Eukanuba Dog Food Review 2023: Pros, Cons & Recalls

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Review Summary

Our Final Verdict

We give Eukanuba Dog food a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Giving your dog all the nutrients they need for a healthy and active life is the number one goal of any dog owner. There are countless dog food brands on the market that make finding the right food for your dog a little more challenging, so we’ve done the work for you and deep-dived into Eukanuba to discover all they have to offer.

Eukanuba dog food has been in business for more than 50 years and offers recipes with high-quality ingredients and complete and balanced nutrition, which is AAFCO approved. They offer food specifically designed for the needs of dogs with their various product lines, which include Active Range, Athlete Range, Professional Range, and Puppy Range.

Eukanuba has recipes for small, medium, and large breeds with their wet and dry options. They also have formulas specifically targeting certain health issues, such as weight control or poor digestion. Their ideology is that dogs are carnivores and require animal proteins, which is why many of their recipes include lamb or chicken. For such a long-standing company, they haven’t had many recalls.

Eukanuba may not be faultless, but if you’re looking for excellent quality and natural ingredients in your dog’s food and aren’t too worried about higher costs, it may be the brand for you.

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At a Glance: The Best Eukanuba Dog Food Recipes:

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Eukanuba Dog Food Reviewed

Eukanuba aims to fuel a dog’s potential, and that’s why they aim to provide dogs with complete and balanced nutrition with high-quality, organic ingredients. They are dedicated to learning and improving to produce the best recipes to fuel dogs around the world. All Eukanuba dog food meets the AAFCO standards, along with manufacturing standards.

Eukanuba Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food

Who Makes Eukanuba and Where Is It Produced?

Although previously owned by Procter & Gamble, Eukanuba is now owned and manufactured by Mars Corporation in the United States. Mars is a massive pet food company with close to 50 different pet brands under them. The factory where most of the Eukanuba dog food products are made is in Ohio.

Eukanuba dog food can be purchased throughout the United States at pet stores and certain retail stores. You can purchase their products online from their website, as well as on Amazon, Chewy, Petco, and PetSmart.

Which Types of Dogs is Eukanuba Best Suited For?

Eukanuba dog food is best suited for dogs with active lifestyles as the brand puts a lot of focus on fueling dogs to enhance their performance. They cater to small, medium, and large dogs and have formulas for dogs with certain health issues. Their food is pretty expensive and, therefore, targets customers with higher budgets.

Most of Eukanuba’s recipes include grain and typically bounce between chicken and lamb for their animal protein source. Therefore, Eukanuba is best suited for dogs without sensitivities to grain and poultry.

brown dog eating its food
Image Credit: cottonbro, Pexels

Which Types of Dogs Might Do Better with a Different Brand?

Active dogs who require high levels of protein but have sensitivities to grain and poultry might do better on American Journey as it’s a similar dog food to Eukanuba but has many more recipe flavors to choose from.

For an alternative to Eukanuba, you can try out American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Grain-Free Dog Food. Their first ingredient is deboned salmon, and it’s free from grain, corn, and wheat. It has a crude protein content of 32% and a crude fat content of 14%. It’s also available at a much more affordable price when compared to Eukanuba.

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Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

Whatever ingredient is listed first on the back of the packaging is the heaviest ingredient, with the last ingredient weighing the least. It’s important that ingredients with the most nutrients are high on the list, with the animal protein being listed first. Due to the popularity of the Eukanuba Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food, we’ll be discussing its ingredients.

Chicken: Chicken is lean meat that provides your dog with energy and lean muscles. It also contains Omega 6 fatty acids, which contribute to a healthy coat and skin.

Corn: Corn is a cheap and controversial ingredient. However, it has nutritional value and contains vitamins and minerals.

Chicken by-product meal: This is made up of all the cut-offs of the chicken, such as the brain, kidneys, and lungs. However, it’s packed with nutrients that are beneficial to your dog, such as vitamins and minerals. It’s also a high source of protein.

Wheat: Wheat is a carbohydrate that gives your dog energy. It also aids in digestion. Wheat provides your dog with omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and potassium. However, many dogs can be sensitive to wheat.

Sorghum: Sorghum is a cereal grain that is gluten-free and high in antioxidants.

Chicken fat: Chicken fat is a quality ingredient that is high in Omega 6 fatty acids and aids in energy, organ function, immune health, and healthy skin.

Natural flavors: This enhances the dog’s food and is extracted from natural ingredients. However, there is a lot of mystery surrounding this “ingredient,” which puts a question mark over it.

Dried plain beet pulp: This is another form of fiber that aids in good digestion and more solid stools.

Egg product: Eggs contain vitamins A and B12. They also have iron, protein, riboflavin, selenium, folic acid, and fatty acids. However, “egg product” doesn’t clearly inform us what part of the egg is included.

Eukanuba’s Animal Protein Options

Eukanuba has been providing dogs with food for many years—and throughout that time, they have only ever used chicken or lamb in their recipes. As wholesome and beneficial as these two animal proteins are, they do limit dogs to only two options and disqualify ones with intolerance to either two. However, their recipes are high in protein and provide dogs with the nutrients they need.

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A Quick Look at Eukanuba Dog Food

  • Animal protein is always the first ingredient
  • The recipes are high in protein
  • They’ve been in business for a long time
  • Eukanuba is dedicated to fueling your dog to bring out their best performance
  • The company is dedicated to learning and improving
  • They have a large variety of formulas suitable to specific needs, breeds, and performance
  • The products are easy to access as they’re widely available
  • Expensive
  • Only grain-inclusive options are available, which doesn’t suit dogs with sensitivities
  • Flavors are limited
  • Some of the ingredients are sketchy and could be avoided

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Recall History

As with many brands, Eukanuba has had a few dog food products recalled in the past. Unfortunately, recalls can result in financial losses for the company as well as the trust of their customers. It’s necessary for a company to stay on top of their quality control and avoid any situations that may result in their products being recalled.

