Meet Adirondack Dog Food
Adirondack is a pet food brand that focuses on slow cooking to preserve the flavor in nutrients in all the food they serve.
The company specializes in limited ingredient foods that minimize the likelihood of allergies in your pets and maximize the number of vitamins and minerals they get in each bite.
They base all their food lines on research from leading pet nutritionists at Kansas State University, and they compare their food to slow cooking in your own home. When you cook food in a slow cooker, it’s easier to lock in all the flavor.
Based on their tests, they can claim that even the pickiest of dogs will enjoy Adirondack dog food. In this article, Adirondack Dog Food Review, we’re putting them to our test to see if their food lives up to the big claims.
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Brand Quick Look
- Parent Company: Adirondack Pet Food
- Founded in: Approx. 1980
- Made in: Ohio, New York, and Wisconsin
- Available at: Chewy and Amazon
- Types of Food: Dry
- Real Meat in First 5 Ingredients? : Yes
- Recalled in Past? : No
Behind the Brand
The story of Adirondack pet food started forty years ago with the Golladay family. They made their food in a feed mill in Rogers, Ohio. It wasn’t soon after that they outgrew that facility and had to move their processing to Lisbon Ohio.
Every day from then Jim Golladay spent his time perfecting their formula and trying to find ways to increase the number of nutrients while preserving the flavor that dogs love. He realized that slow cooking the food creates a higher starch conversion which leads to increased stamina and energy in dogs.
The food works like how eating carbs in the morning is recommended for humans because it helps gives you the energy you need to start the day and keep going as time wears on.
The company is proud to say they are still operating as a family run business with Jim's three children.
Adirondack Dog Food Review
IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
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Adirondack 21% Protein Everyday Recipe
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Check Price on Chewy | |
Adirondack 30% High-Fat Puppy and Performance Recipe
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Check Price on ChewyCheck Price on Amazon | |
Adirondack 26% Adult Active Recipe
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Check Price on Chewy | |
Adirondack Limited Ingredient Turkey & Lentils Recipe
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Check Price on ChewyCheck Price on Amazon | |
Adirondack Limited Ingredient Pork & Lentils Weight Management Recipe
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Check Price on ChewyCheck Price on Amazon | |
Adirondack Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe
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Check Price on ChewyCheck Price on Amazon | |
Adirondack Herring, Turkey Meal & Lentils Recipe
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Check Price on ChewyCheck Price on Amazon | |
Adirondack Limited Ingredient Whitefish & Peas Recipe
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Check Price on ChewyCheck Price on Amazon | |
Adirondack Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin
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Check Price on Chewy | |
Adirondack Salmon, Chicken & Mixed Berries
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Check Price on Chewy | |
Adirondack Freeze-Dried Pure Whitefish
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Check Price on Chewy |
In this section, we’re going to dive deep into two of the Adirondack dog foods brands to break down the ingredients and nutrients included in the individual lines of food.
We’ll give you the completely honest scoop on everything you need to know about giving this to your pup.
- Adirondack 21% Protein Everyday Recipe
- Adirondack 30% High-Fat Puppy and Performance Recipe
- Adirondack 26% Adult Active Recipe
- Adirondack Limited Ingredient Turkey & Lentils Recipe
- Adirondack Limited Ingredient Pork & Lentils Weight Management Recipe
- Adirondack Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe
- Adirondack Herring, Turkey Meal & Lentils Recipe
- Adirondack Limited Ingredient Whitefish & Peas Recipe
- Adirondack Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin
- Adirondack Salmon, Chicken & Mixed Berries
- Adirondack Freeze-Dried Pure Whitefish
Continue reading below _______________________
1. Adirondack 21% Protein Everyday Recipe
- Overall: 4 out of 5
- Ingredients: 4 out of 5
- Flavor: 4 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Pork Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Grain Sorghum, Oat Groats, Pearled Barley
Nutrition Analysis:
This food is formulated for high-performance dogs in all stages of life. They enhance it with essential vitamins, minerals, and probiotics to help with digestion, skin, and coat. The 21% blend gets made in the USA without any corn, wheat, soy, or artificial anything.
