Halo is a holistic dog food brand with a brand philosophy of “because whole meat makes a whole lot of difference”. Their goal is to provide wholesome products to improve the lives of pets and caregivers while being transparent and honest about their production process. They offer a wide variety of product choices formulated for different ages, breeds and nutritional requirements for dogs. Halo was founded in 1986 and is based in Florida, and all their products are made in the USA. The company is co-owned by talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.
Types of Halo Dog Food
Halo offers an extensive product line, including a selection of dry foods, canned foods and treats. They have three main product lines: Spot’s Stew, Vigor and Mix ‘N Mores. Spot’s Stew is based off Spot the cat, who inspired the creation of the brand. The line includes grain-free and grain-friendly options for various life stages and breed sizes. “Vigor” is designed to promote energy, vitality and healthy digestion. “Mix ‘N More” incorporates freeze-dried mix-ins to supplement and add flavor to normal dry or wet food. They also offer highly-rated vegan dog food specifically formulated to fulfill all of a dog’s nutritional needs without animal proteins.
Check out our other recommendations for wet and dry dog food.
Following is a list of Halo’s most popular dog food options:
Dry Food Products:
- Holistic Chicken and Chicken Liver
- Holistic Chicken and Chicken Liver Puppy
- Holistic Garden of Vegan
- Holistic Wild Salmon and Whitefish Grain-Free Healthy Weight
- Holistic Turkey, Turkey Liver, and Duck Recipe, Grain-Free Healthy Weight
- Holistic Turkey, Turkey Liver, and Duck Recipe, Grain-Free Senior
- Game Bird Grain-Free Medley
- Surf and Turf Grain-Free
Wet Canned Food Products:
- Holistic Garden of Vegan
- Chicken and Salmon Recipe
- Turkey and Duck Recipe
- Lamb Stew Recipe
- Holistic Chicken Recipe
- Holistic Beef Recipe
- Holistic Beef Senior Recipe
Ingredients
Halo focuses all of their recipes around whole meats, which they consider to be the key to healthy, natural nutrition. They use a variety of meats in their different flavors, including fish, poultry, beef and venison. All of their recipes also include easily digestible carbohydrates including chickpeas, barley and oatmeal. They also include a variety of whole fruits and vegetables. They also include chelated minerals and prebiotics, which are high-quality ingredients typically found in top-of-the-line dog foods. All their ingredients are sourced in the United States with the exception of their peas, which are sourced in Canada.
Halo’s recipes also do not include any nasty by-products, fillers, growth hormones or other artificial additives. However, they do include a few ingredients that are sometimes considered to be “controversial.” Ingredients such as dried peas, dried chickpeas and soy protein concentrate are all high-protein, plant-based ingredients which some consider to be of lower biological value compared to animal proteins.
Halo tries to stay as close to nature as they can with their ingredients and recipes, which is reflected in nutrient values that are close to a dog’s diet in the wild. While nutrition varies a bit between their different product lines, all are satisfactory in their proportions. On average, 41 percent of calories in their recipes are from carbohydrates, 35 percent are from fat and 24 percent are from protein. The estimated fiber content is 5.6 percent, which is in line with the recommended value for dog foods.
Comparison to Other Leading Brands
Halo is a relatively expensive dog food brand. However, it is important to keep in mind that the added cost goes towards higher-quality ingredients that you should expect to pay more for. They do offer a wide price range between their basic and specialty recipes, with a 28-pound bag of dry food priced between $55 and $105. Their wet food is sold in cases of 12 13.2-ounce cans for around $30-$70, which comes out to about $4 per can. Both their canned and dry food are sold in a variety of sizes, which is convenient for testing different products and flavors.
Halo’s price range is on par with most other holistic and natural dog food brands such as Blue Buffalo and Merrick. Taste of the Wild and Diamond are more affordable options with similar products. You can also check out our other options for grain-free or organic dog food.
Recall History
Halo has not had any recent recalls, which is reflective of their high standards for quality in safety in all their products. In fact, the company has won a variety of awards for their safety standards and charitable efforts.
Coupons and Discounts
Halo is an expensive brand, so you will be glad to hear that there are plenty of ways to find discounts and coupons to save you some money. The brand is available for purchase from most online pet food retailers including Chewy and Amazon. Halo is also sold in a variety of independent and chain pet stores, which may also offer coupons for the brand from time to time. In addition to also offering occasional coupons on their company website, signing up for Halo’s newsletter comes with monthly $10 coupons to put towards any of their dog food products.
Halo Dog Food Review Conclusion
We give Halo a final rating of “very good”. They are a great brand to support, with the highest safety standards and high-quality products your dog is sure to enjoy and benefit from. Their extensive product line has something to offer for every dog’s nutritional needs.
If you are still looking for more options, check out our other favorite dog food brands that really stood out across all categories.
Sources