Wild Calling Dog Food Reviews, Recalls & Coupons

NOTICE : WILD CALLING IS NO LONGER IN PRODUCTION -> More Information.

Meet Wild Calling Dog Food

Wild Calling is a holistic brand that’s still relatively small with no board members or shareholders to please. The company bills itself as a pet food innovator and uses premium quality ingredients with a high level of meat to provide plenty of dense nutrition.

The company wants to make sure that you understand what’s going on in your dog’s food and strives to make the ingredients list as clear as possible.

The food uses only premium ingredients and could be just the thing your dog is looking for to boost health and well being. Let’s take a look and read our detailed Wild Calling dog food reviews below.

 

Wild Calling Company Update As of 2019

After nearly eight years on the market, Wild Calling has gone out of business.

This isn’t the first time that Wild Calling has gone off the market. In October of 2017, the company filed for bankruptcy. The brand was briefly discontinued but in mid-2018, Barkstrong, LLC announced that it had acquired Wild Calling.

The acquisition kept Wild Calling alive until spring of 2019, when Barkstrong, LLC also filed for bankruptcy. An article in Pet Business explained that the company’s owner, A.K. Sands, had died and the family chose to dissolve the company rather than go on without Sands.

The rest of the article covers what the brand offered before it went out of business.

Brand Quick Look

• Parent Company: Barkstrong
• Founded in: 2012
• Made in: USA
• Made by: Wild Calling Pet Foods, Greeley Colorado
• Available at: Chewy, Amazon, Walmart
• Types of Food: Dry, wet
• Real Meat in First 5 Ingredients? Yes
• Recalled in Past? No

Behind the Brand

The brand was founded in 2012 by a father and his two sons. They couldn’t find a dog food that satisfied what they wanted from the market at the time, so they used a simple recipe to create their own food.

The company bills itself as following the ideals of the West (cowboys, that is). They want to be completely transparent about what goes into their foods, how they create their recipes, and if anything goes wrong. The company hasn’t had any issues with recalls yet, so there hasn’t been much need for such radical transparency, but we’ll see how that plays out.

The company was quickly acquired by Barkstrong to increase distribution, but the company remains true to its small business roots. They don’t use any artificial ingredients and use only the ingredients sourced from trusted suppliers. They want to treat their entire ecosystem as something to be nurtured and performed with fairness.

The acquisition by Barkstrong may not have been huge news, but it was a big deal. Wild Calling had filed for bankruptcy, but the acquisition allows the company to keep making the foods with novel proteins that its biggest fans loved. Now, the company can create even more novel foods for dog owners looking to upgrade.

Wild Calling Dog Food Reviews

Wild Calling Xotic Rabbit Meal

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

First 5 Ingredients: Rabbit Meal, Sweet Potato, Rabbit, Lentils, Tapioca

The Xotic Rabbit meal blend is an alternative protein source designed to help alleviate more severe allergies. The recipe uses rabbit meal, which is not only easier for dogs to digest, but meat meal is a concentrated protein that gives your companion an extra boost.

It uses balanced carbs for slow release energy all day long that doesn’t spike your dog’s blood sugar. It has limited ingredients anyway to help eliminate digestive issues. It supplements with coconut oil for healthy fats and uses a proprietary probiotic blend for immune support.

Wild Calling foods are great for rotational feeding, and this one is suitable for that type of system. It also has a few fruits and vegetables for a complete vitamin blend and omega fatty acids to help with skin health.

Discuss the food with your vet before starting because it’s best on a rotational schedule and isn’t intended to be the sole type of food for your dog. If you aren’t sure what rotational feeding is, it’s best to check with experts before purchasing the food.

Otherwise, it would make a great addition to your dog’s feeding schedule and provides quality nutrition that mimics the ancestral canine diet. We think most owners will be happy with the blend and the way it improves their dogs’ digestion.

Best Wild Calling Dog Food Recipes

We don’t have a lot of choices here, but let’s take a look at a few of our favorites. These stand out for being good options for a variety of dogs.

1. Xotic Essentials Rabbit Meal Recipe

If your dog is allergic to everything, this could be a good option. It uses rabbit, which is thought to be less irritating on sensitive tummies than things like poultry. It’s a limited ingredient option that eliminates everything that’s unnecessary for dog food to help get your dog’s digestion under control once again.

It has good sources of protein and balanced carbohydrates for all-day energy. Critical minerals and vitamins come from whole fruit and veggies so that your dog can live well with a robust immune system. Omega fatty acids support joint, skin, and coat health. It’s best suited for rotational feeding to aid absorption and digestion.

