Eukanuba Dog Food Reviews, Recalls & Coupons for 2023

The Eukanuba dog food brand is one of the more affordable options in pet store shelves and it is also a brand that offers a large variety of product choices.

Eukanuba has been producing and manufacturing products for over forty years and the company states that they follow a nutritional philosophy based on the idea that dogs are carnivores – this means that they use only high-quality animal-based proteins like chicken and lamb as their primary sources of protein.

This company believes that healthy nutrition is the key to a long, healthy, and happy life for pets and they offer a selection of formulas tailored to specific life stages, breed sizes, sensitivities, and activity levels. Eukanuba states that they “feed dogs how [they] believe nature intended them to eat”.

Is the brand as nice as they say? Read on for our comprehensive, unbiased Eukanuba dog food reviews below.

Manufacturer Information

The Eukanuba brand was founded in 1969 by Paul Iams who sought to create a new, high-quality brand of pet food that was unlike anything currently on the market. The name for this brand comes from the jazz term meaning “supreme” or “the tops” – Iams chose this word as the name for his new line of pet foods because it represented the ideal he hoped to embody.

The Eukanuba brand was manufactured and produced by Procter and Gamble until 2014 when it was sold to Mars, Inc, one of the largest pet food manufacturers in the world and the sixth largest privately held company in the U.S.

Eukanuba Dog Food Reviews

The brand’s website claims that its products only use high-quality ingredients in the recipes. In fact, it goes on to further boost this claim by running each bag of Eukanuba dog food through more than 120 quality tests.

We believe them. The Eukanuba brand is a quality choice for pet dogs. While there are instances of some questionable ingredients, this is not the case for most of the recipes in the brand’s line. A few of them even make it to our highly recommended list.

Reviewed Eukanuba Dog Foods

1. Eukanuba Breed Specific Labrador Retriever
2. Eukanuba Adult Chicken Formula
3. Eukanuba Premium Performance 21/13 SPRINT
4. Eukanuba Fit Body Weight Control Chicken Formula Large Breed
5. Eukanuba Adult Mixed Grill Chicken & Beef Dinner in Gravy
6. Eukanuba Puppy Lamb & Rice Formula
7. Eukanuba Healthy Extras Puppy Dog Treats

Continue reading below _______________________

 

Eukanuba Dry Dog Foods

Although dry kibbles have undergone more processes than canned dog food, they still have a number of benefits to you and your pup. Kibbles support oral health by lessening the risk of tartar build up, does not need to be refrigerated, and are generally cheaper than the wet version. A truly nutritious canine diet would be a combination of wet and dry to get the most out of each’s benefits.

Below are the available dry dog food lines under Eukanuba.

Breed Specific

Each breed of dogs have their own unique personalities, traits, and, of course, dietary requirements. The Breed Specific line of dog food provides just the right amount of nutrients to support a specific breed’s nutrition needs.

1. Eukanuba Breed Specific Labrador Retriever

First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Ground Whole Grain Barley, Chicken By-Product Meal

The Eukanuba Breed Specific Labrador Retriever recipe is not only meant for the energetic lab, but also for other retriever types such as the Golden Retriever, Flat-Coated Retriever, Curly-Coated Retriever, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and Irish Water Spaniel.

These breeds need to build up healthy joints and lots of lean muscles to support their retrieving nature and hunting background. A good thing that this formulation starts with fresh chicken to kickstart the protein levels (which are responsible for maintaining healthy muscles). As the first ingredient, a great bulk of the meal is made up of that specific poultry animal.

There are a bunch of healthy grain ingredients here following the chicken. First up is corn meal, which provides dogs with carbs, protein, and linoleic acid that dogs can’t produce on their own.

Some people argue that corn is not digestible for dogs. While that may be true for whole grain corn, corn that has been ground to a fine texture, such as in cornmeal, is perfectly palatable and digestible to canines.

