benefits, we’ve added natural, functional ingredients like vitamin E and chicken cartilage to our variety of irresistible flavors.

How Do I Choose the Proper Chew Size for My Dog?

The general recommendation is for the chew to be slightly larger than your dog’s mouth. Once a chew becomes smaller than their mouth, it may pose a choking hazard and is best to take away from your dog and replace with a new, larger chew. If your dog tends to chew fast and swallow whole pieces, this is especially important. And, as always, be sure to have a fresh supply of drinking water nearby.

What Are the Safest Treats for My Puppy?

To protect their puppy teeth from falling out too early, pet parents should look for softer chews designed for “light chewers.” Light chewers are defined as nibblers who take their time savoring chews or who lose interest over time. While your puppy may not be a nibbler or disinterested in chew time, these designated chews are softer and less damaging to your puppy’s teeth. When browsing our products, look for the “Light Chewer” icon, found under the product name. Some popular options include Redbarn’s Puff Braids, Tripe Twists, and Beef Jerky.

Do Bones Improve Dental Health?

No matter how small or large your dog is, they likely have a naturally strong urge to chew. As they chew on our natural bones, just as they would in the wild, the bone gently massages their gums while helping to scrape off plaque and tartar buildup. To your dog’s dismay, however, bones will not replace regular teeth cleanings at the vet’s office.

What Does Redbarn Do to Make Sure Your Bones are Safe?

First, our bones are safely sourced from trusted suppliers. Next, they are cleaned through a natural, proprietary process, rather than using bleach or other harsh chemicals. After cleaning, our bones are slow-roasted to perfection in their natural juices, free of added chemicals and preservatives. Lastly – as with all our products – every batch is tested for safety, from the time we process raw materials until the moment they leave our facility.

Bones can break or splinter depending on your dog’s chew level. It’s important to monitor your dog as they are enjoying their bone.

Where Does Redbarn Source its Bones?

As an independent manufacturer, Redbarn has full control over sourcing ingredients. We partner with credible suppliers in the U.S. and around the world to ensure Redbarn uses the most natural and sustainable ingredients available. When deciding to look outside the U.S., know we always keep our pet parents in mind and only partner with suppliers who share our same company values and whose operations meet or exceed our same U.S. standards.

We source our XL Ham Bone from the USA or Canada; Meaty Bones from the USA or Ireland; and, our White Bones from the USA, Ireland, and Brazil.

What Makes a Meaty Bone "Meaty"?

The real meat from the bone, of course! We hand trim our meaty bones of any excess fat, leaving small amounts of meat, tissue, and marrow. Our Meaty Bones are then slow-roasted and oven-dried at stringent temperatures and time for proper sterilization, making a safe and delicious chew your dog would enjoy in the wild!

Is it Safe for My Dog to Eat Broken Pieces of Bones?

Your pet’s safety is important to us. While we slow roast our natural bones to reduce breaking or splintering, pieces may break due to differences in the natural bone’s density. If you notice your dog is breaking off pieces, we recommend picking up and removing the bone and any excess bits immediately. These pieces run the risk of causing blockages, choking, or digestion issues. Always monitor your dog while they enjoy their chew and provide them with fresh drinking water. If you aren’t sure of which natural bone is the safest for your unique pet reach out to our customer service specialists or consult your vet.

Why do Bones Sometimes Vary in Shape, Size, or Color?

Redbarn only sources natural bones from real animals, just as your dog would find in the wild. But just like people and our four-legged family members, all animals are different, resulting in bone variations including bone coloring, size, and shape. For coloring in particular, Redbarn never uses bleach or other harsh and potentially dangerous chemicals to clean bones, so there is no consistent “white” coloring.

All Redbarn Dog Food

Is Redbarn Dog Food suitable for all breeds and sizes?

Yes, Redbarn’s Family of Foods has expanded to offer a variety of options tailored to different needs. Our lines include Rolled Food, Canned Food, Dry Dog Food, and Air-Dried Food, all available with options for all life stages.

With the exception of our Beef Recipes, all Redbarn foods provide a complete and balanced meal, formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO Dog Nutrition Profiles for all life stages, including the growth of large dogs (70 lbs or more as adults). Our Beef Recipes are a complete and balanced meal for adult dogs. Additionally, we've introduced Puppy and Large Breed Dry Dog food specifically designed to support the growth of large breed puppies.

Redbarn is dedicated to offering food tailored to special dietary requirements and is committed to developing more options in the future. If you need assistance choosing the best formula for your pup, please reach out to our specialists!

What is the shelf life of Redbarn dog food?

Redbarn Dry Dog Foods, Air Dried Dog Foods, and Semi-Moist Rolled foods have an 18-month shelf life. Our Canned Hearty Stews have a 36-month shelf life.

Can I recycle your dog food bags?

At this time our Dry Dog Food and Air Dried Dog Food bags are not recyclable.

Where are the ingredients sourced?

Our Rolled Food, Dry Dog Food and Air Dried recipes are made in the USA with globally sourced ingredients. Our Canned Stews are a product of Thailand. As an independent manufacturer, Redbarn has full control over sourcing ingredients. We partner with credible suppliers in the U.S. and around the world to ensure Redbarn uses the most natural and sustainable ingredients available. When deciding to look outside the U.S., know we always keep our pet parents in mind and only partner with suppliers who share our same company values and whose operations meet or exceed our same U.S. standards.