2. Western Plains Stampede Whitefish Recipe

This option is useful for dogs chronic skin issues and who may be allergic to poultry. It uses whitefish for a quality source of protein that provides plenty of omega fatty acids to support skin health. It has balanced carbs for energy throughout the day, and it’s grain free.

Whole fruits and veggies provide critical minerals and vitamins. It uses time released carbs to prevent blood sugar spikes and help keep your dog’s weight under control. It also has a probiotic blend to ensure a good immune system and a settled tummy.

What Types Of Dog Food Does Wild Calling Offer?

The line offers a range of foods both dry and wet using higher protein contents and holistic ingredients. The meals are appropriate for a variety of breed sizes and include a range of protein sources to help alleviate digestive issues.

Western Plains Stampede

This option uses just a single protein source to provide sensitive tummies a better chance to digest without trouble. 75% of the protein is derived from animal sources, and slow release carbs plus omega fatty acids give your dog plenty of energy throughout the day.

• Turkey Western Plains Stampede Recipe
• Whitefish Western Plains Stampede Recipe

Xotic Essentials

This line is intended to be a unique protein source for dogs allergic to things like poultry or beef. It has had other lines in the past, but currently, the only one now is rabbit. It helps ease digestion and alleviate the allergic responses to poultry that many dogs experience, but owners don’t always know about beforehand.

• Xotic Essentials Rabbit Recipe
• Xotic Essentials Kangaroo Recipe

Wet Foods

The wet foods line uses the same types of ingredients as the dry foods but in an easy to digest moistened formula with plenty of fiber and slow release carbs. The recipes are suitable for standalone meals or to use as a topper to encourage picky dogs to eat (or just to offer a fun treat for your companion).

• Chicken Coop
• Mountain Lake
• Western Plains
• Rainbow River
• Turkey Trot
• Shepherds Choice
• Country Best
• Later Gator

There aren’t any options for large or small breed specific recipes, and the company doesn’t have a puppy or senior recipe. The foods are formulated to suit a variety of life stages and breed sizes but talk to your vet if you want more information on why using a specific type of food may be helpful for your pet.

 

Wild Calling Recall History

Wild Calling has no history of recalls. It’s still a relatively new company, but it is always nice to see that companies are taking care of business and using only clean manufacturing processes that follow strict safety standards. We are glad to see that a new company is following standard protocols and going above and beyond.

Customer Reviews

Customers like that the food uses quality proteins in higher concentrations to help keep up with athletic dogs’ needs without all the excess fillers and artificial ingredients.

Dogs with allergies are also good candidates for this food and customers noted that many of their dogs experienced an improvement in symptoms. It’s rated consistently at four stars or higher across multiple websites and recipes. Overall, this is a top-rated food and was even an approved food for a few canine groups.

What Do People Like And Dislike About Wild Calling Food?

People tend to like that the food has a higher level of protein and they love the options without all the common food allergens. Rabbit is wonderful for dogs that have a lot of difficulties digesting other types of protein.

The limited and easy to read ingredients was a relief for a lot of customers who’d been searching for something that could help their dog with more severe allergies. Customers also like that there are no artificial ingredients and no cheap fillers.

The downside for many is the price point. It’s a little bit on the expensive side, and some customers felt it was out of their budget. Others noticed that their dog didn’t seem to like the kibble, but some were able to mix wet food into their kibble and have their dogs eat.

Some noticed an increase in gas, which can sometimes happen with foods high in protein. Gradually transition your dog to the new food by mixing the two while slowly adding in more Wild Calling and less of your current food. This may help reset your dog’s system.

The biggest complaint was that the line doesn’t offer large or small breed options and nothing for specific life stages. Consult your vet if you like this food, but you aren’t sure about your dog’s unique situation.

Positive

• “Shortly after my 10-year-old dog was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure, I spoke with one of the Wild Calling reps, and he suggested the whitefish blend. I mixed it with my dog’s special diet, and it worked wonders! Thank you Wild Calling for taking the time to address my dog’s needs. Now it’s the only food I’ve ever given my other 4-year-old dog” Marleymom, chewy.com

Negative:

• “My two Shih Tzus are very picky eaters. When I first introduced the Rabbit Meal to them, they ate it like they were starving, but the next day, they wouldn't touch it. I don't know what to think about that. I think the pellets are a little hard for the smallest (12lbs) to chew. Otherwise, I think it is a good food and I had hoped my guys would eat it.” julie926, chewy.com