Blackwood Dog Food Review: Best Slow Cooked Pet Nutrition?

The Blackwood brand of dog food offers slow-cooked pet food products that are made in small batches to ensure quality and nutritional integrity.

This company has been family-operated for three generations and they have never wavered in their commitment to providing the highest-quality, natural pet food products on the market.

Not only does this brand use premium ingredients, but their recipes are carefully formulated and their products meticulously tested. They don’t use any artificial additives and their products are all hand-crafted and manufactured in the United States.

This pet food brand understands that quality nutrition is the key to a long, happy, and healthy life for pets, so that is exactly what they provide. Their pet foods belong on the top shelf at the pet store, and that is exactly where you are going to find them.

Manufacturer Information

The Blackwood Pet Food company was founded more than twenty years ago by a father-son team, Robert Golladay and his son, Jim. The company continues to be family-owned and -operated to this day with their headquarters and manufacturing facility in Ohio.

This brand slow-cooks their products to preserve the nutritional integrity of the raw ingredients and they make everything in small batches to ensure safety.

This brand takes the quality of their products very seriously which is why they haven’t changed their cooking methods or made significant alterations to their formulas – they found something that works and they are sticking to it.

Blackwood Dog Food Reviews

If you look online, you’ll find that most Blackwood dog food reviews are very positive. Not only does this brand made super-premium products, but they use premium-quality ingredients as well.

Every recipe is loaded with real meat and other wholesome ingredients to keep them all-natural and nutrient-rich for your dog.

They don’t use any corn, wheat, or soy ingredients and they offer a variety of grain-free options as well. Keep reading to view our Blackwood reviews for one dry food and one wet food recipe.

 

Dry Dog Food

Sensitive Skin & Stomach

Doggos with sensitivities need a little extra care for their skin and tummy. They need food that won’t trigger allergies or upset stomachs.

The Blackwood Sensitive Skin & Stomach range features carefully crafted meals that have these considerations in mind to deliver optimal nutrition in an easy-to-digest package.

1. Salmon Meal & Brown Rice Recipe

First 5 ingredients: Salmon Meal, Brown Rice, Millet, Oat Groats, Ground Grain Sorghum

A quality source of omega fatty acids leads this recipe’s ingredient list: salmon. That’s a great sign for dogs with sensitive skin or stomachs. Salmon is naturally rich in healthy fats that help support the immune system, reduce inflammation, and keep coats shiny and healthy-looking.

It’s also an excellent protein source, which is why so many premium dog food brands use it. Dogs tend to love the rich flavor, too. In this formula, salmon helps bring the protein level up to 24.5%, comfortably above AAFCO standards for both puppies and adult dogs.

The grain blend here is another thing we liked. Brown rice, millet, oat groats and sorghum all provide fiber and important nutrients. Brown rice contains vitamins B and D along with minerals like iron and calcium, while oats supply linoleic acid and vitamin B. Despite the bad reputation grains sometimes get, they’re far from useless fillers. For many dogs—especially those with sensitive stomachs—they’re actually gentle and easy to digest.

This recipe also includes an impressive variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs. Ingredients like carrots, spinach, pumpkin, cranberries, apples, parsley and celery help provide natural antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Herbs such as rosemary, cumin and thyme add even more nutritional value.

Honestly, it’s refreshing to see a recipe go beyond the usual one or two vegetables tossed in for marketing. This formula genuinely focuses on whole-food nutrition, and we’re all for it.

For healthy fats and added flavor, the recipe also contains canola oil and chicken fat. While canola oil can be a little controversial because it’s processed, it still provides omega fatty acids along with vitamins E and K. Chicken fat adds both nutrition and taste, making the food even more appealing to picky eaters.

It delivers a strong balance of protein, wholesome grains, healthy fats and nutrient-rich produce. The added probiotics are another major plus, especially for dogs with sensitive digestion.

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Grain-Free Diet

Some dogs thrive on grain-free diets, particularly if they are on weight loss maintenance or control diets, sensitive to grains, or on special diets prescribed by vets.

2. Salmon & Field Pea Recipe

Made for dogs of all ages, this grain-free recipe delivers balanced nutrition without relying on common allergy triggers. The main ingredient is chicken meal, backed up by duck meal and catfish meal for an extra boost of protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Menhaden fish oil and chicken fat add even more omega support, which is great for skin, coat, heart, and joint health. Plus, let’s be honest—chicken fat makes dog food taste way better, and picky eaters usually appreciate that.

Instead of grains, this formula uses peas, chickpeas, and tapioca starch for fiber and carbohydrates. Despite the anti-carb hype, dogs actually benefit from healthy carbs because they help provide steady energy throughout the day.

Like many of Blackwood’s recipes, this one is packed with fruits, vegetables, and herbs. We’re big fans of that approach. Natural nutrients from whole foods just feel better than relying heavily on synthetic supplements.

Overall, this recipe brings together quality proteins, healthy fats, and nutrient-rich produce in a way that feels thoughtfully balanced. There’s a ton of flavor here too, which never hurts.

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Complete & Balanced Diet

Food with wholesome ingredients and superior nutrition should be a part of your dog’s regular routine. That is what Blackwood’s Complete & Balanced Diet is about. The range delivers flavorful meals that contain all the nutrients dogs need for their day-to-day activities.

