Taste of the Wild High Prairie Dog Food Review 2024: Recalls, Pros, and Cons

Introduction

The Taste of the Wild High Prairie line is one of the brand’s original grain-free offerings. These dog foods feature pasture-raised red meat, including bison and lamb, for great flavor and a hefty dose of protein.

As with many Taste of the Wild recipes, however, the High Prairie line falls short as you read the ingredients list. While we certainly can’t call these formulas bad, after reviewing them, we believe that Taste of the Wild missed an opportunity to make them excellent.

Overall, these foods are a good option for adult dogs and puppies who require a grain-free diet for health reasons. If your dog has any other food sensitivities or hasn’t been put on a grain-free diet by your vet, we suggest skipping this particular line.

At a Glance: The Best Taste of the Wild High Prairie Dog Food Recipes:

Currently, the Taste of the Wild High Prairie formula comes in two dry recipes and one canned recipe:

Taste of the Wild High Prairie Dog Food Reviewed

The High Prairie line of dog food features a grain-free formula with pasture-raised bison and venison as two of the primary meat sources.

While the line’s dry recipes put their best foot forward with buffalo or bison as the first ingredient, further down the label, you’ll find things like chicken fat, chicken meal, and egg byproducts. Unfortunately, these ingredients are common allergy triggers for dogs with sensitive stomachs, who typically require a grain-free diet.

Who Makes Taste of the Wild High Prairie and Where Is It Produced?

Taste of the Wild is owned by Diamond Pet Foods, which operates several pet food factories within the United States. Diamond Pet Foods also manufactures its own line of pet food, along with a few Solid Gold, Kirkland, and 4Health formulas.

While Taste of the Wild promises to use only sustainably sourced ingredients in its products, the origins of these products aren’t entirely clear. The company uses both local and imported ingredients in its dog food recipes.

Which Types of Dogs Is Taste of the Wild High Prairie Best Suited For?

If a dog struggles with food allergies or sensitivities, their vet might suggest switching to a grain-free diet to eliminate common triggers. Because the High Prairie formulas are grain free, we recommend these foods for dogs who require this limited diet.

Which Types of Dogs Might Do Better With a Different Brand?

Though there are exceptions, many vets discourage the use of grain-free food unless a dog has a known or heavily suspected grain sensitivity. If your dog can digest grains without issue, then you might want to check out the Taste of the Wild Ancient Prairie Canine Recipe instead.

Another thing to consider is that the High Prairie line does not offer anything specifically formulated for senior dogs. As an alternative, you might want to try something like the CANIDAE PURE Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Senior Recipe.

A Quick Look at Taste of the Wild High Prairie Dog Food

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Recall History

Since its start in 2007, Taste of the Wild has only been subject to one voluntary product recall. In 2012, the company issued a recall on several varieties of dog and cat food because it was suspected that some ingredients had been contaminated with salmonella.

In 2018 and 2019, Taste of the Wild was accused of allowing its dog food to contain dangerously high levels of heavy metals and other chemicals. Neither of these lawsuits has resulted in a recall or official legal decision, but owners should still be aware of this history before purchasing.

Reviews of the Taste of the Wild High Prairie Dog Food Recipes

Before we wrap up our Taste of the Wild High Prairie review, let’s take a closer look at each formula’s ingredients and nutritional breakdown:

1. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canine Recipe

The Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canine Recipe is the brand’s original bison-based, grain-free formula, offering dogs and their owners an option that’s heavily focused on red meat protein sources over poultry or fish. Bison meat is supposed to be extremely easy to digest and includes all the amino acids your dog needs for a healthy day-to-day life.

While it’s not made clear by Taste of the Wild itself, multiple secondhand sources claim that the bison meat in this and other High Prairie recipes is raised in the U.S. — of course, other ingredients in this formula are still likely imported.

All dogs are different, so we invite you to get as much information as possible from customers by checking out the Amazon reviews here.

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2. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Recipe

The High Prairie Puppy Recipe is similar to the regular Canine Recipe, but with greater emphasis on the nutritional needs of puppies and pregnant or nursing dogs. Bison and lamb meal are the first two ingredients, offering a hefty serving of animal protein right off the bat.

Like most puppy formulas, this food contains a guaranteed amount of DHA to support brain development. The High Prairie Puppy Recipe features smaller kibble pieces than the regular formula.

To learn how other owners and their puppies felt about this formula, you can find the Amazon reviews here.

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3. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Canine Formula (with Bison in Gravy)

When compared to the other High Prairie formulas, this canned food is a bit of a disappointment. While Taste of the Wild boasts that this recipe contains bison, there are four other protein sources listed before this key ingredient. While these protein sources are all animal based, it’s a frustrating divergence from the other recipes in this lineup.

With that said, the High Prairie Canine Formula isn’t necessarily a bad canned food. It contains plenty of meat, digestible carbs, and plant-based antioxidants.

As always, we encourage you to see what other dog owners have to say about this formula by reading the Amazon reviews here.

What Other Users Are Saying

We aren’t the only ones with something to say about Taste of the Wild’s High Prairie dog food. Here are a few comments from other reviewers:

• Watchdog Labs: “Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula is a low-priced dog food with good quality. […] It has a high amount of carbs, compared to its protein and fat content, with meat and fat from mixed quality sources.”
• Labrador Training HQ: “The High Prairie Canine Formula is a premium dry dog food without the premium price tag. It is a grain-free food, which helps minimize allergies and other unpleasant reactions.”
• Pet Food Reviewer: “The very large number of ingredients makes this dog food almost certainly unsuitable for those with dietary sensitivities or allergies. However, this dog food is very well suited for the majority of dogs who are not very active.”

Conclusion

So, should your own canine companion give Taste of the Wild High Prairie a taste? All in all, with so many premium dog food recipes out there on the market, we feel that this line is good but not great.

All three formulas do serve a purpose: If your dog has a grain allergy, they offer balanced nutrition without cutting out too many other foods. But if Fido has more extensive food allergies or doesn’t require a grain-free diet at all, you and your dog are probably much better off with one of Taste of the Wild’s grain-inclusive formulas.