Now Fresh Dog Food Review

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Now Fresh is a Canadian brand that makes foods for dogs and cats. Owned by Petcurean Pet Nutrition, Now Fresh specializes in grain-free kibbles, though they have recently introduced some wet foods.

Now Fresh dog foods contain zero grains, glutens, beef, wheat, corn, or soy; and zero rendered meats, by-products, added growth hormones, or artificial preservatives.

You can learn more with our unbiased review and find out if Now Fresh dog food is right for you and your dog.

About Now Fresh Dog Food

Petcurean is a Canadian pet food company based in British Columbia. The company was started by friends in 1999 and is family-owned and operated today. Along with Now Fresh, their popular brands include Go! Solutions, Summit, and Gather.

The company has a nutrition manager who has a Ph.D. in companion animal nutrition from the University of Saskatchewan.

According to Petcurean , Now Fresh is available in different life stages and different breed size formulas for dogs. It features 100 percent fresh meat and oils and contains no rendered ingredients. Their recipes are grain- and gluten-free.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

Now Fresh dog food goes through strict quality and safety standards at plants that are EU, FDA, and CFIA certified. Ingredients are tested before they are received at the plants. Quality assurance tests include, but are not limited to, vomitoxin, aflatoxin, zearalenone, nutritional integrity, and moisture levels. Petcurean provides more information about their testing on their web site .

Petcurean dry pet foods are produced in Elmira, Ontario, Canada. Their canned products are primarily made in Ontario, Canada, and secondarily at a plant in New Jersey, USA. Now Fresh stews and pâtés are made in Wisconsin, USA.

According to Petcurean, their products feature fresh meat and meat meal ingredients from animals passed fit for human consumption by the CIFA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency). The fruits and vegetables used in Now Fresh also come from the human food chain. However, they do not claim that the ingredients are “human-grade.” As soon as any ingredient enters a pet food processing facility, it can no longer be called “human-grade” by law.

All of the meat proteins, grains, cereals, fruits, and vegetables in Now Fresh are sourced from North America, with the exception of the pasture-raised lamb and grass-fed venison, which are sourced from Australia and New Zealand (from EU-certified plants). The company uses no ingredients from China.

Recall History

We didn’t find any recalls for Now Fresh online.

Go!, made by Petcurean, did have a recall in November 2003. All of the pet food products made for the company by a plant in Texas at that time were recalled due to reports of liver disease or liver failure.

We didn’t find any more recent recalls for Now Fresh or for any products from Petcurean.

What Kinds of Dog Food Does Now Fresh Offer?

Now Fresh specializes in grain-free foods. Until recently, all of their foods were kibbles, but they have now added wet foods (stews, shredded recipes with gravy, and pâtés) to their offerings.

Their recipes include dog food for dogs of different life stages and different sizes. They make foods for adult dogs, puppies, and senior dogs, as well as all life-stage foods. They also make foods for large and small dogs, both puppies and adults.

All together, we found 13 kibbles and six wet foods on the Now Fresh/Petcurean web site.

Now Fresh Dog Food: Top Five Recipes Reviewed

Here’s a look at some of the bestselling Now Fresh 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.

1.

NOW FRESH GRAIN-FREE ADULT RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD

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Product Info

• Protein: 26% Min
• Fat: 16% Min
• Fiber: 4% Max
• Moisture: 10% Max

Ingredients:

Now Fresh Grain-Free Adult Recipe Dry Dog Food is Now Fresh dog food’s bestselling food on Chewy.com. This is a grain-free, adult maintenance formula. It’s available in 6-lb, 12-lb, and 25-lb bags.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

De-Boned Turkey, Potato Flour, Peas, Apples, Whole Dried Egg, Pea Fiber, Tomato, Potatoes, Flaxseed, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Salmon, De-Boned Duck, Sundried Alfalfa, Coconut Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Carrots, Pumpkin, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Papayas, Pineapple, Grapefruit, Lentil Beans, Broccoli, Spinach, Cottage Cheese, Alfalfa Sprouts, Dried Kelp, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lecithin, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (a Source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Inositol, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Beta-Carotene, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), etc...

