Solid Gold Puppy Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Review Summary

Solid Gold is a newer dog food brand on themarket. However, they already have multiple puppy recipes available. Many of these recipes are high in protein and low in other ingredients. Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean that their foods are the best option for your puppy.

This company produces both wet and dry puppy food. Plus, they also have a particular line for smaller dogs with an extra-small kibble size.

Still, before you pick up a Solid Gold puppy food, we recommend taking a look at our review below.

At a Glance: The Best Solid Gold Puppy Food Recipes

Solid Gold Puppy Food Reviewed

Who Makes Solid Gold Puppy Food and Where Is it Made?

Solid Gold is currently owned by Health & Happiness Group International Holdings. In fact, it was bought by this larger company not that long ago. While we don’t know for sure, it is likely that the dog food is made in factories owned by this larger company. However, Solid Gold does not own any factories themselves.

All of Solid Gold’s food, treats, and supplements are made in the USA. Therefore, that means this puppy food is made in the USA, as well.

Which Type of Puppy is Solid Gold Puppy Food Best Suited For?

Solid Gold creates food for a wide variety of different puppies. They have a grain-inclusive formula that is free from potatoes, for instance, as well as a formula that is grain-free and contains potatoes. They also include several wet dog foods that are similar to their dry dog food formulas. In this way, you can choose the best option for your dog.

However, these formulas are much more expensive than average. Therefore, you’ll have to spend quite a bit of money feeding your puppy these foods. For this reason, we cannot recommend this food to those on a budget. It is simply too expensive.

With that said, if you have the extra money to spend, this food is a great option. The ingredients tend to be high-quality, which makes it a good choice for most puppies.

Which Type of Puppy Might Do Better with a Different Brand?

If your puppy has specific health concerns, you may want to look for a different brand. While these formulas are decent, they are not made to treat specific conditions. In some cases, you may want to speak to your vet about whether or not this food is suitable for you.

While this brand does make food for different-sized puppies, it only has one flavor in each. Therefore, if your puppy doesn’t like one flavor, you may not have an alternative to switch to. In these cases, you’ll want to choose a different brand with more options (or just one option that your dog likes).

Furthermore, this food is quite expensive. If you’re on a strict budget, this food probably isn’t the right option for you.

Discussion of Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

These foods vary a lot depending on the exact formula. Some of them are grain-free, while others are potato-free. Some are made with large breeds in mind, while others are made for small breeds. These vary so highly that it is difficult to discuss all of them at once.

For instance, in one popular dog food recipe, the primary ingredient is bison. This formula also includes ocean fish meal for omega fatty acids. Another formula utilizes primarily beef and doesn’t include any added fish meat. However, fish oil is included further down on the list. In this way, each recipe is built around whatever primary meat ingredient it is using.

This brand creates both grain-free and grain-inclusive formulas. The grain-inclusive formulas utilize brown rice and other whole grains—for the most part. The grain-free formulas do not contain more meat. Instead, they use more peas and other cheap veggies in place of the usual grains. Therefore, grain-free does not necessarily mean better.

With that said all their formulas include peas—just about. Pea protein and other extracts may also be utilized next to whole peas. Peas are not considered the best option for most puppies, as they may be linked to certain heart conditions. Keep this in mind when considering this brand’s formulas.

A Quick Look at Solid Gold Puppy Food

Recall History

Since this brand was founded, it has seen a number of recalls. Some of these recalls did affect the brand’s puppy recipes.

For instance, in 2012, several recipes from the Wolf Cub line were recalled due to suspected salmonella.

There have been several lawsuits over the past few years. The largest centered around the inclusion of heavy metals and toxic chemicals in several recipes, though the lawsuit mostly focused on cat recipes. However, testing found that all heavy metals were under the maximum limits set by the AAFCO and other authorities.

Remember, a lawsuit is just a collection of complaints. Often, lawsuits do not have much data to back them up and nothing happens with many of them. In other words, they do not require as much proof as a recall.

