K9 Natural is a pet food brand based in New Zealand. The company was founded in 2006 and focuses on producing alternative dog food varieties with a high content of free-range meat. Their motto is “naturally better nutrition,” and they pledge to provide the best blend of nature into nutrition for all their customers. K9 Natural only uses the highest-quality local New Zealand ingredients and prioritize utilizing New Zealand’s natural resources in the most sustainable way possible. Their entire range is backed by world-class research from their in-house nutritionist and collaboration with the world’s best animal research institution.
Types of K9 Natural Dog Food
K9 Natural offers a unique product line that does not include traditional dry dog food. Instead, they offer a range of canned wet food and freeze dried food alongside some frozen options, toppers and treats. Their dog food is divided into three different lines. First, they offer a natural freeze-dried line of raw foods that can be used as a complete meal or a kibble topper. The freeze-drying process allows all the nutrition and flavor to be locked in without requiring preservatives or refrigeration. Second, they offer a line of kibble toppers that are made in small batches and freeze-dried. Lastly, they offer a line of traditional canned foods.
If you’re looking for more options, you can also check out our other recommendations for organic dog food and grain-free dog food.
Following is a complete list of K9 Natural’s dog food products:
Freeze-Dried Food and Toppers:
- Fish Blend Hoki & Beef Feast Freeze Dried
- Fish Blend Lamb & Salmon Feast Freeze Dried
- Single Source Beef Feast Freeze Dried
- Single Source Lamb Feast Freeze Dried
- Single Source Chicken Feast Freeze Dried
- Beef Feast Topper
- Beef Green Tripe Topper
- Chicken Topper
- Hoki & Beef Feast Freeze Dried Topper
- Lamb & Salmon Feast Freeze Dried Topper
- Lamb Feast Topper
- Lamb Green Tripe Topper
Canned Wet Food:
- Hoki and Beef Feast Can
- Lamb and King Salmon Feast Can
- Beef Feast Can
- Beef Green Tripe
- Chicken Feast Can
- Lamb Feast Can
Ingredients
K9 Natural sources all of their whole food ingredients in New Zealand, which they claim to be one of the cleanest food suppliers in the world. They work to find the best ingredients possible that maximize taste and nutrient content. All of their food products are grain-free and all their animal products are sustainably sourced, free-range and grass-fed.
All of K9 Natural’s recipes are centered around a single meat protein source, including beef, poultry and fish. They add chicken eggs to most of their recipes as well as New Zealand green mussels, which are notably rich in glucosamine and omega-3 fatty acids which offer a variety of health benefits. Flaxseed, sunflower oil and fish oil are also added, which increase the content of omega-3 fatty acids. A variety of different fruits and vegetables are added to all of their recipes, including pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. Chelated minerals are included in their recipes, where minerals are chemically attached to a protein to make them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are commonly found in higher-end dog foods. Their recipes are also supplemented with selenium yeast, which has anti-cancer and anti-flea properties among other benefits. However, this is important to note if your dog is allergic to yeast.
K9 Natural’s dog foods are very high in fat and protein and very low in carbs. On average, 62 percent of calories are from fat, 36 percent are from protein and 2 percent are from carbohydrates. The fiber content is 2.2 percent. These nutritional values do not align with the recommended value for most dog foods, so consult with your veterinarian before providing them as a sole food source for your pup. This type of diet can be tough on a dogs’ kidneys and cause them to gain a lot of weight if they are not active. This diet is usually used for working dogs and show pups.
Comparison to Other Leading Brands
K9 Naturals is an expensive dog food brand, which is not surprising considering their specialized ingredients and types of dog foods. An 8-pound box of their freeze-dried dog food, which contains about 32 cups of food, is priced at $206. It is also sold in 1.1-lb and 4-lb bags, which is convenient if you want to test out a new recipe or flavor. Their canned dog food is sold in cases of 12 13-ounce cans for $62. This comes out to about $5 per can.
Freeze dried food is not commonly sold by mainstream dog food brands, so it is difficult to compare price on that end. K9 Natural’s raw, meat-based ingredients in their canned food are also hard to compare to other brands. If you are looking for a more affordable brand of natural dog food, Taste of the Wild and Blue Buffalo are great brands to look into. You can also check out our recommendations for dry dog food and wet dog food across all price ranges.
Recall History
In April of 2018, K9 Natural voluntarily recalled four batches of its K9 Natural Frozen Chicken Feast that were imported into the US in June 2017 because they had the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in humans and animals. No specific cases of illness in humans or animals were reported in connection with the recall.
Coupons and Discounts
K9 Natural is sold primarily in independent, natural pet food stores worldwide. It is also sold through most major online pet food retailers, including Chewy and Amazon. These online retailers usually have the best prices and free shipping. While the brand does not sell their products directly through their website, you can subscribe to their newsletter, which includes promotional offers and information on new products.
K9 Naturals Dog Food Review Conclusion
We give K9 Natural a final rating of “great.” While made of high-quality ingredients, they are a very expensive brand. Additionally, the nutritional content of their foods is not appropriate for most dogs, and are better used as a supplement or topper, and could be more clearly advertised as such.
If you are still looking for more options, check out our other favorite dog food brands that really stood out across all categories.
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