Canidae Dog Food Reviews, Ingredients, Recall History and Our Rating

This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

© Depositphotos.com / fotorince74

It’s ridiculously easy for commercial dog foods to claim that they give your dog everything they need to grow big and strong while living a healthy life.

It takes more for one of these thousands of foods to prove that it can do just that.

When trying to provide your dog with optimal growth, development, and energy, do you know which pet food is right for your dog?

In this, our Canidae dog food review, we will explore the world of Canidae dry dog food formulas. We’ll give you an overview of the food, information on recalls, links to independent reviews, and our honest opinion of the brand — then you can decide for yourself.

At a Glance: 3 Formulas Featuring Heavily in our Canidae Dog Food Review

• Canidae Grain Free PURE Elements
• Canidae Life Stages Dry Dog Food ​
• Canidae Grain Free PURE Sea

Our Overview

Canidae is a family-owned company that manufactures both dog and cat pet food, as well as a line of horse food.Most Canidae dry dog foods are suitable for all life stages, but they do make a line specifically for senior and overweight dogs.

Canidae is considered a premium product, using high-quality proteins and other wholesome ingredients when creating their kibble.

Based on independent and customer reviews, plus an analysis of the ingredients and recall information, we recommend Canidae dog food as a solid choice for most dogs.

Who Makes Canidae Dog Food and Where is it Made?

Canidae originated in California in 1997, and their corporate offices are still based there.There is quite a bit of confusion about where Canidae dog food is produced. The company does maintain a production facility in Texas, but it is also rumored to outsource some of its pet food manufacturing to Diamond and American Nutrition.

Canidae Dog Food Ingredients

The following ingredients list is for the Grain Free Pure Elements Dry Formula, and is provided from the Canidae website.

Lamb, turkey meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), menhaden fish meal, potatoes, suncured alfalfa, natural flavor, minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid), choline chloride, mixed tocopherols (a preservative), dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract

Discussion of Most Important Ingredients – Good and Bad

There are three distinct product lines made by Canidae. The Grain Free Pure Product line includes 12 different dry dog foods. Canidae Life Stages features six different dry foods, and Canidae Under the Sun, which is grain-free and feature a single protein.

Let’s take a look at the main ingredients in the Grain Free Pure Elements with Lamb mentioned above.

• Lamb – Lamb is a high-quality protein that is very easy to digest. Because fresh lamb has a high ratio of water, the meat content will be significantly reduced after processing.
• Turkey and Chicken Meal – Both of these ingredients contain nearly 300% more protein than their fresh counterparts, making them an excellent digestible protein source.
• Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates. They contain beta-carotene and lots of fiber.
• Chickpeas and Peas – Both good sources of protein that also provide fiber and micronutrients. Plant-based proteins can be harder for your dog to digest.
• Chicken Fat – Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid and omega-6 fatty acid.
• Menhaden Fish Meal – Menhaden are small ocean fish. They are high in protein and omega-3 fatty acid. They also contain low levels of mercury contamination.
• Potatoes – Potatoes offer very little nutritional value, but are a gluten-free source of carbohydrates.
• Sun-cured Alfalfa – Alfalfa is a nutrient-rich ingredient that also provides a modest amount of protein.

For a complete analysis of the ingredients in Canidae Life Stages Dog Food, please visit Dog Food Advisor.

Canidae Dog Food Guaranteed Analysis

This guaranteed analysis is for the Canidae Grain Free Pure Elements Dry Formula with Lamb and is taken from the Canidae website.

• CRUDE PROTEIN (MIN.) 32.00%
• CRUDE FAT (MIN.) 18.00%
• CRUDE FIBER (MAX.) 4.00%
• MOISTURE (MAX.) 10.00%
• LINOLEIC ACID (OMEGA 6) (MIN.) 3.70%
• VITAMIN E (MIN.) 50.00 IU/kg
• ALPHA LINOLENIC ACID (OMEGA 3)** (MIN.) 0.40%
• LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS** (MIN.) 100 million CFU/lb.

**Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

Canidae Dog Food Recall History

In May of 2012, Diamond Pet Food announced a large recall due to potential Salmonella contamination. At the time, Diamond was manufacturing four of Canidae’s dry dog food in their Gaston, South Carolina facility.

Canidae voluntarily recalled the following products:

• check Canidae Platinum Dry Dog Food
• check Canidae All Life Stages Dry Dog Food
• check Canidae Lamb Meal & Rice Dry Dog Food
• check Canidae Chicken Meal & Rice Dry Dog Food

Canidae is not entirely upfront about where and how their kibble is processed. They recently moved some of their production to their own plant in Texas, but it is rumored that Diamond still manufacturers some of their food.

