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Review Summary
We give Annamaet dog food a rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
With healthy, natural ingredients, great research, and different options to meet your dog’s needs, Annamaet definitely stands out. This premium food company has over thirty years of experience in making dry food, and it has consistently given us a high-quality product. Not every brand is right for every household, but Annamaet is definitely a lesser-known company to consider when you’re looking for dog food.
At a Glance: The Best Annamaet Dog Food Recipes
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Annamaet Original |
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Annamaet Original Extra Dry Dog Food |
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Annamaet Original Puppy Dry Dog Food |
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Annamaet Original Formula Dry Dog Food |
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Annamaet Ultra Dry Dog Food |
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Annamaet Dog Food Reviewed
Annamaet History
Annamaet dog food is an independently owned company that was started in 1986. The company calls Pennsylvania home and all of its dog food is produced in the USA from carefully sourced ingredients. Annamaet gets its name from the founder’s mother, Anna Mae.
The founder and CEO, Robert Downey, spent seven years in graduate school studying canine nutrition and physiology, and Annamaet has always been a leader in nutrition research. Even today, the company regularly publishes scientific articles about pet nutrition.
Which Type of Dog Is Annamaet Best Suited For?
Annamaet has a variety of pet foods for different sizes and breeds of dogs. Its classic line of foods are generally designed for the average dog, leaning a little more towards a medium-sized older or less active dog. However, other options are made for dogs that are highly active, large and small breeds, and puppies and seniors. They create both grain-free and grain-inclusive recipes. All of their recipes avoid corn, wheat, and soy; many of their grain-inclusive recipes also avoid peas and lentils.
Which Dogs Would Do Best With Other Brands?
Annamaet does have a big gap though, which is that they don’t offer wet foods of any type. Many dogs prefer wet foods because of the taste and texture. In addition, many dogs struggle to consume enough moisture when eating dry food. Because of this, some owners might prefer to pick a brand that offers wet food or supplement with wet food. Stew-style wet foods like American Journey canned foods and pate-style foods like The Honest Kitchen pates might be preferable to some dogs.
Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good & Bad)
Annamaet Dog Foods use a variety of ingredients throughout their recipes, but there are some commonalities. In general, Annamaet foods use healthy, wholesome ingredients that we love, with a few exceptions. We’ll go through Annamaet 25% Dog Food’s main ingredients as an example, but each recipe will vary slightly.
Protein and Fat Sources
This food’s main protein source is chicken meal, a concentrated, high-protein form of chicken. Chicken meal is a very healthy protein source, although a few dogs do have poultry allergies. Other Annamaet foods are chicken-free. Other protein sources include menhaden fish meal, brewer’s yeast, and flaxseed meal. Menhaden fish meal is a great source of protein and healthy vitamins. Brewer’s yeast is another common source of extra nutrition and is great in moderation, but some dogs do have yeast allergies. Plant protein sources like flax are good in small quantities. Flax is mainly here as a source of omega-3 fatty acids.
The main fat source is chicken fat. This is a great fat source that won’t cause allergies—chicken allergies are due to the protein and not the fat. It also contains menhaden fish oil.
Grains
The main grains are brown rice, millet, rolled oats, and barley. These are all healthy whole grains. Brown rice and barley are good sources of whole grains and healthy carbs, but have little other nutritional value. Millet is high in B-vitamins and fiber. Rolled oats are very high in fiber. Beet pulp, although not a grain, is also a high-fiber additive further down in the ingredient list.
Fruits, Veggies, Vitamins, and Minerals
All dog food is required to have some essential vitamins and minerals, and this food is no different. These help prevent nutritional deficiencies. All minerals found in this food are chelated—that means that they’re in a form that makes them easier to absorb.
Fruits and vegetables are often used to add vitamins naturally. Adding plant food instead of processed vitamins may make the vitamins easier to absorb and add other benefits. Another superior ingredient is selenium yeast—a much healthier source of selenium than the more common sodium selenite. Some of the ingredients here include apples, blueberries, chicory root, cranberries, and algae. Algae is an unusual ingredient here that is a sustainable source of omega fatty acids.
Along with these standard nutrients, this food also contains lactobacillus, a probiotic bacteria. Probiotics help keep your dog’s digestive system healthy by building up healthy bacteria.
A Note on Grain-Free Recipes
Many of Annamaet’s most popular recipes are grain-free. These recipes replace the grains found in most dog foods with ingredients like peas, lentils, and potatoes. All of these ingredients are found in popular grain-free recipes. However, new research has suggested that grain-free diets, in general, and these ingredients in particular may cause a higher rate of heart disease. Because of that, we don’t recommend Annamaet’s grain-free products for most dogs. A few dogs may have health conditions that require grain-free diets, but most dogs will be healthier on their other foods.
Is Annamaet Environmentally Friendly?
Annamaet foods are known for their nutrition, but ethics is also important to the company as well. They now use sustainable packaging made of Bio-Flex materials and work to ensure that fish are sustainably sourced to protect wild fisheries. They also make other innovative choices to protect the environment, like sourcing much of their omega-3 fatty acids from algae instead of fish oil.
