Natural Balance Dog Food Review: Best High Quality Pet Food?

The Natural Balance dog food brand was founded in Burbank, California by Dick Van Patten in 1989. This company was founded with the intention of providing high-quality pet food products that will support the nutritional needs of pets throughout the duration of their lives.

This brand formulates their products in keeping with strong scientific principles and established nutritional truths, offering a wide range of premium pet food products that are used and respected around the world.

This company uses only the highest-quality meats and proteins in their recipes as well as digestible carbohydrates, healthy fats, and nourishing fruits and vegetables.

For this brand, the health and safety of pets is always the priority and they want to show their love by feeding them the best that nature has to offer.

Manufacturer Information

The Natural Balance brand is owned by the J.M. Smucker Company. The brand originally merged with Del Monte Pet Foods in 2013, but Del Monte Pet Foods was later renamed to Big Heart Pet Brands in 2014.

One year later, it was acquired by the J.M. Smucker Company who still has ownership of the brand. Other pet food brands owned by J.M. Smucker include Meow Mix, Kibbles ‘n Bits, Milk-Bone, Nature’s Recipe, Milo’s Kitchen and Pup-Peroni.

My Quick Take

What I like most:

• A genuinely broad selection for different dietary needs
• Strong emphasis on limited-ingredient recipes
• Single-animal-protein options for dogs with food sensitivities
• Dry, wet, and gently cooked formats
• Specialized formulas for skin, stomach, joints, digestion, and weight management
• Several recipes use real meat or fish as the first ingredient
• The brand says its Limited Ingredient recipes are batch tested, with test results available using the product UPC and lot number.
• Many recipes avoid artificial colors and flavors

What gives me pause:

• The nutritional quality varies considerably between lines
• Some recipes rely heavily on plant ingredients for carbohydrates and supplemental protein
• “Limited ingredient” doesn’t automatically mean a recipe is appropriate for every dog with allergies
• Grain-free options aren’t automatically healthier than grain-inclusive recipes
• The sheer number of formulas can make choosing the right one confusing

 

Natural Balance Dog Food Review

1. L.I.D. Salmon & Sweet Potato Formula

Made of real salmon, this grain, gluten, and poultry-free recipe is ideal for dogs suffering from skin conditions caused by allergies.

Compared to the pollock recipe, this limited ingredient salmon and sweet potato recipe contains less meat protein at 24%. It also has less fat, making it suitable for less active dogs or senior pups. Salmon is one of the most popular protein choices among dogs. Its high quality proteins are also easy to digest. The inclusion of menhaden fish meal even adds more protein and flavor to this recipe

Because of its natural omega fatty acids, salmon recipes are great for sensitive dogs who suffer from skin conditions due to allergies. It does not have corn, wheat, or soy. Instead, its sources of carbohydrates are complex carbs like sweet potatoes, cassava flour, and potatoes.

These nutritious vegetables are also easy to digest. Unlike many other dry dog foods, this recipe has no other vegetables or fruits. If you are looking for a legume or pea-free recipe for your pup, this could be the right dry food for him.

The main source of fat is sunflower oil. This high quality oil is a great source of omega 6 fatty acids. It is also lower in saturated fat compared to animal fat. This salmon recipe also has menhaden fish oil, which is rich in omega 3 fatty acids. These essential fatty acids help support skin and coat health.

This limited ingredient meal is free from artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. It is nutritionally complete and balanced.

According to feedback from pet parents, many dogs seem to do well on this said formula. Their owners particularly love that it does not trigger their dogs’ allergy symptoms, like ear infections, itchy skin, and shedding. They credit this recipe with the improvement of their dogs’ skin condition.

While some pet parents are relieved to finally find a limited ingredient recipe that is relatively low in fat and calories, a few owners observed that this salmon recipe gave their dogs constipation.

Overall, it is still worth a try; especially if you have a sensitive older, overweight, or less active pup. Many dogs’ skin and coats have improved after being switched to this limited ingredient recipe.

