Get Joy vs Stella & Chewy's: Which Freeze-Dried Raw Is Better for Your Dog's Gut?

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

Both Get Joy and Stella & Chewy's are a genuine step up from standard kibble, so the honest question is not which brand is better in the abstract. It is what the food actually does for your dog once it is in the bowl, and which approach fits your household. If your priority is gut function and probiotic potency, Get Joy is likely the better fit; if you specifically want a widely available raw brand with high meat inclusion that you can grab in stores, Stella & Chewy's is a strong choice.

Here is what most raw comparisons miss. The question is not just how raw a food is, or how much meat is on the label. It is what the food actually does for your dog once it is in the bowl. That is where Get Joy takes a different path: we start with the gut, because gut health is whole-body health, and we build our Belly Biotics blend of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics directly into every meal. Raw is the format. Gut function is the outcome.

What is the main difference between Get Joy and Stella & Chewy's?

The main difference is that Get Joy is built around gut function while Stella & Chewy's is built around raw format and retail reach. Stella & Chewy's offers a wide lineup, from freeze-dried raw dinner patties and morsels to frozen raw, raw-coated kibble, baked kibble, wet stews, and treats, sold in stores nationwide. Get Joy focuses on what happens after your dog eats: better digestion, immune support, and a cleaner bowl, powered by biotics built into the food.

Both brands make freeze-dried raw, so the fairest head-to-head is Get Joy Freeze Dried Raw versus Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried raw patties. Get Joy pairs single-protein recipes (Beef or Chicken) with a functional gut system. Stella & Chewy's pairs high meat inclusion with organic produce and a probiotic fortification. That gap between building the gut in versus fortifying is the heart of Get Joy vs Stella & Chewy's.

Get Joy vs Stella & Chewy's at a glance

Here is the head-to-head on the factors dog parents ask about most.

Which is better for your dog's gut health?

Get Joy is the clear choice for gut health because it builds a live pre-, pro-, and postbiotic system into every meal at a potency most of the category does not touch. Our Belly Biotics blend delivers 3 billion CFU per pound across five probiotic strains (Bacillus coagulans, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, L. reuteri, and Bifidobacterium animalis), plus inulin as a prebiotic and yeast culture as a postbiotic. This is not a sprinkle-on afterthought. It is a structural part of the recipe.

Why does this matter so much? Gut health drives far more than digestion. A balanced microbiome supports immune function, skin and coat, steady energy, and a healthy inflammatory response, a link well documented in the veterinary literature on the canine gut microbiome and metabolome. Stella & Chewy's does fortify its food with probiotics, which is a genuine plus over brands with none, but at 20 million CFU per pound it operates at a fraction of Get Joy's potency. Get Joy does the gut-support job in the same scoop, at scale. If you want the science first, start with Gut Health 101 and our guide to pre, pro, and postbiotics.

Which has more probiotics?

Get Joy has far more probiotics, about 150 times more than Stella & Chewy's. Get Joy delivers 3 billion CFU per pound, while Stella & Chewy's lists 20 million CFU per pound. That is not a rounding difference. It is a different order of magnitude, and it is one of the clearest reasons dog parents choose Get Joy vs Stella & Chewy's when gut support is the goal.

Potency matters because probiotics have to survive processing and reach the gut in numbers big enough to make a difference. Get Joy also pairs those live strains with a prebiotic (inulin) to feed them and a postbiotic (yeast culture) to round out the system, so it is a complete gut approach rather than a single ingredient. Stella & Chewy's fortifies its recipes with probiotics, which is a real step up from raw with nothing added, but it is a fortification rather than a full built-in system.

Which has better ingredients?

Both brands use clean, animal-first ingredients, but Get Joy pairs premium protein with functional gut support and a simpler single-protein build. Our Freeze Dried Raw uses USDA-sourced beef or chicken with organ meat, plus purpose-chosen whole foods and the ancient grain sorghum, which is gluten-free and low glycemic. We hold the Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio at no more than 3:1 for anti-inflammatory support, source 100% from the USA, and include no seed oils, fillers, byproducts, or artificial anything. Every recipe is single-protein, non-GMO, and gluten-free.

