Dont Pay More For The Same Ingredients
Take a look at the ingredients found in your dog food. You can find this list on the packaging that the dog food came in.
Now, what you want to do is compare your brand of dog food to cheaper brands that offer the same flavor. You might find that the difference between the two does not justify the cost.
This was the case with one of my dogs favorite foods
Taste Of The Wild Dry Dog Food
- First 3 ingredients: Salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes
- Best for: For all adult dogs
- Price: $$
Taste of the Wild produces a deep bench of pet food that aims to replicate the diet your dog would eat in the wild. Theres something for all pet owners here. This iteration of the recipe is grain-free, but there is also an ancient grains version available. In addition to these two versions, theres also a grain-free puppy formula.
This food has an elevated protein content at 32%. As well as promoting lean muscle growth, the protein-dense food also supports bone and joint health.
With real salmon featuring as the first ingredient, youll not only give your dog plenty of protein, but that protein comes from a premium source into the bargain.
Prebiotics and probiotics are included to smoothen your dogs digestion and to promote immune system health.
You get no artificial flavors or colors in this formula. You wont get any cheap nasty fillers either. If youre looking to provide your furball with everything he needs and nothing he doesnt, this is one of the best affordable dog foods out there.
Pedigree Complete Nutrition Dry Dog Food
- First 3 ingredients: Ground whole grain corn, meat and bone meal, corn gluten meal
- Best for: For all adult dogs
- Price: $$
Pedigree is a household name in the dog food vertical with just cause. This Complete Nutrition formula is dry dog food at its very best, and its priced firmly in budget territory. How does it stand and fall, then?
This dry food is the chicken, rice, and vegetable flavor, designed to appeal to a broad base of dogs.
The kibble is designed to slide smoothly down, and your furball shouldnt have any problems digesting this stuff either.
The formula is rich in omega-6 fatty acids, ideal for promoting skin and coat health in your fur baby.
This is a 36-pound bag, offering an ample supply for a single dog for perhaps a month. If you have several dogs at home, youll need to consider buying more than one bag.
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Get 30% Off Your First Autoship Order From Pet Supermarket
Pet Supermarket is a pet supply retail store with locations all across the country and a solid, consistent online inventory. They do 30% off your first autoship order you can select as little as two weeks or as much as six months for your next delivery . After your first autoship, the discount is 5%.
Their prices are competitive, and the Pet Supermarket rewards program will also get you $5 for every $100 you spend.
Bonus: I recently saved 10% with code PETSUPER10.
Shipping: $4.99 or free for orders over $49
via glassdoor
If you live near one of the 59 Pet Food Express locations in California, you can get free same-day delivery, plus 20% off your first order using Pet Food Express coupon code WELCOME20. Now thats a good deal.
Shipping: Free over $30 or $4.99 otherwise
Is All Cheap Dog Food Bad
Absolutely not! As youll see from our roundup today, pretty much all of the major brands are represented here, so you wont need to go off-piste and take a chance on a complete unknown. As youll notice from the quality of the ingredients and the flexibility of the formulas we review today, there is no need to rely on cheap food containing low-caliber ingredients. The best news is, you dont even need to take the time and trouble to sift the wheat from the chaff. Place your trust in any of the dog foods we highlight today and youll be giving your dog a tasty treat as well as all the nutrients he needs.
Also Check: Iams Prescription Dog Food
I Need To Switch My Dogs Food How Can I Do This Safely And With Minimal Chance Of A Stomach Upset
The key is to make the switch gradually over a 10-day period. For the first three days, mix in 25% new food with 75% old food. For the next three days, give him a 50/50 mix of old and new food. Then, increase the ratio so hes eating 25% old food and 75% new food. After ten days, your dog will be ready to eat a bowl of all-new food. By taking this approach and patiently giving your dog a little more new food each day, the transition should be seamless and you shouldnt get any stomach upsets either.
The Truth About Cheap Dog Foods
If you think the most advertised and expensive dog food is a good choice, well think again. There are some cheap dog foods that are made with quality ingredients. The key to buying a cheap dog food effectively is by reading its ingredients and searching for a dog food that contains meat as its primary ingredient. What makes a healthy and cheerful dog is real, whole food. Thus, avoid buying dog foods that are made with artificial ingredients because these will not give your dog the right nutrition he should get to maintain his overall health condition.
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Can I Buy Bulk Dog Food Directly From Brands
Unless you own a large farm with many dogs, a kennel or a store or you know someone really important at the dog food manufacturing unit this is highly unlikely to happen. Brands will not get into a small-scale retail deal with end consumers and even if they do, it is likely to cause much administrative inconvenience to you.
For a retail order, brands may ask you to commit to a regular quantity and a long-term association. This will also entail signing an agreement on terms of payments, deliveries et al. Your life will be much simpler if you simply buy in bulk from your friendly retailer at a discount. Buying in wholesale for your domestic purpose will be more of a liability than an income saving opportunity.
