With so many pet foods on the market, it can be daunting to choose the right one for your dog. Naturally, we want the best for our pups, but the sheer number of brands, ingredients, options, and more can lead to stress and confusion.
What’s good? What’s bad? Which is better? We did the hard work for you and compared two popular brands: Victor Dog Food and Purina Pro Plan. Find out which one came out on top!
A Sneak Peek at the Winner: Purina Pro Plan
Image Product Details
Purina Pro Plan High Protein Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula
High protein
Mix of hard and soft bites
Probiotics for digestive health
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Purina Pro Plan Sport All Life Stages Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice
Ideal for active dogs
High protein and fat
EPA and glucosamine for joint health
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Purina Pro Plan is a long-established dog food brand and offers an array of different food formulas and recipes. From weight management to breed size, Purina Pro Plan has some of the most customized recipes and formulas to ensure that pet owners can choose the right nutrition for their pet without springing for an expensive, tailored meal plan. Some of our top picks are Purina Pro Plan High Protein Shredded Blend Chicken & Rice Formula with Probiotics Dry Dog Food and Purina Pro Plan Sport All Life Stages Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food.
About Victor Dog Food
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Victor Dog Food has been around since the 1940s and established its current brand in 2007. The brand’s headquarters are in Texas, and it sources its ingredients from trusted suppliers, local farms, and local ranches. Food is routinely tested for high standards.
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About Purina Pro Plan
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Purina Pro Plan is a recognizable brand producing quality dog food for nearly a century. The brand began in 1894 and set up its first care center in Missouri in 1926. Purina Pro Plan offers an array of formulas that support individual nutrition requirements and preferences, giving pet owners plenty of options. It’s also a favorite in the veterinary community.
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3 Most Popular Victor Dog Food Recipes
Pros
Beef, chicken, fish, and pork variety
Suitable for all life stages
Gluten-free grains
VPRO Blend for digestibility
Cons
May cause gas
May irritate allergies
Pros
Appropriate for all life stages and activity levels
VPRO for digestibility
81% meat protein
Cons
Quality control issues
Dogs may not like it
Pros
Premium beef as first ingredient
Gluten-free grains
Sourced in the US
Cons
May worsen allergies
Some dogs won’t eat it
This nutrient-dense formula uses high-quality beef, chicken, fish, and pork meals to give your dog variety in its nutrition and flavor. It’s complete and balanced for all life stages, including puppies and pregnant and lactating females. The formula contains grains, but all without gluten. The unique VPRO Blend promotes digestibility and immune function as well. All ingredients are sourced in the USA. Reviewers saw a range of results in their dogs, including gas and issues with allergies.
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Beef, chicken, fish, and pork variety
Suitable for all life stages
Gluten-free grains
VPRO Blend for digestibility
- Beef, chicken, fish, and pork variety
- Suitable for all life stages
- Gluten-free grains
- VPRO Blend for digestibility
May cause gas
May irritate allergies
- May cause gas
- May irritate allergies
This classic Victor formula is an all-around option for all life stages and activity levels. The food is fortified with vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, protein, and amino acids. Like the previous recipe, this formula features high-quality beef, chicken, and pork with VPRO Blend for digestibility. Sporting dogs, puppies, and pregnant and lactating females get the nutrition they need from this food. All ingredients are sourced and manufactured in the USA, and the food contains roughly 81% meat protein. Reviewers complained of quality control issues, and many said their dogs didn’t enjoy the food.
Appropriate for all life stages and activity levels
VPRO for digestibility
81% meat protein
- Appropriate for all life stages and activity levels
- VPRO for digestibility
- 81% meat protein
Quality control issues
Dogs may not like it
- Quality control issues
- Dogs may not like it
This premium recipe is made with premium-quality beef meal as the first ingredient and gluten-free grains for dogs with sensitivity to gluten. Though the food is ideal for pups with normal activity levels, it offers complete and balanced nutrition for all life stages. The ingredients are sourced in the US from trusted suppliers, and the food is manufactured in the brand’s facilities. Similar to other recipes, several reviewers said the food made their dog’s allergies or sensitivities worse, and others said their dogs wouldn’t touch the food.
Premium beef as first ingredient
Gluten-free grains
Sourced in the US
- Premium beef as first ingredient
- Gluten-free grains
- Sourced in the US
May worsen allergies
Some dogs won’t eat it
- May worsen allergies
- Some dogs won’t eat it
3 Most Popular Purina Pro Plan Dog Food Recipes
Pros
High protein
Mix of hard and soft bites
Probiotics for digestive health
Cons
Quality control issues
Pros
Ideal for active dogs
High protein and fat
EPA and glucosamine for joint health
Cons
Quality control issues
May not be suitable for sedentary dogs
Pros
Formulated for sensitive skin and stomach
No wheat, soy, or poultry byproduct
Fatty acids and vitamin A for skin health
Probiotics for digestive health
Cons
Food has an odor
May cause excessive gas
This formula features real chicken as the first ingredient and rice as a carbohydrate source for energy. The food has a mix of hard kibble and tender bites to give your dog some variety and interest in its meals. Along with protein and carbohydrates, this formula has plenty of omega fatty acids for skin and coat health, vitamin A, and guaranteed live probiotics for digestive health. This particular formula does have complaints for quality control, however.
