Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain (Dry)

by Mike Sagman
Share

Rating: ★★★★☆

Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Dog Food earns the Advisor’s second-highest rating of 4 stars.

The Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain product line lists two dry dog foods, each claimed to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages.

  • Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal and Sweet Potato
  • Nature’s Domain Turkey Meal and Sweet Potato

Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal and Sweet Potato was selected to represent both products in our review.

Kirkland Signature Nature's Domain Grain-Free Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato

Dry Dog Food

Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content

Protein = 27% | Fat = 16% | Carbs = 50%

Ingredients: Salmon meal, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, ocean fish meal, potato fiber, pea protein, natural flavor, flaxseed, salt, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, Yucca schidigera extract, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin D supplement, folic acid

Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 3.3%

Red items when present indicate controversial ingredients

Estimated Nutrient Content
MethodProteinFatCarbs
Guaranteed Analysis24%14%NA
Dry Matter Basis27%16%50%
Calorie Weighted Basis23%33%44%

The first ingredient in this dog food is salmon meal. Salmon meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than even fresh salmon.

And salmon is particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids, needed by every dog to sustain life.

We are pleased to note that, unlike many fish meals, this particular item appears1 to be ethoxyquin-free.

The second item lists sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates in a dog food. They are naturally rich in fiber, beta carotene and other healthy nutrients.

The third ingredient includes peas. Like sweet potato, peas are also considered a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus they’re loaded with natural fiber, too.

The fourth item is potato. Assuming they’re cooked, potatoes can be considered a gluten-free source of digestible carbohydrates. Yet with the exception of perhaps their caloric content, potatoes are of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The fifth ingredient includes canola oil. Many applaud canola for its favorable omega-3 content while a vocal minority condemn it as an unhealthy fat.

Much of the objection regarding canola oil appears to be related to the use of genetically modified rapeseed as its raw material source.

Current thinking (ours included) finds the negative stories about canola oil more the stuff of urban legend than actual science.2

In any case, plant-based oils like canola are less biologically available to a dog than fish oil as a source of quality omega-3 fats.

The sixth ingredient lists ocean fish meal… another high-protein meat concentrate.

Like salmon meal, this ingredient is also ethoxyquin free.

The seventh item includes potato fiber. Dietary fiber in reasonable amounts can help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce a food’s caloric content.

The eighth ingredient lists pea protein, what’s left after removing the starchy part of peas.

Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.

And this less costly plant-based item can significantly boost the total protein content reported in this dog food.

After the natural flavor, we find flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.

From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.

But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.

With two notable exceptions…

First, the manufacturer appears to have applied friendly bacteria to the surface of the kibble after cooking. These special probiotics are used to enhance a dog’s digestive and immune functions.

And lastly, we also note this dog food contains chelated minerals… minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.

Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain Dog Food
The Bottom Line

When you consider the overall quality of these ingredients, Nature’s Domain Dog Food looks like an above-average kibble.

But ingredient quality by itself cannot tell the whole story. We still need to estimate the product’s meat content before determining a final rating.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 27%, a fat level of 16% and an estimated carbohydrate content of 50%.

Both products in the line appear to contain the exact same nutrient percentages.

Average protein. Average fat. And average carbohydrates (when compared to a typical dry dog food).

When you consider the plant-based protein-boosting effect of the potato protein, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing only a moderate amount of meat.

Just the same, its difficult to ignore the grain-free nature of this product as well as its lack of any serious Red Flag ingredients.

Bottom line?

Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain is a grain-free kibble using a moderate amount of salmon or turkey meals as its main sources of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.

Highly recommended.

Special Alert

Rice ingredients can sometimes contain arsenic. Until the US FDA establishes safe upper levels for arsenic content, pet owners may wish to limit the total amount of rice fed in a dog's daily diet.

A Final Word

The descriptions and analyses expressed in this and every article on this website represent the views and opinions of the author.

Although it's our goal to ensure all the information on this website is correct, we cannot guarantee its completeness or its accuracy; nor can we commit to ensuring all the material is kept up-to-date on a daily basis.

Each review is offered in good faith and has been designed to help you make a more informed decision when buying dog food.

However, our rating system is not intended to suggest feeding a particular product will result in specific health benefits for your pet.

For a better understanding of how we analyze each product, please read our article, "The Problem with Dog Food Reviews".

Remember, no dog food can possibly be appropriate for every life stage, lifestyle or health condition. So, choose wisely. And when in doubt, consult a qualified veterinary professional for help.

In closing, we do not accept money, gifts or samples from pet food companies in exchange for special consideration in the preparation of our reviews or ratings.

To learn how we support the cost of operating this website, please visit our public Disclosure and Disclaimer page.

Have an opinion about this dog food? Or maybe the review itself? Please know we welcome your comments.

Notes and Updates

05/15/2010 Original review
10/07/2010 Added new turkey product
10/27/2010 Review updated
01/03/2012 Review updated (minor recipe change)
03/30/2012 Added Kirkland Signature to product name
01/03/2012 Last Update

  1. Diamond Pet Customer Service via email, 7/7/2010 ↩
  2. Mikkelson, B and DP, Oil of Ole, Urban Legends Reference Pages (2005) ↩
Tagged as: , , , , , ,
← Older Comments
  • Cindy

    Clarification: Nature’s Domain DOES in fact use FARMED fish. I called the manufacturer this morning directly to clarify and confirm.

    I am happy to admit when I am mistaken about things, but, regrettably, I am not this time. LabsRawesome, please feel free to call yourself.

    Unfortunately, the contamination of farmed fish with extremely dangerous pesticides like PCBs, etc. is a serious health hazard for our animals perhaps more than us, since they live shorter lives and currently are suffering from cancer at very high rates. Researching farmed salmon is very eye opening and disturbing. In good conscience, I would not recommend feeding the most contaminated fish varieties, including farmed salmon (along with any on the list most commonly full of mercury and the big predator fish).

    Whatever meat and primary ingredients we feed, whether fresh whole foods we provide homemade or in a kibble/can/other commercially prepared form, whether fish or land meat (etc), it’s incredibly important to search out the cleanest quality sources and spend our money there. For me, humane sourcing is important too.

  • Cindy

    And Omega 3 at 0.3% is poor, not worth opting for a fish based food if that is one’s only option. That comes straight from the guaranteed analysis, not the website advertising or bag narrative description.

    Fish meal can be a quality protein source or not, depending on ash level and content of the meal. Higher quality meals, meat or fish, cost more. But if choosing it for the Omega 3 brain food and skin/fur benefits, this would be a poor choice food source. Adding wild fish oil to a poor quality or average food that is Omega 3 deficient to save a buck does not financially work out that way.

    If they do in fact use wild fish, will verify their sourcing year round, then that at least is a positive. It’s also a big positive that they state that they avoid ethoxyquin.

  • CIndy

    Where does that state wild caught? Caught does not equal wild caught.

    Diamond’s other brands (like Taste of the Wild) have included farmed, not wild — which they’ve acknowledged, so it would be surprising for this Costco one to use wild, and particularly at this price point.

    Other big companies like Procter and Gamble’s Natura (EVO) also use farmed most commonly. Pricey Orijen’s (6 Fish, etc) made by Champion also use a mix of farmed and wild when in season, also disclosed.

  • Cindy

    Candy,

    If your GSD doesn’t have known food allergies to common main ingredients, and especially if you don’t need a high protein percent (like 34%-42%), then you have quite a few good choices.

