Kirkland Dog Food
September 21, 2008
Filed under Dog Food Reviews, Kirkland
Kirkland Dog Food Review
Kirkland dog food made by Diamond is conveniently sold at Costco’s world wide. The Kirkland product line has 6 dry food formulas designed to meet the individual requirements of specific ages of dogs. The Kirkland Signature Adult Dog Formula has two variances, chicken and lamb, which gives a healthy choice for hypersensitive dogs. The Kirkland dog food products are less expensive compared to other well-rated dog food brands however their prices does not compromise the quality of their dog food lines. Last time we checked it was 17.99-23.99 for a 40lb bag, depending on the formula. Due to the price many are lead to believe that this food is just another low quality dog food, however, we believe that Kirkland dog food falls in the middle of the food quality spectrum.
Compared to other budget-friendly dog food brands, Kirkland dog food formulas don’t incorporate corn, soy, or wheat among the first five ingredients. There is also no mention of unspecified animal by-products which are often from questionable sources that can further degrade the quality of the dog food.
Chicken and lamb are the main sources of animal proteins for Kirkland dog food formulas. This is a good protein source for dogs of all ages. Whole grains including brown rice and cracked pearl barley also form the basal ingredients.
Although chicken is an excellent protein source, it is used raw which means it still contains 80% water which is lost when processed, leaving only a small part of its original weight. This is probably the reason for the addition of the chicken meal which is a meat concentrate and contains 300% more protein compared to fresh or raw chicken.
Brown rice is a good source of complex carbohydrates which can be easy to digest after it has already undergone processing. Another ingredient that supplies starchy carbohydrate, fiber and other nutrients is Barley.
Chicken fat is a by-product obtained from rendering chicken. It is rich in omega-6 fatty acids and linoleic acid which are important in the different physiological processes of the body. It is important for dog food manufacturers to specify the source of fat in order to assess the quality of the ingredient. There are dog food manufacturers that list down this ingredient as “animal fat”.
Among the different ingredients, beet pulp has been met with skepticism because although it is a high-fiber ingredient, it is often used as inexpensive filler.
Other minor ingredients which contribute to the over-all nutrition value of the dog food include potato which is a good source of highly digestible carbohydrates; fish meal provides additional animal protein; flaxseed which is an excellent plant source of omega-3 fatty acids and soluble fiber.
There is no mention, though, of probiotics or beneficial bacteria which is present in many top-rated dog food products.
Customer Reviews
The most common feedback relates to the price of Kirkland dog food products -it is not every day that one can get a good quality dog food at such low prices. There are dog owners who agree that the high protein from quality meat sources is great for their dog’s hair coat, body weight, and energy—all these positive feedbacks even though their dogs were eating less compared to other dog food brands.
Negative feedbacks include diarrhea in first time users, manifestation of allergy symptoms, digestive problems that include vomiting, loose stools, smelly gas, and an upset stomach.
Please visit the links listed below for Kirkland dog food reviews by formula.
Have a comment or question about our Kirkland dog food review? Want to share your experiences with others? We welcome your comments!
Kirkland Dog Food Reviews
Kirkland dog food comes in four different formulas:
- Kirkland Signature Range Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Adult formula
- Kirkland Signature Range Lamb and Rice Adult
- Kirkland Signature Range Super Premium Puppy Chicken, Rice and Vegetable
Kirkland Dog Food Consumer Rating
| Title | Votes | Rating | Review |
| Kirkland Dog Food | 410 | 6.8 | -1.0 |
| Kirkland Signature Range Chicken, Rice & Vegetable Adult formula | 88 | 7.1 | -1.0 |
| Kirkland Signature Range Lamb and Rice Adult | 164 | 6.4 | -1.0 |
| Kirkland Signature Range Super Premium Puppy Chicken, Rice and Vegetable | 222 | 7.1 | -1.0 |
I’ve been feeding our 11 mo old lab Kirkland puppy food since we brought her home from the breeder. For a long time it seemed to be fine, and I was pretty impressed with the ingredients, but over the last month or two, she started having diarrhea all the time and her fur is falling out like crazy. I finally took her to the vet, thinking she may have picked up a ‘bug’ in the river near us. All the tests came back negative. I think Kirkland may have changed their formula, or our dog is simply allergic to something in it now. She gets a very long run nearly every day, and sometimes two, and is very fit. But this diarrhea will do her in. I’m looking for a food she can tolerate. Costco’s price is half what other “good” brands are, so I’m not happy. I was also concerned about the puppy food maybe not being a good choice for a large breed puppy, as it doesn’t really address that issue on the bag. But, I felt I really didn’t have a lot of choice, since we are on a limited income. However, I will have to bite the bullet now, I think.
