Rachael Ray Dog Food Reviews

If you have a fur baby, you know that choosing the right food is important. There are so many options to choose from, and finding a good recipe from a trusted manufacturer is important. One of the most popular dog food brands that gets a lot of five star reviews from pet parents is Rachael Ray Nutrish.

You may already know Rachael Ray as a celebrity chef, but she’s also a fierce lover of animals who started her own line of dog foods called Rachael Ray Nutrish.

But what is the Rachael Ray Nutrish line of dog food all about and is it a good option for your dog? We’re going to take a closer look at the Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food brand including the many recipes and sub-brands available, and whether or not they are the right option for your pet. Let’s start by taking a closer look at the brand behind these dog food products.

About the Brand

You probably know Rachael Ray from her cooking shows, cookbooks, or talk show, but did you know that she’s a devoted animal lover? Rachael Ray was devastated when her pit bull, Isaboo, died in May 2020. She soon rescued and adopted a new dog, Bellaboo, into her home.

Real Food for the Whole Family

When Rachel Ray first welcomed her pit bull Isaboo into their home, she wasn’t happy with the dog foods that were available. Or, Isaboo wasn’t. Whatever the case, Rachael Ray wanted to create a dog food recipe that used real foods and was both nutritious and delicious. The celebrity chef started working with pet food manufacturer Ainsworth Pet Nutrition to get Racheal Ray dog food from idea to conception. Ainsworth Pet Nutrition is a well-known producer, marketer, and distributor of pet food in the United States, including other brands like Dad’s Pet Foods and some private label Super Premium brands. Ainsworth Pet Nutrition was bought by J.M. Smucker in 2018.

Celebrity Recipes Re-imagined for Dogs

Rachael Ray Nutrish is inspired by the recipes of this celebrity chef and uses simple, wholesome ingredients in a wide range of recipes. This line of dog food meets the needs of any dog and dog parent. There are original Nutrish recipes that deliver super premium nutrition as well as limited ingredient recipes, grain free recipes, whole ingredient recipes, and protein-rich recipes. Nutrish has dry dog food, wet dog food, and treats to choose from, all of which use wholesome, real ingredients.

Food that Funds Rachael’s Rescue

Rachael Ray takes her love of animals beyond bringing them into her home. She also donates a portion of the sales from her Nutrish dog food to the Racheal Ray Foundation and Rachael’s Rescue which donate funds to pet organizations and charities and provide food, medical supplies, and other treatments to animals in need.

One of the things that we really like about this brand is that it’s pretty inclusive. There are original recipes, grain free recipes, high protein recipes, and limited ingredient options, some available in both wet and dry options. That said, the product line is not so extensive that it’s overwhelming. Under each sub-brand, there are a handful of options to choose from so you get a lot of variety without feeling overwhelmed.

Rachael Ray Dog Food Reviews

Nutrish is the original line of recipes from Rachael Ray, but there are a variety of sub-products under the brand so you can find just the right food for your dog. Let’s break down each food Rachael Ray has in this Nutrish line dog food review.

Nutrish

Nutrish is the basic product line, though there’s nothing really basic about it. There are multiple recipe options to choose from and each is a little different. We’re going to take a closer look at one of the most popular recipes, Real Chicken & Veggies. The first ingredient is farm-raised chicken, and there is no poultry by-product meal, wheat, gluten, or fillers. Other key ingredients include beet pulp and soybean meal as natural sources of fiber and prebiotics for healthy digestion, brown rice for healthy and digestible carbs and essential B vitamins, and peas as a gluten-free source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It also included chicken fat to deliver omega fatty acids to support a healthy coat and skin.

The full ingredient list includes Chicken, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Soybean Meal, Whole Ground Corn, Dried Plain Pulp, Chicken Fat (source of linoleic acid and preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Starch, Corn Gluten Meal, Brown Rice, Dicalcium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Dried Carrots, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Beet Powder (Color), Iron Sulfate, LAscorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Biotin, Niacin, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Selenium Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Source of Vitamin K), Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

There are many other options to choose from if you’re interested in Rachael Ray Nutrish dry dog food, including:

• Turkey, Brown Rice, and Venison Recipe
• Real Beef, Pea & Brown Rice Recipe
• Little Bites Real Chicken & Veggies
• Bright Puppy Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe
• Large Breed Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe

There are many wet Nutrish recipes, too, including:

• Rustic Duck Stew
• Beef Stroganwoof
• Chicken Muttballs with Pasta
• Hearty Beef Stew
• Savory Lamb Stew
• Chicken Paw Pie