Unfortunately, the food only has 11 reviews on Chewy, so it’s difficult to get a truly accurate representation of the quality, but we’ll take the current reviews for what they are. This food has a rating of 3.6 stars out of 5 with 64% of reviewers recommending the product to another person.
Some of the most positive reviews say that the food is great for picky eaters and that their pup loves the taste. Many people seem to use this food more as a supplement for other foods to help them lose or gain weight.
The initial negative reviews express concern over a funny smell coming from the bag and bad gas coming from their pup after eating this food for a while.
This is not a bad list of five ingredients, but the food does contain grain. If you were hoping for a grain-free food, you would be disappointed by this.
Overall, as you make your way down the list of ingredients, there is nothing that stands out, and there is not a lot of fillers.
This nutrition breakdown is standard. The food is in the standard range in terms of protein and fiber, and it is low in fat.
2. Adirondack 30% High-Fat Puppy and Performance Recipe
- Overall: 4 out of 5
- Ingredients: 4 out of 5
- Flavor: 4 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, chicken fat, dried plain beet pulp, ground grain sorghum
Nutritional Analysis:
This food is intended for dogs of all stages of life. The all-natural and balanced food contains vitamins and essential minerals your pup needs for their digestion, skin, and coat.
The main thing that separates this food from the previous one is the protein and fat content in the formula. This one is more intended for an active dog who requires a lot of energy throughout the day. Foods like these are useful for hunting or performing pups who may go long periods without eating again.
If your dog is primarily an inside dog and doesn’t have a lot of activity, the high-fat content in this food may cause them to gain weight.
We do not see anything wrong with the list of ingredients here, but we do want to mention that this food is also not grain-free. Overall, the food contains a list of healthy ingredients that provide optimal nutrition for your pup.
As we mentioned previously, this food is intended as a high protein, high fat diet for dogs who are active and do not eat a lot of small meals throughout the day.
3. Adirondack 26% Adult Active Recipe
- Overall: 4.12 out of 5
- Ingredients: 4.5 out of 5
- Flavor: 4 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Pork Meal, Brown Rice, Chicken Meal, Oat Groats, Ground Grain Sorghum
Nutritional Analysis:
This food is formulated to give active adult dogs all the protein they need for peak performance. It features 26% protein plus all the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your active pup needs. There is also a good amount of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids for nourishing the skin and coat of your pet as well.
As of this writing, there are only six reviews on Chewy. 83% of those reviewers recommend this product to other pet owners, and 50% of those gave it a rating of 5 stars.
The common positive view was that this dog food was enjoyed by canines a lot, and the ingredients list does not show any concerning ingredient.
Of the 2-star reviews (least positive review for this meal), the feedback was that the food has a strong chemical smell that is off-putting.
The kibbles are also quite small, as one feedback reported, making it more ideal for smaller breeds instead of all breed sizes.
We don’t see any troubling ingredients in the list. There are no artificial colors or flavors, but there are quite a bit of added vitamins and minerals to make it a more nutritionally complete meal for your canine.
However, if your pup is food-sensitive, there are two different kinds of animal proteins here (pork and chicken), not to mention there’s menhaden fish oil too.
The protein is in the upper range of what’s considered standard in dog food. The fat is a little higher too since fat is another macronutrient that dogs need for energy, while the fiber content is average.
Since the dog food is meant for active pups, expect that the calories are high at 452.5 kcal per cup.
4. Adirondack Limited Ingredient Turkey & Lentils Recipe
- Overall: 4 out of 5
- Ingredients: 3.5 out of 5
- Flavor: 4.5 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Meal, Lentils, Peas, Fava Beans
Nutritional Analysis:
Handcrafted for dogs of all breeds, and for puppies to seniors, this dog food recipe offers wholesome nutrition without the use of fillers or artificial flavors.
