Blue Wilderness Dog Food
This is a review of Blue Wilderness Dog Food conducted by Carlotta Cooper for DogFood.guru
Blue Buffalo, headquartered in Wilton, Connecticut, is a relatively young company that prides itself on producing healthy pet foods with natural ingredients. As with most pet food companies, there is some leeway as to what constitutes “healthy” and “natural,” but we can agree that Blue Buffalo makes premium pet foods that are very popular.
Where can you buy Blue Wilderness Dog Food?
You can also review our Top Recommended Dog Foods by scrolling to the bottom of the article
Blue Buffalo Review
The company has four product lines for dogs – Wilderness, Life Protection, Freedom, and Basics.
They produce kibble and canned foods, as well as treats, and make pet food for both dogs and cats. They do not manufacture their own foods but use co-packers. The company is currently involved in a lawsuit with Purina over false advertising. Purina alleges that Blue Buffalo has misled customers about the ingredients they use in their foods. Blue Buffalo has counter-sued. You can read more details about the lawsuit here.
Blue Buffalo has been sued by other pet food companies (Hills, Merrick) or cited by the Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division (NAD) multiple times prior to their current lawsuit with Purina. The objections have not been about the quality of Blue’s food but about misleading advertising.
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Blue Wilderness Dog Food Coupons 2021
Blue Wilderness Recalls 2021
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.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Recall List: (From newest to oldest)
- Blue Buffalo had a recall in October 2010 because of excess levels of Vitamin D in their foods. Levels were potentially toxic. Foods affected were Blue Wilderness Chicken, Blue Basics Salmon, and Blue Life Protection Large Breed Adult Chicken. A line of Blue Buffalo’s cat food was also affected by the 2007 pet food recalls.
Blue Wilderness Reviews
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Blue Wilderness Chicken Recipe Review:
According to Blue Buffalo, the Blue Wilderness line of foods is designed to be a “sensible alternative” to raw diets. They provide a high protein so you don’t have to add supplements to the diet, and kibble is less messy than feeding raw for most dogs and very convenient for most owners.
You can read the section on raw diets if you would like to know more about feeding your dog raw food.
Deboned chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal
Blue Wilderness Chicken Recipe for Adult Dogs is a grain-free food with good meat protein in the first five ingredients. The first three ingredients in the food are: deboned chicken, chicken meal, and turkey meal. Chicken and chicken meals are good sources of protein – 80 percent protein and 20 percent fat. They are also a good source of Vitamin B6 and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Niacin and Selenium. The chicken meal has most of the moisture and fat removed so it is a concentrated source of meat protein. Turkey meal is similar and also a good source of protein, with slightly less fat than the chicken.
Peas
The next ingredient in the food is peas which are more problematic. Peas are used in many dog foods today for multiple reasons. Peas have about 22 percent protein and are a good source of Folate, Iron, and Manganese, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and Thiamin. They are about 74 percent carbohydrates. But they can be problematic for some dogs and cause digestive problems. Their use in pet foods has not been studied extensively. They have been used in farm feeds for much longer and there is evidence that they can interfere with the digestion of vitamins and minerals and stunt growth if their use is not carefully monitored.
Tapioca
The fifth ingredient is tapioca starch which, as you might suspect, is a starch or carbohydrate. Not every ingredient in a dog food needs to be a protein or packed with nutrition but this is certainly a filler-type of ingredient. It has very little or no nutritional value. It is probably used in the food to thicken the pet food and/or help the food keep its shape. Most pet foods have some kind of thickener in them. However, it is a little troubling to find this ingredient in the top five where you hope to find the most nutritious ingredients in the food.
Tomato pomace
Other noteworthy ingredients in the food include tomato pomace (source of lycopene). It’s a by-product from tomato manufacturing but we like it because of the lycopene, linoleic acid (50 percent), and soluble fibers it contains. It’s also about 20 percent protein. When it’s added to pet food, tomato pomace usually makes up between 3 and 7 percent of the food.
chicken fat & amino acids
The food also contains chicken fat which is a good source of fat for dogs. We also note several amino acids: taurine, L-lysine, and L-carnitine. Taurine is added to many dog foods these days because it’s thought that it can help prevent some heart problems such as dilated cardiomyopathy. It also aids in the digestion of fats and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins which is another reason it may be added to dog foods. L-carnitine is often found in weight control dog foods because it helps convert fat to energy and muscle mass and helps keep the dog’s body lean. L-lysine is a building block for proteins and boosts the immune system.
Vegetables
The food also contains a number of vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes which, in all honesty, probably contribute very little nutrition to the food. They are located far down the ingredient list and, when cooked at high temperatures, lose most of their nutritional value.
flaxseed
The food also contains flaxseed (source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids). Flaxseed is a good source of fatty acids, but not as good as cold water ocean sources. It can also be problematic for dogs used for breeding since it is a phytoestrogen and can mimic estrogen in the body. Feeding dogs pet food with flaxseed can cause some hormonal problems, even with spayed dogs.
