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Choosing the right dog food is a hard decision for a pet owner. You want to provide your pup with the best food possible and hope that whatever brand you choose doesn’t do too much damage to your budget. But with so many food brands out there and each claiming to be better than another, comparing brands is incredibly difficult. That’s where we come in.
In this comparison, we look at two popular dog foods: American Journey and Taste of the Wild. Both are great choices for your pet, but it’s important for you as the owner to understand why. Read on to learn more about these popular pet food brands and the one that we think deserves to be the proverbial top dog.
A Sneak Peek at the Winner: American Journey
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In our opinion, American Journey is the winner of this comparison. This pet food by Chewy is designed to give your dog tons of tasty options, healthy ingredients, and well-balanced meals that dogs of all ages deserve. For you, the pet owner, you get the peace of mind that you can trust the company that you’re buying from, and you can get affordably priced foods that your dog will love.
One of its most popular options is American Journey Healthy Weight Grain-Free Dog Food. Your pup will think it tastes great, and it promotes activity and a healthy weight. Another of our faves is the American Journey Active Life Salmon and Brown Rice Dog Food. It’s packed with protein to help your pup get the nutrition that they need.
About American Journey
When comparing dog food brands, it is important to know a bit about their respective histories and what each offers. Let’s look at American Journey to discover more about its history and the foods that it wants to provide for canines.
American Journey History
American Journey is still considered a new kid on the block when it comes to dog food. That shouldn’t unnerve you when it comes to making this dog food part of your pet’s daily diet, however. Have you ever ordered anything for your pets from Chewy.com? If so, you’ve had interactions with the people who make American Journey, as the brand is owned by Chewy. Its goal is to provide pets with high-quality, tasty dog food while their owners can take advantage of the budget prices.
What American Journey Has to Offer
While the foods offered by American Journey are ideal for a pet parent’s budget, that doesn’t mean they are limited. The company offers three product lines: its standard kibble, its limited ingredient line, and the high-protein Landmark line. Inside these lines, you’ll find 22 adult kibbles in a wide range of flavors. You’ll also find senior dog formulas for maintaining an older dog’s health. American Journey also offers six puppy formulas for young and growing dogs. This is perfect for pet owners with pups in their care, as there are several options to choose from for a dog’s growing needs.
- Features a large product line inclusive to most dogs
- Affordable
- Made from quality ingredients
- Protein is the first ingredient
- Does not use any by-products
- Does not offer foods specific to small breeds
About Taste of the Wild
Now that we’ve taken a look at the history of American Journey and what it has to offer, let’s do the same with Taste of the Wild. This well-established pet food brand has been around for a while and deserves a chance to shine.
Taste of the Wild History
Just hearing the name Taste of the Wild may make you think of rare meat and other tasty options for your pet. Luckily, for dogs that love this food, it’s basically true. Taste of the Wild uses meats like buffalo, bison, and salmon in its foods. Does this mean it’s more expensive? Yes, it is but not by much.
One thing about the company is that it’s well-established. Taste of the Wild has been providing dogs with unique flavors since 2007. Its parent company, Diamond Pet Foods, has been in the pet food game since 1970. That’s a long run, even if it has been an up-and-down journey. Taste of the Wild was created as Diamond Pet Food’s way of offering a premium line of dog food that was healthier than previous ones.
What Taste of the Wild Has to Offer
Taste of the Wild has two product lines to keep dogs well-fed and healthy: its standard kibble and its prey line. The latter has the unique meats that Taste of the Wild has become known for. Within both lines, the company offers 16 adult kibbles. This enables your pup to enjoy several different flavors if they are a fan of the Taste of the Wild brand. There are also two puppy formulas to help younger dogs get a healthy start in life. Unfortunately, however, Taste of the Wild doesn’t offer a senior formula, and its “all life stages” kibble isn’t formulated for aging dogs.
- Uses unique proteins for great taste
- Includes healthy probiotics
- Uses ancestral grains
- Less of a selection
- No senior or small breed formulas
The 3 Most Popular American Journey Dog Food Recipes
American Journey is a tasty dog food brand with lots of flavor options. Let’s take a look at its most popular recipes so you can see why we feel it’s such a great choice.