If you’re looking for treats, there are multiple options to choose from:

• Turkey Bacon Recipe
• Sausage Bites
• Meatball Morsels
• Burger Bites
• Savory Roasters Chicken
• Meatloaf Morsels
• Deli Cuts
• Savory Roasters Beef
• Turkey Burger Bites
• Chicken and Waffle Bites
• Chicken Paw Bites

Super Medleys

Super Medleys incorporate real superfoods with minerals, vitamins, and taurine with high-quality ingredients that support every part of your dog’s health with benefits for the eyes, brain, heart, muscles, and bones. The SuperMedleys Vitality Blend Superfoods & Beef Recipe uses real U.S. farm-raised beef as the number one ingredient. There’s no poultry by-product meal or artificial preservatives, flavors, or fillers. Other key ingredients are lentils, which are naturally rich in protein and fiber, eggs for additional high-quality protein, and fish oil for essential fatty acids.

Ingredients include Beef, Beef Meal, Barley, Soybean Meal, Rice, Dried Peas, Chicken Fat (source of linoleic acid and preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Fish Meal, Lentils, Egg Product, Flaxseed, Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Spinach, Carrots, Pumpkin, Blueberries, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Yeast, Alfalfa Nutrient Concentrate, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Ferrous Sulfate, LAscorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Biotin, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Choline Chloride, Rosemary Extract, Sodium Selenite, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (A Source of Vitamin K Activity), Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid

In addition to this beef recipe, there is also a SuperMedleys Vitality Blend Superfoods & Chicken Recipe.

Peak

Peak is the nutrient-dense product line that was formulated to meet your dog’s ancestral cravings. The Open Prairie Beef, Venison and Lamb recipe is made with real beef as the number one ingredient to support lean muscle mass development and healthy organ function. This high-protein recipe also includes lean venison that’s rich in iron and easily-digestible lamb that’s loaded with essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Rounding out the key ingredients are peas for carbohydrates and starch and chicken fat with omega fatty acids. Dry and wet food is available.

The full ingredient’s list includes Beef, Chicken Meal, Whole Dried Potato, Natural Pork Flavor, Tapioca, Dried Peas, Pea Starch, Sunflower Meal, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Beef and Bone Meal, Whole Flaxseed, Pea Protein, Venison, Lamb, Menhaden Fish Meal, Natural Flavor, Salt, Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate), Zinc Sulfate, Lactic Acid, Citric Acid (Preservative), Rosemary Extract

Peak is available in a few other dry dog food flavors, including:

• Northern Woodlands Recipe with Turkey, Duck, and Quail
• Southern Wetlands Recipe with Chicken, Duck, and Pheasant

Peak is also available in some wet dog food recipes:

• Open Range Recipe with Chicken and Beef in Hearty Gravy
• Wetlands Recipe with Chicken and Duck in Rustic Gravy
• Wild Ridge Recipe with Chicken and Lamb in Savory Gravy
• Red Range Recipe with Lamb and Beef in Hearty Gravy
• Woodland Ranch Recipe with Beef and Duck in Savory Gravy
• Wild Streams Recipe with Duck and Salmon in Rustic Gravy

There are also three Peak dog treat flavors:

• Beef and Bison Recipe
• Chicken and Duck Recipe
• Turkey and Venison Recipe

Dish

Next up in our review is Dish. Nutrish Dish is a line of dog food that uses real ingredients that you can see. The Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe With Veggies & Fruit recipe has pieces of slow-roasted chicken along with real carrots, peas, and apples. This recipe also contains brown rice as a wholesome source of fiber, poultry fat, and whole flaxseed as naturally rich sources of omega fatty acids,

Brown Rice is a highly digestible carbohydrate that is an excellent source of essential B vitamins and wholesome fiber. It supports healthy digestion while also giving your dog consistent energy all day long, and cranberries as a natural source of antioxidants, vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.

The full ingredient list includes Chicken, Chicken Meal, Dried Peas, Brown Rice, Brewer’s Rice, Pea Protein, Poultry Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Cranberries, Whole Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Plain Beet Pulp, Dried Apples, Dried Carrots, Whole Dried Potatoes, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Zinc Proteinate, Potassium Chloride, Menhaden Fish Oil, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Glycerin, Sunflower Oil, Copper Proteinate, Brown Sugar, Manganese Proteinate, Biotin, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Paprika (Color), Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Dish is also available in two other dry dog foods:

• Beef and Brown Rice with Veggies, Fruit, and Chicken
• Chicken and Potato with Veggies and Fruit

Just 6

If you’re looking for a limited ingredient recipe, take a look at Just 6. These Rachael Ray Nutrish recipes use only six natural ingredients with added minerals and vitamins. There’s no problematic ingredients like corn, soy, wheat, or gluten. There are two options to choose from. The Lamb Meal and Brown Rice recipe uses lamb meal as the first ingredient. Lamb meal is easily digestible and is loaded with amino acids, B vitamins, and glucosamine, and chondroitin. Brown rice provides essential B vitamins and easily digestible fiber and ground rice as a source of energy. Beet pulp also provides fiber and is a natural source of prebiotics.