At the third slot is whole grain sorghum and ground whole grain barley. These two are overflowing with nutrition. Sorghum is rich in iron, dietary fiber, niacin, and zinc. It also provides a better blood sugar behavior in dogs. As for barley, it provides abundant fiber and since it has higher gelatinized starch than rice, its digestibility is also higher.

The inclusion of chicken by-product meal is meant to boost up the protein content of the recipe and also to provide chondroitin and glucosamine that dogs need for joint health. This can be a debatable ingredient for some owners, though.

Some feel that chicken by-product meal is not a good inclusion in any meal. On one hand, by-products can be healthy because these include organs which are rich in folate and B-vitamins. On the other, some don’t like the idea of feeding offal to their pets or ingredients that have been too processed. It really goes down to personal preference.

We really can’t find much fault with this recipe. We would wish for a higher protein content (23%), but other than that, it’s a healthy balance of meat and grains that are crafted to give your labradors the best nutrition possible.

We also like the brand’s proprietary 3D DentaDefense System in the formulation, which is proven to lessen the build up of tartar in canines in 28 days.

The Breed Specific line of dog food is also available for these breeds:

• German Shepherd
• Boxer
• Rottweiler

Lifestage Formulas

2. Eukanuba Adult Chicken Formula

First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn, Wheat, Chicken Fat

This Eukanuba Lifestage Formulas is described as “scientifically advanced for peak nutritional performance”. According to the Eukanuba website, this recipe is designed to reduce tartar build-up (courtesy of the 3D DentaDefense System), to support strong bones, and to promote healthy skin and a radiant coat.

It also includes a special fiber system made up of natural beet pulp and prebiotic fibers to promote optimal nutrient absorption as well as healthy digestion. This particular recipe is formulated for adult dogs 1 year and older and those weighing between 24 to 54 lbs.

The first ingredient in this recipe is fresh chicken, a high-quality ingredient in general as well as a premium source of animal protein. Since it’s listed as the first, this means that chicken makes up the bulk of the meal, and rightly so.

Because fresh chicken contains much moisture, most of it is cooked out by the end of the process leaving you with less protein. The next ingredient (chicken by-product meal) becomes necessary to support the protein content.

Meat meals have already been cooked to remove moisture, which makes them a much more highly concentrated source of protein than fresh meats.

The only problem here is that it is a by-product meal – it is difficult to judge the quality of this ingredient because by-products vary from one batch to another. However, since by-products usually contain nutritious organs, these can be quite good for your pup.

After the chicken and chicken by-product meal come corn meal, ground whole grain sorghum, brewers rice, and dried beet pulp. While whole grain corn offers little digestibility, corn meal is corn that has been ground to a fine (or coarse) product that makes it easier for a canine’s tummy to digest. Corn meal also offers nutrients such as protein and carbs.

Sorghum is a whole grain and a gluten-free grain at that, so it is a decent ingredient. Brewers rice is also not necessarily bad because it offers your dog carbohydrates and dietary fiber, but we don’t really consider it as more than a filler ingredient. You see, brewer’s rice is also called ‘dust’ or ‘floor sweepings’ because these are just the milled fragments of rice kernels.

Beet pulp acts as a source of supplemental fiber, as does the flax meal that appears later in the list. You will also find ground whole grain barley later in the list – this is a whole grain but it does contain gluten.

The remaining ingredients in this Eukanuba Lifestage Formulas Adult Maintenance Dry Food recipe consist primarily of fats, flavors, and supplements. The main source of fat in this recipe is chicken fat, which is a highly nutritious and concentrated source of energy for dogs.

This ingredient is supplemented by fish oil and flax meal to ensure an optimal balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

At the end of the ingredients list you will find a number of synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements. These supplements are not necessarily bad, but they are less biologically valuable for your dog than natural sources of the same nutrients (like fresh fruits and vegetables).