3. Chicken Meal & Brown Rice

This meal feels like a solid, no-nonsense option for dogs. It packs in 24% protein with moderate fat and fiber levels, using chicken as the main ingredient alongside wholesome grains for steady energy.

One thing we liked right away? No corn, wheat, soy or artificial additives. That’s always a plus.

The recipe also includes prebiotics and probiotics to help support digestion, plus a healthy balance of omega fatty acids for skin and coat health. For dogs with sensitive stomachs or dry skin, those extras can make a noticeable difference.

Chicken meal leads the ingredient list, and despite the scary-sounding word “meal,” it’s actually a concentrated protein source. Fresh chicken contains a ton of water, so once it’s cooked down, there’s far less actual meat left behind. Chicken meal has already had most of the moisture removed, which means more protein packed into every bite. It also provides all the essential amino acids dogs need.

That protein gets backed up with menhaden fish meal and egg product, giving the recipe a nice variety of animal-based nutrition.

For carbohydrates, this formula uses brown rice, millet, and oat groats. They’re not grain-free, but they are gluten-free and generally easier for many dogs to digest. These grains provide energy, fiber, and important nutrients without feeling overly heavy.

There are also extra fiber sources like sorghum, beet pulp, and flaxseed, along with a mix of fruits and vegetables. Thankfully, the fiber level stays reasonable at 3%. Too much fiber can upset digestion just as easily as too little, so this feels pretty balanced.

Chicken fat serves as the main fat source here, supported by flaxseed and menhaden fish oil for omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Together, they help support healthy skin, coat, joints, and overall energy levels.

The fruits and vegetables add some natural nutrition too, which we always prefer over relying entirely on synthetic supplements. That said, the recipe still uses added vitamins and minerals for balance, and several of them are chelated for better absorption. Nice touch.

There are a couple of ingredients some owners might question, like beet pulp and brewer’s dried yeast. Still, compared to everything this formula gets right, those feel like pretty minor complaints. This recipe delivers strong protein sources, digestible carbs, healthy fats, and good digestive support in one well-rounded package.

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Puppy Performance Diet

Puppies are all about play and being on the move. They have faster metabolism and require lots of fuel for energy. Blackwood’s Puppy range has enough protein and fat to help your active little buddy. It is also complete with all the nutrition pups need for their developing bodies and brains.

4. Chicken Meal with Ancient Grain Recipe

Puppies have specific dietary needs because their developing bodies consume so much more energy and nutrients than adult dogs. They need food that is able to provide all of their daily requirements so that they grow up healthy and smart.

This puppy food raises up the level of nutrients to support growing pups. For example, the protein content is much higher than what you can usually find in their adult range.

The protein comes from chicken meal, the main source of animal protein here. As the first ingredient, it makes up the most volume in the kibbles. To make sure that the protein level is high, chicken meal is further supported by the addition of pea protein and egg product.

There are a few kinds of grains here namely: sorghum, brown rice, sorghum and barley. Grains are not fillers. They are excellent for balancing a meat-based diet, and they contain valuable nutrients such as fiber, minerals, essential fatty acids and vitamins. It’s also a proven fact that grains can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases in pets.

Contrary to popular misconception that grains are the main cause of allergies in dogs, it’s actually the animal protein that is the main culprit. Grain allergy is very uncommon, and even then, your dog is likely to be allergic only to one kind and not all.

You might wonder about the inclusion of fish oil and chicken fat. What are these for, precisely? Well, fish oil is considered an important dietary supplement for dogs because it supports heart health.

The fish oil also contains Omega 3 fatty acids that help balance out the Omega 6 fatty acids in the grains. (Too much of either is not good. The body needs balance to function properly.) The fish oil and chicken fat offers Omega 3 fatty acids as well as a good dose of Omega 6.

These two fatty acids are especially crucial in a puppy’s diet because one of their benefits is supporting brain development. The Omega 3 can also aid in reducing hyperactivity in pups and improve their immune system.

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Lean/Senior Diet

Seniors have slower metabolism compared to younger pups. And overweight dogs tend to be less active. With the Lean/Senior Diet, these canines will have yummy easy-to-digest meals that take their inactive lifestyles into consideration. There is less fat content but more fiber and probiotics to aid in digestion and waste movement.

5. Chicken Meal with Ancient Grains Recipe

The emphasis in this recipe is on a lean and wholesome diet for not-so-energetic pups. Chicken meal starts the recipe off to a good start with its suitable amount of proteins. 

Sometimes, the main animal protein will need some support to reach the ideal levels. In this case, the grain millet, the egg product, and the menhaden fish meal offer up their own protein content to help the mixture reach 20.5%, which is more than enough for adult dogs (18% is the standard). 

If you read the content label, you’ll see plenty of grains. Brown rice, millet, sorghum, oats, pearled barley and rice bran. Don’t be alarmed.

The trend about grain-free diets is really just that  — a trend. Many pet owners mistakenly believe that grain-free is better, but that is rarely the case. There are situations where grain-free food is suitable for dogs but most of the time, it’s the vets that determine this.

A common misconception about grains is that they cause allergies. While some dogs may truly be allergic to grains, grain sensitivity is highly uncommon. And if your pet is allergic to one kind, it doesn’t mean tha