1. American Journey Active Life Recipe
Grain-inclusive foods are ideal for a dog’s well-balanced diet. This active-life food uses whole grains while still keeping the protein count high for your pet. Deboned salmon is the primary ingredient. You’ll also find carrots, cranberries, blueberries, and other fruits and veggies your dog will enjoy. The nutritional breakdown of this food is 44% carbs, 25% protein, 15% fat, 10% moisture, and 6% fiber.
The only downside we’ve found with this dog food is the peas. While it isn’t an issue to include peas in a formula, they are a bit high on the list of ingredients.
- Features more protein than some grain-inclusive dog foods
- Deboned salmon is the primary ingredient
- Made in the U.S.
- Included healthy fruits and vegetables
- Peas are high on the ingredients list
2. American Journey Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Some dogs have sensitivities and require grain-free dog foods. If your pup falls into this category, American Journey Grain-Free Chicken & Sweet Potato is a great choice. Instead of corn and rice, this formula uses sweet potatoes and other dog-friendly veggies. Like with all this brand’s foods, deboned chicken is the primary ingredient and main source of protein. The nutritional breakdown of this food is carbs, 36%; protein, 34%; fat, 15%; moisture, 10%; and fiber, 5%.
If you choose this food, your pet will be subject to issues concerning a grain-free diet, so talk to your vet first. Some users have also noted that their pets weren’t fond of the flavor.
- High in protein
- Great for dogs with sensitivities to grains
- Deboned chicken is the first ingredient
- Made in the U.S.A.
- Dogs may not like the flavor
- Leaves dogs subject to grain-free issues
3. American Journey Healthy Weight Grain-Free Dog Food
This formula by American Journey is quite popular with both pets and pet owners. It is designed to help promote weight loss by offering fewer calories. It also increases fiber intake to help your dog stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle. This formula is designed to help large dog breeds with joint health. The main ingredient in this food is real, deboned salmon. It also includes chicken and turkey meals for higher protein. The nutritional breakdown of this food is carbs, 42%; protein, 30%; moisture, 10%; fat, 9%; and fiber, 9%.
The biggest issue with this formula is the high fiber content. This can cause digestive issues for some dogs.
- Real salmon is the primary ingredient
- Promotes healthier weight and activity
- Good for joint and bone health
- Made in the U.S.A.
- High in fiber and may cause digestive issues
The 3 Most Popular Taste of the Wild Dog Food Recipes
While Taste of the Wild has a long list of foods to choose from, here are reviews of what we feel are great representatives of the brand.
1. Taste of the Wild Ancient Stream Canine Recipe
The first Taste of the Wild dog food that we’ll ook at is the Ancient Stream recipe. If your dog is a fan of seafood, this formula is one that you should let them try. Whole salmon is the primary ingredient and main source of protein. You’ll also find other ocean treats like salmon meal and ocean fish meal as part of this tasty recipe. The nutritional breakdown of this dog food is carbs, 40%; protein, 30%; fat, 15%; moisture, 10%; and fiber, 3%.
The only true downside of this recipe is the odor. The fishy smell can linger a bit, according to users. Keep this in mind before you bring it into your home.
- Features fish protein as the primary ingredient
- Made in the U.S.
- May be suitable for dogs that suffer from food sensitivities
- Has a strong fishy smell
2. Taste of the Wild Ancient Prairie Recipe
Next up is Taste of the Wild Ancient Prairie Recipe. This dog food is one of Taste of the Wild’s grain-inclusive meals. Your pet will also get the benefit of the great flavors of real buffalo and pork as the primary sources of protein. With the ancestral carbs included in this recipe and the live probiotic blend inside, your dog will be getting a well-balanced meal they’ll enjoy. The nutritional breakdown of this dog food is carbs, 37%; protein, 32%; fats, 18%; moisture, 10%; and fiber, 3%.
Unfortunately, some pet owners have reported their pets to have a few digestive issues after switching to this dog food. You’ll also notice this is not a poultry-free recipe, which could be an issue for dogs with allergies.
