Dave’s is a small brand of healthy dry and moist dog food that helps cater to specific issues your pup may have. It has lines for allergies, obesity, food sensitivities, and diabetes. The main claim to fame for Dave’s is that the company provides the best quality food at affordable prices.
Its reputation online is solid, and most of the brand’s foods have higher than a four-star rating, but they don’t have many reviews. This tells us that the food line isn’t that popular online, but the website says the products are available at over 1600 retailers across the country.
If you are looking for a cheaper alternative to healthy pet foods, Dave’s might be a good option for you.
Many of its ingredients also seem to mimic those of more expensive brands, but you never know where the proteins, vegetables, and fruits get sourced from unless you find out for yourself.
In this article, Dave's dog food review, we’re taking a serious look into Dave’s pet foods and whether or not they are a healthy and affordable option for your family.
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Brand Quick Look
Parent Company: Dave’s Pet Food
Founded in: 1999
Made in: South Dakota, New Jersey, Canada, and Thailand
Available at: Chewy, Pet360, petfooddirect, Dave's website
Types of Food: Dry and moist
Real Meat in First 5 Ingredients? : Yes
Recalled in Past? : Yes
Behind the Brand
The story of Dave’s dog food starts with Dave Ratner. This man realized how many great healthy dog food options there are on the market. He knew that the only thing missing from the pet food world was healthy affordable dog foods.
Dave is a sales guy, so he brought in an unnamed pet nutritionist to help him formulate the food, and together they decided on a manufacturer (also unnamed) to take care of the production.
According to the company, the reason its food is so much cheaper than its competitors is not that it contains cheaper ingredients; it’s because of the company's overhead.
It doesn't have sales people out there selling it, it doesn’t have a team of marketers marketing it, and it doesn't have a huge customer service department taking calls.
It’s all Dave, and he does everything, so he's able to keep the overhead low and ultimately, the price low.
In this section, we’re going to take an in-depth look at at a couple lines of Dave’s dog food to find out if the ingredients are as great as he says they are.
The first food we’re looking at is the most common and standard food in their line. This one is ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs and Dave calls it the “bland diet” because there are few ingredients in here that would upset your dog's stomach.
It contains easily digestible ingredients that are high in fiber so your pup can digest the food properly and prevent anything from coming up.
This food contains no artificial ingredients, colors, corn, soy, or dairy products.
This list of early ingredients in the food contains a lot of whole oat fillers which is not ideal, but the protein analysis is still within a healthy range.
Based on reviews from other people who have tried the food it does seem like it helps dogs with sensitive stomachs who are prone to vomiting and diarrhea.
2. Dave’s Simply the Best Formula
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Rice Flour, Dried Egg Product, Rice Bran
Right out of the gate you can tell that Dave is a salesman based on the packaging of this dog food. The bag has a dog on the front with a clothespin over his nose, and it says, “dog got gas?” at the top.
Also, on the front of the bag, they give you a brief explanation as to why the egg is the best protein to include in your dog's diet.
The company goes on to talk about how this food works well for dogs with gas, and it helps limit the number of stools they have. Dave claims that chicken, rice, and egg are three of the most digestible foods you can give your dog so this food helps them feel full faster and stay full longer so they can digest.
Overall, none of the ingredients in this formula are uncommon in dog food, so the entire thing feels like a giant sales pitch to us. That said, you can’t argue with the price of Dave’s dog food so the sales pitch might have some validity to it.
We generally like to see fiber of at least 4-5% especially if the company claims that their food is “high-fiber” and easily digestible.
3. Dave's Pet Food Naturally Healthy Formula
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Ground Barley, Ground Oats, Ground Brown Rice, Chicken Fat
Made with real chicken meal first and high-quality lamb meal. A formula rich in healthy fats, minerals and vitamins that is great for all breeds plus it's highly delectable.
This Dave’s diet is geared towards adult dogs of all breeds. It’s an all-natural recipe designed to be easily digestible so that even seniors or littles will have no problem with their meal.
It features easily digestible lamb, that was raised without the use of artificial hormones, and lots of chicken meal (as first ingredient) to raise the protein level.
Cheese, skim milk, and peas add a little more protein to the diet, and the menhaden fish meal gives the food the required omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that are so important for a strong immune system and healthy fur and coat.
There are added vitamins and minerals too to balance the meal and make it more nutritious. There are several grains in the first five ingredient slots.
That’s a little more than what we expect in a dog food recipe, although that’s not entirely a bad thing since dogs are omnivorous.
But too many grains in a diet can cause obesity. Fortunately, the first ingredient is meat, but there should be a little more meat support somewhere within the first few ingredients.
