Pure Balance Dog Food Reviews, Ratings, Recalls, Ingredients! | Herepup
Herepup > Dog Food Brands Review (2020) > Pure Balance Dog Food Reviews, Ratings, Recalls, Ingredients!
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​Pure Balance Dog Food Reviews, Ratings, Recalls, Ingredients!

About the Company

Pure Balance Dog Food Reviews

Pure Balance is manufactured by...wait for it...Walmart! Yes, it’s true. The big name decided to launch their own premium brand of dog food, and I believe they did a pretty great job of it. Their foods are exclusive to Walmart, for the most part, though some online retailers carry them as well.

I believe that Walmart saw the rise in popularity of simpler, healthier foods, and decided to fill the niche for affordable foods for themselves.

There are both grain free and grain inclusive foods in the Pure Balance line, but they all leave out corn, soy, and wheat which is great. Of course, I’d like it if all foods had no grains, but there are many dogs who thrive on grain inclusive foods, so I respect the decision to produce both. Either way, Pure Balance might have the right product for you.

Overall Rating:

Dry Food

Image
Product
Pure Balance Dog Food, Chicken & Brown Rice
Pure Balance Dog Food, Chicken & Brown Rice
    Pure Balance Grain Free Formula
    Pure Balance Grain Free Formula, Salmon & Pea Recipe
      Pure Balance SUPERFOOD Blend Trout & Lentils Recipe
      Pure Balance SUPERFOOD Blend Trout & Lentils Recipe
        Pure Balance Wild & Free Bison
        Pure Balance Wild & Free Bison, Pea & Venison
          Pure Balance Small Breed Chicken and Garden Vegetables
          Pure Balance Small Breed Chicken and Garden Vegetables

            Wet Food

            Image
            Product
            Pure Balance Grain-Free Chicken & Turkey Dinner
            Pure Balance Grain-Free Chicken & Turkey Dinner
              Pure Balance Chicken Recipe
              Pure Balance Chicken Recipe
                Pure Balance Chicken, Vegetables & Brown Rice Stew
                Pure Balance Chicken, Vegetables & Brown Rice Stew
                  Pure Balance Grain Free Beef, Turkey, Lamb & Chicken Variety Pack
                  Pure Balance Grain Free Beef, Turkey, Lamb & Chicken Variety Pack

                    Pure Balance Dog Food Reviews

                    This is the kind of brand of dog food that doesn’t disappoint me by using a ton of low-quality fillers, but it also does not wow me to the point that I give a 5-star Pure Balance dog food rating. When you’re looking for an average food at a good price, the name Pure Balance should come to mind. Of course, there are better foods out there!

                    Pros

                    No Wheat, Soy, Or Corn In Many Recipes

                    As I mentioned, this food was created to fill a niche for affordable, simple food for dogs. Many owners were clearly moving in this direction, and Pure Balance attempts to balance the quality that should be in a grain-free or corn-free food with price, which can be a factor for many dog owners. And they do a pretty great job of it!

                    Affordable & Available

                    Since this food is created by WalMart, you can find it at nearly every one of their stores as long as it is in stock. You can also order it on their website, and you know you’re getting the best price on it since it’s their brand. Even if you live somewhere more remote like John in Alaska, you can find Pure Balance at an affordable price:

                    Cons

                    Recent Changes To The Product?

                    In the past few months, there have been a number of Pure Balance dog food reviews from long-term Pure Balance users that they are noticing a difference in their dogs and their dogs’ foods. There has not been any official ingredient change, and I cannot find any solid information, but this makes me a bit wary. Make sure to check manufacturing dates when buying this product.

                    Unclear Oil

                    Many of the formulas in this line us sunflower oil, but there are many types of sunflower oil, and not all of them work well for dogs. Some owners mentioned that different batches of this food seem to have a different oily quality, so it’s even possible they change what they use sometimes. I wish they’d be more clear and consistent about the oil used in the product.

                    Not All Products Are Grain-Free

                    Not every product made by Pure Balance is grain-free. Normally, this wouldn’t be a con for me, but I believe that Pure Balance markets their food as if they are all grain-free, which is not true. The grain-free items they do have are above-average foods, but they should be clearer when marketing that corn-free does not mean grain-free.