The food is cooked at a low temperature to ensure that most of the nutrients remain intact instead of being cooked away. Plus, this slow-cooking process also helps enhance the flavor.
There are only two customer reviews for this dog food but both of those rate this product 5-stars with a 100% recommended feedback.
Both reviews note how picky their pups usually are, but something about this recipe had them scarfing down on the food. Another thing they liked about this is that the food smells good, which was an improvement over other formulas.
The food leads with fresh turkey, while turkey meal adds more protein support. If your pup is food-sensitive, this might be a good recipe for you to consider since it only uses a single animal protein source.
And if your dog is grain-sensitive too, well, there’s none of that here. Instead the formulation uses lentils, peas, and fava beans as carbohydrate sources.
While there’s no conclusive evidence that legumes cause DCM in dogs, there is still a bit more in this recipe than we’d like. And they’re all in the first five in the ingredients list.
Looking at the guaranteed levels of protein, you can see that it’s above the standard content in dog food. The fat and fiber are both at the higher end of average, although still not considered too high.
5. Adirondack Limited Ingredient Pork & Lentils Weight Management Recipe
- Overall: 3.87 out of 5
- Ingredients: 3.5 out of 5
- Flavor: 4 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Pork, Pork Meal, Lentils, Peas, Fava Beans
Nutritional Analysis:
Crafted specifically for helping dogs watch their waistline, this recipe fuels everyday canine adventures without packing on the calories. The recipe promotes the use of pork, with legumes as the carb source instead of grains.
This meal only has one review on Chewy but plenty on other sites. It has a 5-star review on the former, and a 4.6 stars out of 5 in many other websites, including Amazon, where Adirondack has been offered for a long time.
One of the common positive comments about this food is about its wholesome formulation that steers away from artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. There are no ingredients that cause an instant red flag.
Dogs seem to like the food a lot, and their human owners find the smell good too and not as displeasing as other kibbles.
There have been no digestive or skin issues detected in those that have switched to this diet. In fact, some did report that their pets’ itching stopped after switching to this formulation.
As for the negative feedback, there’s just one two-star review and no one-star. The complaint was more on how the kibbles were shipped improperly (not by Chewy) and arrived with a fourth of the bag as crumbs.
If you’re looking for red flags, there are none. The recipe uses a single animal as the protein source. It doesn’t have corn or soy or anything that is considered a common allergen in sensitive pups.
However, it does have plenty of legumes (which can be a cause for concern) and they’re all in the first five of the list.
This recipe uses a different take on weight management where the fat is low, but the protein is high. The calories are lower than is usual for an Adirondack product, but not as low as is common in other weight management formulations.
This is actually a good thing for canines who only need to maintain their weight and not lose too many pounds.
6. Adirondack Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe
- Overall: 4.25 out of 5
- Ingredients: 4.5 out of 5
- Flavor: 4.5 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Oat Groats, Millet, Ground Grain Sorghum
Nutritional Analysis:
Made with all-natural ingredients and slow-cooked to preserve the maximum amount of nutrients, this recipe offers all the wholesome goodness of grains to keep your pup’s body fueled for any adventure.
There are omega fatty acids to promote lustrous hair and healthy skin as well as added probiotics to help support the maximum absorption of nutrients in your pet’s body. The recipe is designed for adult dogs of all breed sizes.
While there are currently no ratings on Chewy, it has plenty of reviews from other sites. On Amazon, it has garnered 4.9 stars out of 5. 86% of those are 5-stars and 14% are 4-stars. There are no negative reviews, which says a lot about this recipe.
The feedback is mostly centered on the ingredients in the dog food that most reviewers labelled as excellent. There is no question about the grains used, which are all quite healthy and high-quality. The protein content was also praised because 24% is considered a good level.
The only thing some reviewers considered negatively (although they still rated the food 4 or 5 stars), is the number of animal protein sources. They wished the food got its protein from just one source. But they still think that it’s a good formula overall.
