# Best PetSmart/PetCo Food?



## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

I got a PetSmart flyer in the mail and noticed that they've added some foods. What are the best kibbles sold at these big box stores? I see Wellness Core, Blue Buffalo Freedom, BB Wilderness, and Innova Prime are carried at my local store.


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## nupe (Apr 26, 2011)

I know this does not answer your question, I have not used the above foods at any time.(predomiately a Raw feeder now)..but I did see Natures Variety (which I have used in the past) recently like last month in Pet co. I have seen alot of good reviews on Wellness Core and BB Wilderness on here in the past though.


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## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

Wellness Core. By a country mile.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

I haven't had a good look round those shops in the last couple of months, so I'm not sure if they have added any new brands, but Wellness Core was the best food I found.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

For petco I would say Nature's Variety Instinct, and for petsmart I would say wellness core. 
I especially like both line's canned foods.

Oh ya and there is the "Wellness® Ninety-Five Percent Mixer or topper" that I would have no problem feeding if I had to!(IMO, mixed with some "RMBs" and organs this might be perfect for those who dont have freezer space for meat, going on vaca, etc!)
"Lamb Ingredients: lamb, water sufficient for processing, natural flavors, cassia gum and carrageenan."
"Salmon Ingredients: salmon, water sufficient for processing, natural flavors, cassia gum and carrageenan."


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## Maxy24 (Mar 5, 2011)

Petco has some really good foods, I haven't seen as many great ones at petsmart.


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## Huginn (Nov 21, 2011)

This month PetSmart added those foods you just listed. 

IMO, the best food we carry is Wellness Core. I was looking at INNOVA prime and it looks pretty good too. We also carry the Pet Botanicals dog food rolls that are pretty good too. We are supposed to be getting the Fresh Pet grain free too I believe, but my store doesn't have the fridge so I honestly don't know. . . 

I haven't stepped foot in a PetCo for four years, I quit working there and have since refused to give them my money on personal principles.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

If I were shopping the big box stores, I would definitely buy the Wellness Core first (if my dog tolerated potatoes). Then I would rotate, or at least give it a try, the new Innova Prime Chicken and Turkey which used peas as the carb source.

My son has been feeding his dog Wellness Core for a year with good success. His dog looks great and the consistency from bag to bag and quality control seem good.


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## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

I think it would really depend on which of those foods your dog did well on. I have not fed any of them, but will probably rotate through a bag of CORE and the Innova Prime. 
I am just starting a rotation diet with my BC.


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## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

Thanks for the suggestions. Looks like Wellness Core is the top food at PetSmart and NV at PetCo. I'll make sure to share these recommendations when asked.


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

I would say Freshpet is the best if you count that. And I recently walked into Petsmart and saw they are expanding to include raw food. Expensive raw food but it's raw frozen. I'm impressed!


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## nfedyk (Jan 13, 2012)

Yes I stopped to pick up Wellness for Oliver and was surprised to see the freezer set uo right next to it. I am glad to see they are carrying so many better foods.


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## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

Wow - that is good news. Maybe more people will take the plunge now that commercial raw is endorsed by the box stores?


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## Yorkie967 (Mar 13, 2012)

I know most don't shop at Whole Foods for value BUT last night when buying salmon because they have salmon that's actually edible and fresh, in fact it's the best and same price as Albertsons I stumbled the pet food section and found their house brand *365*. They had 12.5 oz cans of Lamp & brown rice for only $1.09/can and that's their everyday price. :shocked: They had other varieties but still only 1.09 which was half the other brands they do carry like Wellness, Organix, etc.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

:usa::usa::usa::usa::usa::usa:


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

They have changed...added peas higher in the list, and i think they took out chicken fat and now use canola?


magicre said:


> when we fed kibble, we fed wellness core....unless they've changed their ingredients, i thought they were pretty good.


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## PDXdogmom (Jun 30, 2010)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> They have changed...added peas higher in the list, and i think they took out chicken fat and now use canola?


Wellness Core (grain-free) formulas use chicken fat; their grain inclusive formulas use canola oil.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

PDXdogmom said:


> Wellness Core (grain-free) formulas use chicken fat; their grain inclusive formulas use canola oil.


the ocean got changed to canola oil, and added peas...

