Rating: 
4Health Dog Food receives the Advisor’s second-highest rating of four stars.
Currently, the 4Health Dog Food brand includes six dry products… five for adults and one for puppies.
- 4Health Dog Food Lamb and Rice Formula for Adults
- 4Health Dog Food Chicken and Rice Formula for Adults
- 4Health Dog Food Large Breed Formula for Adults
- 4Health Dog Food Small Bites Formula for Adults
- 4Health Dog Food Performance Formula for Adults
- 4Health Dog Food Puppy Formula
The 4Health Dog Food Chicken and Rice Formula was selected to represent the others in the line for this review.
4Health Chicken and Rice Formula for Adults
Dry Dog Food
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, cracked pearled barley, millet, brewers rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), beet pulp, natural chicken flavor, flaxseed, fish meal, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, glucosamine hydrochloride, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, yucca schidigera extract, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, chondroitin sulfate, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 4.4%
Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients
The first ingredient in this dog food is raw chicken. Raw chicken contains about 80% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost… reducing the meat content to just 20% of its original weight.
That’s what makes uncooked chicken a much smaller contributor to the overall protein content of a dry dog food than chicken meal… by the way, the next ingredient in this product.
Now, for the sake of accuracy (and to reflect its lighter weight), this meat item should probably occupy a lower position on the list.
The second and primary ingredient in this product is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains almost 300% more protein than the just-mentioned raw chicken item.
The third ingredient is cracked pearled barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. This is a quality grain ingredient.
The fourth item is millet. Millets are gluten-free grains harvested from certain seed grasses. They are naturally rich in B-vitamins and fiber as well as a number of essential minerals.
Once cooked, millet can be easily digested.
The fifth ingredient is brewers rice. Brewers rice represents the small grain fragments left over after milling whole rice.
This is an inexpensive cereal grain by-product.
The sixth item is chicken fat. Chicken fat is produced by rendering chicken… a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is notably high in linoleic acid… an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life.
This dog food also contains beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient… a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is completely acceptable.
Also noted here, and probably in only minor amounts, is fish meal.
Unfortunately, this particular item is anonymous. The term “ocean fish” does little to properly describe this ingredient. What species? What parts?
Fish meal is commonly made from the by-products of commercial fish operations.
What’s more, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in fish meals.
But because it’s usually added to the raw fish before processing, the chemical does not have to be reported to consumers.
Without knowing more, and based upon this fish meal’s location on the list of ingredients, it’s reasonable to expect to find just a trace amount of ethoxyquin in this product.
And by the way, the controversial chemical ethoxyquin is frequently used as a preservative in fish meal products.
But because it’s usually added to the raw fish during transport and before processing, ethoxyquin does not have to be reported to consumers.
Based upon the published ingredients list, there’s no way to know for sure whether ethoxyquin is present… or not.
This dog food contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to proteins. This process can make them easier to absorb than non-chelated minerals. Chelated minerals are usually found in better quality dog foods.
4Health Dog Food… the Bottom Line
This 4Health Dog Food product looks promising.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 29%, a fat level of 17% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 46%.
The nutrient gauges suggest this 4Health Dog Food product to be an above-average dry kibble… even with three (non-critical) Red Flag ingredients.
With the exception of the Lamb and Rice formula (which may be a bit too low in protein to our liking), the 4Health Dog Food product line earns a respectable four stars.
Plus… when you consider its competitive pricing, this brand delivers real value.
Highly recommended.
Some Final Thoughts
Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt consult your veterinarian for help.
Have an opinion about this dog food brand… or maybe the review itself?
Please feel free to share your comments below.
{ 96 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
HI Dave… go to the 4Health website and look for the first meat (or meat meal) ingredient of each food. That should give you the information you’re looking for.
Dave, it is Chicken for the performance, and small bites. i use the chicken and rice and never had a problem with gas, but the lamb and rice gave my crew gas.
