NutriSource, a line of natural pet foods under the ownership of KLN Family Brands, champions holistic nutrition and good gut health, recognized as fundamental to overall pet well-being. With a steadfast commitment to quality control, they ensure worry-free feeding for pet owners.
Founded by Darrell “Tuffy” Nelson in 1947 as Pine Lakes Feed company in Perham, Minnesota, KLN Family Brands has evolved into a renowned entity in the pet food industry. Kenny Nelson, Darrel's son, joined forces with his father after college to establish Tuffy's Dog Food Company, which later transitioned into NutriSource after 39 years of producing economy line pet foods.
Expanding further, KLN Family Brands introduced Pure Vita and Natural Planet Organics, both falling under its umbrella, as part of its foray into the Super Premium Pet Food Industry.
Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment, the brand ensures meticulous production of their carefully formulated products. Each recipe is crafted based on extensive research and testing, with nutrition being a cornerstone of their philosophy.
Test results conducted following the protocols of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) confirm that Tuffy's pet foods, including NutriSource, provide complete and balanced nutrition suitable for all life stages.
NutriSource Dog Food Review
1. Grain Free Seafood Select Recipe
First 5 ingredients:
Salmon, menhaden fishmeal, peas, pea flour, pea starch
Protein: 25.0% min
Fat: 15.0% min
Fiber: 7.0% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: Adult, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
Seafood Select is a grain free dog food that offers complete and balanced nutrition. The main ingredient is real salmon, providing high-quality, easily digestible protein.
The formula includes the brand’s Good 4 Life system, which incorporates four key ingredients to support gut health and overall wellbeing. These ingredients are:
- SEL-PLEX: An organic selenium supplement that supports brain function.
- BIOPLEX: A blend of organic minerals (zinc, copper, manganese, cobalt, iron) for skin and coat health.
- BIO-MOS: A prebiotic that enhances gut health.
- Yea-Sacc: A yeast culture that improves microbial digestion and bacterial colonization in the gut.
Reviews indicate that many dogs develop thick, glossy coats and show improvements in skin and coat health, even those with allergies.
This grain free food also supports good digestion, helping dogs maintain healthy weights and improving issues like loose stools. Overall, it is highly recommended for dogs prone to skin problems and those needing digestive support.
2. Large Breed Puppy Chicken and Rice Formula
First 5 ingredients:
Chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal
Protein: 26.0% min
Fat: 14.0% min
Fiber: 6.0% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: Puppy, Large Breeds
This is a dry dog food tailored for large breed puppies expected to weigh over 50 pounds as adults.
This Nutrisource puppy food promotes gut health and nutrient absorption, which the brand believes is crucial for overall health.
It includes prebiotics and probiotics for digestive health, and the Good 4 Life system also supports brain function, odor control, skin, and coat health.
Made with humanely certified chicken, the formula provides high-quality protein for strong muscle development. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, along with other supplements like L-carnitine, taurine, choline chloride, and dL-methionine, are included for heart health.
Reviews highlight that this food is particularly good for puppies with sensitive stomachs, helping them maintain regular bowel movements and improve digestive health.
Puppies fed this food have grown quickly, maintained healthy weights, and shown overall health improvements. One minor criticism is that the kibble size might be too small for large breed puppies.
All in all, this is highly recommended for its quality ingredients and positive health outcomes, especially for puppies with sensitive stomachs.
3. Prairie Select Grain-Free Formula
First 5 ingredients:
Quail, duck, green lentils, duck meal, peas
Protein: 26.0% min
Fat: 14.0% min
Fiber: 6.0% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
Prairie Select Formula is a grain-free, all-life-stages dog food designed for optimal nutrition, palatability, and digestibility.
The first ingredient is fresh quail, supplemented with duck, duck meal, and turkey meal to ensure a rich protein content.
The grain-free carbohydrates include green lentils, peas, and garbanzo beans, which provide energy and dietary fiber suitable for dogs with food allergies or sensitivities.
The formula focuses on quality ingredients for overall health. Additional fibers come from pea flour, sunflower meal, and flaxseeds, resulting in 6% crude fiber content.
The main fat source is chicken fat, along with sunflower meal, flax seeds, and sunflower oil, ensuring a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids for skin and coat health.
