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To dog owners, raising a dog is almost like raising a child. The affection you have for them is enough to make you want to give them only the best things! And the food is one of those. It’s a basic need for your pets. A dog’s food hugely affects its health and growth. There are even dog foods specialized for certain conditions. More often than not you need to spend more to get the best dog food that can fulfill your dog’s nutrient. Plus the kibbles need to match your dog’s palate. You would need extra effort to feed your dog if it’s not their cup of tea. That’s why; choosing a brand to feed your dog should never be an instant decision. Some of the popular names in the dog food market are Kirkland Dog Food and Blue Buffalo. How good are they? Which one is better for your dog? This article will let you know as we compare Kirkland Dog Food vs Blue Buffalo!
About Kirkland Dog Food and Blue Buffalo
Kirkland Overview
Diamond Pet Foods is the manufacturer of Kirkland Dog Food. As a company that has been operating since 1970, they are a pro in the game. Diamond Pet Foods is known for producing all-natural food for pets. At first, they only distributed the product within 100 miles from their headquarters in Missouri. It limited Kirkland’s market reach and it’s what made them not very well known. Some people even thought it’s a new brand of dog food. Then they decided to partner up with Costco and broaden their market. Like other products in the retail store, they sell Kirkland Dog
Food at an affordable price. Despite this, they claim Kirkland Dog Food as super-premium dog food. This claim sparks curiosity among dog owners. A quality dog food that doesn’t empty your wallet? No wonder it’s been catching people’s attentions!
You may like it: Diamond Naturals vs Taste of the Wild
Blue Buffalo Overview
The Blue Buffalo, although more well-known than Kirkland Dog Food, is the newcomer. BLUE which produces Blue Buffalo has been in business since 2003. On the contrary to Kirkland Dog Food, Blue Buffalo isn’t that friendly to your wallet. But the cost comes with quality. All Blue Buffalo’s dry food packs feature LifeSource Bits. As stated on
Blue Buffalo’s site, LifeSource Bits is a precise blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It’s then mixed in with the kibbles in the form of small, dark, round pieces. These bits do wonder as they boost your dog’s immune system and maintain a healthy oxidative balance. Their product lineup also features a range of packs with medium to high protein formulas to suit your dog’s needs.
Kirkland Dog Food vs Blue Buffalo: which one is better?
The Kirkland Dog Food and Blue Buffalo are kind of head to head when it comes to dog food. Kirkland Dog Food and Blue Buffalo have their own pros and cons. It’s really up to you and your dog to choose. Either is fine! But to give you the big picture, let’s break down the comparison between Kirkland Dog Food vs Blue Buffalo.
- Protein Source
Adult dogs need 18% – 25% protein in their dietary calories. That’s why protein is an essential ingredient in dog food. For its ingredients, Kirkland Dog Food sticks to the basic. Most of their recipes use traditional ingredients. They use common meats like chicken, turkey, and beef. Even the vegetables they include are traditional, such as peas and sweet potatoes. Blue Buffalo offers less traditional recipes. They have a wide selection of recipes: turkey to bison, and salmon to trout. Due to this variety of meats, Blue Buffalo products tend to contain more proteins. In fact, one of Blue Buffalo products is a great dog food to gain weight and muscle. Take a look at the details below!
Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula w/ Lamb & Brown Rice Recipe
Lamb and brown rice recipe this product offers comes in real meat as its main source of protein. Not just real, but these are farm-raised lamb, ensuring its taste and quality. Besides the brown rice, they use Barley and Oatmeal that are wholesome whole grains. For extra nutrition, Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula has sweet potatoes in it.
That’s where your dog will get their intake of carbs and fibers, which help their digestion a lot. What we love is that it contains Omega 3 and 6. These fatty acids help maintain your dog’s shiny coat. Like most Blue Buffalo products, this one also contains Lifesource Bits. However, please note that we only recommend this for adult dogs and those who don’t have any problems with consuming grains (not grain sensitive). There are no artificial additives added, as well as no flavoring and preservatives. Everything is natural and your pooch will love it!
- Carbs Source
Yes, your dog still needs carbs. Kirkland Dog Food uses whole grain brown rice, ground white rice, and rice brand. Blue Buffalo uses fresh potatoes to provide carbs that are easier to digest. Other than potatoes, they also use barley and oat flour. If you are unsure whether grains and rice are good for your dogs, you can go for their grain-free lines. Kirkland with their Nature’s Domain lines have you covered. 7 of 8 Blue Buffalo lines are also available in grain-free options. Usually, the source of the carbs in grain-free products is from potatoes. Potatoes are the superior carbs alternative to grains. This way, you can still provide your dog with the carbs they need without worrying.
- Exclusive Ingredient
Other than additional nutrients, Blue Buffalo features LifeSource Bits. It’s a precise blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Veterinarians and animal nutritionists selected the ingredients that made up LifeSource Bits. They use the technology that allows them to “cold-form” the bits. This is to minimize the heat exposure that may degrade the potency of many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes. You will find them in the form of small, dark kibbles mixed in with the dog food.
- Product Variety
Kirkland Dog Food has two lines: Kirkland Signature and Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain. Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain is the grain-free variety. Both lines are available in the form of dry food, canned food, and dog treats. Blue Buffalo has 8 product lines with up to 101 options available! Each lineup has different recipes for different ages. Their Life Protection Formula line, for example, has 21 options that you can choose from. In total, they have 13 flavor options. That’s enough variety to find one that your dog likes best. Its canned food is also one of the best wet dog foods for small breeds.