    I’d start by choosing a high quality, small company with a good history of standards. Then I’d look for the ingredient sourcing to be higher quality (like wild vs farmed salmon, grass/pasture fed clean sourced meats (also naturally higher in Omega 3), and if chicken/turkey is included organic. Look for freshness which preserves both quality/nutrients but also high flavor your dog will be attracted to.

    My guess is this food tastes pretty bland to your dog, judging by the ingredients, which are not very carnivore taste bud friendly but also are pretty bland (specific veggies included at the top). I’m thinking your dog is tasting a lot of bland potato-pea mush + ground fish bones/byproduct (little oily meat) + sanitized no taste canola oil . . . and maybe some “off tastes” from the farmed fish to boot.

    There are A LOT of good small companies out there making good, tasty foods. I am more limited because I have to feed no chicken and very high protein/low carb, as well as nutrient dense high calorie to my GSD. I feed Timberwolf, the Platinum formulas (high protein/low carb/no grains) because I have to, but used to feed and still would recommend their lower protein (and cost) “classic” formulas. They smell very good and fresh, like spices of cinnamon, etc and are meat and flavor rich ingredients . . . so I am not suprised that my dog will readily eat this if fed plain, while foods like Wellness he would sniff and walk away from. (I’ve given it to other dogs whose owners said they would not eat straight kibble, with similar results.) What about Fromm (4 Star formulas)? Halo’s Spot’s Stew (wild salmon/egg)? Horizon’s foods like Pulsar or Legacy? Addiction? Pure Vita/Natural Planet Organics? These are just a few off the top of my head. Not sure how they each taste, but they are good ethical small companies from what I can recall.

    An *outstanding* (expensive) food, which for a larger dog you can use as a topper (1/4-1/2 a medallion), is Stella & Chewy’s. My dog thinks it’s doggie crack. Judging by the ingredients — which, to my view, are near perfect — I am not surprised. You can also add a little garlic powder or parmesan on top, or a dollop of virgin organic coconut oil or pump of wild salmon oil from the fridge. I do think that adding fresh foods as often as possible, like sardines, yogurt, fresh eggs, super foods veggie mix are really most beneficial for dogs, so I would encourage you to include some when possible.

  • LabsRawesome

    Nature’s Domain does not use farmed fish. From the Nature’s Domain website- Salmon meal – Made
    from whole, fresh salmon caught in the Pacific Northwest, salmon meal is an excellent source of amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids. Ocean fish meal – Made from ocean whitefish. Rich in amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids.

  • Cindy

    I would not feed this food. Here’s why:

    1)Manufactured by Diamond

    *manufactures way too many foods, history of quality control problems & recalls — among other things

    2)FARMED salmon — far inferior, unhealthful & potentially more harmful than good due to contamination issues

    3)Omega 3 FAIL. Salmon meal has been STRIPPED of oils — as one can easily tell by looking at 0.3% Omega 3 content, despite “salmon meal” being #1 ingredient.

    Shady, deceptive practice of companies more concerned with luring customers in (misleading them into thinking they are getting the full benefits of salmon meal) and doing a “bait and switch” to double profits. Salmon meal is stripped of oil, oil is sold separately (on human market or otherwise), and inferior product is included in the pet food. ALL fish and meat meals range considerably in quality, from oil/no oil to high meat/low ash to high byproduct/ash/waste. Quality manufacturers that care about your pets choose high quality ingredients not “good sounding” ones to dupe consumers.

    4)Calorie content VERY low @ about 336 cal/cup. You have to feed far more food than a high quality, nutrient dense food.

    5)Ocean fish meal — not a deal breaker, as it COULD include high quality fish, various. Oily (high Omega 3) and cleaner small & wild fish like sardines/krill would be ideal.

    But a company should be selecting the high quality and willing to disclose to the consumer — not list generic no-named ingredients (like ocean fish meal, meat meal, poultry meal, etc). Once again, this is unlikely here a high quality source vs left over scraps (oil stripped, high ash, high variety) as the Omega 3 here is low.

    6)Canola — not the biggest deal breaker on the planet for me, BUT . . . this is not that bioavailable and is not likely cleanly sourced (expensive), as in cold pressed & chemical free, not hexane/chemical solvent processed at high heat and chemically treated, plus a crop contaminated with pesticides.

    Companies are unlikely choosing this for your pet’s best health, but because it’s cheaply available by the vat on the market.

    Better fats would be wild salmon oil, krill oil, sardine oil, etc. Organic virgin coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, other nut & seed oils are chosen by better companies because they offer health benefits to your dog or because they are more bioavailable.

    7)Too much cheap carbs vs. high quality protein sources are used to fill up this food.

    So, to me, my dog would be mainly eating potentially toxic and not all that healthful commercially crowded,contaminated farmed salmon meal byproduct scraps with equal or more amounts potatoes/peas/sweet potatoes.

    Sweet potatoes are a good choice, peas and potatoes are so so, with potatoes not so much . . . given that they are straight sugar (glycemic index of baked potato plain = 100; snickers bar = 52).

    Other super foods listed WAY down the ingredient list like blueberries look like there’s probably one fleck of blueberry part per pound. Super foods, like blueberries — now that more than 1/2 of all dogs and cats die of cancer — should be much higher up.

    Other questions to ask Diamond include these: how digestible is your food and how digestible/bioavailable is the protein portion, the fat? what percentage of meat protein is there? what percentage ash is your salmon meal and ocean fish meal? what’s in your ocean fish meal? if fiber was desired (potato fiber), why not use a more nutrient dense source, like those berries further down the ingredient list? how many foods are manufactured along with this one in your facilities?

    Consumers should also look for freshness/staleness or rancidity with each bag, especially since they are not vaccuum sealed/oxygen barrier packed — checking manufacturing dates and smelling each bag contents before feeding.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Try getting a canned food and adding that every day. Get her in the habit of eating every day and she will be more hesitant to miss a meal in the future. Right now, you are rewarding her for holding out.

  • http://www.facebook.com/CherokeeCandy Candy Brown

    My GSD isn’t liking any dry dog food I put her on… from a puppy at 4 months my vet had me to slowly mix adult to puppy and wean her to adult food. I read your pages and went with the one with bison… and have slowly moved her from that to this one with salmon. She has had the same reaction to all of them… not interested and treated them all about the same. At this point I don’t think changing is going to make a dif. I don’t want to put her on wet. She is now 8 months and still has the same reaction to her food. When she goes a couple days of not eating I add something of flavor from the fridge and she gobbles it. Suggestions?

  • bebemom

    Beneful is one of the worst dog foods on the market.

  • Merk

    I have a two year old Rotwieler she loves this food, but my 1 year old malamute is off and on about it. They both have a beautiful coat and skin, and seem healthier than they have ever been. Thank you Costco, make bigger bags of it,

  • Pingback: Kirkland Dog Food is Safe | Michael Roberts blog

  • Hound Dog Mom

    If he’s drinking more than normal you should take him to the vet with a urine sample and have blood work done. Increased water consumption could be due to kidney failure or diabetes – it could just be the heat, but it’s best to know.

  • Jlynnl

    I just switch my golden to ND salmon. He liked it at first. then he started not being able to drink enough…I was filling his bowl 4 times a day. Now he’s not eating his food. hoping its the heat, but when my last golden did this we lost him in a few months time. (note: he was not on this food and I’m not saying it is the food) I did find the similarity of drinking alot interesting

  • http://www.facebook.com/ed.schmidt3 Ed Schmidt Stripe

    You might want to add Probiotic Pearls, to control yeast.

