Pedigree Dog Food Review

| 🕒 12 minutes read

Pedigree dog food is one of the most recognized brands in the United States. Its bright yellow bag and blue ribbon logo are easily recognizable, and dogs seem to love it. But how does Pedigree dog food stand up against the competition? Does it really deserve its popularity? Let’s dive in with our Pedigree dog food review.

About the Brand

Pedigree began as a company called Chappie in 1957. Chappie’s business model was to take low-quality meat and repurpose it as canned dog food. Chappie was one of the first commercial dog foods on the market, making it easy and convenient for people to feed their dogs.

In 1985, Chappie changes its name to Pedigree. It’s made by a company called Kal Kan, a subsidy of Mars Incorporated, which has many brands under its umbrella. Mars also produces Royal Canin, Iams, Nutro, Cesar, and Eukanuba.

Pedigree is an affordable brand that’s come a long way from the canned low-quality meats from the Chappie days. You’ll know it by its bright brand packaging, which has been on the grocery store shelves for decades. Pedigree also takes a special interest in shelter dogs, funding the Pedigree Foundation, a non-profit helping to care for and protect them.

Pros and Cons

Just because Pedigree dog food is a household name doesn’t mean it’s something everyone should feed their dog. In fact, you might be surprised by some of the reviews out there for Pedigree. For the most part, customers seem to love it, but there’s more to the story when you take a closer look at the recipes.

First, the good. Comments from pet parents indicate that dogs love the taste of Pedigree, particularly the canned dog food, which isn’t really a surprise since the brand has so many flavors to offer. Pedigree dog food is also a good source of the vitamins and minerals dogs need to stay healthy, and it’s available at an affordable price point. We also really like that dry dog food is designed to keep teeth clean and support good oral health.

That said, as you’ll see, a lot of the Pedigree dog food recipes use grains as the number one ingredient instead of animal ingredients of any form. Most grains are commonly seen as a filler ingredient and can be difficult for dogs to digest, so it’s not the best choice for the main ingredient. In fact, many other dog food brands make the conscious choice to leave this ingredient out of their recipes and experts consider it an ingredient with poor nutritional value.

While a grain-free diet isn’t completely necessary, some dogs do not digest grains well, and Pedigree dog food contains a lot of grains. They are also known to include artificial colors and dyes. With that said, let’s dive into our Pedigree dog food reviews.

Dog Food Reviews

In our Pedigree dog food review, we’re going to look at the brand’s dry and wet recipes, taking a close look at the recipes and determining what type of dogs Pedigree dog food is good for.

Dry Dog Food

Dry Dog Food

First, we’re going to take a look at the dry dog food recipes that Pedigree has to offer, starting with Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition.

Adult Complete Nutrition

Adult Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food

Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Roasted Chicken Rice & Vegetable flavor dog food is made in the USA and loaded with all the vitamins and minerals your dog needs, including B vitamins, omegas, zinc, vitamin E, and antioxidants. Complete Nutrition Roasted Chicken also uses Pedigree’s fiber blend to support healthy digestion, and the kibble is shaped to help keep away tartar buildup, just like all of Pedigree’s dry recipes. It contains 21 percent crude protein, 10 percent crude fat, and 316 kcal/cup.

The full ingredient list for Complete Nutrition Roasted Chicken Rice dog food is as follows: GROUND WHOLE CORN, BONE AND MEAT MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGA FATTY ACIDS, SOYBEAN MEAL, NATURAL FLAVOR, POULTRY BY PRODUCT MEAL, DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP, SALT, BREWERS RICE, GROUND WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, DRIED PEAS, DL-METHIONINE, ZINC SULFATE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, L-TRYPTOPHAN, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6, DRIED CARROTS, BLUE 2, RED 40, COPPER SULFATE, D-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN B5], SODIUM SELENITE, NIACIN [VITAMIN B3], POTASSIUM IODIDE, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT [VITAMIN B2], VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE [VITAMIN B6], THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, FOLIC ACID.