Other ingredients include Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Pork Flavor, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Choline Chloride, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Biotin, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement.

Rachael Ray Nutrish also has a Turkey Meal and Pea recipe in this limited ingredient product line.

Zero Grain

For a grain free option, try Rachael Ray Nutrish Zero Grain. The Turkey and Potato Recipe uses real United States farm-raised turkey as the number one ingredient as well as vegetables, vitamins, and minerals. This recipe uses zero grains, fillers, or gluten and no poultry by-product meal or artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Turkey meal is an excellent source of amino acids, B vitamins, and glucosamine, and chondroitin for joint health. Peas and potatoes add easily digestible alternative carbohydrates that are gentle on the digestive system. Beet pulp provides prebiotics and chicken fat adds essential fatty acids.

Other Zero Grain Rachael Ray Nutrish recipes include:

• Beef, Potato, and Bison
• Salmon, Sweet Potato, and Pea
• Chicken and Sweet Potato

Soup Bones

Soup Bones are another treat from the Rachael Ray Nutrish product line. These long-lasting chews are designed to have the flavor of a wholesome soup bone with a tender, meaty center. The Beef and Barley recipe uses beef as a whole grain source of energy and beet pulp for probiotics.

Other recipes include:

• Real Chicken and Veggies
• Real Turkey and Rice
• Minis Real Beef and Barley
• Minis Real Chicken and Veggies

Smoochies

Smoochies are a treat that’s made to freshen breath and clean teeth. There are a few flavors to choose from. The Smoochies Dental Biscuits Chicken and Apple recipes uses farm-raised chicken as the number one ingredient and contains no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors and no wheat, corn, or gluten.

Other flavors include:

• Apple and Mint Brushes for Small Dogs
• Apple and Mint Brushes for Large Dogs

What Dogs Should Eat Rachael Ray Nutrish?

Rachael Ray Nutrish is a good brand for almost any dog. These recipes are known for using safe, high-quality ingredients like real animal protein sources and real fruits, vegetables, and wholesome grains and carbohydrates. We also really love that there are no artificial flavors, fillers, or colors. The first ingredient in Rachael Ray Nutrish is always real meat, and there are never any by-product meals.

Let’s take a look at some specific types of dogs that Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food is good for.

Allergies and Sensitivities

Generally, Rachael Ray dog foods are great for dogs with allergies or food sensitivities. There are limited ingredient recipes as well as grain free options to choose from, and even regular Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food recipes get high amounts of crude protein from novel sources like duck, quail, turkey, and salmon.

If you’re thinking about feeding your dog grain free food or you think your pet has a food allergy or sensitivity, it’s always a good idea to talk to your vet first. There are some studies that link grain-free diets to heart problems in some dogs, and though the evidence is not conclusive, it’s still a good idea to be on the safe side when it comes to your pet’s health.

Picky Eaters

If your dog is a picky eater, you’re in luck. As you can see from our dog food review, Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food has many recipes to choose from, and a lot of people comment that their dogs love them. There are a lot of dry dog food options to choose from, but the wet food recipes, like hearty beef stew and other meat meals, are a good choice to entice picky dogs to eat.

Puppies

Although we wish there were more options available, Nutrish does have a dog food recipe that’s made specifically for puppies. The Bright Puppy dog food uses real chicken as the number one ingredient and has DHA to support brain and eye development.

Small Breeds

There aren’t a lot of options to choose from, the Rachal Ray Nutrish line has one Little Bites Chicken Veggies recipe available that uses U S farm raised natural chicken as the number one animal protein.

Large Breeds

Rachael Ray dog food has one dry food recipe for large breeds, the Large Breed Real Chicken & Veggies Recipe that uses U S farm raised natural chicken with other healthy ingredients like chicken meal, soybean meal, and dried plain beet pulp.

What Dogs Should Not Eat Rachael Ray Nutrish ?

