So, your vet has just advised you that your dog should go on a grain-free or limited grain diet as it is either allergic or sensitive to the grains in its food…now what?
The world of dog food is complicated enough without throwing an allergy or sensitivity into the mix. Lucky for you, there are many fantastic dog food companies out there that can cater to your dog’s allergy. Two of the biggest contenders are Wag and Taste of the Wild.
Truth be told, these brands are very similar in a lot of ways. Both manufacture high-quality wet and dry dog foods with grain-sensitive and grain-inclusive options. One offers entirely grain-free recipes while the other prides itself on its no added grain recipes. Which will be best for your pup?
Keep reading to find our thorough breakdown of both brands and their products so you can determine which food will be best for your pooch.
A Sneak Peek at the Winner: Taste of the Wild
Best Overall: Taste of the Wild High Prairie
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Real meat as the first ingredient
Promotes digestive health
Helps to absorb nutrients efficiently
Boosts skin health
Runner Up: Wag No Added Grains Salmon
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Real meat as the first ingredient
Antioxidant-rich formula
No added grains
No artificial preservatives
The winner of our comparison:
Check Latest PriceChoosing a winner between these two brands was difficult, but we believe Taste of the Wild has more to offer consumers. Not only do they have many more protein sources and flavor options, but their products are more easily accessible and widely available than Wag’s. Taste of the Wild also has several more years on Wag, which gives them a bit more of an edge.
We found three Taste of the Wild recipes that stood out to us:
Taste of the Wild High Prairie
Taste of the Wild Ancient Prairie with Ancient Grains
Taste of the Wild PREY Angus Beef
About Wag
Real meat as the first ingredient
Promotes digestive health
Helps to absorb nutrients efficiently
Boosts skin health
- Real meat as the first ingredient
- Promotes digestive health
- Helps to absorb nutrients efficiently
- Boosts skin health
Real meat as the first ingredient
Antioxidant-rich formula
No added grains
No artificial preservatives
- Real meat as the first ingredient
- Antioxidant-rich formula
- No added grains
- No artificial preservatives
Taste of the Wild High Prairie
Taste of the Wild Ancient Prairie with Ancient Grains
Taste of the Wild PREY Angus Beef
- Taste of the Wild High Prairie
- Taste of the Wild Ancient Prairie with Ancient Grains
- Taste of the Wild PREY Angus Beef
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Availability & Accessibility
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Product Line-Up
Unlike other big-name brands, Wag doesn’t have officially separate product lines. They manufacture both wet and dry foods. Their dry food products fall into one of two categories: grain-inclusive or no added grains. Their canned food is available in stew and pate forms and also claims to have no added grains.
Wag also has a very large line-up of dog treats that include human-grade dog biscuits, dental chews, jerky, and training treats. They also manufacture their own line of probiotic supplement chews.
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About Taste of the Wild
Taste of the Wild prides itself on being a family-owned brand. Their pet food is manufactured in six facilities throughout the United States. The goal of this company has always been to provide complete nutrition for cats and dogs that their inner wolf or mountain lion would crave.
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The company’s website is very informative and simple to navigate. It’s full of detailed information regarding their food lines, ingredients, and quality assurance.
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Taste of the Wild has three dry food lines for dogs. These include their standard grain-free Taste of the Wild Recipes, Taste of the Wild Ancient Grain recipes, and their PREY Limited Ingredient recipes.
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Taste of the Wild’s grain-free line-up features vegetables, legumes, and fruits in place of grains to support your dog’s health and well-being. They also implement dried chicory root into their recipes for probiotic fiber and digestive health.
Taste of the Wild’s Ancient Grain recipes feature roasted and smoked proteins and ancient grains like millet and quinoa. These grains are naturally high in fiber and protein to provide your pooch with a variety of nutrients.
The PREY Limited Ingredient line-up focuses on providing the modern dog with a diet their wild ancestors may have eaten. They feature four key ingredients—animal protein, lentils, tomato pomace, and sunflower oil.
The 3 Most Popular Wag Dog Food Recipes
Let’s take a look at Wag’s three most popular formulas in a bit more detail:
1. Wag No Added Grains Salmon
Check Latest PriceWag’s No Added Grain formulas are available in five flavors, including chicken, beef, lamb, salmon, and turkey. A puppy-specific recipe with no added grains is also available.
