Recommended Dog Food Brands as of APRIL 2015

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

GRAIN-FREE FORMULAS ONLY

Orijen (our favorite grain-free food)

Formulas:  Puppy, Large Breed Puppy, Adult (chicken, turkey, fish), 6 Fish, Regional Red (boar, lamb, pork, bison), Senior (lower calorie chicken, turkey, fish) , Tundra (goat, venison, mutton, duck, rabbit, fish)
Website:  http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/products/
 

Zignature

Formulas: Duck, Lamb, Trout & Salmon, Turkey, Zssential (multi-protein)

Also has canned lines.

Website:  http://www.zignature.com/

 

GRAIN-FREE & HEALTHY GRAIN FORMULAS

Acana

Grain-free Formulas (Regionals):  Wild Prairie (chicken, whitefish), Pacifica (salmon, flounder, herring); Grasslands (lamb, duck, fish); Ranchlands (beef, lamb, herring)

Healthy Grain Formulas (Classics):  Puppy Small Breed, Puppy & Junior, Puppy Large Breed, Adult Small Breed, Adult Dog, Adult Large Breed, Sport & Agility, Light & Fit, Senior Dog (all contain chicken and flounder for protein)

Limited Ingredients Formulas (Singles):  Lamb & Apple, Duck & Pear, Pork & Butternut Squash

Website:  http://www.championpetfoods.com/acana/products.php

 

Fromm

Grain-free Formulas:  Surf & Turf (salmon, duck, chicken); Beef Frittata Veg, Salmon Tunalini, Game Bird (duck, turkey, quail pheasant), Lamb & Lentil, Pork & Peas 

Healthy Grain Formulas:  Pork & Applesauce, Duck & Sweet Potato, Chicken A La Veg, Whitefish & Potato, Salmon A La Veg (all part of the Four-Star line); Adult Gold, Large Breed Adult Gold, Puppy Gold, Large Breed Puppy Gold, Senior Gold (all Gold lines contain duck, chicken and lamb); Adult and Mature Adult Classics (both Classic lines contain chicken)

Website:  http://frommfamily.com/products 

 

Petcurean

Grain-free Formulas (Now Fresh & Go! Fit & Free lines):  Now Fresh Puppy, Adult, Small Breed, Senior, Large Breed Puppy, Large Breed Adult, Large Breed Senior (all contain turkey, salmon, duck), Go! Fit & Free Puppy, Adult and Senior (all contain chicken, turkey, salmon)

Healthy Grain Formulas (Go! Daily Defiance & Summit Holistic lines):  Go! Daily Defiance Chicken, Lamb (both all life stages), Summit 3 Meat Puppy, 3 Meat Adult, 3 Meat Reduced Calorie (3 Meats contain chicken, salmon, lamb),

Limited Ingredients Formulas (Go! Sensitivity & Shine line): Duck, Salmon, Grain Free Turkey

Website:  http://www.petcurean.com/

 

Solid Gold

Grain-free Formulas:  Barking at the Moon (fish, beef); Sun Dancer (chicken)

Healthy Grain Formulas:  Hundchen Flocken Puppy, Hund-n-Flocken Adult (both contain lamb); Wolfcub Puppy, Wolfking Adult (both contain bison), Holistique Blendz Senior (fish), MMillennia Beef & Barley Adult, Just a Wee Bit Adult (bison)

Website:  http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/products

 

Wellness

Grain-free Formulas (Core line):  Puppy, Small Breed, Original, Reduced Fat (all contain chicken, turkey), Ocean (fish)

Healthy Grain Formulas (Super5Mix line):  Chicken, Lamb, Barley & Salmon Meal, Whitefish & Sweet Potato, Healthy Weight, Just for Puppies, Just for Seniors, Adult Large Breed, Puppy Large Breed, Adult Small Breed, Small Breed Healthy Weight, Small Breed Puppy (final 8 contain chicken)

Limited Ingredients Formulas (Simple Solutions line):  Duck & Oatmeal, Salmon & Potato, Turkey & Potato, Lamb & Oatmeal

Website:  http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog-wellness.aspx

 

Horizon

Grain-free Formulas (Legacy line):  Puppy, Adult (both contain chicken, salmon, turkey); Also has Amicus line for small breeds (turkey, chicken, salmon); Also has Pulsar line with peas, lentils, chicken and fish