Wellness® CORE® Ocean Recipe


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## LilasMom (Mar 10, 2012)

Yorkie967 said:


> I know most don't shop at Whole Foods for value BUT last night when buying salmon because they have salmon that's actually edible and fresh, in fact it's the best and same price as Albertsons I stumbled the pet food section and found their house brand *365*. They had 12.5 oz cans of Lamp & brown rice for only $1.09/can and that's their everyday price. :shocked: They had other varieties but still only 1.09 which was half the other brands they do carry like Wellness, Organix, etc.


Not sure about their canned product, but their 365 dry food isn't very good. Full of grains, and corn meal is the 3rd ingredient. *Chicken by-product meal*, *rice*, *corn meal*, *chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and rosemary extract*), *corn gluten meal, ground wheat*, *beet pulp, natural flavors, flax seed*, dried egg product, *canola oil*, *brewers dried yeast*, *salt potassium chloride*, taurine, l-lysine, rosemary extract, l-carnitine. Vitamins: choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), vitamin D3 supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, thiamin mononitrate (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement. Minerals: zinc, polysaccharide complex, iron, polysaccharide complex, manganese polysaccharide complex and polysaccharide complex, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, calcium, iodate, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite.

Ingredients to avoid are bolded. I wouldn't feed this, whole foods or not.


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## Yorkie967 (Mar 13, 2012)

LilasMom said:


> Not sure about their canned product, but their 365 dry food isn't very good. Full of grains, and corn meal is the 3rd ingredient. *Chicken by-product meal*, *rice*, *corn meal*, *chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and rosemary extract*), *corn gluten meal, ground wheat*, *beet pulp, natural flavors, flax seed*, dried egg product, *canola oil*, *brewers dried yeast*, *salt potassium chloride*, taurine, l-lysine, rosemary extract, l-carnitine. Vitamins: choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), vitamin D3 supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, thiamin mononitrate (vitamin B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), riboflavin supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement. Minerals: zinc, polysaccharide complex, iron, polysaccharide complex, manganese polysaccharide complex and polysaccharide complex, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, calcium, iodate, cobalt carbonate, sodium selenite.
> 
> Ingredients to avoid are bolded. I wouldn't feed this, whole foods or not.


I don't blame you and agree, I've quit on cheap and sales stuff and have gone grain-free and will never look back. In only 2 days, benny has already stopped scratching himself silly since on Solid Gold & Acana. But I painstakingly took one of the can and type this out for you guys and it's not the same as the dry line. 

Ok, here's exactly what the lamb and rice formula for 365 reads- INGREDIENTS: *lamb broth, lamb, lamb liver, lamb by-products, ocean fish, brewers rice, egg product, dried beet pulp, guar gum, salt, carrageenan, dicalcium phosphate, choline chloride, vitamins(Vit E,A,B12,D3 supplements,thiamine mononitrate, biotin, riboflavin supplement), minerals(Ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper proteinate, magnanous sulfate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite) potassium chloride.*

That's it...I'm not nutritionist but that's not bad and a whole lot better than what's on their dry food label. And the can is 13.2 oz not 12.5 so again IMO quite a good deal @ $1.09 which you get much more than that peewee little Ceasar food.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

Castor & Pollux


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## brandypup (Jan 23, 2012)

there is no one goood food. Its best to find the foood that works for you dogs, find 2-3 and rotate them. Those are good foods you listed. I just got wellness for a foster kitten. I am wary of Innova now due to the sale to P&G.


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## LilasMom (Mar 10, 2012)

Yorkie967 said:


> I don't blame you and agree, I've quit on cheap and sales stuff and have gone grain-free and will never look back. In only 2 days, benny has already stopped scratching himself silly since on Solid Gold & Acana. But I painstakingly took one of the can and type this out for you guys and it's not the same as the dry line.
> 
> Ok, here's exactly what the lamb and rice formula for 365 reads- INGREDIENTS: *lamb broth, lamb, lamb liver, lamb by-products, ocean fish, brewers rice, egg product, dried beet pulp, guar gum, salt, carrageenan, dicalcium phosphate, choline chloride, vitamins(Vit E,A,B12,D3 supplements,thiamine mononitrate, biotin, riboflavin supplement), minerals(Ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, copper proteinate, magnanous sulfate, potassium iodide, sodium selenite) potassium chloride.*
> 
> That's it...I'm not nutritionist but that's not bad and a whole lot better than what's on their dry food label. And the can is 13.2 oz not 12.5 so again IMO quite a good deal @ $1.09 which you get much more than that peewee little Ceasar food.


