Solid Gold Dog Food
Brief Overview
Solid Gold dog food has had a good reputation for years among people who like to feed their dogs a premium quality food. The company was started in the 1970s by a Great Dane breeder and originally featured more natural ingredients. Today Solid Gold has nine kibbles for dogs and six canned foods as well as treats and supplements. They have grain free food, low protein/low fat food, food for puppies, and large breed food, among others.
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Who manufactures Solid Gold?
Solid Gold Health Products For Pets, Inc., a worldwide supplier of pet foods, is based in El Cajon, California. Solid Gold has distribution centers in many cities around the world. However, the pet foods, at least the dry foods, appear to be made by Diamond Pet Food for the company today. We say this because Solid Gold pet foods have been recalled when Diamond has issued recalls, though we don’t find anything on the Solid Gold web site to indicate where the food is made.
Solid Gold Recalls 2017
Please Read First: If this statement is still here we are actively watching for new recalls. Below you will find a history of recalls. If you would like to know as SOON as we find out about a recalls visit:https://dogfood.guru/dog-food-recalls/ and fill out our Recall Alert form. We will ONLY email this list in the event of an actual recall. Once we stop watching for Recalls I will remove this statement.
We also encourage everyone to bookmark the site for future reference.
Latest Recalls List (From newest to oldest):
- Sold Gold products were recalled in May 2012 as part of a Diamond Pet Food recall. This was due to concerns about Salmonella.
Learn how we Monitor for Recalls: https://dogfood.guru/dog-food-recalls/
Solid Gold Dog Food Coupons 2017
Solid Gold Reviews
Solid Gold produces Sun Dancer Grain and Gluten Free Adult Dog Food, Hundchen Flocken Small and Medium Breed Puppy Food, Wolf Cub Large Breed Puppy Food, Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog Food, Barking at the Moon Grain and Gluten Free Adult Dog Food, Wolf King Large Breed Adult Dog Food, Holistique Blendz Low Protein/Low Fat Adult Dog Food, Mmellennia Adult Dog Food, and Just A Wee Bit Small Breed All Life Stages Dog Food.
Crude protein typically ranges from 22 percent to around 30 percent, with Holistique Blendez low protein coming in at 18 percent crude protein and Barking at the Moon featuring 41 percent crude protein. Animal protein in the foods is supplied by ingredients such as chicken, lamb, beef, bison, and ocean fish. Other ingredients appear to be named ingredients. Carbohydrates include potatoes, tapioca, brown rice, barley, quinoa, and oatmeal, among others. The company appears to use chelated or proteinated minerals which are easier for dogs to digest. Chelated minerals are often found in better quality foods. They are more expensive for manufacturers to purchase, but the company can use smaller amounts of them in their formulations.
Solid Gold’s foods are AAFCO approved for different life stages.
According to Solid Gold, their foods do not contain any chemical preservatives. The fish used in Solid Gold dog foods appear to be ethoxyquin-free but this information is not found on their web site. They state on their web site that their fish is caught wild but this has no bearing on whether it would contain ethoxyquin or not.
Judging by the ingredients and guaranteed analyses offered on the company web site, these foods generally look like foods that many dog owners would like for their dogs, especially if they are interested in a grain free, gluten free dog food. It’s important to read the labels more closely and look at the dry matter basis for the foods before reaching conclusions.
Solid Gold Consumer Ratings:
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Our Solid Gold Sun Dancer Grain and Gluten Free Adult Review:
According to Solid Gold, Sun Dancer is a chicken-based, grain and gluten free dry dog food with a moderate protein and fat content. The dry matter basis figures for Sun Dancer are
33.3 percent protein, 15.6 percent fat, 4.4 percent fiber, and approximately 37.8 percent carbohydrates. These percentages are similar to other grain free foods with moderate, good quality protein. The food has a modest 350 calories per cup. Most dogs will not gain a lot of weight by eating this food. Sun Dancer is AAFCO approved for adult maintenance.
The first five ingredients in Solid Gold Sun Dancer Grain and Gluten Free Adult Dog Food are Chicken, Chicken Meal, Tapioca, Peas, and Whitefish Meal. Three of these five ingredients are animal proteins and the peas are typically added to increase protein content.
Chicken and chicken meal – the first two ingredients in this food – are excellent ingredients for dogs unless your dog happens to be allergic to chicken. Chicken is about 80 percent protein and 20 percent fat. Chicken is also a good source of vitamin B6 and phosphorus, and a very good source of niacin and selenium. The first ingredient here – chicken – refers to whole chicken, so it contains lots of moisture. If the moisture were removed, this ingredient would fall much lower on the list. However, chicken meal has already had most of the moisture removed. Since this is a condensed form of chicken, it contains several times as much protein as chicken normally does.
