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Dr. Gary’s Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed

Written by

Elaine Navajo

Reviewed by

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Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review

Dr. Gary’s Best Breed dog food takes a holistic approach to manufacturing their products. Their primary pitch is that not all foods are created equal and even though some of their competitors may look like they’re using the best ingredients, they are not.

The company says that not all chicken is created equal so they use the highest protein and low ash sources of meat to create the best dog food money can buy.

All of their proteins are antibiotic free, US sourced without hormones, and free-range. None of the food contains corn, soy, wheat, or gluten meals.

Dr. Gary's Best Breed has an excellent reputation on Chewy and Amazon with most of their foods having nearly a five-star rating.

They don’t have as many reviews as some of the other more popular companies which tells us they’re not doing the sales volume, but that’s not always a bad thing.

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed 1Brand Quick Look

  • Parent Company: Best Breed
  • Founded in: 1994
  • Made in: Ohio USA
  • Available at:  Chewy, Amazon, BestBreed
  • Types of Food: Dry
  • Real Meat in First 5 Ingredients? : Yes
  • Recalled in Past? : No

Behind the Brand

The story of Best Breed started like many others, with a pet owner and their pets. Dr. Gary is a practicing Veterinarian who observed many dogs and knew that their health could improve by changing their diet. He noticed things like digestive issues, mobility challenges, and skin problems.

Dr. Gary calls his food “common sense nutrition” meaning they disregard traditional marketing and cost control techniques that some of the mass manufacturers do. Instead, Best Breed does what comes naturally to them; they produce high-quality food that they know is great for your dog.

Everything gets prepared slowly and in small batches to preserve the vitamins and nutrients. During the baking process of kibble, a lot of vitamins get lost because large companies mass produce their food and bake it at such a high temperature that it sucks the life right out of it. Best Breed stands to never operate in such a way.

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Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review

In this section, we’re going to take a closer and more in-depth look at the dog foods and their ingredients.

Dr. Gary makes some broad claims in saying that his food contains better ingredients than a lot of their competitors, so it’s hard for us to compare them without actually seeing where the ingredients come from. Much of the contents of this food look no different than any other foods of similar price and process.

They do have some unique brands of dog food though so we’re going to break everything down to help you make the best decision for you and your pup.

1. Ocean Recipe

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed 2

First 5 ingredients:

Salmon Meal, Red Lentils, Chickpeas, Green Peas, Whitefish Meal

Protein: 30.0% min

Fat: 16.0% min

Fiber: 4.0% max

Moisture: 10.0% max

Food Type: Dry

Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds

Special Diet: Grain-free

Rating:

This is a dry dog food formulated for the nutritional needs of grain-sensitive adult dogs. Suitable for all breeds and sizes, this grain-free recipe is also chicken and poultry-free, making it ideal for pups with poultry allergies.

With salmon meal as the main source of protein, you can feel good about feeding your pup this food. Salmon meal is a highly concentrated source of protein.

It is easy to digest, and many dogs with allergies do well on salmon recipes. It is rich in omega fatty acids that help promote healthy skin and coat.

At 30% protein, this recipe helps dogs maintain a lean and strong muscle mass. White fish meal also serves as an additional source of protein, along with red lentils and chickpeas.

Made with low-glycemic fruits and vegetables, this formula sources of carbohydrates and fiber are all highly nutritious. It has carrots, beets, watercress, and spinach among others.

Antioxidant rich superfoods such as cranberries and blueberries are also included. Antioxidants help support dogs’ cellular health.

This salmon recipe has glucosamine and Green- Lipped Sea Mussel (perna-canaliculus) naturally support joint and connective tissue health. Green-Lipped Sea Mussels are also rich in amino acids, chelated minerals, and fatty acids.

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Enriched with probiotics, this formula helps improve the digestion of dogs. Many holistic experts believe that the key to good health starts with a healthy digestive system. Good digestion allows the body to absorb more nutrients.

This meal has no artificial enhancers such as colors, flavors, or preservatives. It is fortified with vitamins and minerals to ensure complete and balanced nutrition with every meal.

It is among the highest rated products from the brand. Dogs love the rich fish flavors of this salmon recipe. At 30% protein, it contains a good amount of meat. Dogs enjoy having their meals with this tasty grain-free recipe.

Sensitive dogs are thriving on this recipe. Many of them showed noticeable improvements in their overall health. Dogs who were previously suffering from allergies have finally found relief after being switched to this food. Their owners could not be happier.

