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Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy

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Elaine Navajo

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Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 1

There is a dog food brand called Cesar that is particularly designed for small dogs to meet their nutritional requirements and it always features on its packaging the image of a West Highland Terrier.

For those who are not aware, Mars Inc, which also owns such brands as Pedigree, Nutro and Royal Canin among others, manufactures Cesar pet food.

This company stresses that it aims to have healthy foods that will make dogs happy with many different types available at low prices.

This approach usually includes an illustration of a smiling Westie on the front along with some pictures of the constituent elements of the meal either in pate or blend form.

Cesar’s is well liked by many people because it can be found almost everywhere including supermarkets, large retailers, pet shops and even online sellers. Additionally, they give out discounts regularly which means that it will cost less for people who own pets.

People should take advantage of reviews on this product to ensure their pets receive what they need even though package and website information might be deceptive.

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Cesar Dog Food Reviews

Often, Cesar’s recipes start with actual meat but this is followed by by-products and high carbohydrate ingredients such as corn and wheat, while depending on unnamed items like meat meal.

The protein and fat contents are within appropriate ranges; however, the quality of the ingredients is questionable since other than wet dog food, Cesar also has a variety of dry food and treats.

1. Rotisserie Chicken Flavor & Spring Vegetables

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 2

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken, Whole Grain Corn, Ground Wheat, Meat and Bone Meal, Brewers Rice

Protein: 26.0% min

Fat: 12.5% min

Fiber: 4.0% max

Moisture: 12.0% max

Food Type: Dry

Best for: All Lifestages, Extra Small – Small Breeds

The formula is described as a succulent dinner fit for a best friend. The Cesar website states that it is full of slow-roasted chicken flavor with the nutritional benefits of spring vegetables.

It is nutritionally complete for dogs in all life stages with the exception of large breed puppies – it is, however, complete for small-breed dogs.

The package for this recipe features a picture of the brand’s Westie as well as a picture of chicken pieces with fresh green peas and carrots – this image may lead pet owners to assume that these are the main ingredients in the product which may not be entirely true.

The first ingredient in this formula is fresh chicken then it is followed by chicken by-product meal and ground yellow corn.

Fresh chicken as a first ingredient is definitely a good thing, but you have to wonder how much it actually contributes to the total protein content of the recipe when other low-quality protein sources like chicken by-product meal, meat & bone meal, and corn gluten meal are all featured within the top 10 ingredients.

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Pros: 

Quality meat. Made with real chicken as the first ingredient for protein-rich nutrition and great taste.

Dental health. Contains a blend of crunchy pieces, including an “H” shape that helps keep teeth and gums healthy.

Special formula. Gourmet recipe is specially crafted with 26 nutrients that are beneficial to small dogs.

Convenience. The re-sealable zipper helps keep the food fresh until it runs out

Cons: 

Allergens spotted. Ground yellow corn does contain some plant protein but it, along with the ground wheat, is primarily used as a carbohydrate ingredient. Unfortunately, these ingredients are two of the most common dog food allergies and many dogs find them difficult to digest.

Artificial contents. It is also worth noting that this product includes generic animal fat, several artificial colors, and an assortment of synthetic supplements, none of which are chelated to improve uptake.

Not grain free. This recipe loses points for the use of corn, wheat, and soy products as well as artificial colors. Other questionable ingredients include sugar, dried beat pulp, and brewers rice.

Conclusion

Overall, this is not the worst product on the shelf, but you can definitely do better. This formula starts off strong with fresh chicken as the first ingredient but with multiple plant proteins and unnamed meats following close behind, it is hard to tell how much this ingredient actually contributes to the total protein content of the formula.

This is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for all life stages except for growth of large size dogs (70 pounds or more as an adult).

2. Filet Mignon Flavor & Spring Vegetables

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 3

First 5 ingredients:

Beef, Ground Wheat, Meat and Bone Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Brewers Rice

Protein: 26.0% min

Fat: 12.5% min

Fiber: 4.0% max

Moisture: 12.0% max

Food Type: Dry

Best for: All Lifestages, Extra Small – Small Breeds

This is a dry meal that provides complete and balanced nutrition specially formulated for your small dog. Made with real beef, this recipe has the protein your dog needs to help her build strong and lean muscles.

