Dr. Tim’s Dog Food
Brief Overview
Dr. Tim’s Premium All Natural Pet Food, headquartered in Michigan, currently makes six dog food kibbles, two dry cat foods, and freeze-dried treats for cats and dogs. According to the company’s web site, the protein in their foods are, on average, 87 percent animal-derived. They say that they use a slow-cook method that makes their food more digestible, highly palatable, and affordable. They do not use corn or soy. Foods have been formulated with a Ph.D. canine nutritionist and a veterinarian experienced in athletic and competitive dog sports. Dr. Tim’s foods are popular with enthusiasts of mushing, skijoring, hunting, dock jumping, agility and other disciplines, but they also have many fans with dogs who are happy pets.
Disclosure: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which will direct you to our partner sites. If you purchase the pet foods we recommend through those links, we may earn a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
Who Manufactures Dr. Tim’s?
Dr. Tim’s foods are made at Ohio Pet Foods in Ohio. According to the company, Ohio Pet Foods has never had a recall in over 30 years of production.
Dr. Tim’s Dog Food Recalls 2017
We did not find any recalls for Dr. Tim’s pet foods in the FDA pet food recall database or in an online search.
Dr. Tim’s Dog Food Coupons 2017
Check Chewy.com and other online pet food sites for discounts on Dr. Tim’s foods. According to the company web site, they recently discontinued their free samples. You can visit Dr. Tim’s Facebook page to stay advised of upcoming specials.
Dr. Tim’s Dog Food Overview
Dr. Tim’s pet foods use low ash protein ingredients. This means that they have less bone and more meat. According to their web site, all of their proteins, starches, and fats are sourced from North America. They say that they do not use any ingredients from China. They also say that their food is ethoxyquin-free. They do not use corn or soy in their foods. Their foods are made in small batches for them by a family-owned business in Ohio.
Dr. Tim’s uses animal feeding tests for their AAFCO approvals which we feel gives a better, truer look at the foods than submitting nutrient profiles for approval. It also costs a company more money to run these tests which is why many smaller companies choose to submit nutrient profiles instead. So, kudos to Dr. Tim’s for using the food trials. Both methods have their pros and cons, however. (In case you are worried, no animals are harmed during typical food tests. They are simply monitored to see how they do on the food.)
Dr. Tim’s currently offers the following dry dog foods:
Momentum Highly Active Formula
For high performance dogs; low carb, high protein diet.
First five ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice flour, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), ocean herring meal, dried beet pulp (sugar removed)
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude protein Min 35 %
Crude fat Min 25 %
Crude fiber Max 3 %
Moisture Max 10 %
Ash Max 6 %
Dry matter basis: protein 38.9 percent; fat 27.8 percent; fiber 3.33 percent; ash 6.67 percent; carbohydrates 23.3 percent.
Metabolizable energy (calculated): 4630 kcal/kg
Momentum is 588 kcal ME/cup (127g)
AAFCO-approved for Maintenance
For dogs with a moderate to energetic activity level; high protein, low ash formula.
First five ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice flour, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), oat flour, dried beet pulp (sugar removed)
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude protein Min 30 %
Crude fat Min 20 %
Crude fiber Max 3 %
Moisture Max 10 %
Ash Max 6.5 %
Dry matter basis: protein 33.33 percent; fat 22.2 percent; fiber 3.33 percent; ash 7.2 percent; carbohydrates 35 percent.
Metabolizable energy (calculated): 3945 kcal/kg
Pursuit is 450 kcal ME/cup (115g)
AAFCO-approved for Maintenance
Kinesis All Life Stages Formula
Made for dogs of all shapes, ages and sizes; for normal activity levels; low ash protein
First five ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice flour, pearled barley, oat flour, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude protein Min 26 %
Crude fat Min 16 %
Crude fiber Max 3 %
Moisture Max 10 %
Ash Max 5.8 %
Dry matter basis: protein 28.9 percent; fat 17.8 percent; fiber 3.33 percent; ash 6.4 percent; carbohydrates 43.6 percent.
