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Koha Dog Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Beth Crane

By Beth Crane

Koha Dog Food Review

Our Verdict

We give Koha dog food a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.

Koha Pet Food aims to provide top-notch nutrition without any fillers, grains, or unnecessary ingredients to support your dog’s health and well-being in a complete, well-rounded way. Founded in 2014, the couple that started Koha did so for one dog: Ellie Rae, the Boston Terrier. They created the food for her because she had digestive problems that made her miserable, and they were struggling to find food that could not only satisfy her but was also tasty and nutritious and didn’t trigger her allergies.

Now, Koha produces dog food that’s high in protein and low in questionable ingredients and fillers, formulated at their base in Florida. The recipes are made in South Dakota, Toronto, and at two factories in Thailand. In addition, Koha only produces wet dog food, which is unusual as many pet owners feed dry food to their dogs. However, they have recently included a freeze-dried raw mix in their dog food menu.

This food review will look at our top dog Koha recipes, so you can see if the island-inspired food will suit your beloved Furry Friend.

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At a Glance: The Best Koha Dog Food Recipes:

Rating Image Product Details
Our Favorite
Winner
Minimal Ingredient Chicken Stew for Dogs Minimal Ingredient Chicken Stew for Dogs
  • Single protein source to manage allergies
  • Chicken and organ meat in high amounts, good protein sources
  • High moisture content to prevent dehydration
  • Second place
    Koha Greek Island Grill Slow Cooked Stew Chicken and Lamb Koha Greek Island Grill Slow Cooked Stew Chicken and Lamb
  • High meat content
  • Suitable for puppies
  • Lots of moisture to ensure your dog is hydrated
  • Third place
    Life Freeze-Dried Raw Bites - Beef Entree Life Freeze-Dried Raw Bites - Beef Entree
  • 96% meat, organ meat, and bone
  • Can be used as a treat, a topper, or anytime meal
  • Freeze-dried to preserve nutrition
  • Pure Shreds Shredded Chicken Breast & Duck Entrée for Dogs Pure Shreds Shredded Chicken Breast & Duck Entrée for Dogs
  • Ideal for picky eaters
  • Easy to digest
  • High protein
  • Pure Shreds Shredded Chicken Breast Entrée for Dogs Pure Shreds Shredded Chicken Breast Entrée for Dogs
  • Increases hydration
  • Low fat
  • Ideal for digestive issues
  • Koha Dog Food Reviewed

    Who makes Koha dog food, and where is it produced?

    Lonnie and Jennifer Schwimmer founded Koha Dog Food in 2014, primarily for their Boston Terrier, Ellie Rae, who started suffering from allergies and digestive problems as she got older. The couple strived to produce food that was not full of fillers and only contained nutritious ingredients for health and digestive comfort.

    Koha pet food is produced in three locations:  A facility in South Dakota, USA, Simmons food in Toronto, Canada, Thai Union in Thailand, and Asian Alliance in Thailand.

    Which type of dog is Koha best suited for?

    Koha pet food is best suited for doggies suffering from ingredient intolerances and allergies that manifest as skin conditions or digestive issues, such as itchy, dry skin, redness, alopecia, or intermittent diarrhea.

    Koha doesn’t specifically produce dog food for puppies. However, there are recipes suitable for younger and older dogs, such as the slow-cooked stew range. Again, there are no specific recipes for elderly dogs, but the pet food is made with high-quality ingredients that your pet will tolerate.

    Which type of Dog might do better with a different brand?

    Dogs that prefer dry food may not do well with Koha since they only produce wet food recipes. For dogs that are used to dry food or like to eat a little and then come back later for the next mouthful, a brand that produces high-quality dry food is ideal.

    The Acana Singles Wholesome Grains Limited Ingredient Diet Duck & Pumpkin Recipe Dry Dog Food provides a meat-filled, high-protein, and tasty meal in biscuit form.

    The Acana singles dry food is a single protein dry food that contains grains that can boost your dog’s health, aiding digestion and boosting brain power. The single proteins in each recipe can also suit dogs that may suffer from food allergies without forgoing their biscuit dinner.