- Features live probiotics
- Uses ancient grains instead of wheat and corn
- High in protein
- Could cause digestive issues
- Is not a poultry-free food
3. Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Recipe
While Taste of the Wild isn’t big on special formulas and fancy dog food, one thing that it does offer is a well-balanced puppy formula to keep your little one happy and healthy. This is one of the company’s few grain-free recipes. The main ingredient in this food is bison. Not only will your pups love the taste, but they will also benefit from the healthy protein. The food pieces are sized for puppies and easy to eat. The nutritional breakdown of this food is carbs, 41%; protein, 27%; fat, 17%; moisture, 10%; and fiber, 5%.
The only downside of this puppy formula is that like many others on the market, it can cause upset tummies in younger dogs.
- Made especially for puppies and nursing mothers
- Features DHA, probiotics, and antioxidants
- Small pieces for young dogs
- May cause stomach upset in puppies
Recall History of American Journey and Taste of the Wild
Recalls are serious business in the dog food world. No brand wants its name tied to unnecessary recalls and pet owner worries. Here’s a look at the recall history of both American Journey and Taste of the Wild so you can have a better understanding of their respective history with these types of issues.
American Journey
We’re proud to report that American Journey has never had a recall on its dog food. Considering that it’s been in business since 2017, this is quite impressive. Another thing to keep in mind when looking into the company’s recall history is that it’s considered a budget brand. This goes to show that it is working hard to provide pets with the best food possible.
Taste of the Wild
Taste of the Wild has been around longer than American Journey—10 years longer, to be exact. This doesn’t mean it has a long history of recalls, however. In fact, even as a well-established dog food company, Taste of the Wild only has one recorded recall on record. It took place in 2012 and affected other brands too. While pets did become sick, Taste of the Wild quickly worked to rectify the situation and has been doing great ever since.
American Journey vs Taste of the Wild Comparison
Now let’s see how these dog food brands measure up to one another in a few of the most important categories for pet owners. We tell you which we think has the advantage and why we made that call.
Taste
When it comes to taste, both American Journey and Taste of the Wild are great choices for your pet. Both offer a variety of flavors, but in this category, we must give the edge to Taste of the Wild. Its prey line offers dogs unique meats and proteins that they are sure to love. If your dog is getting bored of beef, chicken, lamb, and steak, giving them a taste of buffalo or bison may perk their appetites right up.
Nutritional Value
When it comes to nutrition, Taste of the Wild and American Journey are on equal footing. Both of these dog food brands strive to provide your pups with tons of proteins and the vitamins and minerals that they need to stay healthy. American Journey guarantees deboned meat to be its primary ingredient. It also declares that it never uses meat by-products. Taste of the Wild is quite similar. It uses a wider array of meats and doesn’t include by-products.
Possibly the biggest difference between these brands is grains. Most of Taste of the Wild’s foods are grain-free. It does offer a few grain-inclusive selections, however. American Journey is more open to including grains in its formulas but does have grain-free choices for dogs with allergies.
Price
Price is where American Journey shines, though Taste of the Wild isn’t too far off. With several formulas to choose from, great pricing, and the ease of ordering online, we give this category to American Journey.
Selection
Both of these brands have a great selection of foods to choose from. While Taste of the Wild may have the market on unique flavors, American Journey has its beat in terms of selection. Its 22 kibbles, six puppy formulas, and a senior line means the brand can stay with your dog through all their life stages. Taste of the Wild isn’t too far behind in this category, but the lack of a senior formula is a bit disappointing.
Owners of small and toy breeds may also find it difficult to use either of these foods, as neither caters to small dogs.
Overall
As you can see, things are quite close when it comes to American Journey and Taste of the Wild. While we’ve declared American Journey the winner, it wasn’t by much. Choosing either brand as your pet’s main source of food would be a smart and healthy decision to make.
Conclusion
We chose American Journey as the top dog in this comparison of food brands. It has a great selection of healthy foods, it’s affordably priced, and the company staff work hard to make the dog food tasty. That said, Taste of the Wild is right on its tail with its appealing flavors. If you’re trying to choose between these two brands, don’t panic. Either would be great to give to your furry best friend!
