Kirkland (Costco) Dog Food Review

 Just because you’re a private label brand doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a pushover especially in the highly competitive pet food market. This is exactly what Kirkland Dog Food aims to prove.

While not exactly a newcomer in the business of commercial dog food, having been established in 1970 as a specialty canine diet formulated and manufactured by Schell and Kampeter’s Diamond Pet Foods, Inc., Kirkland signature dog foods have come a long way towards establishing itself as a major industry player in a world that is dominated by big-name brands. The company’s journey from being a limited-distribution company that catered to the needs of pet parents with a 100-mile radius of Meta, Missouri is now gaining worldwide recognition.

Today, its nationwide reach is made possible through its partnership with CostCo, supplying the retail giant with its own signature brand of dog food. Diamond’s manufacturing expansion to the Pacific coast and the Eastern seaboard has also greatly helped in Kirkland’s growth.

In this review, we shall take a look at Kirkland’s 5 best-selling dog food products as well as what makes them a very appealing alternative to big-name brands.

The Kirkland Dog Food

1 Nature'S Domain Turkey Dog Food

Nature'S Domain Turkey Dog Food

Key features:

    Brand: Kirklans Signature

    First 5 ingredients: Turkey Meal, Sweet Potato, Pea, Potato, Canola Oil

    Primary Protein Source: Turkey

    Calories: 336 kcal/cup

    Flavor: Turkey

    Life Stage: All

Kirkland’s Nature’s Domain Turkey Meal & Sweet Potato Dog Food is perfect for all breeds of dogs whether they’re small or giants as they’ll essentially be getting the optimum nutrition they need provided you give them the right amounts of kibble. The use of turkey is extraordinary since this can lessen the risk of food allergies to go along with the product’s grain-free formulation.

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2 Small Breed Adult Dog Formula Chicken, Rice

Small Breed Adult Dog Formula Chicken, Rice

Key features:

    Brand: Kirkland Signature

    First 5 ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole grain brown rice, cracked pearled barley, chicken fat

    Primary Protein Source: Chicken

    Calories: 393 kcals/cup

    Flavor: Chicken, Rice

    Life Stage: Adult

For pet parents of small and toy dog breeds, the Super Premium Small Dog Chicken, Rice, and Vegetable Formula is a great choice. While an All-Stages formulation can sufficiently cover the nutritional needs of small breeds, having a diet that is especially formulated for them makes perfect sense. The Small Dog comes with prebiotics, probiotics, and essential fatty acids to help improve immune system functioning while caring for the skin and coat of these furry pets.

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3 Puppy Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food

Puppy Formula Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Dog Food

Key features:

    Brand: Kirkland Signature

    First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Brown Rice, Cracked Pearled Barley, Egg Product

    Primary Protein Source: Chicken

    Calories: 390 kcals/cup

    Flavor: Chicken, Rice & Vegetable

    Life Stage: Puppy

Designed specifically for puppies of all dog breeds, the Kirkland Super Premium Puppy Chicken, Rice, & Vegetable Formula is a high-protein and moderately high-calorie kibble that is enriched with prebiotics, probiotics, DHA, other essential fatty acids, and all the essential vitamins and minerals needed for the optimum growth and maturation of organ systems particularly calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium.

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4 Nature's Domain Grain Free All Life Stages Dog Food

Nature's Domain Grain Free All Life Stages Dog Food

Key features:

    Brand: Kirkland Signature

    First 5 ingredients: Salmon Meal, Sweet Potato, Pea, Potato, Canola Oil

    Primary Protein Source: Salmon

    Calories: 336 kcal/cup

    Flavor: Salmon

    Life Stage: All

If you’re into fish oils and wholesome starches, then Nature’s Domain Grain-Free All Stages Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato Formula is a perfect choice. In addition to the salmon meal, your dog will also be getting a variety of ocean fishes in the form of a meal to go with a smorgasbord of natural vegetables and fruits that give the Salmon All Stages an amazing nutrient profile.

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5 Nature's Domain USDA Organic Chicken & Pea Formula

Nature's Domain USDA Organic Chicken & Pea Formula

Key features:

    Brand: Kirkland Signature

    First 5 ingredients: Organic chicken, organic peas, organic lentils, organic garbanzo beans, organic sweet potatoes

    Primary Protein Source: Chicken

    Calories: 336 kcals/cup

    Flavor: Chicken

    Life Stage: Adult

This is one product that is truly phenomenal for lack of better words to describe it. It is one thing to say that a product contains organic ingredients. Nature’s Domain Organic Chicken & Pea Formula lists all of its food ingredients as USDA-certified organic from the chicken right down to organic flaxseed.

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Kirkland (Costco) Dog Food Buying Guide

Kirkland dog foods are a lesser-known brand that aims to compete with the big boys in the industry and it does so exceptionally well. Pet parents who have already used Kirkland products through the years can attest to the brand’s premium quality, especially in its choice of animal protein ingredients as well as the inclusion of nutraceuticals, botanicals, essential oils, and even prebiotics and probiotic microorganisms in many of its formulations.

While real chicken is the principal ingredient of most of Kirkland products, this can be quite a concern for those dogs that have allergies since chicken is one of the most common allergens among susceptible dogs. The good news is that there are variants of Kirkland that come with salmon, turkey, or lamb as its principal animal protein ingredient. Since these animal ingredients are considered novel proteins, this should be welcome news for those who are quite apprehensive about giving their pets something that might trigger an allergic reaction.

Kirkland formulations also come in different diets. There are those specifically formulated for puppies of all breeds, pregnant and lactating dogs, small breeds, and senior dogs, among others. Of course, there is always the all-life-stages formulation which should be a great choice for pet parents who need a dog food they can give to their dogs throughout their lifespan.

