Unleashing the Truth: Pinnacle Dog Food Reviews & Ratings!

The Pinnacle brand of pet food follows the tagline, “for the total health and well-being of your dog and cat”. This describes the company’s commitment to using only the finest natural ingredients in carefully balanced formulas to create holistic pet food products.

Not only are Pinnacle’s ingredients carefully chosen, but they are meticulously cooked to ensure that more of the natural nutrient content is retained for the benefit of your pet’s health and wellbeing.

Pinnacle designs their formulas around high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and wholesome carbohydrates with vitamins, minerals, and probiotics to ensure complete and balanced nutrition.

You can feel good that when you feed your dog Pinnacle pet foods, you are giving him a product that is designed to provide him with all of the nutrients he needs and nothing he doesn’t.

In fact, the “Pinnacle Holistic Difference” promises a collection of recipes designed to provide complete, sound nutrition through the use of limited ingredients which also helps to reduce the risk for food allergies and sensitivities.

So, read on for our comprehensive Pinnacle Dog Food Reviews below.

 

Who Makes Pinnacle Dog Food?

The Pinnacle brand of dog food is produced and manufactured by the Central Garden & Pet Company. This company was founded in 1980 and it is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California.

The company’s goal is to “provide consumers with high-quality, innovative products that… create fun and healthy interactions with pets”.

Though Central Garden & Pet is the large company behind Pinnacle pet foods, the part of the company that is responsible for pet foods is called Breeder’s Choice.

Other pet food brands that fall under this umbrella include AvoDerm, Four Paws, and Nylabone.

Pinnacle Dog Food Reviews

The Pinnacle brand of dog food is an all-natural and holistic pet food brand. That means that you should expect to see high-quality ingredients including premium meat proteins, wholesome carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Not only are all of Pinnacle’s products meat-rich, but they are also grain-free.

Each recipe is made with a limited number of premium ingredients which helps to ensure complete and balanced nutrition in a healthy and digestible way. All products are also formulated for dogs of all life stages so you can feed them to puppies as well as adult dogs.

1. Salmon & Pumpkin Recipe

Rating: 4/5 stars

This limited ingredient recipe is a nutrition-packed food that’s crafted for dogs with sensitivity issues. With the emergence of salmon as one of the most favorite animal proteins for dog foods in recent years, it is no longer considered ‘novel.’ However, salmon is not in the list of the most common allergens for dogs and fish allergy is rare in canines.

Is salmon a good protein source? The answer is yes. Salmon is a fatty fish that’s packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Pups with food sensitivities can benefit from the fatty acids that salmon supplies because these keep his skin healthy, decrease inflammation, and support the immune system.

As for protein content, salmon can be lower in protein than other animal meat such as chicken or beef. But, if its volume in a meal is at an adequate level (like in this recipe) then protein content should not be a problem. In fact, at 29% crude protein content, this recipe offers more than other types of dog food with chicken or beef as the main ingredient.

Salmon meal, peas, pea flour, and garbanzo beans all contribute to the high protein level. The last three are also sources of healthy carbohydrates, which provide dogs with quick energy when they need it (Protein is digested more slowly and is also an energy source that’s more long-lasting than carbs).

Canola oil gives dogs a little more fat. Despite the controversy surrounding it, canola oil is not toxic nor dangerous. It can even provide your pet with lots of linoleic acid (omega-6) and some linoleic acid (omega-3).

However, if it’s not organic canola oil (this recipe features non-organic canola), then it is heavily processed. There are far more healthier oils out there.

As for the pumpkin, which has a starring role in the meal, it has all the fiber (soluble and insoluble) your pet needs to normalize waste movement. It’s also low in calories but big in nutrients. Pumpkin contains plenty of vitamin A, potassium, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and more.

Guaranteed analysis:

This limited ingredient diet offers pups a complete and balanced meal that does not skimp on nutrition. Aside from the antioxidants found naturally in the ingredients that compose the recipe, Pinnacle also included supplemental nutrition to make it even more nourishing and beneficial for dogs.

It is a wholesome food that targets every single thing in dogs, from muscle development and immune system to digestive health. There are no ingredients like corn, soy, wheat, or white potatoes.

We’d have given it a five-star rating but for the inclusion of canola oil. While canola undoubtedly provides lots of benefits to canines, it is also highly processed. A more natural source of fat would have made this recipe perfect. Also, animal fat is always preferable to a plant-based one.

2. LID Turkey & Pumpkin Recipe

Rating: 4/5 stars

This meal is crafted with optimal nutrition in mind for sensitive pups. It doesn’t contain any of the common food allergens in canines such as beef, chicken, lamb, eggs, soy, or wheat. It’s formulated to support muscle development, a strong immune system, and a healthy digestive system.

