Purina Beyond Dog Food Review

By Ann Collins / August 9, 2021

young dog on white surfacePurina is a dog food brand produced by the Nestle-Purina company that’s among the biggest names in the industry. For the longest time, it wasn’t anybody’s first choice, but the company made a new, alternative line called Purina Beyond.

It offers a mixed range of products for different age groups and breeds of dogs. It makes natural products with high-quality ingredients such as real meat, fish, poultry supplemented with other nutrients required for balanced nutrition.

three bowls with dog foodThe brand offers healthy options such as grain-free, limited ingredients, and no by-products. It’s manufactured in the USA and uses ingredients from trustworthy and sustainable sources.

Quality dog food is crucial for the overall health and well being of your pet. For this reason, you might want to consider trying some of the Purina Beyond products. Continue reading as we discuss the brand, form, allergies, ingredients, etc.

About the Brand

yellow bucket of kibbleWilliam H. Danforth started the company in 1894, creating food for farm animals only. In 1902, the company was named Ralston Purina.

The first pet nutrition and care center was opened in 1926 near Gray Summit, Missouri. This allowed Ralston Purina to test its products with animals. In 1956, Purina Dog Chow became the first pet food to have a well-known kibble shape.

It was the first company to use meat as the first ingredient thanks to a process developed in 1986. It was later called the Purina Pro Plan before Nestle bought the company in 2001. Since 2014, the company creates customized dog food that you can get delivered to your doorstep.

Nutrition

dog food and accessories on tablePurina Beyond offers three different lines of dry food that vary in calories, vitamins, fat, protein, etc. They’re also made with different ingredients and as such, are suitable for different breeds and age groups.

For the most part, contains vitamins E, B3, B2, B6, B9, and vitamins A, K, D3, as well as minerals such as zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, calcium iodate, ferrous sulfate, and sodium selenite.

Though different recipes vary in terms of fat, protein, and calories, this is what you get on average:

  • Crude Fat – min 16%
  • Crude Protein –min 27%
  • Crude Fiber – min 5%
  • Zinc – min 150mg/kg
  • Moisture – max 12%
  • Omega-6 Fatty Acids – min 1.3%
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids – min 0.4%
  • Calories – 438kcal/cup
  • Selenium – min 0.35 mg/kg
  • Glucosamine – min 400 ppm
  • Vitamin E – min 150 IU/kg

woman sitting with brown dog outsideAgain, the content might vary depending on the particular food you opt for. Since they feature different ingredients, you might also get somewhat higher or lower levels of what we’ve listed above.

Based on your dogs needs and your vets recommendations, we’ve also made a guide dedicated for food with high calories, and as well for low protein.

Ingredients

Dog spelled in kibblePurina Beyond uses meat as its first ingredient; it contains lamb, chicken, tuna, beef, and salmon. Other ingredients you might fight range depending on the particular recipe you go for. Telling them apart tends to be somewhat tricky and confusing, but you can divide them in the following way:

Simply 9 Recipes:

  • White meat chicken and whole barley
  • Ranch raised lamb and whole barley

Adventure Naturals Grain-free Recipes:

  • White meat chicken and eggs
  • Tuna and eggs
  • Beef and eggs

Superfood Blend Recipes:

  • Salmon, eggs, and pumpkin
  • Barley, egg, sweet potato and cranberry

Other ingredients you might come across are:

  • Beef
  • Turkey
  • Spinach
  • Carrots
  • Peas
  • Green beans
  • Berries
  • Oats
  • Apples

two bowls with kibbleYou might also find cassava root flour and pea starch. Both provide your dog with dietary fiber and other essential nutrients but are grain-free and gluten-free.

Some recipes also include dried apples and dried beet pulp. Some people question dried beet pulp as an ingredient in dog food, but so far, no evidence shows it could be harmful to your pet.

Dried apples are a natural source for some key ingredients and act as a dietary fiber. For fat, Purina Beyond uses canola meal or beef fat, which both provide concentrated energy.