To JR…
I just reread your post, and it reminded me that my lab was also throwing up occasionally, along with the diarrhea she has had for the last month or two on Kirkland’s puppy food. So, yes, I have had a similar experience with the Kirkland brand, and during the same time frame. Maybe it is a bad batch, or like I said in my earlier post, they have changed the formula, or my dog has developed an allergy.
Kirkland is Costco’s no name brand.
Anything that is Kirkland could be less than what your used to.
Seriously, get over the judgment and read the label. Kirkland dog food is amazing quality for the price. Compared to Blackwood (at $56 for a 30# bag) it has better ingredients. I would rather feed my dog a mid-quality rice than a high-quality corn. If you’re bad mouthing Kirkland food it’s most likely due to your hang up on “brand names” and not on actual facts. I’ve been feeding my dogs Kirkland for 10 yrs. I recently moved to a town without a Costco, and I drive 2hrs so that I can keep feeding my dogs a premium quality food. There are more costly foods, with better marketed “names”, but when I look at the ingredients – they just can’t compare. I could pay twice as much, and the first ingredient isn’t even real meat, and they all have corn. Thanks Kirkland!
Just started to gradually change over from California Natural Chicken & Rice to Kirkland Chicken and Rice for 2 year old Male American Staffordshire Terrier. He seems to like it and his stools are smaller and firmer so far. Price was $23.24 for a 40 lb. bag. This dog as a pup had serious problems with Chicken Soup and had to be on a special Hills vet only dog food for a long time. Coat and skin were great with California Natural. A friend is using Kirkland on a Lab and says the skin an coat are great and so far it seems to be fine with our AMSTAFF. I gave some to a friend to try on his 4 beagles too. So far it looks very promising and the AMSTAFF loves it.
I HAVE 3 DOGS AND I LOVE THEM… SURE IS GREAT TO SEE ALL THE LOVE GOING ON HERE CARING ABOUT YOUR PETS….. LETS FEED THEM MICHEAL VICK….
ONE of my dogs has been getting sick off pedigree dog food…. glands fill up and ear problems…. according to my vet…. I am going to try kirkland… My dogs dont like chicken much though… Unless its like jerkey…
THEY ARE SPOILED ROTTEN…. AND I LOVE THEM THAT WAY…..
BIG DOG JOE
They are full of kisses…. and they let you know they love you and apperciate you…. 2 were saved from the pound… they are truley glad to be spared…. They act like they know…. I am glad someone gave them up… they dont know what they missed out on…. DUMMIES…. There loss, MY WIN….
It comes down to this, All dogs react differently to all foods. If you do your research and check out ALL the ingrediants listed. My 15 yr old Golden is VERY sensitive to food so he doesn’t get anything with corn or wheat. This was done by trial and error. We went thru the whole gaunlet of upset stomach, scratching and rashes and runny stools but It takes time for dogs to adjust to a new diet just like you and me but around 2 weeks is plenty of time to let you know if it’s going to work or not. I had been feeding him Wolf King for a many years after settling on it with no problems what so ever but due to the financial state of my world I needed to try to find something a little less costly. I researched for one week at least 2 hours everyday and decided to try Kirkland Chicken for Adult dogs. It has been just fine. The ingrediants are real good and the end results are always good. The best part is I get a quality dog food for about 1\2 the price of Wolf King. I now have a 21 month old Golden who has been eating it since I got her from the rescue agency and have had no problems with her either.
So to say it’s a bad dog food is relative, call the company with any questions or concerns you may have,your dog may have alergic reactions to it or it’s digestive system may not agree with it and I highly doubt it causes cancer so just do your research and choose your product with the knowledge available. I have had no issues, my dogs love it and I recommend the food to everyone and have had not one person say it was detrimental. Again, it’s all relative. Is it the best…I don’t know except that it has worked for me and my dogs for years now. Good Luck!
Sorry if any spelling issues arise.
Seriously people, would you feed your children “mid-grade” food just because it is cheaper??? The ingredients look “fine” but hello it is a mid grade feed. If you can not afford a “quality” feed then cut back on your Expresso’s or something you indulge in. If you can not do that then cut back on the number of dogs you have! Don’t think you’re being so noble because you are “saving” dogs or a breeder who is “trying to better the breed”, and needs to feed cheap because of the numbers of dogs in your kennels. Think about your dogs health IN THE LONG RUN, not just how they look now.
Christy I used to be like you with a holier than thou attitude about what I feed my pets. I got news for you, people are feeding their kids mid grade food. You think that box of mac and cheese is high quality food. But people are feeding to their kids,that and much worse. This food is not a bad food it’s pretty good food.
