Purina One Dog Food Reviews: Affordable Nutrition with Tailored Health Benefits

Purina is a longstanding brand with wide recognition and wide distribution. You can’t really go anywhere to find dog food and not see Purina on the shelves.

They’ve been competing with other long term brands like Pedigree for generations, and have plenty of loyal followers who appreciate giving their dogs quality ingredients at highly affordable prices.

The company has positioned itself in the space between hard to get, expensive brands and cheap brands that use low-quality ingredients and fillers.

Its target customer is one who doesn’t quite have the budget for something truly premium but is concerned about the amount of corn and soy plus by-products in some dog foods.

Let’s take a look at what this brand has to offer and if it can also balance your needs via reading our comprehensive Purina One Dog Food Reviews below.

Brand Quick Look

• Parent Company : Nestle
• Founded in : 2001 (current company)
• Made in : Missouri, USA
• Made by : Purina One owned factories in the USA
• Available at :  Chewy, Amazon, Petsmart sites
• Types of Food : Dry, canned
• Real Meat in First 5 Ingredients? : Yes
• Recalled in Past? : Yes

 

Behind the Brand

Purina goes all the way back to the 1800s under the name Purina mills where it manufactured foods for a variety of farm animals. The company expanded to include house animals and pets.

At the turn of the century the founder, William Danforth, joined forces with Webster Eagerly, the founder of Ralstonism, to form the Ralston Purina Company to produce breakfast cereals that would satisfy Ralstonism’s strict dietary requirements. Fortunately for everyone, that movement didn’t last.

Purina made foods under the name “chow” for several decades including the well-known Purina Dog Chow but sold the farm feed portion to British Petroleum and later the pet portion to a few different parent companies.

Purina One is the brand’s remake of several classic Purina recipes designed to be a better-formulated budget brand available in grocery and big box stores.

While the formulas still contain budget ingredients, this was one of the first commercial dog foods to have some type of meat listed as the first ingredient.

It was also one of the first dog foods made with natural ingredients to have a wide distribution on a national scale. In fact, Purina One positions itself in this space between cheap food and premium food by blending natural ingredients with meat as the first listed with other more inexpensive ingredients to help bring down the cost.

Purina One Dog Food Reviews

SmartBlend

SmartBlend is a range of dog foods under Purina One that contains the Dual Defense Antioxidant Blend system. The system uses vitamins E and A along with the minerals selenium and zinc to support your dog from the inside out.

1. SmartBlend Chicken & Rice Adult Formula

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Rice Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal

When a dog food starts off with a fresh meat ingredient, that’s already a big plus. In this case, it’s chicken, which provides the meal with a good dose of glucosamine — a nutrient that’s necessary for bone and joint health.

What follows after are a mix of nutritious and not-so-nutritious grains — rice flour, corn gluten meal, whole grain corn, and whole grain wheat.

White rice flour doesn’t contribute much nutrient content and is mostly a filler, but it adds plenty of energy to the meal. (It is a good ingredient, though, for dogs who are suffering from upset tummies because white rice is gentle on the stomach.)

Corn gluten meal is an excellent source of carbohydrates and is easy to digest (as opposed to whole corn). It has beta-carotene, vitamin E, and an abundant amount of linoleic acid — the same as whole grain corn. Corn has gotten a bad rep for causing allergies, but allergies to food among dogs are uncommon. And allergies to corn is even less than that caused by beef or dairy.

Wheat flour is also said by some to cause gluten allergy, but that’s not the case. Obviously, if your dog is already intolerant of gluten then do not feed him anything with gluten in it. But cases of gluten intolerance in dogs are rare. Wheat packs energy and fiber and is good for dogs, especially older ones who have a hard time keeping regular bowel movements.

Soy has been vilified as a source of bloat and allergies in dogs, but if your dog does not have digestive issues, it should be safe to feed him this meal. For some dogs with certain health conditions (liver disease, bladder stones, etc.), soy is even prescribed by vets as the main protein source. Bottomline: if your dog is not allergic to soy, this can be healthy for him.

There’s only one other animal ingredient here apart from fresh chicken. It’s chicken by-product meal. While we’re not huge fans of by-products, they can boost the protein level of any dog food recipe.

We’d rather not have artificial colors or by-products and we would have loved to see more meat ingredients, but overall, dogs do well enough on this formula. The kibble is a good size, and dogs get plenty of energy.

Most dogs like the taste and look forward to the texture in the chicken bits as well as the basic kibble. Overall, it’s an okay recipe that you can use as an alternative to fancier and much more expensive dog food.

