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If your dog has eaten chicken, beef and lamb for years, a less-common protein can bring something different to the bowl. In New Zealand, that might mean wild goat, venison, possum or hare, alongside rabbit, kangaroo or horse.
But “novel protein” is not a magic label. It simply means a protein that is new—or at least unfamiliar—to your individual dog. Venison may be novel for one dog and an old favourite for another.
This guide compares the options, explains the product formats you will find, and helps you choose a sensible place to start. If you are investigating a suspected food allergy, there is a separate section below on why a properly controlled elimination diet needs more care.
Reviewed 15 September 2026.
Ready to browse? Explore our Wild & Novel Protein Raw Dog Food collection, including goat, venison, possum, kangaroo, rabbit and hare options.
| Protein | What is available from us | Useful to know before choosing |
|---|---|---|
| Goat | 80:10:10 blend, boneless meat, bone-in pieces and organs | One of our broadest wild-protein ranges. Check whether you want a ready-ratio blend or separate ingredients for building meals. |
| Venison | 80:10:10 blend, boneless cubes, organs and treats | A versatile NZ wild red meat. Choose the 80:10:10 product for meat, bone and organ in one blend; boneless cubes are a complementary ingredient. |
| Possum | 80:10:10 blend and whole-prey-style chunks | A distinctively New Zealand wild protein. Whole chunks vary naturally from piece to piece and are not a precisely measured 80:10:10 formula. |
| Kangaroo | Boneless meat and treats | Our raw kangaroo meat is a single-ingredient, boneless product from Australia. It needs to sit within an appropriately balanced diet rather than being the entire diet by itself. |
| Rabbit | Rabbit, chicken and lamb-organ blend; single-animal treats | Our current frozen rabbit food is not single protein: it contains chicken and lamb organs. It suits variety feeding, not a tightly controlled single-protein trial. |
| Hare | Whole-hare meat, bone and organ; hare treats | Rabbit and hare are different animals. Our frozen hare product contains one animal species and includes meat, bone and organ. |
| Horse | Boneless meat cubes | A less-common single-ingredient red meat. Because it is boneless muscle meat, add it only as part of a properly balanced feeding plan. |
There is no single “best” protein for every dog. Start with the dog in front of you: what they have eaten before, what product format you need, and how the new food will fit into the rest of the diet.
A novel protein is an animal protein a particular dog has not eaten before, or has eaten only rarely. There is no universal list.
That distinction matters. A dog that has regularly eaten a venison-based food may not be experiencing venison as a novel protein, even if the front of a new packet describes it that way. On the other hand, possum or hare may be genuinely unfamiliar to many Kiwi dogs because those meats are uncommon in mainstream pet food.
“Novel protein” also does not mean:
guaranteed hypoallergenic;
automatically complete and balanced;
automatically low in fat;
suitable for every life stage or health condition; or
safe to mix with other proteins during a controlled elimination trial.
It is best understood as a description of the dog’s feeding history—not a health promise.
For many dogs, the reason is simply variety. Different animal species, cuts and product formats bring different flavours, textures and nutrient profiles to a feeding rotation.
Owners may also look at less-common proteins when a dog does not seem to tolerate a familiar food. In that situation, the exact ingredient list matters far more than the headline on the packet. A food promoted as “rabbit”, for example, may also contain chicken, beef, lamb, fish or flavoured supplements.
If the goal is ordinary variety, a mixed-protein product may be perfectly useful. If the goal is to investigate a suspected adverse food reaction, mixing proteins makes the result much harder to interpret.
Goat is less common in everyday dog food than chicken, beef or lamb, and our wild New Zealand goat range gives raw feeders several ways to use it.
Choose our Wild Goat 80:10:10 Raw Dog Food if you want meat, edible bone and organ in one minced blend. If you prefer to assemble meals yourself, the wider Goat collection includes boneless meat, bone-in pieces and organs when available.
That format choice is important. Boneless goat is muscle meat, not a complete meal by itself. Goat pluck is an organ component. Bone-in pieces add a different texture and need to be selected and supervised appropriately. Read the individual product page rather than assuming every goat product does the same job.
Venison is familiar to New Zealanders, but it may still be novel for a dog that has mainly eaten conventional farmed proteins.
