Horizon dog food

Horizon Dog Food

Horizon dog food formulas is manufactured and marketed by Horizon Pet Nutrition, a family-owned company based in Saskatchewan. The makers of Horizon Complete and Legacy dog food claim the use of only the best available local ingredients using their own state-of-the-art manufacturing facility which enables them to have control of their inputs or ingredients and products.

Horizon Pet Nutrition has come up with three lines of premium dog food formulas—Amicus, Complete, and Legacy.

Amicus is the newest dog food formula line from Horizon. It is marketed as a superior grain-free kibble diet tailored for small breeds of dogs.

Horizon Complete is an optimum-balanced formula which combines human grade ingredients, essential supplements and antioxidants. There are five Legacy Complete lines available in the market. Four meet AAFCO adult nutrient profiles and one for growth.

Horizon Legacy is a grain-free pet food formula based on a raw diet philosophy. It is a super premium blend of fresh, human grade meats combined with vitamin- and mineral-rich fruits and vegetables, and supplements designed to meet a dog’s nutritional needs. The two Horizon Legacy product lines meet the AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

Unlike other grain-free dog food formulas, Horizon dog food products claim to have no fillers and potatoes as a carbohydrate source.

The main ingredients of Amicus dog food formulas include fresh human-grade turkey, chicken, salmon, and farm fresh eggs.

Horizon Complete Formulas contain chicken meal, whole grain barley, whole grain oats, and chicken. It also contains alfalfa meal, omega fatty acids, yucca schidegera, probiotics, prebiotics, and chelated minerals.

Horizon Legacy’s major ingredients include chicken, salmon, turkey, eggs, and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables like pineapple, blueberries and cranberries. .

It can be seen that the first few ingredients of each Horizon dog food line include protein-rich ingredients. Fresh sources of meat, that Horizon claims to be of human grade, are wholesome sources of good quality meat-based protein. The disadvantage of using fresh meat sources is the amount of water it contains. During processing, water evaporates leaving only a small portion of the meat in the formulation. On the other hand, chicken meal, turkey meal, and salmon meal are better sources of protein because these are considered meat concentrates containing almost 300% more protein than fresh meat sources. One important disadvantage with meat meals is that they are usually sourced from meat products which have been deemed unfit for human food. Thus a meat meal may contain non-wholesome ingredients including bones, tendons, entrails, and other parts of an animal’s carcass which cannot be used for human food.

Horizon dog food formulas also incorporate plant-based sources of essential nutrients including peas and flaxseed. These plant-based ingredients are also good sources of fiber that can enhance the digestion and elimination process. Flaxseed is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Pea starch is used as a natural binder for kibble. Pea fiber is a rich source of both soluble and non-soluble digestible fiber which is extracted from pea hulls. Aside from the beneficial effects of the fibers, Pea Fiber is added to increase the bulk.  Pea, whether incorporated as starch or fiber, can also add to the total protein content of the feed.

Flaxseed is considered as one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fiber. One thing to bear in mind with flaxseeds is that they should be ground first before incorporating in the feed to ensure digestibility.

Chicken fat is a product of rendering. It is high in linoleic acid which is an essential omega-6 fatty acid.

Like any other premium dog food formulas, Horizon coats their kibbles with probiotics which are applied after processing. This practice ensures the presence of beneficial bacteria which can boost digestive and immune system functions.

Chelated minerals have also been added to enhance absorption and utilization in the body.

There are many positive feedbacks from dog owners who have given Horizon dog food formulas to their dogs. They single out the absence of fillers and the use of high quality ingredients with grain-free formulas. Dog owners also remark on Horizon’s palatability compared to high-quality dog food formulas. The only downside with Horizon dog food formulas, as stated by many dog owners, is the price which is more expensive compared to popular dog food brands in the market.

Overall, we believe that Horizon is one of the best dog food brands available and give this dog food our highest endorsement.

Please visit the links listed below for Horizon dog food reviews by formula.

Have a comment or question about our Horizon dog food review? Want to share your experiences with others? We welcome your comments!

Horizon Dog Food Review

Horizon Legacy Dog Food Recipes:

1. Horizon Legacy Puppy Dog Food – Updated Formula and Review (10/29/10)
2. Horizon Legacy Adult Dog Food

Horizon Complete Dog Food Recipes:

1. Horizon Complete Puppy Dog Food
2. Horizon Complete Adult Dog Food
3. Horizon Complete Senior Dog Food
4. Horizon Complete Large Breed Adult Dog Food

Horizon Dog Food Consumer Rating