Recommended Dog Food Brands 2018

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

GRAIN-FREE FORMULAS ONLY

Orijen 

Formulas:  (Formulas are slightly different depending on whether they are made in the U.S. or Canada; check website.) Dry line: Puppy, Large Breed Puppy, Adult/Original (poultry based), 6 Fish (fish based), Regional Red (meat based), Senior , Tundra (contains less common proteins)

Freeze dried raw formulas: Adult, Regional Red, Tundra
Website:  https://www.orijen.ca/foods/dog-food/

Acana

 (Formulas are slightly different depending on whether they are made in the U.S. or Canada; check website.)

Regionals line:  Meadowland/Wild Prairie (poultry based), Pacifica/Wild Atlantic (fish based); Grasslands (multiple proteins); Ranchlands/Appalachian Ranch (meat based)

Heritage line (lower protein and fewer protein sources than the Regionals line):  Canada: Puppy Small Breed, Puppy & Junior, Puppy Large Breed, Adult Small Breed, Adult Large Breed, Cobb Chicken, Sport & Agility, Light & Fit, Senior Dog

America: Free-Run Poultry, Heritage Meats, Freshwater Fish

Limited Ingredients Formulas (Singles):  Lamb, Duck, Pork, Mackerel/Pilchard

NOTE: In Canada, there is also the Classics Line, which contains grain in the form of oats. Three formulas: poultry, fish, red meat)

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

 

Zignature

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

Also has canned lines.

Website:  http://www.zignature.com/

Wild Callings

Formulas: Rocky Mountain Medley line(multiple proteins), Western Plains Stampede line (single proteins): Beef, Turkey, Whitefish, Xotic Essentials line (novel protein): Bison, Rabbit, Kangaroo

Also has canned formulas.

http://wildcalling.com/learn/

WellMade  (Cloudstar)

Formulas: Kibble: Chicken, Lamb, Duck, Large Breed Chicken, Low-cal Chicken

Also makes several dehydrated raw formulas and canned formulas

http://www.cloudstar.com/product-category/wellmade/baked-kibble/

Open Farm

Formulas: Kibble: Turkey/Chicken, Whitefish, Lamb, Pork, and Salmon formulas
Also makes freeze-dried raw formulas, treats, and "stew" type wet formulas.
https://www.openfarmpet.com/dog-food-recipes

GRAIN-FREE & HEALTHY GRAIN FORMULAS

Fromm

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

Healthy Grain Formulas: Four Star line: Pork & Applesauce, Duck & Sweet Potato, Chicken A La Veg, Whitefish & Potato, Salmon A La Veg ; Gold line: Adult Gold, Large Breed Adult Gold, Puppy Gold, Large Breed Puppy Gold, Senior Gold, all poultry based; Heartland Gold, red meat based. Gold Coast, fish based. Adult and Mature Adult Classics (both Classic lines contain chicken)

Website:   https://frommfamily.com/

 

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)

Note: New as of July 2018, the Complete Health line also has grain-free formulas. 

Healthy Grain Formulas (Complete Health):  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

Note: As of July 2018, the Complete Health line has LID formulas that are exactly the same as the Simple formulas. 

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://www.doctorsfinest.com/category_s/54.htm

 

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/

Weruva

Harmony line: Grain-free Chicken, Grain-free Chicken Turkey & Salmon, Venison & Salmon (contains healthy grains) Melody line: Grain-free Chicken, Grain-free Chicken Turkey & Salmon, Lamb (contains healthy grains).

http://www.weruva.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.chickensoup.com/pet-information/pet-products

RAW FORMULAS ONLY

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

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

Ziwi Peak:  http://www.ziwipeak.com/

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

(S & C also has kibbles, including an LID line)

Sojos:  https://www.sojos.com/

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

Vital Essentials: http://www.vitalessentialsraw.com/

 

RX/PRESCRIPTION FORMULAS ONLY

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

** Brands that look okay 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/

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There are lots of brands of fish oil out there, I'd see if I could find a different salmon oil. 

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

Will do, thank you.

[c zoomer]

I'm giving Dinah "Grizzly krill oil"  (omega 3's like fish oil) as it is convenient.  Comes in a pump, and directions say the one pump is the daily dose.  $$$. Maybe $30, but will last 11 mo. To a year. Can't say she is enthusiastic---but no refusals either.  It goes on top of her food with freeze dried chicken crumbled over top.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

From an environmentalist standpoint, you really don't want to buy krill oil for yourself or your dog. Krill is the basis (ground zero, if you will) of the food chain for many aquatic species, and commercial fishing for krill has already disrupted the food chain in the Antarctic, so much so that environmental groups are pushing for new regulations. Just an FYI. I think Grizzly makes salmon oil with a pump, perhaps you could try that one. :) 

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

Interesting our doctor told my daughter to add krill because she's was having leg cramps, she hasn't had a problem since taking it? Any other suggestions for that issue?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Early research has not shown any benefit to krill oil over fish oil. There is very limited research on krill oil at all. It would be the Omega 3 fatty acids DHA & EPA which would be helping with your daughter's leg cramps (these fatty acids help with muscle soreness and muscle recovery after exercise), and it doesn;t matter where those Omega 3 fatty acids are coming from. As long as the amounts of EPA and DHA are the same, she can use fish oil instead. Just tell her to check the amounts on the label of the krill oil and look for a fish oil supplement with similar amounts.

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

Thanks Karen. I'll definitely pass this along.