How do I transition my dog to Redbarn food?

We recommend a transition over a 7-day period. You’ll want to mix your dog’s new Redbarn food with their previous recipe, being mindful to slowly introduce the new food to prevent tummy troubles. Check out our transition guide and blog for more tips. Always check with your veterinarian if your dog has specific dietary restrictions or sensitivities before making the switch.

Can I rotate your dog foods to give my picky dog more variety?

Yes! We formulated our Family of Food recipes to allow pet parents to safely rotate between recipes. This not only allows you to add more variety to your dog’s taste buds, but ensures they get a variety of animal protein, essential amino acids, and functional ingredients to support a healthy, happy life. When rotating between Redbarn foods you do not need to go through a transitional period. To learn more read our blog post: How Rotational Diets Add Variety to Your Dog’s Meal .

What are Kcals/cup?

The “calorie” is technically called a “kilocalorie,” so one kcal is equivalent to one calorie.

Air Dried & Dry Dog Foods

Are the bags recycleable?

Unfortunately, our Air Dried and Dry Food bags are not recycleable.

Are the probiotic levels guaranteed?

We value transparency and stand by our promises to pet parents and pets. Because we apply probiotics after the cooking process, we can confidently stand by our guarantee of 40,000,000 (million) Colony Forming Units (CFU) per pound of kibble on all our kibble recipes. Our process also allows us to include higher levels than the amount we guarantee.

What strain of probiotics are in your foods?

We use three core strains of probiotics in our kibble recipes including Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Enterococcus Faecium, and Bacillus Subtilis.

What is the ash content?

The ash content in our Whole Grain and Grain-Free recipes are listed as follows: Whole Grain Sky: 8.661%. Whole Grain Land: 9.233%. Whole Grain Ocean: 7.635%. Grain-Free Sky: 8.703%. Grain-Free Land: 10.310%. Grain-Free Ocean: 8.462%.

How large are the pieces of food?

Because our Air Dried Dog Food is made of naturally formed meat cubes, the shape and dimensions will vary slightly from batch to batch. The approximate dimensions are 3/8 H x 3/8 W x 5/8 L.

Our kibble is similar to most kibble sizes, approximately 10-22mm in length and 5.5 to 6.5mm for cut. You can find an image of the kibble’s actual size on the back of every bag.

Semi-Moist Rolled Foods

How is the shelf life 18 months if you use only natural preservatives?

The answer is in the special packaging! Our Rolled Food is cooked while sealed in casings, protecting the food from air, which is often the cause of mold spores, bacteria, etc. These casings will break down over time; but after conducting thorough shelf-life studies, our results show our Rolled Food will remain fresh and safe for consumption, when unharmed, for up to 18 months

Can I use Redbarn Rolled Food to conceal pills for my pet?

Of course! Just cut an appropriately sized cube of Rolled Food, conceal the pill inside, and easily treat/medicate your pup. Redbarn Rolled Food also makes a great training treat or kibble topper when cubed or shredded.

Can I freeze Rolled Food?

Yes! You can safely freeze Redbarn Rolled Food for six months. Simply slice into sections and store in a sealed, air-tight container. Thaw to room temperature when you are ready to serve.

There is no need to freeze sealed rolls of food, as they are shelf stable for up to 18 months.

How do I store Redbarn Rolled Food?

While unopened, you can safely store Rolled Food in your pantry. The unopened rolls will remain fresh until the expiration date is stamped on the package. Once opened, store the remaining portions in a sealed, air-tight container in the fridge or freezer. Rolls will remain fresh for one to two weeks in the fridge and up to six months in the freezer.

Shipping Speed

All packages are shipped from our Kansas warehouse within 3 business days. Please note that expedited shipping does not include processing time.
Orders placed after 12:00PM PST may be processed the following business day.
You can generally expect to see your package 2-7 business days after your order is shipped. Tracking information will be emailed automatically upon shipment.
Free shipping promotions are only valid for the contiguous United States with physical street addresses. We currently do not ship to PO Boxes.

Contiguous United States

Shipping is a flat rate charge of $7.99 or FREE for orders over $79. If the subtotal of your order is above $79, you will automatically see your shipping fee waived upon checkout.
An extra chew or two may qualify you for free shipping, and what pup wouldn't appreciate a few extra treats?!

Non-Contiguous United States

For deliveries outside of the contiguous United States, we charge actual freight costs. You can find the shipping charges at the time of checkout. We do our best to offer the best rates for the areas we service. Alternatively, please check our Store Locator to find your favorite products at a store near you.

Large Volume Orders

Orders over 200lbs will include an added fee of $100.
Any order requiring LTL or special shipping accommodations, additional fees may apply. Please contact us at [email protected] or (800) 775-3849 if your order requires additional Freight services.

International Shipping

We love our Redbarn fans that live outside the United States, however, we are currently unable to offer international shipping.

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding our shipping policies; please contact us at (800) 775-3849.

Our Redbarn Promise

At Redbarn, we know how important our pets are to us and we understand that every pet is different. Sometimes your pup won't love their new food, treats & chews as much as you had hoped—that’s why we implemented our Redbarn Promise.

With the Redbarn Promise, you can shop with confidence knowing that you can return any product that didn't work out within 30 days for a full refund or replacement product. If you are unsatisfied in any way with our products, please contact us at (800) 775-3849 or send us an email at [email protected] and let us take care of you!