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    Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

    All the Koha recipes we looked at in our review contained a protein source (meat or fish), an oil that’s good for the skin and coat, such as salmon or flaxseed, essential nutrients such as taurine, and some other less favorable ingredients such as salt. Below we will discuss the good and bad points of each of these ingredients and how they can help your pet beat the allergy blues.

    french bulldog eating from bowl
    Image By: Gryllus M, Shutterstock

    Meat – Rabbit, Lamb, Chicken, Salmon, Tuna, Beef, and Pork

    The amount of protein is consistent throughout each recipe, with slight variations according to recipes, such as stews versus freeze-dried raw food and beef versus chicken.

    Koha seems to have a good amount of different protein options in their diets for dogs, with something available for every pup. Selected single proteins are used for each minimal ingredient recipe, meaning dogs with allergies can still enjoy their tasty food without worry.

    Porcine Plasma

    Proteins usually come from either animal meat or fish meat. Chicken, pork, beef, lamb, or fish such as tuna and salmon are all great protein sources, and the Koha Recipes contain high amounts of meat.

    Porcine plasma sounds like a scary ingredient to find in your dog’s food, but it’s very beneficial. Porcine plasma is full of protein and is a rich protein source for any dog food, retaining all the nutrients that can sometimes be lost during the process in part of making dog food.

    Salmon Oil and Flaxseed Oil

    Salmon and flaxseed oils are added to many dog foods because they are excellent sources of omega-3 and omega-6. Omega-3 and omega-6 are essential amino acids that contribute to your dog’s general well-being, help maintain healthy joints and skin, and keep the coat shiny and glossy.

    Fatty-acid supplementation can be crucial for animals with allergies, as dry skin and a dry, lackluster coat can be very common in dogs that exhibit symptoms of their food allergies.

    Salt

    While salt isn’t inherently unsafe in dog food, too much of it can be. Sodium is vital as one of the electrolytes that balance the fluid levels in the body, and a salt deficiency can cause symptoms such as cramping and muscular pain.

    However, too much salt in a dog’s diet can cause kidney strain. It can also cause animals to drink more to try and balance the sodium levels in the body, potentially leading to house accidents. Ideally, we don’t want to see it too high up on the list of ingredients in any dog food.

    Dried Egg

    Dried egg is a protein source. However, it can be a potential allergen for some dogs. It is mainly marketed to dogs with food allergies, and it may be trickier for owners to determine whether or not there are doggies sensitive to eggs. It would probably be better to forgo this ingredient entirely.

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    A Quick Look at Koha Dog Food

    Pros
    • Varied selection of food types (stews, shredded meat, freeze-dried raw)
    • Different flavors for fussy dogs
    • Freeze-dried raw option for those who prefer raw meals
    • Responsibly sourced proteins.
    Cons
    • Can get very expensive to feed large dogs
    • Some recipes contain potential allergens

    Recall History

    Since the company’s founding, Koha pet food has not had any product recalls.

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    Reviews of the 3 Best Koha Dog Food Recipes

    1. Koha Greek Island Grill Slow Cooked Stew Chicken and Lamb

    Greek Island Grill Slow Cooked Stew Chicken and Lamb for Dogs

    Main ingredients: Chicken, lamb, porcine plasma, dried egg product, carrots, chickpeas, and salmon oil
    Calories per cup: 326 kcal
    Protein: 8% guaranteed analysis, 43.70% dry matter analysis
    Fat: 4% guaranteed analysis, 29.79% dry matter analysis
    Fiber: 1.5% guaranteed analysis, 3.04% dry matter analysis

    With chicken, lamb, porcine plasma, and chicken and lamb broth as the first ingredients in this recipe, it’s fair to say that protein is this food’s primary focus. The slow-cooked chicken and lamb stew provides two delicious protein sources and ensures that your dog will love the taste. In addition, it’s moisture-rich and uses salmon oil to ensure your dog gets all the omega-3 and 6 needs to thrive.

    The Koha manufacturer website specifically states that this recipe was produced in Canada. It also says that the Greek Island Grill recipe is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for growth and maintenance.

    Pros
    • High meat content
    • Suitable for puppies
    • Lots of moisture to ensure your dog is hydrated
    Cons
    • Contains dried egg product which is a potential allergen
    • Contains chickpeas which can lower the total protein content.

