In-Depth Pinnacle Dog Food Review, Ingredients and Recalls
Pinnacle Dog Food markets itself as a holistic pet food company but what that means exactly may be unclear to many dog owners. They mean that their foods are as natural and healthy for your dog as possible. Their lines include limited ingredient formulas and grain-free formulas.
Who Makes Pinnacle Dog Food?
Pinnacle Dog Food is registered as a trademark of Central Garden & Pet Company and is manufactured by Breeder’s Choice, a related company. This conglomerate also produces the AvoDerm dog and cat food line that you may be familiar with. These lines all have different makeups and goals, with Pinnacle being aimed at holistic nutrition.
Dry Food
Food | Quality | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
Salmon & Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food | A+ | |
Turkey & Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food | A+ | |
Trout & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food | A | |
Duck & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food | A | |
Peak Protein Recipe Dry Dog Food | A+ |
Wet Food
Food | Quality | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
Chicken & Vegetable Recipe Canned Dog Food | A+ | |
Duck & Sweet Potato Recipe Canned Dog Food | A | |
Salmon & Potato Recipe Canned Dog Food | A+ | |
Trout & Sweet Potato Recipe Canned Dog Food | A+ | |
Turkey & Potato Recipe Canned Dog Food | A |
Rating
Pinnacle Dog Food Reviews
My Pinnacle dog food review and rating today is based on the following pros and cons. You can decide for yourself if you agree with the rating, but I really believe this food is a 5-star food that might be perfect for you and your pet.
Pros
Grain-free Lines And Products
I love that Pinnacle has totally committed to making their products grain-free. It’s great to see some companies that make products both with or without grain, but I truly believe that grain-free dog foods are all we will see in a few years. It’s great that Pinnacle believes this food is the best and is 100% behind making only that.
Clean Manufacturing History
As I’ll mention below, recalls have never been a problem for the Pinnacle line of food. When other foods are often getting knocked stars off their reviews for having a shady manufacturing history, that is not the case with Pinnacle.
Good, Healthy Ingredients
Pinnacle considers many of their foods to be single-ingredient foods. This means that all the protein comes from one protein type, all the fat from one fat type, all the carbohydrates from one type, etc. This can be good for dogs with bad digestion or allergies. All of their ingredients are high-quality.
Cons
Limited Variety Of Products
While it’s great that Pinnacle sticks to grain-free products as I mentioned in the pros list above, it’s a bit sad that there are not more products to choose from. This is one of the issues with only making grain-free formulas. Some owners don’t mind grain and would appreciate more variety, but you cannot find that with Pinnacle foods.
Confusing Marketing Practices
There are many Pinnacle dog food reviews that mention the confusing word “holistic” that Pinnacle uses when marketing their foods. Any brand that uses words such as holistic or natural in their marketing tactics can get a bit of a raised eyebrow from me. Why? Because these words are not regulated in meaning by any organization and can be very confusing for consumers. I wish they’d be more clear about what they mean by this.
Strange Choice of Retailers
Even though the story behind this dog food sounds amazing, one of the main reasons most of the dog owners choose to go with other foods is the difficulty finding it nearby. You'll probably have to check at least a few local pet stores to find Pinnacle dog food. Also, the retailers online keep changing and now the food is unavailable in all the most popular online stores.
Pinnacle Dog Food Alternatives
Since finding Pinnacle Dog Food online or in a physical store in your town may be a mission, here's a list of other dog food brands to consider. They all offer the same amazing quality food your dog is going to love and appreciate.
Dog Food | Quality | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
A | ||
A- | ||
A+ | ||
A+ | ||
A- |
Pinnacle Dog Food Reviews of Ingredients
For our ingredients analysis today, I’m going to take a more in-depth look at the ingredients that make up one of Pinnacle’s most popular foods, the Pinnacle Grain-Free Turkey & Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food formula.
- Crude Protein (min) 27%
- Crude Fat (min) 14%
- Crude Fiber (max) 4.5%
- Moisture (max) 10%
The first two ingredients in this formula, similar to other formulas in the Pinnacle line, are proteins. In this case, real turkey and turkey meal are the first two ingredients, so you can rest assured that your dog is getting a good amount of real protein in their food.
There is, of course, some plant-based protein too, but this food has a great balance of both. In fact, some of the protein comes from quinoa seed, which is a unique ingredient. Quinoa gives both good protein and good dietary fiber. The carbohydrates in this food come mostly from potatoes.
All of Pinnacle’s formulas are grain-free, which is great for many pets. Not sure if grain-free is right for your pet? Find out more about grain-free diets:
Various reviews mention that they don’t like the inclusion of garlic in this formula. While some owners praise its use, others hate it. Garlic has not been scientifically proven to be linked to any harmful side effects, and it may have some benefits, so I’m neutral on its inclusion here.
Overall, this is an above-average food. It is a great source of protein, carbohydrates, and other healthy nutrients without loading your pet down with indigestible grain products. I recommend giving it a try.
Pinnacle Dog Food Recall History
There has not been a Pinnacle dog food recall within the last few years. There was a recall for an AvoDerm product in 2012. While this is not a Pinnacle dog food recall, AvoDerm is manufactured by the same company as Pinnacle, so it is worth noting here. I do not believe that this recall from 2012 is a reason to avoid Pinnacle food.
Pinnacle Dog Food Alternatives
Dog Food | Quality | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
A | ||
A- | ||
A+ | ||
A+ | ||
A- |
Final Thoughts
That’s the end of my review today! Overall, I believe that Pinnacle is a fantastic grain-free option for many pet owners. While not mentioned in detail here, they also have canned options available. Pinnacle dog foods are all great choices made from healthy, reliable ingredients. If you’re looking for a mid-range, grain-free formula for your pets, try one of Pinnacle’s foods.