Turkey and turkey meal lead the list of ingredients in this formulation. Like chicken, turkey is a lean meat that is a highly digestible protein. Turkey is a great alternative to chicken in case your pet is allergic to the latter because there is no significant difference in the amount of nutrients the two contain.

It’s not just the turkey that drives up the protein level of this meal to a good 27%. Peas, pea flour, and garbanzo beans add some plant-based protein to the mix. (Plant-based proteins are okay as long as they don’t overwhelm the meat based-one.) These three also contain a substantial amount of carbohydrates that dogs convert into a source of energy and fiber.

Pumpkin, which is a highlighted ingredient in this food, is also loaded with fiber. This is probably why the fiber is as high as it is. Along with fiber, pumpkin also contributes natural vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and phosphorous to the recipe.

Why is fiber almost always mentioned in dog food reviews? Well, fiber is responsible for regular waste movement in dogs and prevents constipation. Ideally, a dog food should contain between 2-5% of fiber but some dogs need more (dogs on weight control, those with diabetes mellitus, etc.). As long as it does not exceed 10%, it is still okay. This recipe is on the higher end of the spectrum with 7.5%.

Canola oil provides the bulk of the fat in this food, although there is also salmon oil further down the list. Canola is not a bad oil per se, but animal fat is still preferred over a plant-based one. Aside from being plant-based, canola oil is also highly processed. There are many more natural sources of fat than canola.

Guaranteed analysis:

This recipe provides all the right nutrients for sensitive dogs. Turkey is the only source of animal protein, which makes it easier for pet parents to trace problematic ingredients, if any.

The inclusion of several supporting ingredients such as tomato pomace (source of several antioxidants), flaxseed (has omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids), quinoa seed (protein, calcium, and more), and probiotics (beneficial bacteria) takes the formulation up a notch.

However, canola oil also takes the points down. Nothing against canola oil, but an animal fat like salmon oil should have had more prominence on this recipe than a plant-based one. Also, there are many more fat sources that are more natural than canola oil.

3. Brothibbles Lamb, Beef Meal & Sweet Potato Recipe

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

This particular Brothibbles is a multi-protein recipe that combines two types of red meat, a white meat, and fish with the goodness of real bone broth in convenient kibble form. The use of bone broth raises up the food’s nutrient and palatability profile a lot.

Lamb leads the pack with the most volume in the recipe. Beef meal and chicken meal follow, and further down the list, there’s salmon meal.

While fresh meat contributes a significant amount of protein to any recipe, a meat meal will raise the protein level even higher. Fresh meat is composed of more than 50% water, while meals have had their water content reduced (but not the nutrients!). So meat meals will always have more protein than an equal weight of fresh meat.

The inclusion of peas, lentils, pea flour, and garbanzo beans give the recipe some plant-based proteins too. That’s why the minimum crude protein content is at a high 30%. But that’s not all these legumes provide.

They’re also good sources of carbohydrates, fiber, B-vitamins, calcium, zinc, and more. They’re kind of similar to meat in nutrition, except they don’t have saturated fats and only a little iron.

Bone broth, which gets a special mention in the name of the product, is supposed to improve a dog’s digestive system, joints, and immune system because of the many nutrients it packs. It’s because broth is made by boiling bones for a long time.

The rich stock it produces has a high portion of glucosamine (for joints), amino acids (for muscles), and minerals (for overall health). Chicken fat provides the required fat content.

This is a high-quality fat that provides much of the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that canines require for healthy skin and lustrous coat.

Guaranteed analysis:

This meaty recipe offers dogs a flavorful meal with every bite. It has all the amino acids, protein, minerals, and vitamins that your adult pup will need for any activity. It’s also packed with all the right nutrients to help ailing joints and improve lackluster hair or skin.

Slow-cooked in small batches, this dog food is easy on the tummy. It has nutrition-laden bone broth but is dried to a crunchy finish for a satisfying bite.

Supporting ingredients like tomato pomace and flaxseed are just as nutritious as some of the key ingredients. Tomato pomace, for example, is a functional fiber source that’s also rich in amino acids.

Flaxseed has fiber and lignans that improve cardiovascular health. And there are probiotics to ensure digestive health.

4. Brothibbles Duck, Turkey Meal & Sweet Potato Recipe

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Canines who love the taste of white meat will find their ideal meal in this recipe. It’s a wag-worthy recipe that features plenty of real meat and nutritious bone broth.

Fresh duck starts off the meal, followed by turkey meal and chicken meal. These three make up the bulk of the recipe and the protein content. Salmon meal much further down also contributes some of the same nutrient.

Carbohydrates are an important part of any canine diet. Dogs use these to replenish and maintain their glycogen stores. And glucose (one of the simplest forms of carbohydrates) is what dogs primarily use for energy and which keeps the central nervous system working properly.

