Earthborn Dog Food Review
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Earthborn Holistic dog food is made by Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc., headquartered in Evansville, Indiana. Midwestern Pet Foods is a fourth-generation, family-owned business.
Earthborn makes both dog and cat foods. Earthborn produces kibbles, wet or canned foods, and food that is both grain-inclusive and grain-free.
You can find out if Earthborn dog food is right for your dog with our unbiased review.
Earthborn Dog Food: Top 5 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Protein | kcal/Cup/Can/Tray |
| Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Grain-Free Natural Dry Dog Food | Dry food | 32% | 400 kcal/cup |
| Earthborn Holistic Adult Vantage Natural Dry Dog Food | Dry food | 22% | 410 kcal/cup |
| Earthborn Holistic Venture Rabbit Meal & Pumpkin Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Dry Dog Food | Dry food | 26% | 335 kcal/cup |
| Earthborn Holistic Unrefined Smoked Salmon with Ancient Grains & Superfoods Dry Dog Food | Dry food | 24% | 380 kcal/cup |
| Earthborn Holistic Pepper’s Pot Roast Grain-Free Natural Moist Dog Food, 8-oz, case of 8 | Wet food | 8% | 210 kcal/8 oz tub |
Brand Score
Our reviews are based on extensive research and years of professional knowledge of dog food brands. In order to remain objective, we do not accept gifts of free products or write sponsored posts on this site.
We’ve examined Earthborn dog food closely and graded the brand according to the PupJunkies.com standard. Our criteria include ingredients, quality, customer experience, recall history, working with veterinary nutritionists to formulate the food, nutritional standards, research, and price.
- A board-certified nutritionist (Ph.D., P.A.S., D.A.C.A.N., C.N.S, P.F.S ) creates Earthborn’s recipes
- Earthborn has changed some recipes and removed peas/legumes from some of their formulas since the July 2019 FDA report on DCM
- The brand has introduced more formulas that use healthy grains
- Earthborn appears to use both grains and legumes in various recipes to make up for using less meat protein
- Earthborn was one of the brands named in the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s report on canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
- A board-certified nutritionist (Ph.D., P.A.S., D.A.C.A.N., C.N.S, P.F.S ) creates Earthborn’s recipes
- Earthborn has changed some recipes and removed peas/legumes from some of their formulas since the July 2019 FDA report on DCM
- The brand has introduced more formulas that use healthy grains
- Earthborn appears to use both grains and legumes in various recipes to make up for using less meat protein
- Earthborn was one of the brands named in the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s report on canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
About Earthborn Dog Food
Midwestern Pet Foods, Inc., the maker of Earthborn, has been in business since 1926. They began as a milling operation and started marketing pet food in the 1940s. Midwestern also makes Sportmix and ProPac pet foods. Both Midwestern and Earthborn have always had good reputations. Earthborn has previously been listed on the Whole Dog Journal’s approved foods list.
In 2019, Earthborn was one of the 16 brands named by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as most frequently reported to the agency in cases of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). The list included brands that were reported 10 or more times.
This list of brands can be somewhat misleading. For example, a brand could have one single recipe that might have caused problems. In addition, a link between food or ingredients and DCM has not been proven. It is only suspected at this point.
In the case of Earthborn, a look at the raw data appears to show that most of their grain-free dog foods were included in the DCM cases.
However, Earthborn has made some changes in their dog foods since this report. They have added foods with grains (ancient grains) and reformulated some of their grain-free formulas.
Earthborn has a lengthy FAQ page to answer many questions.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Most ingredients for Earthborn dog food are U.S.-sourced. Lambmeal comes from Australia or New Zealand. Flaxseed comes from Canada. Some vitamins, minerals, and amino acids may come from China.
Fishmeal for Earthborn comes from U.S. coastal waters. The fishery is certified sustainable by “Friend of the Sea,” an organization dedicated to the preservation of marine resources, and affirms all AAFCO regulations.
The fish are wild caught and fishing is done in safe, unaffected waters. Earthborn uses menhaden fish meal that comes from U.S. waters in the Gulf of Mexico.
Their whitefish meal can come from the Atlantic or Pacific and can be any white fish such as cod, pollock, sole, flounder, or herring. They are wild-caught, not farm-raised. Their foods do not contain ethoxyquin.
Earthborn kibble is manufactured by the company owner, Midwestern Pet Foods. Midwestern has facilities in Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, and New York. These facilities are approved for sales to the EU, Russia, Israel, Australia, and other companies with tough import regulations. They are HACCP-approved and FDA-inspected.
Earthborn’s wet/canned manufacturing is outsourced to U.S. Pet Nutrition, a subsidiary of the Thai Union Group.
Recall History
We didn’t find any recalls for Earthborn or for any other foods manufactured by Midwestern Pet Foods.
What Kinds of Dog Food Does Earthborn Offer?
At this time, Earthborn offers the following dog food product lines:
- Venture (grain-free, limited ingredient)
- K95 Recipes (95 percent real named meat protein; grain-free)
- Unrefined Recipes (with ancient grains and superfoods) These recipes have no peas, lentils, legumes, chicken, by-products, potatoes, fillers, artificial colors, artificial flavors or artificial preservatives
- Whole Grain Recipes
- Grain-Free Holistic Recipes
- Moist, Grain-free, Holistic Recipes
Earthborn Dog Food: Top Five Recipes Reviewed
Here’s a look at some of the bestselling Earthborn dog food recipes on Chewy.com to give you an idea of what’s popular and what other dog lovers are choosing for their dogs.
Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Grain-Free Natural Dry Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 32% Min
- Fat: 18% Min
- Fiber: 4% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,780 kcal/kg,400 kcal/cup
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Herring Meal, Peas, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Protein, Tapioca, Pea Starch, Salmon Meal, Pacific Whiting Meal, Dried Eggs, Natural Flavors, Flaxseed, Pea Fiber, Blueberries, Cranberries, Apples, Carrots, Spinach, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.
The amount of peas and pea derivatives here is concerning. Even if you are not worried about DCM, plant-based protein is harder for dogs to digest than meat-based protein. It is frequently used to raise the protein percentage of pet foods.
The dry matter basis (DMB) figures for this food are: 35.6 percent protein, 20 percent fat, 4.4 percent fiber, and 31.1 percent carbohydrates. It has 400 kcal/cup.
Our rating for this food is 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Earthborn Holistic Adult Vantage Natural Dry Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 22% Min
- Fat: 12% Min
- Fiber: 4% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,515 kcal/kg,410 kcal/cup
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Rye Flour, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Whitefish Meal, Flaxseed, Blueberries, Cranberries, Apples, Carrots, Spinach, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Taurine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Beta-Carotene, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Salt, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.
There are a lot of grains/cereals in the first several ingredients in this food. While they may be healthier for your dog than legumes, they can also be fillers.
This food has approximately 49 percent carbohydrates (DMB). You can see where they come from. Carbs are not necessarily bad for your dog. Oatmeal and barley can also be good sources of dietary fiber, for example. But your dog doesn’t need loads of carbs either.
Earthborn Holistic Adult Vantage Natural Dry Dog Food has 24.4 percent protein and 13.3 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 4.4 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates is 49 percent. It has 410 kcal per cup.
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Earthborn Holistic Venture Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Rabbit Meal & Pumpkin Dry Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 26% Min
- Fat: 13% Min
- Fiber: 6% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,420 kcal/kg, 335 kcal/cup
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
New: Rabbit Meal, Pumpkin, Tapioca, Alaska Pollock Meal, Sunflower Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supple-ment, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.
Note that Earthborn changed the formulas for their Venture dog foods in the last year. When you buy these foods, look for the new formula that does not contain peas or other legumes.
This formula has 28.9 percent protein and 14.4 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 6.7 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 42.2 percent DMB. It has 335 kcals per cup.
Our rating for this food is 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Earthborn Holistic Unrefined Smoked Salmon with Ancient Grains & Superfoods Dry Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 24% Min
- Fat: 1% Min
- Fiber: 9.5% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,580 kcal/kg, 380 kcal/cup
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Salmon, Quinoa, Pumpkin, Buckwheat, Dried Eggs, Oatmeal, Salmon Meal, Flaxseed, Chia, Sunflower Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavors, Dicalcium Phosphate, Blueberries, Cranberries, Apples, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Carrots, Olive Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Potassium Chloride, Salt, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Taurine, Beta-Carotene, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Rosemary Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product.
The salmon for this food is wild-caught in Alaska. Salmon is the first ingredient but keep in mind that whole salmon will contain water weight. This means that the quinoa, pumpkin, and buckwheat could be present in larger amounts than the salmon.
By our calculations, this food is very high in fiber.
According to the dry matter analysis for this food, it has 26.7 percent protein, 18.9 percent fat, and 10.6 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 35 percent. It contains 380 kcal per cup.
Our rating for this food is 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Earthborn Holistic Pepper's Pot Roast Grain-Free Natural Moist Dog Food
Product Info
- Protein: 8% Min
- Fat: 4% Min
- Fiber: 2% Max
- Moisture: 82% Max
- Caloric Content: 926 kcal/kg, 210 kcal/8 oz tub
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Beef Broth, Beef, Dried Egg Product, Beef Liver, Pea Protein, Tapioca, Potatoes, Carrots, Pumpkins, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Green Peas, Natural Flavors, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Magnesium Oxide, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Potassium Iodide, Beta-Carotene, Folic Acid.
This formula has 44.4 percent protein and 22.2 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 11.1 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 2.8 percent DMB. It contains 210 kcal/8 oz tub.
Our rating for this food is 4 out of 5 stars.
How Much Does Earthborn Dog Food Cost?
Earthborn diets are comparable in price to other premium dog foods.
What Do Customers Think Of Earthborn Dog Food?
Earthborn gets good ratings from most customers. Most customers (over 90 percent) say they would recommend various Earthborn dog foods to others. Most recipes get 4- or 5-star reviews.
Overall, Is Earthborn Dog Food A Good Choice?
Yes, we do think Earthborn is a good brand. Even though the brand was mentioned in the FDA’s report, the company has taken steps to remove peas and other legumes from some of their formulas. They have introduced new foods using healthy grains. Earthborn has a history of producing good-quality dog food.
We do like some of their foods and product lines better than others. Look over the ingredients and do your own check of the dry matter basis to see which foods are suitable for your dog.
Where is Earthborn Dog Food Sold?
You can find Earthborn dog food at Chewy.com and other online retailers. You can also buy Earthborn at some pet supply stores.
Barbara Gambino
Thank you! So Earthborn Holistic Venture is the best. 4.5 out of 5, but there is no meat, only meal. Surprised it ranked so high.
Carlotta Cooper
Hi Barbara, meats are always good but they have a high moisture content whereas a meat meal has already had most of the moisture removed. That means that a meal, such as rabbit meal, has very concentrated meat protein. It's nice to have a meat protein but you have to deduct about 70 percent moisture from it. That means that many times fresh meat would appear lower in the ingredient list after cooking. So, we don't mind a good named meat meal.