Primal Dog Food Reviewed
Table of Contents
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Primal Dog Food Summary
- Best Overall Primal Dog Food: Primal Freeze-Dried Dog Food Nuggets Grain-Free Raw Dog Food
A freeze-dried formula boosted with protein and superfoods that improve your dog’s overall health. - Best Primal Dog Food Topper: Primal Cupboard Cuts Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper
This protein-rich food topper has multiple probiotic strains that improve digestion and gut health in dogs.
- From antibiotic-free lamb and USDA certified organic fruits/vegetables. No corn, wheat, soy, lentils, or legumes.
- Convenient and delicious raw nutrition that is shelf-stable and ready to serve.
- Freeze-dried raw dog food maximizes nutrient absorption for overall health, including weight, skin, coat, oral care, and eyes.
What is Primal Dog Food?
Primal Dog Food is a premium dog & cat food brand, a part of Primal Pet Foods established in 2001 by Matt Koss.
Matt tried feeding his dog a diet made of bones and raw food, and it saved his dog from renal failure. Thus, after intensive research, Matt established Primal dog food based on the concept of BARF or Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, which reflects dogs’ natural wild diet: raw meat and bones.
At present, Primal Dog Food is a widely accepted pet food brand that has improved the health of innumerable dogs all over the world.
Where is Primal Dog Food Made?
Primal Dog Food is made in Fairfield, CA 94534, USA.
All dog food recipes are manufactured in the same production facility, which is USDA, and AAFCO approved and compliant with all food safety standards.
How is Primal Dog Food Made?
Primal Dog Food uses fresh and raw ingredients with minimal processing for its recipes. All the ingredients are sourced from the USA and are human grade.
The protein sources are organic and free of antibiotics, steroids, and hormones. Primal dog food uses bones, meat, and organ meat from these protein sources for its recipes.
All recipes use organic vegetables, fruits, unrefined vitamins, and minerals. The ingredients are carefully selected to make balanced meal recipes that improve dogs’ digestive, bone and heart health.
Is Primal Raw Dog Food Safe?
Yes, Primal Dog Food is safe.
Due to the raw nature of the formulas, there is much concern about the safety quotient of the diet, especially against harmful bacteria such as Salmonella spp.
Primal states that they use high-pressure processing to prepare all their products, eliminating all pathogens from the food.
They also conduct a “test and hold” procedure for all their products to ensure that they are free of harmful bacteria. This makes Primal Dog Food a safe raw dog food option.
Is Primal Food Good for Dogs?
Yes, Primal Dog Food is good.
The recipes use selected foods, making the ingredient list high-quality and transparent. All of the ingredients are carefully sourced and free of added hormones and steroids.
Food processing ensures that all harmful pathogens are eliminated from the ingredients. Raw food is the most appealing food for dogs as they are carnivores by nature. Plus, compared to traditional kibble, it is healthier and more enticing.
Primal Dog Food Formulas Reviewed
To ensure that you make the best and safest choice for your dog’s daily meals, we have reviewed and analyzed the most popular Primal Dog Food formulas you can find on Amazon & Chewy.
Summary: This is a free-dried raw food formula that can be rehydrated using warm raw goat milk or water before consumption. This formula is curated with fresh lamb, a rich source of delicious protein. This formula also contains superfoods like pumpkin, blueberries, spinach, and carrots, which are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. All the ingredients are organic, and the formula is free of any additives. This minimally processed blend of rich protein and healthy nutrients improves coat health, vision, and vitality in dogs.
Type: Freeze-dried nuggets
Best for: Dogs of all life stages
Flavor Options: Lamb
Price: $2.43 per ounce
- Minimally processed raw food with optimum nutrient levels
- Can be rehydrated before consumption
- Contains lamb, which is a source of high protein
- Contains superfoods like blueberries, pumpkin, and carrots
- Improves vision, bone health, and vitality in dogs
- Limited accessibility due to high price tag
Ingredient Analysis
- Great Ingredients: Lamb hearts, ground lamb bones, lamb liver, organic carrots, organic squash, organic kale, organic apples, organic broccoli, organic pumpkin seeds, organic sunflower seeds, organic blueberries, organic cranberries, organic parsley, organic apple cider vinegar, malononitrile clay, fish oil, organic rosemary extract, organic quinoa, organic coconut oil, organic ground alfalfa, vitamin E supplement, dried organic kelp, and zinc sulfate
- Not-so-Great Ingredients: None
Review: Based on 1,206 customer feedback on Amazon, this product has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Customers state that this is a high-quality food that has improved their dog’s health substantially with consistent use.