  • LabsRawesome

    It’s great that you found a new food that she is doing well on. Keep us posted! :)

  • Amrita

    Yes, I checked but didn’t see or smell anything obvious. When I returned it to Costco I told them that IMO it needed to be analyzed, so the clerk said he would make a note of that. I only posted this because some other people mentioned seeing a recent change in the food, and my dog certainly reacted badly to the new bag.

  • LabsRawesome

    Well, it is possible to get a contaminated bag, Did you check the food for mold? Any odor, or off color?

  • Amrita

    I respectfully disagree. She did fine on that food before we opened that bag. She had no problems with it. When she first started eating grass and throwing up, I thought it might be from the warm weather, although that never caused her problems before. So I kept her inside for a few days. Then when she wasn’t eager to eat I thought perhaps she was holding out for the kittie’s canned food. 3-4 days into the bag she started with the serious nausea. So I fasted her for a day then fed her bland rice for another day or so. Then tried feeding it to her again and she refused to touch it.

    I didn’t suspect the food at first precisely because she had been eating it *with no problem* until we opened that bag. So it’s not a matter of the food not being right for her. The change happened at the start of a new bag. This dog is an easy keeper who loves every food she has ever eaten. All she has ever needed is extra fiber. In her entire four years, this is the only time a food made her sick. IMO that bag of food had something horribly wrong with it.

  • LabsRawesome

    Just saw this pic. What a beauty!

  • Pattyvaughn

    That’s what I like about NutriSource, it is easy to transition to and dogs seem to do good on it.

  • LabsRawesome

    Obviously not all foods will work for all dogs. That doesn’t make the food “horrible”, just not right for your particular dog. If my dog was having such a bad reaction to a food, I definitely would not continue to feed it for a week.

  • Amrita

    Something changed between the bag of Nature’s Domain Salmon/Sweet Potato we bought six weeks ago, and next one purchased two weeks ago. My dog did just fine through the first bag, although I had to put canned pumpkin in to keep her stools firm. (I’ve had to do that with every food she ate.) Got a second bag two weeks ago, and it was awful! As soon as we started the new bag she was hesitant to eat it. She started eating grass and weeds to throw it up. Diarrhea. Regurgitating food that was undigested four hours after eating it. Then she started eating her own poop- yuck! She had terrible gas. Then she refused to eat at all. She’s never refused food in her whole life.

    She probably lost 5 pounds in one week, and she was thin to begin with. Couldn’t get her to stop eating her poop. She was not absorbing the nutrients in the food- it was either passing through undigested or had nothing in it to begin with, so she was trying to eat it again, poor thing. There was no nutrition in that food and it was making her sick. I took it back to Costco and told them to send it in for analysis.

    In the meantime I needed to get her off that horrible food. I read a good review for Nutrisource Seafood Select. I liked the ingredients: no grains, no potatoes, double the fiber and Omega 3/6 of the Diamond food. She normalized immediately. No more diarrhea, vomiting, gas or eating poop. And bonus- for the first time ever she has firm stools without needing any pumpkin. I think we may have found her perfect food, and I’ll never buy a Diamond food again. (I don’t have any affiliation with Nutrisource)

  • Hugh

    I just bought my 3rd bag of the beef formula in the bright yellow bag. So, if it doesn’t exist it sure is a really good knock off. But seriously, it’s the same exact stuff as the other flavors, just beef as the main protein. The kibble is a few shades lighter too than the turkey or salmon.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ed.schmidt3 Ed Schmidt Stripe

    I had the exact same thing happen a few months ago, I called them and they assured me the same thing and said if I’m still not happy with it I could send them the sku off the bag and they would send a refund.

  • Beverly

    Re the change in color: I’ve had a similar experience with my last bag of Salmon and Sweet Potato formula which I have been feeding my dog for over 2 years now. I called Natures Domain to ask if they changed the formula or if the bag was filled with the wrong kibble and they looked into it for me. They pulled a sample of the kibble at the factory from the batch that my bag came from and said that the food was “consistent with the color size and shape.” I’m still convinced that my bag was filled with the wrong kibble by accident since it smells different, it’s lighter in color (more tan than darker brown) and smaller in size.

  • Pattyvaughn

    This is not Nature’s Domain, this is Dog Food Advisor, a dog food rating website. If your Lhasa needs low ash and low magnesium food, you will have to contact the company directly to ask them. Good Luck!

  • Chris Dill

    I have and 8 year old Laso with cronic glad stones. She will not eat the RX food perscribed by Vet’s. Is Natures Domain a low ash and low magnesium food? She likes this food and it makes feeding easier since our other dog also enjoys your product too.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=572836244 Natalie Dean

    Our boxer has several skin allergies and gets bald patches in the dry months. We’ve had him on the Salmon and Sweet Potato for 6 months and the change in his coat has been remarkable.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mary-Anne-Clark/100001504983749 Mary Anne Clark

    and have you not seen the problems in human health care because of this marketing?? It has been all over the news!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mary-Anne-Clark/100001504983749 Mary Anne Clark

    Science Diet SPONSORS
    the nutrition classes for vet schools! who in their right mind would teach the animal “by-product” is good for a dog? Of course lung, heart, kidneys, etc are OK, but if that was what Science Diet really consider “by product”, you can be assured they would list them seperately to show the quality of their food.

  • http://www.facebook.com/patty.levine2 Patty Levine

    I have a German Shepherd who has allergies. We were using another dog food for many years which he was great on but he suddenly started digging and pulling his fur out he also lost a lot of fur and weight. The vet thought said he had allergies but we didn’t know what the allergy was and told us to try and find a grain free dog food with no Wheat, Whey, Chicken, corn and other fillers. A few weeks before after buying a new bag of the dog food we were using we noticed the colour of the food had changed it was no longer dark it was quite light, the contents listed on the bag had not changed but something must have changed to make the dog food a lighter colour.

    We found Nature’s Domain, grain free salmon meal & sweet potato formula and have had our dog on this food for approximately 2 years now and he is back to normal thank heavens! The last bag of food we bought we noticed the colour is lighter I hope the formula on this food has not changed as it is a great dog food.

    Patty Levine

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1618006994 Jamie Cruit Knopik

    You don’t need a vet RX to buy it…..Therefore it is not actually a prescription….Just a recommendation, and a bad one at that!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1618006994 Jamie Cruit Knopik

    Surprisingly, my vet told me to stay away from science diet. He is wonderful and very cheap. Proof that he cares more abt the animals than making money. I am keeping this guy!

  • Hound Dog Mom

    There are actually some prescription foods that use quality ingredients while still addressing specific health conditions – like Rayne Clinical Nutrition, Wysong Rx and Just Food for Dogs.

  • Pattyvaughn

    For much less money you can make your own food out of quality ingredients that meets the medical needs of your pet and leave this stuff where it belongs, in a garbage can.

  • ibaboxerlvr

    I agree Science diet is great on the prescription side of it. Some dogs/cats really need it based on what they have going on. But in general for a dog without conditions not needing a specific formulation the food is not quality when you compare it to MANY other foods available.

  • ibaboxerlvr

    Also… Turkey is the BEST protein for dogs with sensitive skin! It is a cooling protein! :) Between this food and the Nuvet Labs supplement she is all set!!!