Our Wild NZ Venison 80:10:10 Raw Dog Food combines venison meat, bone and organ in an easy-to-portion blend. Our Venison collection also includes boneless meat, organs, bones and treats when available.
For a simple single-animal-species option, always check the ingredient panel. The Raw Dog Food Co’s 80:10:10 venison product is 100% venison, whereas some foods marketed around venison combine it with turkey, salmon, tripe or other meats. A mixed recipe can still be useful food—it just answers a different need.
Possum is one of the most distinctively New Zealand proteins in our range. Because it is rarely used in mainstream dog food, it may be genuinely new to many dogs.
Our Wild NZ Possum 80:10:10 Raw Dog Food is the straightforward option when you want a measured meat, bone and organ blend. Wild Possum Chunks with Bone offer a less-processed, whole-prey-style texture.
Those chunks contain meat, bone and organ, but the proportions vary naturally between pieces. Treat them as part of a varied, appropriately balanced diet—not as a precisely formulated ratio in every scoop. Choose pieces appropriate for your dog and supervise any bone-containing food.
Kangaroo is a less-common red meat for many New Zealand dogs. Our frozen kangaroo is sourced from Australia and sold as boneless, single-ingredient meat.
The Kangaroo Dog Food NZ product is useful when you want to control the animal protein in that ingredient, but boneless meat alone does not provide everything a dog needs. It must be combined with the other components required by your dog’s feeding plan.
For more detail on sourcing, product analysis, feeding context and storage, read our Kangaroo Meat for Dogs NZ guide.
Rabbit may be unfamiliar to many dogs, but the word “rabbit” on a product does not make the whole product single protein.
Our current Rabbit & Chicken Raw Dog Food contains 20% whole wild New Zealand rabbit, 70% chicken, 5% lamb liver and 5% lamb kidney. It is a multi-protein blend designed to add variety. It is not the right choice for a strict rabbit-only elimination trial or for a dog that needs to avoid chicken or lamb.
Rabbit ears, feet and skin are different again: they are treats and chews rather than a complete daily diet. Check each product’s ingredient list and feed treats as part of the dog’s overall intake.
Hares and rabbits are related, but they are different species. That can matter when you are keeping a clear feeding record.
Our Wild Hare Raw Dog Food is made from whole wild hare, including meat, bone and organ. It contains one animal species and is minced into convenient pieces.
Whole-animal ingredients do not remove the need to look at the whole diet. Product format, feeding amount, life stage and the other foods your dog receives still matter.
Horse is uncommon in most New Zealand commercial dog foods, so it may be novel for some dogs.
Our Horse Meat for Dogs NZ is 100% boneless meat cubes. It gives experienced raw feeders a less-common red meat for a customised diet, but it is complementary food rather than a complete meal on its own. Combine it with suitable bone, organ and any other components needed to meet your dog’s nutritional requirements.
These phrases sound similar but describe different things.
Single ingredient means the product contains one listed ingredient, such as boneless kangaroo meat.
Single animal species means all animal ingredients come from the same species. A whole-hare product may contain hare meat, bone and organs while still being single species.
Complete and balanced means the overall food is formulated to meet the dog’s nutritional requirements for the stated life stage. Neither “single ingredient” nor an 80:10:10 ratio proves this by itself.
Complementary food is intended to form part of a wider diet rather than provide every required nutrient on its own.
This is one of the easiest areas to get muddled. Before buying, ask: “What role will this exact product play in the whole week of food?”
No. A novel protein is merely unfamiliar to a particular dog. No animal protein can be guaranteed not to cause a reaction.
If your dog has recurring itching, ear problems or digestive upsets, there are many possible causes. Changing meat repeatedly at home can make the picture less clear. Speak with your veterinarian before using diet to investigate persistent symptoms or manage a diagnosed condition.
Veterinary elimination trials are controlled. The chosen diet is fed exclusively for the recommended period, and other protein sources—including treats, table scraps, flavoured supplements and some chewable medicines—may interfere. A veterinarian may recommend a carefully selected novel-protein diet, a hydrolysed diet or another approach based on the individual dog.
Most importantly, raw food is not automatically an allergy diet. The useful part is precise ingredient control, not simply the fact that the food is raw.
