Buyers Guide To The Best Blue Buffalo Dog Food
When it comes to caring for your pet, you want to ensure that you provide him with the very best of everything. Like most pet owners, you have probably put a lot of research into selecting the highest quality dog crate, the most comfortable dog bed, a dog house that will offer him the utmost protection when hes outdoors, a spacious outdoor dog kennel where he can enjoy exercise when you cant do walks, and perhaps even a dog playpen to keep him safe and secure when all eyes cant be on your furry friend.
But of all the products that you offer your canine companion, the type of dog food you feed him is, without a doubt, one of the most important. Like humans, your pet has nutritional needs, and its imperative that you offer him a high quality food that can meet those nutritional needs to ensure optimal health.
There are dozens of different types of dog foods, such as low protein dog food, organic dog food, dog food for allergies, and even options available for pups of different sizes, including food for large dogs and food for small dogs. There are also countless manufacturers that create meals for dogs. If youre looking for an option from a reputable manufacturer that you can ensure will meet the unique dietary needs of your four-legged family member, than Blue Buffalo is certainly an option that you are going to want to consider.
Holistic Select Dry Dog Food
Holistic Selects pea-free dry dog food promotes your pups overall digestive health with its naturally rich flavoring.
Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids are added along with antioxidants, glucosamine, vitamins, and taurine to lay the foundation for your pups healthy future.
With the addition of probiotics and prebiotics sourced from peas, this formula helps support sensitive stomachs and picky palates so all dogs can enjoy their mealtime.
Protein levels in this food are what our veterinarians recommend for pets with sensitive stomachs.
The actual meat content in our kibble delivers a taste dogs instinctively love, leading to healthy digestion and easy elimination, making good bathroom habits second nature. Rest assured youre giving your furry friend the best of both worlds with their Everyday Essentials. It is best for the cattle dogs!
Key Features:
What Kinds Of Dog Food Does Blue Buffalo Offer
At this time Blue Buffalo offers the following dog foods as both kibbles and wet/canned foods. They come in many different recipes/formulas. We found nearly 200 Blue Buffalo dog food diets on the Chewy.com site.
- Blue Life Protection Formula
- Blue Basics
- Blue Freedom
- Moisture 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,627 kcal/kg, 378 kcal/cup
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food is Blue Buffalos bestselling food on Chewy.com. This is a maintenance dog food. Its available in 3-lb, 6-lb, 15-lb, 24-lb, and 30-lb bags.
Heres a look at the main ingredients in this food:
The dry matter basis figures for this food are: 26.7 percent protein, 15.6 percent fat, 5.6 percent fiber, and 43.8 percent carbohydrates. It has 377 kcal/cup.
Our rating for this food is 3.5 out of 5 stars.
- Moisture 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,599 kcal/kg, 409 kcal/cup
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a high protein, grain-free diet. This is an adult maintenance formula. Its available in 4.5-lb, 11-lb, 20-lb, and 24-lb bags.
Heres a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food has 37.8 percent protein and 16.7 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis . It has 6.7 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates is 30.4 percent. It has 409 kcal per cup.
Rated 3 out of 5 stars.
- Moisture 78% Max
- Caloric Content: 1,254 kcal/kg, 451 kcal/cup
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Blue Buffalo Life Protection Chicken & Brown Rice For Senior Dogs
This Life Protection recipe has been developed specially for dogs in the last quarter of their lives. Its protein and fat levels are on the minimum bracket, so I think it suits inactive older dogs who exercise for about half an hour a day.
The fiber content is fairly high here, so if your dog has digestive problems such as diarrhea or constipation, this food can help.This recipe contains low levels of both glucosamine and chondroitin, which work together to protect her joints. As they are small amounts, I would suggest this food to older dogs prone to joint conditions but not yet displaying symptoms.
This dog food is a good choice for those dogs prone to diseases such as cancer, as the high levels of antioxidants here will support your older dogs immune system and work to keep her cells healthy.
Blue Buffalo Vs Blue Wilderness: Which Dry Dog Food Is Better
While I feel it is a fair and good question to ask about Blue Buffalo Vs Blue Wilderness Dog Food, the fact of the matter is that your dogs diet should be based on his or her unique needs.
Do not expect your dog to eat the same thing you do! You may also be surprised to find out that your dog likes or does not like something, especially with dog food.
In reality, the two most famous food brands in the United States are Blue Buffalo and Blue Wilderness.
There are probably many reasons why these two companies are so popular, including brand recognition, quality ingredients, variety, and more. But it really comes down to taste.
Blue Buffalo and Blue Wilderness both offer different kinds of dog food, but they also sell similar things.
The difference is how they make their dog food. You cant compare a bag of Blue Buffalo with a bag of Blue Wilderness and come away thinking they are the same.
Blue Wilderness is a bit different than Blue Buffalo. But the difference is hardly noticeable when you are feeding your dog.
Youll just have to be a little bit more creative in choosing your dog food, as you will have to consider the different types of foods they prefer.
First, lets talk about the taste of Blue Wilderness food. It has a far less bitter taste than Blue Buffalo.