  • ibaboxerlvr

    The Turkey is the BEST! Great for dog with allergies because it has no chicken fat in the formula! Almost every food you find has chicken fat and chicken is a high allergen! So you get a chicken free and grain free in this food! Bravo! My dog has never felt and looked so good! Thank you Kirkland!!!

  • Pingback: Anyone tried Kirkland Nature's Domain? Need more cost conscious food if possible. - Poodle Forum - Standard Poodle, Toy Poodle, Miniature Poodle Forum ALL Poodle owners too!

  • http://www.facebook.com/ed.schmidt3 Ed Schmidt Stripe
  • Pattyvaughn

    It’s so difficult because it seems there are almost as many dog foods as there are dogs. NutriSource has good quality foods at a good price that are generally easy to transition to. Good Luck!!

  • Filmaker

    This s&$!t is driving me crazy. I have tried almost every dog food under the sun. My boxer, like many, has serious stomach issues. Vet finally put her on prescription food. I could not afford the high price for small bag. I called a boxer rescue and they recommended costco’s food. My girl has been on kirklands lamb and the chicken one. I switch out about every 3 bags so she does not acquire allergies to either one. This food is the best that she has been on. Can’t beat the price.

    I have been eyeing the ND for some time. Although put off my the protein meal. She is beginning to have other issues- specifically this black spot on her back end. One vet thought it might be spider bite, the other doesn’t know but did kidney and thyroid tests. Both tests come back negative. I guess I will just have to try this brand out and see how she does on it. I have had my dog for 3+ years and have stressed over her food issues since day one. It is going to put me in the hospital soon. I just want a good solid dog food that will not break the bank or make my dog ill or kill her. Why is it so difficult?

  • Germansheppups

    Is the new food made by Nature’s Domain/Diamond?

  • Crazy4cats

    Actually, I’m a Costco employee, and the food does indeed exist. I checked on our computer system last week when I saw this post. Unfortunately only selling it in the Midwest and Bay Area regions right now. I however, could not find the canned food. Our system isn’t very user-friendly when trying to search for products. Hopefully will be more wide spread soon.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Because Hill’s garbage is Hill’s garbage, I know better but I still use Hill’s and SD interchangably. But Esmarelda doesn’t seem to know better, neither do you.

  • ScotchBonnet

    How can someone who works for a vet not know the difference between Science Diet, which is non-prescription garbage, and Hill’s Prescription Diet, the very good prescription food made by the same company?

  • InkedMarie

    My point to the person who wrote the post I was replying to was that she could not find any reports on health issues & this food but a quick google search brought up reports.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Would you call Walmart a big chain, because they are know for carrying a big brand that doesn’t have any meaningful quality assurances, Spring Valley.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Yeast infections are usually due to food intolerances, mostly grains.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000915673283 Macrena Sailor

    tania,

    If you continue to have problems, check their thyroid levels. Speaking from experience here.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000915673283 Macrena Sailor

    Marie,

    Dogs get sick for all different reasons or for no logical reason. Then, they get well for no apparent reason. Correlation does mean causation. Three unsubstantiated, anecdotal reports mean nothing.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000915673283 Macrena Sailor

    and supplementing for nutrients lost.

    _________

    Awesome, and even then, you may not be able to be sure of the quality of the supplements. Remember the Ginsing, I think it was, for people that had rat poison in it? For myself, I have been told by health care providers to never buy vitamins or supplements from anyone but a major chain as they test the products for quality and ingredients and percents themselves. Many small chains or independents do not have the resources to do that.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000915673283 Macrena Sailor

    Maureen,

    Just because I got burnt once with a Vet misdiagnosing a yeast infection in the ears as mites, I wonder if yours has actually done lab work on your labs ears, no pun intended? When my Std. Poodles ears did not clear up, I hit the books and learned that both of these infections must determined by lab tests. I quit going to that Vet shortly after as he had not done any testing which led me to seriously doubt his competency. It was chronic and we never got rid of it his whole life. We controlled it, but it sure helped to have the proper diagnosis.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000915673283 Macrena Sailor

    sisu,

    Manufacturers attend people medicine conferences as well, free coffee, bagels and cream cheese at least, provided and neat pens, etc. If you had ever attended a health care conference, you would know that the manufactures want exposure and to demonstrate support for the industry from which they profit. Who does or gives what, has nothing to do with the conference or the content. A major manufacturer of a popular allergy drug was prominently displayed and promoted at one conference I attended. One of the main speakers, a pulmonologist, thoroughly panned the drug.

    The Drug Companies routinely pay Universities, such as Harvard, Johns Hopkins, etc. to do controlled, double-blind studies on new drugs. If you think they are going to compromise their integrity and professional ethics and reputation because they were paid, you are sadly mistaken.

    Your comments demonstrate a severe deficit in science and the scientific method and principles and ethics. Vets probably recommend Science Diet as it has been thoroughly researched. Reading the ingredients, while helpful, is no substitute for animal studies, probably rat and to observe the effects. All the rest of it is helpful, but it does not provide proof.

    I am astonished at the people who will buy a product that has no research based on “feel”.

    I note the people who pan the large manufacturers of dog food and laud the small. How do you know what the small guy is doing or producing or how it is produced?

    You don’t. This reminds me of people who won’t take prescription drugs which are researched out the wazoo, but who will pop any supplement or vitamin with zero research to determine safety and efficacy. Go figure is all I can say.

  • LabsRawesome

    JJ All life stages means just that, it can be fed to all dogs from puppies to seniors. This is convenient for people that have puppies as well as older dogs, so they can feed the same food to all their dogs. If you are watching your dogs weight just feed a little less. And always measure the food with a measuring cup.

  • aimee

    Hi JJ,

    I agree with your veterinarian and would not use this food for a dog that is prone to weight gain. IMO the protein to fat ratio is too low which means the percentage of calories coming from protein are lower than I’d feel comfortable with for a weight gain prone dog.

    ALS food often have a higher fat content than foods formulated for maintenance which means they have a higher caloric density. This means the volume fed will be smaller than a lower fat food. In my own household this wouldn’t work well as my hubby tends to feed by the “this amount looks right” method. So he overfeeds higher caloric density foods.

  • Storm’s Mom

    Ugh, sometimes the things vets say just floor me. You might consider getting yourself a new vet, because this one clearly does not know what they are talking about. “All life stages” food are foods that you can feed right from a puppy to a senior dog.

  • Pattyvaughn

    All Life Stages foods usually have higher protein than Adult foods and may have higher fat, which means they have lower carbohydrates, which is good IMO. I feed my dogs ALS foods, including my 11 year old Jack Russell Terrier, who gains weight easily. When a dog needs to lose weight, you need to feed less and exercise more. They still need good nutrition. Always measure food with an appropriate sized measuring cup, so you know exactly how much you are feeding every time. If you feed treats, you have to take that into account and feed less at meal times.

  • JJ

    Just wondering about this food, my vet said not to give it to my 6 year old dog who’s weight we are watching because it says “all life stages” which they said meant it is basically a puppy food…any thoughts? thx

  • Kelly C

    We just started our 13 year old JRT on this, to see if it will help with his skin issues. They started up in December after no troubles all his life. Vet says maybe he has developed a food allergy, so we got off the beneful and to a completely different list of ingredients.
    Preliminary results: stools are OK, tending to a bit loose. Dog loves it. Has fish breath now :-)
    Vet says 3~4 weeks so we are waiting with crossed fingers.