The recipe also contains vitamins, minerals, and probiotics, with many minerals being chelated for better absorption. Dried fermentation products support digestive health.
Overall, this formula is praised for its fresh flavor, balanced nutrition, and suitability for dogs with specific dietary needs.
4. Element Series Open Waters
First 5 ingredients:
Haddock, Trout, Duck, Salmon, Cod
Protein: 34.0% min
Fat: 16.0% min
Fiber: 5.0% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
This quality kibble offers a variety of healthy animal protein sources, including haddock, trout, salmon, pollock, catfish, cod, whitefish, and duck.
These proteins are rich in vitamins and minerals, providing robust energy for dogs. The recipe includes wholesome grains like millet, spelt, buckwheat, and quinoa for fiber and minerals, promoting smooth digestion.
Real fruits and vegetables such as pumpkin, blueberries, carrots, apricots, and apples add additional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
This formula, designed to meet dogs' nutritional needs, features at least 83% animal protein to satisfy appetites. It includes prebiotics and probiotics, specifically the Good4Life Plus blend, to support digestion, nutrient absorption, cognitive and heart health, and skin and coat health.
The recipe also incorporates NVGEN, a blend of mannan rich fraction, yucca schidigera, and yeast extracts, to optimize gut microbiome health. This balanced nutrient-rich formula is both delicious and beneficial, ensuring visible health improvements in dogs.
5. High Plains Select Small Bites
First 5 ingredients:
Beef, Trout, Turkey Meal, Beef Meal, Garbanzo Beans
Protein: 28.0% min
Fat: 18.0% min
Fiber: 5.0% max
Moisture: 10.0% max
Food Type: Dry
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
This Nutrisource product is expertly crafted for easy digestion. The primary ingredient is real beef, known for its rich, wholesome taste that dogs adore and its high-quality protein that supports muscle mass and strength.
This recipe features fresh USA beef, USA trout, low-ash turkey meal, and North American farmed garbanzo beans, combined with carefully selected holistic ingredients to support balanced growth and exceptional health for your small breed pet.
Prioritizing your pet's health, their exclusive use of Alltech Good 4 Life supplements ensures no gas or runny stool issues and a stronger immune system. They guarantee it.
Bio-availability is crucial for your pet’s long-term health, so they designed a highly digestible, nutrient-dense morsel with a +90% digestibility rating.
6. Grain Free Heartland Select Canned Formula
First 5 ingredients:
Chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, bison, chickpea flour
Protein: 9.5% min
Fat: 7.0% min
Fiber: 1.0% max
Moisture: 78.0% max
Food Type: Wet
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
Special Diet: Grain-free
This is a high-protein, low-glycemic wet food made with real chicken, chicken liver, and bison. A hit among picky eaters!
This formulation supports gut health, brain function, and skin and coat health through their Good 4 Health system, which includes added prebiotics and digestible minerals for immune and growth support.
Antioxidant-rich cranberries further boost the immune system. The food is free from artificial enhancers, by-products, unnamed animal ingredients, and carrageenan, ensuring a natural and wholesome diet.
Reviews indicate that dogs enjoy the rich flavor, and the high protein content helps keep them full longer. This grain-free, holistic nutrition option is highly recommended for maintaining your dog's digestive health.
7. Chicken, Lamb & Ocean Fish Canned Formula
First 5 ingredients:
Chicken, chicken broth, lamb, ocean fish, chicken liver
Protein: 8.5% min
Fat: 6.0% min
Fiber: 1.0% max
Moisture: 78.0% max
Food Type: Wet
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
A grain-inclusive, gluten-free, and carrageenan-free canned food. Made with high-quality chicken, lamb, and ocean fish, it offers a complete and balanced diet with enhanced flavors from lamb broth and chicken liver.
The highly digestible pate includes prebiotics and their Good 4 Life system to promote healthy digestion and nutrient absorption, supporting overall health and wellbeing.
Free from artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives, this dog food is praised by dog owners for its rich flavors and effectiveness in administering medication to dogs.
It has also shown benefits for dogs with allergies, improving skin conditions and fur growth. Overall, it is highly recommended for its high-quality ingredients and positive reception from both dogs and their owners.
