Wild Earth is a newer brand of vegan dog food on the market. We know what you are thinking—vegan dog food? While we were a bit skeptical about the product, using the product with our own dogs and looking at the most recent research really sold us on this dog food.

Plus, we loved that this food isn’t terribly expensive. Based on other dog foods, this one is about the middle-of-the-pack when it comes to price. However, its nutritional value is immense and many users rave about its health benefits. You’re getting premium dog food for an average price, and you can’t beat that.

At a Glance: What We Reviewed:

Wild Earth Dog Food Review

Wild Earth dog food is the leader in plant-based dog food. Not only do they produce their own brand of complete-protein dog food, but they also sell a variety of treats and supplements (which we also reviewed). Because their food is plant-based, many consumers are unsure about their products.

However, we honestly didn’t find much to bark at.

Who Makes Wild Earth and Where is it Produced?

Wild Earth is made in the United States, though by which manufacturing company is unclear. It is not clear whether the company owns its own facilities or uses a third party for production.

The ingredients are sourced from the US, Latin America, European and Asian countries. However, they do not source anything from China.

Which Types of Dogs is Wild Earth Best Suited For?

Wild Earth is a great option for practically every dog out there, assuming that your dog does not currently have any health conditions. Because of the formulation, this formula isn’t a good option for dogs that have underlying health problems. They do not produce any veterinary recipes, for instance.

With that said, this dog food may be particularly helpful for dogs with sensitivities. Many dogs with allergies and sensitives have reactions to meat proteins. Because this company does not use meat, their food is very suitable for these dogs. Plus, many new users found that their dogs had fewer skin and coat problems after starting this food—likely because it doesn’t contain any meat protein.

Discussion of Primary Ingredients (Good & Bad)

The primary ingredient of this dog food is dried yeast. While this is much different from the usual meat ingredients most dog foods use, dried yeast has many nutritional benefits for dogs. It is high in a range of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. In fact, you’ll commonly find dried yeast as a supplement in other dog foods.

Yeast is a somewhat controversial product (likely because it isn’t a common food we’re familiar with). However, it is up to 45% protein, allowing Wild Earth’s foods to reach a high level of protein without using meat. While there is no evidence for it (or against it), some people claim that it can support the immune system and even repeal fleas.

Peas, chickpeas, potatoes, and lentils are also commonly used by the company. We can look at all these ingredients together, as they have very similar benefits and potential downsides.

All of these ingredients are primarily carbohydrates. However, some Wild Earth foods pull out the protein from these ingredients and use it as a concentrate. Therefore, you’ll find high amounts of pea and potato protein in their foods. As whole products, these ingredients are also high in fiber, making Wild Earth a high-fiber food.

Even whole foods like chickpeas contain as much as 27% protein.

With that said, pea protein (and similar protein extracts) has come under scrutiny in the last few years. The FDA is currently studying pea protein for its effect on DCM, which is a serious heart condition in dogs. For this reason, many pet owners are now cautious of pea protein.

However, these increased cases of DCM are linked to grain-free dog foods, which Wild Earth is not. Their primary dog food includes oats, which takes it out of the grain-free category. Furthermore, this food includes quite a bit of added taurine, which improves heart health and may prevent DCM. For this reason, while this food does include pea protein, it doesn’t necessarily fall into the category that the FDA is researching.

Many of their recipes include flaxseed, which is high in omega fatty acids. These fatty acids are vital for your dog’s coat and skin health. They may prevent skin irritation and help improve a range of skin-related problems. We also liked that this food included fermented materials, which can help with digestion. Fermented materials include probiotics, which are vital for a dog’s digestive system.

But Aren’t Dogs Carnivores?

Dogs are typically considered carnivores. However, this is not necessarily true. What dogs should be labeled as is a bit controversial and has changed over the years. In the end, it largely depends on who you ask.

Dogs were originally considered carnivores because they are related to wolves. However, many genetic studies have found that dogs are very different from wolves, including in the foods they need. Therefore, many people have begun to rethink what dogs actually need to eat.

One such study has revealed that dogs evolved to consume grains. Likely, this is because dogs have spent many years alongside people, and we produce a lot of grain. It makes sense that dogs would do best if they could properly digest this grain. Eventually, the dogs that could digest the grain did better than the dogs that could not, causing them to pass on the trait to the next generation.

Therefore, it appears that dogs moved away from a sole meat diet pretty early on in their evolution. In fact, this is now considered a crucial step in their domestication, and grains now provide dogs with important nutrients, like selenium and manganese.

Many people now label dogs are omnivores, though this is only half of the truth. It appears that most dogs will choose meat when they are able to, though they can get all of their nutrients from plants if they need to. In this way, they are often lumped in with humans. Meat is a very energy-dense ingredient for humans, but it is far from the only place we get nutrients from.

With that said, a vegan diet for dogs does need to be carefully constructed. Dogs need a variety of amino acids, which are the building blocks for proteins. Animal meat contains many of these amino acids. However, veggies and plants also contain amino acids—just not in the same amounts.

Luckily, Wild Earth carefully formulates their diets so that your dog gets the correct number of amino acids from plant sources. Your dog’s body doesn’t care where these amino acids come from, so the lack of meat is not troublesome.