There are three animal protein sources here. Lamb meal, chicken meal, and catfish meal. That’s a really good thing if your pup is not food-sensitive. It’s meaty so your dog will most likely find it delicious. The grains are also nicely healthy and not the kinds that are mostly used as fillers.
The protein is pretty standard, although it’s on the upper end of average. The fat and fiber are also standard fare, but the calories are slightly high at 412 kcal per cup.
7. Adirondack Herring, Turkey Meal & Lentils Recipe
- Overall: 4 out of 5
- Ingredients: 3.5 out of 5
- Flavor: 4.5 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Herring, Turkey Meal, Lentils, Peas, Fava Beans
Nutritional Analysis:
This Adirondack recipe is specially designed for small breeds. Small breeds tend to burn through their energy stores faster than larger dogs because of their higher metabolic rate so they need food that will give them plenty of the calories and macronutrients they require.
Crafted for maximum nutrient retention, this recipe is also a wholesome one that does not contain fillers or artificial ingredients. What it does have are plenty of vitamins, minerals, probiotic blends, and omega fatty acids.
Although it only has one review on Chewy, this formulation boasts of a 4.6 stars out of 5 rating from other sites.
Many of the customer feedbacks commend the ingredients found in this recipe because there are no unnecessary products listed and all the selected ingredients are functional.
One customer even added that her pet’s waste does not smell much now that the dog is on this diet, which is a happy side-effect for her.
According to another, the food also has a good protein to carbohydrate ratio, although it would be better if there was much more animal protein than pea protein.
Surprisingly, even with more than a hundred reviews, this small dog food recipe has just one 2-star review and no 1-star rating at all.
The only problem the complainant had with the food is that when shipped to her, much of the kibbles have been ground down to crumbs.
While the food is said to be turkey meal flavored, it also contains a fresh ingredient in the form of deboned herring. The occurrence of food sensitivity in dogs is low when it comes to fish protein so this is a good thing.
The only thing that has us worrying a little is the inclusion of three kinds of legumes in the food — and they’re all in the first five.
The protein content in this special formulation is a little high, which is just right for small breed canines. Fat and fiber are both in the standard range.
8. Adirondack Limited Ingredient Whitefish & Peas Recipe
- Overall: 3.87 out of 5
- Ingredients: 3.5 out of 5
- Flavor: 4 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Deboned Whitefish, Menhaden Fish Meal, Lentils, Peas, Fava Beans
Nutritional Analysis:
This limited ingredient diet keeps it simpler by sticking to one single animal protein source. It’s nutritionally complete for all dogs, from puppies to seniors, and for small breeds to large ones. It’s a great and tasty solution for pups with allergies or food sensitivities.
It has no rating on Chewy yet, but a 4.6 out of 5 stars on other sites, like Amazon, which is based on over a hundred reviews. So far, it has no 1-star review, but has mostly 5- or 4-star ratings.
The common comment about this recipe is that its ingredients all seem to be high-quality. One called it “one of the better homegrown dog foods out there,” while many more like it because their dogs all gobble the food up.
This is also a good option, according to another buyer, for dogs who have digestion problems because it has resolved the issue for her pup.
On the other hand, the recipe has also garnered some not-so positive ratings. These are based on the recipe having too many legumes in it.
Too many legumes in a dog’s diet is not advisable for daily feeding especially since legumes, when used as main ingredients in dog food, have been associated with canine heart disease.
While the first two ingredients are commendable for being meat-based, the succeeding three are all legumes.
Sensitive dogs may very well thrive on a grain-free diet, but it is still not recommended to give dogs a daily meal with lots of legumes in them, particularly after the FDA is investigating a possible link between too much legumes and the risk of DCM in dogs.
For regular dog food, this diet is pretty high on protein — a decidedly good thing. The fat is also at a good level, although it can’t be considered high. Maybe more on the upper end of average, just like the fiber content.