This range also has other flavors and recipes that specifically target puppies to seniors and small breeds to large ones:

• Lamb & Rice
• Small Breed Adult
• Small Bites Beef & Rice
• Healthy Puppy
• Large Breed Puppy
• Large Breed Adult
• Vibrant Maturity Adult 7+

SmartBlend True Instinct

The SmartBlend True Instinct range is wholly inspired by a dog’s ancestral instinct to choose nutrient-dense foods. Each recipe in this line is crafted with 30% protein from real meat. There are no artificial flavors and preservatives or poultry by-products anywhere in the list of ingredients.

2. SmartBlend True Instinct With Real Turkey & Venison

First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Chicken Meal, Soy Flour, Beef Fat Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Whole Grain Wheat

This recipe has been changed from the original one and made even better. There are even more meat sources than before for a truly meat-y feast.

The first ingredient in the True Instinct range is always meat, and in this case turkey makes up the bulk of the meal. Fresh turkey is quickly followed by chicken meal, which is nothing more than chicken cooked to reduce the moisture content while boosting up its protein level.

There’s also venison here to add a bit of texture and flavor. The combination of these three plays a major part in keeping the crude protein level of the recipe to a high 30%.

There are quite a few grain ingredients here. Now, for dogs that aren’t sensitive to grains, the inclusion of these is actually good. Meat when combined with grains can provide a complete and balanced nutrition because grains pack carbs, fat, and antioxidants that support everything from nose to tail. Meats are great as sources of protein that helps dogs build lean muscles.

The grain content is made up of soy flour, whole grain wheat, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, soy flakes, corn germ meal, and oatmeal. These offer abundant sources of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, and omega-6 fatty acids.

While most of these ingredients have been vilified by some pet owners, many vets actually recommend these for canines as support for healthy hair, skin, and immune systems.

While we would have preferred more meat sources than grains (although as we said, grains are good), we’re happy with this recipe because it has everything to support a healthy lifestyle for pups.

There are more than enough added minerals, vitamins, and nutrients here to keep canines happy and active.

Other varieties in the True Instinct range include:

• Real Salmon & Tuna
• High-Protein Beef & Salmon
• Grain-Free with Real Beef
• Grain-Free with Real Chicken

SmartBlend Probiotic Digestive Health

Another SmartBlend line of dog food, Probiotic Digestive Health specifically targets the digestive wellness of dogs. The recipe is a blend of nutrients and probiotics that are designed to support sensitive stomachs, nourish the skin and coat, and maintain gut health.

3. Smartblend Probiotic Digestive Health Formula

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Brewers Rice, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Wheat

Making up the bulk of the meal is fresh chicken — a natural source of glucosamine, protein, and amino acids. It’s a high-quality meat that many dogs love because of its distinctive taste.

Sensitive tummies need food with ingredients that are highly-digestible. Grains are gentle on the stomach and can provide the right amount of fiber that dogs with digestive problems need. For this reason, a bunch of grain ingredients were added to make sure that dogs with sensitive GI tracts are able to recover beautifully.

These grains include brewer’s rice, whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, whole grain wheat, soybean meal, and oatmeal. While many of these are nutritious and provide what dogs need (fiber, carbs, and protein), we can’t help but question the inclusion of brewer’s rice.

True, these are rice kernels that have been chipped and broken, but these are usually what’s left after the best parts of rice have been picked out for human consumption.

Brewer’s rice is not bad per se because it has fiber that will bulk up a dog’s stools, but this is not a premium ingredient for a dog food. It’s a by-product of the milling process and basically a cheap filler. We would have preferred that the brand use whole white rice instead.

Other than this, we do not find any other fault with the recipe. We especially like the added nutrients and probiotics. Ordinarily, we’d prefer more meat sources in a dog food recipe and less grains. But these grains serve a purpose in this meal and are necessary to keep a canine’s gut healthy.

This Purina ONE SmartBlend recipe is touted as providing 100% nutrition for dogs with 0% fillers. Although we’re not wholly convinced about the “0% filler” claim, we believe this recipe works to relieve sensitive stomachs.

And for that we give this recipe a highly recommended score for actually doing what it claims — help canines with stomach upsets.

SmartBlend Healthy Weight

The SmartBlend Healthy Weight line was conceived to help pups maintain a healthy weight without missing out on taste. Every meal is packed full of flavor and high-quality protein to build lean muscles and mass. There is also 25% less fat and fewer calories when compared with other formulas.

