High quality dog food provides all of the essential nutrients your pup requires to stay healthy – including proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Don’t forget to also offer water daily!
Strategist junior writer Brenley Goertzen reports her Australian Shepherd mix goes wild for this brand of food! It offers weight management, digestive health and small breed formulas as well as other considerations.
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Costco’s in-house brand
Kirkland dog food is a private label brand sold at Costco that is manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods, owned by Schell and Kampeter Inc. All its products are produced in the United States; among its formulas are those for dogs at different life stages or those with special dietary needs, with use of proteins like lamb and lamb meal; additionally their grain-free formulations contain carbohydrates from potatoes that are easier to digest than sources such as rice.
Costco offers many excellent in-house brands with good quality and value, but for optimal results it is wise to seek out one on your veterinarian’s recommended foods list. Many veterinarians offer large sizes as they tend to provide greater value compared to standard supermarket brands.
Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo is an all-natural pet food company offering products specifically formulated to promote dog health. Their offerings include dry kibble, canned food and treats formulated specifically to manage weight, prevent allergy attacks and support joint mobility – and come in an assortment of delicious flavors!
Blue’s recipes often include “LifeSource Bits,” small pieces of kibble that have been enhanced with essential vitamins, minerals, probiotics and antioxidants to maximize nutritional value. For maximum effectivity these bits are cold-formed instead of being heated at high temperatures to maximize nutritional benefit.
Blue Buffalo is known for their superior quality food products; however, in recent years there have been several recalls and controversies surrounding them. Therefore, it is prudent to carefully scrutinize its ingredient list when purchasing food from Blue Buffalo; particularly paying attention to the first three ingredients and avoiding anything with glam ingredients like cranberries and kale that might cause issues; the best choice would be one that is free from animal by-products, corn wheat soy products.
Pedigree
Pedigree offers both wet and dry dog foods, tailored specifically to different breeds as well as weight management needs, such as formulas designed for puppies, seniors, large and small dogs, puppies, seniors and special diets for puppies, seniors as well as puppies who are overweight. Some pet parents criticize Pedigree but others praise its food their dogs enjoy eating – while its High Protein Beef & Lamb formula may contain too many carbohydrates that could pose health concerns; Pedigree also uses artificial dyes and corn in excess – neither option are ideal in many pet parents’ eyes!
The Chicken, Rice and Vegetable formula provides smaller dogs with two textures in one food, as well as animal fat preserved with BHA which some pet parents may prefer not to feed their pups. Furthermore, minerals may be listed unchelated which makes absorption harder for some pets; and its 21% minimum crude protein level falls below average.
Merrick
Merrick is an all-natural pet food brand dedicated to producing high-quality recipes with protein for dogs of every stage and breed, from dry and wet food options to freeze-dried raw mixers. Their focus lies on producing tasty protein-rich dishes designed to support optimal nutrition for their customers’ pets.
Foods produced at their Hereford, Texas kitchen and manufactured at one of three US facilities are made using fresh ingredients sourced locally to guarantee maximum nutrition and freshness.
Their products usually start off with high-quality animal-derived proteins such as beef. Next come other meat sources and organs that provide essential nutrition. And for extra good measure they include probiotics to enhance digestion and boost immune systems in dogs.
Merrick’s recipes offer high protein and low carb content, making them suitable for medium to large breed dogs that need lots of energy. In addition, this brand includes freeze-dried raw chunks which can be mixed into your dog’s meal or given as treats.