                    Pure Balance Dog Food Analysis of Ingredients

                    Let’s get into the heart of this Pure Balance dog food review by taking a look at the actual composition of the food. We’re going to look at Pure Balance Dog Food, Chicken & Brown Rice.

                    I cannot find complete Guaranteed Analysis data for this food, but the protein level is at 27% (min), and the fat is at 15% (min), which is pretty good for a food of this price.

                    The first two ingredients are chicken and chicken meal. If you know me, you know that I love this combination! Real chicken is a great ingredient, but it has a lot of water in it so it should not be the only protein source. Chicken meal, on the other hand, has a ton of concentrated protein that balances out the real chicken. For dogs that can eat chicken, this is a great source of protein.

                    The next two ingredients, brown rice, and brewer’s rice, are just average to me. Brown rice is better for dogs than a filler like corn, but rice in general only gives modest nutritional value to the dog. Still, I’m happy to see these here in the list instead of wheat, corn, or soy.

                    Pure Balance Dog Food Reviews

                    This food has no probiotics, but it does contain chelated minerals that will help your dog absorb the nutrients. It also contains flaxseed, which is a great source of fatty acid. The fat source is general poultry fat, which is okay, but not as good as named chicken fat would be.

                    Overall, I would say this is an average food.

                    Pure Balance Dog Food Recall History

                    There have been no recalls for Pure Balance dog food in recent history.

                    Final Thoughts

                    While there have been mixed reviews about Pure Balance products in the past, I have found no reason to believe that this is a low-quality food. The product I reviewed was average, but I believe that their grain-free varieties lean towards above-average if you’re willing to pay a bit more. Either way, Pure Balance fills a great spot in the market.

                    If you and your dog need an affordable, easy-to-find food that leaves out the cheapest filler ingredients like corn and soy, this is the food for you to try.

                    SAVE TO YOUR MEMOS!

                    Author

                    Dr. Laura Harris is our resident dog health expert. She started to fact-check dog health-related information for HerePup during her internship and contributes since then. Her expertise is in dog nutrition, senior dog care, especially critical care medicine and internal medicine.

                    Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 17 comments
                    Maleesha - February 12, 2017

                    I have been feeding my 3 dogs ‘Pure Balance Chicken & Rice’ for quite a while now. 1 week ago, my chihuahua pug mix started breaking out in hives and her face was swollen. My other 2 dogs showed no signs of any change. This happened for 3 days right after she ate. I changed dog food brands today and so far she seems ok. No sign of any food reaction. I don’t know what Pure Balance has done different, but I will not be using this food any longer.

                    Reply
                    Michelle Calhoun - June 11, 2017

                    after you cut open the sleve dog food. do you put it in the ice box.

                    Reply
                    Barbara - June 13, 2017

                    I am trying the grain free for the first time. One of my dogs gets a bloated stomach after eating and the other one seems just fine. I will be using another brand when what I have is gone. Meanwhile I am buying a different brand for my first dog.

                    Reply
                      PC Carrell - June 13, 2017

                      Hi Barbara
                      Maybe the pup is not digesting his food properly, but trying another brand is a wise choice.

                      Cheers

                      Reply
                    Lilly - June 18, 2017

                    What I’ve learned is dogs can acquire an intolerance to a single protein when fed continually. Especially chicken. What I do is switch to a different protein within the same line of dog food. For example, one bag purchase will be lamb and the next will be bison… Not only will this help avoid intolerance, your pet won’t get board of the food.

                    Reply
                      David - July 9, 2017

                      I have never considered that, but it seems a logical idea. We’ve been feeding our dogs the Pure Balance Salmon & Pea recipe for a couple of years and I can tell that they aren’t as enthusiastic about it today as they once were. A few days ago, we ran out and didn’t have time to make a trip to Wal-Mart for a new bag, so we bought a bag of Purina Beyond Salmon & Pumpkin dry dog food and they loved it.

                      Reply
                    Brian - June 30, 2017

                    To anyone who is having health issues potentially related to this food: PLEASE REPORT IT. Call the number on the bag. It’s 1-877-307-2192. It’s WalMart Brands’ hotline. Give them the batch number on the bag that has given you trouble. Tell them your dog’s symptoms/what your vet has told you/what it’s costing you to get this all figured out.

