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Earthborn Holistic Dog Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Nicole Cosgrove Profile Picture

By Nicole Cosgrove

Earthborn Holistic Dog Food Review

Our Final Verdict

We give Earthborn Holistic Dog Food a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Introduction

Earthborn Holistic is produced by Midwestern Pet Food, a family-run company that’s now in its fourth generation of ownership. Based in Evansville, Indiana, Midwestern Pet Food manufactures Earthborn Holistic in four different locations across the United States.

Ideal for any dog breed, Earthborn Holistic offers four lines of dry kibble recipes and two types of wet dog food. We’re particularly impressed with its newest line of dry kibble, Unrefined, which bases its formula on the latest nutritional research.

Earthborn Holistic is best suited for dog owners who can pay a little more for higher-quality dog food. While it’s a bit expensive, it’s competitively priced with similar brands offering wholesome, natural recipes. Its better selection of ingredients makes it a fair value for the money, which is why we give Earthborn Holistic 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Is there a selection of Earthborn Holistic dog food that’s right for your dog? Read on to learn more about what Earthborn Holistic has to offer.

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At a Glance: The Best Earthborn Holistic Dog Food Recipes:

Rating Image Product Details
Our Favorite
Winner
Unrefined with Ancient Grains & Superfoods Unrefined with Ancient Grains & Superfoods
  • 100% free of hormones
  • Contains 5 ancient grains
  • Crafted with 18 superfoods
  • Second place
    Great Plains Feast Grain-Free Great Plains Feast Grain-Free
  • Proper ratio of omega 6 and omega 3
  • Made free of grain
  • Supports excellent digestibility
  • Third place
    Grain Free Tub 4 Flavor Variety Bundle Grain Free Tub 4 Flavor Variety Bundle
  • Grain & gluten-free
  • Nutrient-rich
  • Optimal holistic nutrition
  • Venture Grain-Free Venture Grain-Free
  • Limited ingredient
  • 100% free from gluten
  • Sourced from French farms
  • K95 Grain Free Moist Canned K95 Grain Free Moist Canned
  • For all life stages
  • 95% real chicken meat
  • Gluten-free
  • Earthborn Holistic Dog Food Reviewed

    Earthborn Holistic produces a wide variety of dry and wet dog foods. In this review, we’ll go into greater detail about the different ingredients used in each line of dog food. Also, we’ll take a closer look at its parent company, Midwestern Pet Food, and its activism for helping the environment.

    Who Makes Earthborn Holistic Dog Food and Where Is It Produced?

    Midwestern Pet Food, which produces Earthborn Holistic, was founded in 1926 in Evansville, Indiana. This family-owned and -operated company remains based in Evansville today and manufactures Earthborn Holistic out of that facility and three additional locations in Monmouth, Illinois, Chickasha, Oklahoma, and Waverly, New York. All its ingredients are made or sourced in the United States except for the flaxseed, which comes from Canada.

    Along with its mission to create nutritious pet foods, Midwestern Pet Food also takes an interest in the environment with its three ongoing initiatives. Hundreds of thousands of trees have been planted with the UPCs for Trees program. The Earthborn ReBorn™ and the Recycling Program & Venture™ PlantBag® raise money for pet charities and collect empty food bags for either recycling or upcycling.

    What Types of Dog Food Does Earthborn Holistic Offer?

    Earthborn Holistic offers four lines of dry dog food. Its Grain-Free range provides specialized formulas for small or large breeds, as well as for certain health issues such as weight control. The Venture Range features limited ingredients, unusual meat or fish ingredients, and a few selections without peas and legumes. Its Holistic selections have included grains, and its new Unrefined Range, released in late 2019, supplies a better choice of grain and vegetable ingredients, such as quinoa, oatmeal, and squash.

    The two lines of wet dog food offered by Earthborn Holistic are K95 and Earthborn’s Moist Grain Free selections. The K95 wet dog food line is distributed in cans and contains a variety of nutritious grain-free ingredients. Earthborn’s moist Grain-Free is supplied in plastic containers and has a pâté texture.

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

    The category of premium dog food at a higher yet rather affordable price has broad competition. While Earthborn Holistic dog food covers the dietary needs of nearly every dog’s breed, maturity, and level of health, you may want to compare its price and performance to its closest competitors such as ORIJEN High-Protein, Grain-Free, Premium Quality Meat, Dry Dog Food.  Also, you may want to consider Instinct Original Grain Free Recipe Natural Dry Dog Food. For a canned dog food competitor, try Blue Buffalo Homestyle Recipe Natural Adult Wet Dog Food.

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    What Are the Main Ingredients in Earthborn Holistic Dog Food?

    Earthborn Holistic has six different lines of dry and wet dog food, each offering distinct and varied ingredients. From grain-free to unique sources of protein, we’ll look at what each line has to offer and highlight any controversial ingredients.

