Diet is just as important for your canine companion as it is for you. I’ll bet you could think of a dozen things you would never want to see on your plate, and you’d refuse them. We’re picky, dogs are picky, but somewhere along the lines we have to get our nutrition in. Nulo is all about providing some serious vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants into the puppy food, giving you the peace of mind you need to sit back and relax, knowing that they’re getting their full nutrition, and enjoying it as well. We’ve broken down the top seven Nulo dog foods, and gone full investigative journalist into recalls, ingredients, and the company’s history.
Nulo Dog Food Review
1. Nulo Adult Grain Free Dog Food
Key Features
Calorie content per serving: 362 per serving
Protein content (minimum): 32%
Fat content (minimum): 17%
Fiber content (maximum): 5%
Moisture content (maximum): 10%
Grain is filler. While many other dog food companies on the market think that it’s the norm to go ahead and toss grain types into the mix, it’s not the best for your dog. Nulo understands that. This blend comes in either dominant varieties of lamb, turkey or salmon, though for our personal favorite pick, we went with salmon.
You get 1ll lbs of food for a killer price, and while it’s not inline with those 35 lb bags of food for around the same cost, you know that your pup is getting optimal nutrition for healthy muscle development. Fido’s got a lot of fight in him, and those days at the park are going to get a whole lot better, and a lot more vibrant with this fueling his energy.
Primary ingredients include deboned salmon, chicken meal, fennel, dried carrots, dried chicory root, deboned turkey, pea fiber, and whole peas. Major vitamin benefits include D3, B12, A, B1, E, and folic acid.
2. Nulo Puppy Food Grain Free
Key Features
Calorie content per serving: 431 per serving
Protein content (minimum): 32%
Fat content (minimum): 17%
Fiber content (maximum): 5%
Moisture content (maximum): 10%
Similar to the top pick, you get an almost identical series of nutrition percentages, but with a different formula that’s designed to stimulate natural muscle growth and brain function. Between the added vitamins and minerals, your pup’s energy levels will increase, and they’ll be looking for far more walks and runs in the park to burn it all off. Are you up to the challenge?
Nulo is all about natural ingredients, from top to bottom. This comes totally grain-free, because that’s what your growing puppy deserves. No fillers, nothing but the good stuff. This bag is loaded with probiotics and DHA, as well as animal-based protein, so your little friend will turn into the great beast he’s always been destined to be.
Primary ingredients include chicken meal, turkey meat, whole peas, sweet potatoes, lentils, pea fiber, chicken fat, fennel, marigold, and dandelion. Major vitamin benefits include E, D3, B12, A, B1, folic acid, riboflavin and biotin.
3. Nulo Senior Grain Free Dog Food
Key Features
Calorie content per serving: 411 per serving
Protein content (minimum): 30%
Fat content (minimum): 15%
Fiber content (maximum): 5%
Moisture content (maximum): 10%
Your pup isn’t getting any younger, but that doesn’t mean their nutrition has to fade with time. Nulo’s senior blend is fortified to give them everything that time forces them to lack. As your dog ages and climbs the ranks into those senior years, it becomes increasingly harder to build and hold onto muscle. Even if they’re still as active as they were in their puppy days, science takes its toll.
Preventing medical issues from arising is one of our jobs as a pet owner. They rely on our ability to choose the proper nutrition for them. Strong scientific data backs a healthy diet and consistent protein intake to proper organ function and joint function as your dog ages. Everything about this food is excellent for your senior dogs. They’ll love the taste, and you’ll love seeing them in their glory. For more options head over to our guide on the best senior dog food.
Primary ingredients include turkey meal, menhaden fish meal, whole peas, sweet potatoes, lentils, pea fiber, dried chicory root, blueberries, dried apples, and salmon oil. Major vitamin benefits include E, D3, A, B12, folic acid, B1, B6, riboflavin and thiamine.
4. Nulo Small Breed Dry Dog Food
Key Features
Calorie content per serving: 373 per serving
Protein content (minimum): 31.5%
Fat content (minimum): 18%
Fiber content (maximum): 5%
Moisture content (maximum): 10%
Your little guy isn’t going to be little forever. Even in the terms of being a small breed, there’s a lot of growth and development taking place on the inside. Certain dog foods can pack in too much of the good stuff, and be sort of an overload to your little one. If you fed a large breed (60 lb pooch) meal to your small breed, they’ll get extra of what they don’t need, and not enough of what they do.
