Why not to use Pedigree dog food

By Isabella Storyclaire

last updated January 25, 2025

Contributions sourced from

Pedigree Dog Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Review Summary

Our Final Verdict

We give Pedigree dog food a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Pedigree is a well-known dog food brand thats been around for decades. You can find recipes for dogs of all life stages sold by Pedigree. The main appeal of Pedigree dog food is its affordability and accessibility, as its sold in most pet stores and many grocery stores.

Despite how well-known Pedigree is, some of its recipes contain low-quality and ambiguous ingredients. So, before you purchase Pedigree dog food, make sure to do your research to ensure that you feed your dog a healthy and nutritious meal.

At a Glance: The Best Pedigree Dog Food Recipes

Pedigree Dog Food Reviewed

Who Makes Pedigree and Where Is It Produced?

Pedigree is a subsidiary of Mars, Inc. It began as a company started by the Chappel Brothers in 1932 in Manchester. The Chappel Brothers canned meat scraps and sold them as affordable dog food called Chappie. Chappies popularity grew, and Mars, Inc. eventually acquired it.

The brand name changed to Pedigree in 1972, and it continues to sell budget-friendly dog food. The food is manufactured in factories in England and the United States.

Which Types of Dogs Is Pedigree Best Suited For?

Pedigree is best for adult dogs without any specific health concerns or dietary requirements. It producers some specialized diets for puppies, seniors, and large and small dog breeds. However, the options are limited compared to other dog food brands.

Pedigree dog food meets the minimal nutritional requirements laid out by the Association of American Feed Control Officers (AAFCO), and many dogs find the wet food palatable. So, if you have a picky dog, adding Pedigree wet food to their diet may encourage your dog to eat.

Which Types of Dogs Might Do Better with a Different Brand?

Dogs that require a specialized diet will do best with a different brand. Pedigree offers a few recipes for oral care, skin and coat, weight management, and high-protein diets. However, youll have better luck finding more variety with other pet food companies. Natures Recipe and Diamond Naturals have wider selections at a similar price point.

Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

Pedigrees primary ingredients contain a mix of healthy and controversial ingredients. Here are some common ingredients youll find in many Pedigree recipes:

Ground Whole Grain Corn

While many people dismiss corn as a filler, its quite nutritious and safe for dogs to eat. The concern is that its often listed as the first ingredient in Pedigrees dry food. So, it seems that Pedigree doesnt prioritize using animal meat as the primary source of protein.

Animal Protein

Pedigrees wet food lists animal protein as the first ingredient. The most common meat is chicken. Although Pedigree offers several beef-flavored wet foods, the recipes still use chicken as the main source of protein.

Meat By-Products

Whats concerning about Pedigrees ingredient lists is that they contain many ambiguous ingredients. For example, youll find ingredients such as animal liver, animal fat, and meat by-products located pretty high up the list. Many other brands ingredient lists are more specific and identify the protein used and the type of animal fat.

Tasty Wet Food

Many dogs find Pedigrees wet food tasty. Meat protein is listed as the first ingredient in most of its canned dog food. The wet food also comes in various textures, including pate, shreds, and chunks. If you dont want to switch your dog to wet food entirely, you can use Pedigrees canned food as a meal topper.

Affordable Prices

Pedigree offers some of the most budget-friendly dog food, and its hard to find another brand that can beat its prices. So, if you have multiple dogs and they dont have any food sensitivities, Pedigree can be an affordable option for them.

Easy To Find

Pedigree is a well-known brand that is available in most pet stores. Some grocery stores, supermarkets, and online retailers also stock Pedigree dog food. So, whether you purchase in stores or online, buying Pedigree is pretty convenient.

Controversial Ingredients

Pedigree dog food has some controversial ingredients. In addition to corn and meat by-products, some recipes contain artificial food dyes, including red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6, and blue 2. The dog food is fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, so they can sufficiently support your dog. However, dogs with sensitive stomachs and food allergies may experience allergic reactions or digestive issues if they eat Pedigree dog food.

A Quick Look at Pedigree Dog Food

Pros

Affordable and budget-friendly
Easy to find
Palatable to picky dogs

Cons

Contains some controversial ingredients
Animal protein isnt first ingredient for dry dog food

Recall History

Pedigree has had several recalls throughout its long history of producing dog food. The most recent recall was in 2014. The Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Dry Dog Food was recalled because it possibly contained small metal fragments.

