Treat it like raw chicken.

Thaw in the refrigerator, never on the counter. Allow about 24 hours for a 2 lb chub and 48 for a 5 lb. Thaw in a sealed container or on a tray to catch drips. A cold-water bath in sealed packaging works when you're short on time; microwave thawing is not recommended.

Wash hands with soap for 20 seconds before and after handling. Use a dedicated cutting board and utensils. Wash bowls, scoops and prep surfaces in hot soapy water after every meal, and refrigerate leftovers immediately. Don't leave food sitting in the bowl.

Keep chubs frozen at 0 °F until the day before you feed. Once thawed, use within 2–3 days in the refrigerator. Don't refreeze a fully thawed chub. If a chub smells off or has been left at room temperature, discard it.

Open the box outdoors or on a wipeable surface and move the chubs straight to the freezer. Chubs that arrive frozen solid, or still firm with ice crystals, are fine to refreeze. If any chub arrived fully soft and at room temperature, don't feed it. Photograph it and contact us. Handle the packing liner as you would raw meat packaging, and wash your hands afterwards.

Households with infants, adults over 65, pregnant people, or anyone immunocompromised should weigh the risk of handling any raw meat, including pet food, carefully. The FDA and CDC advise extra caution. Talk to your vet before starting a dog on raw if the dog is immunocompromised or being treated for illness.

The blends may be gently cooked. HPP reduces Salmonella and Listeria; heat eliminates them, at the cost of some of the nutritional benefit of raw. It is worth discussing with your veterinarian if your dog is immunocompromised or being treated for illness.