Purina Dog Chow Dog Food Review
This page contains affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post through our independently chosen links, which earn us a commission. Learn More
Introduced in 1956-57, Purina Dog Chow dog food quickly became the bestselling brand sold in the United States. Puppy Chow followed in 1963 as the first dog food formulated especially for puppies.
Dog Chow is made by Nestle Purina PetCare. Today the brand is sold worldwide and includes various recipes. Formulas include kibble, wet, high protein, small dog, large breed, healthy weight, natural, tender & crunchy, and Puppy Chow.
If you would like to know if Purina Dog Chow dog food is suitable for your dog, keep reading.
Purina Dog Chow Dog Food – Top 5 Recipes Reviewed
| Product Name | Food Type | Protein | kcal/Cup/Can/Tray |
| Dog Chow Complete Adult with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food | Dry | 21% | 416 kcal/cup |
| Puppy Chow Complete With Chicken & Rice Dry Dog Food | Dry | 27.5% | 407 kcal/cup |
| Dog Chow Little Bites with Real Chicken & Beef Dry Dog Food | Dry | 25% | 402 kcal/cup |
| Dog Chow Natural with Real Chicken & Beef Dry Dog Food | Dry | 25% | 413 kcal/cup |
| Dog Chow High Protein Beef in Savory Gravy Canned Dog Food | Wet | 11% | 366 kcal/13 ounce can |
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 Purina Dog Chow 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.
- Purina Dog Chow is an iconic American brand that is made in the United States
- Purina has high manufacturing and testing standards at their facilities with relatively few recalls over the years
- Purina Dog Chow and Puppy Chow are modestly priced
- Purina invests in canine nutritional research which improves their foods
- Many of the recipes include corn, wheat, and soybeans
- Some formulas include added colors/dyes
- Corn is the first ingredient in many of the foods
- Purina Dog Chow is an iconic American brand that is made in the United States
- Purina has high manufacturing and testing standards at their facilities with relatively few recalls over the years
- Purina Dog Chow and Puppy Chow are modestly priced
- Purina invests in canine nutritional research which improves their foods
- Many of the recipes include corn, wheat, and soybeans
- Some formulas include added colors/dyes
- Corn is the first ingredient in many of the foods
About Purina Dog Chow
Dog Chow and Puppy Chow are made by Nestle Purina PetCare which has numerous manufacturing facilities in the United States. In 1956, Dog Chow became the first pet food made using a technology called “extrusion” to form distinctive shapes that are known as kibble today.
Offered to the public in 1957, within two years Purina Dog Chow had become the leading pet food in the United States. More than 60 years later, Dog Chow remains one of the top selling dog foods in the U.S.
Sourcing And Manufacturing
Purina Dog Chow dog food is manufactured by Nestle Purina at its own facilities in the United States. Purina has at least 21 manufacturing plants in the U.S. Dog Chow is sold worldwide.
Purina doesn’t provide much information about where ingredients are sourced. You can see some information about their ingredients here.
Nestle Purina PetCare, part of Nestle S. A. in Switzerland, has headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri.
Recall History
We didn’t find any recalls affecting Purina Dog Chow or Puppy Chow.
These recalls have affected Purina foods in recent years.
Overall, Purina has a good safety record and runs countless checks and tests on the pet food they produce before it is shipped out.
What Kinds Of Dog Food Does Purina Dog Chow Offer?
Purina Dog Chow’s recipes are maintenance foods for adult dogs. Puppy Chow is designed for puppies and pregnant or lactating female dogs.
Dog Chow’s recipes include kibble and canned foods with several different kinds of meat protein such as chicken, beef, lamb, and turkey.
Dog Chow has recently introduced high protein formulas which have more protein than their previous recipes. These formulas come in both kibble and wet foods.
They also offer foods for small dogs, large breeds, a natural food which contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives; a healthy weight formula, a recipe with tender and crunchy morsels; as well as their Puppy Chow recipes.
You can see a complete list of Purina Dog Chow dog foods on this page.
Purina Dog Chow: Top Five Recipes Reviewed
We’re taking a look at five of the top-selling Purina Dog Chow dog foods as found on Chewy.com so you can have an idea of what some of these different formulas are like.
DOG CHOW COMPLETE ADULT WITH REAL CHICKEN DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 21% Min
- Fat: 10% Min
- Fiber: 4.5% Max
- Moisture: 12% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,559 kcal/kg, 416 kcal/cup
Ingredients:
Dog Chow Complete Adult with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food is the bestselling Purina Dog Chow dog food on Chewy.com. This is the basic Dog Chow formula.Here’s a look at the main ingredients in this food:
Whole Grain Corn, Meat And Bone Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Soybean Meal, Poultry By-Product Meal, Chicken, Egg And Chicken Flavor, Whole Grain Wheat, Animal Digest, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Mono And Dicalcium Phosphate, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Choline Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 2, Garlic Oil.
We singled out whole grain corn as the first ingredient because most people don’t want to see a plant protein as the first ingredient. Dog Chow uses whole grain corn as the first ingredient in nearly all of their foods.
Meat and bone meal is also noted because it’s a controversial ingredient. Meat and bone meal is the dried and rendered product from mammal tissues. It does not contain horn, hair, hide trimmings, manure, stomach contents, added blood meal or poultry by-product but it has been rendered and you don’t know what kind of animal it comes from. It is high in protein.
Soybean meal is a problem for some dogs. This is another plant source of protein.
We also note the added colors/dyes in the food.
According to the dry matter basis (DMB), this food has 23.9 percent protein, 11.4 percent fat, and 5.1 percent fiber. This formula has an estimated 51.7 percent carbohydrates. This is a very high carbohydrate percentage. It has 416 kcal per cup.
Our rating for this food is 2.5 out of 5 stars.