I got 4Health for my two dogs about 3 weeks ago. Will Never buy it again. It gave my dogs terrible gas, then they started with looser stools. Now I have spent the last week with my poor dogs having extreme diarhia. My one dog refused to eat the 4Health after getting the runs. I have started them on another dog food and they are doing much, much better. Never buy again.
just started my 2 small dogs 6 and 8lbs on this last week no problems so far, its hard to find a grain free resonably priced dog food with small bits. except for the “new-not-used-to-it” issue, [I have mixed it with the older brand, old food just about all gone.]
no diarhia, seams to be less waste, not leaving alot in bowl. store employee said this is 2ed most popular brand they sell.
at this price its sure worth a try to me.
any idea when the cat food will be for sale?
Hi Torrey… no idea about the cat food. But noticed you mentioned “grain-free”. This 4Health product is NOT grain-free. Are you sure this is what you’re looking for?
My dog Chew takes 9 Morning and 8 Evening units of insulin plus levothyroxine twice a day. Do you think that 4Health Small bites for adult dogs is a good choice for her. She weighs about 23lbs. She eats it readily. I mix a cup of dog food with a medium cooked chicken tender at 6AM and then again at 6PM along with her thyroid medication. Thank You,
D. Newcomb
Hi Daisy… most kibbles are a bit heavy on carbohydrate content… and that can make stabilizing blood sugar levels more challenging.
Generally speaking, a quality canned dog food has a lower carb content than an average kibble. I’m currently working on a report about how to choose good foods for diabetic dogs… complete with our favorite diabetic-friendly products.
But this may not be ready for publishing for yet a little while. Look for it in the not too distant future.
I just started my 135 lb. German Shepard on 4Health for Large Breed a few days ago. I haven’t noticed any change in his stools and am hoping this is a good change from Diamond Lg. Breed and a mix of Taste of the Wild. I will let you know after a week of weaning him onto the new food how he has done.
K.Rogers
I am thinking of changing to 4 health but can’t decide if I should feed the 4 health Chicken and Rice @ 26% protein and 15 % fat or the Performance Formula @ 30% protein and 20% fat?? My dogs range in age from 6 months to 6 yrs old and are very active Miniature Australian Shepherds. I fed Canidae for years until they started getting such bad gas that I couldn’t stand to be in the same room with them.
My sister and I have switched all of our dogs over to this food, now I must mention between the 2 of us we have 7 dogs, ranging from 90 lb Doberman, to a 5 lb Minpin. All of our dogs are doing so much better, I could not be happier with this dog food (chicken and rice). No more itching, no more red stains around the eyes, or feet. Wonderful stool and urine out put. Healthy coats, and great energy. I feed much less then the other very expensive brand I moved from. I am so glad that we found this food…we now recommend it to all of our clients!!
What manufacturer makes 4Health? Where is the factory located? I saw this puppy food at TSC and wondering if I should give it a try. I have a 6 month old Yorkshire Terrier who is on Purina Puppy Chow.
Hi Stephanie… Diamond Pet Foods makes 4Health. I’m not sure which Diamond facility actually produces the 4Health product line. But 4Health presents an excellent value.
We started our 5 year old lab on 4-health x2 months ago and we couldn’t figure out why she is shedding so much worse then normal, the only thing we changed with to the dog food, so I was wondering if anyone else noticed this problem?
I have a 9 1/2 week old basset hound puppy that was started on Science Diet puppy at his birth home, but I am very gradually switching him (Boomer) over to 4Health.
I started researching puppy food before we got him, and was dismayed at the garbage dog food there is out there. I’m going to see how he does once he’s full feed on the 4Health, but am also considering the Blue Buffalo food. Baby steps.
Thank you for a very thorough and informative website. I am going to make sure I send the link to my family and friends.
