Quick Review: Top-5 Dog Foods From Purina
Who is Purina?
Purina wasnât always NestlĂŠ-Purina. In fact, the companyâs history dates all the way back to 1894, when three Americans surnamed Danforth, Robinson, and Andrews started up a farm animal-feeding business in St Louis. They were renamed Ralston Purina a few years later and opened their first center for pet care and nutrition in 1926 in Missouri. If we fast-forward a little more to around 1963, Purina started making their signature Puppy Chow with the red-and-white checkerboard trademark that we all now know so well.
Since then, theyâve published research related to pet care, branched out into specialized lines for doggy and cat treats, and gone nation-wide with their charity initiatives. As a result, there are so, so many lines of different Purina puppy and dog foods, from Pro Plan, through Puppy Chow and Purina One, to Beneful and Beyond.
Whatâs special and unique about Purina?
We are just LOVING the new Beyond range that Purina has released. The entire range is made with ingredients that can be tracked all the way back to their original source. Recipes are crafted with input from a nutritionist, and none of their kibble production is outsourced to other companies- itâs all made in the U.S., too. The Beyond line includes the gluten-free formulas weâve included in our Purina Grain Free Dog Food Review and bonus Purina Beyond Dog Food Review- theyâre both made with real and natural meat as the top ingredient and include veggies for vitamins.
Weâre also liking the fact that Purina makes so many different kinds of food for our puppy friends. Some are made without any by-products, and most feature zero synthetic flavoring, coloring, or preserving agents. Some lines, such as the Pro Plan dog foods include specialized formulas for giant-, large-, and small-sized dogs and puppies. The Purina One line, on the other hand, always puts real meat at the top of the ingredients list, and contains no âfillingâ agents at all.
Why the Purina dog food reviews and Purina puppy food reviews?
Well, there are so many different Purina dog foods and puppy foods that we just had to take a look! The brand is exceptionally popular, economical, makes super-healthy options, and even have heartbreakingly sweet and helpful blogs all about puppies.
As noted, they:
- Are as serious as can be about safety when it comes to the ingredients in your puppyâs food and the way in which it is produced;
- Have a natural puppy and dog food line that uses non-GMO ingredients;
- Have an admirable stance on sustainability, including the mission to create zero landfill waste within 2 years;
- Make senior dog food, size-specific kibbles and chow, weight management, and hypoallergenic options;
- Make a delicious-looking line of treats.
What do you think? Letâs take a look at what Purina product might best suit your fluffy best friend!
The Purina Dog Food reviews
The Purina Grain Free Dog Food Reviews
- Purina Beyond Grain Free Recipe Adult
Pros
- Nothing artificial in the way of by-products, preserving agents, flavors, or even colors;
- Tunaâs probably going to be a welcome change of protein for dinner for your dog, and egg, too!
- Suitable for the tiniest toy dogs of 3 lbs to the largest giants who weigh over 100 lb;
- Proteinâs at a wholesome 27% in this blend, with fat at 16% for energetic or active dogs;
- Glucosamine, and zinc, for joints and skin, respectively.
- No artificial add-ins for coloring, flavoring, or preserving this food- and zero strange by-products from poultry.
Cons
- Peas are the only green veggie in here, but thatâs still great, we reckon!
The Purina Puppy Food Reviews
- Purina ONE SmartBlend Healthy
Pros
- Oatmeal and rice are two easily-digestible grains in this recipe, and oatmealâs also a source of delicious protein;
- Kibble that crunches when your puppy munches- for clean teeth and less tartar!
- Naturally-derived DHA from fish oil;
- Carrots and peas give your puppy iron and vitamins;
- 28% protein, along with 17% fat are two healthy figures for your growing fluffy friend!
Cons
- Made with by-products from chickens, although, this is also fairly high in joint-healthy glucosamine;
- Not suitable for puppies on a grain- or gluten-free diet, as itâs made with corn and milled soybeans.
- Purina Puppy Chow Natural
Pros
- 27% protein;
- 1% calcium for resilient puppy bones;
- Suited for puppies of all breed sizes, from Daschunds to Labs, to Great Danes;
- Rice makes this formula easily digestible for little puppy tummies;
- Contains DHA from natural fish oil;
- No artificial agents for preserving, flavoring, or coloring in this food!
Cons
- Top, leading ingredients in this chow are corn products and by-products from chicken.
- Purina Pro Plan SAVOR Shredded Blend
Pros
- Both DHA and fellow amino acid EPA in this recipe to promote good cerebral function;
- At least 28% protein, most of which is from chicken;
- Fish meal gives your puppy some glucosamine, which plays a large role in keeping up joint health in bigger pups especially;
- Suitable to feed to your puppy until heâs up to eight months old;
- Contains 18% fat;
- Minerals in here include manganese, copper, iron, zinc, and potassium.
Cons
- Made with grains, such as corn and also wheat;
- There are milled by-products from poultry in this formula, too.
The Wet Purina Puppy Food Review
- Purina Pro Plan FOCUS Classic Entree
Pros
- Brown rice is very gentle indeed on canine digestive systems, so this should be an easily digestible formula;
- With only 203 kCal in each 5.5oz can and feeding instructions that are easy-as-pie to follow, varying your pupâs diet with this wet food will be super-simple;
- As is very often the case with Purina, we consider this one pretty economical;
- 10% protein, good for a wet food thatâs designed for growth and development of lean muscle;
- 7% fat is just spot on for a wet puppy food.
Cons
- There arenât any veggies in this formula;
- Contains some âmeatâ by-product, which is an ambiguous ingredient.