Metabolizable energy (calculated): 3750 kcal/kg
Kinesis is 415 kcal ME/cup (110g)
AAFCO-approved for All Life Stages
Made for dogs of all shapes, ages and sizes; for normal activity levels; designed for dogs that are sensitive to grain-based carbs.
First five ingredients: Chicken meal, dried white potatoes, dried field peas, dried beet pulp (sugar removed), chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols)
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude protein Min 32 %
Crude fat Min 18 %
Crude fiber Max 4.5 %
Moisture Max 10 %
Ash Max 6.9 %
Dry matter basis: protein 35.6 percent; fat 20 percent; fiber 5 percent; ash 7.7 percent; carbohydrates 31.8 percent.
Metabolizable energy (calculated): 3750 kcal/kg
Kinesis is 415 kcal ME/cup (110g)
AAFCO-approved for All Life Stages
RPM Salmon & Pork Grain Free Formula
Made for dogs of all shapes, ages and sizes; for normal activity levels; designed for dogs that are sensitive to grain-based carbs.
First five ingredients: Pork meal, salmon meal, white potatoes, field peas, tapioca
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude protein Min 32 %
Crude fat Min 17 %
Crude fiber Max 3 %
Moisture Max 10 %
Ash Max 8.9 %
Dry matter basis: protein 35.6 percent; fat 20 percent; fiber 5 percent; ash 7.7 percent; carbohydrates 31.8 percent.
Metabolizable energy (calculated): 3535 kcal/kg
RPM Grain Free is 389 kcal ME/cup (116g)
AAFCO-approved for All Life Stages (There is some confusion on the web page for this food about whether it is an all life stage food or a maintenance food but we think it’s supposed to be an all life stage food.)
Metabolite Weight Management Formula
Weight management dog food; high protein, “moderate” fat, higher fiber
First five ingredients: Chicken meal, brown rice, oat groats, yellow peas, cellulose
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude protein Min 30 %
Crude fat (max) Min 10 %
Crude fat (min) Max 8 %
Crude fiber Max 10 %
Moisture Max 10 %
Ash Not provided
Dry matter basis: protein 33.33 percent; fat 11 percent; fiber 11 percent; carbohydrates 35 percent (estimated).
Metabolizable energy (calculated): 3,027 kcal/kg
Metabolite is 286.6 ME/cup (116g)
AAFCO designation uncertain.
Dr. Tim’s Pursuit Premium All Natural Dog Food Review
There are lots of things to like about Dr. Tim’s Premium All Natural Pet Foods. We’ve already mentioned many of them above – no corn or soy since many dogs have problems with these ingredients; no ethoxyquin; proteins, fats, and starches sourced form North America; food made in small batches from a family-owned company that has never had a recall; and they use food trials for their AAFCO-approvals.
Other things to like include the fact that the company is involved with people who are active in dog sports who feed these foods. That kind of feedback has to be helpful.
For this review we have chosen Pursuit Premium All Natural Dog Food. Unless you are mushing with your dog, this food probably supplies as much energy as an active, playful dog needs so we think it might be of interest to a lot of dog lovers.
This food is for active dogs and it’s AAFCO-approved as a maintenance diet. It has a high protein, low ash formula – 30 percent protein and 6.5 percent ash. The average ash content in dry dog food is about 7 percent, though some foods have exceptionally high levels up to 9 percent or more. This is not particularly good. Ash in pet food refers to the mineral content, including bone and other things that are left over when the food is burned away. Too much ash content in a food means that the meat/meals in the food are lower quality. So, lower ash is a good thing. Pet food companies are not required to list the ash percentage on their labels but if it is listed, you should take note of it. Canned pet food will have a much lower percentage of ash – usually less than 3 percent.
The first five ingredients in this food are Chicken meal, brown rice flour, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), oat flour, dried beet pulp (sugar removed).
