HOWND Plant Powered Dog Superfood Review 2024: Out Vet’s Opinion

At A Glance: The Plant-Powered Dog Superfood Range

About HOWND

In the world of pet care products, HOWND is a relative newcomer who prides themself on making products that are designed for the health of your dog, and the planet.

In a market largely dominated by products that cater to various individual breeds, sensitivities, preferences, health conditions, etc., HOWND has cleverly bypassed the noise and distraction by creating products that will suit the majority of canine needs. How? By eliminating the number one cause of canine food allergies: animal protein.

This is a controversial topic, and one that the veterinary community is still undecided on, but more and more evidence is indicating that, provided all their nutritional needs are met, dogs can survive, even thrive, on a completely plant-based diet.

We’ll talk a little more about the rationale behind feeding dogs a plant-based menu a little later, but for now, let’s take a look at what HOWND has to offer.

We had the opportunity to try out the current HOWND Plant Powered Superfood range and found the food to be well packaged, and reasonably priced for a premium food.

HOWND Plant Powered Dog Superfood Reviewed

All of HOWND’s foods are naturally hypoallergenic, wheat-free, free from artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and of course, meat. By using heat treatment (and pressure for canned foods), they are able to prevent spoilage without the need for potentially harmful preservatives.

HOWND’s dry kibble is founded on brown rice, pea protein, and lentils, with a list of healthy ingredients, antioxidants, and probiotics. It is available in 2kg and 10kg, at a price that is competitive with most premium brand dog foods.

Superfood Ingredients

The ingredients found in the HOWND tinned range would not look out of place on a posh restaurant menu, and there is little else bulking out the ingredients list apart from those listed on the front of the tin.

HOWND recommends that puppies below the ages of 9 months (small breeds) and 12–18 months (large and giant breeds) be fed with a combination of HOWND and a food that is designed specifically for puppies. These plant-based foods are not suitable as a sole diet for puppies and growing dogs.

HOWND offers a hassle-free subscription service that gives you 20% off all products, however, this is currently only available in the UK/Ireland.

Who Is HOWND?

HOWND is a UK company, based in Hertfordshire, founded in 2015 by Jo Amit and Mark Hirschel. They started out producing cruelty-free, vegan grooming products, and have more recently entered the world of plant-based dog food. Here’s what they say:

“We began by making the best grooming products on the market: the most ethically certified, adopted, and loved by professionals. We’ve never deviated from these early principles and never will.

We were the first company in the UK to create a nutritionally complete food range which is high in protein, hypoallergenic, and super delicious – all powered by plants.

Healthy skin, healthy weight, healthy joints. Shiny coats, happy tummies, and lots of energy: unleashing the power of dogs to live up to their full canine potential.”

In Summary

Is HOWND Plant Powered Dog Superfood a Good Value?

One of the main benefits of companies like HOWND, who produce products of a high standard, is that there is a way for people who wish to feed their dogs a plant-based diet to do so safely. For a number of reasons, there are more people wanting to explore this type of diet for themselves and their pets, so it is important that there be products available to meet those needs.

We have a responsibility as pet owners to ensure that we are feeding our pets the right foods to meet their nutritional needs, and this is difficult to do with homemade meat-free dog food. HOWND has successfully created a range of foods that not only meet the meat-free criteria but actually provide high-quality ingredients in a hypoallergenic, preservative-free product.

Our Experience with HOWND Plant Powered Dog Superfood

I am blessed (or cursed, depending on the day) with a total of five dogs; two aging Labradors, two young Chihuahuas, and one very exuberant German Malinois, so there was no shortage of volunteers to try out HOWND’s superfood range. All five dogs are very food-driven, which is a polite way of saying greedy.

First Impressions

My first impressions were positive. I have learned that the ‘prettier’ the food, the longer the list of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. One thing that most premium pet foods have in common is the beige/brown color palette because that is the color all food goes to when combined and heat-treated.

Bright-colored vegetables in a can or sachet of wet food are a clear sign of preservatives in action, and guess what? Our dogs couldn’t care less what their food looks like, as long as it smells good.

