Packaging and Shipping Information
We make our natural, home-cooked meals then immediately freeze each portion in either a vacuum-sealed bag or a food approved plastic containers. Then we either deliver our meals to you personally, provided you are within our local area or else we ship meals in a special, insulated shipping container like those used to ship fish across the country. They will keep your meals cold and safe as they travel to your home.
The vacuum-sealed meals will stay fresh for at least six months when kept frozen. The storage containers will stay fresh approximately two months when kept frozen. Once defrosted, we recommend that you keep the container food or vacuum-sealed bag refrigerated, using the food within 72 hours.
Regular Shipments To Fit Your Life-Style
At Healthy Bones we want to make the use of our food as convenient as possible, therefore we deliver our meals directly to your home! We work
with you, determining the order size and delivery schedule that best fits your schedule. Our Auto-Ship program ensures you always have a fresh supply of food for your beloved dog.
The Healthy Bones Autoship program is a recurring, monthly billing that will not only save you time, but it also ensures that you never run out of your Dog's food, treats and/or training incentives.
Our Preferred Customer Program is FREE! As a Preferred Customer you can have your favorite dog products shipped (or delivered if available in your area) to you automatically every month, on a regular schedule.
It's that simple!
Healthy Bones AUTO-SHIP: Meeting your lifestyle needs
- Costs Nothing to Join as a Preferred Customer.
- Get Automatic Shipments Delivered Right to Your Door
- Never run out of your Dog's favorite food because you forgot to reorder - product is sent to you on a time frame that YOU choose! Either approximately the 1st or 15th of each month.
- Signing up for autoship enables you to receive special offers only available to autoship customers.
- Autoship will remain active month-to-month unless you choose to cancel.
- Call us at 847-540-5024 for further details
Please note that by signing up for autoship, you are agreeing that you will purchase the product of your choice, which will be delivered to you every month. By doing this, you agree to pay the monthly price of the product at the time you signed up for autoship. If you need to change your order in any way, please contact us at least 30 days prior for any change requests. Thank you for your kind cooperation.
Note: Due to legally observed Holidays, your food may arrive a day or two before or after a Holiday. Please plan accordingly.
Have Questions - Call 847-540-5024 or Email: Jeanine@healthybonesdogfood.com
Local Delivery Service
If you live locally you have the option of having
Healthy Bones Dog Food delivered directly to your door. If you're not home at the time of delivery, we ask that you leave out a cooler. Your Healthy Bones food will be placed in that cooler with a re-usable ice pack. We recommend the food not remain in the cooler longer than a couple of hours, especially on hot summer days.
We offer local delivery to the following areas.
A $10 convenience charge covers the cost of each delivery to the following areas:
| Barrington, IL |
Inverness, IL |
Palatine, IL |
| Barrington Hills, IL |
Kildeer, IL |
South Barrington, IL |
| Cary, IL |
Lake Barrington, IL |
Wauconda, IL |
| Crystal Lake, IL |
McHenry, IL |
Vernon Hills, IL |
| Deer Park, IL |
Mundelein, IL |
Volo, IL |
| Hawthorn Woods, IL |
North Barrington, IL |
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If you live outside of our local delivery area, we also ship our products via FedEx ground. By utilizing insulated shipping containers, we have the ability to keep product frozen so we can ship conveniently to your home. Call for shipping details and pricing.
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Nationwide Shipping
We ship via FedEx or UPS to almost everywhere in the continental United States. We do not ship to Alaska, Hawaii, New Mexico, or Internationally.
FedEx and UPS shipments require dry ice in insulated containers to ensure your frozen recipes arrive at your door as frozen as when it shipped from Illinois. There is a minimum order per FedEx/UPS shipment so please give us a call and we'll help design a cost-effective order that works for you.
Food Storage and Safety
We have two convenient dog meal packaging options for our customers: Plastic, lidded containers (not airtight) and vacuum-sealed, air tight bags. Either option is available to you and is a matter of personal preference, storage space and convenience.
