Farmina Dog Food Review

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Farmina dog food has become very popular in the last several years. Their low grain/ancestral grain formulas, in particular, are often recommended to dog lovers concerned about dietary canine DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy).

But, what should you know about this brand before you buy? Read our unbiased review to find out if this is a good food for your dog.

Farmina Dog Food – Top 3 Recipes Reviewed

Brand Score

Our reviews are based on extensive research and years of professional familiarity with 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 looked at Farmina closely and graded it according to the PupJunkies.com standard. Our criteria includes ingredients, quality, customer experience, recall history, working with veterinary nutritionists to formulate the food, nutritional standards, research, and price.

Farmina Dog Food

Brand

Overall Score

Pros

• Has very good ingredients and provides the sources
• No recalls that we could find
• Meets high nutritional standards

Cons

• Customers say that some of the foods have a strong odor
• More expensive than many premium dog foods

Pros

• Has very good ingredients and provides the sources
• No recalls that we could find
• Meets high nutritional standards

Cons

• Customers say that some of the foods have a strong odor
• More expensive than many premium dog foods

Ingredients

Overall Quality

Customer Experience

Recall History

Formulation

Nutritional Standards

Research

Price

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About Farmina

Farmina is an Italian brand which was introduced to the United States in 2013. The company was founded as the Russo Magimi Company in 1965, specializing in animal nutrition.

Family-owned, the company shifted to pet foods in 1999 when they collaborated with the English company called Farmina for food research and formulation.

Since then the company has partnered with independent research institutes such as the chair of Nutrition and Animal Nutrition at the University of Naples Federico II.

They have also established Farmina Vet Research, a team of veterinarians and nutritional formulation specialists.

The company also makes cat foods.

You can view links to some of Farmina’s research on their website.

Farmina only engages in cruelty-free research, where pets stay with their families during food trials. No animals are harmed.

Sourcing And Manufacturing

Farmina does not use any GMO ingredients. This includes their ancestral cereals (spelt and oats) which are GMO-free.

The company does not use any artificial preservatives. Farmina only uses Tocopherol-rich extracts as a natural preservative for their products. Tocopherols are organic compounds that make up vitamin E. They are fat-soluble antioxidants.

Farmina’s chicken and eggs are sourced from Italy, where the company is headquartered. The chicken is free-range. Wild-caught cod and herring come from the North Sea. Wild Italian boar come from Tuscany and Umbria in Italy. Lamb is grass-fed, born and raised in New Zealand.

Farmina owns three factories located in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Indija, Serbia; and Naples, Italy.

The company’s foods follow AAFCO guidelines. They also exceed European Union guidelines which are sometimes stricter than U.S. requirements.

Recall History

As far as we can determine, there have not been any Farmina recalls since they began selling their food in the U.S. According to some online statements, Farmina has never had a recall, even in Europe, but we can’t confirm that to be true.

What Kinds Of Dog Food Does Farmina Offer?

Farmina currently offers six different product lines for dogs. “N&D” stands for Natural & Delicious with Farmina’s foods.

• Farmina Vet Life Canine – Prescriptions are required. These formulas are all-natural veterinary diets. Kibbles only at this time.
• N&D Quinoa Functional Canine – Skin & coat, digestion, weight management formulas. Kibbles and cans available. Quinoa is not commonly used as a cereal/grain in dog foods.
• N&D Prime Canine – Grain-free kibbles and cans. Offers a variety of meat proteins.
• N&D Ocean Canine– Fish-based kibbles and cans.
• N&D Pumpkin Grain-Free Canine – These formulas use pumpkin as a source of fiber.
• N&D Ancestral Grain Canine – These formulas use spelt and oats (ancestral grains) for low grain dog foods. These foods are made up of 60 percent animal ingredients, 20 percent organic spelt and organic oats, and 20 percent vegetables, fruits, vitamins, and minerals.

Farmina makes kibbles. Some formulas are also available as canned foods.

Most or all of Farmina’s formulas are available for puppies and adult dogs. Some product lines also have senior formulas. Their foods come in mini, medium, and maxi formulas which refer to the size of the kibble, not necessarily to the size of the dog.

Farmina Dog Food: Top Three Recipes Reviewed

1.

FARMINA N&D OCEAN CODFISH & ORANGE ANCESTRAL GRAIN ADULT DRY DOG FOOD

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Product Info

• Protein: 30% Min
• Fat: 18% Min
• Fiber: 2.9% Max
• Calories: 400 kcal/cup

Farmina N&D Ocean Codfish & Orange Ancestral Grain Adult Dry Dog Food is a bestseller and it’s popular for good reason. This food is low-glycemic, GMO-free, pea-free, and it has no corn, wheat, or soy. This formula contains no peas, legumes, meals or by-products. And, 90 percent of the protein comes from quality animal sources.

This food has 30 percent min. protein, 18 percent min. fat, 2.9 percent max crude fiber, and 9 percent moisture. It has 6.9 percent max ash content. It has 400 kcal/cup so it will provide plenty of energy for even the most active dog.