  • balorsmom

    I have tried EVERY dog food out there for my gsd between his itching and not being able to keep weight on him I was told about ND salmon, couldn’t beat the price so I tried it and the results were amazing!! He is now up to over 90lbs(very large gsd) and everywhere I go I get compliments on how beautiful his coat is!!! My vet has suggested I switch back on forth between the turkey and salmon due to mercury but turkey makes me nervous because I know of many people who have used turkey foods and the dogs become itchy, As far as the food goes I can’t say enough good about the food and the results!!!! The price also is great I just cannot bring my self to pay 60 or 70 dollars for a bag of dog food when I am feeding 6 dogs!!! Thanks ND for a great food at a great price!!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    i agree its the best value. their canned food (kirkland cuts in gravy) is also the best value when it comes to wet food- around $0.75/can and its rated 5stars. there is a nature’s domain canned food that just came out but i’m not sure how much it costs and it hasn’t been rated on here yet.

  • nancalmei

    I used to feed my mini dachshund Wellness and then I tried Avoderm for a few months but his issues with dry skin, itchiness, excessive shedding, bad breath and soft smelly stools only got worse so I desperately wanted to try grain-free for a change. I switched him to Nature’s Domain Salmon formula and everything changed within days. He’s no longer shedding a dog a day, I haven’t seen him itch, his breath stays clean, his stools are solid and no longer smell like a dead corpse from a mile away. I joined Costco mostly for him for the food and it has been totally worth it. Plus, he utterly adores the food so I don’t even bother buying separate treats anymore. I usually top his food with the Costco canned wet food too. The only downside is that he drinks a little more water and some days he requires an earlier or extra walk but otherwise I love this formula for him. I’ll check out the turkey when we’re through with this bag. Quality and value wise it’s the best brand out there.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    ive been told by a nature’s domain employee that this food doesnt exist. they said they only have 2 dry (turkey, salmon) and 1 wet (turkey). it might just be a test product in a couple stores or something and some of their own employees don’t even know about it.

  • Pattyvaughn

    You might want to call them. You might be surprised what you’ll hear.

  • http://www.facebook.com/emilie.handschyn Emilie Handschyn

    I was in my Costco in Mountain View, CA earlier today. The store doesn’t carry the yellow bag you describe. Just FYI.

  • http://www.facebook.com/emilie.handschyn Emilie Handschyn

    I would write to Costco and mention these problems. The business is very customer friendly and responsive and you might be surprised what you hear from it. Try it.

  • txakitalady

    I’ve been feeding both the Salmon and Turkey varieties of this food to my Akitas for several years now, and they have done very well on it. They’re in good weight and condition and their coats look great. And they like the food.

  • Pingback: Kirkland Signature Dog Food- Key Ingredients to Know About | Kirkland Signature Dog food

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    they cost quite a bit more than nature’s domain but they are a lot better quality and the only kind of meat they contain is fish: orijen six fish and acana pacifica.

  • tania

    If you get sick on tuesdays, it’s probably due to something you come in contact with, do or eat on tuesdays or the day before.

    I saw something unusual in my dogs, so I checked on everything that could’ve done it so as to not expose them to it again, including the food.

    Sure dogs shed naturally. But when you have dogs, you learn the difference between what’s normal shedding for them and when it’s not. The shedding I was seeing wasn’t normal. My dogs had bald spots, the vet gave me a shampoo suggested switching the food. If it was the food, I figured someone else must have experienced the same and if nobody else did then it could be something they were coming in contact with. I was checking for all possibilities.

    I simplified the issue when I wrote here. I have 4 dogs. The 2 adults got fed Nature’s Domain while the senior and the puppy got fed something else. The other difference is that the puppy and the senior are much larger than my 2 adults. So I considered it could be the food or something the little ones were getting into that the big ones didn’t that maybe put them in contact with something that caused the shedding. It did seem to be the food, be it the batch or something wrong with my bag. The dogs were otherwise their happy selves, the vet said to switch the food and check back in a month but I wanted some peace of mind. If someone else experienced the same with the food, then I knew I could stop trying to find what else it could be.

    I asked around to talk to people who fed this to their dogs. Some were fine and see their dogs thriving on this food, but I also came across 3 people who did experience issues after feeding this. Of those three, two of them saw the same massive shedding and balding. I dont know if maybe the problem was a certain batch though or if it’s just an ingredient that some dogs react to. I did come across plenty of people who won’t consider feeding this because they don’t trust Diamond.

  • Susie

    dogs shed naturally.Time for new coat to come in..Spayed and neutered dogs tend to hold coat and it takes on a cotton look.It is harder to remove.
    Raw feeders have tons of salmonella in tneir foods.Wise to be careful unless you have the strong digestion of most canines.

    If a dog gets sick it can be due to other things than the dog food.If you feel sick on tuesdays does it mean tuesdays make you ill?

  • Whatever

    No one suggested working for FREE…but sure would be nice if you could take your animal in to see them and not have to sell your HOME to pay the BILLS!! They are just leeches making huge amounts of cash off the love of our pets!

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    i think so. it contains no grains and the only kind of meat is fish and it doesn’t really have any filler ingredients.

  • R.Midwest

    6 year old Shar Pei mix. We just switched him from IAMS over to the Salmon/Sweet Potato. In the last week I’ve noticed reduced shedding, no more loose stools. Most importantly he goes nuts around feeding time. I could see myself buying blue buffalo or TOTW a few times a year but for the price, this VERY active dog has taken to the Salmon mix exceptionally well.

  • http://twitter.com/sarahmancini2 sarah mancini

    Could this be considered a “limited ingredient diet”? My dog has food allergies and is eating Natural Balance LID right now

  • LabsRawesome

    Actually Chicken fat should not cause a reaction as it has no protein. Have you ever tried Earthborn? It’s never been recalled. Here is a link to their site, their fish based food is called Coastal Catch. :) http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/us/dog_formulas/coastal_catch/ingredients.php

  • Pattyvaughn

    The way they seperate the fat makes it pretty pure, so no protein from chicken, which is what the allergy is to. Maybe try a small bag to see if you get a reaction.

  • spottedfurkids

    my allergy dogs been on this food over a year – the past week they both got new bags and developed diarrhea and blood stools. 2 dogs are on their Salmon. I spent $600 at the vet testing everything and sadly no answer. I have to deduct its the food. I cant find any recall notices. my other dog gets their turkey line and while not blood stools he has diarrhea — all dogs wont touch the food now. this really concerns me. on this site trying to find a salmon food that doesn’t have chicken or any other protein besides fish mixed in. why do companies develope a food with special proteins but throw in chicken fat .. DUH seriously this is going to make me cook or buy raw again.

  • lacey haugse

    I’ve been feeding the salmon and sweet potato to my 8 month olf lab mix. He has horrible allergies to grain and chicken by products. Ever since I’ve been feeding him this food he has stopped itching and I’m very grateful. He is my service dog and it was hard to take him out when he was itching all the time. But now that he’s better I feel more confident in bringing him places again.