Food Storage Containers: Containers are easy and convenient to use. You simply open the lid, take what you need, replace the lid and return the remaining contents back in your refrigerator until the next meal. Meals packaged in food storage containers will last up to 2-months in the freezer, or 3-5 days in the refrigerator once thawed. Many customers desire this packaging for convenience and ease, however please be aware that these containers are not air-tight, therefore after about 2-months in the freezer, while not a safety risk, you may experience
liquid crystallization. It is recommended you use Healthy Bones in a timely manner. Food storage containers can be safely used in your microwave, however I like to transfer all foods I microwave (my food and dogs) into a glass container, but that is just me. Our containers are washable, reusable, microwavable, and recyclable.
Vacuum-Sealed Bag Storage: Vacuum-sealed bags are a great option if you have limited freezer space. Bags stack, tuck, and lay flat, taking up less freezer room than our containers. Our air-tight vacuum-sealed bags are FDA approved, BPA free, and will last up to one year in your freezer. They are even washable and reusable if you have a Foodsaver unit yourself. You can also place them in warm water to heat the food if you desire, just do not boil in the bag. You don't want to scorch your dogs tongue or esophagus. Once thawed and opened, bags do require that you transfer the contents into a refrigerator safe container with a lid since the vacuum bags do not have a zip lock top.
How To Thaw
Remove desired package from the freezer and thaw your food overnight in the refrigerator. Do not leave overnight on the counter to thaw as this is not a good food safety practice. Vacuum-sealed bags thaw quicker than the food storage containers so please plan accordingly. Once your food has been thawed, you should use the food within 3-5 days. Think of this as you would a Thanksgiving feast. You have your fresh food on a Thursday and generally have to eat up your leftovers by Monday. This is indeed fresh food that does not contain preservatives, stabilizers or gelling agents so please use promptly.
Dog Biscuit and Training Treat Storage
Our treats contain real, USDA meats, however we do not use preservatives in our products. The positive result is a preservative-free product yet we now have a shorter shelf life. My philosophy? I'd gladly exchange a shorter shelf life for a longer, healthier dog life!
You can store biscuits and training treats in the freezer until ready to use. Simply take out what you need and use within 2-4 days. Bakery items come in plastic storage cases and are not vacuum-sealed. For longer storage, you may want to transfer items into a zip top bag prior to freezing.
Questions & Answers
What foods are toxic to dogs?
These are just some foods dogs should not eat and could be deadly:
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Grapes and Raisins: Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs. As little as a single serving of raisins can kill a dog.
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Onions: Onions destroy red blood cells and can cause anemia.
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Chocolate: Chocolate can cause seizures, coma and death. Baker's chocolate is the most dangerous. Always have peroxide on hand to induce vomiting in an emergency.
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Coffee, coffee grounds, tea, and tea bags: Drinks/foods containing caffeine cause many of the same symptoms chocolate. Be careful with cocoa mulch as it is also toxic to dogs.
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Macadamia Nuts and Walnuts: Macadamia nuts can cause weakness, muscle tremor and paralysis. Nuts are high phosphorous content, which can potentially lead to bladder stones.
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Animal fat and fried foods: Excessive fat can cause pancreatitis.
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Bones: Cooked bones can splinter and damage a dog's internal organs. Raw Bone are OK, however, I no longer feed bones to my dog personally. A dog can sustain a fracture to its teeth, without you knowing, leading to dental problem that can also lead to illness and even death. For me personally, it is just not worth the risk.
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Tomatoes: Tomatoes, the fruit, can be eaten however, the entire plant and flowers along with immature fruit are toxic.
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Avocados: The fruit, pit and plant are all toxic. They can cause difficulty breathing and fluid accumulation in the chest, abdomen and heart.
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Nutmeg: Nutmeg can cause tremors, seizures and death.
