Kirkland has been a part of the dog food market for three decades.
It belongs to the Costco dog food line, and Costco is a famous retail store responsible for selling this brand of dog food all over the United States.
Costco sells Kirkland Dog Food, but they do not manufacture it.
That honor belongs to Diamond Pet Food, a pet food company with more than half a century of experience manufacturing food for animals, dog food, and cat food.
With a great retailer and manufacturer, we can expect nothing but the best from Kirkland Dog food, but is that the case?
Does Kirkland Dog Food live up to the hype and deliver on its promise of providing excellent, high-quality, healthy food for your beloved pet?
Let us make a Kirkland dog Food review and see what they have to offer.
Two Types Of Kirkland Signature Dog Food
There are more than a dozen Kirkland dog food available in the market, but all of them fall into two basic categories: the Kirkland Super Premium and the Kirkland Nature Domain Grain Free.
Together, they account for all those Kirkland Dog food, with over a dozen accounting for dry dog food.
These two types differ according to various recipes and formulas. Each also has an available canned recipe to cater specifically to the taste and preference of dogs, especially the picky ones.
But what is the significant difference between the two?
Kirkland Super Premium has specific food formulas for puppies, adults, and senior dogs.
Its primary purpose is to provide excellent nutrition for your pet dog at affordable prices.
Formulas for dry dog food may differ, but when it comes to wet food, Kirkland Super Premium contains fresh chicken, lamb, and rice formulas.
Nature’s Domain, on the other hand, is for dogs of all life stages.
Aside from that, they have excellent protein content and contain fewer additives and other artificial ingredients, unlike the Kirkland Super Premium.
As the name suggests, Nature Domain mainly contains natural and fresh ingredients. But the most significant difference may be concerning grains.
Nature Domain is grain-free dog food. As such, it does not contain many allergens present in most dog food containing grains, mostly gluten.
It means your dog need not deal with allergens and food allergies that usually characterize dog food with grains.
Nature Domain mainly relies on sweet potatoes for carbohydrates and starch, a cheap energy source minus all those allergens.
Compared to Kirkland Super Premium, Natureโs Domain dog foods are low in calories and contain high protein, mainly due to animal protein meals.
As such, Kirkland Super Premium is perfect for dogs needing much energy because of their intense activities.
Nature Domain is perfect for dogs needing to bulk up, be more robust, and have leaner muscles. The protein content is appropriate and excellent for that.
It is also perfect for dogs with sensitive stomachs and poor digestion. It is also an excellent alternative for dogs suffering from food allergies due to grains.
Having discussed both types of Kirkland Dog Food, it is now time to look closely at some of the Kirkland dog food recipes and what they offer to the table.
Kirkland Super Premium
Kirkland Super Premium contains grains and real chunks of meat, which contains the good and the bad of all possible worlds.
On the one hand, it offers an excellent protein source and high-quality amino acids needed by every dog.
On the other hand, grains can contain allergens that might harm your dog.
Among the famous brands of Kirkland Super Premium in the market are the following:
Kirkland Super Mature Formula
This Kirkland Super Premium is high in protein, primarily from chicken and chicken meal.
It also has eggs and fish as vital ingredients, is rich in protein, and fortifies this dog food with lots of nutrients and vitamins.
With grains, your dog can have a steady supply of carbohydrates to keep them going. It is also rich in vitamins B and E, essential in promoting metabolism, while Vitamin E is crucial for maintaining healthy skin and keeping the coat glowing.
- Crude Protein: 27%
- Crude Fat: 12%
- Crude Fiber: 3%
- Moisture 10%
Kirkland Signature Super Premium Lamb Rice And Vegetables
The name suggests what you can expect: with all those ingredients, you can get all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals you want for your dog.
It has lamb and lamb meal for protein, fresh fruits and veggies for antioxidants, vitamins, and other nutrients, and grains, primarily rice, for carbohydrates.
The primary source of fat is chicken, and it also contains beet pulp and dried yeast, which is good for digestion because it contains probiotics.
Some dogs, though, may have issues with yeast and may develop digestive problems because of it.
- Crude Protein: 23%
- Crude Fat: 14%
- Crude Fiber: 4%
- Moisture 10%
Kirkland Signature Healthy Weight Dog Formula
If you want your dog to keep its weight and not get obese, this Kirkland Super Premium might be the best option.
It has only 20 percent protein, ideal for keeping weight, while it has much fiber for healthy digestion and promoting good metabolism.
This one contains far more grains than other Super Premium; it has brown rice, barley, and oatmeal.
Those grains are fiber-rich and fortify your dog food with nutrients such as vitamin B and omega-3 fatty acids. With tremendous amounts of carbohydrates, it is perfect for active and sporty dogs.
- Crude Protein: 20%
- Crude Fat: 16%
- Crude Fiber: 13%
- Moisture: 10%
Kirkland Signature Super Premium Small Dog Formula
This one is specifically for toy breeds and small ones, rich in protein and crude fat, and has more than enough carbohydrates to keep them energetic and playful all day.
The kibble size is enough for them to chew and feast on; though small, they have so many nutrients and vitamins.
This one has probiotics that help digestion and contains lots of omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids.
