Frequently Arfed Questions

Heck yeah, it is! 100% of the chicken we use in our recipes is from poultry raised without antibiotics.

Nope, it sure doesn’t. Heckova! recipes use only raw, freshly ground chicken.

Good digestion is important for dogs to absorb essential nutrients. We include brown rice because it’s a good source of dietary fiber, which can help aid in digestion.

Purple sweet potatoes have a lot of great nutritional benefits for dogs. They’re packed with health-promoting antioxidants to support heart, digestive and immune health. They’re also a natural fiber source to aid in gut health.

Nope, it doesn’t. The sweet potatoes are washed, peeled, trimmed, blanched and diced, then dried.

Carrots have a lot of health benefits for dogs. They’re a natural fiber source to aid in gut health and also have nutrients that help to support immune and heart health.

Mixed tocopherols are forms of vitamin E that work as an all-natural antioxidant to help maintain the freshness and shelf life of Heckova!. And fresher food means better health for your dog.

Rosemary extract is part of an all-natural antioxidant that is added to help maintain the freshness and shelf life of Heckova! By protecting the food’s freshness, it also helps to protect your dog’s health.

Antioxidants are substances that help preserve the freshness of pet food and support your dog’s overall health by defending cells from free radical damage (also called oxidative stress). Free radical damage can lead to negative impacts, like faster aging, cancer, cardiovascular issues and more.

All ingredients are sourced in the USA except for carrots.

Each of our recipes is developed by our Research and Innovation team, which is made up of highly skilled experts in the fields of animal science, animal nutrition, food science and technology. They have years of experience working in animal nutrition at distinguished companies and are passionately devoted to formulating safe and nutritious freeze-dried recipes.

We’d be happy to answer your specific nutritional questions. Get in touch with us directly at 855-HECKOFA

Freeze drying (also known as lyophilization) is a process that removes water from frozen food by placing it under a vacuum at low temperatures. The process allows the ice in the food to change directly from a solid to a vapor, skipping the liquid phase (sublimation). Our freeze-drying process uses a combination of temperature, pressure and time to remove more than 95% of the water from our food without excessively heating it, thus preserving the food’s taste, texture and nutrition.

Heckova! can be fed as is, directly from the package as a treat, topper or mix-in, or it can be rehydrated. If rehydrating, add 2 tablespoons cool or warm water per ¼ cup of food. You can also use broth if you prefer (not hot). Let it sit for 2–3 minutes before serving and discard any rehydrated food after 1 hour if it is not consumed. Always make sure your dog has access to plenty of water.

Heckova! can be fed as is directly from the package, or you can rehydrate it. To rehydrate, add 2 tablespoons of warm water per ¼ cup food and let it sit for 2-3 minutes before serving. Feel free to use more or less water, depending on your dog’s preference. Discard any rehydrated food that is not consumed.

Heckova! can be given as a treat or “mixed in” to your pet’s current food (dry or wet) to provide extra taste and nutrition. Remember to follow the feeding instructions listed on the package.

Heckova! is formulated for all dog breeds and life stages. It is not designed to be your dog’s only source of nutrition; instead, it is meant to be served in addition as a treat or supplement. Remember to follow the feeding guidelines on the package to avoid overfeeding.

An unopened bag of Heckova! is good for up to 18 months, but you should check the printed expiration date on the bag. Once opened, a bag of Heckova! will stay fresh for 3 months, as long as it is properly resealed and stored between feedings.

After serving Heckova!, press as much air out of the pouch as you can and seal the package tightly. Store the closed package in a cool, dry location or at room temperature. We don’t recommend refrigerating or freezing Heckova! because it can lead to moisture accumulating inside the package, which can reduce the food’s shelf life. Be sure to wash your hands, utensils and your dog’s bowl in hot soapy water before and after feedings. Since Heckova! food is raw, be sure to discard any that's left over when your pup's done eating.

The bacteria in our raw food is killed through a step called high-pressure processing (HPP). HPP uses extremely high pressure to eliminate microorganisms such as E. coli., Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella. HPP is a scientifically validated process that retains the nutrients in the food much more effectively than cooking it.

Nope, HPP has little to no effect on the nutrition of Heckova! products. That’s what makes HPP such an essential step – it kills harmful pathogens, while preserving the nutrients of the raw food.

Quality starts with our ingredients. We have a very rigorous supplier approval program to ensure that all of our ingredients meet the highest standards for quality and traceability. During processing, each batch is high-pressure processed, goes through multiple metal detectors, and is tested for pathogens and microbiological indicators at three points during the manufacturing process. In addition, 100% of the product is manufactured in a facility that is Safe Quality Food (SQF) certified in both Pet Food Manufacturing and Quality. We’re proud to report that our facility has received the highest rating achievable (“Excellent”) in every SQF audit. Finally, we test and hold the product until it passes all of our rigorous safety and quality control steps to ensure that only the highest quality food makes it into your dog’s bowl.

You betcha. We stand by our Heckova! Guarantee, which says that if you're not happy, we'll make it right. Just contact us by email at customerservice@heckova.com and we'll help you return your Heckova! for a full refund.

The Safe Quality Food (SQF) Program is a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-recognized certification. The SQF program details strict food safety and quality standards that cover all aspects of the food supply chain. Every year, our food safety and quality program and manufacturing facility are audited by an SQF auditor. We’re incredibly proud to have earned an “Excellent” rating (the highest rating achievable) in every SQF audit.

You bet we do! Heckova! products are tested for palatability at certified canine kennels/institutions. We use these same kennels to make sure Heckova! is highly digestible.

Treats are generally formulated to be served occasionally, not as the sole source of complete and balanced nutrition for your dog. Unlike a diet, treats are not required to meet all the nutritional standards necessary to be a complete and balanced pet food.

Call us to discuss

At Heckova!, we've got a hot tip for you: avoid cooking, microwaving, or heating our tasty diets before serving them to your furry friends. Our diets are specially designed in a raw format, packed with all the essential nutrients adult dogs need to stay in top shape. Heating it up could potentially take away the nutritional punch that makes it so paw-some! So, let's keep things cool and follow the feeding guidelines we've prepared for the best results. Your pup will thank you with wagging tails and slobbery kisses!

We’d be happy to answer your specific nutritional questions. Get in touch with us directly at 855-HECKOFA

Doggone it, you sure can. Our Heckova! Guarantee says that if you’re not happy, we’ll make it right. But don’t wait around, ok? To request a refund or replacement, contact Heckova! at customerservice@heckova.com within 30 days of when your product was shipped. Please include both your order number and the product name.

Just like your pup, we want you to be happy. And if you’re not, we’ll do our very best to fix it. To request a refund or replacement, contact us at customerservice@heckova.com within 30 days of your product’s original ship date. We’ll refund your original purchase price, minus the original shipping and handling costs. Once your refund is approved, it’ll be processed within approximately 7 to 10 business days, and the credit will go back to your original method of payment. Requests made more than 30 days after the original ship date may not be approved.