                    I’ve been feeding my dog the Chicken and Brown Rice food for over a year with no issue, and suddenly one bag I bought looked off, a bit darker than usual, and after a few days of eating it he couldn’t seem to drink enough water, to the point where if he wasn’t taken out every couple hours he was having accidents. WalMart has taken my complaint very seriously, filed a ticket, and a few days after calling them I received a call from Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, saying they were the manufacturers and they wanted to know if my dog is continuing to have symptoms and if I’d been refunded for the food.

                    After getting bloodwork done with it coming back showing heightened liver enzymes, two vets now agree, it was almost certainly the off bag of food, especially given how quickly he returned to normal after stopping the food. However, he was only on it a week – had he continued to eat it longer, it could’ve been a lot worse.

                    Ainsworth has not yet said what they’re going to do about it, but until it’s figured out, I really would recommend staying away from Pure Balance brand and any other Ainsworth foods (Rachel Ray’s Nutrish, Dad’s, and Better Than treats). Sadly on other sites I’ve seen I’m not the only one who’s had this issue.

                    Reply
                    Laura - September 5, 2017

                    My small dog got very ill after eating pure balance chicken and brown rice canned food. She vomited for several days after eating it. Took her to vet after several days of vomiting and he just treated vomiting and stomach issues. Then she stopped eating and took her to another vet. After a couple of shots and pills to take home she is improving. I’m taking her back for blood work. He wants to ck liver.

                    Reply
                    Brenda M - March 3, 2018

                    I have been feeding my dog Pute balance for a couple yeara now. We trued this food becauae he had terrible Skin allergies and nothing and worked. We mostly use the lamb and brown rice formula and it has done wonders for him! He grew all his hair back, its thick and shiney again and he has gained his weight back. It took about a year of using this food for us to see improvements but we are so happy with the results! Amazing is best way to describe it!

                    Reply
                    Linda Murray - March 5, 2018

                    I recently started feeding my dogs Pure Balance chicken and brow rice ,both of the older dogs developed stomach issues, flatulance, biting at their sides, will stop feeding immediately!

                    Reply
                    EDWIN OBERDORF - June 4, 2018

                    I just started the canned dog food and my dog loves it and no more begging at the table a plus!

                    Reply
                    nely - June 4, 2018

                    I been feeding both my german shepherd and chocolate lab the chicken and brown rice for the past two years now. My lab has developed some skin problems where he needs a surgical procedure to have these excess ball looking growing inside his skin and out. I asked the vet if these had to do with the food he was eating. The vet was really packed that they day and I felt rushed by the doctor, they really just looked ay him and gave me a price. Without letting me know the cause of it or the severity of the skin problem. All I know is that the only thing that was changed was the food. The german shepherd hasn’t developed any severe skin problems other than a lot of constant itching and dry skin.

                    I don’t know if anyone else has experience the same or similar skin problems but I will like to try a different brand to see if its the food causing all these skin problems.

                    Reply
                    Stephanie Spotts - October 31, 2018

                    I am trying to fine the answer to both my dogs having vomiting issues for two weeks now. My Vet told me to check with you guys…Please advise of any new results, and in the meantime, I think I am going to try another food.

                    Thanking you in advance, Stef Spotts

                    Reply
                    Prednisone for dogs side effects - December 28, 2018

                    The post is very helpful as you will get to know about the balanced dog food which comes in different packed content and come in different range.

                    Reply
                    noel yates - March 29, 2019

                    i am very disappointed in the drastic ”DECREASE ” in size of your bags —-yet you are selling it at same price

                    Reply
                    Nadeen Heare - October 31, 2019

                    I bought pure balance for my rottweiler and about after 2 mnths on it he started having severe diarehea i took him to the vets and found he had ulcers and switched my dog to can food from vets for sensitive GI.
                    I started wondering about pure balance but wasnt sure .
                    My daughter stayed at my place and feed her pitbull pure balance for a week and than she started having bloody diarhea!!!
                    I am 100 percent convinced it is pure balance
                    Her dog now also is on antibiotics and probiotics
                    And NEVER again will i my family or anyone i know use pure balance
                    Nadeen heare

                    Reply
                    Deborah - December 1, 2019

                    We added the middle size bag of salmon and pea to the dogs food storage container. On the second or third feeding my pit bull got sick. She has eaten it for 7 or 8 years without a problem. She and the other small dog will not touch it. Because we have never had a issue we put the empty bag out in the trash before she became sick so I have no proof of purchase. She is better but now we have to find another food she can eat.

                    Reply

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