Overall, this Eukanuba Lifestage Formulas Adult Maintenance Dry Food recipe starts off strong with fresh chicken as the main ingredient, but the addition of a by-product meal brings it down a little bit. We’d still give it a good recommendation.

The Lifestage Formulas range is a complete line of dog food that offers recipes for puppies, adults, and seniors.

Lifestage formulas:

• Puppy
• Senior

There are also specific formulas for small and large breed canines, ranging from puppies to seniors.

Premium Performance & Sport

The Premium Performance & Sport lines of Eukanuba are designed to meet the unique needs of working and sporting dogs. The goal is to provide these non-average canines with the right amount of protein (for lean muscles), calcium (for strong bones), and carbohydrates (for high-intensity activities) that they need to maintain peak performance.

3. Premium Performance 21/13 SPRINT

First 5 ingredients: Brewers Rice, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn, Chicken Fat, Natural Flavors

Sprinting activities require pups to have quick bursts of energy during regular and intense sprints, and this formulation helps with it. The 21/13 refers to the 21% protein content and 13% fat that the recipe contains.

Honestly, we are on the fence about this recipe. While it does provide a formulation that will bring about peak performance in canines, can’t it go about it another way? See, the first ingredient is brewer’s rice — not a protein.

We understand that the focus is on giving dogs lots of energy so the focus is on carbs, but there are plenty of other carb sources that are much healthier and of higher quality.

Brewer’s rice are broken and fragmented rice kernels that are not visually appealing to be used in human food. The better quality broken kernels left are milled into rice flour.

Those that don’t make the grade for either because of inferior quality get turned into brewer’s rice, which some even call ‘dust.’ Not what you’d like to have as a first ingredient.

The second ingredient is a chicken by-product meal. Meat meals are rendered food that has most of the moisture taken out to boost protein content per volume.

Ordinarily this would be a great addition to any dog food recipe. But a by-product means that the quality changes per batch, and you can’t be assured of a consistent quality every time.

Admittedly, a chicken by-product meal can be quite good for your pup nutrition-wise. But if you’re after a quality ingredient, by-products generally don’t make the cut.

Occupying the third slot is corn. We don’t believe that corn is a filler because it contains essential nutrients, although there have been arguments about its digestibility.

It does contain a good amount of fiber, though, so if corn has been refined — and in most cases in dry dog food, it has — then it should not be a problem for your pooch. Just be careful to make sure your pup is not allergic to it.

The rest of the ingredients are fine. Yes, there is wheat gluten included, but gluten sensitivity in dogs is very rare and your pet won’t develop it just by consuming wheat gluten.

If your pet does not have gluten-related disease, there should be no problem with him eating dog food with it as an added ingredient. Also, wheat gluten being an excellent source of highly-digestible protein works in its favor.

The Eukanuba Premium Performance 21/13 SPRINT also contains three nutrients that support bone health and agile joints: glucosamine, chondroitin, and EPA. There are prebiotics and fibers galore to help your canine maintain a healthy digestive system, and DHA and lots of antioxidants to support a healthy brain and nose-to-tail well-being.

If not for brewer’s rice placing as the first ingredient, we’d have given this formulation a high rating. As it is, we think it’s a nicely crafted one but about average.

Premium is also available in these formulations:

• Premium Performance 26/16 EXERCISE
• Premium Sport 28/18
• Premium Performance 30/20

Weight Control

Eukanuba’s Weight Control line was specially formulated to help canines stay in shape. The recipes in this range encourage lean muscle mass and help your pups stay active. Currently there are three recipes for the line to provide specific support for small, medium, and large breeds.

4. Eukanuba Fit Body Weight Control Large Breed

First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Wheat, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn, Barley

We’re actually very happy (mostly) with this Weight Control recipe. The first ingredient in any recipe is always the most important because it occupies the most volume.

For this formulation, it’s chicken. Not a by-product or a meal, it’s fresh chicken so it has undergone the least amount of processing before it was included into the mixture.

