We've seen a trend with subscription dog food services over the last several years. More and more pet owners are looking for high quality foods that can be delivered right to their door. We live in the age of convenience, and Heed Foods is doing their part to bring quality pet nutrition to pet owners around the country in the easiest way possible.
Every dog has unique nutritional needs that are based on their age, weight, breed, activity level, health condition and other variables. Unfortunately, many of the most popular, top-selling dog food brands use harmful ingredients that can lead to serious health issues over time.
It is our responsibility as pet owners to make sure that we’re feeding a high quality diet that provides the nutrition our pets need. We also need to be sure that we do the proper research to ensure the meals we are serving our dogs are not made with dangerous ingredients.
While it is true that high quality foods are more expensive, they'll probably save you money on vet bills down the road. Also, higher quality dog foods are more nutrient dense This means that you can feed your dog less food while providing the same nutritional contents. You may have to spend more up front, but higher quality food will pay for itself over time.
So, how does Heed Foods Prebiotic Dog Food stack up against other dog food options? Are the recipes nutritionally balanced? Is the food made with safe, high-quality ingredients? I'll give you all the details in the review below.
Heed Foods Prebiotic Dog Food Review
Unlike many other subscription dog food products, this food isn't catered to your specific dog. Other companies collect information about your dog, like his age, weight, breed, activity level, etc… Then, they send you a recipe that is designed for your dog's needs and serving size information that is customized for your pup.
Heed Foods only offers 2 recipes right now. But, both recipes are suitable for all life stages. As you can see in the photo above, the kibble is about 1 cm. x 1 cm., so it's a great option for all breeds and sizes. Also, both recipes have real meat as their first ingredient and are formulated with prebiotics to aid in proper gut health.
Prebiotics act as a fertilizer for the good bacteria in the gut. I was actually able to speak with the founder of Heed Foods, and she told me that this dog food is designed to heal your pet from the inside out.
This is the full list of ingredients for each recipe:
- Fresh Chicken and Ancient Grains: Chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, pearled barley, oat groats, egg product, flaxseeds, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), chicken liver, carrots, spinach, natural flavor, dicalcium phosphate, sunflower lecithin, sun-dried miscanthus grass, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), kelp meal, dehydrated blueberries, sea salt.
- Fresh Salmon and Superfoods: Salmon, herring meal, sweet potatoes, yellow peas, buckwheat, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), whitefish meal, chickpeas, green lentils, flaxseeds, carrots, spinach, natural flavor, sunflower lecithin, sea salt, kelp meal, dehydrated blueberries
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Heed Foods Kibble also comes with a freeze-dried topper made with human-grade fruits, vegetables and meats. The topper entices pups and also adds some superfood nutrition to the meal.
This dog food is made in the USA with all-natural ingredients. There is no wheat, corn or soy in either recipe.
As you can see in my video review, our dogs really enjoy this food. Even my pickiest eater likes Heed Foods. While I do believe that it's a healthy option made with high quality ingredients, this food won't fit into everyone's budget.
A 5-pound bag sells for $31.49 on the company's website. If you do the math, that's about $6.30 per pound. The price does include two 2.4-ounce packages of freeze-dried food toppers.
The ONLY good thing about dog food that uses cheaper quality ingredients is that those savings are often passed on to the consumer. In layman’s terms, this means that cheaper quality foods don’t cost as much as a high quality products. As the old saying goes, you get what you pay for.
As with almost every consumer product, you have to look at the big picture and not just the “now.” Saving a few dollars on dog food now may actually cost you more in the long run. There have been many research studies showing links between common ingredients in commercial dog food products and serious health conditions.
The health benefits of feeding a higher quality food, like Heed Foods, will likely save you money on veterinary care over the years. Likewise, higher quality foods are more nutrient dense. This means that you can feed your dog less food while providing the same nutritional contents. You may have to spend more up front, but higher quality food will pay for itself over time.
For all of these reasons, I do believe that Heed Foods offer a good value for the money. However, I do understand that it won't fit every budget. My recommendation is to feed the best quality food that you can afford.
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