8. Lamb & Rice Canned Formula
First 5 ingredients:
Lamb, lamb broth, lamb liver, brown rice, barley
Protein: 8.0% min
Fat: 6.5% min
Fiber: 1.0% max
Moisture: 78.0% max
Food Type: Wet
Best for: All Lifestages, All Breeds
This is designed to be complete and balanced for dogs at all life stages, making it suitable for both puppies and adult dogs.
Part of the company's original lineup, it includes whole grains, which are highly digestible for most dogs, providing premium protein and natural meat flavor.
The primary ingredient is fresh lamb, which is a rich source of animal protein. Lamb broth, the second ingredient, enhances the flavor and contributes to the formula's 78% moisture content.
Additional proteins include lamb liver, ocean fish, and whole dried egg. For carbohydrates and fiber, the formula uses brown rice and pearled barley, both highly digestible for most dogs.
This food meets AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles standards for all life stages and is free from grain-related issues unless the dog has specific allergies or sensitivities.
Overall, it offers high-quality nutrition and rich natural flavors, making it a solid choice for a staple diet or as a topper too.
Is This Made in the US?
Yes. As a family-owned and -operated manufacturer, they are dedicated to quality – it is their goal to produce “high quality pet foods that you can trust”.
This being the case, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that NutriSource is also dedicated to making sure that all of their recipes are made right here in the United States.
Their products are all made using state-of-the-art equipment in a manufacturing plant located in Perham, Minnesota.
This plant is the only facility that produces NutriSource and other KLN Family Brands – it is also a pet food-only manufacturing plant.
Where Do They Get Their Ingredients?
Each one of their products is designed for maximum digestibility and nutrient absorption. Not only does that mean using high-quality ingredients, but their recipes offer a concentrated source of nutrition which means you can feed your dog less and he will produce less waste.
In order to create such a high-quality product, the company relies on the highest quality ingredients such as premium animal proteins, digestible carbohydrates, fresh fruits and vegetables, and beneficial supplements.
According to their website, this brand uses “the highest quality, fresh, raw ingredients” that are all testes upon arrival to ensure quality and safety. Unfortunately, NutriSource doesn’t provide specific information about where they get their ingredients.
Because all of their products are made in the USA, however, it is likely that they use primarily US-sourced ingredients.
Recall History
Although NutriSource products are made in a facility that produces other brands, it is a pet food-only facility. It is also worth noting that this is the only facility in which their products are made, so it helps to ensure consistency.
The brand follows strict standards for quality and safety when it comes to their ingredients as well as their manufacturing processes, so it shouldn’t surprise you that there have been no product recalls for this brand to date.
Where to Buy?
NutriSource dog food items are available at select local pet food stores and specialty pet chains, and they can also be bought from various online vendors. Look for them on e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Petflow and Chewy for convenient doorstep delivery.
KLN Family Brands sometimes provides coupons on their official website, and you can stay updated on product news and exclusive deals by following them on social media.
Additionally, keep an eye out for dog food coupons that may be offered by specific retailers.
Is It Expensive?
A bit expensive food, yes. This brand of dog food is positioned as a top-tier option in the pet food market, so expect to invest more compared to standard dry foods. Prices differ depending on the specific recipe. For instance, a 30 to 33-pound bag of their original dog food typically ranges from $45 to $60.
Meanwhile, a 30-pound bag of grain-free dry food may cost between $50 and $80. If you prefer canned food, you can buy 13-ounce cans of wet dog food in packs of 12 for $20 to $35 (with grain-free variants generally priced at the higher end), averaging around $2.30 per can.
What Kind of Dog Food Do They Offer?
The brand provides a wide range of dog food products, including both original and grain-free options, as well as a selection of dog treats. Their dry food offerings are categorized into two main lines: original and grain free.
The original line features recipes tailored to meet the nutritional needs of dogs at different life stages and of various breed sizes. The grain free line also offers a diverse array of recipes suitable for adult dogs and puppies, including both small and large breeds.
In terms of canned foods, it has a more limited yet interesting range, featuring several grain free options. For treats, they offer various kinds as well.
Our Say
All in all, this brand stands out as a great choice for your furry friend. With a wide range of food options tailored to different needs and preferences, it's no wonder why so many pets love this food.
Backed by a commitment to pet nutrition and formulated with quality ingredients, this brand is trusted by veterinarians and pet owners alike.
Make the switch to NutriSource – because every pet deserves a chance to thrive on new, wholesome food.
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