It’s like this:

The 2012 recall was the one and only recall that Canidae has been involved in, and most consumers and experts agree that Canidae has an excellent track record and can still be considered high quality. For up to date dog food recall alerts, sign up with Dog Food Advisor.

You might also be interested in:

• Review of Taste of The Wild Dog Food, Including Ingredients and Recall History
• Review of Merrick Dog Food, Including Ingredients and Recall History
• A detailed look at Wellness Dog Food
• Victor Dog Food Reviews, Ingredients, Recall History and Our Rating
• Honest Kitchen Ingredients Quality and Recall History

 Formulas Canidae Offers

4 formulas for small breeds, including:

• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Petite Small Breed Adult Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Chicken
• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Petite Small Breed Adult Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Salmon
• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Petite Small Breed Adult Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Bison
• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Fields® Small Breed Adult Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Chicken

Several grain-free formulas:

• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Land® Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Bison
• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Sea® Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Salmon
• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Elements® Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Lamb
• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Sky® Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Duck
• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Wild® Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Wild Boar

Formulas made especially for puppies:

• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Foundations®Puppy Dry Formula with Fresh Chicken
• Canidae® Under The Sun® Original Puppy Food With Chicken

Senior dog foods:

• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Meadow® Senior Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Chicken

Weight Management dog foods:

• Canidae® Grain Free PURE Resolve® Weight Management Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Chicken

Formulas with Single Animal Proteins:

• 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® Original Adult Dog Food With Chicken

Dog Foods with a single protein specifically for large breeds:

• Canidae® Under The Sun® Grain Free Large Breed Adult Dog Food With Chicken

Specifically created for all life stages:

• 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® All Life Stages Large Breed Puppy Dry Food Duck Meal, Brown Rice & Lentils Formula
• Canidae® All Life Stages Large Breed Adult Dog Dry Food Turkey Meal & Brown Rice Formula

Sizes Available

• Small Breed – 3 and 6-pound bags.
• Grain Free Pure – 4, 12, and 24-pound bags
• Under the Sun – 5 and 25-pound bags
• Life Stages – 15 and 30-pound bags

What Dogs Is Canidae For or Suited to?

• check-circle Small Breeds – There are four formulas suited for small breeds. All are grain free.​
• check-circle Adults – For the most part, Canidae dry dog foods are suitable for all life stages.
• check-circle Puppies – There are two formulas created specifically for puppies, Canidae® Grain Free PURE Foundations®Puppy Dry Formula with Fresh Chicken and Canidae® Under The Sun® Original Puppy Food With Chicken
• check-circle Seniors – Seniors will benefit from food that is tailored for aging dogs – Canidae® Grain Free PURE Meadow® Senior Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Chicken.
• check-circle Overweight Dogs – For inactive or overweight dogs, we suggest Canidae® Grain Free PURE Resolve® Weight Management Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Chicken.
• check-circle Dogs with Allergies – Many of the Canidae formulas are suitable for dogs with allergies. We suggest the Pure or Under the Sun lines, which are grain-free with limited ingredients. The Under the Sun formulas contain a single protein source, making it easy to find a suitable formula for your allergic dog.
• check-circle Fussy/Picky Eaters – With 24 formulas to choose from, all created with high-quality protein sources, you should be able to find a dry food for the pickiest eaters.
• check-circle Large Breeds – One formula has been created just for large breeds, Canidae® Under The Sun® Grain Free Large Breed Adult Dog Food With Chicken.
• check-circle Athletic/Working Dogs – Working dogs require extra protein and nutrients to get the job done. We recommend Canidae® Grain Free PURE Elements® Dog Dry Formula with Fresh Lamb which contains 32% protein.

What Dogs Might do Better on A Different Brand?

None!

Yep, that’s the truth:

Canidae has certainly covered all the bases here. There are lots of formulas to choose from, which means you should be able to find one suitable for your dog’s unique situation.

Canidae Dog Food Reviews

Based on an overview of the company, ingredient lists, guaranteed analysis, and independent and customer reviews, here are our reviews of three different Canidae dry dog food formulas.

CANIDAE Grain Free PURE Elements

The Grain Free Pure with Lamb formula is considered a premium dog food. Because it is free of grains and has very few ingredients, it is an excellent choice for dogs with allergies.