Another recall occurred in June 2012. Some canned dog food was recalled due to possible choking hazards. In 2008, Pedigree had two recalls due to the potential for salmonella in select states.

Reviews of the 3 Best Pedigree Dog Food Recipes

1. Pedigree Adult Grilled Steak & Vegetable Dry Dog Food

This is one of Pedigrees most popular recipes. It provides complete and balanced nutrition and is infused with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. The recipe also contains omega-6 fatty acids to nourish the skin and coat. Its free of artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar.

One thing to remember is that the ingredient list has ground whole-grain corn as the first ingredient and meat and bone meal as the second ingredient. So, it doesnt appear that this recipe uses animal meat as its primary source of protein.

Pros

Infused with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals
Omega-6 fatty acids nourish skin and coat
No artificial flavors, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar

Cons

Animal protein is second ingredient

2. Pedigree Small Dog Roasted Chicken, Rice & Vegetable

This recipe is a fan favorite among small dogs. First, the kibble comes in small, manageable pieces, and theyre also in different shapes and textures. So, its more fun for dogs to eat.The kibble has a tasty chicken flavor, and it contains whole grains and a special fiber blend, which support the digestive system. The formula also contains omega-6 fatty acids to promote healthy skin and fur.

While the recipe name indicates that this dog food is a chicken recipe, the ingredient list includes animal fat and meat and bone meal. These ingredients are ambiguous and could be from other sources of meat. So, if your dog has food allergies, it may be best to find a different recipe.

Pros

Kibble has appealing texture
Contains whole grains and fiber blend
Contains omega-6 fatty acids

Cons

Meat protein sources are ambiguous

3. Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner Variety Pack

If your dog isnt a fan of dry dog food, they may enjoy these Pedigree wet dog food recipes. This recipe is fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, so you can serve it as a full meal or as a meal topper.

The wet food has a soft, chopped texture and contains real chicken or beef. Just keep in mind that the first ingredient in some of these recipes is chicken by-products, so its unclear which parts of the chicken are included in this recipe.

Pros

Fortified with essential vitamins and minerals
Can also be a meal topper
Tasty soft, chopped texture

Cons

First ingredient is chicken by-product

What Other Users Are Saying

Pedigree is a well-known dog food brand, and many people have been buying its formulas for decades. Here are some reviews of Pedigrees dog food from real dog owners.

ConsumerAffairs Both of my dogs (a Collie & a Sheltie) are picky eaters, but they love the Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinners
Chewy My pups love it! I mix half a portion in their kibble at each feeding. Great product at a reasonable price
Amazon Amazon has numerous reviews of Pedigree submitted by dog owners. You can read through some of these reviews here.

In Conclusion

Pedigree offers affordable and easily accessible dog food. Its especially great for homes with multiple dogs and can end up helping you save on costs. As long as your dog doesnt require a special diet, they will enjoy eating Pedigree dog food. Many dogs find it tasty, and its a popular choice for picky eaters.

See also:

Pedigree Dog Food Review

Pedigree has been a household name for decades. As a kid, if I was asked to name a dog food I probably wouldve said Pedigree Chum. After all, 8 out of 10 dogs prefer it, dont they?

But is Pedigree a good dog food?

Lets find out in our Pedigree dog food review

A quick history of Pedigree dog food

Mars bought up their first pet food company way back in 1935 when they acquired Chappie Dog Food, formulated from meat scraps people didnt want to eat. Given nobody back then knew anything about canine nutrition it became surprisingly popular.

Only a year later a rival pet food company arose known as Kal Kan, selling horse meat from retired racehorses, for dogs.

Mars later acquired Kal Kan, which in the 80s started being branded Pedigree.

After all, Pedigree has a better ring to it.

An advert for Kal Kan horse meat for dogs, which later became Pedigree dog food.

Pedigree dog food review

What the marketing says

Actually, lets start with what the marketing doesnt say. Pedigree dog food is just another Mars brand. Its one of their cheapest dog foods as well.

Do you think you would buy this for your dog if it had Mars in big letters on the front of the bag?

Probably not.