Those nutrients can give your toy breed immunity from various diseases, help in their brain development, and maintain bone health and strength.
The grains contain lots of vitamins and nutrients too.
- Crude Protein: 27%
- Crude Fat: 16%
- Crude Fiber: 4%
- Moisture 10%
Kirkland Super Premium: The Upshot
Kirkland presents a viable, affordable alternative for pet owners who want all the needed nutrients for dogs.
Dogs are not exclusively meat eaters and consume a lot of grains for their carbohydrate needs and energy sources; they will be okay with a healthy dose of grains.
The problem is that some dogs are sensitive to some grains and some ingredients like yeast. But some are more sensitive to others.
And since there are various options to choose from Kirkland Super Premium, you can choose one from which your dog does not suffer any food allergies.
And if your dog is not sensitive to grains and yeast, you can have excellent options, whether for adults, puppies, or small breeds.
But if your dog is sensitive to most grains, then you can try Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain, their product line devoid of grains.
Nature’s Domain
Nature’s Domain offers animal protein meals as the supreme source of protein and offers sweet potatoes and peas as alternative sources of starch and carbohydrates.
They do not contain any allergens and are rich in calories and carbs, though they do not contain other nutrients and vitamins usually present in most grains.
Among the best dog food in Kirkland Nature’s Domain are the following:
Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal And Sweet Potato Formula
Your dog has everything to gain with this; with salmon meat and fish meal, you ensure you get your dog the best, high-quality protein available.
But salmon also has many omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids vital for the immune system, preventing heart issues, and protecting cell membranes, joints, and cartilage from disease and inflammation.
Sweet potato formula is an excellent energy source minus the allergens, so your dogs will have the necessary carbohydrates to be active and get going.
The only issue might be the use of canola oil as the primary source of fat, but this one is ideal for all dogs of all sizes and life stages.
- Crude Protein: 24%
- Crude Fat: 14%
- Crude Fiber: 3%
- Moisture: NA
Nature’s Domain Turkey Meal And Sweet Potato
A turkey meal in dog food guarantees high protein, but here, you also have peas, which increases the protein content, as peas are a rich source of plant-based proteins.
You need not worry about protein and fats if you feed this to your beloved pet.
Sweet potatoes are excellent alternatives to grains because they contain many vitamins like C, B6, and vitamin A, which are excellent for immunity and eyesight.
It is also rich in minerals like potassium, iron, and calcium, which are excellent for bones, ligaments, and nerves.
It has prebiotics, probiotics, and antioxidants; overall, it provides a balanced, healthy diet and nearly all the nutrients your dog needs.
However, the balanced, well-rounded approach of this dog food suits larger breeds like the Great Dane more than toy breeds and smaller ones.
- Crude Protein: 24%
- Crude Fat: 14%
- Crude Fiber: 4%
- Moisture: NA
Nature’s Domain Beef Meal And Sweet Potato
If you want a grain-free diet for your dog with excellent protein content but also high in fiber, this Kirkland Signature dog food is the perfect one.
The beef and beef meal and plant-based proteins provide adequate supplies of protein and amino acids, while sweet potatoes provide the carbohydrates for your dog’s caloric needs.
It has fresh fruits and veggies, providing other vitamins and minerals for your dog. Fat content mainly comes from canola oil and salmon oil.
Salmon oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and has DHA and EPA, which are essential for brain development and immunity. The best thing about this is that most dogs love this beef recipe.
- Crude Protein: 24%
- Crude Fat: 14%
- Crude Fiber: 5.5%
- Moisture: NA
Nature’s Domain Turkey And Pea Stew
This canned, wet dog food is different; for one, it does not offer sweet potatoes as sources of carbohydrates, having pea formula instead.
It also has lesser crude protein, though still high in protein content, with turkey as a critical ingredient.
It has more than eighty percent moisture, making it too watery for some dogs.
But most dogs love it, and you need not worry about nutrients, for it does contain lots of vitamins and minerals due to other ingredients such as eggs and vegetables, which are the primary sources of fiber.
It contains some supplements for other minerals but provides natural flavors loved by dogs of all breeds and life stages.
- Crude Protein: 8%
- Crude Fat: 5%
- Crude Fiber: NA
- Moisture: 82%
Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain: The Upshot
Grain-free dog food provides an excellent alternative for dog owners suffering from health issues such as poor digestion and food allergies.
Nature’s Domain provides some healthier, more delectable dog food for such dogs with sensitivities.
The critical fat source of most Nature’s Domain dog foods is canola oil, which, for others, is a severe drawback, considering there are natural oils and fat sources far healthier than this one.
Be as it may, these grain-free dog foods have high nutritional levels, ensuring that the dog never misses out on any vital nutrient due to the absence of grains.
Final Thoughts
Kirkland Dog Food product line got involved in several recalls, the most recent being in 2012.
But since then, they have provided high-quality dog food packed with nutrients necessary for maintaining our dogs’ health and well-being.
As this Kirkland dog food review shows, they provide any pet owner with excellent choices, so whether we need one with grains or grain-free for our dogs, Kirkland brand dog food has all bases covered.
There may be some issues, but the dog food company provides delectable dog treats without sacrificing health.
