Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food Review: Recalls, Pros & Cons

Introduction

Canidae is an American-owned company that focuses on producing natural food for dogs with simple ingredients. The All Life Stages brand is vet formulated for dogs of all ages and includes all breeds and sizes. It is ideal for multi-dog families, so you only have to buy one type of dog food to fit the needs of many.

The company wants to make mealtime and shopping simple by providing food that is full of nutrition and flavor. There are five All Life Stages dry varieties and four wet varieties. Canidae believes that good ingredients make good food.

 

At a Glance: The Best Canidae Dog Food Recipes

Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food Reviewed

Overall View

Canidae is an independent family-owned company that began in 1996 when it decided to create quality dog food to fill a need for pet owners. It felt that pet owners wanted quality dog food but were hard-pressed to find any available. It is committed to providing the best dog food, one bag at a time.

Who makes Canidae All Life Stages and where is it produced?

Canidae dog food is made in Brownwood, Texas, at its Ethos Pet Nutrition Facility. It researches and develops its formulas at its on-site lab and uses whole foods, preferring to support local farmers and ranchers. It sources its lamb meal from New Zealand and its duck meal from France. The food is made in small batches to control the quality and individual cooking process, which is why you may see different colors or shapes from two different bags of the same line.

Which types of dogs is Canidae All Life Stages best suited for?

All Life Stages is suited for multi-dog families who don’t require a huge variety of nutrition. Since it is formulated for all stages of life, it offers adequate nutrition for multiple healthy dogs who require approximately the same nutrients. There are six varieties to choose from, allowing you can customize it somewhat to the needs of your dogs. It offers large breed, multi-protein, and less active formulas.

Which types of dogs might do better with a different brand?

All Life Stages isn’t ideal if you have one dog who is low energy and one who is high energy or if you have a large breed dog and a small dog with kidney disease. Thus, it isn’t an ideal diet for various dogs who have certain health issues that require specialized diets.

For example, a dog who has been prescribed a diet for kidney disease by your veterinarian would benefit from a specialized formula such as Blue Buffalo Kidney Support.

If you have a dog who suffers from allergies, they would benefit from a food that has minimal ingredients and is formulated especially for allergies, such as Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, because it is a hypoallergenic option.

Primary Ingredients in Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food

This company uses simple ingredients in all of its recipes, and even though All Life Stages is made for dogs at every stage of life, it has formulated the food to meet many nutritional needs. The recipes are protein-rich with meat such as chicken, turkey, lamb, or fish and paired with whole foods like brown rice, lentils, and cranberries.

It doesn’t add fillers, and you won’t see any corn, wheat, or soy in this product. Canidae is committed to providing a healthy diet, and it adds probiotics for digestion, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for overall health, immune system function, and healthy skin and coat. There are multiple flavors, so you can choose one that each of your dogs will love.

A Quick Look at Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food

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Overview of Ingredients

Protein

You will find plenty of meat protein in the All Life Stages formulas, with different meat combinations to choose from. The Multi-protein formula uses chicken, turkey, and lamb meal, while the Less Active formula contains only chicken meal as the meat protein source—though your dog will receive some protein from barley, millet, and ocean fish.

Fats

You will find a variety of fats included in each formula, such as chicken fat, flaxseed, sunflower, or salmon oil, depending on which recipe you choose within the All Life Stages formulas. Fats are essential for energy and keeping your dog’s skin and coat healthy.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates show up in the form of grains or plants, and each All Life Stages offers plenty of these. Commonly used carbohydrates are pearled barley, millet, brown rice, potatoes, and oatmeal.

Controversial Ingredients

The Healthy Weight formula contains tomato pomace, which is a debated ingredient because some claim it to be a filler. However, it is listed as the 13^th ingredient, so it may be used more as added fiber in this case.

The Large Breed formula has sun-cured alfalfa listed as the eighth ingredient. It is controversial when used as a primary protein. However, Canidae has most likely added it to aid in the absorption of nutrients because there are plenty of other animal and plant proteins included in the mix.