We hesitate to say that there are any dogs that should not eat any food product from Rachael Ray Nutrish dog foods. From the grain free dry dog food in the Nutrish Zero Grain Natural line to the Nutrish Natural wet food, these dog food products are well-loved by people who comment and review them positively. That said, there are a few things we would like to see from Rachael Ray dog food.

Senior Dogs

While a lot of the Nutrish dog food recipes our Rachael Ray dog food review are great for dogs of all ages, we wish the brand had something that was specifically formulated for older dogs. That said, if you do have an older dog, try some of the wet recipes to entice them to eat, like hearty beef stew. Older dogs often lose their appetites because they don’t smell or taste as well as they used to. Add some wet food as a topper to their standard brown rice recipe dog food or whatever you normally feed them and you just might get them to eat.

Overweight Dogs

Again, all of these Rachael Ray dog food recipes are great for all dogs. As you can see from our review, they’re high quality and loaded with the vitamins and minerals that pet parents want for their dogs. That said, we wish there was a recipe that would be tailored to dogs that needed lower calorie food or aren’t as active as they should be.

How Does Rachal Ray Nutrish Dog Food Measure Up?

Because there are so many sub-brands in the Rachael Ray dog food line, we’re going to take a closer look at each one to see how they compare to each other and competing dog foods on the market.

Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural, the original dry dog food, uses real animal protein and quality ingredients. There are a variety of flavor options, too. This line of dog food is on par with other mid to high-range recipes, and while it’s not what we would consider the best of the extensive Rachael Ray Nutrish line, it’s a better-than-average option at a fair price.

Zero Grain is a good choice if you’re looking for grain free dry pet food. It, too, is better-than-average, and while we do recommend it based on the food reviews of pet parents, we don’t consider it the best of the best that Rachael Ray has to offer.

Just 6 is an above-average choice for a limited ingredient food for dog that uses only six main ingredients. along with supplemental vitamins and minerals. This food has a little less protein than comparable brands, though the dog food reviews from pet parents are generally good.

In our opinion, the top two sub products in our dog food review of the Rachael Ray dog food line are Dish and Peak.

Dish is a premium dry dog food with real chunks of meat, fruits, and vegetables that you can see. It has more crude protein than its competitors and is packed with healthy fats and the vitamins and minerals your dog needs to thrive.

Peak has a notable level of crude protein and less fat than comparable brands. The chelated minerals are easier for your dog to absorb and are something that you usually only see in premium dog foods.

As you can tell from our dog food reviews, the Nutrish product line is pretty extensive. All of these recipes use real protein as the number one ingredient and avoid things like by-product meals and artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. There isn’t a sub-brand of Rachael Ray dog food that we wouldn’t recommend, but we think that the Peak and Dish lines are a little superior to the other types of foods this brand has to offer.

All that said, we barely touched on the wet recipes or the extensive amount of treats Rachael Ray Nutrish has to offer. If your dog prefers wet food, there are many great options in this product line, too, which you will find in the above reviews.

Overall, Rachael Ray Nutrish dog food has a lot of good recipes to offer that are great for just about any dog. While were wish there were specific recipes for overweight dogs and seniors and that we had more options to choose from for large and small breed, overall, this brand does a good job of being inclusive to all types of dogs. That said, we think it’s a particularly good choice for dogs with sensitivities and allergies. Not only are there grain free and limited ingredient recipes to choose from, but there are also a lot of different protein options, like turkey, salmon, duck, quail, and pheasant. We also think picky eaters will be intrigued by some of the wet food flavors, like duck stew, chicken paw pie, and chicken muttballs with pasta.

Mary Nielsen

I grew up in a household that was filled with animals. I believe that my fate as a dog-loving person was sealed in early childhood since my parents owned several dogs of varying sizes and breeds. There was no choice but to take care of and learn about dog habits and the best animal care practices — otherwise, I’d be clueless about how to go about the creatures I was surrounded by day and night.

As a life-long puppy lover, I know a thing or two about dogs and how to go about caring for them in the best way possible. Although I’m not a professionally trained dog behaviorist, trainer, or veterinarian, all of my knowledge and experience with canines comes from a place of love and a deep-rooted passion for dogs and animals in general.

Seeing as dogs kept me company throughout every stage of my life, I decided to follow a different path in my academic life and obtained a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Marketing Management and Digital Advertising, which ultimately allowed me to combine my professional training and personal experience by creating the ultimate dog lover’s resource website! Along with my husband, Dave, I run MySweetPuppy for like-minded dog lovers who want to have a single, clear, and reliable information source about anything and everything related to dogs and their well-being.