This fortified formula packs a serious punch in the vitamin department, including all the good stuff that they need to develop muscles, and promote healthy joint maintenance. Your pup is the ultimate judge when it comes to this, but thanks to plenty of animal-based proteins and vegetables sitting in the mix, there’s an extremely low chance that they won’t like it. Users rave that even their rather picky pups love Nulo dog food ingredients.
Primary ingredients include deboned turkey, lamb meal, miscanthus grass, ground flaxseed, dried carrots, dried tomatoes, dried chicory root, dried apples, sweet potatoes, chicken fat and chickpeas. Major vitamin benefits include B12, D3, folic acid, thiamin, A, E, zinc and calcium.
5. Nulo Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food
Key Features
Calorie content per serving: 347 per serving
Protein content (minimum): 30%
Fat content (minimum): 15%
Fiber content (maximum): 6%
Moisture content (maximum): 10%
Protein helps to maintain muscles, while the lower fat content and higher fiber from their standard bags work to decrease overall weight retention. So long as your pup is fairly active during walks and trips to the dog park, they’ll burn off their energy, and receive just the right level of stimulation from their Nulo adult dog food with weight management properties.
Three fourths of the proteins in here from from animal sources, while the L-carnitine promotes a more thorough and rapid metabolism of the included fats. Above all else, you need to take weight management seriously with your pup and not have them shed the pounds too quickly. That’s why Nulo tossed in added probiotics to maintain their immune system and digestive tract during the dog food switch.
Primary ingredients include deboned turkey, canola oil, chickpeas, salmon oil, dried sweet potatoes, yellow peas, pea fiber and turkey meal. Major vitamin benefits include E, B12, D3, calcium, folic acid, biotin and more.
6. Nulo Grain Free Canned Wet Dog Food
Key Features
Calorie content per serving: 369 per serving
Protein content (minimum): 10%
Fat content (minimum): 6%
Fiber content (maximum): 1%
Moisture content (maximum): 78%
Wet food has a lot less going on, making it so much more difficult to craft a killer recipe that your pup will enjoy no matter what. Never fear, Nulo took all the worry out. Your dog will flip and rave for this simple yet delicious formula, including an excellent blend of turkey, chickpeas and other essentials found in stew-like wet food for dogs.
Nulo knows that it’s harder to keep the protein and vitamins up in wet food, which is why they brought the heat. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids run throughout this meal, while other ingredients promote a shiny coat, paw care, and add a full level of maintenance to your dog that normal wet food just can’t do properly.
Primary ingredients include turkey, turkey broth, chickpeas, ground flaxseed, and fish oil, while major vitamin benefits include D3, B12, niacin, folic acid, A, E, and iron, among others.
7. Nulo Small Breed Freestyle Dry Dog Food
Key Features
Calorie content per serving: 422 per serving
Protein content (minimum): 30%
Fat content (minimum): 17%
Fiber content (maximum): 4.5%
Moisture content (maximum): 10%
Last but not least, Nulo freestyle dog food means living life on the edge, while keeping nutrition in check. Packed with a series of probiotics and immune system-building components, this Nulo grain-free dog food focuses on a heavy meld of vitamins and minerals. From immune to digestive, every aspect of your dog’s health relies on other areas of the body for support.
Stock up on everything they need, and leave out what they don’t. Grain serves as nothing more than a filler, something to satiate their hunger. When you only feed them the cream of the crop, when it’s completely filled with things they need, weight management is far easier, and you’ll be able to cut down on how much food they’re eating since they’ll actually be full.
Primary ingredients include chickpeas, turkey meal, deboned turkey, sweet potatoes, lima beans, miscanthus grass, and dried chicory root. Major vitamin benefits include L-carnitine, omega-3, omega-6, A, D3, B12 and E.
You may also like our article on Dry Dog Food.
Nulo Dog Food Buying Guide and FAQ
Nulo is one of our favorite brands, which is why we’ve dedicated an entire buying guide to their unique blend of dog food. Nulo freestyle dog food, Nulo puppy food, whatever your preference is for your canine companion, it all comes from the same source. We’ve broken it down to show you what’s in the food, and why Nulo is one of the best brands on the planet.
Nulo Dog Food Company Overview
Nulo incorporates their love of pups into their creation style, bringing their dog owner community to life with loads of resources and information. They discuss the importance of every individual ingredient in your dog’s good; they’re sick and tired of empty calories, low quality meal, and just general filler content.
