Canidae Dog Food Reviews (Ratings, Recalls, Ingredients!)
About The Company
Canidae started out of a single feed store in Southern California in 1996. It’s an independent, family-owned company. At one time, Canidae dog food was co-packed by Diamond Pet Foods. They were made in the same plants, along with many other pet food brands, but in March, 2011, Canidae purchased Ethos Pet Nutrition, a pre-existing extrusion plant in Brownwood, Texas.
Dry Food
Food | Quality | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
A | ||
A | ||
A | ||
A | ||
B+ | ||
B+ |
Wet Food
Food | Quality | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
A | ||
A- | ||
A+ | ||
A+ | ||
C | ||
A |
Rating
I’ve primarily based my Canidae dog food rating on the quality of their ingredients and the company's manufacturing methods. There are a lot of choices and formulations too for different budgets. There should be something here for every kind of dog.
Is Canidae A Good Dog Food?
Yes, and when there’s a problem, they fix it!
Ethos was rebuilt as one of the most modern natural pet food plants of its kind, according to Frank Hon, the Canidae company's Director of Operations at the time. This is because of the plant’s advanced, automated extrusion system, which continues to make superior, nutritious and natural pet food.
Having their own manufacturing facilities allows Canidae more control over safety protocols and regulatory compliance too. The plant also has its own on-site lab, which tests all their ingredients and the final products, and they do research for new products.
Pros
The meat for Canidae’s pet products comes from ranches in Wyoming, or other trusted sources. For example, the lamb meal is from New Zealand, and the duck meal from France. The fish comes from the waterways of the Pacific Northwest.
Because Canidae’s kibble is made in small batches, you can see variations in the color, size and shape, even though the ingredients are the same. That’s due to the extrusion process, and it’s a sure sign of higher quality, and a less processed product. It’s always something I look for.
Canidae’s natural pet foods only use mixed tocopherols as a preservative, not ethoxyquin, BHA, BHT or propylene glycol. They’re made without MSG, sugar, high fructose corn syrup or other artificial flavors. Corn, wheat and soy are never included in any of their recipes, and non-GMO ingredients are preferred whenever it’s practical.
The formulas include probiotics for digestibility and intestinal health, as well as omega 3 fatty acids for the skin and coat. There are added vitamins and minerals too. They make both dry and wet food, as well as treats.
It’s healthier for dogs to eat different kinds of meat. There are a variety of animal protein sources in the different Canidae dog foods, including:
- Beef
- Bison
- Chicken
- Duck
- Fish
- Lamb
- Mackerel
- Rabbit
- Salmon
- Trout
- Turkey
- Wild boar
Some of the dog food is for all breeds and life stages, but Canidae also makes special recipes for:
- Puppies
- Seniors
- Specific health considerations
- Weight management
- Small breeds
- Large breeds
Cons
Not all Canidae recipes are grain-free. Even the CANIDAE® Grain Free PURE recipes use chickpeas and peas, for added plant-based protein, as well as sweet potatoes. I'd rather see more meat. The CANIDAE® All Life Stages formulas, however, do at least use whole grains, along with peas and cranberries for added antioxidants.
Canidae Dog Food Product Line
Customer reviews on Canidae dog food are much higher than the many complaints I see for Diamond dog food listed with Consumer Affairs. Canidae has five stars and 88 percent of reviewers out of more than 1,000 customers awarded them the highest rating. On the other hand, Diamond dog food only has a star and a half, with 37 percent of almost 160 reviewers giving it only one star. I’m relieved that Canidae pet food is no longer made and packed with inferior products like this.
CANIDAE® Grain Free PURE dog food has limited ingredients, no more than 7–10. The line features fresh meat, poultry, and fish, along with other ingredients that are all easily recognizable as real food, with only a few added vitamins and minerals. They have both dry and wet food, as well as treats, as part of this line, which makes things easier and consistent for consumers.
CANIDAE® All Life Stages wet and dry dog food is vet formulated with nutritionally dense meat and fish meal. They are healthy for all ages, breeds, and sizes, as well as multiple dog families. There are dog treats in this line too.
The Under The Sun® by CANIDAE® dog food is focused on one kind of meat as the first and main ingredient. The recipes may be cheaper, since this is the companies most buget-friendly line, but they’re still made with farm-fresh ingredients, without chicken by-product meal, corn, wheat, soy or potatoes. Like the other lines, there are both dry and wet dog foods.
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Canidae Dog Food Recall History
There hasn’t been a Canidae dog food recall in the last two years, although on May 5, 2012 there was a voluntary recall of some of the dry pet food made between December 9, 2011, and January 31, 2012 at the Diamond Pet Food factory in Gaston, South Carolina. None of the Canidae pet food tested positive for Salmonella or other contaminants, but the company voluntarily recalled them just in case. That’s a point in Canidae's favor, in my opinion.
There was also an additional class-action lawsuit involving Diamond Pet Food and Costco. They notified 115,000 customers that they were eligible for damage claims relating to the screening and/or treatment of their pets after they were exposed to Salmonella in 2011 and 2012. At least one dog was reported in the suit as becoming very sick, with symptoms including vomiting, running diarrhea, dehydration, and loss of consciousness, but there are no numbers on how many were actually sick. The deadline to apply was May 30, 2016.
I think it’s significant that this issue wasn’t fully resolved for pet owners for 5 or 6 years! That doesn’t impress me at all and reflects all my concerns about many big dog food companies. I love that Canidae is obviously aware of the problems that come with making pet food that way and internalized all their operations.
Final Thoughts on Canidae Dog Food Reviews
I like a company that sees a problem and fixes it to make things better than ever. That’s a real sign of dedication and continued innovation. Canidae has an obvious commitment to science and research as well. Their pet food story shows exactly why smaller is often better and how important it is not to outsource to bigger companies, where you can’t be sure of safety or quality. I think this is a pet food company we can trust.