It can be interesting to see unusual recipes. But it’s also important to remember that you’re buying it for your dog. Some dogs like to taste something new every once in a while, but some other dogs prefer the basics.
- Price
Some stores on Amazon sell Kirkland Dog Food starting from $50 for a 40-lb pack, depends on the product. Three of the most popular Blue Buffalo lineup cost from around $40 – $54 for a pack of 24-lb dry food. While Kirkland Dog Food wins big cost-wise, Blue Buffalo is still quite affordable compared to other high-end dog foods. You should also consider the fact that it can be more difficult to find Kirkland Dog Food. You can only find it in Costco stores and, sometimes, on Amazon. Going to the nearest Costco might cost you a similar amount as ordering online. Here’s one of Kirkland’s product that we recommend on Amazon:
Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Chicken, Rice, and Vegetable Dog Food
As it champions in familiarity, no dog will say no to the combination of chicken, rice, and vegetable. It’s pretty much every house’s staples! This formula boasts its fresh chicken ingredients as its main source of protein. Besides the familiar taste, chicken is easy to digest by adult dogs. While most dog foods focus on healthy skin, this one offers joint management nutrition which comes from glucosamine and chondroitin. That said, it also contains Omega 3 and 6 to help maintain your dog’s shiny coat.
Kirkland Signature Adult Formula Chicken, Rice, and Vegetable take the benefits of whole-grain brown rice as well. In fact, it’s the number one carbs ingredient in most of Kirkland’s products. Healthy, yummy, with a familiar taste that your dog loves. What more you could ask for?
Recall History
Both brands have experienced some recalls in the past. During “The Great Melamine Recall” in 2007, Kirkland Dog Food was one of the brands that got recalled. The melamine contamination in a processing facility in China affected hundreds of brands. 5 years later, Diamond Pet Foods recalled its products due to salmonella contamination. This included Kirkland Dog Food.
Blue Buffalo has had even more recalls. In 2007, the FDA recalled their canned dog food and dog treats due to possible melamine contamination. In 2010, three Blue Buffalo products were recalled because they contained too much Vitamin D that could be toxic. They issued another recall in 2015 on their chew bones because of salmonella, and mold in 2016. The latest recall was in 2017, due to possible metal contamination and high beef thyroid hormones.
Kirkland Dog Food vs Blue Buffalo Comparison Table
Facts | Kirkland Dog Food | Blue Buffalo Dog Food |
Protein source | Lamb, chicken, turkey, beef | Chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, pork, bison, duck, fish, rabbit, trout, salmon, venison |
Carbs source | Whole grain brown rice, ground white rice, rice bran, potatoes | Barley, potatoes, oat flour |
Vegetables and fruits | Sweet peas, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries | Carrots, blueberries, cranberries, alfalfa |
Fiber | Dried beet pulp, dried chicory root, flaxseed | Flaxseed, brown rice, chickpeas |
Fatty acids | Omega-3, Omega-6 | Omega-3, Omega-6 |
Exclusive ingredient | N/A | LifeSource Bits |
Grain-free | Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain lines | All lines except True Solutions offer grain-free options |
Variety | Dry food, wet food, treats. 2 lines with 14 formulas available. | Dry food, wet food, treats. 8 lines with 101 formulas available. |
Recall | history 2007, possible melamine contamination 2012, salmonella contamination |
2007, melamine in canned dog food 2010, potentially toxic levels of Vitamin D 2015, salmonella contamination 2016, mold in some packages 2017, aluminum contamination and high levels of beef thyroid hormones |
Price | Starts from around $1.25 per pound | Starts from around $1.67 per pound |
Reviews | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
Who’s the winner?
Overall, they are not much different from each other. Kirkland offers affordable premium dog food with a familiar taste. Blue Buffalo market their products as healthy dog food with their exclusive LifeSource Bits. Kirkland Dog Food wins by a lot when it comes to price. But Blue Buffalo beats Kirkland on ingredient and product varieties. Choosing
Kirkland will give your dog the guarantee of getting the natural ingredients. If your dog is shifting to Kirkland, the familiar taste will help them to adjust better. They receive many positive reviews and have had lesser recalls in the past. But you may need to go to a Costco store to get it. Blue Buffalo has a more online presence. You can get healthy pet food on Amazon and Chewy. Unique meat choices could also be a breath of fresh air for your dog. Cost-wise, it’s not as expensive as other high-end brands. With $1.67 per pound, your dog can have all the goodness in their LifeSource Bits. Read more about Blue Buffalo Dog Food Reviews here.
Conclusion
Every dog owner wants to provide their dogs with quality food. Some don’t mind spending more on better products, others prefer to go for more affordable options. The comparison between Kirkland Dog Food vs Blue Buffalo meant to help you choose the better option for you and your dog. If you are putting on some budget, Kirkland Dog Food would be the better option for you. If you want to give your dog something new, you can choose from the many varieties of Blue Buffalo. But don’t worry too much! Both products must have gone through a quality check to make sure that they provide the right amount of nutrients for your dog. We hope this article helps you decide which one to buy!
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