Alpo canned dog food is a budget wet food made by Purina. It is built mostly on water, some meat and plant protein, so it can work as an inexpensive meal or topper for a healthy adult dog, but it is not a premium or limited-ingredient food. Purina’s own ALPO FAQ says the wet line was discontinued in 2022, so cans you find now may be old stock or third-party listings. Check the “best by” date before you buy.
What Is Alpo?
Alpo is a long-running grocery-store dog food brand owned by Nestlé Purina PetCare. Purina says the dog food is made in the USA, and its recipes use grains and a mix of beef, pork or chicken rather than a single named meat. Alpo has been sold as dry food, canned food in gravy and treats, so the details below apply to the canned recipes that reviewers have analyzed.
What Is in a Typical Alpo Can?
Independent reviewers who analyzed Alpo’s canned Chop House recipes in gravy found a list that starts with water and chicken, followed by liver from an unnamed source, wheat gluten, soy flour and meat by-products. Artificial coloring, added vitamins and minerals and thickeners round out the label. Because wheat gluten and soy flour raise the protein number on the label, the real meat content is lower than the percentage suggests. Dog Food Advisor gave that line 2.5 out of 5 stars. Recipes differ from can to can, so the label on your can is the final word.
Pros and Cons
- Price: It costs far less than most canned foods, which helps if you feed several dogs.
- Taste: The gravy and strong smell make it appealing to picky eaters.
- Availability: Many grocery and big-box stores carried it, though the wet line is now discontinued.
- Ingredient quality: Unnamed by-products, wheat gluten, soy and artificial color make it a below-average wet food.
- Sensitive dogs: Several recipes contain chicken, wheat and soy, so it is a poor fit for dogs with food allergies.
Is Alpo Safe?
Purina’s FAQ stated that no recall was in effect for ALPO dog food when we checked. Recalls can change quickly, so look up the current list on the FDA’s pet food recall page before you buy. Make sure the can says it is “complete and balanced” for your dog’s life stage. Alpo does not make a puppy food, and Purina points puppy owners to its Puppy Chow line.
Feeding Tips
- Follow the feeding chart on the can, then adjust for your dog’s weight and activity.
- Switch foods gradually over 7 to 10 days to avoid an upset stomach.
- Cover and refrigerate leftovers right away and use them within 3 days.
- If you use it as a topper, reduce the dry food a little so your dog does not gain weight.
Better Wet Food Options
If you want a step up without a big jump in cost, compare our reviews of Kirkland canned dog food and Vibrant Life dog food, and see our Cesar wet dog food feeding chart for help with portions.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet before changing the diet of a dog with allergies, kidney disease, diabetes or weight problems.
Bottom Line
Alpo canned food is cheap and tasty, but its ingredient list leans on water, plant protein and unnamed by-products, and the wet line has been discontinued. It can work as an occasional meal or topper for a healthy adult dog, while most dogs will do better on a wet food with a named meat first and fewer artificial additives.
