Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain (Canned) range is made up of two recipes with ratings varying from 3.5 to 4.5 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 4 stars.
Pros
- Formulated with veterinarians and animal nutritionists
- No corn, wheat or soy and no artificial flavors or preservatives
- Real meat is the first ingredient
Cons
- Not budget friendly
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product line | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Red Meat Dinner for Adult Dogs | 4.5 | M |
| Blue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Red Meat Dinner for Senior Dogs | 3.5 | M |
Recipe and Label Analysis
Blue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Red Meat Dinner for Adult Dogs was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Blue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Red Meat Dinner for Adult Dogs
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Beef, turkey, beef broth, lamb, potatoes, pea protein, flaxseed, carrageenan, cassia gum, guar gum, potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, vitamin E supplement, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), cobalt amino acid chelate, niacin supplement (vitamin B3), calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5), vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), biotin (vitamin B7), vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid (vitamin B9)
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 9% | 7% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 39% | 30% | 24% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 29% | 53% | 18% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient in this dog food is beef. Beef is defined as “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered cattle” and includes skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.1
The second ingredient is turkey. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.2
Both beef and turkey are naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The third ingredient is beef broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many canned products.
The fourth ingredient is lamb, another quality addition.
The fifth ingredient includes potatoes. 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 sixth ingredient is pea protein, what remains of a pea after removing the starchy part of the vegetable.
Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The seventh ingredient is 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.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The eighth ingredient is carrageenan, a gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Although carrageenan has been used as a food additive for hundreds of years, there appears to be some recent controversy regarding its long term biological safety.
The article, The Carrageenan Controversy, published in Scientific American, does a good job of addressing this topic.
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 Blue Buffalo product.
With one notable exceptions…
First, this food includes 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.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Blue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe Red Meat Dinner for Adult Dogs canned dog food looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 38.5%, a fat level of 28.8% and estimated carbohydrates of about 21.2%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 35.6% and a mean fat level of 27.9%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 25% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 79%.
Which means this Blue Buffalo product line contains…
Near-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical canned dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the pea protein and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a wet product containing a moderate amount of meat.
However, with 53% of the total calories in our example coming from fat versus just 29% from protein, some recipes may not be suitable for pets on a low-fat diet.
Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Blue Buffalo through December 2025.
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall Event Number 2 of March 2017 (March 18, 2017)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall of March 2017 (March 3, 2017)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall of February 2017 (February 14, 2017)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall of May 2016 (May 31, 2016)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Chews Recall of November 2015 (November 25, 2015)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall (October 8, 2010)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Dog Food
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe is a grain-free canned dog food using a moderate amount of named meats as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 4 stars.
About
Blue Buffalo was officially launched in 2003 by Bill Bishop, who became frustrated with the lack of transparency and poor ingredient quality in commercial dog food at the time. His inspiration came after his beloved Airedale Terrier, Blue, was diagnosed with cancer. Determined to create a better recipe for his dog, Bishop developed his own formula, and thus Blue Buffalo was born.
In 2018, the brand was sold to General Mills Corporation for $8 billion.
Compare Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Dog Food
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