The Chicken Soup For The Soul Dog Food Reviewed: Pros, Cons, and Ingredient Analysis

Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food is a pet food company owned by Diamond Pet Foods and was founded in 1993. It offers premium nutrition to pets while feeding shelter pets with the purchase of its products.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food donates four meals for every product sold to shelters across the country and helps feed over 1 million animals yearly.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food is made in the USA. The wet foods are produced in Kansas and the dry foods in Utah.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food uses a certified third-party animal nutritionist to formulate its recipes. Each formula is made to meet AAFCO standards, thus ensuring adequate nutrition.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food uses strict safety protocols and quality standards to make sure the vendors, suppliers, ingredients, production, and the finished product are the safest they can achieve.

Yes, Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food is good.

The nutrient-dense formulas from Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food feature wholesome and health-boosting ingredients that are responsibly sourced. The food formulas provide complete nutrition for dogs of different life stages.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food offers a range of recipes. Before clicking checkout, read our review of some of the brand’s popular formulas available on Amazon and Chewy.

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Summary: This Chicken Soup for the Soul Adult kibble is made with real chicken and turkey as the first ingredient. It contains no by-product meals, wheat, corn, or soy. This formula is made for adult dogs and is free from artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It is made in the USA with premium ingredients to offer complete nutrition to dogs. It is only available in two flavors and a small selection of bag sizes.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Adult dogs

Flavor Options: Chicken, Turkey, & Brown Rice Recipe

Price: $2.61

Pros

Cons

Ingredient Analysis: Real chicken and turkey are the first two ingredients immediately followed by chicken meal and turkey meal. All of these give this food a rich protein profile as well as a great source of glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health. White rice, oatmeal, and peas provide most of the carbohydrate and fiber content, while crude fat is added with chicken fat. A natural flavor is used in this recipe, and there is no explanation of what it is or where it comes from. Vitamins and minerals are supplemented.

Review: Most reviews are positive, with people calling this the “underdog” of dog foods and the “best dog food.” They were impressed with the quality of the ingredients and are happy that their dogs enjoyed the food. Complaints were varied with few repeating remarks. They ranged from moldy food to unlikeable flavor to complaining about the label being close to their cat food label.

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Summary: Real chicken and turkey are the first two ingredients in this Chicken Soup for the Soul Puppy food that is formulated specifically for large breeds. It is offered in puppy and adult large breed variations and uses real meat like chicken, duck, salmon, and turkey. It is free from by-product meals or preservatives. This food supports healthy skin and fur with its omega-3 fatty acid richness and promotes strong bones and teeth with the combination of calcium and phosphorus. It is available in two flavors and in several sizes.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Large breed puppies

Flavor Options: Chicken, Turkey, & Brown Rice Recipe

Price: $3.64/lb

Pros

Cons

Ingredient Analysis: The first ingredients are chicken, turkey, chicken meal, and turkey meal. All of which are great sources of protein and joint-supporting nutrients like glucosamine and chondroitin. Chicken fat is added for crude fat content, while carbs are supplied by fava beans, oatmeal, and peas. Flaxseed helps to provide fatty acids and choline chloride, copper proteinate, and ferrous sulfate help to round out the micronutrient profile to make this a source of complete nutrition.

Review: Many reviews tout this food to be the “best food out there.” Most of them are simple reviews saying their large breed dog loves this food, and they seem to do well on it. Others complained their dog would not eat this food or they had received damaged products upon delivery.

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Summary: Using a low-fat, high-fiber formula, this dog food is formulated for adult dogs. It contains real chicken and turkey and contains no by-product meals or artificial flavors. It is rich in fatty acids for skin and coat health and prebiotic fiber for digestive support. It has L-carnitine to help metabolize fat and is geared toward dogs who require some weight control. It is available in two flavors and several sizes.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Adult dogs

Flavor Options: Brown Rice Recipe, Chicken & Turkey Recipe

Price: $2.46/lb

Pros

Cons

Ingredient Analysis: Whole grain brown rice is the first ingredient and provides fiber and easily digestible carbohydrates. Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, and turkey meal are next, which are excellent sources of protein and nutrients for joints. Dried kelp, carrots, apples, blueberries, and cranberries are there to provide most of the vitamins and minerals. Riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, and thiamine mononitrate help to fortify this food with micronutrients.

Review: Many reviewers praise this food for helping their dogs with pancreatitis and weight issues. They say it improved their symptoms and helped them lose weight, and they were excited that their dogs enjoyed this food. Critical ratings only made up 2% of total ratings, and the only reviews left by them said there were worms in their food and their dog wouldn’t eat it.

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Summary: With real chicken as the first ingredient, this food is a high-protein formula meant for senior adult dogs. It relies heavily on real food to provide the necessary nutrients dogs need. It contains no artificial ingredients and is rich in omega-fatty acids. It includes prebiotic fiber from dried chicory root and is available in two flavors.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Senior dogs

Flavor Options: Chicken, Turkey, & Brown Rice Recipe

Price: $2.33/lb

Pros

Cons

Ingredient Analysis: Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, and turkey meal are next, and these are excellent sources of protein and nutrients for joints. Chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols boosts crude fat content and Yucca schidigera extract to help reduce odors. Micronutrients are mainly provided through real food except for vitamins E supplements, zinc proteinate, vitamin B12 supplements, and potassium chloride, which are an addition to the original ingredients.

