Nutro Ultra Adult Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Chicken
    2. Chicken Meal
    3. Whole Brown Rice
    4. Brewers Rice
    5. Rice Bran
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 341 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 25%
  • Fat: 14%
  • Fiber: 4%

Nutro Ultra Adult Dry Dog Food is a food that can greatly benefit the Australian Shepherd.

This diet, one of the best foods for Australian Shepherds, offers protein from three different sources which include salmon, lamb, and chicken. Sunflower oil has been added to the formulation to promote healthy skin and coat.

The main disadvantage to this food is its emphasis on grains for carbohydrates; however, for dogs that do not suffer from food sensitivities, this particular food is ideal.

Nutro Ultra Adult Dry Dog Food

Pros

  • Dogs that are notoriously finicky eaters love this food and look forward to their every meal.
  • Some dogs with digestive issues saw rapid improvement once fed a regular diet for Nutro Ultra Adult.
  • Owners expressed they felt comfortable with the ingredients contained in this diet, giving them confidence that the formulation was of exceptional quality.
  • Owners report an improvement in their dog’s coat and skin quality when transitioned to this food.
  • Most owners felt this food offered excellent nutrition at a price point that easily fit within their budget.

Cons

  • A few dogs experienced mild gastrointestinal distress when switched to this diet. This may be the result of transitioning to the new food too quickly.
  • Some owners feel this food is too costly, making it an unaffordable option for them.
  • A few owners expressed concern that their dogs were having more frequent bowel movements when fed a regular diet of Nutro Ultra Adult.
  • In cases of some dogs with allergies, a small number of owners indicated the ingredients in this food were too many for their dogs to tolerate the formulation well.
  • Some owners felt the kibble pieces in this diet were too large for small dogs to process well.

American Journey Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Deboned Salmon
    2. Salmon Meal
    3. Peas
    4. Chickpeas
    5. Sweet Potatoes
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 327 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 25%
  • Fat: 12%
  • Fiber: 6%

American Journey Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe packs a powerhouse punch with its protein derived both from deboned salmon and salmon meal.

The diet focuses on limited ingredients to prevent allergic reactions from food sensitivities. A grain-free food, it is an excellent choice for the active Australian Shepherd. This food is free from corn, wheat, soy, meat by-products, and preservatives.

One of the biggest strengths of American Journey is its excellent price point. The one drawback to this food is its heavy reliance on peas and pea proteins which can be known to contribute to fertility issues in breeding dogs.

For families looking for the best food for an Australian Shepherd, it’s hard to go wrong with American Journey.

American Journey Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe

Pros

  • Dogs fed this diet exhibit excellent stool quality, indicating they are processing the food well.
  • Some owners share that their dogs no longer struggled with compulsive paw licking once transitioned to this diet, making this American Journey offering an excellent choice for dogs with allergies.
  • Owners of dogs with skin conditions as a result of allergies report an alleviation of all symptoms and a return to healthy skin.
  • This diet is so flavorful that it doubles as both a meal and a training treat, increasing its value to owners.
  • Owners across the board agree that this high quality food is available at a very reasonable price point.

Cons

  • Some owners note an increase in the number of bowel movements their dog has when fed a steady diet of this food.
  • A few owners report this food has an overpowering fishy aroma. This is the result of the inclusion of salmon and salmon meal in this recipe.
  • Some dogs dislike the taste of this diet. This is usually simply a matter of the dog’s unique preferences.
  • In some cases, owners indicated that they needed to mix in some wet food, broth, or a topper to interest their dog in this food formulation.
  • In only a few cases, some dogs experienced mild gastrointestinal distress as a result of eating this food. This may be from an attempt to make a switch to a new food too quickly for the dog’s system to adjust well.

CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Limited Ingredient Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Salmon
    2. Salmon Meal
    3. Menhaden Fish Meal
    4. Sweet Potatoes
    5. Peas
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 496 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 32%
  • Fat: 18%
  • Fiber: 4%

CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE LID is another food that is designed to meet the nutritional requirements of working breeds like the Australian Shepherd.

This food lists its primary ingredient as whole salmon and is closely followed by a salmon meal to provide added protein to promote strong and healthy muscles, coats, and skin.

The diet consists of only eight ingredients from high-quality sources, making it well-suited to dogs that suffer from allergies.

CANIDAE, consistently rated one of the best dog foods for Australian Shepherds, is grain-free and does not include such common allergens as wheat or soy.

CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE LID

Pros

  • Owners of dogs suffering from recurring allergies report their dogs found relief from such symptoms as itching, dry skin, open sores, hair loss, and gastrointestinal distress with a switch to this food.
  • Many dogs saw a great improvement in their coat quality once transitioned to this diet. Owners indicate their dog’s coat looks healthy and shiny and feels very soft.
  • Dogs that regularly experienced diarrhea exhibited good stool quality once fed a steady diet of CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE LID.
  • Most owners report their dogs love the taste of this diet and consume their meals with great gusto. Even picky eaters enjoy this food.
  • The grain-free recipe and emphasis on a finite grouping of ingredients makes this diet a good fit for dogs with allergies.