The Purina Beyond Dog Food Review
- Purina Beyond Grain Free Recipe Adult
Pros
- Apples, peas, and supplements to give your adult dog Vitamins E, A, K, D, B and C. Not the whole alphabet, but pretty good, right?
- 1% calcium thatâs optimally balanced against phosphorus;
- 16% fat, so ideal for dogs with a lot of lean muscle such as Rottweilers and Pit Bulls;
- Contains glucosamine, which is excellent for joint health, and zinc, which is great for skin care;
- No milled by-products, and no grains at all.
Cons
- Thereâs egg in this one, but itâs clearly stated on the label, so no confusion here.
The Hypoallergenic Purina Food Review
- Purina HA Hydrolyzed
Pros
- 18% protein, from soy molecules that have been broken down into smaller pieces;
- At 8% fat and 314 kCal per cup, you wonât need to worry too much that your dogâs getting excess energy- although you may need to feed a little more to ensure your puppyâs getting enough calories for growth;
- If your puppy can handle hydrolyzed chicken, this formula also comes in chicken flavor for a nice change;
- Made with some antioxidants for healthy cell function;
- Itâs developed to be appropriate for dogs and puppies of all ages who are susceptible to tummy upsets, or at risk of pancreatitis.
Cons
- Corn starch is this foodâs first ingredient- not real meat.
FAQ
What do veterinary professionals think of Purina dog food?
Purina is one of the all time favorite store bought dog foods in the veterinary community. It can be challenging to find a diet that is not only affordable for the average pet owner, but also has something to offer in terms of quality. Purina is passionate about the ingredients in their diet and how they serve our furry friends, and it always shows in their recipes. With having so many options in terms of diet, every dog owner can find a veterinary approved diet for their pup.
What is a hydrolyzed dog food, exactly?
Allergic reactions tend to take place within your pupâs body when his immune system recognizes some molecule as potentially harmful. When this happens, you might notice such symptoms as sneezing, itchiness or runny, watery eyes. Itâs best to take your puppy to the vet if you notice anything like this, as they may find it necessary to put him onto a hypoallergenic food, or something with hydrolyzed protein.
The protein molecules in hydrolyzed protein puppy foods and dog foods have been broken into much smaller pieces if they havenât been broken entirely into their constituent amino acids. In this smaller form, they are less likely to be triggers for an allergic reaction. The HA dog food weâve recommended in our Hypoallergenic Purina Dog Food Review is soy-based, so if youâve got a puppy who cannot handle any of the more popular meats that are so common in puppy foods, this could be a great option.
My puppy wonât stop begging for human food! What do I do?
It can be so funny at first, and maybe even cute when your puppy shows an interest in your human dinner. But after a while, yes, it might make you wonder whether somethingâs the matter with his puppy food! If your puppy is begging for food at the dinner table, itâs not necessarily because somethingâs wrong with his own kibble, and there are some simple steps you might want to try before you start stressing out.
Puppies can quite easily be trained using positive reinforcement, so if theyâre begging at the dinner table each night and you give them a little nibble of food to keep them quiet, theyâll probably think something like âHey…that worked!â. If you simply ignore your pupâs begging, they will most likely realize it isnât working anymore and quit the behavior. Do bear in mind that this might take a little while, but be patient and youâll both soon be able to eat in peace.
Last update on 2025-01-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
My partner and I have been on a mission for the very best kibble for our Corgis. Nothing was going to stop us, for real, and we were ready to try them all as both Trixie and Maisie are show dogs. When we found this Purina Beyond dog food review we decided to try the Beyond grain free and it was the only one they have actually wanted to eat â talk about picky!
Before they started with the tuna Beyond kibble Mais was losing a bunch of weight and slightly listless. Our vet said to try something more natural as they were eating expensive food but it had a bunch of low-quality ingredients. Now she’s in awesome shape!
I ordered the Purina ONE formula for my Cupcake and she has much better breath, to be honest. I guess her teeth are cleaner now and also, she digests it much better. Thanks for the Purina dog food review!
My mother-in-law swears by Purina puppy chow for her little Terrier. She sent us the link to this site but after seeing the Purina One puppy food review we decided to go for that recipe instead.
Our three Cocker Spaniels get so excited every time they hear my wife open the Tupperware, and they now have such smooth, silky coats compared to before. Their eyes are shinier and clearer as well. A super choice, weâre really satisfied, just like our puppies.
The packaging on the grain free chicken Beyond recipe says that there are no by-product meals at all and itâs what made me buy it for my Coonhound. Everything arrived as expected and the kibble was v. fresh. Phoebe is growing very fast and wants to eat a lot so I appreciate that it is not an unreasonable price.
We also bought the same recipe for our two Yorkiepoos and our Rottie who all eat it up and leave the dish clean. It saves us a lot of time that the one recipe is great for dogs of different sizes.
Previously we had heard only bad things about Purina, in fact, we were told that they use poor quality ingredients despite being a big name brand. That’s why we were quite surprised to see the Beyond range and decided to give it a shot. No regrets at all.
Two months back my Irish Setter had some serious stomach problems and would not quit vomiting. I had no clue what might be wrong and it emerged that he was hypersensitive to the chicken Kirkland food that he was eating. His vet strongly suggested that hypoallergenic dog food would provide the protein he requires without setting off his allergies.
I searched different brands of hydrolyzed protein food and this seemed the most suitable choice. There are not many brands that make hydrolyzed dog food and this Purina recipe is a reliable one, got rid of his tummy aches like a charm once he was on it 100%.
Is Purina Pro Plan puppy food good? Iâm a first-time puppy owner and I have been told to pick a high protein recipe for my Golden Retrievers. The family that I got her from was feeding her with the salmon version of this but I want to try this shredded chicken recipe and see how they like it. What are the benefits compared to other dog food?