Rachael Ray Dog Food Reviewed: Pros, Cons, and Ingredient Analysis

Rachael Ray Dog Food is a pet food company owned by Ainsworth Pet Nutrition, a division of J.M. Smucker Company, that makes dog and cat food for pets of all life stages and specialty needs.

They believe in using real ingredients for nutrients and offering it at an affordable price point to be accessible to pet owners who want high-quality nutrition for their cats and dogs.

Rachael Ray Dog Food is made in the USA, although it is not specified where. Their wet recipes are made in Thailand like many other wet dog food and wet cat food brands.

Rachael Ray Nutrish manufactures its products using a standard process of cooking and dehydrating ingredients to be formed into a powder that is then processed into kibble or wet food.

The ingredients consist of multiple protein sources per food to ensure a well-rounded amino acid profile and an array of plants and gluten-free grains for vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. It is unclear, however, where the ingredients are sourced as their suppliers remain unnamed.

Yes, Rachael Ray Dog Food is good.

The recipes are formulated to meet the nutrient profiles established by the Association of American Feed Controls Officials (AAFCO) that are based on the guidelines set forth by the National Research Council of the National Academies of Science, and each formula is considered to be a complete and balanced source of nutrition.

It depends. Some dogs require different nutrient profiles than others.

Rachel Ray Dog Food offers a selection of specialty recipes for pets that need more protein, limited ingredients, weight management, etc., and ensures complete nutrition in each recipe.

The healthiest Rachel Ray recipe will depend on your dog’s needs, so you may need to consult a vet to determine what those needs will be and how to meet them.

Rachel Ray Dog Food offers a range of recipes for dogs. Before clicking checkout, look at our in-depth review of the brand’s best-selling formulas.

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Summary: Offering protein sources like farm-raised beef and real turkey, chicken, or venison, this formula is made to provide a well-rounded profile of amino acids and minerals. It is made without the use of artificial preservatives or flavors and uses no by-product meal or filler. Suitable for adult dogs, this dry dog food comes in various flavors and sizes to fit the needs of almost any dog owner.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Adult dogs

Flavor Options: Real Beef, Peas & Brown Rice Recipe

Price: $1.40/lb

Ingredient Analysis: Real meat like beef, turkey, and chicken are used as the first ingredient giving this food a high-quality source of protein as a base. Soybean meal and corn add fiber and carbohydrates, while chicken fat boosts the crude fat content. Plain beet pulp and malted barley flour increase fiber, while taurine, zinc sulfate, and choline chloride help to round off this product’s ingredient list.

Review: Over 90% of the 15,000+ reviews on Amazon give this product a 4 or 5-star rating. Customers were largely happy with the results from feeding their dog Nutrish and claimed the food had improved their dog’s coat, digestion, and energy levels. Critical reviews complained about their dogs becoming sick after eating this food, with a few consumers citing the use of glyphosate as the suspected reason. However, this suspicion has been debunked in recent years.

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Summary: This dry dog food is made with limited ingredients to limit the risk of adverse reactions to known allergens. It is made with no fillers, artificial flavors or preservatives, and no artificial colors. There are only six key ingredients in this food that are supplemented with vitamins and minerals to provide complete nutrition in various package sizes.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Adult dogs

Flavor Options Lamb Meal and Brown Rice Recipe; Grain-Free Turkey Meal & Pea

Price: $1.29/lb

Ingredient Analysis: Lamb meal is the first ingredient and provides easily digestible protein and B vitamins as well as glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health. Brown rice and ground rice are the carbohydrate source of this formula, while beet pulp helps to add fiber. Chicken fat is then added and preserved with mixed tocopherols and added vitamins and minerals to complete the nutritional profile of this limited ingredient food.

Review: Most of the thousands of reviews on Amazon rate this product highly, with the most common point revolving around dogs and their allergies. Many dog owners noticed a stark difference in their dog’s itching and hair loss, giving credit to this food for solving their skin sensitivity problems. Nearly 10% of reviews were 1 and 2-star ratings, though. The most common complaint was a concern about bad batches being sent out to customers who ordered their products on Amazon.

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Summary: Made with farm-raised chicken and farm-raised beef with added vitamins and minerals, this dry dog food is made to provide dogs with complete and balanced nutrition. It contains no artificial preservatives or flavors and uses no poultry by-product meal. It is sold in two flavors and a variety of sizes to fit the needs of most dogs and dog owners.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Adult dogs

Flavor Options: Chicken and Brown Rice Recipe; Beef and Brown Rice Recipe

Price: $1.97/lb

Ingredient Analysis: Real chicken is the first ingredient and is paired with chicken meal to provide readily digestible protein and minerals. Dried peas, brewer rice, and brown rice provide carbs and fiber, while whole flaxseed provides fatty acids for healthy skin and heart function. It is all completed with D-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, and vitamin D3 supplements to make this a well-rounded set of high-quality ingredients that provide high-quality nutrition.

Review: Consumers who rated this product highly commented on how well their dog’s coat looked, their breath had improved, and they had more energy. Buyers were pleased their dogs enjoyed this food as well because they had no luck in the past getting food that agreed with their dogs and was healthy for them. Negative reviews were all very similar to one another in that they complained their dogs became sick after eating this food. A small number said they received the wrong bag and didn’t notice until their dog had become sick.

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Summary: This wet dog food is made with no meat by-products or fillers to offer more natural nutrition from natural ingredients. It is a grain-free recipe and contains no corn, wheat, or soy that is made using hearty chunks of beef and vegetables. It is sold in 8-ounce tubs that can be used as single-serve containers and are available in a variety pack.