Hi all, I have 2 14 month old dobermans and so I try to be very cautious about what they eat. I started them off on blue buffalo and was very happy with way that their skin problems dissappeared. BUT, it gave my youngins very bad gas and runny stools. If I didnt know it was my dogs poo I would have thought it to be a cow patty. So I changed them to taste of the wild brand food and I love it! But for the money it isnt that great of a deal. So I have just purchased some 4 health and after comparing the ingrediants and content I am very optimistic…
As far as Blue Buffalo goes I liked it at first, but then got to notice things that I didnt like….so I stay clear of it. But every dog is different so it might be good for your dog…it is holistic food which I like.
If you can afford taste of the wild, usually about 46 dollars for 30 pounds, the I would go that route…
If youre like me and cant really afford that I would say that ingrediant wise, 4th health is the next runner up.
I have a 4 month old Lab puppy that is now eating the 4Health Puppy Formula. I’d started him on the Iams Large Breed Puppy food, but for some reason he didn’t like it. So I bought the 4Health and have been mixing the two until the Iams is gone. I haven’t owned a large breed before and was wondering the purpose of having a special formula for large breed puppies. Anybody know the reason for this?
Hi Lois… There is some controversy regarding the need for special foods for large breed puppies. Many breeders, vets and nutritionists (which I am not) recommend these types of foods like this because large breeds grow for a longer period of time than medium to small breeds. The worries for many appears to be protein content… but my personal belief is that it is probably related more to calcium and phosphorous levels in the large breed puppy’s diet.
Maybe another reader can provide more information on this subject.
I BOUGHT THE PUPPY LAMB DOG FOOD AND MY AKITA PUP WILL NOT EAT IT … CAN I GET MY MONEY BACK?
Hi Karen… Sorry to hear your dog doesn’t like this product. However, the Advisor doesn’t sell dog food. We only review it. Some companies guarantee your satisfaction while others do not. You may be able to get a refund (or an exchange) if you take the product back to the store you bought it from.
To Mike Sagman: I have three Italian Greyhounds, two at 8 lbs. and one at 20 lbs. (different breeders). I want to switch kibble and found 4Health (4H) at a reasonable price. For three years I have fed them Life’s Abundance (LA) through the breeder via mail order. Having done a lot of recent investigating on websites, LA rates only a medium grade performance food yet I pay a very high price for it. They love 4H since I have mixed it with LA to see how they react to it and so far it is fine. 4H is made by Diamond and I’m actually scared to continue with this because of the 2005 recall made where so many dogs died from eating Diamond Brand. There are also many blogs that say their dogs died from eating Diamond Brand. The preservative, ethoxyquin, which could be present in 4H, can kill dogs because of the vagueness of its “fish” meal content. Is the fish “meal” left overs? Eyes, fins, tails, scales, and not actually fish meat? Over the long haul, that could be detrimental. 4H doesn’t contain any fruits or vegetables and the beet pulp is a by-product. I’ve also heard that I should stay away from any dog food that labeled “lite”, “senior”, “special formula” as they contain excess fibre, acid agents, bad fats, and this 4H brand is labeled Small Bites Formula. Is there truth to this? I also don’t see on the bag that it came from a USDA inspected facility which leads me to believe it came from another country like China which is definitely not a reliable source. It appears that 4H has a portion of ingredients that are healthy for dogs as well as supplements but the downsided ones even though few are not the greatest, and the absence of veggies and fruits make the higher quality foods more appealing healthwise. I don’t know considering all the drawbacks if this food is really rated as a four star food. Science Diet, Purina, Pedigree, Kibbles-N-Bits, Bil-Jac, and Diamond (4H is a product of Diamond), are all rated as very, very poor in the food ratings I have seen. How do I go about picking a food for my dogs? I thought LA was a good food but there are much better ones for the same price now that I’ve looked around. I’m not so sure I will stay with 4H.
Hi Claire… You have asked many good questions. But unfortunately, too many to answer here within the confines of a simple “reply”.
I can certainly understand your frustration in trying to choose a good food for your dog. It’s not at all very easy. That’s why I created this site.
For help, I’d suggest you go to the navigation tab at the top of our website labeled “Library” and browse some of the articles I’ve written. The answers to many of your questions can be found there. You may want to start with the article about ethoxyquin.