High protein
Mix of hard and soft bites
Probiotics for digestive health
- High protein
- Mix of hard and soft bites
- Probiotics for digestive health
Quality control issues
- Quality control issues
This formula is ideal for active dogs throughout adulthood and their senior years, such as hunting and sporting dogs. The blend contains 30% protein and 20% fat to care for your dog’s muscular and metabolic health. Amino acids provide essential nourishment to the muscles to help your dog recover from a tough workout. EPA and glucosamine are included to support mobility and joint health. Keep in mind that this food is intended for high-energy dogs, so it may have too much protein and fat for a more sedentary or older dog. It also has quality control issues.
Ideal for active dogs
High protein and fat
EPA and glucosamine for joint health
- Ideal for active dogs
- High protein and fat
- EPA and glucosamine for joint health
Quality control issues
May not be suitable for sedentary dogs
- Quality control issues
- May not be suitable for sedentary dogs
Many dogs struggle with skin allergies or sensitivities, and this formula is designed to support your dog’s nutritional needs without any ingredients likely to exacerbate skin or digestive problems. There’s no wheat, soy, or poultry by-product meal, and the inclusion of omega fatty acids and vitamin A support a healthy coat and joint mobility. The food also contains guaranteed live probiotics for digestive health. Reviewers complained of the smell of the food and said it caused severe gas in their dogs, however.
Formulated for sensitive skin and stomach
No wheat, soy, or poultry byproduct
Fatty acids and vitamin A for skin health
Probiotics for digestive health
- Formulated for sensitive skin and stomach
- No wheat, soy, or poultry byproduct
- Fatty acids and vitamin A for skin health
- Probiotics for digestive health
Food has an odor
May cause excessive gas
- Food has an odor
- May cause excessive gas
Recall History of Victor Dog Food and Purina Pro Plan
Even the best brands can have recalls, but a company with a lot of recalls can be a red flag. With recalls, Victor Dog Food is the winner. Throughout its 80-year history, the company has never had a recall. It has faced controversy over certain ingredients, but no ingredient or formula has been subject to a recall. This is a testament to the company’s standards.
Purina Pro Plan hasn’t had any recalls, either, but it has voluntarily recalled some Purina Pro Plan wet dog foods and the Beneful line, which is also owned by Purina. This was due to nutritional inadequacies and missing vitamins and minerals, as well as other quality issues.
Victor Dog Food VS Purina Pro Plan Comparison
Both Victor Dog Food and Purina Pro Plan have a lot of nutrition and quality to offer for dog owners, but each has its advantages and disadvantages. Check out this in-depth comparison of both brands according to specifics like nutritional value, price, and taste.
Taste
Short of tasting the foods ourselves, we have to go by the reviews from dog owners. Overall, Purina Pro Plan seems to be more enjoyable for the reviewers’ dogs. While both have plenty of animal protein and a mix of ingredients to enhance flavor, more reviewers noted their pups were picky about the food. Still, this can vary with different formulas and each individual dog.
Nutritional Value
Victor Dog Food and Purina Pro Plan offer complete and balanced nutrition in different formulas. The difference with Victor Dog Food is that while it says each formula is appropriate for dogs at all life stages, it lacks the variety and doesn’t offer as many options for puppies, senior dogs, weight management, and more as Purina Pro Plan. Despite different labels, many Victor Dog Food products offer similar nutritional value and ingredients.
Price
Depending on the specific recipe and product, Victor Dog Food and Purina Pro Plan have similar price points for comparable package sizes and weights. Each brand offers higher- or lower-priced options for different budgets, but overall, these are high-quality dog foods that are mid-range in cost and value. Grain-free recipes, novel proteins, and other formulations may impact the price.
Selection
Purina Pro Plan wins over Victor Dog Food when it comes to selection. Both brands have a huge selection of different protein sources, formulas, recipes, and product lines, but Purina Pro Plan offers more selection for breeds, size, and health conditions, such as weight management or sensitive skin and stomach.
Overall
Victor Dog Food and Purina Pro Plan come close in many categories, but Purina Pro Plan ultimately wins for its good brand reputation and variety. Purina Pro Plan is also favored by a lot of the veterinary community and the company has had no recalls other than voluntary recalls.
Conclusion
You can’t go wrong with either Victor Dog food or Purina Pro Plan, but the latter has the edge. With similar ingredient quality, brand stability and reputation, and recall history, Purina Pro Plan has the advantage with a huge variety of different food recipes and formulas to suit different nutritional needs. Overall, Purina Pro Plan also seems to be more enjoyable for the dogs, and we’ll take their word for it!
Sources
Love Your Dog FDA
Sources
Love Your Dog FDA
- Love Your Dog
- FDA