I have fed my dogs Wellness, California natural, etc. But I lost my job this year and am working on getting back on my feet. I don’t eat as well as I did and my dogs are on Kirkland right now. This food has no by products, meat source is the first ingrediant, there are so many worse foods I could be feeding them. There are no latte being bought in my house, there are no extras, and to suggest because I am going through some troubles I should get rid of some of my dogs. Are you nuts? This is my family your talking about. They aren’t going anywhere, they will make some sacrifices but no more then I am, I sacrifice for them. Believe me my diet is a lot worse their theres. I think you need to take judgments and put them where the sun don’t shine. I was an judgemental jerk like you before but now I have learned that not everyone is just trying to cut corners because they don’t think their dogs are worth it. They will once again get the best I can find for them but for now we are doing the best we can.
I know there is a lot of information out on the internet that can be false. Here is a website that reviewed many dog foods on strict criteria. You can see it yourself. It’s basically a scale (add points for good ingredients, subtract for bad). Kirkland gets and A+, that doesn’t sound like mid grade to me. Yes I know Costco and Kirkland may seem less quality, but ingredients speak for themselves. Face it ALL dog foods do marketing and mislead the consumer. I don’t see Kirkland out there trying to push there dog food. I think it’s an opportunity to provide quality to the consumer without the price of a name. I have raised many dogs in my time, and run the gambit on foods. Bottom line is I seem to get quality for a good price, and my dogs live a long time (14, 15, years). They have good check ups, good stool movements, and not a lot which means their body is absorbing quality and has little waste. Hey my dogs are happy and will live a long time that seems okay in my book.
Christy I appreciate your passion, but some of it is misdirected. Just because you choose a certain food doesn’t make you a horible pet owner. Yes there are plenty of irresponsible people who don’t care for their pets correctly, and perhaps an informative response would help those ignorant on food choices. Your response is not very helpful, just plain mean. Again my dog’s health in the long run has been fine, and we are talking several dogs over my life time. “the ingredients look fine, but it’s a mid grade dog food” what are you basing that on because it doesn’t have a name brand label? The ingredients are the facts, perhaps they are misleading for arguments sake, but then so is every bag of dog food. I base my opinion on first hand account. Any way just my opinion. I’m sure I won’t change too many minds just “food” for thought
People like Christy make me furious! She suggests that you shouldn’t rescue dogs from their eventual euthanization in a rescue if you can’t afford to feed them $60 per bag premium dog food. That’s the most illogical thing I’ve ever heard. Let’s look at it from this perspective. If I were given the choice of either A) death by lethal injection; or B) eating non-premium foods for the rest of my life, which would I choose? I’m sure if the dogs could speak, they’d rather be rescued and given lots of love in a great home with decent quality dog food (Kirkland is not a bad dog food) than to be put to death in an animal control facility. Think before you speak!
Not knowing any better, I fed my lab Pedigree for 9 years thinking I was feeding him a good quality food. He has no health problems and is one of the happiest most loving dogs you’d ever meet. He’s now on Kirkland and does great on it. Dogs are pretty resilient animals. If they were to roam free, they would likely eat decaying animal carcasses or whatever they came across, so I believe you just do the best you can and give your dog a safe, loving home. That’s what’s really most important.
I’ve tried a couple “premium” brands with my 6 year old Maltese and she prefers Kirkland Chicken, Rice and Vegetable for Small Breeds. It also saves me money, which is important these days.
Recently we have switched our 11 year old dogs to Kirkland’s Adult dog food, they were on Science Diet for a long time, but SD is pretty pricey. A couple of weeks ago my girl would not look at this food, and to this day she refuses to eat it, now my boy will not look at it or eat it. We had a visit with the vet yesterday, still waiting to hear back from blood results, but I keep questioning… Is it the food?
I have six big dogs and I have tried several brands of dog food, including Some brands over 45.00 for a 30# bag. I was feeding Canadae and found out that it is produced by Diamond who also produces Kirkland dog food.I am very impressed with this product. Not only do my dogs have firm stools,there is less of it, and it does not smell bad. In some of the other dog foods, I have notice grains in my dogs poop. Not so with Kirkland. I recommend this product highly
My Rottweiler (130 Lbs.) and Lab mix (100) ate Science Diet as puppies. I got tired of paying so much money so I started looking into other food. After seeing the ingredients on Kirkland brands, I switched. I can’t believed I fed my puppies SD with it’s corn meal as the first ingredient and $40 per 40 lb. bag. Kirkland cost me at the time $13 for a 40lb. bag. I felt like an idiot believing the hype about SD, believing by paying a higher price and buying it at a Petco made it quality. My Rottie died last year at 13 years old, No cancer or any specific illness, just his time. My lab is over 14 years old and still with me. I guess my point is they ate Kirkland brand food for most of their life, except for 2 years. Do your research; read the labels.