The second ingredient is not so-stellar, but only depending on who you speak with. Some do not feel that chicken by-product meal is a good ingredient in pet foods, while others argue that it is a healthy nutrient source.

Personally, while we feel that chicken by-product meals are nutritious and necessary for protein boosting, there is the fact that the quality varies per batch. You can’t get a consistent high-quality outcome with by-products.

The third ingredient is corn. Corn is being vilified by some people and labelled a filler. However, many vets find that corn can fulfill a necessary balance in dog foods.

It contains several essential nutrients (therefore not a filler) that contribute to dog health such as protein, carbohydrates, and linoleic acid. Whole grain corn may not be easily digested by pups but refined ones (most corn in dog food are ground) will be fine for your doggy.

Two healthy grains make up the fourth and fifth spots. These are barley and whole grain sorghum. Barley is a complex carbohydrate that is high in fiber and low in cholesterol. Sorghum is gluten-free and contains protein, omega fatty acids, thiamin, niacin, and lots of minerals. Some pet foods use barley and sorghum as alternatives to rice.

Every dog food needs a dose of fat because fat plays a major role in the body’s function aside from giving it insulation and energy. For this recipe, fat comes in the form of chicken fat. It’s a highly-digestible species-appropriate ingredient that contains omega-6 acids and provides a high palatability and flavor to food.

There is also dried plain beet pulp (a great source of gentle fiber) and vegetable oil. Now while we love beet pulp because it contributes to maintaining excellent colon health in dogs, the other ingredient is so-so in our book.

Like chicken fat, vegetable oil is a good source of fat, but there is no way to know its actual source. Vegetable oil may pertain to canola, corn, soy, etc. and without knowing what its source is, you can’t find out its nutritional profile.

Aside from vegetable oil, we really can’t find fault in the Eukanuba Fit Body Weight for Large Breeds recipe. It contains the all-important ingredients L-Carnitine, glucosamine, and chondroitin. Big dogs tend to put more pressure on their joints and bones, so these nutrients that support bone health is crucial to all dog foods meant specifically for them.

It also helps that there are many supplemental vitamins and minerals in here including DHA. Overall, we give this recipe a highly recommended status.

The FIT Body range of Eukanuba dog foods is also available for small to medium breed dogs:

• Fit Body Medium Breed
• Fit Body Small Breed

Continue reading below _______________________

 

Eukanuba Wet Dog Foods

Wet dog foods provide pups with much moisture to keep them from getting dehydrated. And because wet dog foods contain significantly less preservatives and are less processed than dry food, a combination of wet and dry dog food diet will be more beneficial to your pups.

Eukanuba’s wet food line is divided into adult and puppy categories.

Adult

Because adult canines have unique nutrition needs, a line made for grown-up doggies caters to their very specific dietary requirements.

5. Eukanuba Adult Mixed Grill Chicken & Beef Dinner in Gravy

First 5 ingredients: Water Sufficient For Processing, Chicken, Beef Liver, Tomato, Beef

This Mixed Grill Chicken & Beef Dinner in gravy is described as a scientifically advanced formula designed for peak nutritional performance. It is made with high-quality, animal-based proteins to help your dog build strong, lean muscles and to promote optimal body condition.

With an optimal balance of fats, proteins, carbs, and nutrients, this recipe helps your dog maintain a healthy body weight and the specialized fiber system promotes healthy digestion and optimal nutrient absorption. This recipe is also rich in antioxidants to support your dog’s immune system.

The first ingredient in this recipe is chicken broth, followed by fresh chicken. Fresh chicken is indeed a high-quality ingredient since it is an animal based-protein – it doesn’t matter that it comes second on the list because many canned foods list water or broth as the first ingredient (the moisture is needed for processing).

