Kirkland offers an extensive range of dry and canned dog foods at Costco stores, featuring recipes tailored for different life stages as well as specific small breed and healthy weight formulas.
Chicken, an excellent source of protein, serves as the foundation of this food product, while its second component – chicken meal – provides concentrated sources of meat.
Contents
Ingredients
Both brands feature high-quality ingredients and offer balanced nutritional profiles to meet the needs of dogs of different life stages. Both brands prioritize food safety and quickly respond to recalls, showing their dedication to pet health.
Blue Buffalo and Kirkland both rely heavily on real meats as their primary protein source, including deboned chicken or fish, in many of their recipes. Furthermore, both companies often utilize meat meal as an affordable protein source that delivers essential amino acids.
Both brands of food contain whole grains such as brown rice and barley that are easily digested by dogs, as well as vegetable proteins derived from non-GMO crops with reduced pesticide levels, like potatoes, peas, garbanzo beans and fava beans. Unfortunately they don’t include ocean fish meal or salmon oil which provide more nutrient dense sources of omega-3 fats than other forms of fish meal.
Nutritional Values
Both Kirkland and Blue Buffalo provide a range of formulas designed to meet the dietary and life stage needs of individuals of all ages and stages, and prioritize food safety through stringent manufacturing protocols that prevent recalls. Both brands also respond promptly when any recalls arise demonstrating their dedication to quality and safety.
Costco’s Kirkland brand provides excellent value for the money. Their recipes feature low fat levels, abundant meat content and natural preservatives; moreover, their food is less processed than most kibble. Unfortunately, however, their omega-6:omega-3 ratio remains unknown which could prove problematic as high omega-6 levels can contribute to inflammation conditions.
This recipe includes brown rice, which is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. In addition, brewer’s yeast offers additional sources of protein for dogs who don’t react negatively. Finally, calcium pantothenate provides energy metabolism support while manganese sulfate promotes bone health in dogs.
Ingredient Sources
Kirkland offers both canned and dry dog food products for any calorie per 8 ounce cup needs, each featuring meat as the first ingredient with broth, supplements and vegetables being included as optional components. Unfortunately, however, not all ingredients used are of top-grade quality: spinach and peas may have more glyphosate/herbicide residue than non-sprayed crops.
Ground white rice, cracked pearl barley and rice bran are the primary carbohydrates used in these recipes for dogs. Their easy digestion makes them an energy source while their fiber helps support digestive health. Plus these recipes contain brewer’s yeast for an additional protein source in their diets!
Kirkland also incorporates “glam” ingredients like blueberries and kale into its recipes as garnish, though these contribute little nutritionally. Kirkland utilizes these “extra” elements to differentiate their foods from budget brands while drawing customers in.
Overall
Kirkland offers dry foods to meet the nutritional needs of dogs at various life stages. Adult formulas offer high-quality proteins for optimal health. Mature and healthy weight recipes contain moderate caloric intake (330 per cup), along with high amounts of fiber which aids regularity.
Kirkland offers a line of food specifically formulated to promote growth and maintain energy levels in small breeds, along with omega-3s and prebiotics to aid digestive health.
Kirkland Pet Foods have built up a stellar reputation and offer food tailored to meet the dietary needs of pets from different species, just like Blue Buffalo does. However, Kirkland contains beet pulp which can cause allergic reactions in some dogs; otherwise it would rank higher on The Advisor’s quality scale.
