There are many dog foods available, making it difficult to choose the right food for your pet. It is an important decision as the dog’s diet can have a significant impact on their overall health. I am here to help. You may choose between Nutro and Purina Pro Plan.
Because of its diversity, non-GMO ingredients and natural ingredients, Nutro is better than Purina Pro plan. It also has a commitment to sustainability with the consumers.
Let’s have a look at the differences between these dog foods, and then discuss why Nutro is the best overall choice. You can make your dog happy by giving them food they love and making them feel good.
These two dog foods are worth a look. Click here to find Purina Pro PlanandNutro on Amazon.com
Why Nutro is Better
Both these brands make high-quality dog food, but Nutro is a better choice. Their ingredients are all-natural, non-GMO and they offer more options than Purina Pro Plan. They are also committed to ethical and sustainable business practices.
These are reasons Nutro is better for your dog than Purina’s Pro Plan.
Nutro adheres to their Feed Clean philosophy. This ensures that the recipes they create are honest and reliable. Nutro is proud of its ingredients. They guarantee that they are not GMO-free and nutrient rich. Nutro does not add artificial flavors, preservatives or colors to its food. Nutro is so confident with their recipes, they have a complete ingredient glossary on the website. It lists every ingredient in each recipe and explains why it was chosen. These ingredients are not very nutritious for dogs and are often used in Purina Pro Plan formulas. Nutro offers more options. While both companies offer a wide range of products, Nutro has 54 dry dog food recipes to choose from. Purina Pro Plan offers 53, while Nutro has 45 wet dog foods to choose from. Purina Pro Plan offers 43. Nutro also offers 12 different varieties of dog treats. Purina Pro plan doesn’t offer any. Nutro has more. Nutro offers a variety of formulas, including chicken, lamb and beef. However, Nutro also has venison meal and duck meals. Purina Pro plan and Nutro both offer wet and dry dog foods. However, Nutro offers a variety of textures, such as gravy, gravy-based cuts, gravy-based filets, stews, pate, and gravy-based cutlets. You can be certain that your dog will love Nutro’s Healthy weight formulas. Nutro’s Healthy weight recipes are rich in healthy nutrients and contain less fats and sugars. They also taste great! Nutro is committed to sustainability. Nutro works with suppliers who have set climate impact targets. They also source barley from farmers who reduce soil disturbance and encourage water usage efficiency. Nutro gets 100% of its electricity from wind power. Nutro buys wind power from Texas farms to reduce their carbon footprint. Nutro also packages their food in clean packaging. Another win for environmentally-conscious shoppers is that all wet dog food cans are 100% recyclable. Nutro promises that all packaging will be 100% recyclable or reusable by 2025. Nutro periodically assesses its factories to make sure they are ethically operating. This includes fair compensation and benefits as well as reasonable work hours and workers’ overall health.
Nutro has a major drawback: the price. Purina Pro Plan dry dog food is approximately 20 cents cheaper than Nutro dry dog foods. Even more drastic is the difference in wet dog food prices. Purina Pro Plan wet food is more expensive than Nutro wet food.
Purina Pro plan may be a better option if you have a tight budget. Purina Pro Plan, even though Nutro is my favorite brand, is still high-quality and makes great dog food so your pet will be content.
Nutro can be a good choice if you have the budget. Nutro can be bought in bulk to save money and most of their food is available in 40-pound bags (18.14-kg).
Purina Pro Plan is also recommended if your dog is very active and you are looking for food that will support this lifestyle. Purina Pro Plan offers their Sport line, while Nutro does not.
You should also know that Purina Pro Plan dog foods typically have more crude protein or fat than similar Nutro food. Nutro has better ingredients so I’d still choose Nutro. Nutro contains more crude fiber.
Let’s now look at each one in greater detail, beginning with the similarities.
Basic Similarities: Purina PRO Plan vs Nutro
Purina Pro Plan dog food offers over 80 options that can be customized to fit your dog’s needs. You can also use the Purina My Plan feature for expert advice on choosing the right food for your dog. You can choose from dry or wet dog food, with real meat as the main ingredient.
Nutro also offers a variety of natural dry and wet dog food options that can be customized to fit your dog’s needs. You can also choose a food based on its texture or flavor.
Both brands allow you to personalize your dog’s look and needs.
Let’s look at the most sought-after Purina Pro Plan or Nutro food products on Amazon.com.
