Victor Puppy Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Review Summary

Victor is a U.S. pet food brand that has been around since the 1940s. After making many changes to the products, the company’s current line of pet food has been offered since the mid-2000s. Victor has three types of dry food and one canned food for dogs. All the recipes are made with quality ingredients for different tastes and nutrition requirements.

In this review, we look at the things that we love about this brand, as well as a few of the downsides, earning Victor puppy food a rating of 4.5 stars.

At a Glance: The Best Victor Puppy Food Recipes

Victor Puppy Food Reviewed

Victor makes food that is appropriate for puppies, but not specifically for puppies. Certain recipes are suited for only adult dogs and others include adult dogs and puppies. It’s important to check the label to make sure the food is nutritionally complete for puppies. The label will indicate if it’s formulated for all life stages or made for adults.

If the label only specifies that the food is for adult dogs, you’ll want to keep looking. Puppies require different nutrition than adult dogs, so the label must specify that puppies can eat it.

Who Makes Victor Puppy Food and Where Is It Produced?

Victor dog food is made by a small company called Mid America Pet Food, LLC. This custom-built facility is located in Texas and produces dog, cat, and horse food.

Which Type of Puppy Is Victor Puppy Food Best Suited For?

Victor dog food is best for active puppies that require standard nutrition. The recipes are full of protein and don’t include many novelty ingredients, so picky puppies should be pleased with the taste. An average, healthy puppy will get what they need from the recipes for proper growth, development, and energy.

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

Small or toy breed puppies can eat this food, but they may have a hard time chewing the kibble. In this case, the Victor canned options may be a solution. However, if you’re looking to feed dry kibble to your small breed puppy, the pieces may just not work for them. The food is for adult dogs and puppies so it’s a one-size-fits-all kibble in each bag. Small puppies may do better with Diamond Naturals Small & Medium Breed Puppy Formula Dry Dog Food.

Puppies with allergies may need a different food because the recipes from Victor are not targeted to reduce allergies or help with sensitive stomachs. If your puppy suffers from allergies, Blue Buffalo Basics Skin & Stomach Care Turkey & Potato Recipe Dry Puppy Food is a good choice. It uses limited ingredients and is made with no chicken, which is a common allergen.

Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

Victor recipes have high-quality ingredients but nothing new or exotic. The recipes lack the inclusion of fruits and vegetables as natural sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Here are a few ingredients that stand out.

Meat Meals

The protein sources in the recipes are made from animal sources but are included as meal, like beef meal, pork meal, and chicken meal. Meal is made when most of the moisture has been removed from meat. It’s a meat concentrate, which is much higher in protein than fresh meat and takes up less space.

Chicken Fat

Chicken fat is a healthy, natural way to get necessary fat into your dog’s diet. Puppies need fat in their diet for healthy development. It also contains omega fatty acids for healthy skin and a soft, shiny coat.

Menhaden Fish Meal

This concentrated form of fish protein from small herring-type fish gives the recipe a boost of omega fatty acids and flavor.

Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal

Alfalfa is full of nutrients when it’s eaten raw, but dehydrated alfalfa meal may not give dogs¹ the same nutrition. It’s a cheap way to add protein to a recipe.

A Quick Look at Victor Puppy Food

Recall History

There is no recall history for Victor pet food. The brand is currently recall free, showing that it takes its safety and quality standards seriously. Even so, recalls can happen at any time. It’s always best to stay vigilant and be aware of any future recalls to keep your animals safe.

Reviews of the 3 Best Victor Puppy Food Recipes

1. Victor Classic Hi-Pro Plus Formula Dry Dog Food

The Victor Classic Hi-Pro Plus Formula Dry Dog Food recipe is made for active adult dogs and puppies. It uses beef, chicken, and pork meals to boost the protein content. The recipe is made of 88% meat protein. This helps puppies stay active, keep their energy levels up, and build lean muscles.

The formula uses gluten-free grains, like millet and grain sorghum, for fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy carbohydrates. Menhaden fish meal provides a natural source of DHA, an amino acid essential for puppy eye and brain health.

There are carrot powder and tomato pomace but no other fruits or vegetables in the recipe. Dogs and puppies will receive chicken fat as the primary fat source in the food. Omega fatty acids promote coat and skin health. The food is made to be easy to digest, which is good for puppies’ sensitive stomachs.

Overall, we’d like more of the vitamins and minerals to come from fruit and vegetable primary sources instead of being added to the recipe.

This food is also not suitable for extra large dog breeds that are or will reach over 70 pounds as adults. Breeds that large have different nutritional standards that must be met for proper development and maintenance.

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2. Victor Classic Professional Formula Dry Dog Food

The Victor Classic Professional Formula Dry Dog Food is formulated for dogs of all life stages. While this includes puppies, it also includes senior dogs, making it ideal for multi-dog households because it will feed dogs of all ages. The recipe is made up of 81% meat protein from beef, chicken, and pork meals.

Some dogs may have trouble digesting different protein sources all at once. This recipe also lacks fruit and vegetable sources for fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants.

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3. Victor Purpose Active Dog & Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Food

This Victor Purpose Active Dog & Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Food is a good option for dogs that are allergic to grains. However, always check with your vet to make sure a grain-free diet is right for your dog.

It has less protein than the other recipes, with 77% meat protein in each bag. Menhaden fish meal provides DHA, which is necessary for growing puppies. This is also a good option for pregnant or nursing dogs to ensure healthy puppy development.

There are no fruits or vegetables in the recipe. Beef, pork, and fish meal make up the protein content, and vitamins and minerals are added for overall health. Omega fatty acids are included for skin and coat health.

What Other Users Are Saying

• K9ofMine — “All Victor recipes are formulated to meet AAFCO standards and reviewed by nutritionists (both internal and external) to ensure well-rounded nutrition.”
• Dog Food Guru — “Victor foods are touted for their high-quality ingredients, all of which are free of corn, wheat, soy, gluten, and grain by-products, as well as artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives.”
• Amazon — Reviews from dog owners who have previously used or currently use this dog food are our best way to measure how it stacks up against the rest. You can read these customer reviews here.

Conclusion

Victor puppy food provides quality nutrition for growing puppies. However, there are few differences between the recipes and not much geared toward targeted nutrition. Many recipes are good for all life stages and aren’t suitable for dogs with more specialized dietary needs.

The recipes also lack fruits and vegetables as natural sources of vitamins and nutrients. If we saw more produce used in the ingredients, the line had more options for dogs with dietary concerns, and the bags of food were more affordable for various budgets, Victor would’ve scored higher in our rating.

For healthy puppies that don’t need anything specific in their diet, though, Victor is a healthy option.

• See also: Answers Dog Food Review: Recalls, Pros & Cons

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