This Now Fresh recipe for adult dogs features 100 percent fresh turkey, salmon, and duck. It also has 100 percent fresh omega-3 and 6 oils from coconuts and canola. As with other Now Fresh formulas, this food has zero grains, gluten, wheat, beef, corn, soy, rendered meats, by-products or artificial preservatives. This recipe is suitable for dogs between 1 and 7 years of age.

This recipe does include peas and pea fiber in the first several ingredients along with other legumes lower in the ingredient list, if you are concerned about possible issues with nutrient-related dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs. A link with these ingredients, especially in large amounts, is suspected but it has not been proven.

This recipe does get very high ratings from customers.

According to the dry matter basis (DMB), this food has 28.9 percent protein, 17.8 percent fat, and 3.9 percent fiber. This formula has an estimated 41.7 percent carbohydrates. It has 378 kcal/cup.

Our rating for this food is 4 out of 5 stars.

2.

NOW FRESH GRAIN-FREE LARGE BREED ADULT RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD

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Product Info

• Protein: 27% Min
• Fat: 13% Min
• Fiber: 4% Max
• Moisture: 10% Max

Ingredients:

Now Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed Adult Recipe Dry Dog Food is grain-free and formulated specifically for dogs that weigh 50 or more pounds between the ages of 15 months and 5 years. It’s available in 12-lb and 25-lb bags.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

De-Boned Turkey, Whole Dried Egg, Potatoes, Peas, Potato Flour, Tapioca, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, De-Boned Salmon, De-Boned Duck, Pea Fiber, Apples, Sweet Potatoes, Dicalcium Phosphate, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Coconut Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Alfalfa, Carrots, Pumpkin, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Blackberries, Papayas, Lentil Beans, Broccoli, Spinach, Squash, Pomegranate, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Kelp, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Inositol, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (a Source of Vitamin C), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Beta-Carotene, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Methionine Complex, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, etc...

This recipe also contains peas and several other legumes, if you are concerned about dietary dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

However, it also contains glucosamine hydrochloride, New Zealand Green Mussels, and chondroitin Sulphate which are often recommend for joint mobility in dogs, especially larger breeds.

Now Fresh Grain-Free Large Breed Adult Recipe Dry Dog Food has 30 percent protein and 14.4 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 3.3 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 44.4 percent DMB. It contains 363 kcals/cup.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars.

3.

NOW FRESH GRAIN-FREE SMALL BREED ADULT RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD

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Product Info

• Protein: 27% Min
• Fat: 17% Min
• Fiber: 4% Max
• Moisture: 10% Max

Ingredients:

Now Fresh Grain-Free Small Breed Adult Recipe Dry Dog Food is a grain-free formula that can meet the energy needs of small dogs. Even when they are resting, small dogs burn more calories than bigger dogs. This is a maintenance dog food for adult dogs. It’s available in 6-lb, 12-lb, and 25-lb bags.

This recipe contains zero grains, gluten, wheat, beef, corn, soy, rendered meats, by-products or artificial preservatives. Now Fresh does not claim that their foods are non-GMO.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

De-Boned Turkey, Whole Dried Egg, Peas, Pea Flour, Potatoes, Potato Flour, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed, Apples, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), De-Boned Salmon, De-Boned Duck, Coconut Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Tomato, Alfalfa, Carrots, Pumpkin, Sweet Potatoes, Squash, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Blackberries, Pomegranate, Papayas, Lentils, Broccoli, Dried Chicory Root, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Inositol, Niacin, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (a Source of Vitamin C), D-Calcium Pantothenate, etc...

Like Now Fresh’s other grain-free formulas, this small breed recipe contains peas and other legumes. This formula has 30 percent protein and 18.9 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 38.9 percent DMB. It has 430 kcals/cup.

Our rating for this food is 4 out of 5 stars.