It is a highly recommended recipe, especially if you are looking for a meat-rich, grain, gluten, and poultry free recipe.

2. Retriever Dog Recipe

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed 3

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat

Protein: 28.0% min

Fat: 13.0% min

Fiber: 3.0% max

Moisture: 10.0% max

Food Type: Dry

Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds

Rating:

This is a grain-inclusive dry dog food formulated for the nutritional needs of active field dogs such as labrador and golden retrievers; hounds, and setters.

The kibbles in this recipe are designed to be packed with a lot of nutrition for these working breeds. Dr. Gary's Best Breed pays a premium for EU-approved natural ingredients.

At 28% protein, this recipe provides high quality protein that helps dogs build strong and lean muscles. Chicken meal is a highly concentrated source of protein that is also easy to digest.

Its sources of carbohydrates are wholesome grains such as brown rice and oatmeal. These healthy grains help maintain proper blood sugar levels for sustainable energy. They are also high in fiber that help aid digestion. Good digestion helps the body absorb more nutrients.

This recipe has omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids, amino acids, and chelated minerals promotes healthy skin, lustrous quote, and overall good health.

Glucosamine and the Green- Lipped Sea Mussel (perna-canaliculus) are included to support proper joint and connective tissue health.

This recipe for field dogs is free from corn, wheat, or soy. It has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. This has been rated highly by a lot of pet parents. Their dogs love the tasty chicken flavor of its kibbles.

Dogs with allergies and sensitive digestive systems are thriving on this recipe. It improved their stool quality, and do not trigger any skin allergies in these dogs.

Again, there is no way to tell if the food is any better than other brands with similar ingredients. The claims made by the company lead you to believe they're more careful when choosing where and how they get their ingredients, but there is no solid proof.

3. Countryside Recipe

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed 4

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Millet, Duck Meal

Protein: 26.0% min

Fat: 15.0% min

Fiber: 4.0% max

Moisture: 10.0% max

Food Type: Dry

Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds

Rating:

This product contains all-natural chicken and duck that’s rich in essential amino acids. Alongside your protein, you get antioxidants from tomatoes, carrots, and spinach to help maintain a healthy immune system.

Many of Dr. Gary’s foods also contain green-lipped sea mussels which he claims help support joint and connective tissue health. Something else that stands out in a lot of Best Breed foods is the inclusion of probiotics to assist with digestion.

Overall, we’re impressed by the list of ingredients, and it seems like thought goes into each piece of the puzzle even as you make your way down to the bottle of the list.

There are many grains in the first five ingredients which are not ideal. Although they are superior choices, you need to look seven ingredients in to find the first vegetable.

4. Working Dog Diet

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed 5

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken Meal, Chicken Fat, Rice Flour, Oatmeal, Brown Rice

Protein: 24.0% min

Fat: 22.0% min

Fiber: 3.5% max

Moisture: 10.0% max

Food Type: Dry

Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds

Rating:

This kibble is high-calorie food geared towards dogs that are highly active or pregnant and nursing. The food uses a modest amount of protein with high-fat ingredients; they balance this out by adding in grains and fiber.

This formula came about after Dr. Gary worked alongside police dogs and acknowledged the demand for the job and it made him realize that not every dog is sitting around the house for hours a day.

The company also realized that dogs who are working and under a lot more stress, so fatty acids and vitamins are extra important to help support a healthy immune system.

You can tell right off the bat from reading that analysis that the fat content is much higher in this food. If your dog is active or underweight, this would be a great option for you.

You can tell right off the bat from reading that analysis that the fat content is much higher in this food. If your dog is active or underweight, this would be a great option for you.

5. Holistic Puppy Diet

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed 6

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat

Protein: 25.0% min

Fat: 13.0% min

Fiber: 3.0% max

Moisture: 10.0% max

Food Type: Dry

Best for: Puppy, All Breeds

Rating:

Here we have a grain-inclusive kibble formulated for the nutritional needs of growing puppies. It is suitable for all breeds and sizes. It has optimum amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, as well as nutrients that will help them grow up to be healthy and active dogs.

With chicken meal as the main source of protein, this puppy food is easy to digest and full of flavors that will stimulate their appetites. Menhaden fish meal provides additional sources of protein and savory flavors. This 25% protein recipe helps puppies build strong muscles.

This holistic puppy diet has omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, DHA, EPA and linoleic acid that promote healthy skin and lustrous coats. DHA and EPA also help improve puppies’ cognitive health and nervous system.

