Canidae Dog Food Review

Thinking a Canidae food option may be a good option for you and your pet? Our Canidae Dog Food Review is here to help you decide.

At A Glance

• Parent Company: Canidae Farms
• Started: 1993
• Headquartered In: Norco, California, USA
• Where to Buy: Chewy, Amazon, Walmart, and more
• Types of Food: Canidae dry food, wet food, treats, and more
• Real Meat in First 5 Ingredients? : Yes, across all products
• Ever Recalled? : Yes, once in 2012

A Deeper Dive Into The Brand

Canidae food is produced by the Canidae Pet Company. The Northern Californian based brand were founded in the early nineties. They produce a wide range of pet food options, alongside cat food and a newer range of horse feed.

The brand manufactures its own food in a facility in Brownswood, Texas. The recipes are exclusive to the Canidae family. They’re ingredients focused, and designed to be more of a health food brand.

Canidae have an all-ages approach to pet feeding. This means they don’t tend to have options focused specifically on puppies and adults. Nonetheless, they do offer more specific options for seniors. They do also focus their options based on the size of your pet.

Alongside focusing on doggy health, the Canidae brand are also ethically minded. They’re dedicated to sustainable farming and are known to contribute to a range of different charitable causes. They work with small businesses to ensure fair pay across the supply chain.

What Is the Variety Of Foods They Produce?

Canidae focus on limited ingredients. Limited ingredient diets are well suited for those with sensitive stomachs and digestive issues, as it’s far easier to see exactly what’s causing issues. But even for animals who don’t suffer from any specific food allergies or intolerance, Canidae could be a good product option for your pet’s health. This is because they base their ingredients list around whole food ingredients. There’s always a high meat content and a lack of cheap filler. There are also additional veggies and pulses included in many recipes to ensure your pooch is getting all the extra nutrition they need.

Canidae offer a wide range of different food options. These include dry kibble, canned food, plus extra bonus options like treats. We’ve got a conclusive list to everything they offer to help you make the best possible purchase for your (and your pet’s) needs.

Dry Foods

• CANIDAE^® PURE™ Real Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ Real Lamb & Pea Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ Real Duck & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ Real Wild Boar & Garbanzo Bean Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ Real Bison, Lentil & Carrot Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ Real Chicken, Lentil & Pea Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ Real Lamb, Goat & Venison Meals Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ PUPPY Real Chicken, Lentil & Whole Egg Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ SMALL BREED Real Chicken, Potato & Whole Egg Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ SENIOR Real Chicken, Sweet Potato & Garbanzo Bean Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ HEALTHY WEIGHT Real Chicken & Pea Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Land^® Adult Dog Food With Fresh Duck
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Adult Dog Food With Lamb
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Adult Dog Food With Chicken
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Adult Dog Food With Whitefish
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Small Breed Adult Dog Food With Chicken
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Large Breed Adult Dog Food With Chicken
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Puppy Food With Chicken
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Original Adult Dog Food With Chicken
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Ancestral™ Raw Coated Dry Red Meat Formula with Lamb, Goat, & Wild Boar
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Ancestral™ Raw Coated Dry Fish Formula with Salmon, Mackerel, Pollock, Whitefish & Tuna
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Ancestral™ Avian Raw Coated Dry Formula with Quail, Chicken, & Turkey
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Ancestral™ Avian Raw Coated Dry Formula with Quail, Chicken, Turkey & Duck for Puppies
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Raw Coated Dry Formula with Real Chicken
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Raw Coated Dry Formula with Real Lamb
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Raw Coated Dry Formula with Real Salmon
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Raw Coated Dry Formula with Real Salmon for Puppies
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Dog Dry Food Chicken, Turkey, Lamb & Fish Meals Formula
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Dog Dry Food Chicken Meal & Rice Formula
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Dog Dry Food Lamb Meal & Rice Formula
• CANIDAE^® PURE™ Real Chicken, Lentil & Pea Recipe Dry Dog Food
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Large Breed Dog Dry Food Turkey Meal & Brown Rice Formula