Based on customer reviews, the recipe adds a little more pep to dogs, especially those who have been ill. While we mentioned too many grains can be a ‘con,’ on the flip side, the grains provide lots of energy to dogs.
The grains are also good for sensitive tummies so the risk of your dog getting stomach upsets are lessened.
4. Dave's Pet Food Pork Meal & Sweet Potato Dinner
First 5 Ingredients: Pork Meal, Peas, Lentils, Chickpeas, Canola Oil
This is a grain free meal which contains pork meal as the only source of animal protein source, making it safer for those pets who suffer from specific protein allergies.
Some dogs can’t fully process grains, so a grain-free diet provides them the daily nutrition they need. A few pups are also sensitive to certain animal proteins so the answer would be to limit the number of animal proteins they can get from food.
This Dave’s recipe answers both needs. It’s grain-free and features only one source of animal protein — pork meal, a not-so common meat ingredient in dog food.
Instead of grains, this recipe uses alternatives like lentils, peas, and chickpeas instead. These carb ingredients provide quick boosts of energy to playful adult pups. They’re also excellent sources of fiber, which helps dogs maintain a healthy digestive system.
There’s a little too much legume in here for our liking. The pork meal may be the first ingredient, but the second up to the fourth are all legumes.
Combined together, their volume might possibly overwhelm the meat. And the FDA has raised the possibility that food with plenty of legumes might increase the risk of DCM in dogs (dilated cardiomyopathy).
There are plenty of carbohydrate ingredients here and that’s not really necessary. Carbohydrates may provide lots of energy but the number of carb ingredients is too much.
Aside from those mentioned above, there’s also tapioca starch and dried sweet potato. Plus, there are only a couple of customer reviews for this particular dog food.
5. Dave's Pet Food Countryside Blend with Fresh Chicken
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Field Peas, Chickpeas, Lentils, Chicken Fat
This is an ideal option for dogs with allergies as it is free from grains, gluten, artificial colors or flavors, beef, corn or soy. Just make sure that your pet doesn't have poultry allergy as this is made from chicken.
Countryside Blend is a recipe inspired by the countryside where food is fresh and vegetables are abundant.
The grain-free formulation features chicken meal as the main animal protein, and it is supported by the presence of menhaden fish meal and fresh chicken.
There are three types of legumes in the first five ingredient slots, but further down the list, there are plenty of other vegetables such as carrots, celery, and parsley as well as herbs like thyme, cinnamon, and cumin.
To raise the nutrition level further, the food also contains added vitamins and minerals, omega fatty acids, and pre and probiotics.
There is a high amount of protein in this diet, a must for truly active dogs. However, it also has a high volume of legumes, which are possibly linked to DCM in pups.
Legumes are nutritious (and are absolutely not fillers) but we’d prefer not having them occupy three of the first five ingredient slots.
As for customer reviews, the majority of buyers claim that their dogs thrive on the diet and many of them are canines that are sensitive to grains or potatoes. Coats and fur have grown healthier, silkier, and glossier when put on this diet.
6. Dave's Pet Food Restricted Bland Diet Chicken & Rice [Canned]
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Water Sufficient For Processing, White Rice, Rice Flour, Natural Flavor
A carefully-crafted bland diet for dogs with allergies or sensitivities, this meal offers balanced nutrition that’s easily digestible.
It features rice, which is gentle on upset canine tummies, and a single protein source — real chicken — for dogs who might be allergic to other kinds of animal protein.
It’s a simple recipe that will calm the stomach. It is enhanced with vitamins and minerals but does not include ingredients that could possibly trigger symptoms in your canine. There are no artificial colors, artificial flavors, wheat, or gluten.
This wet dog food has very few main ingredients so it's easy to keep track of ingredients that won’t agree with your dog.
Chicken, water, white rice, and rice flour are the key ingredients, and they’re all considered quality ones. The rest of the ingredients are either made up of natural stabilizers, natural preservatives, and nutrients.
The food has a high rating from customers. According to many reviews, this recipe helps firm up stools and calm the tummies of dogs suffering from bouts of diarrhea.
While the ingredients may look bland, canines seem to love the taste. Even picky pups have been reported to lick their bowls clean.
Pups who are obese and need to lose weight will benefit from a lot of protein in their diet. This Dave’s recipe is made of 95% premium meats, with virtually no carbohydrates included. (Eating carbs can cause blood sugar levels to spike up.)
Three kinds of fresh meat are in the first five slots of the ingredients list, with beef broth and flaxseed making up the rest. The beef liver ingredient gives the nutrition content a big boost as it contains copper, iron, B12, and more.
It’s considered a kind of superfood since it’s so nutritionally dense. The flaxseed, is also a superfood in its own right with its rich content of magnesium, calcium, and iron.