Safety

kibble in the shape of pawIn general, dry and wet food, as well as the treats from the brand, is considered safe. It depends on what kind of breed you have and if it’s a puppy, adult dog, or a senior since some are better than others for particular age groups, but we’ll get to that later.

Overall, the brand uses high-quality ingredients for the most part. It offers different lines that are suitable for allergy-prone pups and those with a sensitive stomach or that require a special kind of diet.

Make sure to check the ingredients list each time when you’re buying a new pack. Also, observe your dog for some time whenever you’re switching to ingredients he/she never tried before.

Breed

small dog with red collarThe brand doesn’t offer any food that’s specifically made for a particular breed. However, since they use high-quality ingredients that pretty much all breeds can benefit from, the food is generally safe for all of them.

Still, it really depends on your dog and his dietary needs. For this reason, you should check the list of ingredients and maybe even consult with your vet before you switch to any product from this brand. Simply put, some ingredients aren’t as suitable for particular breeds even though they’re high-quality and considered healthy.

The brand does offer a line made specifically for small breeds. It might include similar ingredients, but the kibble is often made smaller to fit their smaller jaws.

Food Form

kibble in shape of pawAs we mentioned, the brand offers wet food, dry food or kibble, and treats. All forms feature somewhat the same ingredients, minerals, and vitamins.

Wet food is mostly made with beef, chicken, and turkey, while dry kibble is made with tuna and salmon as well.

All forms are made of high-quality ingredients that are safe for your pet. Some might be easier for the animal to eat depending on the age group, breed, and even eating habits.

The treats are available as chewable meats and biscuits and are a great option to use when training your pet.

Life Stage

senior dog staring outWhile most of the ingredients included are safe for all age groups, the quantities in which they’re included might not be as safe.

For this reason, Purina Beyond is mostly only safe for adult dogs. No specific lines of product are designed for puppies or senior canines.

It depends on your dog, so make sure to check with your vet if you should use this on a puppy or a senior dog. Though it might not hurt your puppy or a senior dog, use caution since no product is made specifically for these life stages.

Recall History

puppy dog isolated on white background

Since the brand is generally new to the market, only one recall happened. This speaks some volumes of the quality of its products as well.

In August of 2013, Purina Beyond recalled Chicken and Barley Recipe because of possible salmonella risk. Since then, no new recalls happened.

 

Allergies

puppy dog sitting looking upIn most cases, corn, soy, and wheat are what cause allergies and intolerance’s for dogs. Other grains such as barley and rice might also trigger an allergy.

If your pup is allergic to any of those ingredients, you’re going to have to look for replacements to take their place. Ingredients such as sweet potatoes, cranberries, kale, and sunflower oil are considered safe ingredients for hypoallergenic dogs.

Still, if your dog is allergic to anything, you want to pay attention to how he/she behaves when you switch to a new food.

Feeding Directions

bulldog puppy looking forwardHow much food your dog should eat dramatically depends on how old the pup is. You might also consider the lifestyle and whether your pet is active or not.

The best way to ensure safety is to follow instructions from the packaging or if you got any from your vet. If your pet is on a special diet, it’s most likely your vet will advise you on what is safe and in what quantities. This way, it’s unlikely you’ll go wrong.

Conclusion

dog bones next to bowlWe’re sure you’ve heard of Purina Beyond as it’s one of the most popular names in the industry. Though it’s a new company under this name and management, it has a rich history since it was initially created way back.

We can all agree that this wasn’t always the most quality food out there. However, since they’ve re-branded and become Purina Beyond, we heard mostly great reviews of both wet and dry food.

Since there’s a wide range of ingredients to choose from, make sure to double check the list of what’s included before you feed it to your dog. Some are made grain-free, for example, while others aren’t which is why you want to pay special attention to this.

Other than that, this is an option as safe as any other high-quality food out there.

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About the author

    Ann Collins

    I've been a college grad for over 4 years now. I'm a full-time contributor for puppypointers and I absolutely love it. I enjoy meeting people from all over the world, especially those that have a warm heart for doggies. When I'm not writing, I spend a lot of time at the beach in sunny California.

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