The Purina Pro Plan Adult is the most popular dry dog food for adult dogs.
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There are many flavors to choose from in this line, including:
Giant BreedSmall BreedToy breedWeight Management
Particularly interesting is the Adult Shredded Blend Chicken and Rice. Its main ingredients include:
ChickenRiceWhole-grain wheatPoultry by-product mealSoybean mealCorn gluten mealWhole-grain cornDried eggFish mealNatural flavorSoybean oil
These ingredients are not controversial. The third most common ingredient, wheat is not ideal because it doesn’t provide much nutritional value to dogs.
These are the most popular Purina Pro Plan recipes:
Pro Plan for Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Salmon and RicePro plan Adult Shredded Chicken and RicePro plan Sport All Life Stages Performance 30/20 Rice and ChickenPro Plan Adult Large Breed Chickens and RiceProplan Adult Shredded Lamb and Rice
Purina Pro Plan Pros & Cons
ProsConsMeat is the number one ingredientLow in calciumHigh-quality ingredients Corn is one of the main ingredients in some of the formulas, which can cause digestive issues for some dogs, especially large breedsProtein-richPurina Pro Plan is not recall-freeSuitable for dogs of all ages and breedsSome formulas give dogs bad breathDogs like the tasteAffordableHigh in vitamins and minerals, including fish oilDogs experience fewer rashes and itching
Purina has been making dog food for more than 100 years. This gives them a lot of experience. Purina was also the first to use real meat in dog food, and they continue to do so to this day.
Purina Pro Plan offers dog food for all life stages and any breed. Owners can choose food for puppies and senior dogs as well as food for adults. Some of the dog food is also suitable for healthy dogs of all ages.
Purina Pro Plan includes many product lines that allow you to personalize your food choices. These include:
Development PuppyEssentialsSpecializedSportSeniorSavorSavory MealsFocusBright Mind
These are the most popular: Focus, Savor and Sport.
Bright Mind. This is the best food for senior dogs. Focus is a food that helps older dogs stay sharp and healthy. This food is for dogs who are suffering from obesity or other health issues. Sport. This grain-free food is great for dogs who are very active.
The most popular adult dog food is Nutro Natural Choice Adult chicken & brown rice
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These are the key ingredients:
ChickenBrewers riceChicken mealWholegrain brown riceWholegrain barleyWholegrain sorghumChicken oilRice branWhole FlaxseedChicken fatRice BranWholegrain barleyWholegrain sorghumChicken meatPotassium chlorideCitric AcidChicken seedDried plainbeet pulpPotassium phosphateCitric acidChicken seedDried coconutDried tomato pomaceDried pumpkinDried spinach
This food has meat as the main ingredient. However, there are other superfoods your dog can benefit from. You can also purchase the food in different sizes: bags ranging from 5-pound to 40-pound (2.26 to 18.14 kg), so you can get exactly what you need.
These are the top Nutro foods:
Nutro Wholesome essentials AdultNutro Superfood PlateNutro Wholesome Vitals Healthy WeightNutro Wholesomeessens Small Breed
Nutro Pros & Cons
ProsConsA wide range of optionsNot as many options to choose from for puppiesEthically and sustainably sourced ingredientMore costly, especially for wet dogsFresh, locally-sourced, non-GMO ingredientsMore options for dogs with food allergies/food sensitivitiesLots more options for overweight dogsHealthy Weight formulas are great options
Nutro was originally an independent pet food manufacturer. Mars, Incorporated purchased it in 2007. All products are made in America: dry foods are manufactured in California and Tennessee, while wet foods can be found in Ohio, Arkansas and South Dakota.
Nutro, a premium brand of dog food, makes food using non-GMO ingredients. They have also introduced rigorous GMO testing in order to ensure their food contains only the finest ingredients.
They do not use artificial flavors or colors in any of their recipes. Their products are free from wheat and soy, which means that there is less gluten. Flaxseed, sweet potatoes and chickpeas are some of the side ingredients that they use to supplement their food.
