Zignature Dog Food: Review

Zignature, and its very large range of dry and wet foods, is owned and manufactured by Pets Global, who also make the brands Fussie Cat, Essence, and Inception. Pets Global has a greater than average focus on pet nutrition and wellbeing, with an in-house team of PHDs in Food Science and Animal Nutrition. Pets Global launched Zignature in 2012, with the mission of providing a reliable brand for owners looking to cut out traditional filler ingredients from their dog’s dinner.

As a result, the brand has developed a loyal following among owners of dogs that are sensitive to ingredients like grains and potatoes, which are generally considered low-value or empty. It’s also well-loved by owners who need to instigate a low glycemic diet for their pets.

All Zignature Dog Foods are manufactured within the US and use ingredients sourced nationally, as well as from France, New Zealand, and Australia. Each formula is made in compliance with AAFCO nutritional requirements for all life stages.

Zignature’s top dry dog food is a premium food, there is no doubting the quality of their ingredients. Zignature adheres to a meat-first philosophy, and this is reflected with the duck being the first (main) ingredient in this recipe. In addition, there are no allergy inducing proteins (e.g. chicken) and fillers in this grain free food. So it is a great choice for dogs that are prone to upset stomachs. The fact that it is not made with hard to digest ingredients like gluten, corn, grains, wheat, soy, and dairy will also have your dog thanking you.

With 30% protein, this recipe is higher than many top competitors in a similar price range. Although Zignature does not source all of its ingredients in the USA, you can rest assured it has the highest quality. The duck this recipe uses is sourced from Western France, where they have high standards, and the fruits and vegetables are harvested in North America. This recipe is amazing in our opinion, sold by a quality brand.

Customer reviews:

“It’s been difficult to find a high quality food our female Shepherd will eat, and especially without a lot of coaxing, toppers, etc. being needed. Zignature duck is one of them she loves, and she actually seems to prefer it over the kangaroo. So glad we decided to try it. Just received the small bag of guinea fowl to give that a go, and that variety is her favorite by far… so far! Zignature is a winner in our house, and we’ll rotate varieties on autoship”

“My puppy enjoys Zignature foods, and this duck formula is one of his favorites. The pork is his other favorite. I appreciate that Zignature offers protein options that aren’t chicken, as our dog is sensitive.”

Guaranteed analysis:

• Protein (min): 30.0%
• Fat (min): 15.0%
• Fiber (max): 4.5%
• Moisture (max): 10.0%

Nutritional Info
Ingredients: Duck, Duck Meal, Chickpeas, Pea Flour, Peas, Sunflower Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid), Flaxseed, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Natural Flavors, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Cobalt Proteinate), Vitamins (Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Blueberries, Carrots, Cranberries, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Calcium Carbonate, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate).

Caloric Content

384 kcal/kg

Consumers rave about this wet dog food, and for good reason! It is a grain-free formula that features trout,, salmon and chickpeas as its main protein and fat sources. Its source of moisture comes from fish broth, and its top carb is peas, which are easily digestible. The trout and salmon are sourced from the Northwestern US if you fancy supporting our domestic fishing industry as well. 

With 9% protein, this product is above the industry average and doesn’t include unsavory ingredients like chicken, corn, wheat, soy, and potatoes. All of this combined rates a food that is relatively hypoallergenic! This combined with the antioxidants, and key amino acids make it a well-rounded recipe full of vitamins and minerals. For a premium wet food that will make your dog happy, and not break the bank, consider this recipe!

Customer reviews:

“It says it has fish, it has fish. How do I know? My cats are obsessed with stealing this! It’s very good stuff, my dog absolutely loves it.”

“My dogs can’t get enough of it!!! They love it!!!!”

Guaranteed analysis: 

• Protein (min): 9.0%
• Fat (min): 5.5%
• Fiber (max): 1.0%
• Moisture (max): 78.0%

Nutritional Info
Ingredients: Trout, Fish Broth, Salmon, Peas, Chickpeas, Agar-Agar, Calcium Carbonate, Salmon Meal, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Carrots, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, Cranberries, Blueberries, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid).

Caloric Content

397 kcal/can

Zignature’s dry food recipes lean towards the more premium end of the market, with real meat as the first ingredient and no grains or potatoes to bulk out the formula. Because they use both whole meats and concentrated meat meals, their nutritional levels exceed the industry averages for both proteins and fats while maintaining that desirable 2:1 ratio.

Vegetables and legumes such as chickpeas and pea flour often feature as the next ingredients after meat in many of Zignature’s formulas. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it means that the brand isn’t packing their recipes with traditional grains. But it does indicate that some amount of protein within Zignature dry foods is coming from inferior plan sources.

While Zignature wets foods aren’t limited ingredient recipes, they do use simple recipes with clearly identifiable ingredients. Most feature one of more whole meats within their top five ingredients and are supplemented with berries, fibrous vegetables, and added vitamins. Zignature meets or exceeds industry average levels for proteins, fats, and fiber.

Neither the FDA nor the AVMA has any record of Zignature in their databases for pet food recalls or retractions. Our researchers also couldn’t find any mention of a serious contamination issue with Zignature formulas.

2019 Update: Despite being recall-free, Zignature was prominently involved in an investigation by the FDA over a sharp rise in cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) among dogs. As part of their probe, they found a substantial correlation between incidents of DCM and dogs consuming Zignature, alongside several other brands.

While the FDA didn’t find any firm link between Zignature formulas and an increased risk of heart disease (and the brand firmly refutes any connection), we absolutely recommend that owners perform their own independent research before considering switching from their pup’s current diet.