Pedigree Dog Food Reviews, Ratings, Recalls, Ingredients!
About the Company
Pedigree is a name known among dog owners and manufactured by Mars Food. They’re the blue ribbon bag; the ones that say “Dogs Rule!”
While it’s great that we can connect with their marketing messages, it’d be better if more owners knew more about what is actually inside this so-called premium food. The sad truth is that the food is not nearly as high-quality as they want you to believe it is, as you’ll see in this review.
Even if I don’t love their food, I love that Pedigree has put time and money into working with rescue dogs and getting involved with animal shelters. Not every big dog food corporation does this, so it is good to see that Pedigree does care about dogs.
Dry Food
Food | Quality | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
D | ||
D- | ||
D | ||
D- | ||
D |
Treats
Food | Quality | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
C | ||
D- | ||
D+ | ||
D | ||
D |
Rating
Pedigree Dog Food Reviews
Frankly speaking, there’s not much that is good about this food except for the price. I was hoping to find more positive features to share with you, but the low-quality ingredients cannot be atoned for in any way. It’s unfortunate, but that’s how it is.
Pros
Great Price & Availability
Pedigree has been a go-to option for many pet owners and shelters for a long time because of how affordable it is and how easy it is to pick up at the store. Not everyone can afford to do their shopping for dog food online which makes this an easy option for many owners.
Good Source Of Calcium
The meat and bone meal in this formula, which is the main source of protein, may not be my favorite ingredient. It is, however, an ingredient that promotes strong bones thanks to the high calcium level in this kind of meal. Pedigree advertises their food as good for your pet’s bones, and in this case, it’s true.
Cons
Too Much Corn
There’s just no way to get around the fact that corn should not be the first ingredient in any dog food. While dogs are omnivores, corn is one of the ingredients that most often causes allergies in dogs. It’s difficult for them to digest and slows their entire metabolism. With better options out there, I can’t support food with corn as the first ingredient.
Pedigree consistently stands behind corn as a good ingredient, but I think they’re hanging on to the past of dog nutrition.
Low-Quality Protein And Fat Sources
Not only is meat not the first ingredient in this food, but all of the animal protein and fat sources in this food are also low-quality. There is not a single real meat protein included, and every meal that is included is basically by-product waste, blended up for your dog. Is that what you want to be feeding your best friend?
Weight Management Difficult
Because this food is so heavy in indigestible carbohydrates, it can be difficult to keep a dog at a healthy weight while they are eating Pedigree foods. Many reviews mention this problem. You may need to adjust how much you feed your dog in the summer or winter to ensure they are staying at a healthy weight.
Pedigree Dog Food Analysis of Ingredients
Today, I want to take a deeper look at Pedigree dog food ingredients through one of the three Pedigree Complete Nutrition Adult Dry dog foods, the chicken formula.
- Crude Protein (min) 21%
- Crude Fat (min) 10%
- Crude Fiber (max) 4%
- Moisture (max) 12%
The first ingredient in this formula already has me disappointed. Whole grain corn should not be the first ingredient in any quality dog food. Where is the protein? I noticed that the protein percentage in this food was lower than comparable foods, and this explains why. The only animal protein comes from meat and bone meal and chicken by-product meal. Both are low-quality ingredients.
The fat in this food comes from an unnamed animal source, which means that it could be anything. I don’t want to feed my dog just anything. The fat is also preserved with BHA, which has been banned from use in food for human consumption due to its cancer causing properties. Do you want to feed that to your dog?
Besides that, there are many carbohydrate ingredients in the food without any good fat or protein to balance them out for a rounded diet. I found in more than one Pedigree puppy food review that the food also contains unnecessary artificial coloring, an ingredient I hate seeing in a dog food.
For this review, I’m rating the food as a below average food.
Pedigree Dog Food Recall History
Pedigree has not had a recalled issued within the last two years. The last recall happened in early 2014, and before that, 2012. Recently, however, there was an issue with people finding what seemed like wire in their dog’s food, but nothing ever resulted from this problem.
Final Thoughts
No. I don’t believe that Pedigree should be getting away with having corn as the first ingredient in food that is being marketed as a source of real animal protein. I know that it is problems with laws that allow this to continue, but I wish that Pedigree would step up and create better food. The problem is that people still buy their food under the impression that it is good food, and I want that to stop.
If you’re in need of a different affordable food that provides more quality, try something from the brands Fromm or Wellness CORE. While the price of these foods might cause some sticker shock at first, I can promise you that they are made with higher quality ingredients that will give your dog more nutrition in each bite. You will be able to feed them less, meaning you’ll spend as much as you would on Pedigree to give your dog a much better life!