This meal boasts 26 nutrients to help support the overall health of small dogs of all life stages. This tasty recipe features a mix of tender, meaty pieces and crunchy kibbles. It also has H-shaped kibbles to help keep teeth and gums healthy.

Pros

Gentle on sensitive tummies. This dry dog food from Cesar has been great for dogs with sensitive stomachs. Little dogs who were previously vomiting their old food have been able to keep this food down without upsetting their tummies.

Little pups love it! Small pooches enjoy the tasty mix of meaty and crunchy pieces of the Cesar Filet Mignon Flavor & Spring Vegetables Garnish. The rich beefy flavor is enhanced with chicken by-product meal as well as filet mignon smoky natural flavor. Even picky dogs love this dry dog food.

Cons

Unnamed animal ingredients. While real beef is the most abundant ingredient, this dry dog food does have animal fat. This unnamed animal ingredient is considered inferior in quality. It could potentially be unsuitable for dogs with allergies to certain animal protein sources.

Conclusion

It offers a tasty meal for your small dogs that is also nutritionally complete and balanced. It has 26 nutrients specifically included for the needs of small dogs. Many dogs with sensitive stomachs enjoy this dry food without vomiting or upsetting their little tummies

However, this product does include chicken by-product meals and animal fat, which is an unnamed animal ingredient. It also has artificial colors and preservatives. While it has real beef as the first ingredient, it may not be the one for your pup if you are looking for food that is all natural.

3. Classic Loaf in Sauce Variety Pack

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 4

Food Type: Wet, Pâté

Best for: All Lifestages, Extra Small – Small Breeds

Special Diet: Grain-free

Beef

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 5

First 5 ingredients:

Beef, Pork By-Products, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Water

Protein: 9.0% min

Fat: 4.0% min

Fiber: 1.0% max

Moisture: 82.0% max

Caloric Breakdown: 897 kcal ME/kg, 90 kcal ME/Tray

Filet Mignon

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 6

First 5 ingredients:

Beef, Pork By-Products, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Water

Protein: 9.0% min

Fat: 4.0% min

Fiber: 1.0% max

Moisture: 82.0% max

Caloric Breakdown: 900 kcal ME/kg, 90 kcal ME/Tray

Grilled Chicken

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 7

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken, Beef Lung, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Water

Protein: 8.5% min

Fat: 4.0% min

Fiber: 1.0% max

Moisture: 82.0% max

Caloric Breakdown: 867 kcal ME/kg, 87 kcal ME/tray

Porterhouse Steak

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 8

First 5 ingredients:

Beef, Pork By-Products, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Water

Protein: 8.5% min

Fat: 4.0% min

Fiber: 1.0% max

Moisture: 82.0% max

Caloric Breakdown: 902 kcal ME/kg, 90 kcal ME/Tray

This variety pack is a great way for your dog to try 4 flavors of classic Cesar wet dog food. This pack has six 3.5 oz trays of each flavor. It includes Beef Recipe, Grilled Chicken Flavor, Filet Mignon Flavor, and Porterhouse Steak Flavor.

Each of these recipes has beef or chicken as the first ingredient. The highly-palatable wet food are served in a meaty loaf in rich and tasty sauce. The flavors of each recipe are made even richer with chicken liver, heart and broth, as well as beef lung.

Every single-serve tray of these Cesar Classic recipes provides complete and balanced nutrition for your little pup. They can be served as meals on their own, or as kibble toppers.

Pros

Pups love it! Dogs just love all the recipes in this Cesar Classic Loaf in Sauce Variety Pack. A lot of them impatiently wait for their meals to be served. According to reviews, even large dogs enjoy the meaty loaves in sauce. These Cesar recipes have received numerous reviews from owners of picky pooches. According to them, these Cesar classic recipes are the only food their dogs like.

Convenient trays. Dog parents love the convenience of the single-serve trays of this Cesar Variety Pack. The peel-off lids are easy to open. No need to transfer to bowls. The trays make it perfect for traveling with your pooch. Simply peel the lid and serve.

