Wainwright’s dog food is an all-natural, UK-based brand of pet food that is marketed as a healthier alternative to other commercial dog foods.
Alternatives to Wainwright’s Dog Food that are all-natural, highly-rated, and designed to improve overall health include dog food brands such as:
- James Wellbeloved
- Harrington’s
- Luna & Me
- Able
- Poppy’s Picnic
- Lily’s Kitchen
- Arden Grange
- Paleo Plus
- AATU
These alternatives feature the same health benefits, such as being all-natural, hypoallergenic, or grain-free. Customers who want more affordable food, experience negative side effects, or simply try a different brand have options both within and outside of UK-exclusive pet brands.
Wainwright’s is marketed as premium dog food and has a large number of positive reviews lend credence to this. However, there are also pet owners who have experienced problems with this brand, potentially complicating its claims of superior quality.
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Is Wainwright’s Dog Food Any Good?
Wainwright’s dog food claims it only uses ingredients that are “nutritious, delicious, easily digested and hypoallergenic.” It also boasts that no additives are used, which is confirmed in its nutrition and analysis breakdown: no technological or sensory additives are listed, though nutritional additives such as vitamins and trace elements are used.
Its description and marketing present it as a healthy brand for pet parents who are looking for the following qualities in their dog food:
- All-natural
- Hypoallergenic
- Grain-free
- No additives
- No artificial derivatives
- No fillers
- No by-products
Reviews and analyses of the food corroborate these claims. The ingredients are clearly labeled, and there are no reports of owners having problems with the nutritional makeup and/ or ingredients of the food. That is, though they may have experienced other problems, none of them have claimed that the food is not hypoallergenic or that it doesn’t have a high protein content.
Additionally, even the negative reviews state that the dog readily ate the food and appeared to enjoy it.
Wainwright Dog Food Reviews: Pros and Cons
Commonly listed benefits to this brand include:
- Improved overall health – owners with dogs that suffer from a variety of health issues, including allergies and sensitive stomachs, reported that their dogs could eat this food without suffering from adverse side effects relating to their conditions
- Improved physical appearance – owners said that their dogs had healthier/ shinier coats, less brittle nails, and an overall improved appearance when on this dog food, often accompanied by an increase in energy
- High meat content – owners were pleased that each type of this dog food had a high percentage of meat in it; the first ingredient, which denotes the ingredient that makes up the highest percentage of the food, is meat in all of the offered types
- Healthy ingredients – owners were happy with the ingredients used in this brand, making it a safe and healthy alternative for pets with special dietary needs and medical issues; owners were also happy that this brand is commercially available and does not require a veterinary prescription
Commonly listed drawbacks to this brand include:
- Increased bowel movements and urination – owners reported their pets going to the bathroom significantly more on this food, which in some cases caused additional medical or housebreaking issues.
- Increased water intake – owners noticed their dogs drank significantly more water when on this food, which likely contributed to the frequent urination listed above; in some cases, this caused additional housebreaking issues.
- Expensive pricing/ price increases – owners cited the price as being too high, too high as compared to the value, and/ or too high as a result of the recommended feeding amounts, which forced owners to more frequently buy this food as compared to other brands.
- Use of rapeseed oil – owners disliked the use of the ingredient rapeseed oil as opposed to fish oil or other animal fats; the ingredient contains a high uric acid content, which is a health risk and known to be toxic at high levels.
What Company Makes Wainwright’s Dog Food?
Wainwright’s dog food is an own-brand produced by Pets at Home, a popular and growing pet chain. Originally founded in 1991, it has since grown into a prominent chain. It lists itself as being the UK’s “leading pet care business” and says it “[provides] everything a pet owner needs to be able to look after their pet.” Current statistics that demonstrate its prevalence in the UK include the fact that it has:
- Over 400 stores
- Over 700,000 subscription members
- Over four million VIP club members
Besides producing its own lines of food and supplies, Pets at Home also offers the following services in its stores:
- Vets4Pets – the “largest small animal veterinary services group in the UK,” with in-store and standalone locations
- The Groom Room – salons that offer dog grooming services, including baths, haircuts, nail clipping, and microchipping
- Specialist Division – a “state of the art” referral hospital that provides “world-class, cutting edge veterinary medicine.”
What Is The Best Affordable Dry Dog Food?
Based on reviews from the same websites used to rate Wainwright’s, the following five dog food brands were all consistently highly recommended and listed as affordable:
Harrington’s
Harringtons Adult Dog Food here on Amazon!
This brand provides excellent value for money and is also grain-free and gentle on a dog’s digestive system. This makes it ideal for pet owners that need a healthy but affordable pet food option. However, strong odors are associated with the kibble.
Luna & Me
This brand is all-natural and has a high meat content, as well as being hypoallergenic. It prices out to roughly £1.32 per day, which is average for many quality pet food brands.
Able
Besides being affordable and available in a variety of grain-free and healthy forms, this brand has also been certified nutritionally complete and meets dietary guidelines set forth by the FEDIAF and/or AAFCO.
Lily’s Kitchen
Lily’s Kitchen Breakfast food Dog Food here on Amazon!
Both hypoallergenic and grain-free, this dog food contains only natural ingredients. It’s favored for its use of proper meat, not meat meal rendered meat. It also offers an immune system boost and bone and joint support.
Arden Grange
Arden Grange Classic food Dog Food here on Amazon!
This hypoallergenic brand is commonly listed as a great compromise between premium ingredients and cost. It only uses quality meat ingredients and contains FOS and MOS probiotics, but is friendly for most budgets.
Is Grain-Free Food Good For Dogs?
As pet owners search for alternative brands that are better for their pets, they often turn towards natural pet foods. After all, natural foods are way better than processed foods for humans, so the same should be true for dogs, right? In general, this is true, and grain-free dog food has many benefits, including:
- Contains high protein content and low or no filler content
- Helps maintain a healthy weight and overall digestive health
- Provides relief for allergies and other medical conditions
- Solves coat and skin-related issues, such as itchiness and dry skin
However, grain-free dog food is not necessarily guaranteed to be better. Owners should still closely examine the ingredients list. A brand may not have grains, but that doesn’t mean fillers and by-products are likewise absent. For example, if “chicken meal” is the first ingredient rather than “poultry,” then that brand probably isn’t as healthy as it seems.
It’s also important to note that the preliminary research from the FDA found a relationship between grain-free and BEG (boutique, exotic, grain-free) diets and the development of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and other heart conditions. But keep in mind, this research does not necessarily indicate that grain-free diets cause DCM, and the research also stated that it was BEG diets (boutique, exotic, grain-free diets) that were related, not exclusively grain-free diets.
For further dietary and brand considerations, pet owners can also reference the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Global Nutrition Committee’s recommendations on selecting pet foods.
Choosing the Best Food for Your Dog
Wainwright’s dog food is a popular and healthy grain-free and all-natural brand, though it is by no means the only pet food that meets these qualifications. There are a variety of brands that aid in digestive health, are affordable, and are favored by pet parents.
