When it comes to feeding our pets, selecting a high-quality food that is evenly balanced with nutrients, vitamins and minerals is paramount in ensuring that their dietary requirements are catered to.
Purina Puppy Chow is a range produced by the well known pet brand Purina. The brand is an American subsidiary of another recognized brand Nestle. They aim to create high-quality dog food that caters to young and small pets that have unique dietary needs.
The dog chow range was first introduced in 1957 and the puppy chow range entered the market shortly after. The puppy chow range consists of three different dog food varieties. This includes the Purina Puppy Chow Complete, the Purina Puppy Chow Large Breed, and the Purina Puppy Chow Tender and Crunchy.
If you have your own pet, you may be wondering whether you should feed them any of the foods from the Purina Puppy Chow range.
Below I have compiled a review where I have delved into the ingredient content of this food along with its nutritional value and whether or not it is good for your canine.
Continue reading if you would like to find out more.
Contents
The ingredient content
The ingredients that are used to make this dog food are as follows:
Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols, chicken by-product meal, brewers rice, soybean meal, egg, and chicken flavor, barley, animal digest (poultry and pork), ground rice, calcium phosphate, dried yeast, calcium carbonate, fish oil, choline chloride, potassium chloride, salt, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, vitamin E supplement, Vitamin A supplement, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, yellow 6, yellow 5, DL-methionine, manganese sulfate, Red 40, niacin, Blue 2, garlic oil, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B-12 supplement, vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, riboflavin supplement, folic acid, sodium selenite, menadione sodium bisulfite complex and biotin.
Now if you are new to owning a pet, or you don’t know much about good and bad pet food ingredients, those listed above may seem a little alien to you. We have provided you with an analysis of some of the key ingredients below.
The first ingredient that is listed is whole grain corn. Corn has several nutritional benefits and is a good source of protein and whilst it isn’t considered to be an overly harmful ingredient, if eaten in excess, it can have adverse effects on your dog.
This is because it isn’t very easy for them to digest unless it is well processed. The next ingredient is corn gluten meal. This is considered to be more easily digestible for dogs than corn alone, however, it is known to have a rather rubbery texture which becomes apparent when the carbohydrates have been washed out of it.
It is also believed that if fed over a prolonged period, in some instances it can cause animals to develop allergies. Another ingredient is the soybean meal. You will find many different types of dog foods that use this ingredient.
It is a good source of protein that will satisfy the requirements of growing dogs and adults alike. It is worth noting, however, that some dogs can be allergic to soy so it is important to bear this in mind if you have a dog that has sensitivities towards certain foods and ingredients.
The next ingredient listed fairly high up is the chicken by-product meal. By-product meal is made from the waste product that is used once the desired cuts have been made and taken.
Although this may not sound very appetizing to us as humans, it does have its benefits for dogs. It is an excellent source of protein that contains healthy vitamins and minerals too.
Another thing to note is that the quality of this ingredient can differ depending on the source of the meat.
As you can see so far, this dog food contains a decent amount of plant matter. In comparison to animal matter, plant matter can be quite difficult for dogs to digest.
This doesn’t mean that it doesn’t add any value to your dog’s diet because it does contain some nutrients and amino acids.
Another ingredient to mention is the beef fat which is more than likely rendered. It may not sound the most appealing but it isn’t a bad ingredient.
Barley is also a listed ingredient. Because it is quite starchy, it will leave your dog feeling fuller for longer and it is also quite high in fiber. However, as it is a carbohydrate it should not be the main ingredient as it isn’t going to add a great deal of value to your dog’s diet.
Brewer’s rice is another ingredient that is commonly found in many dog foods. Rice in general is a good source of energy for dogs, but again, it isn’t one of the best ingredients for your dog.
Moreover, another ingredient to mention is the garlic oil. Whilst it is thought to have some health benefits such as lowering cholesterol, it is believed to be a cause of hemolytic anemia.
Fish oil is also listed in the ingredients list. It has many benefits and is thought to be one of the best supplements for a dog’s diet.
Not only does it support heart health but it will also help to improve the condition of your dog’s skin by reducing redness and alleviating itchiness. Aside from this, it can also help to strengthen your dog’s immune system.
There are many other ingredients inside this food, however, we analyzed a few in closer detail above.
Are the ingredients inside this dog food good quality?
As you can see from our analysis of several of the ingredients above, some add value to your dog’s diet due to the health benefits that they provide whilst others do not.
Previously, Purina had a reputation for producing high-quality pet foods, but it currently has not earned itself a lot of raving reviews. This is because there are many suggestions that the quality of the ingredients are no longer on par with what they once were.
On the website, the brand does give explanations of several of the ingredients with suggestions as to why they are good additions to your dog’s diet, and whilst this is the case with some of the ingredients listed above, this statement certainly does not apply to them all.
Does the Purina Puppy Chow dog food have much nutritional value?
Several of the ingredients that are used in this food are going to be good for your puppy, but on the whole, when compared to offerings from competitors, some would suggest that this range is below average.
This doesn’t mean that all ranges of dog food created by the brand are lacking in nutritional value, but the Puppy Chow specifically contains a lot of protein, more than you would expect for this type of dog food, paired with less fat than expected.
Is Purina Puppy Chow expensive?
The cost of the food will differ depending on where you purchase it from. The size of the bag is also going to influence the total cost.
As such, you should expect a larger bag to cost you more than a standard bag. Often, you will be able to purchase the food in bulk quantities and for many, this is going to be a cost effective option.
What is good about the Purina Puppy Chow dog food?
- It contains calcium which puppies require to develop strong bones and joints.
- When purchased via Amazon, you can bulk buy and receive four bags so you will have plenty available to see your puppy through many meals.
- Some customers have reported that the size of the kibble is easy for their dogs to chew.
- It retails at a budget friendly price which is likely to be appreciated by puppy owners that are on a budget.
What is bad about the Purina Puppy Chow dog food?
- This food lacks many nutrients which are essential additions to your dog’s diet.
- There are concerns that some of the listed ingredients can have harmful effects on the health of dogs.
- Many of the ingredients such as the corn and the grain may be difficult for your dog to digest.
- This range for puppies does not include any wet food varieties.
- It may not be the best option for dogs that have allergies or sensitivities, because some of the ingredients may trigger a reaction.
Has the Purina Puppy Chow range been recalled?
Although the brand has been established for quite some time, it doesn’t have a very extensive recall history, in fact, very few products from their different lines have been recalled.
Whilst some of their products have been recalled in the past, i.e certain products from the Pro Plan range and a single batch of the Purina One Dry Dog food, it is worth noting that no products from the Purina Puppy Chow range have been recalled since their introduction to the market.
Despite your opinions of this particular range, as a brand, Purina is known to be trustworthy. Since their establishment, they have gained a favorable reputation and practically all of their products are widely available from the majority of stores and online retailers.
Final Thoughts
The Purina Puppy Chow Range has existed for quite some time now and since its initial release, it has attracted some conflicting opinions.
While it may once have been a favorite choice amongst many pet owners, the introduction of new puppy foods from competitor brands that have been made using higher quality ingredients, means that it may no longer be the first choice for some.
As we have mentioned throughout this review, there are concerns regarding the source and quality of some of the ingredients that have been used, along with queries as to whether they add any nutritional value to your dog’s diet.
This isn’t to rule out any advantages of this food. It does contain some ingredients that are going to be beneficial to your puppy as it grows and develops, calcium being one of the most notable.
Aside from this, it is also a cost effective food choice that is likely to cater to the budgets of many dog owners.