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2. L.I.D. Puppy Formula Duck & Potato Formula

This puppy formula is a grain-free dry food formulated for the nutritional needs of growing puppies, as well as pregnant and nursing dogs. It is suitable for all breeds and sizes.

With duck as its only source of animal protein, this limited ingredient dry dog food is perfect for pups who are sensitive to other proteins such as beef or chicken.

This duck recipe is 25% protein. Duck is a high quality protein that is full of savory flavor. Many dogs who are allergic to chicken protein do well on duck recipes. It is rich in amino acids that help puppies build lean and strong muscles.

Its sources of carbohydrates are easy to digest vegetables. Complex carbs potatoes, cassava flour, and sweet potatoes are the only carb sources in this recipe.

This limited ingredient diet does not contain any other vegetables or fruits that are typically found in many holistic dog food recipes. The minimal ingredients means less risk of triggering allergies in very sensitive pups.

This duck recipe has omega fatty acids from menhaden fish oil and sunflower oil. Omega fatty acids help promote healthy skin and shiny coats. Formulated by a team of board-certified clinical veterinarians, animal nutritionists, research scientists, design engineers and pet feeding analysts; it has all of the nutrients that dogs need for a complete and balanced meal.

It has DHA to support cognitive development; taurine for eye and heart health; and calcium and phosphorus to help young pups grow strong bones and teeth.

This duck recipe is free from corn, wheat, soy, grains, gluten, peas, and legumes. It is also chicken-free. This naturally nutritious and delicious dog food contains no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Little pups seem to enjoy this product, they love having the tasty, crunchy kibbles for meals.

The pups not only love the kibbles, but their digestion also improved. Many of them had sensitive tummies, and previously suffered from issues like diarrhea. Puppies with itchy skin from food allergies are doing quite well on this recipe too. Their owners noticed significantly less scratching after the pups were switched to this recipe.

This kibble is worth trying if you are looking for a grain, gluten, chicken, pea/legume-free food for your puppy. Numerous sensitive puppies who were raised on this recipe have grown up to be quite healthy dogs.

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3. Original Ultra Chicken & Sweet Potato Formula

This is a grain-free kibble is formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition to adult dogs of every breed and size. This synergistic premium dog food is designed to improve digestion, and help promote healthy skin and coat.

This nourishing kibble features high-quality chicken as the primary ingredient, providing an optimal source of protein to maintain lean muscle mass and support an active lifestyle.

Chicken is rich in amino acids, essential for muscle repair and healthy organ function, while also being easily digestible for dogs of all ages. The formula is enriched with barley, a nutrient-dense whole grain packed with complex carbohydrates and fiber. Barley helps maintain steady energy levels and supports digestive health, promoting a healthy gut microbiome.

One of the standout features of this dry dog food is its savory broth coating, which enhances palatability and encourages even the pickiest eaters to enjoy their meal.

This special coating adds a rich flavor that dogs love, while also helping to keep the kibble fresh and appealing. The balanced blend of ingredients includes a medley of fruits and vegetables like carrots, spinach, and blueberries, which are full of natural antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that strengthen the immune system.

Additionally, this formula includes flaxseed, which is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that promote a glossy coat and healthy skin. With its carefully curated combination of nutritious and flavorful ingredients, this is an excellent choice for supporting your dog’s vitality and happiness.

Like all their recipes, this formula contains no artificial enhancers such as colors, flavors or preservatives.

According to feedback from pet parents, it has done wonders for their pups’ digestion. Not only do they enjoy its chicken flavor; the dogs are doing quite well on this recipe.

Many of the dogs were previously suffering from issues such as diarrhea or poor stool quality. The high fiber content and prebiotics in this recipe seem to be beneficial for these dogs.

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4. Lamb & Brown Rice Formula Large Breed

This large breed formula is a grain-inclusive dry dog food made for nutritional needs of large breed adult dogs. Large dogs tend to have voracious appetites, and can sometimes inhale their food. This recipe has larger sized kibbles to encourage chewing and eating slowly.