Cons

  • Some owners feel that the kibble pieces are small, and thus, may be unsuitable for larger dogs like the Australian Shepherd.
  • A few owners express that this food is too expensive to fit within their budget.
  • Some dogs did not like the taste of this food and would not eat it. This is simply a matter of preference.
  • A few people report that this food has an exceptionally strong smell that they find off putting.
  • On rare occasions, some dogs experience mild gastrointestinal distress when fed this diet. This is likely the result of transitioning too rapidly to a new food.

The Honest Kitchen Turkey Recipe Grain-Free Dehydrated Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Dehydrated Turkey
    2. Organic Flaxseed
    3. Dehydrated Potatoes
    4. Dehydrated Spinach
    5. Dehydrated Carrots
  • Type: Dehydrated food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 488 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 29%
  • Fat: 18%
  • Fiber: 9.6%

The Honest Kitchen Turkey Recipe Grain-Free Dehydrated Dog Food is a food that is both nutritious and delicious.

A diet that is completely grain-free, this food’s main protein source is dehydrated turkey and is supported by the addition of easily digestible carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables including cranberries, spinach, and carrots.

The Honest Kitchen is free from corn, wheat, soy, by-products, and preservatives. Each of the foods included in the formulation is human-grade.

This diet is rather expensive but is reconstituted with water prior to feeding, so the 10 lb bag purchased does last as long as larger bags of kibble.

The Honest Kitchen’s emphasis on highly digestible ingredients makes it among the best dog foods for Australian Shepherds.

The Honest Kitchen Turkey Recipe Grain-Free Dehydrated Dog Food

Pros

  • Some owners share that their dogs who have been suffering from yeast-related problems found complete relief when fed this diet.
  • This diet earns rave reviews for its convenience for families on the go, allowing owners to feed their dogs a top tier diet both at home and on the road with a minimum of fuss.
  • Dogs really like the taste of this food and look forward to every meal with great enthusiasm.
  • Owners report an improvement in their dog’s coat quality when fed this diet on a regular basis.
  • The stool quality of dogs fed this diet are excellent.

Cons

  • Very rarely, some dogs dislike this food and will not eat it. This problem can easily be remedied with a switch to a different The Honest Kitchen food with another protein base.
  • In a small number of dogs, an unusual smell coming from the dog’s coat or skin was noted. This may be the result of excess gas, transitioning too rapidly, or a need for the dog’s anal glands to be expressed.
  • Some owners express that this diet is too costly for them to feed their dogs on a consistent basis.
  • A few owners feel the addition of dehydrated potato in this recipe makes it unsuitable for their dogs’ nutritional needs.
  • Some owners note that this food’s smell is off putting to them though their dogs do enjoy eating it.

Sport Dog Food Elite Series Herding Dog Grain-Free Buffalo & Sweet Potato Formula Dry Dog Food review

At a Glance

  • Top 5 Ingredients:
    1. Buffalo Meal
    2. Dried Sweet Potato
    3. Dried Potato
    4. Pork Meal
    5. Coconut Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
  • Type: Dry food
  • Lifestage: Adult
  • Calories: 460 kcal/cup
  • Protein: 30%
  • Fat: 15%
  • Fiber: 3.3%

Sport Dog Food Elite Series Grain-Free is a diet specifically formulated to meet the needs of an active breed like the Australian Shepherd.

This food takes its main protein source from buffalo meal, a novel protein unlikely to trigger food sensitivities.

This food, considered to be one of the best dog foods for Australian Shepherds, is free from peas and legumes, making it easy to digest. It is naturally grain-free.

Extremely high calorie, this food will stretch farther than less calorie-dense kibbles, maximizing its value.

Sport Dog Food Elite Series Grain-Free

Pros

  • Owners love that this food has been enriched with taurine to provide support for optimal cardiac health.
  • Dogs fed this diet regularly display healthy levels of energy.
  • The stool quality of dogs fed this diet on a daily basis is excellent.
  • Owners report that once transitioned to this diet their dogs have beautiful, shiny coat and healthy, well-hydrated skin.
  • Owners are very pleased that this diet is free from some of the most controversial ingredients utilized in commercially prepared dog foods today such as peas and legumes.

Cons

  • Some dogs did not enjoy the flavor of this diet. Since most dogs do eat this food formulation heartily, this is likely simply a matter of individual preference.
  • Very rarely, some dogs with sensitive digestion were unable to eat this food without experiencing some gastrointestinal distress.
  • Owners dislike that this diet’s bag is not resealable, making it more difficult for them to keep the food fresh.
  • Potatoes are included in this recipe, a lower quality vegetable that has been linked to rapid spikes in blood sugar and that offers only limited nutritional benefit to dogs.
  • In a limited number of dogs, some of their coats began to appear dull after a regular diet of this food.