The third ingredient listed is tapioca. Tapioca is a starch that comes from the cassava root or Manioc found in South America and elsewhere. Tapioca is a staple in some cultures but it contains very little nutrition. Gluten free, yes, but it’s 100 percent carbohydrates. Many times people looking for grain free and/or gluten free foods for their dogs are under the impression that a dog food will also be free of carbohydrates but that’s not the case. When dog foods omit grains they nearly always substitute some other kind of carbohydrate instead of grain. Some of those carbs have more or less nutrition than common grains.
The fourth ingredient in the food is peas. Peas are showing up in more and more dog foods today. Most people think of them as garden peas but the peas used in dog food are usually field peas (for example, split peas). Peas are about 22 percent protein, 2 percent fat, and 76 percent carbohydrates. They’re a good source of lots of things: vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, thiamin and manganese. However, dog food companies particularly like them because of that high plant-based protein percentage that makes them cheaper to use than meat protein. Peas have been added to livestock feed for some time but they are a relatively new addition to pet foods and there is little to no research on their use in dog food. Some dogs do not digest them very well and they can result in diarrhea. If you change dog food and your dog has digestive problems, you might attribute it to the new “rich” food when, in reality, your dog is having problems digesting a food with peas in it. Check the ingredient label. Many very expensive dog foods are using peas, unfortunately.
“Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, grown in Mexico dating back to Mayan and Aztec cultures…chia seeds are a concentrated food containing healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium.” According to this site, chia seeds are an unprocessed, whole grain food that can be absorbed by the body as seeds. One ounce has about 139 calories, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates and 11 grams of fiber, plus vitamins and minerals. Apparently the jury is still out on whether chia seeds really help people lose weight, though they do seem to be healthy for you. We’re not sure how good they are for dogs.
Where can you buy Solid Gold?
You can purchase Solid Gold dog food at specialty pet food retailers and from small distributors. You can also buy it online from pet food retail sources like Petfooddirect.com, Chewy.com, and similar sites.
Why did Solid Gold change their food packaging? It is no longer vacuum sealed. If it was to save money, which I am assuming it is, I am very disappointed. I have noticed a change in food quality since the package changed. I have even took pictures showing a difference in size and color for some reason.
They changed the packaging and hoped we would not notice we are getting several lbs LESS food and the price was raised.
I too have noticed a difference in the packaging and difference in product color.
Very disapointed with them for making this change.
Can you investigate……..thank you
Aww crap. We just bought a bag (old packaging) after reading good reviews of this brand. Previously my dogs were eating Merrick, but I was just looking for other options since they were not very enthusiastic about it (put the food bowl down, they stare at it, look at me, then walk away).
The other brands I was considering were Wellness Core and Orijen but Wellness costs more than Solid Gold.
Could the change in kibble size and color not necessarily equate to a lower quality? I have two beagles and when I poured the kibble into their bowls, they looked a bit too large for them, I’d personally rather have smaller kibble.
I am Also Extremely Disappointing in The Change Solid Gold has made to their Packing and Product Line. The ingredients have changed which made me skeptical for I have been a loyal customer and my dogs did very well with Their Product Line Barking at the Moon Salmon food . In my Madness I switched to Halo and my dogs have been sick ever since , which infuriates me even more so now I am searching for another High Quality non chicken dog food .
I assume they are trying to cut costs which is why the packaging and ingredients have changed in their product line and unfortunately my dogs are feeling the repercussions .
I am also disappointed in the package/formula change. I feed my adult lab and lab puppy this brand good. I just started a new bag of the wolf cub for my 9month old puppy last week and every since he has been getting sick and now won’t even touch the food. There is something in this new formula that she is not liking nor is it liking her. Here is what I was told in regards to the formula/package change for the wolf King and wolf cub:
WolfKing and WolfCub had more changes. Those formulas haven’t really been updated since they were launched about 10 years ago and recent research has new recommended levels of things like Calcium and Phosphorus, which is especially important to large breed puppies. The two biggest changes to these foods is the addition of peas and eggs. Those ingredients enabled us to lower the overall ash (mineral) content. The calcium in WolfCub reduced from 1.5% to 1%, which is the current recommended standard for large breed puppies.