Cons
By-products. All recipes in this Classic Loaf in Sauce Variety Pack contain pork by-products. Some consider these as lesser quality sources of protein. It is however, still better than unnamed sources. The recipes in this pack do not contain any unnamed animal ingredients. However, they do contain artificial enhancers such as colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Conclusion

This Classics wet dog food recipe is a good option if you have a picky eater or if you want to add variety to your dog’s dinner options. The tasty recipes have passed the standards of numerous picky pooches. The extra flavorful meals are also served in convenient single-serve trays.

A few reviews stated that they do not like that the recipes all have by-products. In this pack’s case, all recipes contain pork by-products. They are typically considered lesser quality ingredients. They also contain artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

4. Simply Crafted Variety Pack

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 9

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken, Carrots, Potatoes, Peas

Protein: 15.0% min

Fat: 0.2% min

Fiber: 1.5% max

Moisture: 81.0% max

Food Type: Food Topping

Best for: All Lifestages, Extra Small – Small Breeds

The Simply Crafted Variety Pack has 4 tubs each of limited ingredient food topper recipes: Chicken, Carrots, Potatoes & Peas and Chicken, Sweet Potato, Apple, Barley & Spinach.

These recipes are perfect for little dogs with allergies or are sensitive to proteins other than chicken. The ingredient list is very clean and contains no fillers or artificial enhancers.

The versatile food toppers can also be served as a snack or treat on its own. The Simply Crafted recipes in this pack can help entice extra picky pups to eat their kibble or meal.

As it is only meant to be given as a meal complement, your dog should still be fed food that provides complete and balanced nutrition.

Pros

High-quality ingredients. Dog owners love the high-quality ingredients that go into every tub of Cesar Simply Crafted food toppers. Made of visibly real chicken and nutritious vegetables, it is a tasty treat that adds nutrients and hydration to dry kibble or any other complete and balanced meal.

The clean list of ingredients for both Cesar Simply Crafted recipes make them ideal for dogs who are sensitive to proteins other than chicken.

Simply tasty. These Cesar Simply Crafted food topper recipes are enjoyed by numerous dogs. Real chicken and veggies pack more than enough natural flavor for pups to enjoy. They get especially excited for mealtimes when complemented with these Cesar chicken recipes.

Cons

Slightly expensive. According to some reviews, this pack of food toppers is a bit too costly, especially for the size of every tub. Some dog owners feel that the portion sizes are too small for its price.

Conclusion

It is a highly-recommended food topper or snack for your little dog. The ingredient list is very clean and has no fillers, or artificial enhancers such as colors, flavors, or preservatives. It has visibly real chicken and nutritious vegetables.

Dogs just love having these chicken toppers with their crunchy kibbles. However, some find it a bit too expensive for its portion sizes.

5. Home Delights & Classic Loaf in Sauce Variety Pack

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 10

First 5 ingredients:

Salmon, Chicken Meal, Sweet Potatoes, Tapioca Starch, Canola Meal

Protein: 9.0% min

Fat: 4.0% min

Fiber: 1.0% max

Moisture: 82.0% max

Food Type: Wet, Chunks in Gravy, Stew, Pâté

Best for: All Lifestages, Extra Small – Small Breeds

Cesar Home Delights & Classic Loaf in Sauce Variety Pack is a treasure box of tasty meals for your little dog. It contains 36 trays of Cesar’s Home Delights and Classic Loaf in Sauce recipes.

This doggy gift box comes with 6 trays of each of the following flavors: Filet Mignon, Grilled Chicken, Porterhouse Steak, Beef Stew, Slow Cooked Chicken and Vegetables Dinner in Sauce, and Pot Roast with Spring Vegetables Dinner in Sauce.

Every tray from this box of Cesar goodies provides vitamins and minerals for complete and balanced nutrition. The tasty recipes have real beef or chicken as the first ingredient for high quality sources of protein.

Pros
Good source of hydration. Every recipe in this Cesar Home Delights & Classic Loaf in Sauce Variety Pack provides additional hydration to your little pooch’s diet. You can serve it on its own for a fancy dinner just for your pup, or use it as a topper to add moisture to your dog’s dry kibbles

Makes giving medicines a breeze. Almost all pet owners have faced the challenge of giving oral medication to pets. Cesar’s extra tasty recipes make giving medicines to dogs so much easier. They just love the 6 recipes in this variety pack so much, they barely notice the meds that you tucked in it.