Adult Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food

This steak and vegetable flavor Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition dry dog food contains the basic nutritional support adult dogs need, including omegas for skin and coat health. Whole grains help support healthy digestion, and there are no artificial flavors or added sugar. This recipe 21 percent crude protein, 10 percent crude fat, and 317 kcal/cup.

The main things in this dog food are GROUND WHOLE GRAIN CORN, BONE AND MEAT MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGA FATTY ACIDS, SOYBEAN MEAL, NATURAL FLAVOR, CHICKEN BYPRODUCT MEAL, DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP, and SALT.

High Protein Nutrition

High Protein Beef and Lamb Flavor Dry Dog Food

This Pedigree dog food recipe contains real red meat and 25 percent more protein than the brand’s Adult Complete Nutrition. There’s no added sugar or artificial flavors. It has 27 percent crude protein, 12 percent crude fat, and has 316 kcal/cup.

Top things in this recipe include GROUND WHOLE CORN, MEAT AND BONE MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGA, SOYBEAN MEAL, NATURAL FLAVOR, CHICKEN BYPRODUCT MEAL, DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP, and SALT.

High Protein Chicken and Turkey Flavor Dry Dog Food

Pedigree Chicken and Turkey is another food option for active dogs. It uses real chicken animal protein and is enriched with omegas and zinc with no artificial flavors or added sugar. This recipe features 27 percent crude protein, 12 percent crude fat, and 319 kcal/cup.

The top items on the ingredient list include GROUND WHOLE GRAIN CORN, BONE AND MEAT MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), CHICKEN BYPRODUCT MEAL (SOURCE OF GLUCOSAMINE AND CHONDROITIN SULFATE), FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGA 6 FATTY ACIDS [PRESERVED w BHA CITRIC ACID]), SOYBEAN MEAL, GROUND WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT, CHICKEN, NATURAL FLAVOR, and DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP.

Small Dog Nutrition

Small Dog Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food

This chicken, rice, and vegetable flavor Pedigree recipe is formulated for the needs of small dogs and includes all the vitamins and minerals they need to maintain overall wellness. It includes whole grains for digestion support and omegas for coat and skin health. This recipe is 21 percent crude protein, 11 percent fat, and 342 kcal/cup.

The top things on the ingredient list of this dog food recipe include GROUND WHOLE CORN, CHICKEN BYPRODUCT MEAL (SOURCE OF GLUCOSAMINE & CHONDROITIN SULFATE), CORN GLUTEN MEAL, ANIMAL FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGA FATTY ACIDS [PRESERVED USING BHA]), MEAT AND BONE MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM) SOYBEAN MEAL, GROUND WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT, and NATURAL FLAVOR.

Small Dog Grilled Steak and Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food

This Pedigree small dog recipe contains the basic vitamins and minerals your little dog needs to stay happy and healthy, including omega-6s and whole grains. This steak and vegetable flavor has 21 percent crude protein, 11 percent crude fat, and 342 kcal/cup.

The top ingredient is GROUND WHOLE GRAIN CORN, followed by CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL (SOURCE OF GLUCOSAMINE & CHONDROITIN SULFATE), ANIMAL FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGA 6 FATTY ACIDS [PRESERVED with BHA/CITRIC ACID]), BONE AND MEAT MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), GROUND WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT, and NATURAL FLAVOR.

Tender Bites for Small Dogs, Chicken & Steak Flavor Dog Kibble

Pedigree Tender Bites for small dogs contains hearty chicken and steak flavor that your pet will love. It also includes the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants needed to promote good health. Tender Bites includes soft, easy-to-chew bites of animal protein mixed in with the crunchy dry kibble for added texture and taste. This recipe is 21 percent crude protein, 11 percent crude fat, and has 335 kcal/cup.

The main items on the ingredient list for this dog food are Ground Whole Corn, Chicken ByProduct Meal (Source of Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate), Animal Fat (Source of Omegas), Meat and Bone Meal (Source of Calcium), and Ground Whole Grain Wheat.