By the way, we use label data to rate dog food using only two parameters… probable ingredient “quality” and the estimated amount of meat present in the food. Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing from where the individual ingredients are sourced.
Yes, 4Health is made by Diamond. But so are many other foods on our site. There are no perfect ones out there. So, I’d suggest doing what we have done with our own dog. Refer to the foods we’ve rated 3 stars or higher and find the one that presents the least number of disagreeable issues. There are lots of good ones from which to pick.
I bought 4 health chicken and rice 5 days ago. Our choc lab has had skin issues since winter. She loves the food and I could see a difference in her after 2 days.
I was feeding my puppy purina one lamb and rice puppy food. He liked it and I only had average knowledge of dog food ingredients and it seemed like a reasonable choice versus price. The vet gave me a medicine to mix in with his dry kibble for giardia and he developed food aversion to that food. He hated that mix and I don’t think he’ll ever eat lamb flavored food again. I tried to leave him on the food but he would only eat it sparingly when he was starving and I was afraid it was affecting his development. I went to tractor supply and found 4 health chicken and rice and it looked better than what i had so I gradually introduced him to it. The people on her mentioning gas problems and diarrhea I suspect are not introducing the new food properly. I mix three bags of food that will last a week each when I introduce a new food at 25%, 50% and 75% new food content. I never had any problems with 4health and my dog loves it. He is very active, happy, good stools and everyone comments on how beautiful his coat is. I’m glad I stumbled on this site and found 4health to have a 4 star highly recommended rating. I agree..
I swear by this brand! We are on our first 35 pound bag of Small bites for adult dogs. We have three dogs and one of them was having seizures for years. She has been on phenobarbital for about three years. She was having them about every three of four days until we started her on this food! Not once has she had a seizure in the last two month andf she has lost about 1/4 of her body weight as she was over weight due to her joints. Thank you, thank you for this product!
We typically feed Canidae to our furry friends, but all of the local suppliers that had it stopped carrying it. We have a great dane female who has food allergies and has only been able to maintain weight on Canidea so i have been hording it for her and in the mean time i switched my other dogs to this. They have done fantastic, nice shiny coats, firm stools.. i have no complaints.. I am tempted to try it on my dane girl, but having found a formula that works so well with her i am wary to switch.
My 8 mo. old Boxer/Lab mix has a lot of gas after she eats and is always eating grass in the yard. She was a stray so finding a good food for her has been a hit or miss thing. I have tried what I thought were top brands, Bil-Jac, but she didn’t like it, and Blue Buffalo, but she threw it up. We are currently on Eukanuba that a friend gave us to try. (He said it was salmon flavored in a brown bag but I can’t find the exact variety.) She seems to eat it but still has gas. I just found your website as I was researching 4Health brand dog food. Before I try a new variety of anything, I was wondering if the gas is caused by chicken vs. salmon or lamb based food? How can I get to the source of the problem without buying a dozen different varieties of food? I know it’s not good to be constantly changing things up. I would LOVE to find a solution to this problem! Thank you for any suggestions.
Hi Dee… I can certainly understand your concerns for your dog’s gas. However, excessive gas can come from almost any ingredient… but most commonly, fermentable carbohydrates. What’s more, the problem may also be simply unique to your dog’s own digestive makeup.
If your dog is otherwise healthy, you may be making matters worse by frequently switching between foods.
I wish I could help you more, but since I’m not a veterinarian, I probably don’t have the definitive answer you’re looking for.
I have been feeding the 4Health food since it came out. I immediately liked the ingredients and the price was excellent for the quality of ingredients. There are no corn, wheat or soy.
My dogs have several things that can cause them problems with food. 2 of them are prone to crystals in their urine (which on many “natural or holistic” diets they did not do well) and I have 1 with inflammatory bowel disease.