PUPPY CHOW COMPLETE WITH CHICKEN & RICE DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 27.5% Min
- Fat: 12% Min
- Fiber: 5% Max
- Moisture: 12% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,638 kcal/kg, 407 kcal/cup
Ingredients:
Puppy Chow Complete With Chicken & Rice Dry Dog Food is part of the Dog Chow line-up and very popular.Here are the ingredients:
Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Soybean Meal, Barley, Egg And Chicken Flavor, Ground Rice, Chicken, Mono And Dicalcium Phosphate, Poultry And Pork Digest, Fish Oil, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Choline Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement,Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Vitamin C), Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Dl-Methionine, Red 40, Blue 2, Garlic Oil.
Puppy Chow’s ingredients are similar to Dog Chow’s ingredients though it does not contain meat and bone meal. It appears to have slightly more meat protein from chicken.
This formula still contains soybean meal and added colors/dyes which might bother some puppies.
This food has 31.25 percent protein and 13.6 percent fat, according to the dry matter basis (DMB). It has 5.7 percent fiber. Our estimate of the carbohydrates in the food came out to 41.5 percent, DMB. It contains 407 kcal per cup.
Rated 3 out of 5 stars.
DOG CHOW LITTLE BITES WITH REAL CHICKEN & BEEF DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 25% Min
- Fat: 12% Min
- Fiber: 4.5% Max
- Moisture: 12% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,542 kcal/kg, 402 kcal/cup
Ingredients:
Dog Chow Little Bites with Real Chicken & Beef Dry Dog Food is formulated for small dogs.You can take a look at the ingredients:
Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Meat and Bone Meal, Soybean Meal, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Poultry By-Product Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Chicken, Beef, Poultry and Pork Digest, Ground Rice, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine Monohydrochloride, Choline Chloride, Mono and Dicalcium Phosphate, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40, Blue 2, Garlic Oil.
The Dog Chow Little Bites recipe is similar to the basic Dog Chow recipe though this formula is much higher in protein than basic Dog Chow.
According to the dry matter analysis for this food, it has 28.4 percent protein, 13.6 percent fat, 5.1 percent fiber, 44.9 percent carbohydrates, and 402 kcal per cup.
Our rating for this food is 3 out of 5 stars.
DOG CHOW NATURAL WITH REAL CHICKEN & BEEF DRY DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 25% Min
- Fat: 11% Min
- Fiber: 4.5% Max
- Moisture: 12% Max
- Caloric Content: 3,521 kcal/kg, 413 kcal/cup
Ingredients:
Dog Chow Natural with Real Chicken & Beef Dry Dog Food contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, according to Purina.You can take a look at the ingredients:
Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Beef Fat Naturally Preserved With Mixed-Tocopherols, Soybean Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Chicken, Beef, Ground Rice, Natural Flavor, Mono And Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Choline Chloride, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex (Vitamin K), Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Biotin (Vitamin B-7)], L-Lysine Monohydrochloride.
Unlike most other Dog Chow recipes, this natural formula does not contain meat and bone meal. Chicken by-product meal is the second ingredient which might help the recipe have more meat protein than some of the other Dog Chow formulas. It still contains soybean meal which can be a problem for some dogs.
“Natural flavor” can be a problem since it is unspecified.
According to the dry matter analysis for this food, it has 28.4 percent protein, 12.5 percent fat, 5.1 percent fiber, 46 percent carbohydrates, and 413 kcal/cup.
Our rating for this food is 3.5 out of 5 stars.
DOG CHOW HIGH PROTEIN BEEF IN SAVORY GRAVY CANNED DOG FOOD
Product Info
- Protein: 11% Min
- Fat: 3% Min
- Fiber: 1.5% Max
- Moisture: 78% Max
- Caloric Content: 996 kcal/kg, 366 kcal/cup
Ingredients:
Dog Chow High Protein Beef in Savory Gravy Canned Dog Food is one of Dog Chow’s newer high protein recipes. They have high protein formulas in both wet and dry recipes.Here are the ingredients:
Water Sufficient For Processing, Chicken, Wheat Gluten, Meat By-Products, Liver, Beef, Soy Flour, Corn Starch-Modified, Added Color, Salt, MINERALS [Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite], Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, VITAMINS [Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin (Vitamin B-3), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B-5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin A Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B-9), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin (Vitamin B-7)].
We note that meat by-products are not specified so you don’t know what kind of meat it is. The food contains soy flour which can be a problem. It also has added color.
According to the dry matter analysis for this food, it has 50 percent protein, 13.6 percent fat, 6.8 percent fiber, 15.9 percent carbohydrates, and 366 kcal per 13 ounce can.
Our rating for this food is 3.5 out of 5 stars.
How Much Does Purina Dog Chow Dog Food Cost?
Purina Dog Chow’s wet foods and kibbles are both very modestly priced.
What Do Customers Think Of Purina Dog Chow Dog Food?
Many Customers give Purina Dog Chow high marks and would recommend the food to others, according to reviews on Chewy.com.
Overall, Is Purina Dog Chow Dog Food A Good Choice?
According to many dog food bloggers, Purina Dog Chow is not a good quality food because of some of the ingredients used. However, people have been feeding their dogs Dog Chow for over 60 years.
You can find many stories from people who claim that they fed their dogs Dog Chow all their lives and the dogs lived to be 20 years old.
There are ingredients in the foods that humans don’t want to eat but the bottom line is that Dog Chow dog foods are healthy, nutritious foods. You can pay more and buy foods that sound more appealing but these are good dog foods for the price.
Where Is Purina Dog Chow Dog Food Sold?
You can buy Purina Dog Chow dog foods from Chewy.com and other online retailers. Purina Dog Chow dog food is also sold in grocery stores and most places where dog food is sold.
