Chewy Blue Buffalo Dog Food Review

Nutrients and Quality

All Blue Buffalo dog foods comply with nutrient guidelines set by AAFCO and the Global Nutrition Committee of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA). More than 150 carefully selected ingredients are used to manufacture Blue Buffalo foods, including a wide range of protein sources, high-quality fats, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables. Real meat is the first ingredient in all Blue Buffalo dog foods. Equally as important is what's not used to manufacture Blue Buffalo: the foods contain no corn, wheat, soy, artificial ingredients or meals made from poultry by-products.

To ensure that its foods are manufactured to the brand's high quality standards, Blue Buffalo employs a six-step process.

• Blue Buffalo analyzes and tracks its ingredient suppliers' processes and tests all ingredients for nutritional efficacy before bringing them into the factory.
• Ingredients are tested again at the point of manufacture.
• Once ingredients are combined to create individual formulae, they're "batched" to allow Blue Buffalo to monitor quality on an ongoing basis and trace individual ingredients once they're made into complete foods sold in stores. 
• Complete foods are sample tested to make sure they're meeting the precise nutritional standards Blue Buffalo sets. Manufacturing facilities are monitored for cleanliness and equipment is checked regularly to ensure it's performing properly.
• Once products are packaged, they're checked with metal detectors and x-rays to further ensure safety.  

All Blue Buffalo dry dog foods contain what the brand calls LifeSource Bits, small, dark kibble pieces that contain a proprietary blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that dogs need to live a healthy life. Unlike the rest of the kibble that makes up Blue Buffalo foods, LifeSource Bits are cold-formed to preserve the potency of the nutrients that comprise them. Blue Buffalo foods also contain glucosamine and chondroitin, which are often prescribed by veterinarians to ensure bone health, particularly for large purebred dogs like the ever-popular Golden and Labrador retrievers.

Price

Blue Buffalo doesn't use soy, corn, wheat, gluten, or any of the other inexpensive fillers found in many other dog food brands. Real meats are the foundation of Blue Buffalo recipes. If you've been to the grocery store lately, you can probably attest to the fact that meat isn't cheap. So it's no surprise that Blue Buffalo dog foods aren't cheap either. By way of example, on the lower end of the price spectrum, a 30-lb. bag of Blue Buffalo Life Protection Chicken and Brown Rice kibble will run you about $50. If you choose to feed your dog a grain-free diet—which is a controversial choice, by the way, due to an increased incidence of the heart condition DCM in dogs fed a grain-free diet—you'll spend about $56 for a 24-lb. bag. A 12-can case of Blue Buffalo wet food costs between $25 and $30 and, according to Blue Buffalo's feeding instructions, would only last a few days if you have a medium to large size dog. As with other brands, dry food is certainly the more affordable feeding option. But countless dog lovers invest endless love in their pups. They're happy to invest in high-quality dog food to make sure they live long, healthy lives. We all have to live within our own budgets, but if you can afford Blue Buffalo's premium price, you do get what you pay for.

Variety

Every dog is different. Some turn their noses up at anything but beef. Some dogs have difficulty maintaining a healthy weight. Some have ingredient-specific allergies and suffer from skin and coat problems if they're fed certain ingredients. And dogs' nutritional needs change as they grow older. The Blue Buffalo family of foods is broad enough to address your pet's uniqueness. You'll also find Blue Buffalo foods contain some unusual ingredients. A survey of the brand's ingredient list provided quite a few surprises. Some foods are made with alligator, bison, halibut, and cod, though you'll also find more standard fare like beef, lamb, chicken, and turkey. You could also make a delicious stew or salad from the fruits and vegetables found in Blue Buffalo foods. Plant-based ingredients include pomegranate, fava beans, berries, broccoli, herbs, and more are used to create Blue Buffalo recipes. Overall, we were reassured by the wholesomeness of Blue Buffalo foods, regardless of which variety you select.