4. SmartBlend Healthy Weight High Protein Formula

First 5 Ingredients: Turkey, Rice Flour, Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal

The quality protein sources in this recipe promote a healthy heart and strong muscles in canines as well as help overweight dogs reduce weight.

Several studies on dogs with weight problems have proven that a high protein diet can help them shed extra fat, burn extra calories, and give them a feeling of fullness after every meal.

Turkey is the first ingredient here, contributing the bulk of the meal and most of the protein content in the recipe. Its protein levels are supported by soybean meal and chicken by-product meal to turn up the total minimum crude protein level to a high 27%.

While we don’t fully support chicken by-product meals because they’re not exactly premium ingredients, we do understand that these can provide more nutrition than a simple muscle meat.

See, chicken by-products can include organs and these are some of the best kinds of meats nutrition-wise. However, organ meat is not exactly specified here, so we can only speculate what it is composed of.

Chicken by-products can include feet, bones, blood, viscera, and more. Not exactly what most pet owners want to see in their pet’s food. Besides, chicken by-product meals vary in consistency per batch, so as nutrient-loaded as it may be, it’s still not considered a high-quality ingredient.

We don’t find anything wrong with soybean meal, though. It’s a great plant protein source. If your dog is not allergic to soy (and most dogs aren’t), then this ingredient should be completely fine to take.

Some of the other so-called problematic ingredients are corn gluten meal, corn germ meal, and whole grain corn. Opponents of corn believe that these are allergenic ingredients, and these also have the additional issue of not being digestible.

While they may be right about whole grain corn not being easily digested by pooches, corn germ meal and corn gluten meal have been ground up and therefore are easier for pups to chow down and digest.

As for corn being allergenic to dogs, that’s not exactly true. In fact, studies suggest that beef and dairy are often the worst culprits in dogs with allergies, followed by other animal protein sources. Corn is at the bottom of the list.

Our verdict on this recipe? Average. It’s a good recipe for getting chunky pups to lose weight or maintain a lean frame, but we’d like to see more quality protein sources.

We’re okay with grains as long as they’re combined with protein, but there seems to be too much grain ingredients here. Because aside from the corn products mentioned above, there is also oatmeal, wheat, and rice flour.

SmartBlend Sensitive Systems

Dogs who are prone to allergies and upset tummies need a specialized diet to address these issues. The SmartBlend Sensitive Systems Dog Food recipes aim to nurture a dog’s sensitive side by supporting their skin and coat and boosting their immune systems.

5. SmartBlend Sensitive Systems Adult Formula

First 5 Ingredients: Salmon, Rice Flour, Pearled Barley, Oat Meal, Corn Gluten Meal

Sensitive systems need a fully supportive diet that can get the ailing skin, coat, and entire body up to scratch. This recipe does this by loading it up with vitamin E and omega fatty acids to nourish dull or itching skin, while keeping the meal highly-digestible to go easy on the tummy.

The first ingredient is salmon, which is not only an excellent source of protein for building lean muscles and glucosamine for joint health, it’s also loaded with omega fatty acids. Omega fatty acids significantly reduce the signs of allergies, which often show up as extreme itching and inflammation of the skin.

The second to the fifth ingredients are all grains. There’s rice flour, which is often prescribed for dogs who have sensitive stomachs because it is an easily digestible food that’s gentle on the tummy.

There’s pearled barley that is just as digestible as rice but as nutritious as quinoa. There’s oatmeal, which is often used as a carbohydrate alternative to wheat. And lastly, you have corn gluten meal that supports digestible diets by boosting them with good protein and amino acid levels.

After all these grains come chicken by-product meal. We’re not very fond of this ingredient because you can never be consistent with the quality (it varies per batch) and the content (it may or may not contain any or all of the following: organs, blood, bones, and more).

However, we do acknowledge that chicken by-product meals can be extremely nutritious and will boost the protein content of any formulation.

Lastly, there is beef fat, fish oil, and a few token vegetables (carrots and peas). The veggies balance out the diet; the fat is there to fuel your pet’s muscles, and we like that the brand uses a high-quality type of fat by using beef; and the fish oil is a key ingredient that helps reduce joint pain, allergies, and itchy, inflamed skin.

Our verdict? This is a good recipe that really addresses the needs of sensitive canines. If you can overlook the use of some not-quite-premium ingredients, the formulation redeems itself by alleviating the allergic reactions of dogs. Plus, it’s priced quite affordably, which may explain the use of cheaper products.