Founded in 2009 by creator Michael, Nulo is still going strong nearly a decade later in Austin, Texas. Partnered with his pooch, Max, the two have taken on the dog food world by storm, giving pet owners a better option to maintain their furry friend’s health. If you haven’t already checked it out, Michael and Max have a fantastic story together.
Why Nulo Dog Food?
Nulo is one of the only brands that hardcore puppy lovers will use. While they’re a bit on the pricier side compared to some other brands, they were founded on the principles that your dog has already seen far too many low-quality brands on the market, and it’s time to make a positive change.
They’re not about what has been, but about what will be. Nulo dog food works to replace harsh chemical curing and other methods used in standard dog food that you find on the department store shelves. They offer insane transparency into every individual ingredient they use, methods on how they treat those ingredients, and everything in between. Stick it to the gimmicks by going with a company that actually cares about your dog’s health.
Related Post: Dog Vitamins
Nulo Dog Food Recalls
Nulo was founded in 2009, and with such a short history to go off of, they haven’t made any blunders or had to bring on any recalls. This is mostly due to their rigorous quality control practices, and the fact that they outsource animal-made proteins from trusted providers. In an age of dog food recalls and low-quality ingredients being brought into the light, Nulo wanted to give puppy owners a completely different and better option.
Nulo Dog Food Ingredients Analysis
While you’re not going to find these in every single Nulo dog food blend, this is the primary list of ingredients they use. Be sure to check the packaging for additional items, such as binders and miniscule additives (usually found in 0.1% of the overall mixture or less, sometimes as a preservation method). Nulo sticks to specific ingredients to stay ahead of the competition and earn your trust, including:
Alaska Pollock - This is where they really differ from the competition. Not many dog food brands throw this keen protein into the big, but Nulo dog food has your back. Excellent protein, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and an all-around building block from pup to fully developed adult dog.
Chicken - The classic protein option for dog food. Since some dogs might be allergic to chicken, Nulo adds in these other proteins to give you options. Chicken is, and will continue to remain a staple in most formulas, providing nothing but benefits.
Salmon - You get the added benefits of those trapped omega-3 fatty acids, aiding in brain and muscle development. Omega-3’s also provide a sustainable level of joint health, allowing your dog to repair their joints and aches after a long run in the park.
Turkey - One of the main reasons Nulo is the only go-to food for many dog owners, is because they choose to get their protein from sources like this. They not only include turkey meal, but actual turkey integrated into their dishes. Excellent protein, low in fat.
Lima Beans - If the package specifically states that the lima beans contain a preservative or brine, then they’re not the best. You want dried lima beans to avoid all those preservatives, but when all is said and done, it’s phenomenal for your pooch’s health.
Dried Chicory Root - The powerhouse of prebiotics and probiotics in Nulo dog food, this ingredient provides great fiber qualities, and also acts as a digestive tract aid. Transitioning from one food to another is never easy, even if you’re upgrading in terms of ingredients and quality. Your dog’s stomach is sensitive, but dried chicory root makes it easier on them. Find out more about probiotics for dogs and dog foods for sensitive stomachs here.
Chickpeas - You’ll also see these as garbanzo beans in various blends. Chickpeas are one of the safest vegetables for Fido to ingest, making it a staple in Nulo freestyle dog food, and Nulo puppy food for an all-stage blend. As a pro tip, just because chickpeas are good for them does not mean you’re allowed to give them hummus. Garlic and lemon juice, often found in hummus, is extremely toxic to dogs.
Miscanthus Grass - While many dog foods don’t have a crazy amount of fiber in them, miscanthus grass is one excellent source that adds an excellent boost to any blend. Green and healthy for your dog, this replaces many chemically-treated fiber sources.
Chicken Fat - Chicken fat is a common ingredient used by many brands. While it seems gross to humans, it’s got a bit of protein in it, and a whole lot of hydration to help with digestive issues. It’s not curated the same way that we get it, from roasting a chicken, it’s extracted specifically to be added to your dog’s meal.
Sweet Fennel - An excellent source of vitamins A, C, calcium, iron and potassium, bringing a whole lot to the blend without requiring a super high concentrate. Fennel is packed with all those goodies, so a little bit of
While Nulo dog food recipes contain a plethora of other natural ingredients, these are the primary ones seen across a multitude of their blends. Nulo doesn’t choose any preservatives that affect or damage the integrity of the exceptional ingredients they include.