4.

NOW FRESH GRAIN-FREE ADULT RED MEAT RECIPE DRY DOG FOOD

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Product Info

• Protein: 24% Min
• Fat: 16% Min
• Fiber: 4% Max
• Moisture: 10% Max

Ingredients:

Now Fresh Grain-Free Adult Red Meat Recipe Dry Dog Food is made with 100 percent fresh lamb and pork and 100 percent fresh Omega 3 and 6 oils from coconuts and canola. This formula is available in 6-lb and 25-lb bags.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

De-Boned Lamb, Whole Dried Egg, Potatoes, Potato Flour, Peas, Pea Flour, De-Boned Pork, Apples, Flaxseed, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Coconut Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Sweet Potatoes, Calcium Carbonate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Alfalfa, Tomato, Carrots, Pumpkin, Squash, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Blackberries, Pomegranate, Papayas, Lentils, Broccoli, Dried Chicory Root, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, etc...

As with other Now Fresh recipes, this red meat formula contains peas and other legumes, in case you are worried about nutritional dilated cardiomyopathy.

While this food gets many 5-star reviews on Chewy.com, it does not get the same high overall high ratings as most of Now Fresh’s other foods. Some customers report that their dogs don’t seem to like the taste.

According to the dry matter analysis for this food, it has 26.7 percent protein, 17.8 percent fat, and 4.4 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 43.3 percent. It contains 407 kcal per cup.

Our rating for this food is 4 out of 5 stars.

5.

NOW FRESH GRAIN-FREE SHREDDED CHICKEN RECIPE WET DOG FOOD

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Product Info

• Protein: 8.5% Min
• Fat: 5% Min
• Fiber: 1% Max
• Moisture: 82% Max

Ingredients:

Now Fresh Grain-Free Shredded Chicken Recipe Wet Dog Food is an all life stage food so it can be fed to both puppies and adult dogs. This is a shredded chicken formula with bone broth. It’s available in 12.5 ounce cans/case of 12.

Here are the ingredients in this formula:

Chicken, Chicken Bone Broth, Turkey Bone Broth, Chicken Liver, Peas, Carrots, Pork Plasma, Tapioca, Cod Liver, Sweet Potatoes, Cranberries, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Guar Gum, Cassia Gum, Coconut Oil, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Selenium Yeast).

This recipe contains deboned chicken and natural chicken bone broth, along with vegetables. It has no grains, glutens, wheat, beef, corn, or soy. It comes in an easy-to-store, re-closable and recyclable 12.5 ounce carton. Most customers give this stew very high ratings.

This formula has 47.2 percent protein and 27.8 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 5.6 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 2.8 percent DMB. It contains 377 kcal per 12.5 ounce carton.

Our rating for this food is 4.5 out of 5 stars.

How Much Does Now Fresh Dog Food Cost?

Now Fresh products are slightly more expensive than many other premium dog foods.

What Do Customers Think of Now Fresh Dog Food?

Most Now Fresh dog foods get very high ratings from customers. More than 90 percent of customers say they would recommend these foods to other buyers. A few customers report that their dogs didn’t like a food and wouldn’t eat it or that there was a problem with the packaging, but these reports are not common.

Overall, is Now Fresh Dog Food A Good Choice?

We do think that Now Fresh dog foods are good foods with good ingredients. We like the fact that they are made in Canada and that they are transparent about where their foods are made and where their ingredients are sourced.

On the other hand, we do think you need to consider the fact that their foods contain peas in the first five listed ingredients, along with other legumes lower in the ingredient list. This is true for virtually all of the Now Fresh foods we checked.

A conclusive link has not yet been established between legumes and dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs but many researchers do recommend FDA-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy, being cautious about feeding dogs foods that contain large amounts of these ingredients.

Where Is Now Fresh Dog Food Sold?

You can find Now Fresh dog food at Chewy.com, Amazon and other online retailers. You can also buy Now Fresh at some pet supply stores.