After the chicken comes both beef liver and fresh beef. Organs are absolutely healthy and a rich source of nutrients and the liver is especially so. Beef liver provides protein, fat, and key nutrients like vitamins A, D, and E as well as zinc, selenium, and iron.

Liver also has the added benefit of boosting palatability in dog food, which is why many dog foods designed for picky eaters contain the ingredient.

It’s always great to see a recipe that contains plenty of fresh animal protein. Beef is an especially rich source of protein and essential amino acids that provide energy and strong, lean muscles to canines.

The next ingredient in this Eukanuba recipe is wheat flour. Wheat is a perfectly healthy ingredient for many dogs as long as they do not have a gluten-sensitivity. It doesn’t cause allergies, unlike common misconception. Further, wheat is 99% digestible for dogs, contains lots of protein, and has an excellent amino acid profile.

Occupying sixth place in this formulation is pork plasma. It’s not really new but not frequently encountered in the ingredient list of many dog food recipes.

Pork plasma is just the nutrient-rich liquid that you get when you remove platelets and blood cells. It’s teeming with essential amino acids, protein, and other minerals and vitamins. Plasma is also useful in creating a recognizable texture in wet foods, and in the process adds pet food palatability.

The remaining ingredients are composed of veggies, natural flavor, and supplemental vitamins to provide an optimal balance of nutrients that are needed to maintain a healthy weight.

Overall, this Eukanuba Dinner in Gravy recipe is one of the best options to choose if you are looking for a high-quality product for your dog. We give this one recipe a highly-recommended rating.

Eukanuba’s wet dog foods for adults are also available in these flavors:

• Beef & Vegetable Stew
• Chicken & Vegetable Stew
• Lamb & Rice
• Chicken, Rice & Vegetables Dinner

Puppy

Little dogs need formulations that focus on supporting growing bones, young and sensitive stomachs, and developing mind and muscles. The growing phase is an especially crucial part for dogs, and the right recipe during this stage will ensure a healthy and happy pup.

6. Eukanuba Puppy Lamb & Rice Formula

First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Water, Pork Lung, Pork Liver, Chicken Liver

This recipe starts off with a fresh meat ingredient — chicken. Ordinarily, fresh meat as a first ingredient is a good thing, but since it’s not the expected meat here — which, of course, is lamb — it comes as a surprise. Particularly for pet owners whose pups may be allergic to chicken.

The second ingredient is another surprise. It’s water. Normally, water or broth are the first ingredients in a wet food recipe, but this is a good thing because this just means that your pup will get a lot of solid protein without compromising moisture.

There is an excellent amount of animal protein in here. The third to sixth ingredients all are, although the much-expected lamb occupies only sixth place only (Pork lung, pork liver, and chicken liver go first before lamb) and therefore doesn’t provide much volume in the meal.

As for grains, there are brown rice and rice flour included, both of which are quite healthy for little stomachs. In fact, when canine tummies are upset, white rice is often prescribed because it’s easy to digest and helps bind stool in case of diarrhea. Brown rice, meanwhile, is high in fiber, zinc, folate, and calcium.

To make it a more well-rounded meal, veggies like carrots, tomato, and spinach have been included. There is also fish oil, which is another good ingredient that has been added to support good heart health, relieve joint pain, and promote a silky coat. A long list of supplemental vitamins and minerals make up most of the list.

If not for the addition of one ingredient, we’d be inclined to give this Eukanuba recipe our highest rating. There is carrageenan in the list, and it is mostly used by pet food manufacturers to thicken food. The use of carrageenan is unnecessary particularly when there are other alternatives that can be used that aren’t as harmful.

See, carrageenan is a product derived from seaweed, and there are two types: degraded and food-grade. The degraded version is a potent inflammatory ingredient and not allowed in food.

However, the food -grade one has caused concern among scientists who fear that it could turn into a degraded version because of the acidic environment of the digestive system.