  • LabsRawesome

    Nature’s Domain also has a canned Grain-free Turkey Stew. I don’t know who manufacture’s it. But it’s NOT Diamond, they do not own a cannery. The Beef & Sweet Potato kibble isn’t on the website yet. http://www.naturesdomainpetfood.com/about-natures-domain/natures-domain-grain-free-turkey-and-pea-stew-for-dogs

  • LabsRawesome

    Hi Hugh, that’s great. My warehouse only stocks the Salmon formula. I would like to try the Turkey and Beef, and the cat formula as well. This makes no sense to me, since they are Kirkland products. They do stock huge bags of that NASTY Beneful & Pedigree.

  • Hugh

    I forgot to add that the Beef Meal and Sweet Potato comes in a bright yellow bag, you can’t miss it.

  • Hugh

    I just got back from costco and Nature’s Domain added to their current line with a Beef Meal and Sweet Potato. I tried the website and it’s not on their yet. But it’s basically the exact same formula as the salmon and turkey, but this time with Beef. I’m glad they added another flavor. Oh, and it’s a few bucks cheaper than the salmon. I’m going to give it to the pups tomorrow and see if the like it. They seem to really enjoy the salmon and the turkey.

  • Dave’s Hounds

    this is a decent food and if it fits your budget all the better.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    yes its quite bizarre. she freely admits that iams isnt very good. and i know of two other people (besides me) who have told her that as well. and she’s paying more than twice as much per pound for 2.5star food as i am for a 4star food. since she owns the house and i am renting, i’m not going to push too hard. her boxer is always hungry though, partly because she’s underfed, partly because her food doesn’t have sufficient nutrition and partly because she’s just a gluten. luckily, i hook her up with good food nearly everyday.

  • LabsRawesome

    I guess some people just make no sense, Knowingly feeding their pet an overpriced junk food?

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    the iams she feeds her boxer is 2.5 stars and she’s well aware that isn’t a very good food. she is very set in her ways and has been feeding the boxer the same iams for all 8 years the boxer’s been alive. it’s annoying because she has more money than i do (by a lot) and she’s paying at least as much as i am (smaller bags, overpriced food) but she won’t budge. the best i can do is sneak the boxer some of my pit’s food.

  • LabsRawesome

    Poor Boxer. Maybe you can talk your roommate into switching? Iams is an overpriced 3 star food. I usually buy 4 cases of Kirkland at a time, I have 2 dogs, and go thru 4 cans a day.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    i grabbed a 24pk of cans yesterday (12 chkn / 12 beef) for $18.79 + tax. it is a great deal esp considering the high quality ingredients. my pitbull loves it. my roommate’s boxer is really jealous because she only get iams dry. she licks his bowl clean when he’s done. i sneak her some good food occasionally too ;)

  • LabsRawesome

    I am lucky. I get an executive membership for free. My boyfriend works there. YAY! :) Ps. I am a girl. lol just wanted to clarify.

  • losul

    absolutely, most premium canned 2.50/can and up

  • losul

    I had the executive membership. Yikes, it’s gone up alot from what I remembered. I think it was less than $70 when I first joined. $110 bucks now, but it is 2%, no cash back on the regular membership.

  • Kat

    they had been on fromme which we had horrible trouble with and had switched to Blue which we had ugly poop and now the natures domain which everything else is great its just the ears

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1140685339 Betsy Greer

    Hi Kat,

    What were they eating before? Sorry if you already said this and I missed it. You’re right, It could certainly be that this is the body’s purging of yeast. It could also be that some probiotics, at east temporarily, might help the body more fully utilize the diet you’re feeding. I’m partial to the ones I use from Mercola.

  • Kat

    okay maybe I posted in the wrong place they are on a grain free food that is why I asked I never had the problem before we switched so my question was could the natures domain grain free be causing the yeast overgrowth cause I never had the problem before the food

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1140685339 Betsy Greer

    Hi Kat,

    Even though you only “see” evidence of a yeast overgrowth in their ears, doesn’t mean that yeast isn’t elsewhere that you can’t see it. By the time you see it, you need to take not only reactionary, but precautionary measures as well.

    Both Dave and HDM mentioned great ways to clean their ears, but do you suspect that if you only cleaned their ears and made no dietary changes whatsoever, that the yeast in their ears would clear up completely and cease to be a problem? Trust me, it would be a constant battle of you versus the yeast.

    It may “only” be their ears today, but my guess is that if you don’t make some dietary changes (grain free, probiotics, digestive enzymes, etc.), you’ll eventually see it elsewhere and it’ll really be a challenge to deal with then.

  • LabsRawesome

    I agree. I was thinking the same thing. :)

  • Dave’s Hounds

    The very best product I have ever found for my hounds (one use to be prone to infections) is zymox. It is amazing and takes care of the worst infections.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    i could be mistaken but i think executive costs $100/yr and gives you 2% cash back. so if you spent $100 per week there it would more than pay for your membership.

  • LabsRawesome

    You might want to ask an associate about getting an “Executive” membership. Not sure how long it’s been since you had a membership. But if you still have your card, (or maybe they can do it just with your name) they might be able to look up your previous history and tell you if it’s worth it to go for the Executive membership. I believe you earn more cash back with it. So it would probably pay you back your membership fee and then some….

  • LabsRawesome

    losul, fyi the Kirkland cuts in gravy canned dog food is made by Simmons. And is a product of Canada. My 2 devour it. And with a price of $18.99 for a case of 24 cans, and a 5 star rating, you really can’t go wrong. :)

  • losul

    it might be just 1% I think I usually got about 70 to 90 bucks back a year.

  • losul

    Yes, especially the canned food,

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    oh duh thats what u were talking about getting lol. was confused cuz we’re on the nature’s domain dry page derrrr

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    also, costco has a 5star wet food for 75cents a can. i havent tried it yet but it comes highly recommended on here and the price is ridiculously cheap. its call ‘kirkland cuts in gravy’.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    ya i’m sure sam’s will refund your money. oh ya with executive membership they give you 2% back or something? i always give that check to my boss since we have a company account grrr

  • losul

    I agree with everything. Sam’s I can avoid without too much inconvenience. Walmart it’s hard to do so all the time.

    I’ll probably ask for my money back on the Sams membership ( I think they’ll give it back?), and go back to Costco. Besides, I used to spend enough money at Costco top get a voucher back big enough to pay their membership.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    i’d go the extra distance to costco just to avoid giving the walmart corporation money but even if i put my dislike for walmart aside i still think costco is better than sam’s.

  • losul

    Oh. I was thinking just the kirkland signature was Diamond, and not the ND. That’s what i get for thinking, ha. Well the canned food still a thumbs up.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    The dry food is made by Diamond, the canned isn’t.

  • losul

    The ND dry is not made by Diamond, right?

  • losul

    I always luvved Costco too. It was kind of out of the way for me, so when they put in a new Sam’s club near me, I let the Costco membership expire. Not happy much at all with Sam’s club. I’ve been thinking I’m gonna have

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    good idea :) i have mixed in very high quality turkey breast a few times but it was better food than i usually eat myself so i can’t do that all the time. i was not aware that costco’s wet food was such good quality. thanks for the tip.

  • LabsRawesome

    I know, it’s so awesome. It is the only 5 star canned that I can afford, since I go thru 4 cans a day. I love Costco! :)

  • Hound Dog Mom

    WOW. $0.79 a can for a 5 star food. That’s a great deal. Wish I had a Costco near be back when I was paying $3+ for 5 star canned foods!