Top Notch Ingredients Found In The Best Quality Dog Food
If you are looking at purchasing the best quality dog food for your pooch, then the ingredients that are included have more of a natural balance and provides a pet with all the vital nutrients they need to stay healthy. Ingredients can include:
- High-quality protein
- No artificial colors or flavors
- Omega 3 and Omega 6
- Real Meat
Some other ingredients may include rice, sweet potato, grain or grain free, lamb meal, or chicken. Another great thing about purchasing the best quality dog food is that many pet food brands also tailor their dry dog food and wet dog food for certain conditions and diseases such as a sensitive stomach, food allergies, or earthborn holistic diets to name a few.
Also Check: Iams Low Residue Dog Food Recall
Victor Beef Meal And Brown Rice
- Price: $52.99 / 40lb.
- Check price on Chewy
Victor is a recall-free company. This recipe is a corn/wheat/soy/gluten free food with digestive support, immune system support, without GMO, and using red meat as a protein. Plus, this is one of the best cheap dog food brands that is available in a 40lb. bag a huge bonus if you have an extra-large dog or multiple dogs.
Be Rewarded For Your Loyalty
Finally, you have loyalty rewards. If you shop at a retail chain, its impossible to pass the checkout without being asked to sign up for a loyalty program.
In my opinion, loyalty programs are dangerous to bargain hunters because they condition you to shop exclusively at a single location. As I covered above, you often find the cheapest dog food if you shop around.
Not only that, but the cost of the loyalty program is factored into the sticker price of each product. To put it simply, loyalty programs often make everything in a store more expensive.
With that said, if you plan to shop at a single location, then take advantage of the loyalty program.
Just be mindful that not all loyalty programs are created equally. Some offer much better rewards than others
Petco, for example, gives you $5 to spend on a return visit for every 100 points you accumulate.
PetSmart, on the other hand, has a slightly more complicated reward system. In addition to offering similar discounts at checkout, it also offers exclusive specials and even a free surprise on your pets birthday.
Just like when looking for affordable dog food, if you want to find the most rewarding loyalty program, it pays to shop around.
Do you have a secret trick to buying cheap dog food that isnt listed above? Or maybe you want to share your favorite bargain brand. If you come across a dog food deal that is too good to pass up, let me know in the comments below!
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Where To Find The Cheapest Prices On Dog And Cat Food
Ever stop to figure out how much you spend on pet food each year? Any pet parent knows that kibble and chow can really add up. According to petfinder.com, the annual cost of feeding a dog or a cat ranges from about $120 to $500.
If you want to save money on pet food, it pays to shop around. A recent survey by Checkbook.org published by the Center for the Study of Services, an independent, nonprofit consumer organization found quite a price spread.
Checkbook shoppers compared prices for 11 popular dog and cat foods at a sample of pet stores, big-box discounters, grocery stores and warehouse clubs in seven metro areas: Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. They also visited several national online retailers. Because stores often carry different-size packages, Checkbook shopped for the lowest prices on a per-pound or per-ounce basis for each product.
The stores we shopped that offered the best prices charged about 40 percent less than the most expensive places, said Kevin Brasler, Checkbooks executive editor.
A table in the Checkbook report shows the prices found, along with their price comparison scores how that retailers prices compared to the average prices for all companies surveyed.
So who has the lowest prices?
- Sams Clubs prices were 22 percent lower than the all-store average.
- BJs Wholesale Club was 18 percent lower.
- Walmart was 12 percent lower.
- PetSmart was about 2 percent lower.
The Key Is In The Ingredients
Many budget products are not specific when listing their ingredients, often including an “and/or” between meat proteins and cereals. If an ingredient is written as beef and/or poultry and/or lamb, this means the manufacturer can use any combination of those ingredients. This is a common loophole used by cheaper brands as it gives the manufacturer greater flexibility with the formula of the food. Depending on supply and demand costs, the formula can change per batch.
Sudden changes to your pet’s diet can cause digestive upsets such as bloating, vomiting, diarrhoea, flatulence and constipation. Plus, if your pet has a sensitivity to one particular protein, there is the potential for a reaction if the recipe changes.
A good quality pet food generally places importance on specific ingredients. You won’t see “and/or” written in the ingredients panel of a premium diet. Each meat or grain in the product will be named , meaning the formula of each batch will be consistent and unchanging.
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Commonly Used Terms In Dog Food
Open formula No specific ingredients, i.e., the food may list meat but fail to specify what type of meat. We suggest avoiding open formulas as you should know what you are feeding your dog and the value of the ingredient list.
Complete dog food Contains all the ingredients and nutrients that your dog needs to stay healthy, including fat, carbs, protein, minerals, and vitamins.