Review: Most positive reviews are short and to the point. They often tout this food for its reasonable price point and high-quality ingredients. Many of them say their dog has eaten this food for years and has “thrived” on it. There were only three negative reviews, and they said they changed the recipe so their dogs won’t eat it, it made their dog ill, or they received the wrong package and could not return it after opening it.

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Summary: This dry food is made with real chicken and real turkey as the first two ingredients. The all-natural ingredients do not include things like artificial flavors or colors. It is rich in fatty acids for skin and coat health. It supports a lean frame in mature dogs using L-carnitine for fat metabolization. It is available in two flavors and two sizes.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Small breed senior dogs

Flavor Options: Chicken, Turkey, & Brown Rice Recipe;

Price: $4.55

Pros

Cons

Ingredient Analysis: Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, and turkey meal are the first ingredients, and these provide a great source of protein and glucosamine. Brown rice and barley are the primary drivers of carbohydrates, while chicken fat adds fat content. Micronutrients are supplied by real food like blueberries, spinach, cranberries, and tomatoes. Other nutrients like calcium iodate, d-calcium pantothenate, manganous oxide, and zinc oxide are added to help make this a source of complete nutrition for dogs.

Review: Reviews on this product were few and far between. From what we could gather, most people like this product. Some people with picky dogs say their dog eats this food, and their senior dogs have been able to age nicely since being introduced to this product. The only critical reviews state their dog just wouldn’t eat it.

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Summary: This wet canned dog food is made with real chicken as the first ingredient making this a protein-based wet dog food. It contains no artificial flavors or preservatives. Micronutrients are provided mainly by real foods but are supplemented where necessary. It contains no wheat, corn, or soy and is only available in one flavor.

Type: Wet dog food

Best for: Adult dogs 

Flavor Options: Chicken, Turkey, & Duck Recipe

Price: $2.89/can

Pros

Cons

Ingredient Analysis: Chicken is the first ingredient and is followed by the chicken liver, which is a great source of minerals and amino acids. Turkey broth adds flavor and texture, while brown rice and carrots add fiber and vitamins. Micronutrients are helped out with niacin supplements, parsley flakes, and folic acid supplements.

Review: Positive reviews of this food tout it as “incredible” and “best bang for your buck.” Consumers are happy their dog is happy with this food, and their dogs are eager for mealtime. Negative reviews were sometimes hard to find as five-star ratings had one-star reviews. These reviews complained about damaged cans; their dogs became sick after eating them.

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Summary: The high-quality protein sources in this wet dog food help make this a complete nutrition dog food. It features omega-3 fatty acids, real meat, and animal liver for a healthy nutrient profile. It is made with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It is made with no wheat, corn, or soy.

Type: Wet dog food

Best for: Dogs of all life stages

Flavor Options: Lamb & Brown Rice; Turkey & Bacon Recipe; Beef Recipe

Price: $2.89/can

Pros

Cons

Ingredient Analysis: Real meat like chicken and lamb are the first ingredients, and this provides high-quality protein to this formula. Liver is used for more protein and minerals, while barley provides healthy carbs. Micronutrients are added individually, like calcium carbonate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, potassium iodide, and folic acid.

Review: Satisfied customers were happy to see their dogs excited over this food. It didn’t upset their dog’s stomachs, and they seemed to really enjoy the flavor. Critical reviews were disappointed by dented cans, receiving the wrong product, and their dogs wouldn’t eat the food.

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Summary: Real salmon is the first ingredient in this grain-free dry dog food. It is made from the simplest ingredients that provide a well-balanced base for this formula. It contains natural ingredients that provide complete nutrition to dogs. It contains no artificial flavors or preservatives and is available in only one flavor.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Adult dogs 

Flavor Options: Salmon, Pea, & Sweet Potato Recipe

Price: $5.75/lb

Pros

Cons

Ingredient Analysis: Salmon is the first ingredient, followed by a menhaden fish meal. Both of these provide high levels of protein, fatty acids, and glucosamine. Flaxseed, sweet potato, and pea flour provide healthy carbohydrates, and micronutrients are supplied by supplements like vitamin A supplements, vitamin E supplements, and niacin supplements.

Review: There were no reviews on this product, and the only ratings available were 3 and 5 stars.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food has several product lines. Here is a list of the lines and the specific formulas:

Yes, Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food has been recalled.

The most recent recall was in 2013 when scares of Salmonella contamination forced Diamond Pet Food to expand an existing recall to their Chicken Soup for the Soul Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light Formula.

Yes, Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food is worth it.

At $2-5.00 per pound, the cost can add up fast and restrict access for some dog owners. However, the ingredients are wholesome, and the nutrition is real in this food. They make everything from puppy food to dog treats and use no artificial ingredients in the process.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Dog Food provides four meals for shelter animals for every one product sold, so when you buy its recipes, you are supporting shelter animals across the country.