I have had no problems with the food and have been very happy with it. My english setter could not eat the high protein formula, but I think he is sensitive to chicken.
i am absolutly in love with 4h , i have 2 pom/beagle mix spudd is 2 and bear is 10mnths both there coats are brilliant stools are nice and there energy is through the roof they were on purina and i switched them gradually they have been eating 4h for about 8 mnths now and wow i just hope trctr suply dont close only place i can find it
We have 3 irish setters. As with most long eared dogs we have the to keep their ears clear of any yeast infections. I believe it is from the corn, wheat and soy in the current food we are feeding them. We have tried just about every OTC food
at the chain stores. Even those that say all natural ingredients.
So after my wife and her friends say get these fur-kids off this crappy food I tried 4Health and 2 out of three threw up the food. I mixed it 25% verses 75%. Maybe I have to less. The Tractor Supply helper said 10 % to start and then increase gradually. We also have a close friend who is a vet tech and we
work very close with a rescue organization Save-Our-Setters.
I am afraid of the Diamond brand after hearing about the recall.
My dogs weigh 52 lbs, 60 lbs and 72 lbs. Two are field setters and one is a bench setter(large one). I have always been told to feed them large breed food but I am questioning this due to the size of my dogs not being 80-90- or 100 pounds or more. So my questions are: 1. do I need large breed dog food?
2. should I try 4H again? 3.What are the % of mixture, new & current food?
I just bought my first bag of 4 health after spending days on the computer and hours on the floor of the pet food aisles. I have a golden retriever. I bought the lamb and rice because she has allergies to corn and has had soft stools from the Blue Buffalo large breed chicken and rice. 4 health did not have a large breed lamb and rice. My question is does it matter? It does have glucosamine and chondroitin though. So what do you say? Does a golden retriever have to be on a large breed formula?
Thank you so much for your advise.
Hi Esther… Many top quality dog food companies don’t even offer a large breed product. I’d always be more concerned with the quality of a product than whether or not it is a large breed formula. However, if you have any doubt, look for another good dog food on our site that more closely matches what you’re looking for in a large breed formula.
Mike if you’ve done your homework you know any dog food manufacturer that goes through the extra effort to avoid the carcinogen Ethoxyquin will state so on the bag. The EPA allows 3ppm for humans (its only in cayenne pepper) and 75ppm for dogs (yet we weigh 3 to 4 times our dogs). How can you in good conscience recommend a product with E when in fact we need to get it out of all pet food and the only way that will happen is if people refuse to buy E laced products?
Hi Calisdad… I can understand your concerns about ethoxyquin. However, as I note in the article I wrote about ethoxyquin… considering the chemical’s very low position on this particular list of ingredients, the fish meal would only contribute a trace of the chemical to the final product. So, at position number ten on the list, the total amount is more likely under 5 ppm (and nowhere near the maximum 75 ppm legally allowed to be in the fish meal itself).
And besides, as of about mid-May, all 4Health products are now 100% ethoxyquin free. Will get around to updating the review in the near future.
Thanks Mike.
That’s good to hear ! I hope more manufacturers follow suit. One company I dealt with didn’t list E but when pressed for more information they stated their product contained ‘an insignificant’ 27ppm. Obviously we had, as the EPA puts it, different “levels of concern”.
regards-
C-dad
I don’t believe 4Health is made by Diamond. According to their website: http://4healthdogfood.tripod.com/ they are family owned, PJ and John Christen and live in the state of Washington. I know, I’ve given our dogs (8 to be exact) the Diamond brand and they have gotten the poops. But, with 4Health, they are perfectly fine. We give our dogs quality dog food and don’t bother with the store brands or lower quality foods. On the weekends, I mix in some Blue Buffalo canned food (as a treat). I also, on occassion, mix in dry Blue Buff or Taste of the Wild. I know I would get tired of the same food over and over, so we mix a small bag of other foods with the 4Health. I think the only thing that bothers me about 4Health is the ground bones they include. Other than that, I believe it to be a great food. I can smell the meat in the food….well….on the dog’s breath after they’ve eaten.
We are perfectly happy with this food and the price is extremely reasonable…especially when feeding 8 babies.