Antioxidants and natural preservatives
The food also has a number of antioxidants and natural preservatives such as blueberries, cranberries, and oil of rosemary. It also has added vitamins and chelated minerals. Chelated minerals are often thought to be a better source of minerals because they are a form of a mineral that has been bonded to a protein so they are easier for the animal to digest. The dog is believed to get more use from the mineral. Chelated minerals are more expensive for the company to purchase. However, chelated minerals are normally more important in foods where there are ingredients, such as grains and phytoestrogens, which would interfere with a dog’s normal absorption of minerals. It’s possible that the peas in this dog food could interfere with the normal absorption of minerals, making chelated minerals a necessity. Otherwise, a dog might be getting an overdose of minerals.
Finally, the food has several fermentation products added to help with digestion. These products are sometimes added if the food contains a lot of fiber in order to help break it down and aid indigestion. Dogs don’t normally need a lot of additional help when digesting simple meats and fats. Fermentation products have been used for a long time with farm animals but they are relatively new for pet foods.
Calories
The food contains 410 calories per cup which is good for premium dog food.
Nutrition Statement:
BLUE Wilderness Chicken Recipe for Dogs is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for maintenance.
Guaranteed Analysis:
| Crude Protein | 34.0% min |
| Crude Fat | 15.0% min |
| Crude Fiber | 6.5% max |
| Moisture | 10.0% max |
| Calcium | 1.3% min |
| Phosphorus | 0.9% min |
| Omega 3 Fatty Acids* | 0.3% min |
| Omega 6 Fatty Acids* | 3.0% min |
The dry matter basis figures for this food are 37.8 percent protein; 16.7 percent fat; 7.2 percent fiber; 38.3 percent carbohydrates.
As you can see, the protein percentage is very good and the fat percentage is acceptable compared to the protein percentage. However, the percentage of fiber is quite high, probably owing to the peas in the food. Some dogs will have problems eating this much fiber in dog food. The carbohydrate percentage is moderate.
Final Thoughts on Blue Buffalo Review
Overall, Blue Wilderness Chicken Recipe looks like very good food. The meat protein content is very good and most of the other ingredients look good. We are concerned about the peas and some dogs may have problems digesting them, even with the added fermentation products. If your dog has problems with this food it will probably be due to the peas. If that’s the case, then look for another food that uses some other carb.
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I started my first dog on this food, only to find that she had loose stool and a ton of it! I transitioned from Nutro chicken and rice puppy formula slowly, and she still couldn’t tolerate the Wilderness. Although they have had a few recalls, Blue Buffalo Wilderness is a good food, just not ok for my dogs. Since i’ve added two new dogs to my pack, I’ve religiously fed Fromm’s and been very pleased. I up to protein content by feeding the smallest amount of kibble recommended for their weight, and add cooked meat, eggs, or yogurt to their dinner. They also really like tuna and sardines, no salt and packed in water. All in all, Blue Wilderness is a good food, just not palatable and not digestible for my dogs.
Hello to all of you dogs lovers out there. So here is the deal. I have a Maltese and he is two year years youn. I have been gaving him Blue Wilderness Dog food for over a year now and he loves it. Also he has so much fun running all over for hours on end.So I have tried outher dog food and he eats a little bet but with I gave him his Blue dog food he eats it all gone. I will not buy any thing eles. So if you would try this dog food you will get your money out of this dog food. Thank you all and have fun with all of your dogs.
I’ve had my Black Labrador on the large breed chicken formula his whole life (18 months), the food has been great, his health is wonderful and his coat is as shiny as a fresh waxed car, however he has always picked out the “life source bits” which are the part that supposedly contains all the vitamains and minerals, it has gotten worse and now he is to the point he literally picks all of them out and leaves them all over our floor. Because of this I am switching his food, it seems pointless to spend the money on quality food if he isn’t eating the healthiest part of the food, not to mention we are loosing our minds with constantly having to vacuum up the little bits of food that are all over our home. I wouldn’t say anything bad about this food, the problem is with my weird dog, I am thinking of switching him to Canidae, any suggestions would be wonderful, thanks.
This is literally the exact same reason I am researching other food options. Thought my dog was weird for picking out all of the lifesource bits, and I’m so sick of stepping on them! However, a little research has shown me that this is very common. I can’t figure out why, but all I know is he will not eat it. That’s a red flag to me, so I’m 99% sure I’m switching.
Have been giving him Blue Wilderness Duck and Chicken Grill. There seems to be some difference in canned food after opening . Some of the food is loose in consistency. Did receive some dented cans via shipment . Didn’t use those. I can’t detect off odor. But I’m concerned. He’s not eating it. Dogs are smart when to eat or not to eat. He recently had his wellness vet visit and health is good. Facts: BEST BY JUL 27 19 20:07 X 62WDS1 . No.s off bottom of Blue Wilderness can dog food..
I have alternated between chicken and duck of the wilderness line. Last time I bought the largest bag of the Duck my dog became very sick. diarrhea for day. I returned the bag. Bought chicken. All good again. I may look into other brands. It concerned me a lot.
Hi, I had a small breed of dog and she passed away 2 days ago from tumours in her brain. Blue Wilderness is all I ever fed her (salmon) now I can’t prove it but I believe it was because of the toxic levels of vitamins and minerals in her food from Blue Wilderness. Her urine was always a bright yellow, I always thought that was odd but because she always ate all her food never looked further. I feel horrible that I never did any research into this until now! Only because I didn’t think it was normal for a dog to die from tumours where would she get them? I feel Blue Wilderness should be fined for criminal negligence! My dog could have lived a much fuller life!!! I hope everyone who has a dog reads this!!