Get Joy Freeze Dried Raw Booster vs Instinct Raw Boost Shakers: Which Shaker Topper Is Right for Your Dog? (2026)

Updated: July 2026 · Reviewed against verified competitor data and Get Joy product facts · See our vet & nutrition experts

This is the cleanest matchup in the category: two freeze-dried raw powders, two 5.5 oz shaker bottles, the same 2-tablespoons-per-cup feeding guidance, and both approved by picky eaters. Instinct Raw Boost Shakers Gut Health is a credible functional shaker with real whole foods and a single live probiotic strain. The Get Joy Freeze Dried Raw Booster carries a complete built-in system: prebiotic, five live probiotic strains, and postbiotic (Belly Biotics), in a beef-and-organ formula. Both are real toppers for the same job, so the honest framing is completeness of function and value, not format. If you want wide in-store availability or a chicken base, Instinct may suit you best; if you want the more complete biotic system at a lower price per bottle, the Booster is likely the better fit.

What is the main difference between the two shakers?

The main difference is completeness of the biotic system. Both are freeze-dried raw shakers, but Instinct's Gut Health recipe includes one live probiotic strain plus fiber, while the Get Joy Booster builds a full three-part system into the formula: prebiotic to feed, five live probiotic strains to populate, and postbiotic to produce the beneficial compounds. Instinct's shaker is a flavor-and-protein topper with a functional start. The Booster is a flavor, protein, and function topper with the complete system built in.

The other difference is base protein and price. Get Joy centers beef and organs at $14.99; Instinct's Gut Health recipe centers chicken at about $17.99 for the same 5.5 oz bottle.

The Booster vs Instinct Raw Boost Shakers at a glance

Here is the head-to-head on the factors dog parents ask about most. Pricing and product details verified as of July 22, 2026; confirm live pricing before you buy.

What does Instinct get right?

Plenty. Instinct helped pioneer raw pet nutrition, and Raw Boost Shakers brought real thought to the pour format: a resealable bottle, a powder fine enough to coat every bite, and the smart option to mix with equal parts warm water for a gravy. The Gut Health recipe is honest functional design: cage-free chicken with chicken liver and heart, pumpkin seeds, dried pumpkin, sweet potato, chicory root, and apple cider vinegar, plus a guaranteed live probiotic (Bacillus coagulans at 200 million CFU/lb). It is made in the USA without grain, corn, wheat, soy, potato, or artificial preservatives, with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Among pour toppers, this is the most credible functional competitor, which is exactly why the differences matter.

Which shaker does more for your dog's gut health?

The Get Joy Booster carries the more complete gut-health system. Credit where it is due: Instinct's Gut Health Shaker is real functional design, not marketing. Chicory root contains inulin, and a guaranteed live strain is more than most pour toppers offer. The gap is completeness. One strain is a start; Belly Biotics is a designed three-part system: inulin prebiotic to feed, five named live probiotic strains (Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, L. reuteri, Bifidobacterium animalis) to populate a diverse microbiome, and a yeast culture postbiotic to produce the beneficial compounds, including short-chain fatty acids, that nourish the gut lining. Postbiotics are the functional output of a healthy gut, and nearly every brand stops one step short of them.

Worth noting on the numbers: Instinct's 15% max fiber means a meaningful share of each scoop is fiber; Get Joy caps fiber at 6% and puts more of the formula into meat, organs, and the biotic system. Because gut health is whole-body health, that biotic completeness is the heart of the difference. For the science, see our guide to pre, pro, and postbiotics.

Which has better ingredients?

Both are clean, USA-made, and free of grain fillers and artificial preservatives, so this comes down to base protein and formula priorities. Get Joy centers 100% USDA-sourced beef with heart, kidney, and liver, then adds pumpkin, flaxseed, and salmon oil plus the built-in Belly Biotics system. Instinct's Gut Health recipe centers cage-free chicken with chicken liver and heart, plus pumpkin seeds, dried pumpkin, sweet potato, chicory root, and apple cider vinegar. If your dog does best on chicken, Instinct has the edge on base protein; if you want beef and organs with a complete biotic system, the Booster does. One more label note: the Booster is formulated for all life stages, while Instinct's Shakers are labeled for intermittent or supplemental feeding.

How do you use a shaker topper?

Both work the same easy way. Shake about 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of food, straight from the bottle, over kibble, wet, fresh, or raw food. You can also add warm water to the powder to make a gravy; Get Joy suggests a splash of water or bone broth over the shaken bowl to release the aroma picky eaters love. Reduce the base food slightly to keep daily calories steady, since the Get Joy Booster is 18.5 kcal per tablespoon. New to the format? See using freeze-dried raw as a topper and how much freeze dried raw to feed.

Which shaker costs less per bottle?

Bottle for bottle, this one is simple. Both are 5.5 oz shakers. Get Joy is $14.99 ($2.73/oz) and Instinct is around $17.99 ($3.27/oz). Add Get Joy's 50% off first subscription order (about $7.50, roughly $1.36/oz) and 10% off every order after, and the complete-system shaker is also the cheaper one.

Same shake, more biotics, less money, and the 30-Day Clean-Bowl guarantee removes the rest of the risk on the first try.

The verdict: Booster or Instinct?

Both are credible functional shakers in the same bottle size. The pick comes down to base protein, availability, and how complete you want the biotic system to be.

Frequently asked questions

Does Instinct Raw Boost Shakers Gut Health have probiotics?

Yes, one guaranteed live strain: Bacillus coagulans at 200 million CFU/lb, alongside fiber sources like chicory root. Get Joy's Belly Biotics includes five live probiotic strains plus prebiotics and postbiotics as one system.

What is the difference between a probiotic and a postbiotic for dogs?

Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria. Postbiotics are the beneficial compounds those bacteria produce, like short-chain fatty acids that support the gut lining. A complete gut-health system includes prebiotics (fuel), probiotics (bacteria), and postbiotics (output).

Can I mix a shaker topper into a gravy?

Yes. Both products work this way: add warm water to the powder. Get Joy also suggests a splash of water or bone broth over the shaken bowl to release the aroma picky eaters love.

How much shaker topper should I add to my dog's food?

About 2 tablespoons per 1 cup of food for both products. Reduce the base food slightly to keep daily calories steady (the Get Joy Booster is 18.5 kcal per tablespoon).

Which shaker topper is better for a sensitive stomach?

Both aim at digestion. Get Joy's advantage is the complete Belly Biotics system, five strains plus prebiotics and postbiotics, with gentle whole foods like pumpkin and flaxseed. If your dog has a diagnosed GI condition, ask your veterinarian before adding any topper.

Competitor details (format, ingredients, guaranteed analysis, and pricing for Instinct Raw Boost Shakers) are drawn from Instinct's public product listings and retailer pages, verified as of July 2026; prices and specs can change, so confirm current details on the brand's site. Get Joy figures are from getjoyfood.com and internal product documentation. This article is for education and is not veterinary advice; consult your vet for your dog's individual needs.