Large Breed Nutrition

Big Dogs Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Dry Dog Food

Pedigree Big Dogs Roasted Chicken, Rice, and Vegetable flavor includes glucosamine and chondroitin to support bone and joint health, something that large breeds need to stay active and pain-free. It also includes antioxidants to support a healthy immune system a special fiber blend to encourage healthy digestion. This recipe had 22 percent crude protein, 10 percent crude fat, and contains 326 kcal/cup.

The main ingredient is GROUND WHOLE GRAIN CORN, followed by CHICKEN BYPRODUCT MEAL (SOURCE OF GLUCOSAMINE AND CHONDROITIN SULFATE), CORN GLUTEN MEAL, ANIMAL FAT, (SOURCE OF OMEGA 6S, MEAT AND BONE MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), and GROUND WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT.

Weight Management

Healthy Weight Roasted Chicken, & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food

This low-fat protein-rich dog food is meant to help overweight dogs lose weight safely. It’s full of vitamin D to support immune health, omegas for skin and coat, and a special fiber blend to support GI health and help your dog feel fuller, longer. This food contains 21 percent crude protein, 7 percent crude fat, and 322 kcal/cup.

The top ingredient is GROUND WHOLE GRAIN CORN, followed by CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL (SOURCE OF GLUCOSAMINE AND CHONDROITIN SULFATE), GROUND WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT, CORN GLUTEN MEAL, DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP, SOYBEAN MEAL, NATURAL FLAVOR, ANIMAL FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGA 6S [PRESERVED WITH BHA AND CITRIC ACID]), BREWERS RICE, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, and MEAT AND BONE MEAL.

Puppy Nutrition

Puppy Growth & Protection Chicken & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food

This Pedigree Puppy Growth and Protection Chicken puppy formula has all the nutrients your puppy needs to grow strong and healthy, including calcium and phosphorous for strong bones and teeth and DHA for brain and vision development. It has 27 percent crude protein, 11 percent crude fat, and 298 kcal/cup.

The top things on the ingredient list are Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Meat and Bone Meal (source of Calcium), Animal Fat (source of Omega 6s [preserved with BHA]), and Ground Whole Grain Wheat.

Puppy Growth & Protection Grilled Steak & Vegetable Flavor Dry Dog Food

Here’s another Pedigree option for your puppy. This Pedigree Puppy Growth steak and vegetable flavor kibble contains the key nutrients to support your puppy’s growth, including DHA for brain and eye development. It contains no added sugars and no artificial flavors. This puppy food is 27 percent crude protein, 11 percent crude fat, and has 287 kcal/cup.

The top things on the ingredient list include GROUND WHOLE GRAIN CORN, CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL, CORN GLUTEN MEAL, SOYBEAN MEAL, MEAT AND BONE MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), ANIMAL FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGAS [PRESERVED W BHA AND CITRIC ACID]), and GROUND WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT.

Wet Dog Food

Next in our Pedigree dog food reviews, we look at their wet recipes. The brand has a wide range of dog food options when it comes to wet dog food, with multiple product lines and flavors.

Choice Cuts

Pedigree Choice Cuts recipes are highly digestible and feature large chunks of real meat in gravy.

Choice Cuts Filet Mignon Flavor in Gravy Wet Dog Food

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 3 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken, Meat By-Products, Pork Liver, Beef, Animal Plasma, Wheat Gluten, Flour, Beet Pulp, Added Color

Choice Cuts Chicken and Rice

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 3 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: SUFFICIENT WATER FOR PROCESSING, CHICKEN, MEAT BY-PRODUCTS, FLOUR, WHEAT GLUTEN, RICE

Choice Cuts Country Stew

Analysis: 8. percent crude protein, 3 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: SUFFICIENT WATER FOR PROCESSING, CHICKEN, MEAT BY-PRODUCTS, FLOUR, WHEAT GLUTEN, BEEF, DRIED PEAS, SALT, DEHYDRATED CARROTS

Chopped Ground Dinner

Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner features delicious mixes of proteins in a traditional wet dog food texture. These recipes use real meat and are formulated with optimal levels of minerals and oils.