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Pits from Apples, Cherries, & Peaches: The fruits are fine but the seed contain cyanide, which is poisonous to dogs and humans alike. Pits can also become lodged in the intestines and prove fatal.
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Raw Eggs: Raw eggs can cause salmonella poisoning in dogs. While dogs have a shorter digestive tract than humans, they can still suffer from food poisoning. Lightly scrambled are best!
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Salt: Excessive salt intake can cause kidney problems.
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Mushrooms: The only safe mushrooms are shitake, maitake and reishi. Never let dogs eat mushrooms you find in your yard.
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Xylitol: This is deadly! While Xylitol is considered a healthy sugar for human consumption, never give an animal any food containing even a trace of Xylitol. This sugar is popular in gums and mints. Same goes for Splenda. These substances can kill with just a trace of it, causing liver failure. Kinda makes you wonder why people ingest it?
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Pennies: Very Important! Pennies can be fatal to dogs. Pennies made from the 1980s to today contain zinc, which can cause kidney failure and damage to red blood cells. A dog that consumes even one penny can become quite sick, or even die, if the penny is not removed. Pick up pennies off your floor. Puppies especially find them enticing.
Is this considered a raw diet?
No. Our food is cooked thus reducing concerns of bacterial contamination. Raw foods, which are uncooked meats (chicken, turkey, beef, etc.) run the risk of being contaminated with bacteria, including Salmonella and E. Coli, Dogs who ingest the bacteria, even those dogs that don't show signs of disease themselves, may pass the bacteria on where it can infect humans. There is garnered support as well as open opposition concerning feeding your dog a raw diet. You can certainly research this on the Internet for more information. Healthy Bones has simply chosen to be the best provider of cooked food. That is our passion.
Can Healthy Bones be fed to any breed dog?
Technically, yes, however if your dog has any known allergies, illnesses, diseases or special nutritional requirements, you should always check with your trusted veterinarian before making any changes. The health of your loved dog is top priority!
Can I mix Healthy Bones Dog Food with my dog's current kibble?
Yes, you can, however the less commercial dog food the better. If you have specific budget restraints, we suggest you use a high-grade kibble and mix it with Healthy Bones. Your dog will still receive the healthy benefits of a home-cooked meal, which is far more beneficial than feeding commercial food exclusively.
How much food will my dog eat?
Each dog, breed, and weight will vary. See our
Feeding Guide for helpful suggestions.
Aren't table scraps bad for my dog?
If by table scraps you mean potato chips or junk food, then this is correct. However, it is a myth that you cannot feed nutritious whole foods to your dog. Once your dog tastes the real deal, the stuff from the bag will have your dog wondering why you didn't give him this long ago. Serving real food provides living enzymes, high nutrition and the needed vitamins and minerals your dog needs for superior health Note: there are some foods toxic to dogs. (See list above)
What if my dog is allergic to one of the Healthy Bones ingredients?
If you know in advance that your dog is sensitive or allergic to a particular ingredient, call to discuss this with us. We will work with you to find a suitable substitute that will allow us to maintain the same high-quality nutritional content. If we are unable to do so, we will tell you. We want what is best for your dog even if it means it is not our food.
Once I remove Healthy Bones from the freezer how long will it last?
Healthy Bones is made fresh and immediately frozen. Once thawed it should remain refrigerated and used within 3-5 days.
What exactly is the USDA?
It stands for The United States Department of Agriculture. Ingredients approved for human consumption by the USDA are deemed to be safe, nutritious and digestible. Our dog food company uses only USDA approved ingredients.
What are by-products?
Typically by-products are the left over parts and pieces from the production of food for humans. An example would be, parts of a chicken or cow that cannot be eaten by people, parts including hair, hide, bone, etc. This is the same for vegetables, fruits, grains and other items. Leftovers such as empty peanut shells, parts of a wheat plant or corn stalk, etc. are also by-products and cannot be digested by humans. These products are equally as unhealthy for dogs.
