Introduction
Dog food recipes keep changing by the day, and it’s hard to know which dog food is the best for your pup. Alpo is a common brand lining dollar store and department store isles for quick, easy meals. But how is the nutrition, does the recipe hold up, and is it something you should even be feeding your dog?
Our Final Verdict We give Alpo Dog Food a rating of 2 out of 5 stars.
We give Alpo Dog Food a rating of 2 out of 5 stars.
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We’ll explain a little bit about the company and dive deep into our pose formula ingredients.
At a Glance: The Best Alpo Dog Food Recipes
Image Product Details
ALPO Prime Cuts Savory Beef Flavor Dry Dog Food
Colorful
Flavorful
Modest calorie levels
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ALPO Come & Get It! Cookout Classic Dry Dog Food
Softer kibble
Completely balanced
Dogs love the flavor
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ALPO Prime Cuts with Beef and Gravy
Recyclable cans
Adequate protein and calories
23 essential vitamins and minerals
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Alpo Dog Food Reviewed
Alpo is a readily available dog food you can find in-store and online. But just because it’s readily available doesn’t mean it’s nutritionally beneficial. There are plenty of choices on the market, fitting all kinds of budgets. We’re here to tell you why you should avoid Alpo and buy your dog something that is more nutrient friendly. Let’s learn a little about the company and why we can’t recommend Alpo.
Who Makes Alpo and Where Is It Produced?
Alpo is made by Nestle Purina, a very well-known pet food company. Purina offers a long lineup of nutrition at varying costs. Alpo is at the bottom of the totem pole in both categories.
Which Type of Dog Is Alpo Best Suited For?
Alpo is a prevalent Purina dog food brand line you can find just about anywhere. Because it’s so readily available, you might mistakenly think it’s the best option for your dog. We beg to differ. We think that the only time Alpo should ever be fed to a dog is if it’s an emergency situation where another food is available or temporary until their traditional dog food comes in the mail.
Otherwise, Alpo uses many ingredients and formulas that can trigger all sorts of allergies and sensitivities and even aid in developing specific health issues.
Which Type of Dog Might Do Better with a Different Brand?
If you’re trying to find a readily available brand on the shelves, you don’t have to dismiss quality nutrition completely. Dogs with any sensitivity should never eat Alpo for any reason. It can trigger all sorts of unwanted symptoms related to digestive issues.
Purina dog food is popular as well, and they have several lines of comprehensive recipes to satisfy the taste buds and aid in the health of many different dogs. It’s as convenient as what you’re looking for. We understand the importance of being able to stay local and still be able to feed your Mötley Crüe.
With Purina they carry high-quality lines of dog food that target particular health issues. You can check out all of their top-of-the-line recipes if you click here.
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Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)
You’ve heard our disdain for this particular brand, but now you get to figure out exactly why. When we look at a dog food brand, we consider so many factors.
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For us to consider dog food top quality, there should be a foundation protein source, wholesome ingredients with essential vitamins and minerals, and supportive bodily components. Alpo lacks severely in all categories.
Ground yellow corn is the first ingredient in this dog food. Corn doesn’t provide much for dogs in the way of nutrition.
Meat and bone meal provide a concentrated protein source. But ideally, we like to see meat protein as the first ingredient in dog food because protein provides the most beneficial nutrition for dogs. It also doesn’t specify what the meat is, which is not good for dogs that may have an allergy to certain kinds of meat.
Soybean meal is a carbohydrate source found in many common dog foods. Many dogs have sensitivities to soy, so it’s not always the best ingredient to see in a lineup. However, soy is a good source of fiber for your dog.
Beef fat added protein source with other health benefits.
Corn gluten meal contains fiber and serves as a carbohydrate source. Some dogs are highly sensitive to gluten in dog food, so this ingredient is controversial.
Egg and chicken flavor is an unusual phrasing because it’s hard to determine if it is natural or synthetic egg and chicken.
Natural flavor is a very tricky element. Natural flavors have no one meaning and can signal many things, most of which are not good. Legally, natural flavors can contain many synthetic ingredients. So, it might look like some tricky marketing.
Dyes
Here, we see all of these dyes and toxins.