This should be a definite plus for any dog, because bitter tastes have been shown to be bad for dogs.
On the other hand, a less bitter taste would mean more sugar, which the dogs simply cant handle.
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Why You Should Care
Even if you dont feed your dog Blue Buffalo, this should bring to light something very serious: how do you know if your dog food is what the label says it is?
Blue Buffalo has been around a long time and has always professed they were by-product free, as do many high-priced, premium pet foods.
Regulatory oversight of pet food is very limited no one tests or checks ingredients, explains Susan Thixton, Pet Food Consumer Advocate and founder of TruthAboutPetFood.com. Regulatory people tell me they dont have the time or the funding to test products or ingredients. As with this instance, the only way consumers found out about the problem is from a pet food competitor testing products.
And if, no one is checking.
I would assume this goes on all the time, she adds. When any company knows the chances of them getting caught are one in a million, the temptation to cut corners might be irresistible. Needless to say, we need improved oversight of this industry.
So you are paying for high-dollar chicken but what exactly are you getting instead?
According to Thixton:
And while she adds there is no scientific evidence that by-product is bad for your dog, its certainly not the organic, all natural, free range, etc., that some of these pet food companies tells you are paying top dollar for.
Nulo Grain Free Recipe Dog Food
Nulo Dog Food is a glucosamine and chondroitin formula that helps senior dog maintain their joint health.
It includes L-Carnitine to support an older dogs metabolism. The food is gluten-free, ensuring all working dog can enjoy this meal without stomach issues.
Nulo Grain-Free Senior Formula for Dogs has the natural high quality protein your canine companion needs as they age, along with added vitamins and minerals to help keep them healthy!
Nulo is a grain-free dog food that contains pure probiotic strains for proper digestion and calcium and phosphorus to help maintain strong bones. It also has wholesome vegetables and fruits with omega three fatty acids to support optimal immune health. With 30 % animal proteins, Nulo grain-free blue heeler dog food gives your pet all the nourishment it needs while reducing the number of cook grains harmful to their digestive health.
This hearty mix of nutrients is essential for healthy living, providing key nutrients like calcium, omega 3 fats, prebiotics, and soluble fiber from non-grain sources in each serving.
Does your aging pup need more than that?
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Purina Dog Chow Complete With Real Chicken
Its proudly tagged as having 23 vitamins and minerals as well as containing real chicken, so youd expect it to be a healthy chicken-based dish for your pup. But that would be wrong.
There is no chicken to be found within the first five ingredients. But wheres the chicken? Its in the 7th slot, after the corns and legume.
Well list down the first five ingredients here: Whole Grain Corn, Meat And Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Soybean Meal. Thats a significant amount of corn and soybean when put together.
We dont have a problem with corn. We recognize that corn contains nutrients and is not a filler. In most cases. However, for a recipe thats not formulated to target specific canine medical conditions, wed expect the corn to be merely a supporting ingredient and not the main one. Quality dog food should always contain more meat than carbohydrates.
The second thing weve noticed is that most of the meats are unnamed. Thats a red flag in dog food. While an unspecified meat ingredient will not harm your pup, its kind of worrying that you dont know whats going in your pets food. Itll even be more worrying if your pet turns out to be sensitive to the ingredient included.
Theres Meat And Bone Meal and Poultry By-Product Meal. What meat do these refer to? Pork, beef, chicken? What kind of poultry? Turkey or chicken?
Blue Buffalo Protein Sources
Protein is the most essential nutrient in dog food. Everything else can be a top-notch ingredient, but if proteins are no good, the whole dog food is no good. Luckily, Blue Buffalo dog food recipes include high-quality protein sources. Their dog foods include beef, lamb, turkey, chicken, salmon, trout, duck, and rabbit. These are excellent animal protein sources.
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Sportsmans Pride Professional Formula 30/20
Sportsmans Pride is a dog food line geared towards canine athletes and is billed as supportive of the endurance and energy requirements of working dogs and active pups.
While that sounds good, we need to take a look at the recent recall of one of its products and the ingredients it contains.
On June 3, 2021, the FDA issued an alert regarding one lot of Professional Formula 30/20. Sunshine Mills, Inc., which manufactures Sportsmans Pride and the brands Sprout, Intimidator, and FRM Gold Select , issued a voluntary recall of this recipe for potential salmonella contamination.
But looking past the recall alert, wed have to say that this recipe doesnt meet our standards either. The main ingredient in this food is chicken byproduct meal, a rather dubious ingredient with regards to quality.
Chicken byproduct can mean any leftover part of the chicken, and not just its organs. With quality recipes, manufacturers generally state chicken liver, chicken heart, and so on.
When a manufacturer lists byproduct only, that means its probably a combination of a lot of unsavory things that wont sound as good when listed down and specified.
Lastly, this food uses more carbs than protein to supply the energy needs of dogs because there are three grain and corn ingredients within the first five slots.
The potential for contamination was noted after a sample of 5 lb. Sprout Sporting Dog Food product was collected and tested positive for salmonella during routine surveillance.