Healthy Grain Formulas (Complete line):  Large Breed Adult, Large Breed Puppy, Puppy, Adult, Senior (all contain chicken)

Website:  http://www.horizonpetnutrition.com/

 

Canidae

Grain-free Formulas (Pure):  Sky (duck, turkey), Land (bison, lamb), Element (chicken, turkey, lamb, ocean fish), Sea (salmon)

Healthy Grain Formulas:  Lamb & Rice, Chicken & Rice, Beef & Fish, ALS (chicken, turkey, lamb, fish), Platinum Senior (chicken, turkey, lamb, fish)

Limited Ingredient Formulas:  Chicken, Brown & White Rice (Single Grain Protein)

Website:  http://www.canidae.com/

 

Lotus (has a raw formula also)

Grain-free Formula:  Duck

Healthy Grain Formulas: Wholesome Chicken, Wholesome Chicken Puppies, Wholesome Chicken Seniors, Wholesome Lamb

Website:  http://lotuspetfoods.com/for-dogs.php

 

Earthborn Holistic

Grain-free Formulas:  Primitive Natural (turkey, chicken, whitefish), Coastal Catch (herring, salmon, whitefish), Great Plains Feast (bison), Meadow Feast (lamb)

Healthy Grain Formulas: Adult Vantage, Puppy Vantage and Small Breed (all contain chicken and whitefish), Ocean Fusion (whitefish and menhaden fish)

Website:  http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/us/dog_formulas/

 

Eagle Holistic Select

Grain Free Formulas: Adult & Puppy Salmon, Anchovy and Sardines

Healthy Grain Formulas:  Adult, Adult Small & Mini Breed, Puppy, Puppy Small & Mini Breed (all 4 contain anchovy, sardines, salmon), Adult Chicken Meal & Rice, Adult Duck, Adult Lamb, Senior Chicken & Rice, Large & Giant Breed Chicken & Oatmeal, Large & Giant Breed Puppy Lamb Meal & Oatmeal, Weight Maintenance Chicken & Peas

Website:  http://www.holisticselect.com/

 

Holistic Blend

Grain Free Formulas: Turkey

Healthy Grain Formulas: Hollistic Blend (Lamb & Rice; Chicken, Rice & Vegetable) and The Healthy Dog (Chicken & Herring Meal)

Website: http://www.holisticblend.com/en/food-formulas/dog-formulas/holistic-blend/

 

Addiction

Grain Free Formulas: Salmon Bleu, Viva La Venison, Le Lamb

Healthy Grain Formulas: La Porchetta (Pork, Limited ingredient)

**Also has raw dehydrated formulas**

Website: http://addictionfoods.com/

 

Great Life

Grain Free Formulas: Buffalo, Chicken, Salmon; Pioneers Natural Grain Free Chicken, GF Pork, GF Venison and GF Whitefist

Healthy Grain Formulas: Buffalo, Chicken, Lamb, Salmon; Pioneers Natural Buffalo, Chicken, Pork Venison and Whitefish

Limited Ingredient Formulas (Dr. E's line): Buffalo, Duck; Grain Free Buffalo, Grain Free Duck

Website: http://doctorsfinest.com

 

Annamaet

Grain Free Formulas: Lean (chicken, duck, herring), Aqualuk (salmon, herring), Salcha (chicken, turkey, duck), Manitok (lamb, venison)

Healthy Grain Formulas: Adult (chicken, 23% protein), Encore (chicken, 25% protein), Extra (chicken, 26% protein), Option (salmon and venison, 24% protein), Ultra (chicken, 32% protein), Small Breed ALS (lamb, venison, coming soon)

Website: http://annamaet.com/

 

Nature's Variety (has a raw line also)

Grain Free Formulas: Instinct Raw Boost (5 formulas: chicken, beef & lamb, lamb & salmon, duck & turkey, venison & lamb); Instinct Originals (5 formulas: chicken, beef & lamb, duck & turkey, rabbit, salmon)

Healthy Grain Formulas: Prairie Dogs (6 formulas: chicken, beef, lamb, duck, venison, salmon); Puppy and Large Breed Puppy (chicken and brown rice)

Limited Ingredient Formulas (Instinct Grain Free line): Turkey, Lamb, Duck, Rabbitt

