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]

Adina kindly fixed the Rayne link for us. :)

[Tracey & Spike]

A buyout from a buyout. Who wants kibble with a side of jam?!? (Don't use any of the brands but it's good to know). Natural Balance has been bought again. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/04/us-bigheartpetbrands-m-a-...

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

My girls were on taste of the wild and we switched to orijen. Sassy lost 10 lbs right of the bat so I've been doubling up on her meals and she's only gained 5 of it back. It's been at least six months? She's pretty high strung though. Both their coats have improved 90% I NEVER thought sassy could EVER feel soft and she does now (when clean)! Lol. Costwise I think I'm actually saving money??? Hmmm need to pull old receipts. On TOTW it was two bags a months now on orijen we go through one and half bags so every other month I buy two bags. And as Sally Fields once said; they like it, they really really like it!

Btw Karen, no news from my co worker, she's been off?? I'm guessing no news is good news??

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Let's hope so. :)

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I have three dogs - one is a smaller 28 pounds.  We feed Orijen (which they all LOVE).  We go through a large bag about every 3 weeks. We used to feed TOTW but switched.  I don't think we saved any money with the switch, but feel we are feeding a much better food.  In order to keep our dogs trim, we closely monitor their weights.  If they gain, we cut down a bit on their portions, if they lose we increase it a bit.

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

Do we know anything about Ziwi Peak? My guys got a sample and they really liked it.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Scroll up, it's on the Recommended Brands list under Raw Formulas Only. It's usually used as a topper, because the price is sky high, lol. (To give you an idea, 20 days worth of the air-dried lamb formula for 80 lb senior JD sells for $132 on chewy.com and retails at about $157.) Your dogs have good taste. 

[Helga, Nimbus, Sierra, Clooney]

Thanks, Karen.

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

http://www.poisonedpets.com/blue-buffalo-admits-to-bullshitting-con... 

Sorry for the expletives in the article title

Looks like we will be changing brands.  I am so mad- Quincy likes their food and has no digestive issues.  

Karen, can you (or others in the know here) suggest one that is close to Blue Buffalo Salmon kibble and the Homestyle canned chicken?  thanks everyone 

[Bonnie and Kona]

Thank you for posting this article, Lori. I don't feed Blue Buffalo but the integrity of dog food companies is shockingly lacking. It's ironic that they were sued by Purina who makes horrible dog food. Rather than raising brands to a higher level of care all Purina thinks about is that BB was lying. Awful, but really missing the point!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Good points Bonnie. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Lori, it would be easier to post the info and be able to find it in the future if you start a new FG discussion with these questions. Maybe something like "Replacement Suggestions for Blue Buffalo formulas", or whatever you like. 

Or you might want to ask the questions in this recent discussion about the BB/Purina lawsuit: 

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/blue-bu...