Wild Earth Dog Food Review [Vegan Perfection?]

Struggling to find a high-quality vegan dog food? Look no further than Wild Earth. This sustainable pet food company puts animals first by using online plant-based ingredients, leading to a cruelty-free and sustainable food that you and your pet will both feel good about.

Dogs can eat a surprisingly wide variety of foods, as long as they’re getting the right nutritional balance. This includes vegetables and grains, and dry dog food almost always contains such a plant-based carbohydrate component.

Related article: Can dogs eat eggplant?

Instead of traditional meat sources used by most dog food producers like chicken and beef, Wild Earth dog food gets its protein from fungi. Believe it or not, fungi have similar levels of protein to meat and contain all the essential nutrients your dog needs, such as amino acids. The recipes are created by scientists and veterinarians to ensure that all Wild Earth dog foods are nutritionally complete.

Fungi produce a much lower carbon footprint than meat-based protein sources and require no cruelty to animals. To take things one step further, Wild Earth refuses to use kennel animal testing on its products. There really isn’t anything not to like about this dog food brand.

Quality Of Ingredients

Wild Earth uses no animal ingredients in its dog food formulas, meaning all protein sources are entirely plant-based and sustainable. Shockingly, some dog foods that advertise themselves as plant-based still contain animal byproducts, which Wild Earth leaves out. But unlike many other plant-based dog food brands, Wild Earth dog food contains a very high protein content of over 30%, which is essential to a dog’s diet; most veterinarians recommend a diet that contains at least 25% protein.

Since there’s no meat in Wild Earth dog food, it’s also free from fillers, which are often leftover animal byproducts from meat production. Many store-bought dog foods use these ingredients, which often consist mostly of hooves, skin, bones, and other unwanted animal parts. They don’t have a ton of nutritional value for your dog but are used simply because they’re cheap. These mystery meats are not something you want to feed your dog every day.

When it comes to carbohydrate sources, you’ll find high-quality plants like sweet potatoes, oats, and chickpeas on the Wild Earth ingredients list. There’s no corn, soy, or rice in the formulas, which are all cheap but incredibly common fillers used in most popular dog foods. Wild Earth also avoids using artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, which can be bad for your dog’s long-term health.

Full Ingredients And Analysis

Analyzing the first 10 ingredients in a dog food is a great way to understand the overall nutrient content of the dog food because AAFCO requires all dog food ingredients to be listed in order of predominance by their weight. Here’s a closer look at what’s inside Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food:

Ingredients You May Wonder About:

Dried Yeast: The main source of protein in Wild Earth dog food, dried yeast is a sustainable plant-based energy source with 10 different amino acids. Dried yeast produces a savory taste similar to umami that your dog will enjoy.

Pea Protein: Isolated pea protein is a fantastic vegan protein supplement for your dog. The pea plant also provides the following vitamins and minerals: vitamins A, B, and K, magnesium, zinc, potassium, and iron. ^Reference

Oats: Oats are a complex carbohydrate that are very high in fiber. They will help keep your dog’s blood sugar levels stable and promote better digestion. Oats also contain vitamin B, which supports a healthy coat, and linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid for better skin.  ^Reference

Sweet Potato: This starchy root veggie often enjoyed by humans is also great as a carbohydrate source for your pup. Sweet potatoes contain fiber, beta-carotene, calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and B6. For this reason, they are found in many dog foods and treats. ^Reference

Chickpeas: Chickpeas are a legume that provide an additional source of plant-based protein. They also have a high fiber content, which is good for your dog’s digestion. ^Reference

Flaxseed Meal: Flax is a superfood often taken as a supplement due to its virtually unending health benefits. It contains omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids, and has anti-inflammatory properties thanks to its lignan content. Of course, flax is also high in fiber. ^Reference

Canola Oil: This common cooking oil is also a surprising source of nutrients for canines. Canola oil contains a much higher omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio than other oils, the consumption of which can lead to a healthier skin and coat, better immune system, and healthier joints. ^Reference

Sunflower Oil: Sunflower oil is just another great source of omega-6 fatty acids. Keep that shiny skin and coat coming! ^Reference

Marine Microalgae: Marine microalgae is a federally-approved dog food additive that contains omega-6 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Studies have shown that this supplement can improve cognitive function in older dogs. ^Reference

Blueberries: Blueberries are a great treat for dogs. They’re high in antioxidants and low in calories, and contain a long list of important vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. ^Reference

Cranberries: Cranberries are just one more source of vitamins and minerals, including fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. ^Reference

Pumpkin: Not only is pumpkin a good source of fiber, it also helps with urinary and digestive health as well as healthy weight maintenance. ^Reference

Spinach: While dogs shouldn’t eat raw spinach alone, when processed correctly it can be highly advantageous in small amounts. Spinach contains iron, beta-carotene, vitamins A, B, C, and K, and cancer-fighting antioxidants. ^Reference

Wild Earth Taste Test

One thing you’re probably wondering – will dogs eat yeast dog food? In my testing – you bet! I gave both of my dogs a taste of Wild Earth and they were both excited and ready for more.

The dog food appears to have a very similar consistency to regular dog food, but maybe a bit lighter and less dense per kibble. The smell isn’t anything too remarkable (not like some fish-based dog foods which can be quite stinky), and my dogs seemed to enjoy everything about it.

Wild Earth Dog Food Product Line

Currently, Wild Earth offers a limited product line, with just one type of dog food and one type of treats available. The brand focuses on quality over quantity to bring you the best possible food for your pet.

Clean Protein Dog Food

Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food is the brand’s vegan, yeast-based dog food with no animal ingredients, preservatives, antibiotics, hormones, corn, soy, or rice. It’s currently available in two different sizes: 4 lbs and 18 lbs. It’s a dry kibble-style food with a 31% protein content that comes primarily from yeast.

Superfood Dog Treats with Koji

If you’re feeding your dog Wild Earth Clean Protein Dog Food, you don’t want to undo all those health benefits by feeding him a store-bought dog treat with meat, fillers, and artificial ingredients. Wild Earth’s Superfood Dog Treats with Koji are a peanut butter-flavored treat made from the superfood Koji, a cultured protein often used to make soy sauce and miso. There are only 15 calories in each treat and they contain omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids as well as prebiotics for healthier digestion.

About Wild Earth

Wild Earth is a dog food company based in Berkeley, California. Founded in 2017, their primary mission is to create sustainable pet foods with a low carbon footprint and no animal cruelty. The founders were inspired by a UCLA study that determined the production of pet food purchased in the US releases 64 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.

They create their formulas around fungi-based proteins and other whole plant food sources that are better for both your dog and the planet.

The company gained notoriety when it appeared on Shark Tank, the popular reality competition TV show, in 2019. Wild Earth was offered $550,000 for a 10% stake in their company.

Where To Buy

Wild Earth dog foods are available online from their website as well as through Amazon. You may find that this brand is a bit pricier than the store-bought food you’ve been feeding your dog, but we think the quality of the ingredients makes it worth it.

But don’t worry; if you’re not happy with your Wild Earth dog food purchase, the company will give you a full refund without any questions thanks to their Happiness Guarantee. You also have the opportunity to save 20% on every order by signing up for Club Wild, the subscription service that delivers your dog’s food every 30 days with free shipping and easy rescheduling or cancellation. Order away!