Frequently asked questions.

Shinto’s Pet Food is our fresh food brand, founded in 2011. We make our fresh formulas, Bone Marrow Stock, treats, supplements, and rotational feeding products in our Grass Valley kitchen.

Pet Food Culture is the name of our retail stores. Shinto’s Pet Food is the food brand we make. Each store also carries carefully selected foods, treats, supplements, and wellness products from other brands we trust.

Most new dogs begin with a Chicken or Turkey Starter Kit. Dogs that can eat several proteins may begin with the Foundation Variety Starter Kit. For complex sensitivities or health concerns, begin with a consultation.

Explore Starter Kits

No. Many families can begin with the calculator and a Starter Kit. A consultation is recommended for multiple sensitivities, complicated feeding histories, significant digestive concerns, pancreatitis, kidney or liver concerns, medical treatment, or highly individualized plans.

Choose the path that fits your needs: a Starter Kit, the Rotational Feeding Program, Mix & Match, or Shop the Store.

Explore our Free Starter Kit Consultation, New Client Nutrition Consultation, Nutrition Follow-Up, Detailed Nutrition & Wellness Review, Virtual Pet Food Cooking Class, and Kids in the Kitchen. Each service page shows its current price and booking details.

Explore consultations and cooking classes

Introduce a new food thoughtfully and follow the directions provided with your product or Starter Kit. Keep the previous food available during the change, serve measured portions, and track appetite, stool, comfort, and body weight. Ask our team or your veterinarian for individualized guidance.

Questions to ask before starting fresh food

Shinto’s fresh formulas are prepared in our Grass Valley kitchen with recognizable ingredients. Proteins and vegetables are prepared separately rather than blended together.

Visit the Learn to Feed guide

No. Shinto’s fresh food is prepared and ready to portion and serve. If your dog prefers a warmer meal, use a little warm water or gently warmed Bone Marrow Stock. Add Omega-3 after warming.

No. Complete foods, Protein Mixers, Fiber Mixers, Bone Marrow Stock, supplements, and treats have different purposes. Check the specific product’s feeding directions and nutritional adequacy statement. A single mixer is not a complete meal on its own.

Some formulas contain brown rice or quinoa, while others use ingredients such as sweet potato or vegetables. Review the complete ingredient list for the individual formula, especially when your pet has a known sensitivity.

Our retail stores carry a separate selection of raw foods. Shinto’s Rotational Feeding Program is built around our prepared fresh formulas. Raw and fresh prepared foods should not be treated as the same product type.

No. Age, life stage, weight, activity, body condition, recipe, and the rest of the diet all affect the starting amount. Use the feeding calculator and confirm that the selected product is suitable for your pet’s species and life stage.

Include your veterinarian before changing food when your pet has a diagnosed condition, takes medication, follows a prescribed diet, is pregnant or lactating, is growing, or develops persistent or uncomfortable symptoms.

Our Rotational Feeding Program moves through three phases: Foundation, Balance, and Renewal. Each phase introduces a different selection of proteins and whole food ingredients while you observe how your dog responds.

Explore the Rotational Feeding Program or learn how Shinto’s defines rotational feeding.

Different proteins and whole food ingredients provide different nutritional profiles. Rotation creates variety and avoids relying on one recipe indefinitely.

Foundation, Balance, and Renewal are the three phases of the program. Each contains four recipes. The time spent in a phase depends on your dog’s portions, the food ordered, and your delivery schedule.

No. Never feed a formula containing an ingredient your dog cannot tolerate. Screening must include secondary animal ingredients such as liver, kidney, spleen, stock, or a smaller amount of another meat.

Yes. Select Supplemental Feeding in the calculator and make sure the rest of the diet remains nutritionally appropriate. Do not treat a topper amount as a complete daily feeding amount.

Chicken & Brown Rice, made with Mary’s Organic Whole-Body Chicken; Turkey & Brown Rice, made with Diestel dark meat; Angus Beef & Brown Rice, made with beef from Argentina; and Catfish, Beef Liver & Brown Rice.

Explore Foundation

Wild Bison & Beets; Turkey & Quinoa; Chicken & Greens; and Salmon & Greens.