B Blue Buffalo Product Lines
One of the fascinating things about Blue Buffalo dog food is that the company uses no preservatives, soy, corn, wheat, poultry by-products, and artificial flavors.
Therefore, it has become one of the most famous and healthy dog foods.
Moreover, Blue Buffalo dog food has various product lines, which Im going to describe.
1. Wilderness
The salient features of this line include a meat-rich, high-protein, and grain-free dog food for all dogs of various sizes and ages.
The high-quality protein used in this product line mostly comes from duck, salmon, and chicken.
Likewise, the wilderness product line of Blue Buffalo is available in both dry and wet dog foods. Furthermore, there are options for dogs of various sizes and ages.
2. Life protection
To emphasize the wellbeing and health of your dog, the life protection product line of Blue Buffalo uses a recipe that results from the combination of meat with brown rice. Moreover, they include special ingredients for a stronger immune system, muscle development, and healthy teeth.
Likewise, you can buy this product line either in dry or wet form based on your dogs desire. Similarly, it is also available for different life stages of dogs for convenience. However, keep in mind that this line is not grain-free.
3. Freedom
The freedom product line from Blue Buffalo includes dog food recipes free of grains which reflects its popularity. Moreover, you have a choice in the form of wet and dry Blue Buffalo dog food.
4. Basics
5. True solution
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Supplements And Other Ingredients
Protein and grain are not everything that goes into Blue Buffalo dog food. In fact, this company has recipes that are packed with vitamins, supplements, healthy fats, minerals, and everything a dog needs for a balanced diet. Blue Buffalo uses chicken fat, which is an excellent source of beneficial fatty acids.
Blue Buffalo dog food review tells us they regularly include probiotics, omega fatty acids, supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin, fatty acids, and all sorts of fruits and veggies as excellent sources of vitamins and minerals.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: One of the biggest advantages Blue Buffalo has is clear labels. They dont use inconclusive language and state the ingredients clearly, and easy to understand.
Where Is Blue Buffalo Dog Food Made
According to the company, all Blue Buffalo products are manufactured in the United States.
Additionally: The food is formulated and manufactured without the usage of any invasive animal testing in their facilities. They do conduct feeding trials, but only in safe, healthy, and comfortable conditions.
The process: Blue Buffalo states that it creates its own food formulas with in-house veterinarians and PhD nutritionists. Working only with partners from the United States in the manufacturing of the recipes according to their stringent ingredient quality specifications with ultimate product quality leading the pack.
Outsourcing: It has been noted that they outsource manufacturing to various different food production companies, including Ainsworth, CJ Foods, ANI/Vita-Line, Triple T Foods, ProPet, and Tuffys.
Ingredient sourcing whats in Blue Buffalo dog food?
Important to mention: Sourcing ingredients from China has become a taboo in the community. But its likely the case that even the companies you think are 100% sourcing and making dog food in the USA, may have Chinese ingredients in them. This is because China has a competitive advantage when it comes to offering resources and most profit driven companies will bite.
Now: Blue Buffalo says it uses only the finest natural ingredients, delivering your dog wholesome nutrition. Always staring with real meat, always including anti-oxidant rich fruit and garden veggies.
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What Is Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo, whose parent organization is General Mills, was founded in 2002. Jackie and Bill Bishop are the founders. The company is headquartered in Wilton, Connecticut, United States of America.
Blue Buffalo has dominated the shelves for many years and made managing pets a breeze for pet parents. They produce a range of dog foods and even outsource some of their productions to other manufacturers.
The Blue Buffalo brands motto is quite catchy. It is Love them like family, feed them like family. They want pet owners to give their pets quality foods. And though Blue Buffalo claims to contain 100% natural ingredients, we all know that its just a marketing strategy.
The story that led to the establishment of Blue Buffalo is an interesting one. Every company has a unique history, which sets them apart. Some companys history is interesting and endears them to their customers.
In the case of Blue Buffalo, the Bishop family founded the company. The couple bought a family dog, an Airedale Terrier, in 1993, which they named, Blue.
The Bishop family formed a strong bond with the amazing dog. But unfortunately, Blue passed away when the company Blue Buffalo was still at an infancy stage.
The death of Blue pushed Jackie and Bill Bishop to research more into pet food ingredients. They wanted to understand the deep relationship between nutrition and cancer since Blue died of the disease.
Types Of 4health Dog Food Formulas
4Health classifies its dog food formulas into three different categories. You can buy a specific dog food formula based on your dogs breed, age, and bodily needs. They offer dog food formulas in categories like Puppy, Adult, and Senior formulas.
Currently, 4Health offers a variety of different dog food formulas within these three major categories. You can choose from a wide range of 10 dog treats, 14 canned food formulas, and 22 dry food formulas based on the type, age, and requirements of your dog.
They have five different grain-free dog food formulas that you can try to ensure your dogs healthy and active life. The 4Health grain-free dog food formulas are formulated based on the age and type of the dog breed. While the 4Health grain-free puppy food is ideal for small pups, they also have large Breed and small breed formula for adult dogs.
Feel free to go through the different kinds of 4Health dog food formulas and choose the ideal dog food suited for your dogs health and well-being.
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