Adirondack Dog Treat Reviews
1. Adirondack Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin
- Overall: 4.25 out of 5
- Ingredients: 4.5 out of 5
- Flavor: 4.5 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Sweet Potato, Coconut Glycerin, Pumpkin, Citric Acid
These wholesome treats combine protein-rich chicken with fiber-rich sweet potatoes and pumpkin to give your doggo a tasty yet nutritious snack.
The treats are made without artificial colors or flavors, and they come with lots of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The reviews on Chewy don’t give it a clear picture since there are only two and they are opposite each other, so we’re also looking at the feedback from other sites. From sites other than Chewy, this product has over 100 customer reviews, with the majority giving it 5-stars.
According to most of the customer feedback, their dogs found the treats irresistible. A few pet owners with sensitive canines also said that other treats would usually upset their doggos’ tummies but these did not at all. The texture (soft and chewy) as well as the scent also got commended.
Now at the other end of the spectrum, the negative ratings are from a few customer reviews that say their dogs turned the treats down and would have nothing to do with them.
These are limited ingredient treats that are composed of just eight ingredients. There aren’t any ingredients that shouldn’t be there, and it’s nice to see that the brand made an effort to keep these treats as healthy as possible for pooches.
For snacks, these are pretty high on protein. The fat is a little bit too high, but keep in mind that these are food meant to be given sparingly. The fiber content is standard.
2. Adirondack Salmon, Chicken & Mixed Berries
- Overall: 4.37 out of 5
- Ingredients: 4.5 out of 5
- Flavor: 5 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
First 5 Ingredients: Salmon, Chicken, Brown Rice, Coconut Glycerin, Chickpeas
These are snacks that will make canines of all breed sizes beg for fruits and veggies. The hearty snacks are based on two fresh protein sources, and the produce are cleverly hidden amongst the meaty treats.
The recipe features a combination protein punch, courtesy of the salmon and chicken, and an infusion of vitamins and antioxidants, care of the fruits and vegetables.
The reviews on this snack formulation are heartening. They’re all overwhelmingly positive based on many different factors.
Customers have praised the price, ingredients, and flavor. Lots of canines love the treats (even picky dogs gobble them up), and it’s also a plus that they’re easy to serve whole or broken into pieces.
We can’t find anything to dislike about the ingredients. There are just 11 of them here, and all have been carefully selected to be functional.
The blueberries and cranberries give these treats a healthy dose of antioxidants; the brown rice gives it enough carbohydrates and fiber; and of course, the salmon and chicken for protein.
The protein content is very high in these treats — giving your dog an additional source of long-lasting energy — although the fiber and fat are at standard levels.
3. Adirondack Freeze-Dried Pure Whitefish
- Overall: 4.5 out of 5
- Ingredients: 5 out of 5
- Flavor: 5 out of 5
- Packaging: 4 out of 5
- Price: 4 out of 5
All Ingredients: Deboned Whitefish
Designed to give a pure and clean snack for all dogs, even sensitive ones, these treats use only a single ingredient — whitefish. The grain-free and single-ingredient snacks are freeze-dried to preserve them longer and also to maximize the nutrients that your dog will receive.
Almost all of the reviewers found these worth the purchase, as these make great training treats, especially for doggos who love fish. The treats are reported to smell strongly of fish, but not in a way that’s repulsive. Dogs think these little snacks are interesting and will promptly follow commands just to get their paws on one.
A negative review focused on how one bag of the treats was full of dust and flakes instead of solid little pieces for training. Only a few pieces were reportedly whole, while the rest of the bag was said to be crumbs.
It would be hard to find anything wrong with this recipe as there is only one ingredient in it. It doesn’t need any preservatives because of the freeze-drying process it underwent to retain the nutrients in the food.
Extremely high protein levels are due to the single ingredient make of these snacks. The fat is comparatively very low, while the fiber content is standard.