Each of these recipes features real meat as the first ingredient to provide a hefty dose of high-quality protein your dog needs for muscle maintenance and growth. They are chock full of nutritious vegetables like lentils and peas to give your dog a dose of vitamins and antioxidants. The formulas also contain salmon oil and flaxseeds for omega-3 fatty acids.
There are no added grains or wheat added to the recipes, and they are all formulated without artificial colors or chemical preservatives.
Wag’s no added grains formulas do contain peas which are a controversial ingredient as peas may be contributing to a rise in diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
2. Wag Wholesome Grains Salmon
Check Latest PriceWag’s grain-inclusive dry food recipes include flavors such as beef, chicken, lamb, and salmon, and as with their grain-free line-up, they are also available in a puppy formula.
These recipes feature real meat as the main ingredient and are made without any meat by-product meal or artificial flavoring. They contain added calcium and phosphorus to promote bone and teeth health as well as glucosamine to support your dog’s joints. The recipes are formulated with additional antioxidants as well to boost your dog’s immune system and fats like DHA to promote brain function.
These recipes do not list peas as an ingredient and are formulated to meet the nutrition levels for all life stages, including large-size dogs.
Pros
For all ages and breed sizes
No meat by-product meal
Supports joint health
Provides immune system boost
Cons
Doesn’t agree with every dog’s stomach
3. Wag Wet Chicken & Vegetable Stew
Check Latest PriceWag’s wet food line-up is available in both stew and pate form and in three different flavors. Their Chicken & Vegetable Stew Recipe is among one of their most popular canned food offerings.
This recipe is made with real meat, and the first three ingredients are meat-based (beef broth, beef, and chicken). The stew features carrots and peas as well as chunks of meat in a savory gravy sauce that most dogs find enticing.
For all ages and breed sizes
No meat by-product meal
Supports joint health
Provides immune system boost
- For all ages and breed sizes
- No meat by-product meal
- Supports joint health
- Provides immune system boost
Doesn’t agree with every dog’s stomach
- Doesn’t agree with every dog’s stomach
This food has no added grains and is made without artificial flavor or color.
This recipe does contain peas as one of the first few ingredients.
Pros
First ingredients are meat-based
Enticing aroma and texture
No added flavors or preservatives
Affordable price
Cons
First ingredient is broth and not meat
Contains peas
The 3 Most Popular Taste of the Wild Dog Food Recipes
Now that you know some of Wag’s most popular recipes, let’s see how they stack up against Taste of the Wild’s best options.
First ingredients are meat-based
Enticing aroma and texture
No added flavors or preservatives
Affordable price
- First ingredients are meat-based
- Enticing aroma and texture
- No added flavors or preservatives
- Affordable price
First ingredient is broth and not meat
Contains peas
- First ingredient is broth and not meat
- Contains peas
1. Taste of the Wild High Prairie
Check Latest PriceTaste of the Wild’s High Prairie recipe is, by far, their best seller. This recipe’s flavor is roasted bison and venison, and its ingredients suggest that it contains several protein sources, including water buffalo, lamb, and chicken.
This recipe features vitamins and minerals from real superfoods and fruit as well as omega-fatty acids to promote skin and coat health. Taste of the Wild’s K9 Strain Proprietary Probiotics is added to this kibble recipe to support a healthy immune system and promote digestive health.
As with Wag’s grain-free formula, Taste of the Wild’s High Prairie recipe does contain peas.
Pros
Real meat as the first ingredient
Promotes digestive health
Helps to absorb nutrients efficiently
Boosts skin health
Cons
Contains peas
2. Taste of the Wild Ancient Prairie with Ancient Grains
Check Latest PriceThis recipe is one of Taste of the Wild’s fiber-rich grain-inclusive recipes. It features real meat (water buffalo) as the main ingredient as well as pork and chicken as the next two ingredients. This unique blend provides your pup with a highly digestible protein source.
This recipe features a blend of fatty acids to support your dog’s skin health and promote a shiny and healthy coat. The ancient grains and fruits in the recipe work together to provide nutrients your dog needs to thrive and to support his overall health.
Contains peas
- Contains peas
Pros
Fiber-rich
Promotes digestive health
Boosts immune system
Grain-inclusive
High in protein
Cons
Pricy
3. Taste of the Wild PREY Angus Beef
Check Latest PriceOf all Taste of the Wild’s PREY limited ingredient formulas, the Angus Beef recipe is the most popular. This food features protein-rich Angus beef as the first ingredient to help your dog build strong muscles. It is made with very few ingredients to promote digestion and features just four key ingredients including beef, lentils, tomato pomace, and sunflower oil.
