Highly Recommended
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Our Verdict
TimberWolf Legends dry product range consists of five recipes which each receive the Dog Food Advisor’s rating, 5 stars.
Each of these recipes contains a minimum of 80% meat and fish, all rich in premium and digestible animal proteins.
Pros
- Novel proteins
- No corn, wheat, soy, animal by-product meals, artificial colors, or preservatives
- Wholesome fruits and vegetables
Cons
- Limited recipes
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 |
|---|---|---|
| TimberWolf Black Forest Legends | 5 | A |
| TimberWolf Ocean Blue Legends | 5 | A |
| TimberWolf Dakota Legends | 5 | A |
| TimberWolf Wild and Natural Legends | 5 | A |
| TimberWolf Wilderness Legends | 5 | A |
Recipe and Label Analysis
TimberWolf Black Forest Legends was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
TimberWolf Black Forest Legends
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Venison meal, salmon meal, whitefish meal, lamb, garbanzo beans, salmon, chicken fat (preserved with tocopherols and citric acid), peas, dried plain beet pulp, dried egg product, herbs (coriander, turmeric, basil, ginger, fenugreek, peppermint, thyme), brewers dried yeast, flax seed, menhaden fish oil (preserved with tocopherols), dried tomato pomace, dehydrated alfalfa meal, sweet potato, dehydrated kelp meal, dried apples, lecithin, potassium chloride, dl-methionine, dried chicory root, taurine, minerals (zinc sulfate, iron proteinate, ferrous sulfate, copper proteinate, copper sulfate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, manganous oxide, calcium iodate, ethylenediamine dihydroiodide), vitamins (vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid), l-carnitine, preserved with tocopherols, lactic acid, yucca schidigera extract, beta carotene, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 35% | 17% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 39% | 19% | 34% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 33% | 39% | 29% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first few ingredients in this dog food are:
- Venison meal
- Salmon meal
- Whitefish meal
They are all considered meat concentrates and contain almost 300% more protein than fresh protein itself.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.1
The fourth ingredient is lamb. Lamb is considered “the clean flesh derived from slaughtered” lamb and associated with skeletal muscle or the muscle tissues of the tongue, diaphragm, heart or esophagus.2
Lamb is naturally rich in all 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The fifth ingredient is garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas. Like peas, beans and lentils, the chickpea is a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (pulse) family of vegetables.
Garbanzos contain about 22% protein, something which must be considered when evaluating the total protein reported in this food.
The sixth ingredient is salmon. Salmon is an oily marine and freshwater fish, not only high in protein but also omega-3 fatty acids, essential oils needed by every dog to sustain life.
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 lists peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The ninth ingredient includes 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 and blood sugar 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 entirely acceptable.
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 four notable exceptions…
First, flaxseed is 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.
Also, chicory root. Chicory is rich in , a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and found in certain roots and tubers.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
Next, we find alfalfa meal. Although alfalfa meal is high in plant protein (about 18%) and fiber (25%), it can be less common to find it in a dog food recipe.
And lastly, 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, TimberWolf Black Forest Legends dog food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 39.7%, a fat level of 19.6% and estimated carbohydrates of about 27.4%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 40.8% and a mean fat level of 19.3%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 26.7% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 48%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical dry dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, flaxseed, alfalfa meal and brewers yeast, this still looks like the profile of a kibble containing a significant amount of meat.
TimberWolf Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to TimberWolf through March 2026.
No recalls noted.
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of TimberWolf Legends Dry Dog Food
TimberWolf Legends is a grain-free dry dog food using a significant amount of named meat meals as its dominant source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
About
TimberWolf was founded by Mark Heyward in 1995 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.
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