  • LabsRawesome

    Hey HDM, Kirkland canned is $18.99 for a case of 24 cans. Also FYI it’s a product of Canada. :)

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hi Jack Tripper –

    There are some easy and cheap ways you can turn this food into a 5 star food. Add some high protein, species-appropriate toppers to his meals: any leftover lean meat you have from your meals, cheap cuts of meat from the grocery store (chicken gizzards & hearts and beef heart are usually reasonably priced, you can also look out for sales or manager’s specials), tinned sardines or jack mackerel, eggs and cottage cheese. All of these options will boost the protein of his food and won’t break the bank, some of these things you might even already have in your fridge or pantry. Topping with a quality canned food will boost protein as well. I know Kirkland makes a 5 star canned food called “Kirkland Cuts in Gravy” that has 44% protein on a dry matter basis. I don’t live near a Costco so I’ve never seen it, but I know people have posted that it’s very reasonably priced (well under $1 per can).

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    perhaps you should consider feeding her less. since this food is much higher in nutrients than typical grocery store food, less of it is needed.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    perhaps you should consider switching vets if you’re vet is unhappy you’re dogs are healthy. maybe you’re just being facetious but if not that’s worrisome. also, there’s nothing wrong with organic as you suggest, however, i do agree that nothing can top ND when it comes to value.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.tripper.3950 Jack Tripper

    i have been feeding my 2yr old pitbull ND salmon & sweet potato. i absolutely love this stuff. i realize there are better foods out there but value-wise, i’d say this stuff is second to none. it is high quality and costs the same as the 1star garbage food and costs less than 2star vet-recommended garbage (science diet, etc). i got him about 4 months ago. the first month i fed him a terrible grocery store brand and he was bloated, had diarrhea, skin problems and was unhappy. i was stupid and didn’t read the ingredients until after i switched. i’m horrified i ever fed him that stuff. i often look at switching him to an even better food but to go from a 4star to a 5star (25% increase) costs three times as much (200% increase) so it’s just not a good value. i’m very happy with the ingredients in nd salmon. the only thing i wish it had was a little more protein, however, considering how much lean muscle my pit has put on i doubt it’s a problem.

  • grumphytoo

    Dog loves it, BUT she is now pooping 5 or 6 times a day, instead of her previous 2 occasionally 3 times a day.

  • PanamaJeepster

    My cane corso puppy Puma gets the salmon feed which is what the breeder was feeding him. Everyone comments on his coat being shiny. I target 1.0-1.2% calcium content to keep him lean and not growing too quickly which seems to be working out for us.

  • http://www.facebook.com/DesertLakesFlying Skip Baltar

    I’ve been using this food for 2 years and my dogs have never been healthier. The vet isn’t happy that my dogs are so healthy, but that’s their loss. My dog that was overweight is now at a healthy weight from using this food. I would feed this food long before the wildly overpriced foods like Blue Buffalo, and the like. I will never feed my dogs anything organic, especially since just about every food recall for disease involves organic foods. Organic borders on animal abuse in my book as there is no telling what kind of ravishing diseases that garbage is carrying, not to mention the wildly overpriced tickets on those as well.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hi Kay –

    Grain-free foods typically help prevent yeasty ears. Unfortunately dogs with long floppy ears, like Bassets, are prone to ear problems. I have bloodhounds, I haven’t had any issues since going grain-free but when my oldest used to eat high carb, grain-inclusive kibble I had to clean his ears daily. They never actually got infected because I cleaned them so often but if I went even two or three days without cleaning them there would be lots of buildup. All three of my hounds are now on a grain-free raw diet and I only need to clean their ears once or twice a month (unheard of for bloodhounds!). The best thing for you to do would be to wipe out their ears daily with cotton balls using a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 1 part water. You can also make a neem ear cleanser using 2 tbs. neem oil, 1 tbs. olive oil, 1 tsp. tea tree oil and 1/2 tsp. eucalyptus oil. These natural oils have antibacterial properties and applying about 10 drops in each ear daily and gently massaging into the ear should help get the yeast under control. Supplementing with probiotics, as suggested by Ed, will help as well. Yeast is a “bad” bacteria so adding “good” bacteria (probiotics) will help to keep the yeast in check. The more strains of probiotics in the supplement the better.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ed.schmidt3 Ed Schmidt Stripe

    The best way to control yeast is probiotic pearls, works great for my Pekingese.

  • george

    I have been feeding my dog TOTW and am considering switching to ND. Have you encountered any problems up to now?

  • Kat

    Its just in their ears, their coat and everything else is doing great on the food so I will just give it more time it has been about 4 months I would say

  • Pattyvaughn

    Usually the first thing you do to fight yeasty ears is go grain free. Dogs with yeast overgrowth seem to do better on low carb, high protein diets and this one is still pretty high in the carb department and pretty low in the protein department. It can take 6-9 months on a proper diet for yeast to get back in balance again. Also you want to bathe them in an organic essential oil shampoo, stay away from oatmeal shampoos.

  • Kat

    My Bassets are doing great on this food but they also all are very yeasty in the ears (the turkey one) does anyone know if that would be related to the grain free this is the first time we have gone grain free or if it is unrelated

  • Emily

    I started my large breed dog on this food about a month ago he had a rash that would not quit no matter what we tried. After a week of being on this food his rash subsided and has not returned. I highly recommend this food. The price is great too since he eats do much!

  • Pattyvaughn

    Tear stains usually mean it’s the food.

  • Lacey

    I switched to Natures Domain from Blue Buffalo. I feed the salmon and have noticed in the last few months more itching, licking and tear stains on my white boxer. I have three dogs two boxers and a lab and its e same with all three. I can’t decide if it could be a seasonal allergy or the food. They have been eating it about a year or so now.

  • Eric

    You apparently would be surprised how many people can and do donate their time to help pets. Free.

    You sound confused to claim veterinarians get no “kickback” for selling food. They obviously earn money from it, because as you note, they would not do it for free…

    The real problem is when so called professionals are biased by money instead of the best interest of the client.

  • sisu

    People are not asking vets and their staff work for free. They are expecting them to work in the best interest of our pets. The public is trying to improve the quality of vet care.

    Ask the vets you work with how many nutrition courses they had while in vet school. Who sponsored those classes? Did the dog food manufacturerer publish the book, provide free lunch or make a donation to the school? How many nutrition classes has the vet taken since graduation? Was it in any way sponored by a dog food manufacturer? What information has the vet and staff received beyond what the Hills Science Diet, Purina or Royal Canin rep has provided? Was a free lunch or other freebies available in return for listening to a dog food presentation? The next time your vet(s) attend a convention check to see how many nutrition lectures were attended. Were the lectures totally provided by an independet lectuer? Was the lecture based on the latest non-biased research? For decades the 3 companies that sell in vet clinics have “research” that backs up the ingredients in their food. Hopefully, you know research can be designed to get the results desired. If all that research was correct why are they now producing grain free products?

    Read the reviews on DFA of the dog foods that are available at your clinic. Follow up by searching google for the ingredients that are in red, and any terms you are not famiiar with.

    Dog food, including the brands sold in vet clinics, is a multi-billion dollar business. There are foods that are healthy and can help remedy a medical problem. The food sold in most vet clinics is not healthy food, yet vets continue to recommend them. The foods rely heavily on ingredients that are not species appropriate such as grains, poor quality by-products, non-specified meat and fat, and preservatives that have been known for years to be harmful. The ingredients can cause or worsen allergies, cause yeast or bacterial infections of the skin and ears, harm the liver and kidneys on and on. The result is vets are selling a bag filled with grains and poor quality ingredients at a premium price.

