You already know that the diet you feed your dog is key to ensuring optimal health. But if you’re currently feeding Pedigree, or are considering it – you’ll naturally want to know whether it is a good choice. Well, today, we will be taking a look at Pedigree food and how it ranks up against dog food brands and options.
So, is Pedigree good for dogs? Pedigree is a mainstream budget-friendly food that can be served to dogs, but it isn’t considered the best option in terms of nutritional value. Pedigree uses a large amount of corn in their kibble recipes. This can make Pedigree less suitable for dogs with allergies or digestive sensitivities.
Pedigree, like all commercial dog foods, does have to meet certain basic nutritional standards.
However, just because they meet such standards does not mean their food is necessarily optimal. Or ideal.
We shall now continue to explore why this is the case below.
I’ll also be introducing you to an ideal alternative. Spoiler, its this one here.
So stick around for that, but first.
Is Pedigree A Good Dog Food?
Pedigree dog food is a generally safe dog food option for owners on a budget, but due to its high level of grain-based filler – mainly corn – it is not considered the best choice for dog food. It does include meat in its kibble and wet varieties, but exactly what type of meat is actually in the food can be hard to determine.
Pedigree does have a long history in the dog food industry and makes food that meets a dog’s basic dietary needs through several life stages.
Pedigree brand dog food will serve the purpose of keeping a dog full and meeting basic nutrition requirements but lacks some of the health benefits of other dog food brands.
At times, Pedigree dog food is found being fed in shelters and non-profit facilities because of its low price point and ease of purchase.
However, if you have a dog with allergies or digestive struggles, Pedigree contains ingredients that may make things worse instead of better.
If you are in need of dog food in a pinch or on a tight budget, feeding your dog Pedigree will do the trick.
If you are looking for a high-quality dog food that is easily digestible and has a low chance of causing allergy flare-ups, you may want to look to other brands.
What Is Pedigree Made Of?
Pedigree products are typically made of corn, meat, bone, and other grain sources.
However, Pedigree does offer a wide range of variations on their dry dog foods with slightly different ingredients and nutritional profiles.
They also offer a wet dog food line that has fair ratings for being well eaten by dogs with picky tastes.
This may be a good thing for owners whose dogs have turned up their noses at other food brands.
Nevertheless, here are the core ingredients they use in a little extra detail:
Corn
Dry Pedigree’s main ingredient is corn.
Corn is used in some dog foods as a filler and food energy source.
The struggle with corn as the main ingredient is that it is not easily digestible by dogs.
Dogs who have demonstrated having a sensitive stomach may find corn-based dog foods hard to handle.
Meat and Bone
After corn, Pedigree is made from meat and bone meal which is a product rendered and dried from many different parts of an animal’s body.
The animals used to produce meat and bone meal can vary, and there is no specific list of which animal Pedigree is getting its bone meal from.
If you have a dog who needs to avoid certain animal ingredients, it can be hard to do when feeding a generically meat-sourced food.
Other Grains/Meat Fillers
Pedigree also contains several other grain and meat sources to help round out its nutritional profile, with the ingredient list being vague about the quality of the product and specific sources.
This is common practice among mid-range dog foods and, while safe, may make it hard for some owners to discern what exactly their dog is eating each day.
Is Pedigree Harmful For Dogs?
While Pedigree may not be the healthiest dog food on the market, it is not considered harmful for most dogs. Pedigree dog food has been recalled from time to time for various issues, and the choice of corn as a number one ingredient has raised concern among some pet owners and researchers. Corn can be hard on a dog’s digestive system over time and may require the digestive organs to work harder to break down the dog’s food.
The use of meat products from an array of undisclosed animals and sources means that Pedigree is not the safest choice for those dogs that have allergies to specific protein types.
That being said, many common store sold dog food brands also use similar labeling and products without any harm directly to the dogs who eat them.
For an owner on a budget who wants food that will meet a dog’s basic nutrition and energy needs, Pedigree may fit the bill.
While on paper, Pedigree is a safe choice, it may not be the most beneficial nutrition source for a dog long term.
Can Dogs Eat Pedigree Everyday?
Dogs can eat Pedigree daily; it was designed to be consumed in this way. The exact amount of food to feed your dog is based on their age, weight, breed, overall size, and exercise levels. Each Pedigree product has a suggested serving schedule printed on its packaging.
Typically both wet and dry versions of Pedigree are fed 2-3 times per day in an amount adjusted to your dog’s age and desired weight.
Puppies are likely to need frequent small amounts of food to help them meet their growth and energy needs without overwhelming their stomachs.
Older dogs will eat slightly larger meals, usually 2 -3 times per day.
Some people follow once-a-day feeding schedules, but this is not typically recommended for Pedigree products.
Alternative Dog Foods To Pedigree
While there are quite a few brands of dog food that could outrank Pedigree in terms of overall nutritional value, ease of digestion, and clarity of ingredients, one brand that consistently ranks high in all of these areas is Sundays For Dogs.
It was designed by a veterinarian who wanted to feed her dog the healthiest food possible without having to dedicate her home kitchen to hand cooking for her pup every night.
Sundays For Dogs was designed to provide more nutrition to a dog, fewer allergens, and make the process of ordering the right dog food simple and effortless.
It is a kibble-based food like many of Pedigree’s varieties but leaves out the corn filler and other low-nutrient extras.
For this reason, this brand is appreciated by animal nutritionists and owners for having premium and minimal ingredients.
You won’t find vague meat terms and can rest assured that the meat product in the chicken version is indeed real food quality chicken, and the beef variety is sourcing USDA beef for their protein.
The vegetables are ones that are easy for dogs to digest and support gut health.
Not only is it clear what ingredients are in Sundays For Dogs, but the food is also guaranteed to be human grade which means the ingredients used must be of the same quality that could be served to a person for their own dinner.
That’s not the case with many of the ingredients in brands such as Pedigree or other major dog food producers.
This food is ideal for all dogs; whether young pups still growing, or those with sensitive stomachs, allergies, and other digestive issues.
While the price tag on Sundays For Dogs is higher than what you will spend on Pedigree, you can really increase the quality of your dog’s diet and health.
And, this food will help to prevent medical issues arising in your dog down the line; something that would later cost you anyway.
What I love about Sundays for Dogs is that you can customize their food for you dog’s size, age, and current dietary needs. You can get a direct recommendation for which recipe is best for your dog.
The process is simple to order and you can even order on subscription for regular deliveries. That way, you’ll never need to go out and buy food each month – it will simply arrive as and when you need more.
So, I suggest you head over to Sundays for Dogs and take a look for yourself.
Finally
When choosing how to meet your dog’s nutritional needs, there is a lot to consider.
While Pedigree will work to meet the basic needs of many dogs, in reality, the case could be made that it isn’t the best choice.
And the truth is, finding food with quality ingredients can drastically improve your dog’s entire health.
It’s absolutely worth it.
That’s where Sunday for Dogs comes in.
Wondering about other brands of dog food? Then check out my other guides:
- Is IAMS Good For Dogs?
- Is Blue Delights Good For Dogs?
- Is Kibble And Bits Good For Dogs?
- Is Purina Pro Plan A Good Dog Food
I am a practiced pet owner with decades of experience owning a number of different pets. I am also the main writer and chief editor here at Pet Educate; a site I created to share everything I’ve learned about pet ownership over the years and my extensive research along the way.