This recipe is formulated with a unique blend of proprietary probiotics to aid in digestion as well as omega fatty acids to boost skin and coat health.
Fiber-rich
Promotes digestive health
Boosts immune system
Grain-inclusive
High in protein
- Fiber-rich
- Promotes digestive health
- Boosts immune system
- Grain-inclusive
- High in protein
Pricy
- Pricy
Lentils are a potentially controversial ingredient alongside peas.
Pros
Great for digestive health
No artificial colors or preservatives
Made with limited ingredients
High in protein
Cons
High in carbohydrates
Recall History of Wag and Taste of the Wild
Wag has no recall history whatsoever.
Taste of the Wild on the other hand has had one big recall. A manufacturer-wide recall in May 2012 involved thousands of units of Taste of the Wild dog food. Salmonella was the reason behind the recall and it caused many pets and people to fall ill.
Great for digestive health
No artificial colors or preservatives
Made with limited ingredients
High in protein
- Great for digestive health
- No artificial colors or preservatives
- Made with limited ingredients
- High in protein
High in carbohydrates
- High in carbohydrates
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Wag vs Taste of the Wild Comparison
Flavors
Taste of the Wild has a wider selection of recipe flavors that includes exotic meats such as bison, wild boar, fowl, and venison. Wag’s recipes are available in classic flavors such as beef and chicken. If your dog thrives on variety, they’ll have many more options from Taste of the Wild.
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Taste of the Wild is the winner in terms of flavor options.
Nutritional Value
It was difficult to compare both brands in terms of nutritional value since they’re so alike.
Both brands feature some type of protein source as the first ingredient in all their recipes, and neither claim to use artificial colors or preservatives in the formula of their food. They both add vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to their recipes and don’t use meat by-products.
We found that Taste of the Wild was more transparent with its ingredients than Wag. Their website is much more detailed about what goes into each recipe and why the ingredients were chosen. Wag is limited to what information they share, which works against them in this category.
Taste of the Wild is the winner in terms of nutritional value.
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Price
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Comparing both brands’ grain-inclusive dry food formulas, Wag’s 30-pound Lamb recipe costs $1.65 per pound compared to Taste of the Wilds’ 28-pound Ancient Prairie recipe at $1.96 per pound. So, while Wag is the winner in terms of price per pound for their dry food, they certainly don’t win by a landslide.
Looking at both brands’ wet food formulas, a 12-can case of Wag’s Turkey & Potato Stew recipe rings in at $2.56 per pound, while Taste of the Wild’s 12-can Duck recipe is $3.41 per pound.
Wag is the clear winner in terms of price.
Selection
Both Wag and Taste of the Wild manufacture grain-inclusive dry food, though this doesn’t seem to be either of their specialties.
Wag’s food does not explicitly state that it is grain-free; instead, its listings say that its food features “no added grains” which we’ve taken to mean that it is not a grain-free food.
Taste of the Wild has 21 different dog food recipes to choose from (16 dry and 5 wet) compared to Wag’s 17 recipes (11 dry and 6 wet).
Wag manufacturers a wide range of treats, whereas Taste of the Wild doesn’t offer any treats at all. Wag also has a probiotic supplement for dogs in soft chew form.
Both Wag and Taste of the Wild have puppy-specific and breed size-specific formulas.
It is a tie in terms of product selection.
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Overall
It was incredibly difficult to declare a winner since both Wag and Taste of the Wild each won a category and tied in others. Ultimately, we had to go with Taste of the Wild, not only because they’ve been around longer than Wag, but because they are more transparent with their ingredients and have a wider range of flavors. Not to mention, they are much easier to find both online and in stores.
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Conclusion
Taste of the Wild provides high-quality nutrition based on your dog’s ancestral diet. They utilize many different protein sources in their recipes and offer both grain-free and grain-inclusive options. Their website is very thorough and easy to navigate, which makes researching their products very easy and convenient.
Though Taste of the Wild is the winner in our books, it doesn’t mean that Wag isn’t a fantastic dog food option. If you’re on a tighter budget or if your dog doesn’t specifically need grain-free food, Wag might wind up working better for you.
Choosing either brand ensures your pooch is getting the high-quality nutrition it needs to thrive.
See also: Kirkland Dog Food vs Blue Buffalo: What to Choose?
Featured Image Credit: cottonbro, Unsplash