The carbs in here primarily come from peas, lentils, pea flour, and garbanzo beans. There has been some controversy and misconception surrounding legumes and grain-free food.

The FDA has issued a warning about DCM (Dilated cardiomyopathy) in dogs eating foods “containing peas, lentils, other legume seeds, or potatoes as main ingredients.”

But the key words in the warning above are ”as main ingredients.” If, for example, a dog food lists one meat as the first ingredient but quickly follows it up with multiple legumes, this could turn problematic.

The first ingredient means that it has the most volume in the food. But if you have many legumes, those smaller amounts could overwhelm the meat content.

However, there is no worry about that here. The first three ingredients are pure meat: duck, turkey meal, and chicken meal. The legumes only come in fourth and fifth, followed by chicken fat and another meat ingredient (salmon meal).

Guaranteed analysis:

This recipe has the right blend of high-quality proteins, vitamin-rich vegetables, probiotics, and supplemental nutrients. It's slow-cooked with a satisfyingly crunchy finish that dogs will love.

With bone broth included, dogs who feel some joint or mobility issues will be amply supported. And for canines who are healthy, the glucosamine and chondroitin can keep their healthy joints and bones maintained.

There are several ingredients here that only play a supporting role but contribute plenty of benefits in the form of added nutrition. One of those is kelp meal, which has plenty of iodine, 21 amino acids, and a long list of vitamins and minerals.

It’s the thoughtful inclusion of products like this that make it an excellent recipe for canines.

There are no corn, soy, or wheat products in this formulation. It’s a convenient way to feed your pooch all the goodness of broth in a convenient dry form.

5. Brothibbles Beef, Oatmeal & Venison Meal Recipe

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

This is Pinnacle’s only grain-inclusive recipe currently. It combines protein-rich meat with the power of healthy grains. It's crafted for adult pooches of all breeds and made without soy, corn, legumes, wheat, or byproduct meals. It also uses no artificial colors, preservatives, or flavors.

Two high-quality meats start off the list. Beef and beef meal come first. A little further down is herring meal and venison meal. The two beef products provide a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin, while the herring meal has plenty of omega-3 fatty acids. The venison meal helps raise the protein level.

At 24% crude protein level, it’s a little bit lower than we are used to in Pinnacle dry dog foods. However, this still falls within the AAFCO dry dog food nutrient profile for adult dogs, which suggests the minimum to be 18%. So at 24%, it’s still 6% more than the minimum.

Ground brown rice and oatmeal provide the majority of the carbohydrates in the formulation. Brown rice has a lower glycemic index than white rice, and since it still has its seed coat on where all the nutrients are stored, your dog is getting more in the way of nutrition. As for oatmeal, it’s an excellent source of fiber.

Grains are complex carbs, and fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate. Fiber increases the bulk of stools and makes it easier for dogs to push them out. It also helps in keeping the intestinal pH healthy, which leads to inhibiting the growth of bad bacteria.

This is the reason why fiber is important, especially with senior pooches who often suffer from constipation.

The bone broth that’s highlighted in the recipe, is made from beef. Broths are made when bones are cooked for a long period. The resulting broth is packed high with glucosamine, amino acids, and lots of minerals, which all contribute towards a healthy and strong immune system, digestive tract, and joints.

Guaranteed analysis:

This recipe offers a balanced and nutritious profile that’s ideal for adult pups. Slow-cooked in small batches, these are then dried up and formed into crunchy kibbles that give dogs so much flavor.

If you will look at the guaranteed analysis and compare it with other dog food brands, Pinnacle’s Brothibbles Beef, Oatmeal, and Venison Meal offering can hold its own. The fiber is a bit higher than the usual 2%-5% but still within reasonable levels.

The protein is about average, although higher than the 18% minimum for dry dog food (adult dogs), and the fat at 15% is within the healthy range.

Overall, this grain-inclusive recipe makes the most of its ingredients and provides dogs with a high-quality meal.

Is Pinnacle Made in the United States?

The Breeder’s Choice company has been creating innovative pet food and products for more than 60 years. The Pinnacle brand in particular is known for its holistic pet food products which focus on “all around good health” using limited ingredients including high-quality proteins.

The Pinnacle website doesn’t provide specific information about where their products are made, but you can find more detailed information about Breeder’s Choice on the AvoDerm website. According to this website, Breeder’s Choice products are made in company-owned facilities located in Irwindale, California.

Where Do They Get Their Ingredients?

The Pinnacle brand of dog food is a holistic pet food brand, so you might expect the quality of their ingredients to be very high. While Pinnacle does state that they use high-quality sources of protein, healthy fats, and wholesome carbohydrates, they do not provide specific information about where these ingredients come from.