    Earthborn Holistic Unrefined

    Unrefined

    Recently released in 2019, Unrefined is the newest line of Earthborn Holistic selections. Its ingredients seem to be ripped directly from the pages of the FDA alert linking grain-free dog food with an unusual rise in a canine heart disease known as dilated cardiomyopathy, or DCM. While the FDA study is ongoing, some prominent theories suggest the inclusion of potatoes, peas, legumes, and lentils may create a deficiency of taurine, an amino acid crucial to heart health.

    As a result, Earthborn Holistic has formulated this new line of dog food with added taurine and without these potentially troublesome ingredients. In their place are ancient grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, oatmeal, and chia, which provide higher nutritional value and are less processed than corn and wheat.

    Unrefined incorporates nutrient-rich fruit and vegetable superfoods like blueberries, cranberries, apples, spinach, and carrots, as well as added vitamins and minerals. This line offers four protein choices, roasted lamb, roasted rabbit, smoked salmon, and smoked turkey. Unrefined has no by-products, fillers, or artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

    Earthborn Holistic Venture

    Venture

    The limited ingredients in the Venture line are ideal for dogs suffering from allergies. In addition to no artificial ingredients, by-products, or fillers, Venture doesn’t contain genetically modified ingredients, grains, gluten, potatoes, or eggs.

    While the label, “limited,” may sound mundane, Venture provides a far from ordinary choice of proteins, such as wild boar, rabbit, or squid, as well as unconventional carbohydrates like butternut squash, chickpeas, and pumpkin.

    Earthborn Holistic Whole Grain Adult Vantage

    Earthborn Holistic Whole Grain

    This line only offers two recipes, Adult Vantage or Ocean Fusion. Both versions contain either chicken meal or whitefish meal as its first ingredient. While whole meat sources are best as a first ingredient, meat meal offers a concentrated protein source. The next several ingredients are plant-based proteins, which are not as nutritionally beneficial as animal protein. Rye flour, which appears high on the ingredient list, may be an allergen and has little nutritional value. Otherwise, this whole-grain selection provides ample antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to make it a solid nutritional choice for your dog.

    Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast

    Earthborn Holistic Grain-Free

    Grain, gluten, and potato-free, this line of Earthborn Holistic dog food is ideal for dogs with allergies. This line has adapted formulas for breed size and health issues. For example, the large breed version has added glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate to maintain healthy joints. The first ingredient in this line of dog food is a type of meat meal. Some selections offer interesting meat or fish choices such as bison or herring. The second ingredient is peas, which are both listed on the FDA alert and reduce the amount of more beneficial animal protein. The remaining high-quality ingredients supply essential vitamins, minerals, and omega fatty acids, as well as antioxidants through a variety of fruits and vegetables.

    Earthborn Holistic K95 Chicken Recipe Grain Free Canned Dog Food

    K95

    Gluten-free and grain-free, K95 offers five protein choices in its line of canned wet dog food. The “95” in the name stands for 95% real meat in each recipe. You can choose, between beef, chicken, duck, lamb, and turkey. The remaining ingredients include fruits and vegetables, vitamins, and minerals. K95 has no artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or by-products. K95 does contain sweet potatoes and green beans, which are a legume.

    Earthborn Holistic Dog Food Moist Grain Free

    Moist Grain-Free Holistic

    This pate style of wet dog food offers limited ingredients, which is beneficial for dogs with allergies. It contains nutrient-rich protein sources such as chicken, fish, beef, turkey, and lamb. Pea protein is high on the list. Unfortunately, pea protein is inferior to animal or fish-based protein.

    A Quick Look at Earthborn Holistic Dog Food

    Pros
    • High-quality, holistic ingredients
    • No by-products
    • Most recipes have no artificial ingredients or preservatives
    • Wide variety of dog food selections
    • Numerous unique protein sources
    • No history of recalls
    • Environmental initiatives
    Cons
    • Rather expensive, although competitively priced
    • Uses some ingredients that lack nutritional value

    Ingredients Analysis

    Here is a guaranteed analysis of Earthborn Holistic Unrefined with Ancient Grains & Superfoods Dry Dog & Puppy Food: Smoke Salmon with Ancient Grains and Superfoods.

    Description
    • Crude Protein, minimum 24.00%
    • Crude Fat, minimum 17.00%
    • Crude Fiber, maximum 9.50%
    • Moisture, maximum 10.00%
    • Omega-6 Fatty Acids, minimum 4.00%*
    • Omega-3 Fatty Acids, minimum 2.00%*

    Recall History

    In January 2021, Midwestern Pet Foods recalled multiple brands of pet foods including Earthborn Holistic, you can read the full recall here.

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    Reviews of the Three Best Earthborn Holistic Dog Food Recipes

    1. Earthborn Holistic Unrefined with Ancient Grains & Superfoods Dry Dog & Puppy Food

    Earthborn Holistic Unrefined

    From the newly released Unrefined line of dog food from Earthborn Holistic, this recipe incorporates ingredients based on the latest research and findings about nutrition and healthier ingredients for dogs. This selection is appropriate and beneficial for puppies, as well as adult dogs.