Summary: A Primal freeze-dried formula of delicious and easy-to-digest food topper. The main ingredient of this formula is cage-free, fresh, and organic beef. Beef is a premium source of protein and is balanced with sweet potatoes, cherry tomatoes, kale, and ginger: all of which are superfoods rich in vitamins and antioxidants. This is a grain-free formula and is also free of any legumes. This is a minimally processed freeze-dried food formula devoid of any corn, wheat, soy, or fillers.
Type: Freeze-dried food topper
Best for: Dogs of all life stages
Flavor Options: Beef
Price: $2.22 per ounce
- Grain and legume-free formula fit for sensitive stomachs
- Contains superfoods blended with rich protein from beef
- Minimally processed and nutrient-dense
- Free of added hormones, fillers, and preservatives
- Chew-size fit for both small and large breed dogs of all ages
- Limited accessibility due to high price tag
Ingredient Analysis
- Great Ingredients: Beef, beef liver, organic sweet potato, organic kale, organic eggshell, organic cranberry, organic turmeric, organic ginger, organic rosemary, liquid Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, liquid Lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product, liquid Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, and liquid Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product
- Not-so-Great Ingredients: None
Review: Based on customer feedback, this Primal Beef Topper has an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars. Pet owners say this is quality organic produce that their dogs love and get excited for.
What Dog Food Formulas does Primal Make?
Primal Dog Food makes several product lines. Here is a list of the brand’s lines and recipes:
- Primal Frozen Nuggets
- Primal Frozen Nuggets Beef Formula
- Primal Frozen Nuggets Chicken Formula
- Primal Frozen Nuggets Duck Formula
- Primal Frozen Nuggets Lamb Formula
- Primal Frozen Nuggets Pork Formula
- Primal Frozen Nuggets Quail Formula
- Primal Frozen Nuggets Rabbit Formula
- Primal Frozen Nuggets Turkey & Sardine Formula
- Primal Frozen Nuggets Venison Formula
- Primal Frozen Patties
- Primal Frozen Patties Beef Formula
- Primal Frozen Patties Chicken Formula
- Primal Frozen Patties Duck Formula
- Primal Frozen Patties Lamb Formula
- Primal Frozen Patties Pork Formula
- Primal Frozen Patties Quail Formula
- Primal Frozen Patties Rabbit Formula
- Primal Frozen Patties Turkey & Sardine Formula
- Primal Frozen Patties Venison Formula
- Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets
- Primal Raw Pronto
- Primal Pronto Beef Formula
- Primal Pronto Chicken Formula
- Primal Pronto Duck Formula
- Primal Pronto Lamb Formula
- Primal Pronto Pork Formula
- Primal Pronto Turkey & Sardine Formula
- Primal Bone Broths
- Primal Chicken Bone Broth
- Primal Pork Bone Broth
- Primal Beef Bone Broth
- Primal Turkey Bone Broth
- Primal Butcher’s Blend
- Primal Butcher’s Blend Beef Recipe
- Primal Butcher’s Blend Chicken Recipe
- Primal Butcher’s Blend Lamb Recipe
- Primal Butcher’s Blend Pork Recipe
- Primal Butcher’s Blend Sardine Recipe
- Primal Butcher’s Blend Turkey Recipe
- Primal Raw Meaty Bones
- Primal Raw Meaty Bones Chicken Backs
- Primal Raw Meaty Bones Turkey Necks
- Primal Chews
- Primal Chews Elk Antlers
- Primal Chews Moose Antlers
- Primal Chews Stag Antlers
- Primal Recreational Bones
- Primal Recreational Bones Buffalo Marrow
Has Primal Dog Food Been Recalled?
Yes, Primal Dog Food has been recalled. Here is the brand’s recall history:
- July 2022: A voluntary recall by Primal dog food a single lot of Primal Raw Frozen Primal Patties for Dogs Beef Formula for Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
- December 2017: A voluntary recall of dog food by Primal, as the bone size of the ground bone in the formula was not ideal and could disbalance the formulation.
Is Primal Dog Food Worth it?
Yes, Primal Dog food is worth it.
Primal is one of the few raw diet brands that make safe BARF food formulas. The ingredient list is very transparent and contains multiple healthy ingredients that can benefit your dog’s health.
Their processing method is safe and complies with all USDA and AAFCO standards. The two recalls were voluntary and didn’t severely affect the health of any dogs.
Positive customer feedback on this pet supply ensures that this dog food is suitable for many dog breeds and life stages. Overall, Primal Dog Food is a good choice of nutritious and healthy food for dogs.