Despite the sea of beige, I could still recognize chunks of papaya, pumpkin, and a smattering of blueberries, which is something often lacking from other premium foods; recognizable components. The kibble smelled, to me, like most dry dog foods. The wet food smelled like something I would encase in pastry and serve to my good friends.

Testing Phase

My two main testing subjects were Ned (12 months) & Fred (9 months), a pair of mischievous pups who love eating, sleeping, and finding trouble. The Labradors and Shepherd will invariably eat anything put in front of them (apart from cucumber) and were unlikely to give me an unbiased view. As expected, they inhaled everything on offer.

Plant Powered Superfood with Organic Hemp Protein & Moringa (Dry Food)

Ned and Fred can be slightly more discerning. Initially, they weren’t overly keen on the dry kibble, but once they realized it was indeed food, their enthusiasm increased.

With their tiny mouths and bodies, it did take a bit of work for them to chew the kibble, but I don’t necessarily see that as a bad thing, but good exercise for their teeth and gums. However, if I were to want to feed them this regularly, I would prefer a mixture of sizes rather than have the entire meal feel like hard work.

Fresh Blueberry & Coconut Porridge With Chia & Moringa

This was devoured, to the point that I had to slow them down to prevent choking! In terms of smell, this was also my favorite! It definitely had a bit of a porridge vibe, which is probably why Ned & Fred loved it so much.

Hearty Quinoa & Pumpkin Casserole and Fragrant Papaya Chia & Lentil Dahl With Coconut & Moringa

If you knew my Chihuahuas, you would know how strange it is for them to leave a bowl unemptied. Both these wet foods had a bit more of a savory aroma to them, and both Ned and Fred were unimpressed. They did eat over half, so it’s not a complete failure, and the remains were heartily cleared up by the larger dogs!

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6 Months Later – An Experienced Update 

Last year, my dogs tried out this exciting new brand of plant-based dog food, and at that time, I found the smell of the dry kibble to be a bit ‘beige’, and my greedy Chihuahuas took a little bit of convincing to take an interest in it.

Recently, I noticed that HOWND has updated their recipe to include pumpkin in their dry food, so I thought I’d give it a try. I have five dogs: two elderly Labradors, one three-year-old German Malinois with food allergies, and two young Chihuahuas, and I am currently using three different types of food to meet their needs. The benefit of using HOWND would be that it contains Phytodroitin for joint support, is hypoallergenic, and the kibble is small enough for my tiny ones to manage, meaning that I could switch to feeding all five dogs one type of food.

Well, I was very happy when my food arrived within 48 hours of me ordering it, delighted when I opened the bag and smelled a much more appealing scent, and even more thrilled when Ned & Fred rushed straight in and devoured a bowlful each.
It’s great to see that HOWND has taken feedback on board and come out with a new recipe, and I can attest to the fact that it has improved.

Final Thoughts

Five years ago, the concept of trying, let alone recommending, a plant-based food for dogs was not even on my radar. As a vegetarian and sometimes vegan myself, I simply did not think that we could meet the nutritional needs of dogs without meat, and I was (and still am) dead against forcing human ethics and ideologies onto our pets.

However, in a world where McDonald’s can get on board with a plant-based future, the quality and nutritional value of meat substitutes and alternative protein sources is improving daily.

The world can no longer deny that the production and consumption of meat and animal products is more than just cruel, it is unsustainable. The idea of feeding dogs a plant-based diet often triggers a knee-jerk reaction of opposition. However, if we focus purely on providing the right balance of nutrients, there is a strong argument to be made that this can be achieved without meat.

We can’t continue to use ancestral diets as a reason not to explore other alternatives, after all, donuts and hot dogs are a long way from bison and whale meat.

By not trying to overwhelm their customers with a plethora of options, HOWND is showing that, if you get the ingredients right, you don’t necessarily need to produce dozens of different varieties. While fussy eaters may still be fussy, they got the concept right with this food.