Wet Foods

• CANIDAE^® Small Breed Dog Wet Food With Beef, Chicken and Vegetables in Gravy
• CANIDAE^® Small Breed Dog Wet Food With Chicken and Tuna in Gravy
• CANIDAE^® Small Breed Dog Wet Food With Chicken and Vegetables in Gravy
• CANIDAE^® Small Breed Dog Wet Food With Chicken, Beef and Green Beans in Gravy
• CANIDAE^® Small Breed Dog Wet Food With Chicken, Tuna and Salmon in Gravy
• CANIDAE^® Small Breed Dog Wet Food With Chicken, Salmon and Pumpkin in Gravy
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Dog Cup Bolognese Style Dinner Minced with Beef & Carrots
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Dog Cup Terrine Style Dinner Pâté with Chicken & Peas
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Dog Cup Cacciatore Style Dinner Morsels with Lamb & Carrots
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Dog Cup Escalloped Style Dinner Pâté with Salmon & Shrimp
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Dog Cup Pottage Style Dinner Minced with Duck & Pumpkin
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Petite^® Small Breed Dog Cup Fricassée Dinner Morsels with Turkey & Green Beans
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Sea^® Dog Wet Formula with Salmon & Mackerel
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Elements^® Dog Wet Formula with Lamb, Turkey & Chicken
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Foundations^®Puppy Wet Formula with Chicken
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Sky^® Dog Wet Formula with Duck & Turkey
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Land^® Dog Wet Formula with Lamb
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Dog Cup Pâté with Chicken & Peas
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Dog Cup Morsels with Lamb & Carrots in Gravy
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Dog Cup Morsels with Turkey & Green Beans in Gravy
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Dog Cup Pâté with Salmon & Shrimp
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Dog Wet Food Salmon Formula
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Dog Wet Food Lamb Formula
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Dog Wet Food Duck Formula
• CANIDAE^® Under The Sun^® Grain Free Puppy Wet Food Chicken Formula
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Dog Wet Food Chicken, Lamb & Fish Formula
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Dog Wet Food Chicken & Rice Formula
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Dog Wet Food Lamb & Rice Formula
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Platinum Less Active Dog Wet Food Chicken, Lamb & Fish Formula

Treats

• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Heaven Dog Biscuits with Salmon & Sweet Potato
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Heaven Dog Biscuits with Duck & Chickpeas
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Heaven Dog Biscuits with Bison & Butternut Squash
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Chewy Dog Treats with Sweet Potato & Duck
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Chewy Dog Treats with Wild Boar & Cherry
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Chewy Dog Treats with Turkey & Apple
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Chewy Dog Treats with Bison & Pumpkin
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Chewy Dog Treats with Rabbit & Kale
• CANIDAE^® Grain Free PURE Chewy Dog Treats with Trout & Pomegranate
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Bakery Snacks for Dogs with Turkey, Quinoa & Butternut Squash
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Bakery Snacks for Dogs with Lamb, Wild Rice & Sweet Potato
• CANIDAE^® All Life Stages Bakery Snacks for Dogs with Wild Boar & Kale

Recall History

In 2012, Canidae worked with Diamond Pet Foods. Diamond had a recall incident of a range of canine and cat foods from their South Carolina plant – some of which were Canidae brand. According to Diamond, the reason from the recall was contamination due to salmonella. The risk wasn’t to pets, but to owners who came into contact with the food. Fourteen owners were affected by the outbreak, though it’s unsure as to whether any of them were as a result of Canidae foods directly. This is the only recall of Canidae in history.

Best Canidae Dog Foods

Canidae has an exceptional range of pet foods, both wet and dry. This is certainly a benefit to the brand – but can make purchasing from them a little bit confusing. Our guide is here to help with a selection of the standout options from the brand.

CANIDAE All Life Stages Dog Dry Food

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This option is formulated with vets to suit all ages and sizes of pet. This makes it a great way into the more complex brand options out there. It’s also a fantastic choice for those with more than one animal who may be of different sizes. The food is crude protein fat rich, which helps your pet build muscle, plus avoid potentially dangerous weight gain, which can lead to further issues like heart disease. Canidae is enriched with omegas and fatty acids, which help your animal’s immune system, plus keep their coat looking sleek and help their skin retain moisture. This food, like others in the range, is also totally free of filler ingredients like corn, and soy.