Cod, Dehydrated Cod, Herring Oil, Whole Spelt, Whole Oats, Dried Beet Pulp, Dried Carrots, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Inulin, Fructooligosaccharides, Yeast Extract, Dried Sweet Orange, Dried Apple, Dried Pomegranate, Dried Spinach, Psyllium Seed Husk, Dried Blueberry, Salt, Brewers Dried Yeast, Turmeric, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Beta-Carotene, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Ferrous Glycine, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Aloe Vera Gel Concentrate, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (A Preservative).

Cod is the first ingredient, followed by dehydrated cod. Inulin and Fructooligosaccharides are prebiotics. Yeast extract is sometimes used in dog foods to enhance flavor. It can be a source of MSG in dog foods but frankly, there are so many ways that forms of MSG are added to pet foods and human foods, this probably isn’t something to worry about.

Brewers dried yeast is a safe dietary supplement that can be good for dogs. (My vet has given this supplement to my dogs in the past.) It’s often added to dog foods to increase palatability.

It’s a rich source of B vitamins and minerals. There can be some side effects with large amounts but this should not be a problem with the small amounts used in a dog food.

This is one of Farmina’s ancestral grain formulas so 60 percent of the food is comprised of animal ingredients; 20 percent is made up of organic spelt (a form of wheat) and organic oats; and 20 percent is made up of fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals.

Note that many of Farmina’s formulas, especially their fish formulas, have a strong odor. This is normal for Farmina.

The ingredients in this food appear to be high quality, especially considering their sourcing and percentages. This food is highly recommended.

2.

FARMINA N&D ANCESTRAL GRAIN CHICKEN & POMEGRANATE ADULT DRY DOG FOOD

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Product Info

• Protein: 30% Min
• Fat: 18% Min
• Fiber: 2.9% Max
• Moisture: 9% Max
• Caloric Content: 3997 kcal/kg, 400 kcal/cup

Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Adult Dry Dog Food is another bestseller for Famina. Since chicken is the main meat protein, this food is usually priced slightly less than some of Farmina’s dog foods that use more exotic animal proteins. If you’re wondering about the pomegranate, yes, dogs really do like the food. Pomegranates are a rich source of antioxidants.

Like many of Farmina’s foods, this formula is low-glycemic, GMO-free, pea-free, and it has no corn, wheat, or soy. It contains no peas, legumes, meals, or by-products.

Chicken, Dehydrated Chicken, Whole Spelt, Whole Oats, Chicken Fat, Dried Whole Eggs, Fresh Herring, Dehydrated Herring, Dried Beet Pulp, Herring Oil, Dried Carrots, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Inulin, Fructooligosaccharides, Yeast Extract, Dried Pomegranate, Dried Apple, Dried Spinach, Psyllium Seed Husk, Dried Sweet Orange, Dried Blueberry, Salt, Brewers Dried Yeast, Turmeric, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Beta-Carotene, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Ferrous Glycine, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Aloe Vera Gel Concentrate, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (A Preservative).

Deboned chicken and dehydrated chicken are the first ingredients. Dried whole eggs, fresh herrings, and dehydrated herring are also included as sources of animal protein.

This formula has 30 percent min. protein, 18 percent min. fat, 2.9 percent max crude fiber, 9 percent moisture, and 6.8 percent max ash content. It has 400 kcal/cup.

As one of Farmina’s ancestral grain formulas, 60 percent of the food is made up of animal ingredients; 20 percent is made up of organic spelt and organic oats; and 20 percent is made up of vegetables, fruits, vitamins, and minerals. According to Farmina, 90 percent of the protein comes from animal sources.

This formula is highly recommended.

3.

FARMINA N&D PRIME CHICKEN & POMEGRANATE ADULT GRAIN-FREE DRY DOG FOOD

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Product Info

• Protein: 34% Min
• Fat: 18% Min
• Fiber: 2.6% Max
• Moisture: 9% Max
• Caloric Content: 3999 kcal/kg, 432 kcal/cup

Along with their ancestral grain formulas, Farmina also makes grain-free dog foods. Farmina N&D Prime Chicken & Pomegranate Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a very popular grain-free formula. This formula will probably look a little different than most grain-free dog foods because Farmina relies more on fruits that most other companies, and less on peas and legumes.

You can take a look at the ingredients:

Chicken, Dehydrated Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, Chicken Fat, Dried Whole Eggs, Herring, Dehydrated Herring, Herring Oil, Pea Fiber, Dried Carrots, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Inulin, Fructooligosaccharides, Yeast Extract, Dried Pomegranate, Dried Apple, Dried Spinach, Psyllium Seed Husk, Dried Sweet Orange, Dried Blueberry, Salt, Brewers Dried Yeast, Turmeric, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Beta-Carotene, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Ferrous Glycine, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast, Dl-Methionine, Taurine, L-Carnitine, Aloe Vera Gel Concentrate, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (A Preservative).

As you can see, most of the recipe looks similar to Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Adult Dry Dog Food (above), the ancestral grain version of this food.

However, instead of using spelt and oats, this formula uses sweet potatoes and pea fiber. If you are concerned about DCM in dogs (dilated cardiomyopathy), sweet potatoes were initially thought to be an ingredient of concern but they have been largely ruled out as a possible problem now, unless your dog consumes vast amounts of them in an unbalanced diet. Peas and other legumes are still under scrutiny and that would include fragments of peas such as pea fiber.

However, pea fiber here is the ninth ingredient which makes it less likely to be a problem. If you are concerned about your dog or you have a dog that has been diagnosed with DCM, you should probably not feed this food. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be any reason to be worried about feeding it. If you like Farmina and this recipe but you want to be careful, buy the Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Adult Dry Dog Food instead.

This is a grain-free food so it does have a slightly higher protein percentage than the ancestral grain formulas. It has 34 percent protein, 18 percent fat, 2.6 percent max crude fiber, 9 percent moisture, 7.8 percent max ash content, and it has 432 kcal/cup. And, 98 percent of the protein is from animal sources.

How Much Does Farmina Dog Food Cost?

Farmina is what is called a “super premium” dog food which means it is one of the more expensive foods available today. It’s not the most expensive, but its price has jumped up since it became more popular in the last couple of years.

For a time in 2019, it was quite difficult to find Farmina in the U.S. because it was selling out so fast. Even Chewy.com couldn’t keep up with the requests for the food. According to Farmina, they were taken by surprise by the popularity of the ancestral grain formulas due to the FDA report about DCM.

What Do Customers Think Of Farmina Dog Food?

Most customers have very positive opinions of Farmina Dog Food. Customers do report that the foods have a strong odor, especially the fish formulas. Some customers report that their dogs have stools that smell strong. Some customers also report that dogs eating the pumpkin formulas have softer stools.

All reviews are from Chewy.com:

Fantastic Food

By Ekaterina on Jan 11, 2020

In my opinion, Farmina is one of the best food brands on the market. I have a picky eater (standard poodle) who happens to be allergic to all protein except fish, and he loves all fish based Farmina foods. This is the first time we got Ocean Codfish & Orange Ancestral Grain flavor, and he devours this one. The benefit is that he has incredibly small and less frequent poop as a result of this food. I highly recommend. The kibble size is also great for a large dog.

Finally a food that works!

By BullyMomof2 on Dec 30, 2019

My English bulldog has been plagued with allergies and skin issues and we’ve tried SO many foods over the years with no luck until now ! This food is a high protein low carb food with taurine which is vital to us ! His hot spots are gone , no more itching, his coat is full and shiny. He’s as healthy as he’s ever been thanks to his new diet : both boys are doing great on this food ! The only problem we’ve had is the large bags seem to go out of stock

Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Chicken & Pomegranate Medium & Maxi Adult Dry Dog Food

Excellent dog food

By Jace on Dec 18, 2019

I’ve had my dog on a variety of “premium” foods over the years. Most of those happened to be grain-free, even though my dog isn’t allergic to grain. Then I got concerned about the studies on grain-free dog food, so I switched to this one. As an added bonus, I discovered that the fillers in all those grain-free kibble were also the cause of my dog’s minor digestive problems, as they immediately cleared up after I switched to Farmina. I’ve also found out since then that the grain-free Farmina kibble doesn’t include those problematic fillers either, so now I rotate between the different varieties.

My dog loves it!

By Kyle on Jan 12, 2020

I’m only halfway through our first bag, but my border collie loves it! Her face doesn’t even lift from the dish when eating. I’m confident she won’t get DCM because of the lack of peas and legumes. Her coat is shinier. I’m glad there’s low carbs, too. I cannot say enough good things about this food. I think it’s the best kibble.

Farmina N&D Prime Chicken & Pomegranate Medium & Maxi Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

Amazing food!

By Greenlupa on Jul 8, 2019

I had never heard of Farmina until getting my newest puppy and the breeder suggesting it as what he fed. This stuff is amazing! It smells good enough that my 10-year-old daughter wanted to know if it was for us instead of the puppy. And baby Malachite thinks it’s yummy, happily eating it up with a dollop of yogurt. His eyes are bright and his coat fluffy soft and the ingredient list is exactly what I want in terms of healthy, clean food. Can’t wait to watch him grow!

Overall, Is Farmina Dog Food A Good Choice?

Yes, we think that Farmina Dog Food is one of the best dog food brands being made right now. They use good quality ingredients, have not had any recalls that we can find, and their foods make both customers and their canines happy.

If we have a complaint about Farmina, they do tend to play around with their recipes frequently. As far as we can tell over the last several years, they are not using cheaper ingredients, as some companies have done.

In fact, some of their kibbles are probably better than they were a couple of years ago. But it can be unsettling if you have carefully selected a food for your dog based on the ingredients to suddenly find they have changed, even if they have changed for the better.

Where Is Farmina Dog Food Sold?

You can buy Farmina Dog Food online from retailers like Chewy.com and from some pet food stores.