Look beyond the flavour printed on the front of previous foods. Check the full ingredient lists for secondary meats, animal fats, broths and flavourings. A protein is only truly novel if it is unfamiliar to your dog.
For everyday rotation, you can choose on availability, format and what your dog enjoys. For a suspected food reaction, get veterinary advice and keep the ingredient list tightly controlled.
An 80:10:10 blend, boneless cubes, organ meat and bone-in pieces are not interchangeable. Pick the item that fills the gap in your current feeding plan.
Do not assume a product is single protein from its name. This is especially important with blends, broths, treats, supplements and flavoured medicines.
Age, growth stage, activity, body condition, dental health, chewing style and medical history all affect what is appropriate. Puppies and dogs with health conditions need particular care with nutritional balance.
For an otherwise healthy dog already comfortable with raw food, introduce one new item in a modest amount and avoid changing several other things on the same day. Follow the product’s storage instructions and monitor appetite, stools and general comfort.
“Novel” does not change the basic feeding principle: the right amount depends on your dog and on the energy density and role of the product.
Use our Raw Dog Food Feeding Calculator NZ for a practical starting estimate, then adjust by body condition, activity and veterinary advice. For help with meat, bone, organs, transitioning and everyday routines, see the Raw Dog Feeding Guide NZ.
Remember that treats count too. Air-dried rabbit ears, hare ears, rabbit feet and kangaroo bites are extras, not invisible calories and not substitutes for a balanced meal.
Raw animal products can carry microorganisms, so good household handling matters.
Keep food frozen as directed.
Defrost in the refrigerator, ideally in a covered container.
Keep raw pet food separate from ready-to-eat human food.
Wash hands, bowls, utensils and preparation surfaces thoroughly after contact.
Do not leave uneaten raw food sitting out.
Supervise bone-containing foods and select pieces appropriate for the dog.
Take extra care in households with young children, pregnant people, older adults or anyone with reduced immunity; ask your health professional and veterinarian for individual advice.
For delivery areas, frozen packing and cut-off times, see Raw Dog Food Delivery NZ.
The easiest place to compare the range is our Wild & Novel Protein Raw Dog Food collection.
You can also go directly to:
If you are unsure which format fits your current feeding plan, contact us. Tell us what your dog eats now, what you are hoping to change and whether any protein needs to be avoided.
There is no universal best choice. The most useful starting point is a protein the individual dog has not eaten before, in a format that fits an appropriately balanced diet. Availability, ingredient simplicity and the dog’s needs matter more than choosing the most unusual meat.
It may be novel for many New Zealand dogs because it is uncommon in mainstream pet food. It is not novel for a dog that already eats possum regularly.
Venison can be novel for a dog with no previous exposure to it. Always check whether earlier foods contained venison as a secondary ingredient and whether the new venison product contains other animal species.
No. Rabbits and hares are different animals. Keep them separate in a feeding history, especially if your veterinarian is helping you investigate a food reaction.
Yes for ordinary variety feeding, if the overall diet is appropriate for your dog. No if you are trying to run a clear single-protein elimination trial, because mixing species makes it difficult to identify what the dog is responding to.
No. Our current frozen Rabbit & Chicken blend also contains lamb liver and kidney. Read the complete ingredient list on every product.
No. Fat varies by species, cut, season and formulation. Check the analysis for the actual product where it is provided, and ask us if you need more detail. Dogs requiring medically controlled fat intake should follow veterinary advice.
The animal species is only one part of the question. Puppies need a diet balanced for growth, including appropriate energy, calcium, phosphorus and other nutrients. Do not rely on boneless meat or an assumed ratio as a complete puppy diet; use a properly formulated plan and seek professional advice if needed.
Not automatically. It describes a prey-model proportion of meat, bone and organ. Percentages alone do not establish that every essential nutrient is present in the right amount for every dog or life stage.
Discuss persistent symptoms with your veterinarian. A novel protein may be one component of a diagnostic elimination trial, but correct protein selection, exclusive feeding, duration, nutritional adequacy and a controlled re-challenge all matter. Simply swapping to an unusual meat is not a diagnosis.
For independent information on raw feeding, food safety and dietary allergy management: