Holistic Select Dog Food Review
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Holistic Select is one of the brands that make up WellPet, a corporation with a collection of premium natural pet food companies. Holistic Select dog food focuses on providing pets with better digestion and nutrition.
Their foods include a blend of prebiotics, probiotics, digestive enzymes, natural fiber, and botanicals to maximize the food’s nutritional value.
You can find out if Holistic Select dog food is right for your dog by reading our unbiased review.
Holistic Select Dog Food: Top 5 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type |
Protein |
kcal/Kg/Can/kcal/cup |
| Holistic Select Adult Health Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon Meals Recipe Dry Dog Food | Dry | 25% | 3,599 kcal/kg, 425 kcal/cup |
| Holistic Select Large & Giant Breed Adult Health Chicken Meal & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food | Dry | 24% | 3,766 kcal/kg, 433 kcal/cup |
| Holistic Select Small & Mini Breed Adult Health Anchovy, Sardine & Chicken Meals Recipe Dry Dog Food | Dry | 35% | 3,947 kcal/kg, 425 kcal/cup |
| Holistic Select Beef Pate Recipe Grain-Free Canned Dog Food | Wet | 12% | 1,290 kcal/kg, 475 kcal/can |
| Holistic Select Adult & Puppy Health Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food | Dry | 29% | 3,585 kcal/kg; 448 kcal/cup |
About Holistic Select Dog Food
Holistic Select is owned today by WellPet LLC, with headquarters in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. The company was originally part of Eagle Pack and launched in 2000, eventually becoming a separate brand from Eagle Pack.
In 2007, Eagle Pack (along with Holistic Select) was sold to the Berwind Corporation. Through a series of purchases and mergers, Berwind Corporation became WellPet in 2008.
Other pet food brands owned by Wellpet, along with Holistic Select, include Eagle Pack, Old Mother Hubbard (dog biscuits), Wellness Pet Food, Sojourners/Sojos, and Whimzees.
Holistic Select stands out from some other premium dog foods because of its focus on digestive health. Their foods emphasize probiotics, prebiotics, and digestive enzymes, along with good ingredients.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
According to Holistic Select, all of their dry recipes are produced at their company-owned manufacturing facility in Mishawaka, Indiana.
Canning facilities are a little more difficult. The equipment is specialized and expensive. Many companies don’t own their own canning factories.
Per Holistic Select: “Our wet recipes for dogs and cats go through a rigorous quality and safety program,” but they don’t say where their canned foods are made. We looked online and didn’t see an answer.
Truthfully, pet food companies are not locked into using a specific cannery. Even when you think you know which canning company is making canned food for a pet food brand, the information could be out of date.
As for sourcing, Holistic Select states that they have a rigorous selection process but they don’t provide details about where their ingredients are sourced.
They do provide an ingredient dictionary, without saying where the ingredients are sourced. Sourcing is not addressed in the Frequently Asked Questions either.
Recall History
As far as we could tell from an Internet search, Holistic Select has never had a recall. That’s 20 years without a recall. Kudos!
What Kinds of Dog Food Does Holistic Select Offer?
Holistic Select offers kibble and wet/canned foods (for dogs and cats). They make foods that are grain-free and grain-inclusive.
Some of their foods have less common animal proteins, such as anchovies, sardines, and rabbit, though these proteins are usually mixed with more common animal proteins. And they have foods for puppies, seniors, small dogs, large/giant dogs, and seniors.
Holistic Select dog food doesn’t have a product line as large as some brands but they do offer a good variety of foods.
Holistic Select Dog Food: Top Five Recipes Reviewed
Here’s a look at some of the bestselling Holistic Select 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.
HOLISTIC SELECT ADULT HEALTH ANCHOVY, SARDINE & SALMON MEALS RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 25% Min
- Fat: 13% Min
- Fiber: 4.5% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,599 kcal/kg, 425 kcal/cup
Ingredients:
Holistic Select Adult Health Anchovy, Sardine & Salmon Meals Recipe Dry Dog Food is a maintenance dog food for adult dogs. It’s available in 4-lb, 15-lb, and 30-lb bags.This formula is pea-free and often bought for dogs with sensitive digestion. This recipe is Holistic Select’s bestselling food on Chewy.com.
Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Anchovy and Sardine Meal, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Rice, Salmon Meal, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Oats, Flaxseed, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Pumpkin, Salmon Oil, Cranberries, Apples, Brewers Dried Yeast, Potassium Chloride, Papayas, Choline Chloride, Blueberries, Pomegranates, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Inulin, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Ground Cinnamon, Ground Fennel, Ground Peppermint, [vitamins and minerals],digestive enzymes …
We can’t find anything to fault in this formula. Some people might say that there are better oils than canola oil but that would really be nitpicking. We don’t have a problem with dried beet pulp in the recipe either as a source of fiber.
The formula is a little high in carbs but this food is often purchased for dogs with sensitive digestion so we make allowances for some of the ingredients which are easy to digest such as oatmeal and rice.
According to the dry matter basis (DMB), this food has 27.8 percent protein, 14.4 percent fat, and 5 percent fiber. This formula has an estimated 45 percent carbohydrates. It has 425 kcal/cup.
HOLISTIC SELECT LARGE & GIANT BREED ADULT HEALTH CHICKEN MEAL & OATMEAL RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 24% Min
- Fat: 14% Min
- Fiber: 4% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,766 kcal/kg, 433 kcal/cup
Ingredients:
Holistic Select Large & Giant Breed Adult Health Chicken Meal & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food is a maintenance dog food for large and giant breed adult dogs. It’s available in 15-lb and 30-lb bags.Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Chicken Meal, Rice, Oatmeal, Oats, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pork Meal, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Flaxseed, Pumpkin, Cranberries, Apples, Brewers Dried Yeast, Potassium Chloride, Papayas, Choline Chloride, Blueberries, Pomegranates, Vitamin E Supplement, Inulin, L-Carnitine, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Ground Cinnamon, Ground Fennel, Ground Peppermint, [vitamins and minerals],digestive enzymes …
The basic recipe for this food is similar to Holistic Select’s other adult recipes. However, this recipe adds glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support, which is sometimes beneficial to large/giant dogs.
It also adds the amino acid compound L-Carnitine. The addition of L-Carnitine is believed to help with any potential deficiency in large/giant breeds that can lead to some heart problems.
Again, this food has a lot of carbohydrates but it is recommended for dogs with sensitive digestion so we can overlook some of the ingredients that tend to increase the carbs such as oatmeal and rice.
Holistic Select Large & Giant Breed Adult Health Chicken Meal & Oatmeal Recipe Dry Dog Food has 26.7 percent protein and 15.6 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 4.4 percent fiber.
Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 45.6 percent, DMB. It contains 433 kcal/cup.
HOLISTIC SELECT SMALL & MINI BREED ADULT HEALTH ANCHOVY, SARDINE & CHICKEN MEALS RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 35% Min
- Fat: 16% Min
- Fiber: 4.5% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,947 kcal/kg, 425 kcal/cup
Ingredients:
Holistic Select Small & Mini Breed Adult Health Anchovy, Sardine & Chicken Meals Recipe Dry Dog Food is a grain-free maintenance dog food for small dogs. It’s available in a 4-lb bag.Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Anchovy and Sardine Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Chickpeas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Flaxseed, Pumpkin, Salmon Oil, Cranberries, Apples, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Papayas, Choline Chloride, Blueberries, Pomegranates, Vitamin E Supplement, Inulin, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Ground Cinnamon, Ground Fennel, Ground Peppermint, [vitamins and minerals],digestive enzymes …
This formula contains peas and chickpeas in the first five ingredients which could be problematic if you are concerned about nutritional causes of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
However, the FDA has not provided any update on their investigation since June 2019.
Holistic Select Small & Mini Breed Adult Health Anchovy, Sardine & Chicken Meals Recipe Dry Dog Food has 38.9 percent protein and 17.8 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 5 percent fiber.
Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 29.4 percent, DMB. It contains 425 kcal/cup.
HOLISTIC SELECT BEEF PATE RECIPE GRAIN-FREE CANNED DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 12% Min
- Fat: 6% Min
- Fiber: 1% Max
- Moisture: 78% Max
- Caloric Content: 1,290 kcal/kg, 475 kcal/can
Ingredients:
Holistic Select Beef Pate Recipe Grain-Free Canned Dog Food is one of Holistic Select’s bestselling wet/canned foods. This is a grain-free formula for all life stages. Cans are 13 ounces in size.Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Beef, Beef Broth, Pork Liver, Whitefish, Ground Dried Peas, Potato Protein, Ground Flaxseed, Dicalcium Phosphate, Canola Oil, Cassia Gum, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Apple Powder, Cranberry Powder, Pumpkin Powder, Chicory Root Extract, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Blueberry Powder, Papaya Powder, Pomegranate Powder, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin E Supplement, Peppermint Leaf Powder, Cinnamon, Fennel Powder, [vitamins and minerals]
Ground dried peas are the fourth ingredient. Peas in grain-free dog foods will increase the protein percentage, especially when they are one of the primary ingredients.
According to the dry matter analysis for this food, it has 54.5 percent protein, 27.3 percent fat, 4.5 percent fiber. Our estimate for carbs came out well below 10 percent. 475 kcal per 13-ounce can.
HOLISTIC SELECT ADULT & PUPPY HEALTH SALMON, ANCHOVY & SARDINE MEAL RECIPE GRAIN-FREE DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 29% Min
- Fat: 14% Min
- Fiber: 5.5% Max
- Moisture: 10% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,585 kcal/kg; 448 kcal/cup
Ingredients:
Holistic Select Adult & Puppy Health Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is a grain-free formula for all life stages. It’s available in 4-lb, 12-lb, and 24-lb bags.Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Salmon, Anchovy and Sardine Meal, Potatoes, Peas, Menhaden Fish Meal, Dried Ground Potatoes, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Pea Fiber, Flaxseed, Pumpkin, Natural Flavor, Cranberries, Apples, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Papayas, Choline Chloride, Blueberries, Pomegranates, Vitamin E Supplement, Inulin, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols added to preserve freshness, Zinc Sulfate, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Ground Cinnamon, Ground Fennel, Ground Peppermint, [vitamins and minerals], digestive enzymes …
Peas are the fourth ingredient; pea fiber is the ninth ingredient. The recipe also includes a lot of potatoes, if this is a problem for your dog.
Potatoes are mostly starch but some dogs have digestive issues with them. The good probably outweighs the bad with this food for most dogs.
According to the dry matter analysis for this food, it has 32.2 percent protein, 15.6 percent fat, 6.1 percent fiber, 38.3percent carbohydrates, and 448 kcal/cup.
How Much Does Holistic Select Dog Food Cost?
Holistic Select dog food is comparable in price to other premium dog foods.
What Do Customers Think of Holistic Select Dog Food?
Holistic Select dog food gets over 80 percent 5-star ratings on Chewy.com and more than 95 percent of customers would recommend the food to others.
Many people who buy the brand have dogs that have had some stomach problems so there are some customers with dogs that didn’t have good luck. But most people seem to like it.
Overall, Is Holistic Select Dog Food a Good Choice?
We can recommend Holistic Select’s wet or canned foods and their grain-inclusive kibbles. These foods appear to have good ingredients and we like the brand’s emphasis on digestive health.
However, we have misgivings about some of the grain-free kibbles. Many of the grain-free kibbles we looked at featured chickpeas, lentils, and peas in the first five ingredients.
That’s a lot of plant protein in dog food, especially if you are concerned about the possibility of nutritionally dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This investigation isn’t complete, but it’s something to consider.
Where Is Holistic Select Dog Food Sold?
You can find Holistic Select dog food at Chewy.com and other online retailers. It’s also sold in some retail pet food stores.