Explore Balance

No. It contains bison, beef liver, and turkey thigh. Dogs avoiding beef or turkey should not select it simply because bison is the main protein.

Duck & Sweet Potato; Lamb & Sweet Potato; Salmon & Sweet Potato with beef kidney; and Pork & Sweet Potato with beef spleen.

Explore Renewal

The subscription restarts with Foundation and continues rotating through suitable formulas while respecting known sensitivities.

Chicken, Turkey, Foundation Variety, Balance Variety, and Renewal Variety Starter Kits.

One container each of Wild Bison & Beets, Turkey & Quinoa, Chicken & Greens, and Salmon & Greens, all in your selected container size.

Each kit contains four food containers: 4 lb is four 16 oz containers; 8 lb is four 32 oz containers; and 16 lb is four 64 oz containers.

Every Starter Kit includes one 4 oz Omega-3 bottle and one Bone Marrow Stock, regardless of the selected food container size.

How long a kit lasts depends on its size and your dog’s daily portion. Use the Starter Kit calculator to estimate the number of days. A Starter Kit is a one-time purchase; a subscription is a separate choice.

Prices vary by kit and size. See the Starter Kit page for current prices.

View kits and current prices

Use the calculator’s daily starting amount and divide it between your dog’s regular meals. Include protein and fiber in each portion, mix gently, and add warm water or gently warmed Bone Marrow Stock if desired. Add Omega-3 after warming.

See portioning, serving, and storage guidance

The adult maintenance starting guideline is 4 oz per 10 lb of body weight per day. The calculator result is a starting estimate and should be adjusted as needed.

Open the How Much Should I Feed? calculator

The starting guideline is 8 oz per 10 lb per day. Puppies and lactating mothers may use any suitable Starter Kit. Monitor growth and body condition and adjust frequently.

Yes. Protein and fiber are prepared separately and remain visibly separated in the container. Gently mix the portion before serving. Add a little warm water or gently warmed Bone Marrow Stock, then add Omega-3 according to the feeding directions.

On opening day, divide the container in half lengthwise, then make seven cuts across to create 16 equal squares. Each square is 1 oz from a 16 oz container, 2 oz from a 32 oz container, or 4 oz from a 64 oz container. Include protein and fiber in every portion, and divide the daily amount between your dog’s regular meals.

Standard fresh formulas have a maximum refrigerated period of eight days when covered and held at 40°F or below. Mix & Match components have a five day maximum.

Yes. Freeze portions that will not be used within the refrigerated period and thaw them in the refrigerator.

No. Gently warm the Bone Marrow Stock or use a little warm water to bring the meal toward room temperature. Add Omega-3 after warming, as shown in the Starter Kit feeding guide.

Add 1/4 teaspoon for every 2 oz of food. Gently warm it and pour it over the meal just before serving; do not boil it.

Frozen, partially thawed, or chilled food is acceptable if it remains cold. If it arrives warm, do not feed it. Take photos and contact Shinto’s within four hours.

Give 1 drop per pound of body weight twice daily, one full dose in the morning and one full dose in the evening.

One full 4 oz dropper equals 20 drops. One full pump from the 8 oz pump bottle also equals 20 drops.

Do not increase the amount based on age alone. Contact our team and your veterinarian before using more than the regular directions, especially if your pet has a medical condition or receives other supplements.

Ask your veterinarian before adding or changing oils or supplements for a dog with pancreatitis. Bring the product label and your pet’s current feeding plan to the discussion.

Watch appetite, stool, comfort, energy, skin, and coat as you introduce a new food. Keep notes and contact our team if you need help reviewing the transition. Persistent or uncomfortable symptoms should be discussed with your veterinarian.

Mix & Match pairs a Shinto’s Protein Mixer with an appropriate Fiber Mixer outside the standard rotational subscription.

Explore Mix & Match

Yes. You can buy a Protein Mixer or a Fiber Mixer separately. A single mixer is a component, not a complete meal on its own.