Mixers Filler dog food that could be missing some key nutrients. They are usually comprised of cereals. One way to save money is to give your dog premium quality food and combine it with mixers to bring down the cost and keep your dog full.
Chicken meal Chicken meal, lamb meal, etc., is rendered meat that has been dried and ground up and includes clean skin, flesh, and bone. It does not contain feathers, feet, heads, or intestinal content and is safe and nutritious for your dog!
Diamond Naturals Dry Dog Food
Rating:
Diamond Naturals Adult Lamb Meal and Rice is one of 13 recipes included in our review of the Diamond Naturals dry product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Lamb meal, ground white rice, cracked pearled barley, sorghum, egg product
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Price:About 0.93 per pound
- Best for: Adults dogs
- See all 13 available recipes
Diamond Naturals Adult derives the bulk of its meat protein from lamb meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 26% protein, 16% fat and 51% estimated carbs which yields a fat-to-protein ratio of about 61%.
Typical buyer reviewIve never seen my dogs so excited to eat. They fight over who gets the first bowl. Its also cheaper than what we were buying before for the same size bag! And with 3 big dogs we were struggling between price and quality. This is the best of both worlds.
Also Check: Iams Veterinary Formula Skin And Coat Plus Response Fp
Where To Buy Best Cheap Dog Food
Dogs are considered by many as one of their family members and just like humans, they also deserve the best. When it comes to dog foods, there are numerous brands to choose from and they vary widely in prices. Some can be purchased at an expensive rate, while others are available at cheap rates. But, if you aim to give your dog the best, can you really get the best from cheap dog food?
The best dog food for puppies or adult dogs cant be measured by its price. In fact, there are quality dog foods that can be bought at a cheap cost. What you only need to do is to shop around and always consult with a dog food advisor when choosing the right and best cheap dog food thats available in the market.
You can buy cheap dog food anywhere. Depending on your preferences, you can shop online or in local pet stores. Just make sure that your chosen store is reliable and known for delivering quality dog foods to get the best value of what you have spent.
Horizon Complete Dry Dog Food
Rating:
Horizon Complete All Life Stages is one of 4 recipes included in our review of the Horizon Complete dry product line.
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken meal, whole grain barley, whole grain rye, chicken, whole grain oats
- Type: Grain-inclusive
- Price:About 1.68 per pound
- Best For: All adults + puppies
- Other recipes: Large breed, senior, puppy, weight management
- See all 4 available recipes
This Horizon Complete product sources most of its animal protein from chicken meal. Our dry matter label analysis reveals the recipe contains 29% protein, 16% fat and 48% estimated carbs yielding a fat-to-protein ratio of about 54%.
Typical buyer reviewMy 2 Retrievers are doing very well on this food. Its excellent quality and reasonably priced. They love the food and nothing is wasted. We will stay with Horizon Complete.
A low-cost, all life stages option ideal for both adults and puppies. Plus its also free of genetically modified grains. Highly recommended.
Read Also: Where To Buy Pedigree Dog Food
Shopping At Your Local Pet Store
I realize some people like to support their local merchants, which is great. And we still head over to our local Mounds store occasionally. But I also need to be budget conscious, and my dogs are a big part of our budget.
Some local pet stores do offer loyalty programs, so this is something to consider.
Online Isnt Always The Cheapest
Checkbook found that shopping online doesnt always result in the lowest prices. All the websites in the report were more expensive than the price leaders: Sams Club, BJs and Walmart. But having that 50-pound bag of dog food delivered to your door is mighty convenient.
Checkbook found that:
- Chewy.com was the least expensive online option, with prices about 11 percent lower than the all-store average.
- s prices for the products surveyed were 5 percent higher than average more expensive than several other online retailers prices and about 18 percent higher than Chewys.
If you shop online, make sure you buy enough to get free shipping. Or order online and pick up at the store. With Petco, the discount for in-store pick-up is 10 percent PetSmart is 5 percent.
Another money-saving option: Some online stores give a discount, typically 5 percent, if you sign up for their auto-ship program. Dont worry, its easy to cancel, modify or suspend auto-ship orders.
Checkbook found that Chewys 5 percent auto-ship discount makes its prices competitive with the lowest-cost local outlets. Unfortunately, online retailers often exclude many products from their auto-ship discounts, Checkbook noted.
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Is Kal Kan Dog Food Is Right For Your Pooch
Kal Kan is another popular name amongst dog food brands, and the only reason it is popular is due to pet owners finding it to be a below average product. But as it goes in the running for the best cheap dog food, it is hard for dogs to digest, it doesnt provide them with enough nutrients, and the products in the dog food are mainly fillers, meaning they dont provide a dog with enough vitamins, minerals, and protein, therefore leaving them hungry and undernourished.