Pure Balance Grain Free Dog Food Review (Dry)

Pure Balance Grain Free product range consists of three recipes, each receiving the Dog Food Advisor’s rating of 5 stars.

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.

Recipe and Label Analysis

Pure Balance Grain Free Chicken and Pea Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.

Ingredients Analysis

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.

After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.

The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.

The third ingredient includes dried peas. Dried peas are a good source of carbohydrates. Plus they’re naturally rich in dietary fiber.

However, dried peas contain about 27% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.

The fourth ingredient is pea starch, a paste-like, gluten-free carbohydrate extract probably used here as a binder for making kibble. Aside from its energy content (calories), pea starch is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.

The fifth ingredient is dried potato, a dehydrated item usually made from the by-products of potato processing. In most cases, dried potato can contain about 10% dry matter protein which can have a slight affect on our estimate of the total meat content of this recipe.

The sixth ingredient is turkey meal. Turkey meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh turkey.

The seventh ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.

Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.

The eighth 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.

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 three notable exceptions…

First, the minerals listed here do not appear to be chelated. And that can make them more difficult to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually associated with higher quality dog foods.

In addition, we note the use of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.

We view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.

Next, fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high-quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.

Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.

Nutrient Analysis

Based on its ingredients alone, Pure Balance Grain Free Chicken and Pea Recipe looks like an above-average dry product.

The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 31%, a fat level of 18.5% and estimated carbohydrates of about 37.2%.

As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 31% and a mean fat level of 18.5%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 36.6% for the overall product line.

And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 60%.

Which means this Pure Balance product line contains…

Neaar-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.

Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the dried peas, dried potato, pea protein, flaxseed and dried yeast, this looks like the profile of a kibble containing a notable amount of meat.

Pure Balance Dog Food Recall History

The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Pure Balance through May 2026.

No recalls noted.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.

Our Rating of Pure Balance Grain Free Dry Dog Food

Pure Balance Grain Free is a dry dog food that uses a notable amount of named meat as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.

Highly Recommended

About

Walmart owns the Pure Balance brand of dog food, a private-label line sold exclusively in their stores. The brand was introduced by Walmart in 2012 as its first ultra-premium, veterinarian-formulated dog food.

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