Choose ingredients your dog can tolerate. Protein Mixers and Fiber Mixers can be purchased separately, but a single mixer is not a complete meal on its own. Contact our team if you need help choosing a pairing.

Get help with a pairing

The Rotational Feeding Program follows Foundation, Balance, and Renewal, then returns to Foundation. Choose food your dog tolerates and review the available subscription savings, delivery schedule, and terms before checkout.

Explore the program

Choose the available delivery timing that works for you when setting up the subscription. You may adjust future delivery dates through your account before the 24-hour change cutoff.

For an ongoing subscription with no fixed term, manage formulas, quantities, delivery dates, skips, pauses, or cancellation through your account at least 24 hours before the next charge. Any terms displayed for the plan you purchased still apply.

Manage Subscription

Each order is charged 24 hours before it processes. Once charged, that order is final; account changes apply to future orders.

If a formula is unavailable, we will discuss another available size or a suitable formula from the same phase. We will ask for your approval before making a substitution.

Start with the Rotational Feeding Program and select the products, amount, delivery timing, and subscription option shown for your order. Review the price, shipping, next charge, and any plan terms before checkout.

Explore the Rotational Feeding Program

Choose the available delivery timing that works for you. Future orders may be rescheduled through your subscription account before the 24-hour change cutoff.

For an ongoing subscription with no fixed term, manage future formulas, quantities, skips, pauses, or cancellation through your account at least 24 hours before the next charge. Terms displayed for a purchased plan still apply.

Manage your account

Subscription orders are charged 24 hours before processing. Once an order has been charged, it is final; changes made afterward apply to future orders.

Use the tracking link in your shipment notification. Carrier transit time begins after the order ships. Contact Shinto’s with your order number if tracking is missing or does not update.

Update the shipping address before the 24-hour change cutoff. Confirm cold storage and delivery access at the destination before redirecting fresh food. Keep food refrigerated or frozen according to its storage directions while traveling.

Contact the Shinto’s team before the next charge so we can review the formula and available options. Food purchases are final sale, and substitutions are not made without your approval.

Fresh food ships Tuesday–Thursday. In-stock orders placed on Monday ship Tuesday. Orders received by 2 PM Pacific on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday may ship the same day.

Orders placed after 2 PM Thursday through Monday ship the following Tuesday, subject to stock availability and holiday schedules. UPS Next Day Air Saver refers to transit time after your order ships—not the day you place it.

Nationwide except Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.

Customers receive Shinto’s negotiated UPS rate with no added shipping markup. Free shipping or flat rate promotions may be offered occasionally.

Grass Valley, Larkspur, and the College of San Mateo Farmers Market. San Mateo preorders are due Friday at 1:00 PM. Wait for the ready notification; perishable orders are held for 24 hours.

The customer books and pays Uber after receiving the ready email. Responsibility transfers when the order is handed to the driver. Courier problems must be addressed with Uber.

Find a pickup location

Grass Valley: Tuesday–Saturday, 10 AM–4 PM. Larkspur: Thursday–Monday, 10 AM–4 PM. College of San Mateo Farmers Market: Saturday, 8:30 AM–12:30 PM. Market preorders close Friday at 1 PM.

Locations and directions

No. Shinto’s products are not accepted for returns or exchanges.

Store it safely, photograph the product and order label, and contact Shinto’s. If we supplied the wrong item, it will be replaced or reshipped.

Photograph the shipment and contact Shinto’s within four hours. Depending on the circumstances, we will reship, replace the product, or issue store credit.

No. Payments are nonrefundable. With at least 12 hours’ notice, customers may reschedule without a fee or receive store credit. Missed appointments receive no compensation.

Shinto’s waits 15 minutes. After that, the appointment is treated as a missed appointment. Confirmation and reminder messages are sent before appointments.

No. Cats need cat specific formulas and guidance. A separate cat rotational program and calculator are planned.

Only use a supplement when it is labeled for cats and the amount is appropriate. Ask your veterinarian or the Shinto’s team when uncertain.

Email kitchen@shintospetfood.com for general questions or order support. Include your order number when relevant.

Grass Valley: 530-557-0034. Larkspur: 707-228-8182.

Contact our team