Dr. Harvey’s Dog Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Review Summary

Dr. Harvey’s is a dog food company that focuses on natural foods and wholesome ingredients. Their recipes are made without preservatives, dyes, or synthetic ingredients and are all designed to give your pup top-notch nutrition.

This brand offers a wide range of products that run the gamut from grain-free to grain-inclusive and base mixes to complete meals. But, will this brand fulfill all of your dog’s nutritional needs? Keep reading to find out what we loved and didn’t love about this dog food brand.

At a Glance: The Best Dr. Harvey’s Dog Food Recipes

Dr. Harvey’s Dog Food Reviewed

Who Makes Dr. Harvey Dog Food and Where Is It Produced?

Dr. Harvey’s has been in the dog food business since 1984 when Dr. Harvey Cohen, a human nutritionist, became appalled after looking at the ingredients in commercial dog foods. He didn’t appreciate manufacturers putting their profits over product quality by making pet foods chock full of dangerous dyes and chemicals. Dr. Harvey worried about what these toxic ingredients could be doing and the health implications they could cause, so he left his practice and set out to fix the pet food industry.

The natural and preservative-free dog food that Dr. Harvey wanted to offer consumers did not exist in the 80s, so his revolutionary idea to focus on optimal canine health was a new concept to dog owners. Eventually, pet parents caught on, and many have been Dr. Harvey’s dog food proponents for years.

Dr. Harvey’s research and development team is led by Dr. Marie Limoges, who brings along with her a Doctorate in Animal Nutrition & Food Sciences. Their facility and headquarters are found in Keansburg, New Jersey.

Which Types of Dogs Is Dr. Harvey Dog Food Best Suited For?

Dr. Harvey’s is a fantastic dog food option for dog owners that prefer their pups to be on an all-natural diet. The brand has several different types of food options for dogs with specific dietary needs, as well.

Dr. Harvey’s doesn’t have age- or breed-specific formulas, but their recipes are suitable for dogs of all ages and sizes.

Which Types of Dogs Might Do Better With a Different Brand?

Dogs that require a high-protein diet may want to try a different brand. The focus of Dr. Harvey’s food is on whole, all-natural ingredients but not all of their formulas contain a protein as the first ingredient. If you’re looking for a recipe higher in protein, we recommend their Oracle Chicken Formula, as it has 28.0% min crude protein.

Their pre-mixes can be made protein-rich, however, as they’re designed to be mixed with a meat of your choice and oil. This actually can work to your benefit as it allows you total control of the quality and quantity of protein in your dog’s diet.

Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

An interesting thing about Dr. Harvey’s dog food is that every recipe’s ingredients are vastly different from the next. Here are some of the most common ingredients you’ll see listed in their main formulas.

Sweet Potatoes (Good)

Sweet potatoes are a fantastic source of vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin C, as well as calcium and iron. Foods that are orange in color, like sweet potatoes and carrots, also provide a source of beta-carotene, which is an antioxidant that can boost your pup’s immunity¹.

Eggs/Eggshells (Good)

Whole eggs provide a fantastic source of protein, fatty acids, iron, and folate for dogs. Eggshells are a great source of calcium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus. They are great for dogs who suffer from joint pain as they’re rich in collagen, glucosamine, and chondroitin, which can reduce joint pain².

Many vets don’t recommend feeding your dog eggshells from your kitchen, as they can be sharp, but those found in Dr. Harvey’s recipe are ground up to the point where they won’t cause issues.

Broccoli (Potential Concern)

Broccoli is found in all three of Dr. Harvey’s most popular recipes. While both raw and cooked broccoli does offer dogs some benefits, such as fiber and vitamin C, too much broccoli can be an issue. The florets contain isothiocyanates that could potentially cause gastric irritation³ in some dogs.

Peas (Potential Concern)

Some of Dr. Harvey’s formulas contain peas which can be a touchy subject in the world of canine nutrition. Some studies suggest that peas may be a contributing factor⁴ in heart disease in dogs.

That said, peas are a great source of minerals like iron and zinc and are high in protein and fiber. We recommend reaching out to your vet for advice if you’re feeling uncomfortable about feeding your dog food with peas.

Dr. Harvey’s Pre-Mixes

If you’ve never heard of pre-mixes before, you might be confused about why so many of Dr. Harvey’s formulas are made this way.

Pre-mixes are not designed to be fed to your dog alone as they’re not complete and balanced. On their own, pre-mixes do not provide the nutrients that your dog needs. If you chose to use one of Dr. Harvey’s pre-mix formulas, you must follow the instructions to a T.

These formulas are designed to be mixed with hot water and then have a protein source and oil added on top. You will choose what protein source to use and in what form (raw vs. cooked) depending on your dog’s nutritional needs and tastes.

Dr. Harvey’s Product Line-Up

Dr. Harvey’s has four main dog food lines. They also manufacture healthy oils, grooming essentials, treats, and supplements.

 

AAFCO Guidelines

The Association of American Feed Control Officials is an association made of officials that regulate the sale and distribution of pet foods. The AAFCO establishes standard ingredient definitions as well as the nutritional requirements for complete and balanced pet food.

When you’re searching for healthy dog food, look for the AAFCO statement. While the association doesn’t test, regulate, or approve pet foods, their statement on a bag of dog food will tell you that the food is complete and balanced for a particular stage of life.