There is only 2 kcal per treat, so even if your pup is on a weight management diet, these treats should still be okay to feed on a daily basis.
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What Types of Dog Food Does Adirondack Offer?
Adirondack offers premium slow-cooked dog food that gives your pup delicious flavor, proper nutrition, and high digestibility. This food provides your dog the energy they need to keep going all day without requiring frequent feedings.
They also supply omega three fatty acids and flaxseed for healthy skin and coat. They round everything out with a unique blend of probiotics explicitly created for dogs to help with their immune system and gut health.
The company offers a few different lines of dog food including:
- Grain-Inclusive
- Grain-Free
- Limited Ingredient
- Puppy Food
- Weight Management
- All Stages
These are their recipes currently on offer:
- All Life Stage Turkey and Lentils
- All Life Stage Whitefish and Peas
- All Life Stage Lamb Meal and Brown Rice
- Weight Management Pork and Lentils
- Small Breed Herring, Turkey Meal, and Lentils
- 30% High-Fat Puppy and Performance
- 21% Adult Everyday Recipe
- 26% Adult Active Recipe
The percentages listed on the foods above refers to the amount of protein in the food. The higher the protein, the better the food is for an active dog.
If your dog is not highly active, you should check with your veterinarian before switching them to a high-protein diet.
The brand also manufactures several treats for dogs. They have two ranges of dog treats: one called Pure for freeze-dried treats that use a single ingredient only, and another regular line that combines different ingredients.
- Pure Chicken Breast
- Pure Beef Liver
- Pure Turkey
- Pure Whitefish
- Chicken, Sweet Potato & Pumpkin
- Salmon, Chicken & Mixed Berries
Adirondack Recall History
Based on our research, there are no current or previous recalls from the Adirondack pet food company.
Customer Reviews
The best way to determine whether a dog food is the right choice for you is to read reviews from real customers who have tried it. The last thing you want to do is waste your money on dog food that your pup won’t like.
Many of the positive reviews of this brand say that the food helped regulate their pups weight and that they enjoyed the flavor. Some of the negative reviews are due to a weird smell coming from the bag when it opened, and that the food gave their dog bad gas.
Below are some 100% honest reviews from actual customers who already purchased and tried Adirondack dog food.
Positive
Great Food
- I use this food as a supplemental food on top of my dogs “base food” to help him put on some weight without breaking the bank. His base food is pretty high calorie already and a good quality food, but this is even higher calorie and also a nice quality. He liked the taste; which was great since he is such a picky eater. I'm certainly a fan! – Chewy Customer
Great for putting on Weight
- This food was great at helping to put weight on my rescue puppy. My pup was underweight from being emaciated so I was looking for a high-calorie content food so I could still feed a low volume. This food completely fit the bill. My pup gained ~10lbs in almost three weeks and finally looks like a healthy pup again. – Chewy Customer
Good Quality
- My only beef so far is how small the kibble pieces are. Hopefully, our lab will still chew them. They're a bit more expensive than what we had been buying, but because we have to feed her so much less it will last much longer! – Chewy Customer
Negative
What’s that smell?
- My young, energetic pup will eat ANYTHING, but she won't even sample this food. There is an off-putting chemical smell as soon as the bag is opened that had me reeling. And I think I was snookered by a previous review comparing this food to another I'd never heard of, Blackwoods. It turns out they are made by the same company. – Chewy Customer
Gas-filled doggo
- My dog has made noises I've never heard before (and smells) after changing to this food. Going up and down stairs now is a musical event. It might just be a blend that doesn't mix with her, but something to consider if your doggo has a sensitive stomach. – Chewy Customer
Specific Dog Food For a Specific Dog
We recommend Adirondack to pet owners who are looking to change or supplement their dog's health with something different. It appears that most people who use this food use it in addition to their regular regimen to help them lose or gain weight depending on what brand you choose.
Adirondack does a great job of catering to your pup’s specific needs and desires, and they also provide a delicious and nutritious dog food along the way.