The dogs gobble up the meaty pieces and lap up the rich sauce along with the meds you secretly snuck in.

Cons

Unnamed animal ingredients. The Pot Roast with Spring Vegetables, Slow Cooked Chicken & Vegetables, and Beef Stew recipes all have animal plasma. Unnamed animal ingredients are considered by many as low quality ingredients. It could potentially make the food unsuitable for dogs who have allergies to certain animal ingredients.

Conclusion

This product offers 6 tasty dinner options for your tiny pooch. You can give her a different kind almost every day of the week. Numerous dogs enjoy the beef or chicken flavors of these Cesar wet foods. It has helped a lot of pooches take their medicines too.

However, three of the recipes have animal plasma, while the other three has pork by-products. Both are considered ingredients of lesser quality.

6. Cesar Puppy Classic Loaf in Sauce Chicken & Beef Recipe

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 11

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken, Chicken Liver, Beef Lung, Meat By-Products, Chicken Broth

Protein: 9.0% min

Fat: 6.0% min

Fiber: 1.0% max

Moisture: 80.0% max

Food Type: Wet, Pâté

Best for: Puppy, Extra Small – Small Breeds

Special Diet: Grain-free

This recipe is formulated to meet the specific needs of little puppies. Enriched with vitamins and minerals, this Cesar puppy food provides complete and balanced nutrition in every serving.

Made with real chicken and beef, every tray of this Classic Loaf in Sauce recipe gives your puppy a tasty and hydrating meal. The flavor is made even richer with the inclusion of nutritious chicken liver and chicken broth.

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Pros

Perfect for picky puppies. This chicken and beef Loaf in Sauce food from Cesar is a hit among tiny puppies. Even picky ones seem to love the rich chicken and beef flavors of this recipe. It is a great way to encourage young puppies to eat more solid food.

Gentle on sensitive tummies. This Cesar recipe is quite gentle on the stomach. According to reviews, sensitive puppies are able to keep this food down without upsetting their tummies. No vomiting or belly aches for these pups.

Cons

Carrageenan. This wet puppy food contains an additive called carrageenan. Some experts claim that carrageenan may be a possible contributor to certain conditions in pets.

Conclusion

This is a wholesome meal that is loved by many picky puppies. If you are having trouble getting your small pup to eat solid food, this may the one for you. It has been quite gentle on sensitive puppy tummies, according to many reviews.

Puppies enjoy their meals without getting upset stomachs. However, this puppy food does contain additives such as carrageenan, as well as artificial enhancers.

7. Fresh Chef Beef & Chicken Recipe

Fresh Chef Beef & Chicken Recipe

First 5 ingredients:

Beef, Chicken, Beef Broth, Beef Liver, Peas

Protein: 8.5% min

Fat: 8.5% min

Fiber: 1.0% max

Moisture: 76.0% max

Food Type: Frozen

Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds

The brand understands that the best way to show love to your dog is by delighting them with gourmet meals.

Featuring fresh beef as the primary ingredient, along with delectable peas and carrots, this natural dog food is crafted with human-grade ingredients to deliver gourmet flavor in every bowl.

Rest assured, your best friend will enjoy every bite without any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. The recipe is enriched with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, ensuring a nutritious and healthy meal. Your furry companion will adore you even more each time you serve it up!

The pack includes a feeding guideline to help adjust food portions to maintain your pet's ideal body weight. Refrigerate any unused portions for up to 7 days and refeed at room temperature. Always provide fresh drinking water.

Pros

Human grade ingredients. The primary ingredients, beef and chicken, are carefully selected for their superior quality and taste. Fresh vegetables such as peas and carrots are included to add essential vitamins and minerals to every meal.

Zero artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. You can rest assured that your best friend will enjoy delicious flavors in every bite, free from artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives that could diminish the tasty goodness.

Wholesome grains. The presence of wholesome grains and other natural ingredients, which not only enhance the flavor but also provide necessary fiber for healthy digestion.

Cons

Takes up space. If you have limited refrigerator space, these meat rolls will undoubtedly occupy a portion of it.