A Quick Look at Wild Earth Dog Food

Reviews of the Wild Earth Dog Foods We Tried

Let’s take a look at Wild Earth’s main dog food, as well as one of their treats and supplements in a little more detail:

1. Wild Earth Adult Dog Food

This dog food contains only premium ingredients that come from sustainable locations. As you’d guess, there is no meat included. Instead, the protein your dog needs come from yeast (which can include upwards of 85% protein), peas, and potatoes. Flaxseed and sunflower oil are added for extra omega fatty acids. In the end, this leaves you with a complete diet without the use of any meat.

The lack of meat can be beneficial in a number of ways. Firstly, it is great for dogs with allergies. Most dogs with food allergies are allergic to meat proteins. Because this food doesn’t include any meat proteins, they typically will not have a reaction.

Secondly, this food is completely sustainable and cruelty-free.

There are also several other ingredients that we love in this dog food. For instance, fermented ingredients are added for probiotics, and taurine is included for heart health. Cranberries, blueberries, and pumpkins are also added.

This food contains at least 31% protein, which is higher than most dog foods currently on the market. Plus, it isn’t terribly expensive. We found it cheaper than most premium brands out there, though it isn’t exactly a budget option either.

The flavor is nice, even for pickier dogs. It has a savory taste and smells quite pleasant (even to us).

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2. Wild Earth Peanut Butter Dog Treats

 

Firstly, we absolutely loved that these peanut butter treats are mostly made out of real peanut butter. Unlike other treats, they do not include any artificial ingredients or flavors. Oat flour and peanut flour are both included to help the treat hold its shape.

However, these treats don’t only taste good. They also have a variety of great nutrients for your canine. For instance, pumpkin and probiotics are added for digestive health. Flaxseed is included for omega fatty acids. Using only plant ingredients, these treats also have all 10 essential amino acids that your dog needs.

The treats are about medium-sized. They are easy to break, though, so there shouldn’t be a problem feeding them to smaller dogs. You can also break them up for training purposes, or if you just want smaller treats.

These treats are also environmentally friendly, as they use about 90% fewer resources than other treats.

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3. Wild Earth Skin & Coat Dog Supplement

 

If your dog’s coat needs a bit of extra support, you may want to try these supplements. They are designed to include extra proteins and fatty acids that your dog’s skin and coat need, which may help improve itchiness and other skin problems.

Each supplement includes both algae and flaxseed for omega fatty acids. Zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin C are also added for improved coat health. The treats are flavored with natural ingredients like peanuts.

There are tons of research out there on supplements that can help with canine skin problems. However, this is one of the few supplements on the market that includes just about everything that has been proven to be beneficial. It is difficult to find a supplement that goes beyond just the inclusion of fatty acids, but this supplement does just that.

Our Experience with Wild Earth

I was a bit skeptical of Wild Earth at first. Even my husband brought up questions about feeding our dogs “plant-based” dog food. However, after doing my own research and trying it myself, I was pleasantly surprised!

I have two small Shih Tzu x Jack Russel Terriers who will eat just about anything. However, my Husky is incredibly picky, so I was doubtful that he would enjoy this food. However, he ate it as soon as it was offered and hasn’t turned his nose up to it once. (This is the same dog who refuses most people foods, so the fact that he enjoys Wild Earth is a big thumbs up.)

We transitioned slowly according to the company’s instructions. My dogs have sensitive stomachs, but I didn’t notice any digestive problems while switching over to this food. In fact, their stool quality did seem to improve a bit. Plus, the smell improved a lot.

My dogs are currently blowing their coats, so it is difficult to determine if their shedding has been affected by the new food. However, I have not noticed any negative changes since switching. Previously, I was feeding my dogs a very expensive, hypoallergenic dog food as one of them has food allergies and the other has skin problems. Neither problem resurfaced after switching to Wild Earth, and this food is much cheaper than their previous diet.

The treats and supplements had a bit more of a mixed review, though. My very picky Siberian Husky would not eat any of the treats. He did think very hard about eating the peanut butter flavor, but in the end, it ended up laying on the floor. The other two ate them all right up, though.

I do like that the treats are actually healthy, and they are not any more expensive than the treats I was purchasing anyway. They are just the right size whole for my 70-pound dog, and they break up easily for the little ones.

I have tried my dogs on many different dog foods over the years. (Seriously, I think they’ve been on practically everything.) I’ve even received many premium foods to review. However, this is the only food I’ve been given to review that I will actually be keeping my dogs on. I’ve already ordered the second bag.

Furthermore, I am not vegan, and my family does not eat a plant-based diet. We eat meat just about every night. This food is not just for those that are on plant-based diets themselves. It is inexpensive and does wonders for my dogs’ health issues, so I will keep feeding it to them for the foreseeable future.

Summary

Wild Earth is touted as an environmentally-friendly alternative to regular dog food, but our research and first-hand experience revealed that this food is a bit more than just an alternative. It is completely free from common allergens, packed with nutrients, and high in protein. We loved that it utilizes whole, sustainable foods and includes ingredients to optimize digestion.

It is difficult to find a dog food that does everything, but this is about as close as it gets. While Wild Earth may have started as dog food for those primarily concerned about the environment, it has grown into much more. Practically all customers notice an improvement in their dog after starting their dog on this food.

Plus, it isn’t much more expensive than the food you’d find at your local pet store. It is priced comparably to other mid-quality brands—but features premium ingredients and nutrition.