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The sources of carbs in this chicken recipe are all wholesome grains that are rich in fiber as well. It has brown rice and oatmeal as the main carb sources.

Fiber helps food move along the digestive tract, which improves puppies’ digestion. It also has glucosamine for joint health, and balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus for strong bones and teeth.

According to the brand’s website, Best Breed pays a premium for EU-approved natural ingredients to help ensure your puppy’s nutritional safety.

Feedback on this kibble are mostly good, but not entirely. Many pet parents are quite happy with this puppy food as the credit it with the health improvements they have noticed on their pups. Their puppies either had a growth spurt, put on healthy weights, or grew thick and glossy coats.

However, some pet owners stated that their puppies had loose stools with this food. Their pups’ digestion improved as soon as they switched to a different food.

Based on its overall quality, we feel that it is definitely worth a try. Puppies who enjoyed this food or did not have any issues gain so many health benefits from this nutrient-dense recipe. Please make sure that you observe proper transitioning when giving your pup new food.

6. Holistic German

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed 7

First 5 ingredients:

Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat

Protein: 25.0% min

Fat: 12.0% min

Fiber: 4.5% max

Moisture: 10.0% max

Food Type: Dry

Best for: All Lifestages, German Shepherd Dog

Rating:

Another grain-inclusive food formulated for the specific nutritional needs of German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Dobermans in all life stages. It is also ideal for other large and giant breed dogs.

With chicken meal as the main protein source, this recipe is easy to digest as well as packed with high quality protein. Chicken meal is a highly concentrated source of protein. It is also rich in meaty flavors that dogs love. Chicken fat is also included as a source of essential fatty acids. It also gives the kibbles a boost of rich chicken goodness.

Aside from chicken meal, it also has menhaden fish meal and egg product as additional sources of protein. These protein-rich foods help large breed pups maintain a lean muscle mass.

The carbohydrate sources in this food are also rich in fiber. It has wholesome grains such as oatmeal and brown rice. Fiber helps improve dogs’ digestion by moving food along the digestive tract.

It also helps dogs feel full in between meals, which aid in maintaining healthy weights. This is especially beneficial to large dogs, as they tend to put on excess weight which could strain their joints.

It is enriched with glucosamine and green- lipped sea mussels (perna-canaliculus) which naturally support proper joint and connective tissue health. Green- lipped sea mussels are also rich in amino acids, chelated minerals, and essential fatty acids.

This recipe for large breed dogs has balanced levels of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids that assist in maintaining healthy skin and promoting lustrous coats.

It also has antioxidants that help support cellular health and boost the immune system. It has vitamins and minerals to ensure complete and balanced nutrition in every meal. Like all recipes from this brand, it has no artificial enhancers such as flavors, colors, or preservatives.

This German dog diet received rave reviews from pet parents of large dogs. According to them, their German shepherds’ sensitive stomachs seem to do well on this grain-inclusive food.

For many dogs, the oat and brown rice in this formula seem to have contributed to the improvement of their digestion and stool quality.

Other pet parents have also noticed that it does not trigger allergies in their dogs. Their coats are also shinier than before they were switched to this brand.

If you have a large breed puppy or adult dog who is suffering from allergies, this is definitely worth a try. It has helped numerous dogs find relief from the constant itching of their skin, and also helped with the shedding. Furthermore, its ingredients are also very high in quality.

7. Red Meat Recipe

Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed 8

First 5 ingredients:

Water Buffalo Meal, Red Lentils, Green Peas, Chickpeas, Lamb Meal

Protein: 32.0% min

Fat: 16.0% min

Fiber: 4.5% max

Moisture: 10.0% max

Food Type: Dry

Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds

Special Diet: Grain-free

Rating:

This is grain-free dry dog food that is high in protein and intense red meat flavors that dogs instinctively crave. It is suitable for dogs of all breeds, sizes, and life stages.

At 32% protein, this red meat recipe helps dogs build lean and strong muscles. Its most plentiful ingredient is buffalo meal. Buffalo meal is a concentrated source of protein.

Buffalo offers low-allergen, lean meat that is perfect for dogs allergic to beef or poultry. This red meat recipe also has lamb meal, which is another low-allergen animal protein.

Buffalo meal and lamb meal make this red meat recipe rich in savory flavors that dogs love. It has menhaden fish oil which is rich in flavor and omega fatty acids that support skin and coat health.

This grain and gluten-free recipe has low-glycemic fruits and vegetables, including nutrient-rich green peas, red lentils and chickpeas instead of fillers such as wheat, corn, or soy.

Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, cranberries, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, celery and watercress are also included in this recipe. They help support cellular and immune system health.

This red meat formula has glucosamine and green-lipped sea mussels that naturally support joint and connective tissue health. The green-lipped sea mussels are also rich in amino acids, chelated minerals, and fatty acids. This buffalo recipe is naturally full of flavor. It contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

This is one of the highest rated recipes from the brand. Dogs enjoy the flavorful kibbles, and get super excited for mealtimes. Even known picky pups love this red meat recipe. While it may be a bit pricey, numerous dog owners find good value in it.

They find that the additional cost is well worth the high quality ingredients, great flavor, and health benefits that it gives to their dogs. They credit this recipe with the overall good health of their dogs.

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What Types of Dog Food Do They Offer?

Best Breed offers twelve different lines of dog food, and many of them focus on a specific issue or type of dog. They provide the standard holistic formula which contains only the highest quality proteins and vegetables.

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Beyond that, they have the grain-free formula that works for pups with sensitivities to gluten. Best Breed also has specific formulas for your type of dog. For example, they have a poodle formula, one for German dogs, one for field dogs, for Schnauzers, and one for Cocker Spaniels.

It’s an interesting concept, but Dr. Gary says that every type of dog requires a different kind of dog food to help control their personality and overall well-being.

Dr. Gary also offers brands of dog food that promote health for puppies and seniors.

Holistic Formulas:

  • Chicken with Vegetables
  • Lamb Meal with Fruits and Vegetables
  • All Breed
  • Salmon with Vegetables
  • Large Breed
  • Puppy Diet
  • Senior Reduced Calorie
Dr. Gary's Best Breed Dog Food Review: Holistic Nutrition for Every Breed 9

Holistic Grain-Free:

  • Red Meat Buffalo and Lamb
  • Chicken and Vegetables
  • Salmon with Fruits and Vegetables

Holistic Specialty Formulas:

  • Poodle Diet
  • Working Dog Diet
  • German Dog Diet
  • Field Dog Diet
  • Schnauzer Dog Diet
  • Cocker Spaniel Dog Diet

Recall History

Since the company founding in 1994, there have been no recalls of Dr. Gary’s Best Breed.

Customer Reviews

The best way to get a true feel for a company and its food is to read what actual customers are saying about it. Best Breed does not have a lot of reviews or ratings on Chewy or Amazon due to their limited popularity, but the ones they do have are excellent.

For example, their Grain-Free Chicken with vegetable recipe has 37 reviews with 4.9 out of 5 being their average rating. The food has only one negative review, and it’s still only three stars. Much of their foods have similar ratings, so that says a lot about the quality of Dr. Gary’s Best Breed.

Positive

Helped Senior Dog

I was given a sample of this dog food by the kennel where l board my two dogs. I have a 14 yr. Old with serious joint issues in her hips and back legs. I noticed a big improvement in her after just a few days. I ordered a 30 lb. bag. She likes it, and she can jump up on the couch with me. – Chewy Customer

Dr. Gary's Best Breed

Best food there is!

I only feed my dog food that has the highest quality ingredients and the most nutritional value, and after Acana and Orijen's recent lawsuit I thought there was no healthy option left until I found this.

I love the ingredient list and the fact that it is manufactured here in Ohio where I'm from. If it weren't for this dog food, I would've been forced to cook my dog's food myself. Added bonus, it smells like human food and my dog loves it very much! – Chewy Customer

Negative

Didn’t work for my dog

My dog is very sensitive and often has diarrhea or eats dirt if the food does not agree with them. While they ate it did not help with either problem – Chewy Customer

Switched brands (large breed food)

I switched brands at the recommendation of my dog’s breeder & the fact that my dog (German Shepherd) has issues with ear infections & itchy skin. My dog likes the food well enough, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference with his skin or ear issues.

I’ll stay with it for a while because I don’t like switching food regularly. My only real complaint is that the size of the kibble is really small. As the food is meant to be for large breed dogs, why is it so small? – Chewy Customer

Dr. Gary Knows Best

We’re impressed by Best Breed, and there are many things that we love about this dog food. The fact that they have breed specific foods that have reasons behind them is unique and interesting. We also love how each food is personalized so much that it makes you feel like it was designed exactly for you and your pup.

Best Breed takes a holistic approach to their production, and we hope they stay that way. If your dog has any health issues relating to their diet, you might want to check out some of Dr. Gary’s holistic foods.

Dr. Gary’s Best Breed

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