SmartBlend Tender Cuts in Gravy

Tender Cuts are entrees that combine sumptuous gravy with tender cuts of meat. The recipes in this range contain real meat, 0% fillers, no poultry by-products, and lots of added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.

6. SmartBlend Tender Cuts in Gravy Lamb & Brown Rice Entree

First 5 Ingredients: Lamb And Chicken Broth, Liver, Lamb, Wheat Gluten, Meat By-Products

Wet foods typically start with either water or broth as the first ingredient. This is not a cause for concern since wet foods offer higher amounts of moisture than dry food. In the case of this formulation, it starts with lamb and chicken broth. The chicken adds a subtle mix of flavor in what’s mainly a lamb-based recipe.

After the broth comes the liver. (The lamb meat doesn’t figure until the third slot.) The inclusion of liver in this recipe means that the required amount of vitamin A in dogs may be met. Liver also helps boost the palatability of a meal so your dogs may most likely be gulping this food down.

This flavorful diet uses tender lamb as the main ingredient, and it’s a good choice because lamb is high in essential amino acids and protein — vital nutrients in your dog’s growth and body maintenance. It’s not the only meat source in this recipe aside from the liver, however. You can also find meat by-products and chicken (5th and 6th slots) here.

Now while chicken is a high-quality meat source, we don’t feel the same about the meat by-product. With dog food or any kind of food, the rule of thumb when checking for quality ingredients is that it must be clearly named.

Meat by-products is as vague as it gets. What kind of meat is it? From what animal? We just don’t think this ingredient should have a place in this recipe.

In fourth place in the list is wheat gluten. If you’re worried about gluten sensitivity, that’s a rare occurrence in dogs and seems to affect certain predisposed breeds.

If your dog is not already allergic to gluten, there shouldn’t be a problem with feeding him a meal with wheat gluten in it. Consumption of this ingredient will not cause your dog to develop the disease.

Why do we like wheat gluten? It’s an excellent protein source, has excellent digestibility, and is low in saturated fat. In fact, you can see wheat gluten in many veterinary exclusive diets because it’s a high-quality ingredient that is beneficial and complementary to most dogs’ diets.

We love the plentiful amount of nutrients. For example, the recipe contains two times the recommended selenium, zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin A antioxidant levels.

If not for the inclusion of meat by-products, we’d have given this a very good rating. As it is, we think this is about average, salvaged only by the addition of other high-quality food ingredients.

Other Tender Cuts recipes include:

• Chicken & Brown Rice Entree
• Beef & Barley Entree Turkey & Venison
• Beef & Wild-Caught Venison
• Chicken & Duck
• Turkey & Game Bird

SmartBlend Classic Ground

The SmartBlend Classic Ground gives pups their fill of real meat in a classic ground texture. The recipes in this line offer complete nutrition plus that tasty, rich flavor that pups can’t resist.

7. SmartBlend Classic Ground Beef & Brown Rice Entree

First 5 Ingredients: Beef, Chicken, Beef Broth, Liver, Pork Lungs

Beef makes up the bulk of this highly-nutritious recipe. It’s the first ingredient in the list, and it’s an excellent choice because many pups love the rich taste of this particular red meat.

Not only does this formulation start off with a premium meat ingredient, it follows it up with many more. Fresh chicken comes in the second spot, and beef broth comes in at third place only.

Now the broth is usually first or second place in a wet food recipe, and the fact that it comes only at third place with two high-quality meats before it just shows the recipe’s focus on providing your dog with a solid meal.

The broth coming in third place doesn’t mean that the moisture level has been affected. It’s still at a high 78% — about average for wet food.

After the broth are two more nutritious meat products — liver and pork lungs. Organs are nutrient-dense food that should be a part of a pet’s diet. In fact, they contain more nutrition than muscle meats. You can find high levels of fat, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin E, vitamin D, zinc, phosphorus, iron, and copper in these.

To keep the food more balanced, there are two healthy grains included: brown rice and oatmeal. These two are easily digestible. Brown rice, in particular, will not only be easily digested by your dog’s tummy, it will also soothe your pet’s upset stomach and aid him in his way to recovery.

Two types of vegetables round off the recipe — carrots and spinach. Carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, which your dog’s body then converts into vitamin A. Spinach, on the other hand, is high in calcium and potassium.

The rest of the ingredients in this wet food formulation are mostly made up of added vitamins and minerals.