    This recipe contains fresh, sustainably sourced, and hormone- and antibiotic-free salmon. It has five ancient grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, and oatmeal, which offer fiber and amino acids, as well as nutrient-rich superfoods like apples, blueberries, kale, and carrots. It’s enriched with taurine for heart health.

    This recipe earns many high ratings from dog owners. We found that some dogs experience gas after eating this dog food. The inclusion of broccoli as a superfood may contribute to this issue.

    Pros
    • New line of research-based dog food
    • Ideal for puppies and adult dogs
    • High-quality salmon
    • Ancient grains for higher nutritional value
    • Nutrient-rich superfoods
    • Enriched with taurine for heart health
    Cons
    • Expensive
    • May cause gas in some dogs

    2. Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

    Earthborn Holistic Great Plains Feast Grain-Free Natural Dry Dog Food

    Ideal for dogs with sensitivities and allergies, this selection is grain, gluten, and potato-free. Bison and lamb meal, combined with egg protein, provide what your dog needs for strong muscles. However, the inclusion of peas and pea protein offers lesser nutritional value.

    Along with easily digested protein sources, Great Plains Feast contains a complete and balanced supply of vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients from added fruits and vegetables.

    Most dogs seem to enjoy the flavor; however, some dogs may refuse to eat it. A few dogs experienced stomach upset after eating this recipe. Keep in mind that grain-free dog foods are not suitable for all dogs. The FDA has an ongoing study of grain-free dog foods. As a result, Earthborn Holistic enriches this recipe with taurine for heart health.

    Pros
    • Grain-free for dogs with allergies
    • Easily digested and high-quality sources of meat
    • Complete and balanced formula
    • Vitamins, minerals, and nutrients
    • Added taurine
    Cons
    • Too much vegetable protein
    • Some dogs seem to not like the flavor
    • A few dogs experienced stomach upset

    3. Earthborn Holistic Grain Free Tub Dog Food 4 Flavor Variety Bundle

    Earthborn Holistic Pepper's Pot Roast Grain-Free Natural Moist Dog Food

    If your dog prefers wet dog food, Earthborn Holistic prepares a pâté-style dog food that’s available in easy-to-open and store plastic containers. This wet dog has limited ingredients and is grain-free, making it ideal for dogs with allergies.

    These recipes all offer a flavorful protein source. However, the second ingredient is pea protein, which is not as nutritionally beneficial as animal protein. The remaining ingredients provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants through nutritious foods such as sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and carrots.

    Most of the dog owners report that their dog seems to enjoy the taste and texture. Some dog owners prefer to mix it into kibble. Keep in mind that grain-free dog food may be linked to a canine heart condition. Unfortunately, this line of wet dog food does not have added taurine for heart health.

    Pros
    • Pâté style
    • Limited ingredients and grain-free for dogs with allergies
    • Easy-to-open and store plastic container
    • Flavorful protein sources
    • Provides vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
    • Most dogs seem to enjoy taste and texture
    • Suitable for mixing into dry kibble
    Cons
    • Lower animal protein
    • Grain-free dog food may be linked to heart disease
    • No added taurine for heart health

    What Other Users Are Saying About Earthborn Holistic Dog Food

    Chewy: “Tried this food because it has taurine in it for heart health. With this ‘DCM’ being discovered to cause a recent spike in heart attacks we gave this a try. My dog loves it, especially the roasted rabbit, and her stool is a lot smaller for a 95lb dog which means her body is absorbing the ingredients instead of depositing them.”

    Chewy: “We used Earthborn for one of our old dogs and loved it. When we got our two Pitt puppies I did the research for what kind of food is best for them. A GRAIN-FREE food was highly recommended since Pitts are often allergic to wheat, soy, and corn. Well after 2 months with specifically this one we love it!!”

    Chewy: “My dog doesn’t usually like wet food, but he loves this stuff! I mix just a little into his normal food. He also has to have limited ingredients, so this mixed with his Earthborn dry is a nice choice. Having the resealable container is GREAT!”

    Dog Food Guru: “Earthborn Holistic dog food isn’t currently well-known among dog owners but that should change in the future. Many of these foods have good ingredients and good nutrition for dogs. The company has been family-owned for four generations and they have never had a recall. We like some of the foods better than others, but we think that many dog owners will like Earthborn if they check it out.”

    Labrador Training HQ: “While it’s not the cheapest on the market, we think it offers reasonable value for money, considering its quality. “

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    Conclusion

    Earthborn Holistic offers a wide range of wholesome and nutritious dog food. It may be higher in price, but it delivers with high-quality ingredients. With no recalls in the history of the company, you can feel confident that you’re giving your dog a brand you can trust.

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