I have been buying for 10+ years, only food my dog wasn’t allergic too, you changed bag look and seller claims no change. If you compare, right off : chick peas, dried eggs some other stuff u can’t pronounce. Why? Now what do I do? Diarrhea ,gas so I am slowly changing, now itchy and itchy ears!
Please respond and I may change rating
I have fed my Great Pyrenees Solid gold since he was a puppy and went on to the large breed. I’ve recently noticed a change in the package and the ingredients. My dog never had a problem with this product until the new pkg. He is now having diarrhea. Very disappointed
I’m looking for a new food for my chicken-allergic german shepherd-labrador after discovering the package/formula change has affected my pooch, too. She’s soooo gassy now and has been eating this same brand/variety since she was first diagnosed as allergic to chicken over 4 years ago. Shame, we were loyal customers.
They have added rice for one. My dog has many food allergies and one of them is rice.
The bison was one of my dog’s favorites and made her want to eat again.
Now I have to find a new brand.
Stella and Chewy freeze dried is very good and still very limited ingredients.
I, too, am very disappointed with the changed packaging and vacuum sealing. Also the rice upsets me and some of the other ingredients. I just bought a new package, I will return it for a refund and go back to Bil-Jac and Halo Spot. I am disgusted with the company for ruining a fine product for my Yorkies.
My 12 year old American Pit Bull Terrier is very picky about his food. He has eaten Dry Solid Gold Barking at the Moon for years. We also feed another dry food to cover in case I couldn’t get Barking at the Moon, and he gets a home prepared wet food I make. I began to have a harder time finding Solid Gold in the stores. New foods have taken over and sellers are pushing these off the shelves favoring something “new”. In my opinion THIS is why Solid Gold had to change things…. to compete. Well, if you are searching for comparable I have found Fromm. Our dog liked it right off which is rare! The ingredients of Beef Frittata are very similar to Barking At the Moon, and truthfully not bad price. I compared prices of my Solid Gold and it is actually more, and I noticed the size of the package was decreased.
I have been feeding my Min Pin Sid Gold wee bits dry and canned chicken food for close to 8 years now. 2 weeks ago my fur baby became so lethargic and had bloody diarrhea and vomiting gray matter. I quickly removed her food and gave her boiled chicken and a bit of cottage cheese. I had this problem in Jan 2015 and after a Vet visit with blood work they couldn’t find any virus or other reason to cause the gastrointestinal illness she had. She was also showing signs of seizures and we thought we would lose her. I threw away the can of food and fed her a bland diet while she recovered. After she recovered I bought a large bag of wee bits and had several cans of the wet food and I tried to feed it to her again(2 weeks ago) she ended up with bloody diarrhea and projectile vomiting. As I was washing and sanitizing everything in the house my baby was being wasted away. I was so upset I sent another inquiry to Solid Gold with a promise to look into it. Haven’t heard back. To make matters worse, I recommended this holistic food to my family and their dogs are all sick with pancreatic issues, vomiting, uncontrollable diarrhea and urine loss. Plus the cat that has been eating this food for a year has lost all it’s hair and it’s skin is raw. May not survive this ordeal. Please don’t feed your fur babies this food and if you do keep an Eye out for the first time they start vomiting, if you feed for a week or more you could lose your beloved family member. I was lucky to be home with my babygirl when she first showed signs of distress and was covered in bloody stools just crying in pain. All I could do was give her water using a medicine dropper so she wouldn’t dehydrate and put a warm compress on her tummy. It took several days of 24 hour care to help nurse her back to health. Solid Gold is now packaged back east, no longer in California. Their production doesn’t have quality control that they did here.
With the new additive of eggs and peas, those tend to be an allergen to a lot of dogs, especially if they aren’t used to consuming it, please be aware of the product you’re feeding. At the first sign of illness, always look for a change in food ingredients, and if its not that, move on to other possibilities…sorry to hear of everyones troubles!
I to have fed my3yr old wee bits.Ever since new packaging he doesn’t want anything to do with it. I make him boiled chicken every week and mix it in. He will eat the chicken but not wee bits. I called company and said they did not change ingredients and sent me a new bag. Same thing he wants nothing to do with it! I fed my previous furry friends wee bits for about 8 years and was so happy with it. Now I am so dissapointed. Let me know which foods are working for all of you. Thank you
Have used Solid Gold for years. Until I purchased new bag and new formula. My 12 year old Golden developed inflammation of the pancreas. I thought I was going to lose him. He has been on a special diet and has pulled through. No more solid gold.