With lamb as the only source of protein, this recipe is ideal for dogs sensitive to proteins such as chicken or beef. Lamb is a highly nutritious and lean protein source that helps large dogs maintain a lean muscle mass.

It is formulated to improve digestion; it has fiber-rich wholesome grains such as brown rice, brewers rice, and rice bran as its main sources of carbohydrates. Fiber helps move food along the digestive tract. It also improves dogs’ stool quality. Large breed dogs sometimes need a little help in managing their weight. Fiber helps these big pups feel full for longer.

This lamb and brown rice recipe’s source of essential fatty acids is sunflower oil. Unlike Natural Balance’s other recipes, this has no animal fat such as salmon oil or menhaden fish oil. Sunflower oil is a good source of omega 6 fatty acids, and is lower in saturated fat than animal fat. This recipe has both omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that support skin and coat health.

This formula is enriched with calcium for strong bones and teeth. However, it does not have supplements such as glucosamine or chondroitin that support joint health. These supplements are especially beneficial to large dogs.

This limited ingredient, grain-inclusive recipe from Natural Balance is gluten-free. It also has no potatoes, legumes, and peas. With only lamb as the protein source, this recipe is completely poultry-free.

It is praised by many pet parents for the health benefits it gives to their big pups. Many dogs allergic to chicken are thriving on this lamb and brown rice recipe. Owners of other dogs have reported improved digestion and stool quality.

However, some pet parents whose dogs have been eating this recipe have complained about the new formulation. The new formula triggered itchy skin in a few dogs, while others encountered digestion issues that they previously did not have with the old formula.

Overall, this is a good dog food to try if your large pup needs a gluten-free or chicken-free grain-inclusive diet. Many sensitive pups thrive on this lamb recipe, though the same cannot be said for a few dogs who were used to the old formula of this product.

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5. Fat Dogs Chicken & Salmon Formula

Another grain-inclusive kibble specifically formulated for chonky adult pups of all breeds and sizes. Made to manage chubby pups’ weights, this recipe is nutritionally balanced with fewer calories. It contains a special protein and fiber blend that can help your dog feel full as they lose weight in a healthy manner.

Some weight management dog foods have a lower percentage of protein. Natural Balance Fat Dogs has a good amount of protein at 26%. This multi protein recipe has chicken meal and salmon meal as its main sources of protein. Both are high quality, concentrated sources of protein that help dogs maintain a lean muscle mass.

Fat Dogs formula has wholesome grains that are high in fiber, such as oat groats and barley. Fiber helps dogs feel full until their next meal. It also helps improve their digestion.

To add more healthy fiber, Fat Dogs has dried plain beet pulp, pea fiber, dried tomato pomace, and oat fiber. It also has L-carnitine that promotes a healthy metabolism, and helps dogs burn fat.

To ensure complete and balanced nutrition, this low-fat recipe still includes a healthy fat source. It has chicken fat which is not only a good source of essential fatty acids, but also gives this recipe a lot of meaty flavor. Palatability is very important in weight management. If your dog does not enjoy his diet food, you’ll have no choice but to continue feeding him food that may not help him get to his ideal weight.

It also has salmon oil; salmon oil is naturally high in omega fatty acids that promote healthy skin and lustrous coats. This grain-inclusive recipe is free from corn, wheat, or soy. It has no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

It is a hit among numerous chonky pups. Even picky pooches seem to love this chicken and salmon recipe. The low-fat, high fiber formula has helped many dogs lose excess pounds. According to their owners, the dogs are feeling much better with their lighter weights.

This is a highly recommended diet food, especially if you have a picky pup on your hands. It has delivered excellent results to a lot of formerly chunky dogs. It is packed with flavor, and has the right balance of nutrients to help pups get to their ideal weight.

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6. Vegetarian Formula