I keep hearing about meat renderings. What does rendering mean?
Slaughterhouses by their very nature create massive volumes of inedible, unwanted waste that is not fit for human consumption. Items such as hair, hoof, beak, neck, bone, blood, eyeballs, entire carcasses from diseased and disabled animals, etc make up much of the materials in slaughterhouses. Rendering is the process of boiling these ingredients, as well as restaurant and grocery store waste into a mixture that is then sold to manufacturers for final use in animal feed, including pet food.
Are rawhide bones safe for dogs?
Most rawhides have chemicals that cause cancer. For me it is not worth the risk. If your dog could read for himself, he'd probably take a pass as well. Try natural, preservative free jerky. Healthy Bones will be carrying jerky products in 2013.
Will you be offering cat food?
Recently I read that if a cat ingests dry dog food over a prolonged period of time, this may result in malnutrition and disease affecting the heart? Doesn't say much for dry dog food, does it? While there are indeed similarities to some degree in cats and dogs, feline nutritional requirements are nonetheless different from the canine species. While we love cats, our focus and specialty right now is centered on canines. Please watch our
News & Updates page for future announcements on additional product offerings and releases. In the meantime, keep your cat (and we'll keep our dogs) away from nutritionally deficient dry dog kibble.
How does my food arrive and what if I am not home when it comes?
Healthy Bones Dog Food is cooked fresh and immediately frozen. We have vacuum-sealed packaging as well as convenience food storage containers that are not vacuum-sealed. It is shipped or delivered to you in special packaging with a precise volume of dry ice or freeze brick so it will be frozen upon arrival. You will want to place the food in the freezer or refrigerator the same day it arrives.
What is dry ice and is it harmful?
The best way to ensure the product remains frozen is to use dry ice or freeze bricks. Dry ice is very cold, about -110° F so you never want to touch it with your bare hands. Typically the dry ice dissipates by the time the shipment reaches you however if your package arrives with dry ice remaining, simply leave it outside in a safe place to evaporate. Please note, locally delivered food does NOT contain dry ice but is delivered with freezer packs.
Do you have a recommendation for a reputable dog breeder?
While there are many reputable breeders through the AKC, I only recommend breeders I know personally and have a relationship with since I know their credibility and the conditions of their facilities. Please see our
links page for more information.
My dog has some behavioral challenges that concern me. What do you suggest?
I am not a certified animal behavioral therapist, therefore I would suggest you seek a professional in your area for help and advise. Be sure to check their references and if possible, find them by referral. If you are in the Illinois area you may contact Dr. Teresa Gray at
www.delightdogstraining.org.
How much does it cost?
Healthy Bones is a premium, human grade food. We spend many hours shopping for the freshest ingredients, home cooking our meats, and individually adding vitamins, oils, and minerals, one container at a time, to ensure your dog is getting the proper distribution of these nutrients. We package, label and freeze in a timely manner for the freshest product possible, just shy of us cooking in your personal kitchen. You would not go into a high-end steakhouse and expect to get a prime steak for a burger joint price? Healthy Bones is the REAL DEAL! We manufacture our meals without any rice, oats, corn, wheat, soy, or other bulk, grain ingredients. Simply put, a pound of chicken is far more expensive than a pound of rice, but the cost of added protein and the absence of bulk grain fillers we believe, is priceless. Most of our meals cost around $10.00 per 2 pounds container of home-cooked, nutrient packed goodness. Call Pet Chef Jeanine at 847-540-5024 for more information.
Do you take credit or debit cards?
At this time, we do not. The fees involved with credit/debit cards drive up the cost of the food and we try diligently to keep this premium food reasonable. We accept checks, money orders, cashiers checks, Pay Pal, or cash at the time of delivery (if we deliver locally to your home). In the future when we negotiate with credit card providers, we will post on our
News & Updates page to inform you as to when we will begin accepting credit and debit cards. Thank you for your kind understanding.