The following flavors are available to dog owners:
ChickenLambBeefFishDuckTurkeyVenison mealTrio of proteins (chicken, lamb, and salmon)
You can also choose from these lines:
Natural Choice. These food formulations contain antioxidants which allow for healthy digestion for dogs aged one to five years. These food formulas also contain omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which can help your dog have healthy skin. So simple. Nutro Ultra. The foods contain a combination of salmon, chicken, and lamb for protein. They also include a superfood medley that includes brown rice, flaxseeds, tomatoes, blueberries, and other foods. These foods do not contain any ingredients dogs may be allergic to such as chicken, beef and soy. These formulas instead use lamb as the main source of protein.
Dog owners can then distinguish between their breeds, regardless of whether they are a small, medium, or large.
To go even further, Nutro offers different textures:
Cuts in gravyFilets In GravyHearty stewsLoaf/pate
Closer Look at Ingredients
If you don’t understand what good and bad ingredients for your dog, the above-mentioned ingredients may not be very important to you. Let’s talk about some of the most popular ingredients in dog food and how they can affect your dog’s health.
Chicken. Chicken is a great protein source for dogs, so chicken or chicken meal is a good indicator. You should only use chicken meat and not include any organs. Nutro and Purina Pro Plan offer lamb-based dog foods. Lamb is high in protein, but it’s also lean and has less fat, making it an excellent choice for obese dogs. Many of the recipes from both companies feature salmon. Brown rice. Flaxseed is a good source of fiber that promotes healthy digestion. Flaxseed is a good source of fiber that supports healthy skin. Canola oil also contains lignans which protect the heart and prevent cancer. Canola oil. Dogs need to eat healthy fats and oils to maintain their skin and coat health. Sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are loved by dogs for their delicious flavor. They also provide dietary fiber as well as vitamins. Sweet potatoes can cause yeast infections in dogs. These beans are high in protein, potassium and magnesium and are well-known for aiding digestion. Nutro offers foods that are made with duck. Duck is a simple-to-digest, digestible protein that dogs love. It’s especially great for sensitive stomachs. You can also get duck meal from Nutro. This is a Nutro option. Venison meal is an excellent source of protein and can be used to manage their energy levels. Venison is rich in vitamin B, iron and zinc. Turkey is good for dogs as it contains a lot of nutrients, including protein and phosphorus. People try to feed their dogs leftover turkey, because turkey can cause digestive problems.
Let’s talk about the ingredients Nutro won’t use in any of its recipes, but which Purina Pro Plan still uses for some formulas.
Chicken by-product meal. By-product meals are made from leftovers from the poultry and meat industries. This can reduce the nutritional value of the protein source. Corn is also a common pet dislike. Corn is technically safe to feed dogs, and has some health benefits. However, it is often seen as a cheap way for dogs to consume more calories. Nutro believes in making every calorie count nutritious so they avoid adding corn to their food. Although wheat is technically allowed for dogs, dogs can develop food sensitivities to wheat if they consume too much. Soy. Soybeans grown in the US are often genetically modified. This makes them an obvious no-no for Nutro food. Glyphosate can be harmful to your dog’s digestive system. Dogs who eat too much soy are more likely to experience gas, diarrhea, or bloating.
You now have the information you need to make an informed decision about what dog food you should buy. Although Purina Pro Plan contains more questionable ingredients that Nutro, your dog should be fine as long as they are eating according to their recommendations.
Purina Pro Plan History and Nutro Recall History
Both companies have had product recalls. Let’s look at each company’s past before you make a decision. Below is a table that summarizes the recall information.
CompanyRecallPurinaMarch 10, 2016The company recalled some Purina Pro Plan wet dog food because it didn’t have enough vitamins and mineralsPurina August 30, 2013Purina voluntarily recalled 3.5-pound bags of Purina One Beyond due to possible Salmonella bacteriaNutro December 2015Nutro recalled some of their treats because of potential moldNutro October 2009Nutro recalled some of its dry dog food because there was plastic found in the production lineNutro March 2007Various dog foods were recalled because of melamine
This doesn’t mean these companies can’t be trusted. However, it is nice to know these things before making a decision about dog food. These brands don’t recall any dog food.
The Farmer’s Dog FoodOpen FarmPetplate Dog FoodOllie Dog FoodNom Nom Dog Food
Last Thoughts
Purina Pro Plan as well as Nutro can be high-quality dog food that is suitable for all breeds. Nutro, however, is more committed in using non-GMO, natural ingredients that are ethically and sustainably sourced. Nutro offers more options for dogs who have special needs, such as dogs with food allergies and sensitivities. Nutro may be more expensive, but you get more for your money.