Based on individual customer reviews, Kirkland fares exceptionally well since majority claim that their dogs showed remarkable improvements especially in terms of skin and coat health and better resistance against disease. It is a good product to have especially if you’re already tired of the same, old, usual brand of dog food.

There’s a minor hiccup, however. Kirkland products are exclusively manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods, Inc. for CostCo. This means you can only get it from the retail giant. However, we’ve seen a number of Kirkland dog food products on the online commerce platform, Amazon, too. Getting your hands on a premium-quality yet friendly-priced Kirkland dog food should now be easier; although still not as easy as other brands.

Kirkland dog foods definitely have their caveats. But on a greater scheme of things, it does provide exceptional nutrition for dogs of all breeds, types, and developmental stages without creating a large, gaping hole in your pocket.

Dog Food

Ingredient Analysis

A careful analysis of the ingredients used by Kirkland in the formulation of its products reveals that it strives to provide premium-quality meats as its principal source of proteins. For instance, in our list of the brand’s top 5 dog foods, the very first ingredient that is listed includes chicken, salmon, or turkey, although the brand clearly has other novel animal proteins like lamb. This underscores the company’s understanding of the nutrient requirements of dogs. While plant-based proteins can provide the same kind of proteins as animal sources, these do not contain some of the amino acids like taurine, cysteine, arginine, tyrosine, and methionine. While these amino acids may be found in certain plant sources, their amounts are almost negligible. By emphasizing the value of animal proteins, Kirkland is making sure that dogs that are fed with its products are going to develop at a much healthier rate.

Check out our High Protein Dog Food Review.

The calorie content of the formulations we presented was also very modest. This is also quite extraordinary since conventional dry dog foods typically have calorie content that range between 400 and 500 kilocalories per cup. The highest that we had in this review is 390 kcal per cup. While it is easy to think that the moderate calorie content of Kirkland will not be able to provide your dog with sufficient energy to perform its daily activities, it is best to look at its protein and fat composition. Fat typically contains more calories than carbs and proteins combined. By tempering the fat content, Kirkland is able to formulate a product that tends to lean more on proteins and carbs as its principal source of energy.

Speaking of carbs, we found no traces of the cereal grains that have been causing quite a stir among allergy-conscious pet parents. As far as the 5 products we shared with you, we did not find any trace of gluten from wheat, soy, or corn. Instead, what we noticed are a wide range of vegetables, fruits, and even wholesome grains like barley, brown rice, millet, and oatmeal, among others. These are what provide the energy for your dog and since each gram of these carbs contain only 4 calories the overall net effect is substantially lower calories. There is another positive aspect to this. The low-calorie content of Kirkland formulations can help prevent canine obesity as well as curb the risk of diabetes.

The formulations of Kirkland also come with essential fatty acids like omega-3s and omega-6s as well as other important nutrients for improved joint health and function. Most of the formulations we presented also come with prebiotics and probiotics which are essential in boosting immune functioning while aiding in healthier digestion. The essential fatty acids also help in promoting improved immune functioning as well as cardiovascular and nervous system functioning, not to mention healthier skin and coat.

Overall the ingredients used in every Kirkland formulation are consistent with the brand’s philosophy of using only premium quality ingredients designed specifically for dogs.

Recalls

Kirkland dog foods have an excellent reputation especially among dog show exhibitors as well as renowned dog breeders. This is especially true in areas that are covered or served by CostCo. Additionally, there is a growing population of pet parents who can only say very nice things about the brand’s signature products. Many have used these products for many years with exceptionally better results than other dog food in the market.

While there were no specific recalls of Kirkland products in the past, the company complied with federal actions on the recall of certain consumer products from the market. For instance, the FDA- and USDA- initiated pet food recalls in 2007 because of the melamine scare that was thought to have contaminated certain proteins used in pet food. The findings revealed that many of these ingredients were imported from China.

In 2012, Diamond Pet Foods, Inc. voluntarily recalled all of its products from the market because of an unusual increase in the number of cases of dogs being reported becoming sick after eating Diamond Pet Food products. Unfortunately, since Kirkland is under the umbrella of Diamond, it had to be recalled, too.

Again, these recalls are not specifically for any Kirkland product. Hence, it remains one of the few products in the market that has stellar performance when it comes to product safety.

Pros

    Better calorie, protein, and fat profile for optimum growth and development as well as overall improvement in various organ systems like nervous, immune, cardiovascular, digestive, integumentary, and musculoskeletal

    Addition of prebiotics and probiotics for enhanced digestion and immune functioning

    Inclusion of essential nutrients for improved health leading to increased mobility and better quality of life

    Unmatched safety profile as evidenced by zero-product recalls that are specific to the brand

    Special formulations for certain breeds and types of dogs for optimum health

    The majority of formulations do not contain gluten especially those from soy, corn, and wheat

    Better palatability compared to other brands

Cons

    Its relationship with Diamond Pet Foods as its manufacturer may be a cause of concern especially since Diamond has been embroiled in a few brand-specific recalls since 2012

    It’s not easy to get hold of Kirkland as it is mostly available only from CostCo; although there are now several Kirkland products on Amazon, too

Feeding the dog

Conclusion

Kirkland is definitely a better-than-your-average type of dog food. It is made of premium-quality ingredients at a price that is almost the same as middle-of-the-pack players. However, because of its relationship with Diamond Pet Foods, you’d really have to be very vigilant about any recall in the event that Diamond hasn’t fully managed its previous issues. Nevertheless, a good consolation here is that brand-wise, Kirkland still has to have one of its products recalled. And for that Kirkland dog foods are excellent choices for those who need premium-quality food for their pets without the hefty price tag.