Chopped Ground Dinner with Bacon Cheeseburger Flavors Wet Dog Food

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 7 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Chicken By-Products, Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken, Meat By-Products, Pork Liver, Brewers Rice, Beef, Minerals

Chopped Ground Dinner with Turkey & Bacon Wet Dog Food

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 6 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Chicken, Sufficient Water For Processing, Meat By-Products, Turkey, Minerals

Chopped Ground Dinner with Chicken, Liver & Beef Flavor

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 6 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: CHICKEN, SUFFICIENT WATER FOR PROCESSING, ANIMAL LIVER, MEAT BY-PRODUCTS, BEEF, FLOUR, FISH OIL

Chopped Ground Dinner with Chicken

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 3 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Chicken By-Product, Chicken, Sufficient Water For Processing, Meat By-Products, Pork Liver, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Minerals

Chopped Ground Dinner with Beef

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 6 percent crude fat

Main Ingredient List: CHICKEN, SUFFICIENT WATER FOR PROCESSING, MEAT BY-PRODUCTS, ANIMAL LIVER

Chopped Ground Dinner with Chicken and Rice

Analysis: 8.5 percent crude protein, 6 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Chicken By-Products, Chicken, Sufficient Water For Processing, Brewers Rice, Carob Bean Gum, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Minerals

Chopped Ground Dinner Filet Mignon Flavor

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 6 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Chicken By-Product, Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken, Meat By-Products, Pork Liver, Bacon, Beef

Chopped Ground Dinner T-Bone Steak Flavor

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 7 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: CHICKEN, SUFFICIENT WATER FOR PROCESSING, MEAT BY-PRODUCTS, ANIMAL LIVER

Chopped Ground Dinner Bacon & Filet Mignon Flavor Wet Dog Food

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 7 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: CHICKEN, SUFFICIENT WATER FOR PROCESSING, MEAT BY-PRODUCTS, ANIMAL LIVER

High Protein

These Pedigree recipes feature real pieces of meat that you can see in the gravy. There are three flavors to choose from:

High Protein Beef & Lamb Flavor Wet Dog Food

Analysis: 11 percent crude protein, 4 percent crude fat

Main Ingredient List: Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken, Meat By-Products, Flour, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Beef, Lamb, Added Color

High Protein Chicken & Turkey Wet Dog Food

Analysis: 11 percent; 4 percent

Main Ingredients: Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken, Meat By-Products, Flour, Wheat Gluten, Turkey, Salt, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate), Guar Gum

High Protein Chicken & Duck Flavor Wet Dog Food

Analysis: 11 percent; 6 percent

Main Ingredients: Meat By-Products, Chicken, Sufficient Water Processing, Brewers Rice, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Proteinate, Selenium, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate), Dried Yam

Homestyle Meals

Pedigree Homestyle Meals feature real meat and vegetables that you can see, topped with rich gravy.

Homestyle Meals with Hearty Chicken, Rice, & Vegetable Flavor in Gravy

Analysis: 8 percent crude protein, 3 percent crude fat

Main Ingredient List: SUFFICIENT WATER FOR PROCESSING, CHICKEN, MEAT BY-PRODUCTS, FLOUR, WHEAT GLUTEN, SALT, DRIED PEAS, DEHYDRATED CARROTS

Homestyle Meals with Prime Rib, Rice, and Vegetable Flavor in Gravy

Analysis: 8 percent; 3 percent

Main Ingredients: SUFFICIENT WATER FOR PROCESSING, CHICKEN, MEAT BY-PRODUCTS, WHEAT FLOUR, WHEAT GLUTEN, BEEF, SALT, WHOLE RICE, DEHYDRATED CARROTS, DRIED GREEN BEANS

Puppy

wet dog foods for puppies

Pedigree has multiple wet dog foods for puppies to review, including:

Puppy Morsels in Sauce with Chicken Wet Dog Food

Analysis: 9 percent crude protein, 4 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken, Meat By-Products, Dried Egg, Animal Plasma, Pork Liver, Wheat Gluten, Starch, Wheat Flour

Puppy Chopped Ground Chicken & Beef

Analysis: 9 percent crude protein, 7 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken, Chicken By-Products, Meat By-Products, Animal Liver, Beef, Dried Egg Product, Dried Tomato Pomace, Dried Chicory Pulp

Puppy Chopped Ground Lamb & Rice

Analysis: 9 percent crude protein, 7 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken By-Products, Chicken, Meat By-Products, Animal Liver, Lamb

Weight Management

These weight management wet dog food formulas have less fat than other recipes, making them a better option for overweight or underactive dogs.