On the Pedigree webpage for Pedigree Adult with Real Beef they state No Artificial Flavours, but they neglect to mention the artificial colours. They claim its made with Quality Meat Protein and Australian Made With Quality Ingredients, but they dont state how much of the food is Quality (more on this later).

We find a list of statements which make Pedigree dog food sound wonderfully healthy, such as how the crunchy pieces provide gentle abrasion to promote dental health. Absolute tosh do we eat food to clean our teeth? No, not really.

In fact, theyve bundled up some spin about hard kibble, grains, and nutrients required as an absolute minimum for canine health by AAFCO to be Vital Protection. Clever marketing boffins, arent they!

Lets take a look at the ingredients of Pedigree Adult with Real Beef dog food and find out the truth for ourselves

What the ingredients really say

The first (and main) ingredient in this Mars dog food is wholegrain cereals

Given dogs are essentially carnivores, from the Order Carnivora, were already off to a bad start. You see, cereals arent really included for nutrition, theyre included because theyre one of the cheapest ways to produce a pet food without filling it full of urea.

You may wonder what they mean by real beef, and its a marketing term I find very funny given the opposite would be unreal beef. What they mean is theyre not using meat meal, which is a rendering process which turns meat and meat by-products into a powder. Real beef isnt necessarily Quality beef.

The meat content in the food is unspecified. We dont see chicken here, or lamb, we just see meat by-products. I thought they advertised Pedigree dog food as using quality ingredients? We dont even know what meat theyre using other than its some combination of various poultry, possibly some parts of a cow, or possibly some parts of a sheep.

The truth is more likely this theyll use whatever animal, and whatever parts of those animals, they can source the cheapest.

We estimate over half of Pedigree dog kibble to be carbohydrates (i.e. from the significant amount of cereal grains). The 20% protein and 10% fat is really bad, and given they use a typical analysis rather than a guaranteed analysis theres probably even less protein, less fat, and more carbohydrates.

Yep, this isnt looking good for Pedigree, and its hard to understand why they market this dog food as quality.

Its not.

We also find Pedigree dog food to contain colourings. We know how bad food colourings can be, and its not as if our dogs care about the colour of their food. This is to dupe us into thinking its a tastier dog food than it is.

Do you like being duped?

Undisclosed antioxidants as well. Probably not quality. Tut tut.

But wait! Theres one good thing we can say about Pedigree dog food its cheap!

I definitely wouldnt feed Pedigree dog food to my dog, and it makes me feel sad the beautiful Golden Retriever we had as a kid was fed this product.

She died of cancer, which in hindsight is not surprising.

Interesting Pedigree video

The following video discusses an issue where consumers found wire-like material in Pedigree dog food. Pedigree made an official announcement stating they were natural fibres.

Now ask yourself this What on Earth are natural fibres!?

Dont worry, I can shed some light on this as a number of pet foods have had similar issues. A natural fibre, in many cases, is animal hair. I believe Pedigree later admitted the natural fibres are pig hair, but from my sources in the pet food industry this is very likely hairs from the anus of a chicken (yep, chickens have hairs in their nether region).

On another funny side note, Royal Canin (also a Mars brand) tried to palm off a pet food made from chicken feathers which Im sure was natural fibres en masse

Where to buy Pedigree dog food

Is Pedigree suitable for a puppy?

Most Pedigree dog foods are formulated for adults only, which means they dont contain enough nutrition to support the puppy phase. This is in contrast to many premium dog foods today which contain the absolute minimum nutrition to support all life stages of a dog.

There is one offering for puppies up to 24 months Puppy Chicken With Rice which like its adult counterpart is formulated mostly from cereals. As a dog is essentially carnivorous you must ask yourself if you really want to feed your beloved new puppy such a product.

Ingredients of Pedigree dry dog food

The ingredients of Pedigree Adult with Real Beef dry dog food are as follows:

Wholegrain cereals; meat by-products & meat (poultry, beef &/or sheep); natural flavours (chicken); beet pulp; iodised salt; sunflower oil; minerals; amino acid; vitamins; antioxidants; vegetable powders and colours.

Typical analysis of Pedigree dry dog food

Its worth noting Pedigree dont use a guaranteed analysis which offers assurance that youre getting a minimum amount of protein, they use a typical analysis which will likely mean less protein, less fat, more carbohydrates/sugars.