While there is not enough evidence to support the concern of food-grade carrageenan degrading in the stomach, it is much better to avoid pet meals with it included. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Because of the addition of carrageenan, we’d have to give this recipe a low not recommended rating.

Eukanuba Puppy wet food is also available in this flavor:

• Mixed Grill Chicken & Beef Dinner in Gravy

Eukanuba Dog Treats

Treats are great for getting dogs to learn new commands, rewards good behavior, and as a way of showing them affection. Because of this, Eukanuba has a range of dog treats called Healthy Extras, which can complement a Eukanuba diet system.

7. Healthy Extras Puppy

First 5 ingredients: Wheat Flour, Chicken By-Product Meal, Chicken Fat, Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Chicken Flavor

Recommended for puppies 1 to 12 months of age, these treats provide a delicious reward that will get tails wagging. It’s a very simple recipe containing few key ingredients aside from the various supplemental minerals and vitamins.

The first ingredient here is wheat flour. Normally, we don’t like to see food start with anything other than meat, but these are meant to be used as rewards and not a complete meal. Besides, wheat flour can provide your pet with increased fiber and aid the growth of beneficial gut flora.

The main source of protein in this food is chicken by-product meal. We maintain that chicken by-product meals are nutritious. Chicken by-products include the use of necks, feet, intestines, organs, and undeveloped eggs.

These are not bad, since these are all rich in protein and other vitamins and minerals. However, some pet owners may be uncomfortable with their dogs eating anything other than the meat of the chicken.

Because the meals tend to boost the protein level of a recipe, the inclusion of chicken by-product meal here has resulted in a crude protein content of 27%. It’s quite high for a treat, especially since the average protein content of a complete meal is usually less than that.

On the whole, this is a wholesome formulation that you would not expect from a treat. It has a good amount of omega fatty acids (3 and 6), a healthy dose of vitamin E, and an excellent balance of supplemental vitamins and mineral to keep a puppy in the peak of health.

The Healthy Treats line also has has these recipes:

• Eukanuba Healthy Extras Adult Weight Control
• Eukanuba Healthy Extras Large Breed Adult
• Eukanuba Healthy Extras Small Breed Adults

Made in the USA?

The Eukanuba brand owns a manufacturing plant located in Leipsic, Ohio where most of its products are made. When P&G owned the brand, it was the company’s largest dog food manufacturing facility.

The Eukanuba website doesn’t provide any specific information about the production and manufacture of its products, but it does state that the reliability and safety of their products is vitally important.

Eukanuba states that their quality assurance practices “go further to make sure all of [their] nutrition is healthy and safe for your pet”. They also offer a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.

Ingredient Sourcing

The Eukanuba website doesn’t provide any specific information regarding where their ingredients come from. They do state that they “insist on using only high-quality ingredients” and that all of their animal protein comes from animals that have been approved for human consumption.

The website also states that the main ingredients in their food come from Europe, New Zealand, and the United States. Eukanuba states that they choose their suppliers carefully and that their facilities are regularly inspected by independent experts.

Eukanuba Recall History

The Eukanuba brand has changed hands several times over the past decade, though the company states that they are still committed to high standards for safety and quality. Even so, the Eukanuba brand has been affected by at least one recall in their history. Here are the details for that recall:

• In July 2010, the Proctor and Gamble Company (P&G) issued a voluntary recall of several Iams Veterinary and Eukanuba dog food products due to potential salmonella contamination. The products affected by this recall included Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas, Eukanuba Naturally Wild, Eukanuba Pure, and Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin – all sizes and varieties.

Price Comparison

The Eukanuba brand of dog food is very affordable – some might even say that it is cheap.

The price for a 30-pound bag of Eukanuba dry dog food ranges from about $35 to $85, depending on the recipe – the breed-specific formulas tend to be a little more expensive than the life stages formulas.

You can purchase 13.2-ounce cans of Eukanuba wet dog food in cases of 12 for $17 to $30 which gives you an average price of around $2.00 per can.