Chicken meal makes a good first ingredient for a dog food. Most of the moisture and fat content from the chicken has been removed. What remains is the concentrated form of chicken which is high in protein. As long as your dog has no allergies to chicken, this shouldn’t be a problem. If your dog is iffy about chicken protein – with an allergy or food intolerance – eating dog food with a concentrated version of chicken protein is more likely to cause a reaction. Most dogs, however, can eat food that contains chicken meal with no problem. It is used by many dog food companies.
The second ingredient is brown rice flour. Brown rice flour is gluten free and often used to make breads and it’s used as a thickener. In this context, it is a starch that is 87 percent carbohydrates, 6 percent fats, and 7 percent protein. It’s a good source of manganese and provides some B vitamins and dietary fiber.
The food also contains chicken fat. Chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherals) is good for dogs. It’s a named fat that is high in omega-3 fatty acid and very high in omega-6 fatty acid. Dogs use these fatty acids for a healthy skin and coat and healthy joints. This kind of fat provides your dog with good energy.
The food also contains oat flour – 65 percent carbs, 20 percent fat, and 15 percent protein. Oat flour is a good source of thiamin, manganese, and phosphorus. Oats may or may not contain gluten, depending on the source you consult.
And the food contains dried beet pulp (sugar removed). Dried beet pulp is an excellent insoluble fiber in pet foods, helping to keep things moving along the gastrointestinal tract. It is not a filler ingredient, as you will sometimes read. Yes, it is a by-product of sugar beet processing, but the sugar has been removed. It’s used in many pet foods to good effect.
Other ingredients of interest in this food include: dried whole eggs (more animal protein that is easily absorbed); menhaden fish oil – a good source of omega-3 fatty acid; ocean herring meal; several kinds of fish and meat meals; fermentation products for digestion; amino acid compounds; chelated minerals; and antioxidants as natural preservatives.
We don’t really see anything objectionable here. One ingredient that we don’t see very often is dried porcine plasma protein. Plasma is the liquid portion of blood where red and white blood cells and platelets are suspended. Plasma contains albumin (a constituent of protein), fibrinogen (a clotting factor), and globulins (antibodies). Porcine plasma comes from pigs and it is normally used as a feed additive for piglets and poultry. This ingredient is not commonly used in dog foods, but a few dog food companies do use it.
Algae fat product is unusual. This paper may (or may not) have something to do with these products. This company makes oils and other products from algae. We’re not familiar enough with these products to offer an opinion at this time.
Pursuit Active Dog Formula contains 450 calories per cup. This is moderately rich in terms of calories for dog food.
Nutrition Statement
Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that Pursuit provides complete and balanced nutrition for maintenance.
Crude protein: min. 30%
Crude fat: min. 20%
Crude fiber: max. 3%
Moisture: max. 10%
Ash: max. 6.5%
*Omega 6: min. 3.5%
*Omega 3: min. 1.1%
*Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA): min. 0.2%
*Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA): min. 0.28%
*Calcium: min. 1.06%
*Phosphorus: min. 0.76%
*Direct Fed Microbials: min. 0.681 million CFU/lb
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.
The dry matter basis figures for this food are: protein 33.33 percent; fat 22.2 percent; fiber 3.33 percent; ash 7.2 percent; carbohydrates 35 percent.
This food has a higher than average amount of protein and fat. The fiber and ash content are average to low for most kibbles while the carb percentage is quite moderate compared to other commercial kibbles.
We think this food looks very good. Most dogs should be able to eat it, especially if rice and oats aren’t a problem. The food does have multiple sources of meat protein so be sure to check the label if your dog has any kind of food allergy. Otherwise, it looks like a very high quality food.
Where can you buy Dr. Tim’s dog food?
You can order Dr. Tim’s foods from PetFlow, Chewy.com, DogFoodDirect.com, and other online retailers.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Dr. Tim’s foods look very good. We like the variety (grains, grain free, different energy levels, different proteins). We also like the quality of the foods. And we like Dr. Tim’s openness about answering questions. We’re less enthusiastic about Metabolite, the weight management food, that contains cellulose, but otherwise, thumbs up!