Website: http://www.naturesvariety.com/

 

Farmina 

Grain Free Formulas (N&D line): Chicken, Large Breed Chicken, Small Breed Chicken, Wild Lamb, Wild Boar, Wild Herring

Healthy Grain Formulas (20% Ancestral High Protein line): Chicken, Lamb, Wild Cod

Website: http://usa.farmina.com/

HEALTHY GRAIN FORMULAS ONLY

 

Chicken Soup for the Dog Lovers Soul

Healthy Grain Formulas: Adult, Large Breed Adult, Senior, Adult Light, Puppy, Large Breed Puppy, Overweight (all contain chicken, turkey).

Website:  http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/products/dogs/

  

 

RAW FORMULAS ONLY

Darwin's:  http://www.darwinspet.com

Honest Kitchen:  http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/

Primal:  http://www.primalpetfoods.com/

Ziwi Peak:  http://www.ziwipeak.com/

Stella & Chewy’s:  http://www.stellaandchewys.com/

Sojos:  http://www.sojos.com/

Tucker's Raw:  http://www.tuckersbones.com/

I and love and you (also has kibble):  http://www.iandloveandyou.com/products/dog/raw/dehydrated.aspx

Addiction (also has kibble):  http://www.addictionfoods.com/

 

RX/PRESCRIPTION FORMULAS ONLY

Rayne Clinical Nutrition: http://www.raynenutrition.com/

 

** Brands that look good but have had recent recalls or buyouts; still better than Iams, Nutro, Hills, and grocery store junk…..

 

Taste of the Wild (grain-free): http://www.tasteofthewildpetfood.com/products

EVO (grain-free): http://www.evopet.com

Innova (healthy grains):  http://www.innovapet.com

California Natural (recommended for dogs with sensitivities):  http://www.californianaturalpet.com

Merrick (Before Grain is grain-free; 5-Star is healthy grains; Castor & Pollux is also owned by Merrick):  http://www.merrickpetcare.com/ | http://www.castorpolluxpet.com

Evanger’s:  http://www.evangersdogfood.com/

Natural Balance (known for limited ingredient diets; merged with DelMonte 6/15/13): http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/

Bravo (raw; more than one recall in last year):  http://www.bravorawdiet.com/

Blue Buffalo (may have byproducts in their ingredients):   http://www.bluebuffalo.com/dry-dog-food

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Addiction is on our list, although it's in the Raw only section. We need to expand the listing, as they do make dry and canned food. Oh, Allyson....

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I will try to get to it soon!  And add in the new Canyon TOTW formula.  When I can.  You know things are a little nuts for me. Plus we are in between childcare and that's been craaaaaazy juggling work, babysitters, etc.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Allyson, take your time. Everything related to Charlotte is more important than anything else. 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Everyone keeps telling me that...ha.  Just trying to juggle it all - like most women do :)

[Camilla and Darwin]

Thanks so much for this and all the hard work you do in the food group. I may check out the ILY food!

[Katie and Sophie]

We have been feeding TOTW for about a year now and my girls are doing great on in.  Last time I went to the store to pick up a new bag I noticed that they have a new Southwest Canyon formula with wild boar.  Just curious if anyone has heard anything about this new formula, good or bad.  Thanks!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There's really no difference between one formula and another within any given line. Generally, the only difference is the animal protein source used. There are small differences in the macronutrient content, calories, etc., but if your dogs do well with the other TOTW dry formulas, they should do just as well with this one. 

[Katie and Sophie]

Thank you so much! 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We are on our second bag of it.  We are trying to avoid chicken for a while and it doesn't have chicken. My guys like it.

[♡ Muffin ♡]

Thank you for providing this list. I have been searching for dog foods all over the web. I've also heard good things about Purina One but I do not see it on the list. Does that mean it's bad because I was hoping to switch over to that.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

If you do a search for Purina, there have been tons of discussion on why not to feed this food to your dog. The Food Group spends a great deal of time updating this recommended list, checking for recalls, and keeping us informed. If it is not on this list, it is not a recommended food. Here is just one recent discussion. I feed Fromm and my dogs love it. Good luck!

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/why-we-...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks for providing this link, Laurie. I had forgotten I just did that analysis. And Purina One is just as bad as the Pro Plan.