Inception Dog Food Review 2023: Recalls, Pros & Cons
Review Summary
Our Final Verdict
We give Inception Dog Food a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
Not much is known about Pets Global or Inception Pet Foods’ history, but we do know that Inception has a great track record in terms of safety, with no known recalls to date.
Inception Pet foods is a brand that produces wet and dry food for cats and dogs with animal or fish protein as the first two ingredients in each recipe. Inception is owned by Pets Global, which is based in California and owns three pet food brands alongside Inception.
It offers four dry food options and a matching wet food option for each recipe, which keeps things nice and simple—something we can certainly appreciate in the vast and often confusing world of dog food brands!
So, if you’re here for the quick and short version, we’d say we approve of Inception overall for its solid safety record and easy-to-choose-from range, but of course, no product or brand is perfect, so if you would like to learn more, read on to find out more about its recipes, ingredients, safety record, pros, and cons.
At a Glance: The Best Inception Dog Food Recipes:
Inception Dog Food Reviewed
Who Makes Inception Dog Food and Where Is It Produced?
Pets Global owns Inception Pet Foods. Pets Global is based in California and Inception’s products are made in the USA, where some of the meat proteins are also sourced. Some ingredients come from Canada and other countries, including France, Brazil, Taiwan, and Turkey.
Which Type of Dog Is Inception Best Suited For?
The great thing about Inception’s products is that they’re suitable for adult dogs, lactating dogs, and puppies (with the exception of large breed puppies and dogs over 70 lbs), so, if your dogs enjoy Inception recipes, you don’t need to buy separate products if they range in age. The recipes are also well suited to dogs who like standard, common protein types like fish, pork, and chicken.
Which Type of Dog Might Do Better with a Different Brand?
Though Inception’s products target overall health, the brand doesn’t offer products specifically for health issues like sensitive stomach, mobility issues, and weight control.
Additionally, though the recipes are fine for both puppies and adult dogs, Inception doesn’t offer products specifically formulated for puppies, or senior dogs, so some dog parents may feel more comfortable with a brand that offers more specialized products. If your puppy or dog is a large breed and weighs over 70 lbs, you’ll also need to consider another brand that produces large breed food.
If this sounds like you, we recommend checking out Hill’s Science Diet recipes. Hill’s Science produces formulas for specific health conditions like sensitive skin, joint care, and weight control amongst others. It also has options just for puppies and senior dogs.
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)
As Inception offers a variety of recipes, we’ve chosen its bestselling formula to represent the brand in this area. For reference, here are the Fish Recipe’s ingredients:
Whitefish, Catfish Meal, Milo, Oat, Millet, Sunflower Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Taurine, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Mixed Tocopherols (A Natural Preservative), Rosemary Extract, Vitamin E Supplement, Folic Acid, L-Carnitine, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate.
First Two Ingredients
Real whitefish is the first ingredient. Whitefish is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which help keep the skin and coat in good condition. It also helps to support the immune system with vitamin B3, vitamin D, and selenium. Whitefish is also a lean protein and low in fat, so it’s a great choice for dogs, health-wise.
Meat meals are somewhat controversial, but it’s a myth that all meat meals in dog food are bad. Some are a great source of protein and Inception actually names the fish that this meal comes from (catfish), which is a good sign.
Controversial Ingredients
Sodium selenite—used in dog foods as a source of selenium—is a controversial ingredient due to its potential to cause toxic effects in high doses. However, the AAFCO has rules which dictate how much selenium dog foods can contain, so only minimal amounts are present. As a matter of fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a dog food that doesn’t contain sodium selenite.
Other Nutrients
Milo, oat, and millet make up some of the primary ingredients. Milo is a source of magnesium, copper, zinc, fiber, and antioxidants. Oats are a source of fiber, omega-6 fatty acids, zinc, manganese, copper, and iron, and millet is a good source of carbohydrates for most dogs, which helps with digestion. Millet also contains manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, B vitamins, and iron.
A Quick Look at Inception Dog Food
Recall History
We found no evidence that Inception dog food has ever been recalled. When a pet food brand has absolutely no recall history, it’s a sure sign that you’re dealing with a reliable, trustworthy brand.
Reviews of the 3 Best Food Recipes
1. Inception Fish Recipe Dry Dog Food
This fish recipe is Inception’s bestselling formula. With real whitefish and catfish meal from Washington and Georgia as the two primary ingredients, it’s packed with nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, including omega fatty acids, vitamin E, taurine, and L-carnitine. It contains 25% minimum protein—a moderate level—and 15% minimum fat. It’s free of legumes, soy, corn, and wheat.
According to user reviews, this product was a great choice for dogs with chicken allergies and picky eaters. Some users also felt that it was beneficial for their dogs with sensitive stomachs. A few users would not recommend this recipe, citing a strong smell and powdery texture.
2. Inception Pork Recipe Dry Food
Another popular recipe by Inception is this pork formula. The first two ingredients are pork—which comes from Iowa farms—and pork meal. Pork is a source of amino acids for dogs and contains Vitamins B1, B3, B6, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, and collagen. It also contains flaxseed to support a healthy immune system. The protein level is 25% and the fat level is 15%.
Positive user reviews point to overall satisfaction with the taste, health benefits, and how the recipe can be fed to dogs of all ages. Some users mentioned that it was beneficial for their dogs with allergies. Some users were disappointed that their dogs didn’t enjoy the recipe and that it didn’t sit well with their sensitive dogs. With any dog food, there’s no guarantee that it won’t cause an upset stomach—some foods simply don’t suit some dogs.
3. Inception Chicken Recipe Dry Food
This recipe is formulated with Minnesota-sourced chicken and chicken meal as the primary ingredients. Chicken is a source of amino acids and lean protein and is high in vitamin B3, B5, B6, phosphorus, and selenium. Like other Inception products, it contains taurine and L-carnitine, which is good for the heart, brain, and muscles. The protein level is 25% and the fat level is 15%.
Those who had a good experience with this recipe said that they felt confident feeding it to their dogs due to the high-quality ingredients and were pleased that their dogs seemed to enjoy it so much. Some weren’t pleased, however, and said it just didn’t sit well with their dog.
What Other Users Are Saying
To get the best perspective on a product’s overall quality and consumer reviews, we check out what online users are saying on a variety of sites. Here’s what some users had to say about Inception:
- Pet Guide: “After learning more about Pets Global’s commitment to pet wellness, and really being impressed with the sourcing for their ingredients, the fact that my dogs seemed to eat it up with such excitement and contentment made me happy.”
- Top Dog Tips: “When it comes to pet food, the cheapest is never the best option. You get what you pay for in this case, and I do believe that Inception dog food offers a good value for the price.”
- Dog Food Advisor: “Highly recommended.”
- Amazon – We always check out Amazon Reviews to get the gist of what others think. Check out Amazon reviews for Inception’s bestselling recipe
Conclusion
To recap, we consider Inception to be a trustworthy and reliable dog food brand that offers a simple, easy-to-choose-from range of recipes for dogs of all ages formulated with high-quality ingredients. They have a flawless safety record with no history of recalls, so we’re getting all-around good vibes from this brand.
The only reason we didn’t award five stars is that the product selection may be a bit minimal for some and Inception doesn’t have any special formulas for health issues. On the other hand, the brand may have a humble product selection, but those it does have are highly reviewed and made with quality ingredients, so its simple selection is also a pro for us in many ways—especially for those of us who hate having too many products to pick from!
Featured Image Credit: Amazon