CANIDAE Under The Sun Grain Free Dry Dog Food for Puppies, Adults & Seniors

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This is a perfect choice for those on a grain free diet and breed puppy. It’s based around lean lamb meat, which is high protein and of high nutritional value for a canine. It’s also full of farm grown fruits and veggies, which offer your pet the vitamins and minerals they need to look and feel their very best. It has additional probiotics to help it being easily digestible. This option is particularly good for pets with stomach sensitivities, or who are on a more restricted diet. It’s free of chicken, fish, grains, and potatoes, alongside the usual wheat, corn and soy.

Under The Sun Original Dog Food

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This option is based around natural and healthy key ingredients, including chicken and vegetables. The focus on one single meat protein is ideal for a pet with a certain sensitivity, as you can help to target what upsets their stomach and what they can digest without issue. Again, it’s enriched with omegas and fatty acids to give the food some additional benefits. The components of this food are all farm grown or raised; making is more ethically sourced,with a good calorie content (kcal), too.

Canidae Customer Reviews

Canidae pet foods generally have a very positive reputation online. For those looking for premium, holistic canine food options, it’s one of the most popular choices out there.

What Do People Like About This Brand?

• People love the fact the ingredients are of such high quality. It’s actually designed to be safe for human consumption, which is a really positive indicator of the food’s quality.
• It’s a family-owned company which is also of benefit, because it means they’re likely more interested in ethical business practices and have other concerns outside of their bottom line. The way they dealt with the recalls also supports this.
• They work with small farms to ensure high quality. It shows dedication to sustainability and fair trade.
• The company has been around for over twenty years. This gives them a certain level of expertise and reliability which other brands may still be catching up on.
• Another benefit to this brand is that the majority of their foods are designed to be suitable for those of any age or size. This makes it easy to find something suitable (and healthy). It’s particularly useful for those with more than one animal, who may not want to purchase a separate food for every pet.
• The large product range is also a benefit, because if your pooch has any specific dietary requirements, you are sure to be able to find an option for them within the range, which is super reassuring.

What Do People Dislike About This Brand?

• One major drawback to this brand is the price. It’s among the upper echelons of pet food cost. While the price is justified by the sustainable farming, and high-quality ingredients and formulations, for some people, it’s just outside of their price range. This makes it somewhat of an exclusive product and is certainly to its detriment overall.
• Some point out that there are just too many options when it comes to shopping this brand, and while having a wide range of products is good, having such an extensive range may end up confusing customers. You could end up purchasing the wrong food in a simple error, and end up less satisfied than you would otherwise have been. It may also mean it’s more difficult to access your dog’s favorite option amongst so many.
• While ingredients are clearly a priority for this brand, they’re not totally without fault. Some dislike the inclusion of potato, which they see as a filler with minimal nutritional benefit. Others dislike the fact the brand uses alfalfa, which is something of a controversial addition.

Conclusion

Canidae Dog Food’s tagline is “pet food made by pet people” and allows for a well-balanced diet. They use simple recipes, pure ingredients, and a real food based ideology. Each recipe contains seven immediately recognizable ingredients that won’t overly sensitize your pet’s stomach with too many calories. The foods are specifically manufactured with allergies, intolerance, and stomach sensitivities in mind. Canidae foods are also supposed to have a natural and delicious taste your pet will adore for balanced nutrition. The recipes are always free from cheap filler ingredients like corn, wheat, and soy, which can cause issues for many pets. They’re a higher end, more artisanal brand for whom ingredients are a priority.

Are you interested in other more natural pet food that provides the needed vitamins minerals, and natural balance? We have plenty of different reviews out there to help you. Those apply to giant breed as well as smaller pups. We’ve made roundups of the best raw pet food brands, here, and the best low glycemic pet foods here, and we also have a range of other brand-focused reviews, here.

Have you ever tried Canidae dog food? Which option did you go for? Did you (and your dog) have a positive or a negative experience with the brand? Let us know in the comments below!

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