Thankfully, it’s been many years since their last product recall, which occurred 9 years ago, in August of 2013, when 20 different dog foods were recalled due to potential Salmonella contamination. This recall was necessary because these bacteria can cause problems within the intestinal tract of both humans and dogs. Symptoms can include diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramping.

Eukanuba dog food products were recalled in 2010 for the same concern—potential Salmonella contamination. 2007 was their first experience with a product recall, as far as we know, and the cause for the recall was a potential melamine-related compound in their food.

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Reviews of the 3 Best Eukanuba Dog Food Recipes

There’s a good reason why so many dog owners are loyal customers of Eukanuba dog food. Their ingredients are high-quality and organic, and their recipes are complete and well-balanced. Listed below are three of our favorite picks.

1. Eukanuba Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food

Eukanuba Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food

The Eukanuba Adult Large Breed Dry Dog Food is one of the most popular recipes for dogs weighing over 55 pounds or more. High-quality chicken is listed as the first ingredient in this recipe which supports lean muscles and provides energy. The omega-6 fatty acids found in chicken give a dog’s coat the shine they need as well as healthy skin. The crude protein content is 23%, and the crude fat content is 13%.

The next five ingredients are corn, chicken by-product meal, wheat, ground grain sorghum, and chicken fat. Many people are skeptical of grain-inclusive recipes; however, grain is a high-quality carbohydrate and aids in digestion. If your vet has advised against grain-inclusive recipes due to your dog being sensitive to it, then you should avoid ingredients with wheat.

Thanks to the chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine found in the by-products, this recipe supports the joints of your large dog for an active lifestyle.

  • High-quality chicken is the first ingredient
  • Above-average protein for lean muscles and an active lifestyle
  • Supports joints
  • A good amount of omega-6 fatty acids for shiny and healthy skin and coat
  • Not suitable for dogs with sensitivities toward poultry and grain

2. Eukanuba Adult Small Bites Dry Dog Food

Eukanuba Adult Small Bites Dog Food

For dogs weighing less than 54 pounds, Eukanuba Adult Small Bites Dry Dog Food is a great option. The kibble can be easily eaten and enjoyed by smaller breeds with smaller mouths, and the design of the S-shaped kibble breaks down tartar buildup for healthier gums and teeth.

This recipe has a crude protein content of 25% and a crude fat content of 16%, which is great for active dogs. The first ingredient is chicken, which aids in building lean muscles. This recipe has beneficial amounts of fiber for good digestion. It also includes calcium, glucosamine, and chondroitin sulfate for strong bones and joints. Unfortunately, customers have complained of bad batches that have had mold or a lack of freshness. This product is pricey in comparison to similar formulas.

  • Kibble size is appropriate for small breeds
  • 3D DentaDefense breaks down tartar buildup
  • High in protein, with chicken as the first ingredient
  • Includes calcium, glucosamine, and chondroitin for healthy and strong joints and bones
  • Customers have complained of bad batches
  • Expensive in comparison to its competition

3. Eukanuba Puppy Medium Breed Dry Dog Food

Eukanuba Puppy Medium Breed Dry Dog Food

For a recipe specially formulated for puppies, check out Eukanuba Puppy Medium Breed Dry Dog Food. This recipe is ideal for medium-sized breeds that will grow into dogs weighing between 24 and 54 pounds. Of course, puppies need plenty of protein and fat for their developing and energetic bodies, and this recipe provides them with that with a crude protein content of 29% and a crude fat content of 18%.

The first five ingredients include chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn meal, ground whole grain sorghum, and brewers rice. It includes DHA and vitamin E to maintain healthy brain function and fiber and prebiotics for a healthy gut. This meal has been made with complete and balanced nutrition so that your pup can get everything they need out of their food.

  • A good amount of protein for growing pups
  • The first ingredient is chicken
  • Specifically formulated for your pup’s needs
  • Full of nutrition
  • Contains vitamin E for strong immune support
  • Three of the five main ingredients are cheap carbohydrates
  • Not gluten-free

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What Other Users Are Saying

Eukanuba dog food appeals to both dogs and their owners around the world. We’ve gone through many customer reviews from various sites and have compiled a few sentences, to sum up, the general feedback for you. However, go ahead and read through the customer reviews yourself for a more personal experience and peace of mind.

  • Amazon: Amazon is accessible to millions of people, and their customers give the best, most detailed reviews that you can trust. Many of the recipes are rated 5-stars and have thousands of reviews to sift through. If you’d like to read through what they have to say about Eukanuba dog food, click here.
  • Chewy: Many of the customers on Chewy have reported that they’ve seen an increase in their dog’s energy levels, a shinier and slicker coat, and solid stools since transitioning their pups onto Eukanuba recipes. Many have also seen their previously unenthusiastic dogs show a new eagerness around mealtimes once they started on Eukanuba.
  • Customer Affairs: Many happy customers spoke highly of their experience with Eukanuba dog food, listing that they appreciate the high-quality, nutritious ingredients used in each recipe to keep their dogs looking and feeling healthy.

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Conclusion

Eukanuba dog food is nutritious and offers a well-balanced meal to dogs. Their recipes use organic ingredients and provide dogs with plenty of protein to fuel them to perform to the best of their abilities. They have many food ranges that accommodate small, medium, and large breeds. However, they don’t have a variety of grain-free recipes, and their proteins are limited to lamb and chicken, which could pose a problem to dogs with food sensitivities.

They are an expensive brand, but many customers are happy to pay the price as they’ve seen improvements in their dog’s energy and coat since having started this food.

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