Recalls of Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food

There have been no recalls of Canidae dog food since 2012 when four of their recipes were at potential risk for Salmonella. At that time, its food was being manufactured by a different facility than the one it currently uses.

 

Reviews of the 3 Best Canidae All Life Stages Dog Food Recipes

Let’s look closer at three of the top All Life Stages Dog Food formulas:

1. Canidae All Life Stages Multi-Protein Formula

This dry dog food is made with chicken, turkey, and lamb meal to provide high levels of protein ideal for active dogs from puppies to seniors. The formula is fortified with vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, probiotics, and amino acids that help promote a healthy immune and digestive system.

Whole foods are a priority, so you will find rice, potatoes, oatmeal, and barley for a healthy carbohydrate source, as well as fiber. One controversial ingredient is the tomato pomace, but since it is listed 13^th on the ingredients, it is most likely for fiber rather than a filler. This formula is ideal for healthy dogs but isn’t the best choice if you have a dog with allergies or other health concerns that require a specialized diet.

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2. Canidae All Life Stages Less Active Formula

This formula contains 27% less fat and 10% less protein than the Multi-Protein All Life Stages. It is formulated to provide optimal nutrition for less active dogs of all breeds and ages. Canidae does not use wheat, corn, or soy in its products; instead, you will find plenty of whole grains. This less-active formula contains oatmeal, barley, and millet that add complex carbohydrates and fiber.

The main animal protein is chicken meal with smaller amounts of turkey and lamb meal that offers a minimum protein level of 22.50%. Probiotics are added to support healthy digestion, antioxidants for the immune system, and omega-6 and -3 fatty acids for skin and coat health.

Even though this formula claims to be for all life stages and a variety of breeds, it is best for dogs who have similar needs. For example, feed it to your dogs if they are all low energy, not if one is overweight and another is active. Tomato pomace is also included in this formula, but since it is far down the ingredient list, it is most likely being used for the fiber benefits.

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3. Canidae All Life Stages Large Breed Formula

The Large Breed formula contains turkey meal and brown rice that help keep your dog feeling full and satisfied after eating. Since it is an All Life Stages brand, it can be fed from puppies through seniors. You will find plenty of whole foods in this recipe, like all the other Canidae formulas.

It adds probiotics to every kibble after cooking, and there are plenty of antioxidants and omega-6 and -3 fatty acids to support the immune system and encourage healthy skin and coat. It contains 23.00% crude protein and 13.00% crude fat. Fiber shows up in the form of flaxseed and other whole grains, with a percentage of 5.00%. The eighth ingredient is sun-cured alfalfa, which Canidae says is used as a source of calcium and to aid in the absorption of protein and other nutrients. Alfalfa is a debatable ingredient when used as a meat replacement.

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What Other Users Are Saying

Here’s what other reviewers are saying about All Life Stages Dog Food:

DogFoodAdvisor:

Dog Food Advisor rates the Canidae All Life Stages Chicken Meal & Rice formula a four out of five stars, stating, “Canidae All Life Stages is a grain-inclusive dry dog food using a moderate amount of named meat meals as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars. Highly recommended.”

Paw Diet:

This site rates the Canidae All Life Stages Multi-Protein formula 4.5 out of five stars and states, “In summary, we recognize that this product does not contain any artificial colors, artificial preservatives, or anonymous meat ingredients.”

Amazon:

We check the reviews on Amazon from buyers before recommending a product to you. You can read those reviews by clicking here.

 

Conclusion

Canidae All Life Stages is a great option if you have multiple dogs who require the same amount of nutrition and don’t require a specialized diet. The company prides itself on using locally sourced, whole-food ingredients for the best quality and nutritional content.

There are five All Life Stages dry formulas and four wet options. If you have large-breed dogs or less active dogs, you can find formulas within this brand to accommodate those particular needs. Each formula offers animal meat protein, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables for well-rounded and wholesome nutrition.

See also:

• 10 Best Pee Pads for Puppies
• Redbone Coonhound Dog Breed Info: Pictures, Traits & Facts

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Featured image credit: ElvisClooth, Pixabay