About Nutro
Nutro’s history started in 1926 when American John Saleen bought a pre-existing British pet food company and named it Nutro products. Fast-forward to 2007, and the Nutro brand was acquired by Mars Petcare. Today, Nutro is known for being one of the foundational, natural pet food brands in the industry.
They pride themselves on being holistic and making food with natural ingredients. As a result, their dog food formulas are simple, with each ingredient serving a meaningful purpose. The company is committed to using non-GMO ingredients and making recipes free from artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, by-products, and fillers.
As a dog owner, you’ll also be pleased to know that their recipes are created for dogs at different ages and stages of development. And because the recipes are free from corn and soy, most of them will be suitable for dogs with specific sensitivities and digestive difficulties.
All of Nutro’s products are produced and manufactured in the United States. Their goal is rooted in prioritizing the safety and health of your pets. And they do this by following their three-pronged “Feed Clean” philosophy, which is all about providing simple, purposeful, and trustworthy food to your pet’s plate.
In 2012, Nutro was the first pet food company to receive the Pet Food Manufacturing Facilities Certification created by the American Feed Industry Association.
Now that you know a bit more about the brand, it’s time to learn more about the products. To help you better decide on whether Nutro’s dog food is the right fit for your canine, we’ve reviewed Nutro’s highest-rated wet and dry dog food below.
Best Dry Dog Food
from Nutro
NUTRO Limited Ingredient Diet Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
First 5 ingredients:
- Deboned Lamb
- Lamb Meal
- Chickpeas,
- Dried Potatoes
- Dried Sweet Potato
What we like:
- High-quality ingredients
- First 2 ingredients meat-based
- Easily digestible (made with 10 ingredients)
- Specially formulated for large breeds
- Made in the USA using non-GMO ingredients
Talk about minimalism, this recipe is made using only 10 ingredients (plus natural flavors, minerals, and other nutrients). This recipe uses high-quality ingredients in a limited number to ensure that digestion is streamlined and your dog’s nutrition is taken care of. It is made without corn, gluten, wheat, or soy protein, all of which can trigger stomach sensitivities.
This recipe is formulated for large breed dogs, and as such, it is rich in chondroitin and glucosamine to maintain the health of those big joints, which are often the cause of our loveable big furry friend’s health issues as they age. So if you want a recipe that will keep your big boy or girl jumping into your car, then this is a solid choice.
Customer reviews:
“My 2yr old Bullmastiff just was not doing well with my go-to foods I usually feed my big dogs. This food helped his belly, gas, amount of waste and he seems full after eating. I am very happy with my purchase.”
“My dog had constant diarrhea until we switched to this food.”
Guaranteed analysis:
- Protein (min): 20.0%
- Fat (min): 13.0%
- Fiber (max): 3.5%
- Moisture (max): 10.0%
Nutritional Info
Ingredients: Deboned Lamb, Lamb Meal, Chickpeas, Dried Potatoes, Dried Sweet Potato, Lentils, Potato Starch, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Sunflower Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Potato Protein, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid (preservatives), Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Selenium Yeast, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.
Best Wet Dog Food
from Nutro
Made with big and small dogs in mind, this recipe packs a punch. It tastes as good as it sounds, just please don’t ask me how I know this, things got weird. With real chicken as the first ingredient and contributing to the solid 8% protein, it is a hard product to go past. Nutro sources the ingredients in this product carefully, ensuring optimal dry recipe composition.
Free of grains, chicken by-products, corn, soy, wheat, artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives this recipe is made with natural health in mind. The handy no-mess trays make preparing a meal easier than ever before. If you want a natural wet food for your dog, with minimal hassle then trust me, Nutro Cuts in Gravy is a delectable choice.
Customer reviews:
“I bought this to mix with dry food for our Frenchie. He gets a little bored with the same thing, but he’s got a tender tummy, and this was great. It met all his dietary needs, and he loves it. No more blah suppers!”
“My pup Kobe just loves it! He looks forward to dinner time!”
Guaranteed analysis:
- Protein (min): 8.0%
- Fat (min): 3.0%
- Fiber (max): 1.0%
- Moisture (max): 82.0%
Nutritional Info
Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Pork Broth, Chicken Liver, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Pork Plasma, Tapioca Starch, Pea Fiber, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Dried Tomatoes, Choline Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate, Magnesium Proteinate, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement.
How does Nutro stack up as a brand?
Nutro DRY Food
|
Nutro Dry Food (avg) |
Industry Average |
|
|
Protein |
23.6 |
26.5 |
|
Fat |
13.5 |
14.1 |
|
Fibre |
4.4 |
4.7 |
Nutro WET Food
|
Nutro Wet Food (avg) |
Industry Average |
|
|
Protein |
8.6 |
8.6 |
|
Fat |
4.7 |
4.7 |
|
Fibre |
1.3 |
1.5 |
Brand Recalls
Most pet food brands have been hit by a recall here and there—especially ones that have been around for a while. And Nutro isn’t immune to some recall stumbles along their long journey. Recalls are a good thing to be aware of, but they can happen for a variety of reasons. Here is Nutro’s recall history, starting with their most recent one:
2015
Nutro’s apple chewy dog treats were recalled due to potential mold contamination. This recall was isolated to Nutro dog treats sold at PetSmart.
2009
There were two recalls this year. The first was due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in the cat food due to a production error by a US-based supplier that gave them imbalance vitamin premixes.
The second recall was announced later this year by Mars Inc for various Nutro dry dog and cat food after small pieces of melted plastic were found in the production line.
2007
Nutro was among a nationwide recall initiated by Menu Foods, a company that was manufacturing many of Nutro’s products at the time. Menu Foods recalled more than 50 different brands of dog food and 40 different brands of cat food due to wheat gluten contaminated ingredients with melamine that were imported from China.