Reviews of the 3 Best Solid Gold Puppy Food Recipes

1. Solid Gold Wolf Cub Bison & Oatmeal Puppy Formula

Despite not being included in the title, Solid Gold Wolf Cub Bison & Oatmeal Puppy Formula is designed explicitly for large to medium dog breeds. Smaller breeds should try the company’s small breed formula instead.

As the name suggests, the primary ingredient in this food is bison. Bison is a novel protein, which means that it does not cause food allergies in most cases. However, this is because it is not a common ingredient in dog food—not because bison is somehow less likely to cause allergies. On top of bison, ocean fish meal is also included, which adds a lot of omega-fatty acids to the meal. These acids are important for brain, eye, and joint development.

We love that this formula includes added probiotics, which can help manage your dog’s digestive health. Cranberries, pumpkin, and other helpful ingredients are added, as well. There is no wheat or soy in this formula, either.

Whole grains are included as brown rice and oatmeal. However, peas, pea protein, and pea fiber are also included.

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2. Solid Gold Love at First Bark Beef, Potatoes & Apples Canned Dog Food

 

Canned dog food is a great option for many dogs, which is why we also recommend Solid Gold Love at First Bark Beef, Potatoes, & Apples. This formula is designed for all-sized puppies ranging from large to small. It contains all the extra nutrients that large puppies need. Because it is wet dog food, smaller breeds shouldn’t have any trouble eating it, either.

After the water necessary for processing and keeping this food wet, this formula contains lots of beef. Both beef and beef liver are included, which raises the overall nutritional content of this food. We also liked that dried egg whites are included. These add extra nutrients and are quite nutritious.

This formula is grain-free. However, it is high in potatoes and peas, which work as the primary carbohydrate sources. Both of these have been associated with potential health problems by the FDA.

We do like that this formula includes added omega fatty acids like DHA and EPA from natural sources. These are vital for brain and eye development, though they are not necessarily “required” in puppy recipes.

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3. Solid Gold Love at First Bark Puppy Grain-Free Chicken, Potato & Apple

Like many formulas this company makes, Solid Gold Love at First Bark Chicken, Potatoes, & Apples is grain-free. Therefore, it works great for dogs that are sensitive to grains. However, it doesn’t necessarily include more meat because it is grain-free. Instead, it fills the place of the grains with peas and potatoes, which work as a source of carbohydrates.

Probiotics are included to support your dog’s digestion and immune system. Plus, it includes a great deal of omega fatty acids for brain development. Plus, omega fatty acids also help develop your dog’s skin and coat, which is great if your dog already has underlying skin issues.

However, this formula is extremely high in peas. Whole peas, pea protein, and pea fiber all appear pretty high on the ingredient list. For this reason, we don’t necessarily recommend it for all dogs, as peas have been associated with some health problems by the FDA.

What Other Users Are Saying

Customers generally like this brand. There are many reports of picky dogs particularly liking this brand, likely because of the high protein and fat content. Because fat is what adds flavor to a food, this formula seems to have a particularly rich flavor. Dogs that once had to be encouraged to eat their food typically eat this food right up.

However, just as you’d expect, there are some variances between dogs in this regard. Not every dog loves this food. Therefore, the only way to know if your dog will like it is to try.

Some owners also reported that minor digestive issues were cleared up by this brand. Therefore, it may be a good option for many dogs with irregular stools or excessive gas.

Most major complaints were about the price of this food, which is quite high. Others complained that the food was crushed or otherwise not handled well, which can be a problem for many dogs. Others did mention the high amount of peas and lack of grains in the grain-free formulas. As we’ve mentioned, these ingredients are simply not good for dogs.

Conclusion

This brand is pretty good for most puppies. It includes high amounts of protein and fat, with some meat sources as the first ingredient. Therefore, it ticks most of the boxes we look for in a dog food. There are also several formulas for you to consider with each being designed for a slightly different dog.

With that said, this brand isn’t perfect. Many of their formulas include high amounts of peas, which are an unhealthy option for most puppies. Plus, exactly what puppies each formula is for can be hard to figure out, as it is usually printed very small on the bag.