    2. Minimal Ingredient Chicken Stew for Dogs

    Minimal Ingredient Chicken Stew for Dogs

    Main ingredients: Chicken, chicken broth, vegetable broth, chicken liver, porcine plasma, dried egg product, lentils, and pumpkin.
    Calories per cup: 314 kcal
    Protein: 9% guaranteed analysis, 45.2% dry matter analysis
    Fat: 3.50 guaranteed analysis, 28.9% dry matter analysis
    Fiber: 1% guaranteed analysis, 1% dry matter analysis

    This chicken stew recipe was explicitly formulated to help dogs with digestive issues or allergies that present symptoms in their skin. Food sensitivities can be due to several different ingredients, such as potatoes or corn, and different protein sources.

    Often in dog food, protein sources are mixed. While this recipe contains egg products and New Zealand green-lipped mussel (which, while being an excellent source of chondroitin and glucosamine for your dog’s joints, may also be a potential allergen), your dog will likely have a sensitivity to starches such as peas or potatoes as well as a protein source rather than the small amount of green-lipped mussel that is in the dog food.

    The high amount of protein and moisture in this recipe makes it ideal for picky eaters as it helps them receive all the energy and moisture they need to be as healthy as possible. Chicken is also known for being easy on digestion.

    Pros
    • Single protein source to manage allergies
    • Chicken and organ meat in high amounts, good protein sources
    • High moisture content to prevent dehydration
    Cons
    • Contains dried egg, which is a potential allergen
    • Does contain New Zealand green-lipped mussel, which may cause an allergic reaction in dogs sensitive to seafood.

    3. Life Freeze-Dried Raw Bites – Beef Entree

    Freeze-Dried Raw Bites Beef Entrée for Dogs

    Main ingredients: Beef with ground bone, beef liver, beef heart, beef tripe, beef, salmon oil, flaxseed oil
    Calories per cup: 407 kcal
    Protein: 35% guaranteed analysis, 53.42 % dry matter analysis
    Fat: 35% guaranteed analysis, 29.7% dry matter analysis
    Fiber: 2% guaranteed analysis, 0.87% dry matter analysis

    The freeze-dried raw dog bites for dogs are a relatively new addition to the Koha menu. Made of human-grade meat, locally sourced, and made in the USA (according to the website), this dog food can be used as a whole meal, a topping, or even a treat.

    Freeze-dried in the raw food world means that the meat has been freeze-dried to preserve it and is not cooked in any way. This helps kill bacteria and retains all the nutrients naturally within the meat without losing quality. 96% of meat, organs, and bone make up this exciting diet, and it can help dogs that are sensitive to different proteins as there is only one source of protein per recipe flavor (pork, beef, or chicken).

    The website states that the meat is also antibiotic and hormone-free, which is sometimes a worry for those feeding high-meat diets.

    Pros
    • 96% meat, organ meat, and bone
    • Freeze-dried to preserve nutrition
    • Can be used as a treat, a topper, or anytime meal
    Cons
    • Raw food, so the potential for bacteria to still be present
    • Can be expensive to feed larger dogs
    • Only three flavor options.

    What Other Users Are Saying

    • PetFoodReviewer– “Koha dog food provides excellent nutrition…”
    • Dog Food Advisor “4 stars…highly recommended”
    • Amazon – As pet owners, we always double-check with Amazon reviews from buyers before we buy something. You can read these by clicking here.

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    Conclusion

    Koha Pet Food came from a family trying to help their beloved pup. Several recipe options are available, and there should be a tempting and delicious choice for even the fussiest of dogs. However, because of the cost of some of the recipes (particularly for large breed dogs), it can effectively price out those who cannot afford premium food, although we feel it is well worth the cost.

    Koha doesn’t offer any dry food recipes. Still, their freeze-dried raw food can act as a go-between while transitioning your dog to a more nutritious, protein-packed diet, and all the recipes by Koha are full of protein and moisture to ensure your pup is always hydrated and has boundless energy.

    The single protein recipes (the chicken was our number one) are an excellent choice for those pet parents struggling to identify potential allergens, and with a range of flavors, your dog should find a recipe they’re happy to eat.

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