Annamaet Main Food Lines
Annamaet has several different types of dog food available. Their main food line, Annamaet Originals, uses healthy whole grains along with protein sources like chicken, lamb, and salmon to make healthy dog foods. It includes options for small and large breeds, puppies and seniors, dogs with poultry allergies or sensitive stomachs, and high-protein formulas for active dogs.
They also have a grain-free line that includes options for various age groups as well as a sustainable option and a reduced-fat option.
Finally, Annamaet has two lines for dogs beyond standard food: a line of treats and a line of supplements.
A Quick Look at Annamaet Dog Food
- High-quality ingredients
- Holistic, natural-ingredient approach
- Made in USA with ethical sourcing
- No recall history
- History of nutrition research
- Ideal protein and fat levels
- All foods contain probiotics and chelated minerals
- More expensive
- Dry foods only
- Grain-free line isn’t suitable for most dogs
Recall History
With more than 30 years of history producing pet food, you’d think Annamaet would have some recalls along the way. But their high-quality standards have paid off—we couldn’t find any food recalls for Annamaet foods.
Reviews of the 3 Best Annamaet Dog Food Recipes
1. Annamaet Medium and Large Breed Food
Annamaet 25% is the line’s standard food for medium and large breed dogs and one of their most popular products. This food is optimized for active dogs and works well for most dogs that are over 30 pounds. It has a 25% crude protein content and a 14% crude fat content. These numbers are ideal for most dogs and will give your dog plenty of energy without encouraging obesity. The recipe also has 4% fiber, which is a good amount.
The main protein source for this food is chicken meal, a healthy choice for most dogs, and it also contains menhaden fish meal that is sustainably fished. A few dogs may be allergic to chicken. It also contains healthy whole grains—brown rice, millet, rolled oats, and barley—as its main carbohydrates. Overall, we love this food, but it is definitely optimized for certain dogs. If you have a smaller breed, an older or sedentary dog, or specific health issues, a different food may be ideal.
- Optimal protein and fat balance
- Great for medium and large dogs
- Healthy ingredients
- Chicken meal as the first ingredient
- Not ideal for small breeds or sedentary dogs
- Some dogs have chicken allergies
2. Annamaet Original Option Formula
Annamaet Original Option formula is an alternative recipe made for dogs with food allergies or stomach sensitivities that rule out standard poultry-based recipes. It also is a great choice to try if your dog is picky or if you want a more varied diet for your dog. This food has 24% crude protein and 13% crude fat, making it a good source for most dogs. However, very active dogs may prefer a higher protein food. The main protein ingredients are salmon meal, lamb meal, and menhaden fish meal. Fish proteins like salmon and menhaden are great nutrient-dense foods that are easy to digest and full of fatty acids, vitamins, and other great ingredients. Lamb is also a healthy protein. It’s a digestible option for dogs who can’t have poultry.
The main grain sources are brown rice, millet, rolled oats, and pearled barley—all healthy grains. Overall, this food is great for dogs with allergies or digestive issues. One thing we don’t love about this food is that the first fat source is canola oil, a plant-based oil. Although research on canola oil is mixed, in general, animal-based protein and fat sources are healthier and easier to absorb than plant-based oils.
- Free of common allergens like chicken and brewers yeast
- Digestible
- Novel, healthy proteins (lamb, salmon, menhaden)
- Main oil is plant-based
- Some dogs may need higher protein
3. Annamaet Ultra Dry Dog Food
Designed for working dogs, performance dogs, and very active dogs, this ultra-energy dense formula has extra protein added to keep your dog going all day long. It comes in at 32% crude protein and 20% fat—much higher than most dog foods on the market. Although not all dogs should have this much protein and fat, this food caters to a specific type of dog and is ideal for those dogs.
Its main protein ingredients are chicken meal, dry eggs, and herring meal. Chicken meal is a great first ingredient and makes up the bulk of the protein. Egg products are another good protein source as long as they come from high-quality sources, and herring meal is a great ingredient as well. The grains in this food are brown rice and millet, two high-quality whole grains. Although this is a high-quality product overall, some reviewers did report that it caused gastrointestinal distress in their dogs, so it may not be ideal for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
- High-protein, high-fat recipe
- Chicken, egg, and fish proteins
- Healthy whole grains
- Ideal for highly active dogs
- Only ideal for certain dogs
- May cause gastric distress
- Chicken and yeast may be allergens
What Other Users Are Saying
- HerePup—“Annamaet Pet Food is a leader in the science of pet nutrition.”
- Dog Food Guru—“Annamaet has a great reputation in every way. Highly recommended.”
- Amazon—Review sites are great for some things, but we also make sure to read what owners think too! You can check Amazon reviews for Annamaet dog food here.
Conclusion
Overall, Annamaet is a great option for many owners. Although the prices are on the higher end of dog foods, when compared to other foods at the same price point, they stand out as some of the best foods out there. With so many options, most owners will find an Annamaet product that works well for them.
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Featured Image Credit: cottonbro, Pexels