Wow that is soo weird how different they are! That makes me think that perhaps the ingredient list I posted was incorrect?


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## Yorkie967 (Mar 13, 2012)

LilasMom said:


> Wow that is soo weird how different they are! That makes me think that perhaps the ingredient list I posted was incorrect?


I think yours is right, but it's the dry line. The can I believe is from their holistic line...but I know quite a big difference. Hope they can do the same for the dry line up because that would be great for the wallet


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## LindsayMaryland (Jan 4, 2012)

SpooOwner, my dogs eat Natural Balance and we shop at Petco. IMHO it’s one of the best brands out there. We buy grain-free Alpha and I find the price to be very reasonable for the quality of the ingredients. It’s also one of those grain-free dog foods that is not over-saturated with protein (other brands resulted in diarrhea). My petkids do great on Alpha food and I’m glad I can get it at Petco.


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## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

LindsayMaryland said:


> SpooOwner, my dogs eat Natural Balance and we shop at Petco. IMHO it’s one of the best brands out there. We buy grain-free Alpha and I find the price to be very reasonable for the quality of the ingredients. It’s also one of those grain-free dog foods that is not over-saturated with protein (other brands resulted in diarrhea). My petkids do great on Alpha food and I’m glad I can get it at Petco.


Alpha isnt a bad food, but there are better options at petco..if your dog is small or medium i'd suggest nature's variety instinct..although the protein is high, so ya it can cause diarrhea. I would place acana (even grain inclusive)and taste of the wild hi prairie or wetlands above alpha...and they are low in protein..an available online shipped to your door.

but alpha is still a ecent ood that you should feel good feeding.


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## Yorkie967 (Mar 13, 2012)

^^^ I agree, natural balance is not bad if you compare it to purina, royal canine, and pedigree so I'm trying to be generous about it. But they had that huge recall that left a black eye on their reputation so given SO many outstanding choices like Solid gold bark at the moon, Merrick, Eagle pack, nature's variety Instinct, Evo, Core which is avail at petco why would you settle? Btw I noticed that petco had a lot more grain-free high quality than petsmart. Petsmart didn't have those brands I mentioned.


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## lovemydogsalways (Mar 4, 2012)

Yorkie967 said:


> ^^^ I agree, natural balance is not bad if you compare it to purina, royal canine, and pedigree so I'm trying to be generous about it. But they had that huge recall that left a black eye on their reputation so given SO many outstanding choices like Solid gold bark at the moon, Merrick, Eagle pack, nature's variety Instinct, Evo, Core which is avail at petco why would you settle? *Btw I noticed that petco had a lot more grain-free high quality than petsmart. Petsmart didn't have those brands I mentioned*.


That is the only thing that I don't like about Petsmart. I do like Petsmart better than Petco because it seems allot cleaner and brighter, but Petco has good brands of food LOL


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## Yorkie967 (Mar 13, 2012)

lovemydogsalways said:


> That is the only thing that I don't like about Petsmart. I do like Petsmart better than Petco because it seems allot cleaner and brighter, but Petco has good brands of food LOL


funny you should mentioned that because I feel exactly the same way and have ended up going to petsmart more than petco. It's just nice and bright and bit cleaner than petco. I just wished they had the great selection of petfood as petco. But good job for pointing that out


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## Huginn (Nov 21, 2011)

Its because of those red shelves at PetCo, not only do they make it look dimmer, but the color red is an eye irritant. It was my personal opinion when I worked there that part of the reason customers at PetCo are so angry is the red shelves, same with Home Depot customers being irritated by the orange shelves. Also, PetCo has this claim that they are going green by not turning on all of their store lights before 10am, when I worked there it included the AC not being on in the middle of the summer and EVERY single customer complained that it was warmer inside than out, to which we had to reply with our "green" statement. 
Anyway, PetSmart is beginning to carry some better brands and I was super excited to see that we were clearancing out some of the lower quality ones, like Chef Michael's. If everyone starts sending more emails requesting more grain free options, I'm willing to bet it will continue to change.


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