What Pinnacle does say is that their holistic approach to pet nutrition is founded on quality ingredients that are carefully chosen and meticulously cooked.

Pinnacle also takes “great care to make sure that [their products] are made with limited ingredients so that even pets with sensitive systems may enjoy the fine flavors and health benefits of Pinnacle’s superior ingredients”.

 

Dog Food Recall History

The Pinnacle brand of pet food offers their customers what they call the “Pinnacle Holistic Difference” which promises high-quality, natural pet food products that nourish your pet’s body from the inside out. Unfortunately, Pinnacle does not provide detailed information about their production processes.

Because there is very little information available about the manufacturing standards that Pinnacle follows, it is difficult to say whether they are of sound quality or not. They do say, however, that they follow “precise preparation and packaging” strategies to ensure that the full value of their ingredients remains intact.

It also bodes well for the company that there is only one recall in brand history. Here are the details of that recall:

• In 2013, Breeder’s Choice was affected by a small recall for some of their dog biscuits. One year earlier, in 2012, the AvoDerm brand experienced a recall due to potential salmonella contamination – this recall was later expanded to include the Pinnacle brand.

Is It Expensive?

The Pinnacle brand of dog food is a holistic brand of pet food made with high-quality ingredients. For the most part, the higher the quality of the brand, the higher the price tag – this certainly seems to be true for Pinnacle pet foods.

Prices vary from one recipe to another, but generally a 24-pound bag of Pinnacle dry dog food will cost you between $46 and $100. Pinnacle brand wet food is sold in 13-ounce cans which are sold online in cases of 12 for $25 to $45 – that makes the average price per can about $2.90.

What Kind of Dog Food Do They Offer?

The Pinnacle brand of dog food has a fairly limited assortment of products to choose from, but each of them offers high-quality, holistic nutrition. Pinnacle dry foods are all grain-free and made with premium-quality proteins like salmon, turkey, and duck as well as digestible carbohydrates.

For canned foods, Pinnacle offers five grain-free recipes, also made with high-quality ingredients. Every one of Pinnacle’s pet food products is a limited ingredient diet which means that it only includes the ingredients needed to ensure complete and balanced nutrition.

This is particularly beneficial for dogs with food allergies and sensitivities because the more ingredients a product contains, the higher the risk for triggering an allergy or food sensitivity.

Product Lines

The Pinnacle brand has two lines under their dog food range. These are Limited Ingredients and Brothibbles.

The Limited Ingredients line features five limited ingredient and grain-free recipes in both kibble and canned versions.

The Brothibbles, meanwhile, are only available in kibble form. The recipes under this line contain beef or chicken bone broth ingredients. There are currently three Brothibbles recipes. Two are grain-free, while on is grain-inclusive.

The Pinnacle brand of dog food has a limited assortment of dry foods to choose from – six, to be exact – but each one is an example of high-quality nutrition. These recipes are made with premium proteins (many of which are novel proteins) and a limited number of ingredients to reduce the risk for allergies and sensitivities. Here is a list of Pinnacle dry dog food recipes:

Limited Ingredients Dog Food Recipes:

• Turkey & Pumpkin
• Chicken & Vegetable
• Salmon & Pumpkin
• Trout & Sweet Potato
• Duck & Sweet Potato

Brothibble Dog Food Recipes:

• Duck, Turkey Meal & Sweet Potato with Chicken Bone Broth
• Lamb, Beef Meal & Sweet Potato with Beef Bone Broth
• Beef, Oatmeal & Venison Meal with Beef Bone Broth

The same recipes that are available in dry food are also available in canned food, except for the Peak Protein recipe.  All of Pinnacle’s canned dog food products are protein-rich, grain-free, and full of natural flavor and moisture. Here is a list of Pinnacle canned dog food recipes:

• Turkey & Pumpkin
• Chicken & Vegetable
• Salmon & Pumpkin
• Trout & Sweet Potato
• Duck & Sweet Potato

Parting Words

This brand offers a range of formulas that emphasize natural, high-quality ingredients, with a focus on holistic nutrition and allergy-friendly recipes.

Many of their products feature grain-free options and premium proteins like salmon, duck, and trout, appealing to pet owners looking for alternative ingredients. Additionally, the brand avoids artificial additives and uses wholesome carbohydrates like sweet potatoes and legumes.

However, while Pinnacle is marketed as a premium option, its higher price point may not always justify the nutritional value, as some formulas include plant-based proteins or lower-quality fillers.

Reviews generally suggest that dogs enjoy the taste and show improvement in sensitivities, but the brand’s overall value can vary depending on the specific formula and the dog’s individual needs.

All in all, it is a solid choice for pet owners seeking natural, limited-ingredient formulas, though careful examination of the ingredient list is recommended to ensure it meets your dog’s specific dietary needs.