Stella & Chewy's is genuinely high quality on the protein front, with 90 to 98% meat (95% in its flagship patties) and organic produce in most recipes. That is a strong build. The difference is philosophy: Stella & Chewy's leans into a broader produce list and high meat percentage, while Get Joy keeps each recipe single-protein for sensitive dogs and adds a functional gut layer on top of a clean base. Get Joy also reaches 99% starch digestibility (95%+ gelatinization, versus most competitors under 80% gelatinized) and up to 97% nutrient retention, for high bioavailability and a smaller, firmer stool.

Is Get Joy safer than Stella & Chewy's?

Both brands take safety seriously, and both are made in the USA in SQF-certified facilities, but they get there in very different ways, and Get Joy's method protects nutrients and probiotics better. Stella & Chewy's relies on high-pressure processing, or HPP, which it markets as SecureByNature. HPP uses intense pressure to inactivate bacteria. It is a documented, effective safety step, but it is a harsh one that can degrade delicate nutrients and reduce live probiotics.

Get Joy uses Competitive Inhibition instead. This is an FDA-approved, natural kill step where beneficial probiotics claim the space and resources that harmful bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria would need to survive. Picture a dog park where all the good dogs already took the best spots, so the troublemakers have nowhere to go. Because we do not lean on HPP, high heat, irradiation, microwave, or acidifiers, and we keep our max product temperature at 125°F, we preserve the nutrients, texture, and 3 billion CFU per pound of probiotics that make freeze-drying worth doing. Get Joy is also third-party tested, so safety is verified independently.

Which is easier to buy?

Stella & Chewy's is easier to buy on impulse because it is a retail-first brand you can find in pet stores nationwide, plus Chewy and Amazon. If you want to grab a bag on your way home tonight, that reach is a real advantage, and it is fair to give Stella & Chewy's full credit for it.

Get Joy takes a different approach built for consistency, not the checkout aisle. It ships direct to your door on a subscription you can pause, skip, or cancel anytime, with 50% off your first order and 10% off after that, plus free shipping over $75 and a 30-day guarantee. Because it is shelf-stable, there is no freezer space to clear and no thawing. And because freeze-drying removes nearly all the moisture, about 1 lb of Get Joy equals roughly 4 lbs of fresh food, so a light bag goes a long way. See how much freeze dried raw to feed for portions, and why freeze dried raw costs what it does for value context.

The final verdict: Get Joy or Stella & Chewy's?

Get Joy is the best choice for dog parents who want the benefits of raw plus a high-potency gut-health system in one convenient, shelf-stable meal. Stella & Chewy's is the better fit if wide in-store availability and high meat inclusion are your top priorities. This is the core of Get Joy vs Stella & Chewy's: function first, or format and reach first.

Frequently asked questions

Is Get Joy better than Stella & Chewy's?

For dog parents who care about gut health and probiotic potency, Get Joy has an edge because it builds a full pre-, pro-, and postbiotic system into every meal at 3 billion CFU per pound and uses a natural kill step instead of HPP. Stella & Chewy's is a strong choice if you want a widely available raw brand with high meat inclusion.

Does Stella & Chewy's have probiotics in the food?

Yes, Stella & Chewy's fortifies its food with probiotics at 20 million CFU per pound. Get Joy builds Belly Biotics into every meal at 3 billion CFU per pound across five strains, which is about 150 times more probiotic potency.

Does Get Joy use HPP?

No. Get Joy uses Competitive Inhibition, an FDA-approved natural kill step, instead of high-pressure processing, high heat, irradiation, microwave, or acidifiers. This keeps nutrients, texture, and probiotics intact. Stella & Chewy's uses HPP.

Which is better for a dog with a sensitive stomach?

Get Joy keeps each recipe single-protein and adds a built-in gut system of prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics, which can help support digestion and a cleaner, firmer stool. Always transition gradually and check with your vet for your dog's individual needs.

Can I use Get Joy as a topper?

Yes. Get Joy Freeze Dried Raw works as a complete meal, a topper over your dog's current food, or a training reward. Even a small daily scoop adds real raw nutrition and gut support.

Competitor details (formats, meat inclusion, probiotic CFU, HPP use) are drawn from Stella & Chewy's own website and public retailer listings as of July 2026; prices and specs can change, so confirm current details on each brand's site at publish. 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.