    Your general practitioner does not provide nutrition advice or sell food. If needed the patient is referred to a nutritionist. It is irresponsible for a vet to provide such advice without the knowledge to do so without causing harm. Any vet or staff member can learn about nutrition by reading books, attending appropriate lectures and doing research on reliable sites as many of us have done.

  • Pattyvaughn

    The point is that they get NORMAL retail markup, duh!! Not huge kickbacks. I’m not complaining about what my vet makes, they send me a lovely basket at Christmas every year to thank me for how much of my money they earn, but they earn it.

  • Esmarelda

    It is a business, vets and their staff cannot work for free….can you?

  • Esmarelda

    I work for veterinarians and they get NO “kickbacks” for selling Science Diet. A lot of research goes into developing those diets, and the health of many pets have been improved while on those diets. They prescribe (because it is a prescription food) these foods to HELP your pet.

  • http://www.facebook.com/kurt.star.9 Kurt Star

    Same here. Ran out of ND (Turkey) on a trip and bought an emergency bag of Taste of the Wild (Duck+S.P.). Minimal issues with my fairly sensitive dogs.

  • http://www.facebook.com/kurt.star.9 Kurt Star

    The turkey variety has become very popular for ex-racer greyhounds. I’m very happy to see that it’s getting wider distribution as you could only find Salmon in most stores in So. Cal. until recently. It’s important to note that Diamond’s CA plant has not had any recalls.

  • Mel

    I fed my dog Kirkland Chicken and she had bloody diarrhea. It was the scariest thing I ever witnessed and probably one of the most terrible moments for her. I fed her this grain-free and she was fine. But I was really paranoid about what happened with the chicken that I switched her off. She’s currently on Wellness Simple Salmon – which is similar to this in ingredients. Has anyone had any negative experiences with Kirkland’s GRAIN FREE formula? Please let me know, thanks!!

  • Powderpuff

    I switched from one of the really pricey grain-free dog foods to the Nature’s Domain almost two years ago, am very happy. I was paying upwards of $70-80 for the 40 or 50lb bag of grain-free, and with four dogs you go through it very fast. The Salmon/Sweet Potato Nature’s Domain is just over $30 for a 40lb bag at my local Costco.

    I also have a variety of dogs and needs, from very small (Chinese Cresteds) to large (Pit Bull and Lab), a senior with food allergies you wouldn’t believe, etc. This has worked very well for all of them. My Chinese Cresteds have good skin and hair coat, my senior dog’s allergies are not noticeable at all (no sneezing, dry skin, dull coat, ear infections) and she has more energy than she did as a puppy (she’s 11 now).

    My dogs also love getting “table scraps” of fresh cut fruits, vegetables, some organic meats and such so overall they get a good variety.

  • Amyschem

    Amen!!

  • Denise

    Just bought a bag of the Salmon, will let everyone know how my dogs like it and do on it. Not a bad rating for such a great price! Hope it works out.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    This is the review for both versions. If you read the top of the review you’ll see this review is for both the Salmon and Turkey varieties. The ingredients and nutrient analysis are so similar that they both got the same rating.

  • http://www.facebook.com/the.krzeszak.boy Mike Krzeszak

    We decided to try Kirkland’s grain free Salmon meal and sweet potato after basically giving up and thinking our dog would never stop scratching and biting and pulling out her hair. The change was almost instant. Within 2 days our dog was back to her old sweet self. She eats the kibble without us having to add any wet dog food or “treats”. She’s lost weight, she is more energetic, her coat is shiny. I just can’t say enough good things about this dog food or this brand. You will pay double or triple for this kind of quality at a pet store or the vet.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1599783541 Christine Mattson Carlson

    Can someone rate the Turkey version of this brand. It’s not listed on Dog Food Advisor website.

  • Pattyvaughn

    Pretty much everything a vet sells has a normal retail markup.

  • Violet

    Veterinarians push Science Diet because they get huge kick backs :( So unfortunately, we suffer while they get the big bucks.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Hi Val –

    Feeding your dog high levels of protein will not cause kidney failure. The ability of protein to induce kidney failure has been studied in both healthy dogs and dogs with chronic kidney failure. All studies have confirmed that protein intake does not have an adverse affect on the kidneys. Protein-restricted diets only provide benefits in the late stages of chronic kidney failure – it’s not necessary to reduce protein in the early stages of kidney failure and reducing protein levels for a healthy dog is not only unnecessary, but unhealthy. Many people feel that reducing protein levels for older dogs with help keep their kidneys healthy, this is a bad idea as well. As dogs age they become less efficient at metabolizing protein but their dietary requirement for amino acids doesn’t decrease – so senior dogs actually require up to 50% more protein than adult dogs. When any amount of protein is consumed beyond what the dog’s body utilizes, the excess amino acids are catabolized and the waste nitrogen is excreted in a passive process that causes the kidneys no harm. Focus on feeding high levels of high quality protein (avoid low quality by-products and high levels of plant-derived protein).

  • Pattyvaughn

    Since Kidney problems are not caused by protein, keeping protein levels down will not prevent kidney problems.

  • Val

    What s the crude protein! I feed small breed dog foods as my dogs range from six to twelve pounds! I prefer to keep protein levels down to avoid kydney problems!

  • Matouk

    I’m feeding Great Pyrenees (3) and a Newfoundland and Pomeranians. No more allergies, itchy skin. Hello shiny glossy coats no tear stains. Great quality and doesn’t make dogs gain weight. I supplement with 1 fish oil capsule from Costco daily in food. No complaints and FAR cheaper buying these 2 bags a month versus 3 bags of other higher priced foods.

  • Snowmeow

    Love this food. Have 5 show-dog Samoyeds – need good health and good coat. This food does it! And the cost is reasonable!

  • Bill E. Boy

    We have been feeding our two boxer mixes the Salmon and Sweet Potato variety for about four months now; they love the taste, their stool is better, and the one dog who was constantly licking her sternum and scratching herself has almost completely desisted from that, so I would say this is a pretty good choice for us.

  • Khaibitu

    Nature’s Domain and TotW are also made by Diamond(although I think we all know that already :) ). And as much as they might be the same, other than price, my dogs don’t do nearly as well on ND as they have on TotW, so *something* in the formulation has to be different. Huge, mushy stools on ND – firm, normal-sized on TotW.

  • Hound Dog Mom

    Kenny Minster –

    Where are you getting that Nature’s Domain “IS” Taste of the Wild? Yes, they’re both manufactured by Diamond, but the ingredients are by no means the same.

    The first five ingredients for Nature’s Domain Salmon Meal & Sweet Potato are: salmon meal, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil and the G.A. reads 24% protein and 14% fat. The first five ingredients for the TOTW formula with salmon (Pacific Stream) are: salmon, ocean fish meal, sweet potatoes, potatoes, canola oil and the G.A. reads 25% protein and 15% fat.

    The first five ingredients for Nature’s Domain Turkey Meal & Sweet Potato are: turkey meal, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil and the G.A. reads 24% protein and 14% fat. The first five ingredients for TOTW’s formula with poultry (Wetlands) are: duck, duck meal, chicken meal, egg product and sweet potatoes and the G.A. is 32% protein and 18% fat.

    I personally wouldn’t buy either as they’re made by Diamond, however I do think TOTW is a higher quality product and this is likely why it costs more.

← Older Comments