Hi DJ… Actually, I’ve seen the website you speak of. And frankly, I too am confused about why that website appears to sell the same food.
However, 4Health is indeed made by Diamond Pet Foods of Meta, Missouri. If it would help, you can can confirm this fact by calling the company’s customer service number at 800-442-0402.
And I agree, it’s a good dog food… especially when you consider the price.
I have a 3 yr old yellow lab: low energy house potato. I began feeding her 4health Chicken and Rice about 2 months ago. We are on the 2nd large bag. I decided against the large breed formula based on her weight and activity level. I’ve seen a lot of shedding, but it’s also summer in the deep south. Her coat is good, skin looks nice and weight is stable. She seems to enjoy the food and sometimes the cats have a nibble too. I did a lot of research and decided that this was a good balance of nutrition and cost for us. Added bonus, her stools aren’t very stinky compared to some of our canine visitors. She also doesn’t go as often, but that could just be her digestive system. I supplement with infrequent, good quality treats.
Mike: Thanks for the response. I’m going to assume that their website is bogus then. That’s a shame too. Again…our kids like this food and the price is perfect for us.
Thanks for you quick answer to my question. I have one more. I am going to try my golden on the lamb and rice formula from 4health because she is sensitive to chicken. Is the protein/fat ratio in this food acceptable in your opinion for a golden retriever?
Hi Esther… The two products are very similar. However, compared to the others in the line, the lamb recipe is a little light on protein and fat (think… meat content). 4Health is made by Diamond Pet. The company has a very helpful customer service staff you can reach at 800-442-0402. Hope this helps.
I work at a vet office that pushes Science Diet. I, refuse to feed it. Thankfully, 4Health was created. It’s well within my budget and my dogs love it. I have 2. One is an 8 year old Husky mix and the other is a 2 year old lab mix. They eat the lamb and rice formula. Since starting it, I’ve been able to pull the 8 year old off her joint supplement and her hair has grown back in beautifully. I adopted her after she was abandoned here where I work for about a year. Her hair was in terrible shape when I took her home but after starting the 4health, she looks great and acutally eats without being coaxed with canned food! I will keep them on this food as long as they make it. I was also delighted to see that they now make a 4health cat food. Bought my first bag Saturday. My cats are already enjoying it and picking it out of their other food as I mix it in.
I just ran across 4Health in my local Tractor Supply am now doing some research into the brand. I have 3 newfoundlands (1 is a foster newf with recurring ear infections) and a rottweiler mix. My male newf weighs about 157lbs and is quite active but has had terrible skin and ear issues which is the primary reason I am looking into switching their food. He is allergic to pork.
Which 4Health formula would be best for a dog with sensitive skin and ear infections? I had heard that Lamb and Rice is best for dogs with allergies but I am worried about the low protien.
Hi Lori… I’m not aware of any 4Health product that’s specifically designed for dogs with skin and ear problems.
I have been feeding my two dogs 4 Health for about 1 1/2 months now. My Briard has no problems with it at all. My Tibetan Terrier is having problems with loose stools. We did introduce the new food gradually. We are always very careful about that. I have been doing the Lamb and Rice but I am noticing in your reviews that there may be fewer complaints with diarrhea on the Chicken and Rice formula. Is this the case in your perception. Is the Chicken and Rice formula typically less problematic for issues of diarrhea?? I’ve only had the TT for a couple of months and really don’t want to change the food too many times, but I know it can’t be healthy for him to be having so many problems with diarrhea either. My vet, by the way, had no idea what dog food to recommend. He only says that he knows a certain few are not good. Please help.
Janice
Hi Janice… It would be nice if you could depend upon the comments linked to 4Health (or any food). But I fear there are not enough comments to provide you with a scientifically significant population of results. Since I’m not a veterinarian, it would be misleading for me to assure you another “flavor” (or brand) will solve your Tibetan Terrier’s problems.
However, I wouldn’t be afraid to try another completely different dog food to see if that takes care of your dog’s issues.
← Previous Comments