Weight Management Beef and Liver

Analysis: 7 crude protein, 2 percent crude protein

Main Ingredient List: Sufficient Water For Processing, Meat By-Products, Chicken, Beef, Liver, Brewers Rice, Wheat Flour, Carob Bean Gum, Vegetable Oil(Source Of Linoleic Acid), Wheat Gluten

Weight Management Chicken and Rice

Analysis: 7 percent crude protein, 2 percent crude fat

Main Ingredients: Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken, Meat By-Products, Chicken By-Products (Source Of Linoleic Acid), Liver

What Types of Dogs Can Eat Pedigree?

As you can tell from our dog food review, Pedigree dog food is somewhat inclusive when it comes to the types of dogs it makes dog food for, but there is a little room for improvement.

Life Stages

Pedigree does have multiple options for puppy food and plenty of choices for adults, as seen in our review, but we would have liked to have seen an option for seniors.

Allergies

This brand is not a very good choice for dogs with GI sensitivities or food allergies. Most of Pedigree’s recipes use grains as the first ingredient and nearly every recipe contains chicken or beef, which are proteins that most commonly cause allergies. If you’re looking for a novel ingredient, like quail, salmon, bison, or venison, or something that’s a limited ingredient, you won’t find it here.

Picky Eaters

Every picky eater is different, as pet parents know, but despite all its faults, dogs seem to love the taste of Pedigree. Adding wet food to dry kibble is one way to tempt picky eaters, and Pedigree certainly has a lot of wet food options to choose from. Try Ground Dinner for a simple texture.

Small Breeds

There are multiple dog food options for small breeds, including both dry and wet recipes.

Large Breeds

Pedigree has one dry dog food for large breeds, through any of the wet pet foods would work well as a topper if you wanted to give your big dog a treat. Again, Ground Dinner is a good choice.

Overweight Dogs

Pedigree does have several options, both dry and wet, for a dog that’s or has a low activity level.

Recalls

Pedigree dog food has a slightly above-average number of recalls. There have been four in all since 2008 with the most recent being in 2014.

  • In 2014, bags of Pedigree Adult Nutrition dry dog food were recalled because they may have contained metal fragments.
  • In 2012, Healthy Weight Premium Ground Entree in Meaty Juices was recalled as it may have included small amounts of blue plastic.
  • In September of 2008, multiple dry dog foods manufactured in Everson, Pennsylvania were recalled for possible salmonella.
  • In August of 2008, Pedigree Complete Nutrition Small Crunchy Bites sold in southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada were recalled for possible salmonella.

How Does Pedigree Dog Food Measure Up?

Honestly, Pedigree dog food is not that great, which a lot of people might find surprising since it’s such a well-known and recognizable brand. As you can see from our dog food review, dry pet foods contain a lot of questionable things, including wheat, by-product meat meals, high fructose corn syrup, and unsourced meat and bone meal. For example, the first ingredient in Complete Nutrition Roasted Chicken Rice is ground grain meal, an ingredient that many dog food companies consider filler, not any animal ingredients in any form. While the wet dog foods seem to be a little better, dry food is a staple for dogs. Although this dog food brand is affordable, for pet parents, it’s worth thinking twice before choosing it for your pet, especially if you’re a customer who prefers a diet with real novel proteins that’s grain-free.

1 thought on “Pedigree Dog Food Review”

  1. Thanks for connecting to Mysweetpuppy.net. Please keep in mind that I, Claudia Bensimoun, do not write any of the blogs or reviews on this website, nor have I in the past. I only answer the comments section.

Leave a Comment