For example, you may see the statement “(Recipe title) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for Adult Maintenance” on a bag of food. This simply means that the food in question meets the nutritional requirements necessary to provide complete and balanced nutrition for adult dogs.

Dr. Harvey’s Oracle Grain-Free food as well as their Complete Meals and Specialty Diet line-ups do have an AAFCO statement but their pre-mixes do not. This is because the pre-mixes alone aren’t nutritionally complete as they need additional ingredients to be considered complete and balanced.

A Quick Look at Dr. Harvey’s Dog Food

Recall History

At the time of writing, Dr. Harvey’s dog food does not have a recall history.

Reviews of the 3 Best Dr. Harvey’s Dog Food Recipes

Let’s take a closer look at the three most popular Dr. Harvey’s formulas.

1. Oracle Chicken Formula

Dr. Harvey’s Oracle Chicken Formula is a grain-free freeze-dried food that provides your pooch with the benefits of a homemade meal without all of the prep work. All that’s needed is a cup of hot water, 10-15 minutes to let the food absorb the water, and your dog’s food is ready to be served. This recipe features real chicken as the first ingredient. The protein used in both of Dr. Harvey’s Oracle formulas is USDA-certified, too. The second ingredient is sweet potatoes which can support a healthy digestive system because of their high fiber content.

Every bag of Oracle is chock full of nutritious fruits and vegetables to provide your dog with the vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive. The ingredient list includes veggies like broccoli for Vitamin C and K and fruits like pumpkin for fiber and gastrointestinal health. This food is suitable for all life stages and doesn’t contain preservatives or chemical additives and has no added sugar or salt. It is therefore simple to digest and great for dogs who have food sensitivities.

The feeding guidelines for this recipe only provide recommendations for dogs up to 90 pounds. If your large and giant breed dog is heavier than that, you may wish to ask your vet for feeding advice.

This is a grain-free dog food that’s suitable for dogs that require a grain-free diet. If your dog does not have any grain sensitivities, you may wish to talk to your vet to see if a diet free of grains is the best option for your pet.

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2. Canine Health Miracle Dog Food Pre-Mix

Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health is a base mix that you can use to craft a balanced and homemade meal for your pup. It’s made with high-quality ingredients including nine different dehydrated vegetables, egg shells, and organic grains. This recipe includes vegetables like carrots for a boost of fiber and Vitamin A and beets for a source of Vitamin C and manganese. Egg shells provide a whole food source of calcium.

If you’ve always wanted to provide your dog with a homemade diet but don’t have the time to concoct everything from scratch, the pre-mix will get you as close as possible without all the additional prep work. Your pup’s meals will only take a few minutes to put together, as all you need to do is rehydrate the mix with water, add your own raw or cooked meat to the mix, and top it off with your choice of oil (e.g., flax, hemp, olive, etc).

As with all of Dr. Harvey’s recipes, this formula is made without any preservatives, dyes, or fillers.

This recipe does list peas as one of the ingredients. Though, admittedly, it is not one of the top five listed. This is important to note as peas are a controversial dog food ingredient that may be linked to canine heart disease.

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3. Paradigm Green Superfood Pre-Mix

Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm is a specially-blended green superfood pre-mix that acts as a base for a low carbohydrate diet. As with the previous pre-mix we reviewed, this formula provides your pup with the benefits of a home cooked diet without all the time-consuming preparation. You do need to add your own raw or cooked meat and oil to the formula.

This formula features low glycemic index and slow-digesting vegetables to prevent any glucose level spikes. The ingredient list lists veggies like broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, and cabbage as the most prevalent vegetables in the recipe. It also lists bone broth as the third main ingredient which is loaded with nutrients to promote collagen growth.

This recipe contains a range of powerful herbs known for their healing properties. Herbs like turmeric and cinnamon provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Since this recipe is naturally low in carbs, it is a great option for dogs with allergies, diabetes, or those who need a little help with weight management. There are no preservatives, dyes, or chemicals in this formula.

This recipe is naturally grain-free which may only be suitable for dogs who have legitimate sensitivities to grains. You may want to speak with your vet before putting your dog on a grain-free diet.

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What Other Users Are Saying

Dr. Harvey’s dog food has a large following of loyal customers who swear by its food.

Conclusion

Dr. Harvey’s dog food is a great option for dog owners looking to clean up their pup’s diet. The ingredient list of every recipe is chock full of healthy ingredients like vegetables and fruits. They also have grain-free and grain-inclusive options, which is great, as they don’t only focus on one or the other.

Not all of Dr. Harvey’s recipes have an AAFCO statement, which is less than ideal. We understand that the statement is missing on the brand’s base mixes, as it is assumed you’ll add your own oil and protein to make the meal more nutritionally complete and balanced.

Dr. Harvey’s recipes are all dehydrated and require hot water before serving. This does make the food bags last a bit longer as a 5-pound bag will make 20 pounds of food, but it does mean there are extra steps necessary before your dog can eat. This makes feeding your pooch while traveling a little more difficult.

In conclusion, Dr. Harvey’s dog food provides above-average nutrition but that comes with a hefty price tag. We love their commitment to canine health, but the price can be a hard pill to swallow if you’re on a tighter budget.

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