American Journey vs Taste of the Wild Dog Food: Our 2024 In-Depth Comparison

There are so many options for dog food brands and many might seem very similar to one another. There are similar ingredients, organic vs by-products, added nutrients, and varying price ranges. It can be tough to know which brand is the best for your dog, and difficult to decipher between what’s good for your pup and just good advertising.

We did some research and compared two popular dog foods: American Journey and Taste of the Wild. Hopefully, you’ll be able to see why we chose a clear winner!

A Sneak Peek at the Winner: Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild makes our top choice for a few different reasons. There are clearly higher levels of protein and fat in Taste of the Wild compared to American Journey. The high number of positive reviews across their products solidifies the popularity of this brand too. Your top choices are Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free dry dog food and Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Smoke-Flavored Salmon Grain-Free dry dog food.

About American Journey

American Journey is known for its protein-first ingredients and at 32% it comes in higher than many other brands. The brand prides itself on using only natural ingredients for an overall healthy diet. It contains a long list of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals required for dogs, including essential amino acids and fatty acids. These ingredients are known to support healthy skin and coat, in addition to your dog’s overall immune system. It’s suitable across breed sizes as well, making it a flexible option.

The brand stands out as the representing house brand of Chewy.com and is made in and distributed from Kansas, United States, with some ingredients sourced from other suppliers in the US and worldwide. American Journey is also known for having many choices in terms of ingredients and options for both dogs, cats, and treats.

About Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild has a high protein content and has quality proteins such as wild boar, smoke-flavored salmon, or Angus beef listed as its first ingredient. The unique choice of protein options draws pet owners to the brand. The name comes from its relation to the natural foods that ancestral dogs would need to thrive in the wild. Taste of the Wild is created across the USA in multiple facilities located in California, Missouri, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Kansas. In some cases, ingredients are sourced from global suppliers.

It does not have a history of harmful or controversial ingredients and is popular for its affordable price point and being a family-made company. It has unique blends of ingredients and interesting options for flavor like “Pacific Stream” or “Pine Forest.” It uses only sustainable and high-quality ingredients that have a boost of antioxidants, nutrients, and minerals for your dog.

 

The 3 Most Popular American Journey Dog Food Recipes

1. American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

The salmon and sweet potato recipe from American Journey is a popular choice among dog owners. It has salmon listed as its first ingredient, which provides an abundance of essential omega acids—perfect for a dog’s skin and coat health. With additional nutrition coming from fruits and vegetables in its ingredients, it boosts antioxidants for extra support of your dog’s immune system. Its fiber content from ingredients like chickpeas and sweet potato also helps with energy levels.

The recipe is grain-free and ideal for any dogs with grain sensitivities.

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2. American Journey Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

This American Journey dry dog food is suitable for all life stages. With the beef recipe, much like the others, beef is listed as the first ingredient. The protein content is high and the ingredients provide a wide array of nutritional value for dogs. Protein supports maintaining lean muscle mass, plus there are potatoes and chickpeas for added fiber and lasting energy. It seems similar to other recipes in terms of the addition of antioxidants, omega fatty acids, and proteins.

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3. American Journey Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

With deboned chicken listed as the first ingredient, this most popular American Journey option for dogs provides high protein and an endless list of nutrients for your dog. It is created with adult dogs in mind. This recipe is suitable for those who have a grain-free diet suggested by a vet due to food sensitivities. With a suitable level of fiber from chickpeas and sweet potatoes, this recipe works to stabilize energy levels in your dog.

It also includes salmon oil and flaxseed, omega acids, and long-chain DHA to support your dog’s skin, coat, plus brain and eye development.

The 3 Most Popular Taste of the Wild Dog Food Recipes

1. Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Smoke-Flavored Salmon Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Taste of the Wild is created with a dog’s ancestry in mind. This brand considers our modern-day domestic pets to have the same needs as their past wolf family lineage. The number one ingredient is sustainably-sourced salmon providing high-quality protein and omega fatty acids providing support to their coat and skin. With 32% protein content in its recipe, it benefits your dog by supporting bones, joints, and lean muscles.