The recipe is basically meat, water, vitamins, and minerals. There are no artificial colors or flavors, so this is ideal for pups of all breed sizes who are sensitive too (as long as they are not allergic to beef or chicken). It’s a cheaper alternative to a raw diet, and your meat-loving pups will love the taste.
93% of customers recommend the food. It keeps canine diabetes in check and under control. It has also been reported to help with stomach issues.
And with its meaty formulation, it’s also an ideal topper for dry food that your pup may be getting tired of, although you can feed this as a complete meal if you prefer.
A drool worthy blend of beef and beef liver drenched in hearty beef stock making it oh-so-yummy and it is brimming with protein, minerals and vitamins.
Meaty Beefy Stew combines premium chunks of beef with a mixture of fresh veggies and fruits for a flavorful and nutritious stew dinner for your pet. It uses a rich beef broth to add even more delicious flavor to tempt even the finickiest pup.
It’s a wholesome meal that can be fed to sensitive pets provided they tolerate beef and egg. The recipe utilizes potato as its main carbohydrate source, but there is also wild rice present to provide some support. And it doesn’t contain possible problematic ingredients like corn, soy, gluten, or wheat.
This wet dog food offers dogs a simple yet hearty meal that’s truly quality. There aren’t any unnecessary ingredients nor overly plenty carbohydrates.
There’s a lot of meat in here (four in the first five ingredients list) and just one main carb source. Fruits and veggies contribute many of the vitamins and minerals but added nutrients help raise the levels even more.
The food looks and smells like actual stew, not your usual smelly dog food. And according to reviewers, not only do dogs love the taste, they tend to gobble the food up quickly.
The price point is also fair, according to some, since it’s obvious that the wet food is made up of high quality ingredients.
A grain free formula with protein sources from turkey and bacon. This is loaded with meat, prebiotics and probiotics making it very delectable that even picky eaters couldn't resist.
Crafted in pate form, Dave’s Turkey & Bacon is loaded with all-natural ingredients and balanced nutrition to make it ideal for canines of all sizes and breeds.
It features three meat ingredients and two animal protein sources. It’s the perfect meal for pets who prefer a lot of meat in their diet. And since it has liver too, it can tempt even the pickiest eater.
Aside from the usual proteins, fats, and fiber content that you usually see in dog foods, this formulation also contains prebiotics, probiotics, and oligofructose to help your pup maintain a healthy digestive system.
For dogs who do not tolerate grain, this is a healthy alternative for their everyday meals. It’s loaded with meat, and while it is grain-free, it does not contain the usual legumes or sweet potatoes that is often found in grain-free diets. Instead, it focuses on being a pure meat-based dish to provide your pup with all the protein he needs.
Many reviewers have reported that the protein-based meal does not only tempt fussy dogs to eat, it’s also great for keeping their pets’ coats healthy.
And since the dogs are too enamored of the food, it’s a great way to sneak in your pups’ medicine pills without them noticing.
10. Dave's Pet Food Restricted Sodium Chicken Recipe
First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Water Sufficient For Processing, Guar Gum, Agar-Agar, Minerals
This low sodium formula is ideal for pets who are suffering from renal illnesses. Made from real chicken along with the essential nutrients he needs everyday.
Some dogs might be prescribed a limited sodium intake diet for medical conditions. In this case, a specially formulated diet with less sodium is advisable. Dave’s Restricted Diet offers all the nutrition your dog needs without the ingredients he doesn’t.
Made in pate form, the food is primarily animal protein, specifically chicken. There’s just two main ingredients here: chicken and water.
The rest is made up of stabilizers/thickeners, minerals, and vitamins. When it says it has no fillers, it really does not have a single one.
If you’re looking for dog food at its purest form, this should be one in your list of food to consider. The ingredients are so limited that only canines with sensitivities to chicken wouldn’t be able to enjoy it.
There’s only a maximum 0.12% of sodium in the whole can, a quite negligible amount even for pups with conditions that require less salt.
94% of customers recommend this restricted diet. In some cases, symptoms like belly bloating that accompany the medical conditions have eased and disappeared once the pup was fed this meal regularly.
It’s not visually appealing, but many dogs seem to like it and it can serve as topper to other food if you’re feeding your pup a mixed diet.
What Types of Dog Food Does Dave's Offer?
Dave’s offers a variety of affordable pet foods that cater to your pets’ specific needs. If your dog has a problem digesting certain proteins, Dave has food for that. If your dog has allergies so grain, Dave has food for that, and if your dog is overweight, Dave also has food for that.
All of Dave’s foods contain meat as the first ingredient and all-natural fruits and vegetables throughout.