We love the Classic Ground variety! It’s a smart recipe because it relies heavily on high-quality ingredients to deliver a complete and balanced meal to pups. Our rating? Very highly recommended for adult dogs of all breeds and sizes.

There are many other varieties of the Classic Ground. They not only differ in flavor, but some are also crafted specifically for puppies, adults, and seniors; and pups that need to go on grain-free diets.

• Grain-Free Turkey & Venison
• Healthy Puppy Lamb & Long Grain Rice
• Grain-Free Beef & Wild-Caught Salmon
• Grain-Free Chicken & Duck
• Vibrant Maturity Turkey & Barley
• Grain-Free Game Bird

True Instinct Bites

Rewards are meant to be irresistible little things that will make your dog want to behave. The True Instinct Bites line of dog treats are tender morsels that not only make great snacks, but they’re also rich in protein, low in fat, and heavy on essential nutrients.

8. True Instinct Bites Farm-Raised Chicken

First 5 Ingredients: Chicken, Soy Protein Concentrate, Soybean Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Ground Wheat

You won’t feel guilty feeding your pet these treats. Because as treats go, these are highly nutritious but also extremely flavorful.

It starts off with a premium meat — chicken — then follows it up with soy protein concentrate (SPC). The second ingredient isn’t something you often come across in pet food.

So what is it? It’s the better alternative to soybean meal, which can sometimes cause flatulence in canines. SPC has all those components that cause gas removed, but keeps the protein and amino acid profile intact.

So now we have SPC, but we still also get soybean meal. But don’t worry, while soy may cause some dogs to get a little more gassy, not all experience that. If your pet is prone to digestive issues, then it may be safer not to feed him this recipe. However, if he isn’t, he should benefit from the addition of soy here because it’s high in fiber and protein.

Aside from soy, these treats also contain a few grain ingredients like corn gluten meal, ground wheat, ground yellow corn, and wheat gluten. These are easily digested by canines (whole grain corn isn’t, but grounded up corn is) and provide the necessary carbohydrate, beta-carotene, protein, and other nutrients that an active dog needs.

Each bite of the morsels is meaty and will not disappoint. Plus, each piece is only 2.5 kcal, so giving your pup one or two or even three shouldn’t fill you with guilt. As a reward for good behavior, we find the True Instinct Bites highly recommendable.

Also available in a Venison flavor.

 

Recall History

In 2011 Purina One issued a recall for possible salmonella, but this recall only covered their cat food portion. However, in 2013, the recall happened again for possible salmonella contamination, this time with the Chicken and Whole Barley dog food recipe.

Although other lines from Purina have experienced other recalls, 2013 was the only time Purina One Dog food experienced a recall.

Customer Reviews

Customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive for Purina One. Although there are some outliers, Purina One is praised for having variety indicated by different life stages and different issue specific formulas.

They have budget grain-free options for sensitive dogs, specific formulas for aging, and True Instinct replaces a lot of the fillers and ups the protein for more athletic dogs who need a diet closer to canine ancestral diet. People also praise the taste typically because some dogs are very picky about kibble.

What Do People Like And Dislike About Purina One?

People love that Purina One is a budget option with better ingredients. We understand that not everyone has the means to buy costly dog foods, but that doesn’t mean pet owners don’t love or care for their pets. Purina One is a good option for those caught in the middle of wanting something better for their furry companion’s health without breaking the bank.

Purina One’s wet foods are particularly popular for their wide variety of flavors. Their canned foods often help dogs who are pickier and don’t always want to eat kibble.

Positive

• “I have been feeding my three dogs a high protein grain free kibble for over a year now. Spending $50-$60 every two weeks and I could not get a solid poop. Before I brought my first Malamute home I used Purina One-never had an issue. For whatever reason felt that now I needed to use premier kibble, no grain-high protein and I personally did not see the difference. Labels very similar and my vet said that Purina One or Purina Pro is perfectly fine. Finally frustrated years later and him still having soft to runny stools I went back to ole faithful again. Since then he has stopped licking his paws profusely, has far more energy and solid healthy poops. Yay for me” Mic2metoo, chewy.com

Negative

• “I've been feeding this to Oliver for a while now. It's got a great price point, and for the most part he likes the dried chicken morsels, but he is also picky and most of the time I have to mix in wet food to convince him to eat it. He also has been scratching and biting at his paws, so I had to switch him off this and to the American Journey grain-free food. It also has great reviews, so check it out! If you use grain-free food and like this brand I also suggest the Purina Smart Blend Grain-Free wet food.” OllieJ, chewy.com