Red 40—linked to stomach issues, migraines, nervousness, jitteriness
Yellow 5—can cause itching, coughing, vomiting
Blue 2—has been linked to tumors in male rats during studies
Garlic Oil—garlic is highly toxic to dogs, as are all plants in the allium family
Dietary Triggers
Alpo offers a not-so-healthy lineup of ingredients that can cause all sorts of digestive upset—and some ingredients are just bad for all dogs in general.
- Ground yellow corn is the first ingredient in this dog food. Corn doesn’t provide much for dogs in the way of nutrition.
- Meat and bone meal provide a concentrated protein source. But ideally, we like to see meat protein as the first ingredient in dog food because protein provides the most beneficial nutrition for dogs. It also doesn’t specify what the meat is, which is not good for dogs that may have an allergy to certain kinds of meat.
- Soybean meal is a carbohydrate source found in many common dog foods. Many dogs have sensitivities to soy, so it’s not always the best ingredient to see in a lineup. However, soy is a good source of fiber for your dog.
- Beef fat added protein source with other health benefits.
- Corn gluten meal contains fiber and serves as a carbohydrate source. Some dogs are highly sensitive to gluten in dog food, so this ingredient is controversial.
- Egg and chicken flavor is an unusual phrasing because it’s hard to determine if it is natural or synthetic egg and chicken.
- Natural flavor is a very tricky element. Natural flavors have no one meaning and can signal many things, most of which are not good. Legally, natural flavors can contain many synthetic ingredients. So, it might look like some tricky marketing.
- Dyes
Red 40—linked to stomach issues, migraines, nervousness, jitteriness
Yellow 5—can cause itching, coughing, vomiting
Blue 2—has been linked to tumors in male rats during studies
Garlic Oil—garlic is highly toxic to dogs, as are all plants in the allium family
- Red 40—linked to stomach issues, migraines, nervousness, jitteriness
- Yellow 5—can cause itching, coughing, vomiting
- Blue 2—has been linked to tumors in male rats during studies
- Garlic Oil—garlic is highly toxic to dogs, as are all plants in the allium family
Corn being the main ingredient is already a huge red flag, as there is more of a carbohydrate source than protein. Corn is not a nutrient-dense carb source, either, providing minimal nutritional benefit. While it isn’t a filler, as some would say, it isn’t the most nutritious choice. There are also tons of dyes, artificial preservatives, and flavors, some of which are synthetic ingredients.
Alpo’s dog food recipes also contain “meat and bone meal” as one of the primary ingredients. However, this is very ambiguous, and it could be any kind of meat in the food. Some types of meat, such as chicken or beef, are common allergens for dogs. So it’s hard to know exactly what kind of meat you’re getting.
A Quick Look at ALPO Food
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Pros
Flavorful
Affordable
Cons
Contains potential allergy triggers
Contains artificial flavors and dyes
Contains byproducts and fillers
Kibble contains very little protein
Recall History
From our research, we only found one recall on Alpo Dog food. In March of 2007, Alpo Prime Cuts was recalled due to possible melamine contamination.
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Flavorful
Affordable
- Flavorful
- Affordable
Contains potential allergy triggers
Contains artificial flavors and dyes
Contains byproducts and fillers
Kibble contains very little protein
- Contains potential allergy triggers
- Contains artificial flavors and dyes
- Contains byproducts and fillers
- Kibble contains very little protein
Reviews of the 3 Best ALPO Dog Food Recipes
ALPO Prime Cuts Savory Beef Dry Dog Food is designed for flavor. It contains many delicious ingredients that might catch your picky dog’s attention. It also has colorful elements to capture the eye.
Main Ingredients: Ground corn meal, meat and bone meal, soybean meal, beef fat
Calories: 381 per cup
Protein: 18.0%
Fat: 8.5%
However, even though these tactics are effective, this recipe doesn’t contain the best ingredients. It only has 18.0% protein on the guaranteed analysis, which is very low. If you buy this dog food, we encourage you to mix it with a high-protein wet food topper.
Otherwise, it’s a modest calorie diet, so it would work well for various activity levels. It contains ground corn meal as the first ingredient, which we really don’t like to see. Rather than a whole protein source, it has bone and meat meal—not the best source.