It also includes vitamins and minerals sourced from fruit and superfoods such as blueberries, raspberries, and more.

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2. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

The High Prairie recipe contains pasture-raised bison and venison as its top ingredients. With omega fatty acids and probiotics, it provides a lot of great nutrition for your dog. The high protein content coming in at 32% gives it an added advantage. This recipe contains K9 strain proprietary probiotics and prebiotics that help to support digestion and the overall health and wellness of your dog.

It’s also made in the USA with trusted local and international ingredients.

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3. Taste of the Wild Wetlands Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

This recipe from Taste of the Wild contains duck as its first ingredient. It also includes a blend of quail and smoked turkey—a unique mix for a dry dog food brand. The recipe includes chicory root for gut health and healthy digestion as well. The blend of proteins in this recipe provides great benefits such as supporting bones, joints, and lean muscles. It has added benefits in its ingredients with vitamins, minerals, and superfoods sourced from both the US and trusted global sources.

Some customers reported the food causing itching in their dogs.

 

Recall History of American Journey and Taste of the Wild

Taste of the Wild did have one instance of recall on their pet food in May of 2012 with reported cases of salmonella. American Journey has never had any history of recalls, which gives many pet owners peace of mind. Also, it is a positive thing to note that the Taste of the Wild recall was 10 years ago, though.

American Journey VS Taste of the Wild Comparison

Taste

In terms of taste, there are many more recipe options available from American Journey in comparison to Taste of the Wild. It can be called a simpler option of flavors, whereas Taste of the Wild contains blends of proteins and unique recipes. Pickier dogs may gear towards the simpler flavors, but that all depends on your dog’s flavor preference! However, there are options in Taste of the Wild that include only one protein (chicken, beef, or fish) and a vegetable for picky eaters.

Nutritional Value

Both brands contain high levels of protein at 32%, which elevates them above other options. Taste of the Wild contains a higher fat content, which is an essential nutrient in dog food, but not ideal for overweight pooches. They both contain additions of omega fatty acids and other essential nutrients. Taste of the Wild puts emphasis on its superfoods and probiotics, giving it an edge to support your dog’s overall health. They both seem to include ingredients that cover the bases of a healthy immune system that you want in every dog food, but if quality is your draw then Taste of the Wild wins.

Price

The price between both brands has a difference of only a few dollars. Taste of the Wild has a large 28-pound option available for not much more than American Journey’s 24-pound option. When comparing the options for similar sizes between the two, the price point is almost a match.

Selection

As mentioned before, Taste of the Wild has fewer recipe options than American Journey. There are around forty different options for dry dog food alone when it comes to American Journey. They also have options for wet dog food and dog treats. Taste of the Wild doesn’t appear to have any treat options available for dogs, and it also has much fewer dry dog food recipes coming in at just under 20 recipes. This appears to be due to its unique blend of proteins and ingredients. They use pasture-raised and high-quality ingredients and place high importance on sustainable options.

Overall

Taste of the Wild seems to have more nutritional impact than American Journey. This may not be a jumping point for most dog owners, but because the price is so similar it might be an option to try with your pets. If you have a dog who’s finicky with taste, or maybe they like simple ingredients, then you may notice them turning away from this food. But with such positive, highly rated reviews, it seems to be a popular choice.

 

Conclusion

Taste of the Wild is the winner in this comparison with American Journey. It doesn’t seem to just be one of those dog food brands that choose buzz words to capture pet owners’ attention, but they are a brand that chooses quality over quantity. The big draw to Taste of the Wild is definitely the very similar price point to American Journey, and it has all the added benefits of pasture-raised, high-quality protein. Plus, being packed with extra ingredients for added nutrition in comparison gives it a leg-up.