Have you been looking for a pet brand that can meet your dog’s nutritional requirements? Look no further than the premium-grade Canidae dog foods!
Introduction
While Canidae is not the newest kid on the block of pet food, it has quickly gained a lot of attention from pet owners. Since it was established back in 1996, Canidae was and still is run as an independent and family-owned venture. Scott Whipple and John Gordon, the cofounders of Canidae, operate this pet food company from its headquarters in San Louis Obispo, California. Presently, this firm operates under the brand name ‘Canidae Corporation,’ with its core principle being “pet food made by pet people.”
Initially, their products were classified based on the species they served. For instance, the cat food made specifically for the feline counterparts fell under the product line Felidae. Presently, Canidae makes both cat food and dog food. In this discussion, we provide detailed Canidae dog food reviews, highlight the company’s best products, and any recall history, as well as ingredient analysis.
Our Rating
Canidae excels at making grain-free and premium-quality dog foods, which is why we gave it a rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.
At a Glance: Our Choices for the Canidae Dog Food
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*Note: The links in the table above, as well as several links in the remainder of the article below, will take you to over to Chewy.com where you can find out more information about the products, such as current prices and customer reviews.
Review
Whenever you purchase a bag of Canidae’s dog food, you can rest assured that it features careful formulation, a well-balanced nutrition, and quality manufacturing. The founders of Canidae have always had a passion for pets. In an interview, Scott Whipple stated that the primary reason for starting Canidae was to create a pet food company that paid attention to the desires of consumers and retailers.
In the two decades that this firm has been in existence, they have managed to create nutritious and delicious recipes with natural flavors that meet the dietary requirements of every dog breed. Canidae has really grown as a brand and it just recently incorporated small-breed formulas as one of its product lines. Essentially, Canidae ensures that each of their dog foods offers a complete and balanced nutrition for pets. What more could pet owners ask for?
Ingredient Analysis
The one thing that makes Canidae dog foods stand out is the fact they consist of only the freshest ingredients that Mother Nature has to offer. These include proteinous meats, highly-digestible carbohydrates as well as fresh fruit and vegetables. As previously stated, Canidae Corporation is operated independently. They even have their own manufacturing and research facility, where they test ingredients before them using them to create products.
Although its headquarters are in California, Canidae gets the majority of its ingredients from America. Canidae believes in teamwork, which is why it partners with other small enterprises to get ingredients. They work hand in hand with ranchers, distributors and retailers, who provide them with premium ingredients. Although most of their ingredients come from the U.S., there are a few exceptions. For instance, they get lamb from New Zealand and duck meal from France. However, you can take comfort knowing that none of their ingredients is sourced from China. For the most part, Canidae’s main ingredients are:
- Lamb – this is one of the best sources of protein. It’s also pretty easy to digest, making it a common element in puppy food recipes. Given that lamb has a high water ratio, most of the meat content decreases after processing.
- Turkey & Chicken meal – both products have almost 300% higher protein content than their counterparts.
- Sweet potatoes – sweet potatoes fall under a class of foods known as complex carbohydrates. In fact, they are rich in fiber and beta-carotene, which helps in the absorption of other nutrients.
- Chickpeas & peas – both products provide your pooch with protein. They also contain fiber and micronutrients. However, keep in mind that plant-based proteins may be harder for you dog to digest than meat proteins.
- Chicken fat – this is incorporated in Canidae dog foods to provide linoleic acid and omega 6 fatty acids. The latter helps to promote skin and coat health.
- Menhaden fish meal – Menhaden is a small-sized ocean fish. That Canidae chooses to incorporate this ingredient is prudent because it’s rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acid.
- Potatoes – although potatoes have minimal nutritional value, they serve as gluten-free sources of carbohydrates.
- Sun-cured alfalfa – this is another source of proteins.
What’s Good about Canidae Dog Food?
There is a lot to love about the Canidae dog food brand. Since its beginnings, the firm has been advocating for the production of food that provides actual health benefits to your pooch. Here are a few things we like about this brand.
Pros
Fresh Food Ingredients – few pet food companies own farms where they can get fresh raw materials. While Canidae may not have a farm of its own, it partners with ranchers and distributors to get the best ingredients. It also has a manufacturing plant, where all the production takes place.
Charity – having been founded by a family that loves pets, Canidae donates to charitable courses that go into improving pets’ health.
Accessibility – Canidae dog foods are readily available online and at local pet stores.
And now let's enjoy watching some dogs enjoy Canidae Dog Food.
Product Line
Canidae makes foods that are tailored for small breeds, large breeds, puppies and senior dogs. It also manufactures dog foods that are entirely grain-free and some that can aid with weight management. Overall, Canidae has three main product lines:
Canidae All Life Stages
The name says it all. This dog food is tailored for dogs at all life stages, including puppies, adults, and seniors. Canidae incorporates ingredients from multi-protein sources. They also avoid using products considered controversial. The company aims to provide premium-quality food, which your pooch can consume throughout his life. In total, Canidae offers 7 dry dog food recipes and 6 wet formulas under this product line.
Canidae Under the Sun
Canidae claims that this product line contains the healthiest dog foods. All formulas under this product have just one protein. The protein is then mixed with fresh ingredients, which they get from ranchers. Another perk of Canidae under the Sun is that they are fairly-priced.
Canidae Grain-Free Pure
With this category, Canidae manufactures two types of food: for large breeds and small breeds. Both of them are tailored for dogs that may have sensitive stomachs. As with the other product lines, Canidae Grain-Free has no soy, wheat, or artificial flavors.
Recall History
Canidae has only had one recall, and this was part of the voluntary recall on Diamond Pet Food Company. This happened in May 2012 when the FDA recalled a few of their products including:
- Canidae Dry All Life Stages
- Dry Platinum
- Dry Chicken Meal & Rice
- Dry Lamb Meal & Rice
The reason for recalling these products was because of potential salmonella contamination. Apart from this voluntary recall, there hasn’t been any other negative reports regarding Canidae’s dog foods. In fact, since that one incidence, the company became very strict with the quality and safety standards of their pet foods.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, Canidae is one of the best dog food brands on the market. The company is committed to making only premium-quality products using natural, fresh ingredients. With just one recall record, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that Canidae dog foods should be a go-to choice for pet owners. After all, they offer products tailored to every dog’s nutritional needs; be it a small breed, large breed, senior, or puppy.