There is not a lot of information available on how the formula specifically affects your pet’s health or what blend you should choose for a specific issue. It would be nice if there were more information available about what food you should pick if your dog has skin allergies for example.
Dave's Dry Dog Food Brands:
Naturally Healthy
Simply The Best
Grain-Free Pork Meal & Sweet Potato
Restricted Diet Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Delicate Dinner
Restricted Diet Bland Chicken & Rice Delicate Dinner
Restricted Diet Protein Phosphorus Farmyard Blend
Grain-Free Chicken, Sweet Potato & Quinoa
Grain-Free Beef & Vegetable Cuts in Gravy
Grain-Free Chicken, Salmon & Sweet Potato Entrée
Grain-Free Chicken & Vegetable Cuts in Gravy
Grain-Free Ocean Fish & Vegetables Cuts in Gravy
Grain-Free Turkey & Sweet Potato Cuts in Gravy
Grain-Free Duck & Sweet Potato
Grain-Free Pork & Sweet Potato
95% Premium Meats – Beef & Beef Liver
95% Premium Meats – Chicken & Chicken Liver
95% Premium Meats – Turkey & Turkey Liver
95% Premium Meats – Beef & Chicken
Naturally Healthy Joint Formula
Naturally Healthy Beef & Rice
Naturally Healthy Chicken & Rice
Naturally Healthy Liver & Beef
Dave’s Recall History
Since the company's founding, we located two major recalls of Dave’s pet food. Here they are in reverse chronological order.
June 2018 – Dave’s pet food recalled 13-ounce cans of Premium Beef dog food for elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone.
December 2015 – One batch of Dave’s Simple, the Best Dog Food recalled for having an off odor.
Customer Feedback
The best and truest way to understand Dave’s pet food is to take the opinions of others who have tried the food before you. Dave’s is popular across the country but not as popular on the major sites like Chewy.com.
While he may not have many reviews, the ones he does have are excellent. Across most of his product line on Chewy he has 4-5 stars with a 95% recommendation. Here are some verified reviews from people who have tried Dave’s dog food.
Positive
Great for sensitive stomachs
My mixed breed dog has struggled with diarrhea and loose stools since he was a puppy. (He's 2 1/2 now.) Taken him to the vet to find nothing is wrong, but it was still something unpleasant to deal with. I've tried so many different foods, expensive, basic, grain free, gluten free with no good results. Until we tried this. No accidents and perfectly solid stool since about a week after we switched. I'm a believer. – Chewy Customer
Great Food
My 4 yr old poodle mix had random episodes of vomiting for no reason. Never acted sick. I found this food on Chewy, read the positive reviews and decided to try it. I mix one tablespoon of Dave’s. Bland chicken rice wet food and this dry food. My dog inhales his food now and no more vomiting. Thank you, Dave and everyone who gave positive reviews so I would give this food a try. I’m so happy to finally find a food that my dog can eat without vomiting – Chewy Customer
Relief for an older dog
My nine-year-old cattle dog-x was having trouble holding down her food. Dave’s seems to have fixed this. My two-year-old lab wasn’t having any tummy troubles, but she is happy to eat it too. – Chewy Customer
Negative
Hate new formula
The new formula is following the horrid trend by manufacturers of adding plant protein to substitute for meat protein. The new formula is New Formulation: Chicken Meal, Field Peas, Chickpeas, Lentils, Chicken Fat If you add the protein from the three types of peas, it overwhelms the chicken meal. I'm very sad to see Dave's changing over. – Chewy Customer
Seems like good food, but my picky pup wasn’t wild about it.
I consider myself fairly savvy as far as dog food choices go, and I would recommend this food based on the company and the ingredients. My dog (who is a picky eater) wasn't wild about it–she prefers Dave's Pork and Sweet Potato kibble, so I'll stick to that (I wanted to try a grain-free choice, which the pork kibble is not). FYI, these kibble pieces are smaller than the pork kibble pieces, in case that makes a difference. – Chewy Customer
Dave’s Dog Food: Healthy Ingredients at a Healthy Price
Our first opinion of Dave’s was that it would be all hype with a quick let down when we realize the food does not live up to expectation; that didn’t happen. We read countless reviews of people who personally met Dave and were impressed by his grace and passion for what he does.
The ingredients in Dave’s dog food may not be the absolute greatest, but for the price and value, you are getting high-quality ingredients at a low-quality price.
Would we recommend for people who are currently happy with their dog food to switch to Dave’s because it’s so much better? No
But, if you’re unhappy with your dog's diet, then we definitely would recommend giving Dave’s pet food a try for its premium ingredients and solid customer satisfaction.
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Noreen possesses a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree from Informatics International College. While this credential might not elucidate her passion for pets, it does demonstrate her technical expertise and diverse character.
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