Type: Wet dog food

Best for: Adult dogs

Flavor Options: Beef Stroganwoof; Beef Stew; Chicken Muttballs; Duck Stew; Chicken Paw Pie; Lamb Stew

Price: $3.50/can

Ingredient Analysis: Chicken broth is the first ingredient and adds flavor and texture, while real meat like beef and chicken are used for high-quality protein content. Dried egg product, egg white, and pea protein help to boost the protein content and add minerals. Potato, carrots, and ground tapioca help to provide fiber and carbohydrates, but an unspecified natural flavor is used, and it is not made clear what the flavor is or where it comes from. Ascorbic acid adds a source of vitamin C while other vitamins and minerals are supplemented to meet the needs of everyday dogs.

Review: Satisfied customers gave various reasons for being happy with purchasing this product. They were happy with everything from the container to the ease of use and the nutrition their dogs receive when eating. Negative remarks ranged from their dogs becoming sick after eating to bad batches, with one customer claiming this food gave their dog pancreatitis. The main concern, however, seemed to be that this food is made in Thailand instead of the USA.

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Summary: This dry dog food is made with a grain-free recipe that uses sweet potatoes and potatoes as the primary carb and fiber source rather than wheat or corn. It provides complete nutrition for dogs under 70 lbs and contains no artificial colors or flavors. It is available in several flavors and a variety of sizes to suit the needs of dogs at every life stage.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Dogs of all life stages

Flavor Options: Salmon & Sweet Potato; Beef, Potato, & Bison; Chicken & Sweet Potato; Turkey & Potato

Price: $1.84/lb

Ingredient Analysis: Real meat is the first ingredient, and it provides high-quality protein to the recipe. Chicken meal helps provide more protein and minerals while being supplemented with minerals and vitamins to meet the nutritional needs of dogs. Canola meal and an unspecified natural flavor are added, and this could be less than ideal for some dogs as canola oil is highly processed, and the natural flavor is undefined, so it is unclear what it is made from.

Review: Positive reviews of this food are easy to find, with 90% of nearly 4,000 reviews being 4 and 5-star ratings. Dog owners tell stories about how this food improved the digestive health of their dogs as well as brought life back to their canine friends by making them more energetic and bringing vibrance back to their fur. Critical reviews echoed each other about the 2018 lawsuit and the current FDA investigation into grain-free dog food’s link to heart failure in dogs, and they said they would not buy the dog food even if the investigation leads nowhere.

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Summary: This dry dog food comes in two varieties that offer immunity support from superfoods and heart health from omega-3 fatty acids. The complete nutrition in this food comes from real meat and real vegetables without the use of fillers or artificial colors, or preservatives. It is sold in several sizes and two flavors for adult dogs.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Adult dogs

Flavor Options: Chicken & Salmon; Beef & Barley

Price: $1.64/lb

Ingredient Analysis: Real chicken is the first ingredient, with chicken meal coming in second. Both of these are excellent sources of protein, and the addition of salmon, egg products, and chicken fat help to add DHA and vitamins. Kelp, menhaden fish meal, and sweet potato make up the bulk of the micronutrient profile. The biggest downside to this list of ingredients is the use of unspecified natural flavor similar to what is found in their other formulas.

Review: The vast majority of positive reviews note differences in the allergy symptoms their dogs have had with other foods. They state their dogs no longer suffer from itching, fur loss, or digestive issues while eating this food, and they are happy about the value this food provides. Those who were critical of the food complained their dog would not eat the food or had gotten diarrhea when they did.

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Summary: Made with real meat as the first ingredient, this dry kibble offers adult dogs all of the necessary nutrients they need to be healthy. The mix of tender and crunchy kibble keeps the texture entertaining for dogs, and the natural, wholesome ingredients make for a tasty meal time. Formulated to keep large breed dogs healthy, this food is available in 40-lbs bags and two flavors that provide complete and balanced nutrition.

Type: Dry dog food

Best for: Large breed adult dogs

Flavor Options: Hearty Beef, Brown Rice, & Veggies; Savory Chicken, Barley, & Veggies

Price: $1.48/lb

Ingredient Analysis: Chicken is the first ingredient, and this is a great source of high-quality animal protein. Chicken meal provides glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, an indication this food is intended for large breed dogs. Pea fiber, pea starch, and soybean meal provide good sources of fiber, and vitamins and vitamins and minerals are supplemented to make this food a complete source of nutrition for large dogs. Overall, this is a great list of ingredients, although it does include the same undefined natural flavor as the other formulas.

Review: Reviews across various retailers are mostly praising, with the common reason for satisfaction simply being that their dogs like the food. One reviewer on Amazon stated, “great price and great dog food,” which sums up the sentiment most consumers express quite well. Negative remarks come from customers concerned about the food causing pancreatitis, but most of the concerns involve customers’ dogs having diarrhea after eating or that their dog just would not eat the food.

Rachel Ray Dog Food offers a wide specter of formulas. Here is a list of the brand’s different lines and recipes:

No, Rachael Ray Dog Food has never been recalled.

Yes, Rachael Ray Dog Food is worth it.

The ingredients used in Rachel Ray Dog Food are natural, and the foundation for each formula is real meat. The brand uses only ingredients that serve a purpose and never uses fillers or artificial flavors, or preservatives.

A portion of each sold product goes to the Rachael Ray Foundation, which helps fund organizations that improve the lives of shelter animals. So, when purchasing Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food, you also support animals in need.