I am so sad reading all these posts but now I have confirmed my suspicions about my dog’s recent sudden allergy problem. He has always been very healthy but for the last several months he has started scratching and gnawing at his back and ears so bad that he is developing raw spots. I remembered that the dog food package had changed but had no idea that the ingredients did too! I am so glad I looked it up and am so sad that so many people have animals that are suffering. God bless you and all you’re animals.
Yes, I’ve been purchasing solid gold for both my dogs over 10 years and have noticed its vacuumed packaged. I’m also very disappointed. I’m going to change to another or begin to make my own.
I just bought a bag of solid gold dog food which ive been feeding my puppies since i got them but this bag has mold in the food. So im bringing it back to the store and if my puppies get sick from it i will be very angry my puppies are my world!
About three weeks ago, I bought a new bag of solid gold, howling at the moon. About three days after feeding it to my buddy, he started to vomit green fluid and became very lethargic and would not eat. I put him on a diet of cooked rice and ground beef and he slowly recovered over a period of 10 days. When he was feeling better I reintroduced the solid gold to him again, not thinking that it was the source of the problem. It took 3 days and he showed the symptoms again. I’m trying to nurse him again back to health but now he isn’t eating the home cooked meals neither. I contacted solid gold, but was told that I was the only reported case with these symptoms and they couldn’t help without the lot number of the bag, which I threw out when I put his food in his container. Now that I’ve found this forum, I can see that mine is not the only case. What a terrible company to hide the truth and not make changes to their food to keep our loved ones healthy. It’s obvious there is an issue with their food. I’ll be going down to Petco tomorrow where I bought the food to speak with them.
I love Solid Gold dog food, both canned and dry. My dog licks his lips when I place either one in their bowl. I don’t mix the two, serve them separately. I never had the old packaging, but believe anyone not trying it is missing some really healthy and good tasting food for their pets, dogs or cats. I also saw it is one of the top choices that made it on WDJ’s recommended canned food list. It has also been on their recommended dry list each year. Love it, well worth the cost, and because of the high level of meat and content they eat less. Just wish there were more coupons out or promotions online. I buy via store and online from petco.
I have been a loyal Solid Gold consumer for almost 20 yrs – Wolf King Bison is by far my favorite, but here are some notable changes in the last year. First they “changed the packaging”…reason – it went from a 30lb. bag to 28.5lb. and the price stayed the same. Now they “changed the packaging” AGAIN, NOT vacume sealed any longer, and this time they also made peas their #3 ingredient from #5 the size of the bag is now 24lbs and they INCREASED THE PRICE! – Love the product, but seriously going to start doing some homework. We have always had 2 medium size dogs and was buying one 30# bag of food approx. once a month. We now have an English Golden Retriever and a Siberian Husky and it seems like we are going to be buying a bag every 2-1/2 weeks! VERY DISAPPOINTING
Trying to get dog food for my little yorkie it’s turkey and vegetable small bites …amazon said they were out of stock and I could not get a bag till Feb 28.she will be out. Am a loyal customers. Please help me…
this is really frightening. I noticed a change in our dogs since the packaging change, diarreah, lack of interest in the food, but I thought it was something else until i read the comments here. Now it makes sense. I have used SOlid GOld Wee Bits for years with my former dog and now with 2 new dogs we have. They act like they can’t stand it…they will let it sit in their bowl for a day before eating it whereas they used to glom it down the minute it I sat it down. Now it’s like they turn up their noses…I trust those noses, if a dog won’t eat something, something is def. not right. I wrote to Solid Gold I haven’t heard back yet. I know Diamond is the company that owns them, I don’t know if they are new owners? I also know a lot of supposedly healthy natural foods are now being made in China because it’s cheaper but there’s no regulation, case in point Dogswell treats, making dogs sick, now made in China… and we used to give our dogs Dasaquin for their hips and the last batch from Chewy.com made them violently ill. Chewy made a refund, but I have to wonder what the heck is in this stuff now?? If the products are being made in China there is NO WAY of knowing.
I have been buying Solid Gold for years after the Purina food recall. It was vacuum packed and was 15 lbs per bag. The first change was no longer vacuum packed, so I could not stock up. I have 15 cats and the main thing that really impressed me was less litter box changes. They drunk more water and consumed less food. When it reduced to 12 lbs, but was not working out.. The formula changed with new packaging or maybe when they reduced the poundage in the bags.
Today, They go through a 12 lb bag in one week and throwing up hairballs everywhere. I now will start another research on cat foods that will give me a product result that I had been accustomed with Solid Gold. So many changes you have reduced the quality of the product.