With 32% protein, this is also a good choice for high performance or working dogs.

The first three ingredients are lamb, turkey meal, and chicken meal — all high-quality, lean proteins. The fat content of this formula is 18%, and extra vitamins and probiotics are added to up the nutritional value.

Pros

• check Grain free
• High-quality meats make up the first three ingredients
• Limited ingredients for sensitive stomachs

Cons

• Canidae does not disclose who makes their food or where it is made
• Expensive

​Canidae All Life Stages Dry Dog Food

This is another premium formula suitable for dogs of all ages and sizes. This works well for families with more than one dog who only want to purchase one type of dog food.

This is not a grain-free product, so it’s better suited to dogs without sensitive stomachs.

With 24% protein and 14.5% fat, this is a good all-round formula, but not appropriate for very athletic, high-performance, working, or pregnant dogs.

Pros

• check Suitable for most types of dogs (puppies, adults, and seniors)
• check High-quality proteins

Cons

• High amount of grains
• Canidae does not disclose who makes their food or where it is made
• Lower protein c​ontent than many other Canidae formula
• Expensive

Canidae Grain Free PURE Sea Dry Dog Food

This is a high protein, fish-based formula with limited ingredients. It is considered a premium dog food (and comes with a premium price tag).

The first three ingredients are salmon, salmon meal, and menhaden fish meal. All of these are high in omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients.

This Canidae dry formula is an excellent choice for most adult dogs and will work especially well for dogs who have sensitive stomachs or allergies to other types of protein. We highly recommend this formula.

Pros

• check High protein content
• check High in nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids
• check Grain free
• check Limited ingredients for allergies and sensitive stomachs

Cons

• Canidae does not disclose who makes their food or where it is made
• Relatively expensive

What Others are Saying

When choosing the perfect dog food for your dog, we want you to make a decision based on as much information as possible.

Before you decide, take a look at what other independent reviewers and consumers have to say about Canidae dry dog food formulas.

• Dog Food Advisor – Most of the Grain Free Pure dog foods received 4 or 5 stars on Dog Food Advisor. The Life Stages formula received between 3 and 4 stars.
• Dog Food Insider – Dog Food Insider has detailed ratings about many of the Canidae formulas. They give most of the formulas either 3 or 4 paws (stars). You can read all of their Canidae ratings here.
• Chewy – Customer ratings are just as, or maybe even more important than those from authority websites. You can read the reviews of previous and current users of the product on Chewy by clicking here.

Our Canidae Dog Food Rating

Canidae makes premium dog foods with high-quality proteins, whole ingredients, and added nutrients, including probiotics.

They have a decent track record with recalls, and most customers are highly satisfied with the product. On Amazon, many customers rave about how great Canidae works for picky eaters and dogs with allergies.

Because Canidae makes so many different formulas, it is important to do your homework. The ingredients and protein content vary drastically between different products.

• We can recommend the Canidae Grain Free Pure line of dog foods without reservations (5 stars).
• The Life Stages formulas are lower in protein, with more plant-based proteins and grains. For that reason, the Life Stages formula is recommended with reservations (3.5 stars).

Please be aware this page contains affiliate links and LabradorTrainingHQ receives a small commission if you make any purchases through any such links. This has absolutely no effect on the eventual price that you pay and we are very grateful for your support.

Disclaimer

All content on this site is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not intended to be nor can it be considered actionable professional advice. It must not be used as an alternative to seeking professional advice from a veterinarian or other certified professional.

LabradorTrainingHQ.com assumes no responsibility or liability for the use or misuse of what’s written on this site. Please consult a professional before taking any course of action with any medical, health or behavioral related issue.

Top Picks For Our Dogs

1. BEST PUPPY TOY
   We Like: Calmeroos Puppy Toy w/ Heartbeat and Heat Packs - Perfect for new puppies. Helps ease anxiety in their new home.
2. BEST DOG CHEW
   We Like: Bones & Chews Bully Sticks - All of our puppies love to bite, nip, and chew. We love using Bully Sticks to help divert these unwanted behaviors.
3. BEST DOG TREATS
   We Like: Crazy Dog Train Me Treats - One of our favorite treats for training our service dog puppies.
4. BEST FRESH DOG FOOD
   We Like: The Farmer's Dog - A couple months ago we started feeding Raven fresh dog food and she loves it! Get 50% off your first order of The Farmer's Dog.

For a list of all the supplies we get for our new service dog puppies check out our New Puppy Checklist on the PuppyInTraining.com blog.