Possible cross-contamination. We must not be complacent about food handling. Hand sanitation is crucial, and keeping food utensils clean after using is equally important.

Conclusion

This gourmet recipe offers a premium dining experience for your dog, made with human-grade ingredients that ensure both exceptional taste and nutrition. A certain hit among finicky eaters!

With high-quality beef and chicken, fresh vegetables, and essential vitamins and minerals, this recipe supports overall health and well-being.

Free from artificial additives, it provides a wholesome and delicious meal that you can feel good about serving to your furry friend.

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Manufacturer Information:

The Cesar dog food brand is produced and manufactured by Mars, Inc. Though primarily known as the maker of popular candy bars, Mars, Inc. is actually the sixth largest privately held company in the United States and a global manufacturer of pet food.

This company was founded in 1911 and they have acquired or developed dozens of brands over their 100-year history. Some of the other pet food brands produced by Mars, Inc. include Eukanuba, Greenies, Iams, Nutro, Pedigree, Pill Pockets, Royal Canin, Sheba, and Whiskas.

Made in the USA?

The pet care division of Mars, Inc. is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee, though they have manufacturing facilities all over the U.S. and Canada – they even have a few plants in Europe. Some sources say that Cesar foods are all manufactured in the United States but there is no information provided on the company website to back up this claim.

In fact, their product labels don’t even carry the “Made in the USA” statement that many pet foods do. This doesn’t necessarily mean that their products aren’t produced in the USA, but we can’t confirm or deny it.

Ingredient Sourcing:

Not only does Cesar provide very little information about where their products are made, but they also don’t speak to the sourcing of their ingredients. If you quickly review the ingredients lists for several of their products, you will find that they use a variety of meat by-products as well as artificial additives including colors, flavors, and preservatives.

Cesar dog food reviews are often not very positive because the brand uses so many low-quality ingredients. Keep reading to find our review for this brand.

Cesar Dog Food Reviews: Tasty Meals For Your Little Buddy 12

Cesar Dog Food Recall History:

As of 2025, there has been no product recall issues on Cesar dog food products. However, there is only one recall in recent brand history – here are the details:

In October 2016, Mars Petcare US voluntarily recalled a limited number of CESAR® Classics Filet Mignon Flavor product due to potential choking hazards from small pieces of plastic in the food.

It is important to remember that the fact that a brand does or does not have recalls isn’t necessarily an indication of quality, but it can be a supporting factor.

How Expensive Are Their Products?

Again, this brand is very inexpensive and you can save even more using Cesar dog food coupons. You can purchase 24-packs of wet food trays for between $15 and $30 for most recipes – that averages to about $0.94 per tray. This brand of dog food offers 12-pound bags of dry food for about $15 and their treats sell for less than $10 for an 18-ounce bag, in most cases.

cesar dog food reviews

Current Products Available

As you may already know, the Cesar is primarily a wet food company, though they do offer a very limited selection of dry foods and a small assortment of treats. This brand markets their products as being made with real meat flavors such as grilled chicken, roasted lamb, and filet mignon.

The important thing to note about these products is that while they may be made with those real meat flavors, they often do not contain the actual meat itself. If they do, it is typically paired with a lower quality (less expensive) meat product like chicken by-product meal or meat and bone meal.

Dry Products

Though the Cesar brand is mostly known for their wet foods, they do offer a limited selection of dry dog food products. There are three recipes to choose from, each formulated for small breed adult dogs. These recipes are made with real meat flavors like filet mignon and rotisserie chicken as well as spring vegetables.

Wet Products

The Cesar brand of dog food is primarily known for their wet food products – they have a much larger variety to choose from than they do dry foods. There is a total of forty-eight different flavors of wet food that come in small 3.5-ounce trays.

Parting Words

Cesar offers a comprehensive range of both wet and dry dog food that is ideal for small and smaller breeds. With a commitment to using high-quality, wholesome ingredients, they ensure that each meal is nutritious and delicious.

It's suitable for dogs with varying tastes and dietary needs, providing balanced and flavorful options. Here's to serving your furry friend wholesome bowls of Cesar meals, tailored perfectly for their size and health.

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