However, it is compatible with nutrient profile requirements.
Pros
Modest calorie levels
Flavorful
Colorful
Cons
Many unhealthy ingredients
Very low protein
- ALPO Come & Get It! Cookout Classic Dry Dog Food
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Main Ingredients: Ground yellow corn, corn germ meal, beef and bone meal, soybean meal
Calories: 380 per cup
Protein: 18.0%
Fat: 9.5%
ALPO Come & Get It Cookout Classic Dry Dog Food is a 100% complete and balanced recipe. It is a grain-inclusive recipe that meets nutritional requirements, providing 23 essential vitamins and minerals.
Modest calorie levels
Flavorful
Colorful
- Modest calorie levels
- Flavorful
- Colorful
Many unhealthy ingredients
Very low protein
- Many unhealthy ingredients
- Very low protein
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Main Ingredients: Ground yellow corn, corn germ meal, beef and bone meal, soybean meal
Calories: 380 per cup
Protein: 18.0%
Fat: 9.5%
This recipe contains important ingredients like linoleic acids and calcium for healthy skin, fur, and bones. Essentially, it’s full of fillers, using starches and hard-to-digest ingredients for carbs. It contains a dangerously low amount of protein, however, averaging 18% on the guaranteed analysis.
We noticed this dog food contains a little more moisture than some dry dog foods, and you can tell slightly in the kibble texture. Your dogs might love the taste, but we give the recipe a big thumbs down.
Pros
Completely balanced
Softer kibble
Cons
Low protein
Uses artificial flavors, byproducts, and fillers
- ALPO Prime Cuts with Beef and Gravy
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Main Ingredients: Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, soybean meal, beef fat
Calories: 370 per cup
Protein: 10.0%
Fat: 3,0%
ALPO Prime Cuts with Beef and Gravy is sure to tickle the taste buds of any pup. It’s formulated with the basic 23 essential vitamins and minerals for dogs. It contains a meaty loaf sitting in a savory gravy that will spruce up fresh dry kibble with a hydrating surprise.
Completely balanced
Softer kibble
- Completely balanced
- Softer kibble
Low protein
Uses artificial flavors, byproducts, and fillers
- Low protein
- Uses artificial flavors, byproducts, and fillers
Main Ingredients: Ground yellow corn, meat and bone meal, soybean meal, beef fat
Calories: 370 per cup
Protein: 10.0%
Fat: 3,0%
The recipe contains an average amount of calories and protein, making it adequate for most dogs with moderate activity levels.
While it might be full of moisture and meaty flavors, it doesn’t contain the best ingredients. It shows unspecified poultry as the number one ingredient, followed by meat byproducts and wheat gluten. It’s just screaming to trigger an allergy.
One positive is that the recipes are crafted in the United States. So, at least you can keep a closer eye on the business sourcing if need be.
Pros
23 essential vitamins and minerals
Recyclable cans
Adequate protein and calories
Cons
Contains artificial ingredients
23 essential vitamins and minerals
Recyclable cans
Adequate protein and calories
- 23 essential vitamins and minerals
- Recyclable cans
- Adequate protein and calories
Contains artificial ingredients
- Contains artificial ingredients
What Other Users Are Saying
We haven’t seen the best comments about Alpo from nutritionists. Many claim it is insufficient due to the number of artificial additives and low-quality ingredients.
However, many customer reviews disagree. It seems many owners have picky dogs who love the taste of Alpo.
We don’t need to rag on Alpo, but they really should improve their dietary selections based on the current changes in the pet food industry.
By offering a more comprehensive selection of quality products that cater to different dietary sensitivities, it might severely limit their customer base and impact to the health of owners who choose to feed this dog food to their p
Conclusion
In good conscience, we cannot recommend Alpo dog food for your dog. It contains too many artificial ingredients and other potential allergy triggers that can be upsetting for many canines, even the healthy ones. There are plenty of other selections that you can find readily available in stores, such as other lines in the Purina dog food brand.
This is definitely not one of the best and we give it a big thumbs down. Your dog deserves the best nutrition, work with your veterinarian to pick a nutritionally solid dog food that works in your budget.
Sources
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/alpo-dog-food-dry/
Sources
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/alpo-dog-food-dry/
