Coincidentally, I was searching for a new dry kibble. After using a premium brand since his puppy days I had started to see some posts on the internet about a change in that company's ownership and formula at the beginning of 2013 that concerned me. After we used our supply up I tried a new brand but wasn't very happy with it - it was okay but smelled kind of stale and oily to me (Toby didn't care - he has yellow lab genes).
I agreed to accept a bag of By Nature Organic Chicken Formula just so long as they really understood that if I didn't like it I would say so publicly on my blog. They said that's exactly what they wanted me to do - be honest. So with one serving left in the bag, I'm ready to share my opinion with you.
Nutritional quality of the food: If you want the total breakdown of the ingredients I refer you to dogfoodadvisor.com. The skinny is:
- First 2 ingredients: organic chicken, organic chicken meal.
- No meat byproducts or artificial ingredients.
- All of the grains, fruits, and vegetables are organic too. No wheat, corn, or soy.
- Lots of omega 3 and 6; lots of vitamins and minerals, many from natural plant sources (important for phytonutrients).
Taste and smell:
- The kibble smelled fresh and beefy when first opened. It developed a lightly "greasy" odor at the very end but still pleasant enough.
- Toby loved it - but I already told you he will eat just about anything that another mammal would consume. So I went all-out, y'all, and ATE A PIECE. I had never eaten dog kibble before, ever, and it tells you how impressed I was by the ingredients that I was willing to take that step. (Sure what's good enough for my dog should be good enough for me...in theory!) Keep in mind that I became a vegan this year. I took this review seriously. The flavor was quite intense and really more beefy than chicken-y. Not salty, and very crunchy, like corn nuts or soy nuts.
Size:
- Small, about 1/4 inch in diameter. (Big help with my taste test!) Toby ate more slowly, another plus.
Coat, Skin, and Odor:
- No change, not surprising since Toby has always eaten premium food. If he had any skin or coat problems, or started to smell "doggie", I'd tell you, but it wasn't an issue.
Suggested Feeding Plan:
- The recommendation for an adult dog at Toby's weight was 2 3/4 to 3 1/2 cups. For average+ activity if few treats were given that sounds about right. Toby gets a lot of (healthy)(mostly) treats so I gave him 2 1/2 cups a day, divided into 2 meals. There were a few days when he acted like he was still hungry. However Toby is a notorious beggar. He didn't look like he was losing any weight. I've seen reviews that called out other brands for greatly overestimating the daily amount. By Nature doesn't do that.
Cost: $34.99 per 12.5 pound bag
- By Nature dog food is not available in my local grocery or locally-owned pet store. Their website's retail store locator named a pet store within 10 miles that's not in business anymore. That's a problem, because I won't pay shipping when my local pet store sells several other premium brands. If they were to begin stocking By Nature, I would buy the Organic Chicken Formula again.
Conclusion:
By Nature Organic Chicken Formula is a premium dog food that I would certainly feed to Toby again. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a friend. It is not a grain-free food, but all of the ingredients are top quality. Organic meat is the first ingredient. Of course each dog is different, as is every family's budget. This review is my opinion, based on my own experience and research. Everyone should take into account their own dog's unique physiology, age, etc. when choosing a healthy pet food.
*I was not paid for this review. I was given a free 12.5 pound bag of By Nature dog food in return for a candid review.
By Nature Organic Chicken Formula is a premium dog food that I would certainly feed to Toby again. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to a friend. It is not a grain-free food, but all of the ingredients are top quality. Organic meat is the first ingredient. Of course each dog is different, as is every family's budget. This review is my opinion, based on my own experience and research. Everyone should take into account their own dog's unique physiology, age, etc. when choosing a healthy pet food.
*I was not paid for this review. I was given a free 12.5 pound bag of By Nature dog food in return for a candid review.
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3 comments :
I may have to try it. I think we were using the same food you had, and we've noticed the boys aren't as excited about it since.
Sam
This sounds like a nice food, Ive never head of it before. we usually eat Orijen and Acana as we are grain free but this sounds like good stuff for dogs who do eat grains
urban hounds
It sounds like a pretty good food, and I'm with you, I need to have at least one store around that carries a food for me to feel comfortable with it. I don't mind ordering online, but sometimes you need something right away. I'm also really impressed that you ate some! :)
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