Authority Dog Food Review 2026: Pros, Cons, Recalls & FAQ

Review Summary

If you have a dog, you’re probably constantly searching for foods that will provide your pup with the nutrients that they need for proper development. Since there are various brands on the market, deciding on a particular one can be challenging. You’ve likely come across Authority dog food, so if you’d like to know more about it, read on!

Authority is a U.S.-made dog food brand with products that you can purchase at PetSmart and on Chewy. The company has existed for over 20 years and provides quality food for canines of all ages. Its product lines include dry and wet food, and you can find suitable recipes for all stages of a dog's life.

Overall, Authority is a good option for any owner who wants affordable, tasty food that their pup will like. Here, we provide more intel about its dog food recipes to help you determine if it's the right choice for you and your furry friend.

At a Glance: The Best Authority Dog Food Recipes

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Our Favorite		Authority Adult Dry Dog Food (Chicken and Rice)	Excellent flavor Affordable No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives	Check Price
Most Popular		Authority Small Bites Chicken & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food	Has Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids Helps reduce plaque and tartar	Check Price
		Authority High-Performance Grain-Free Turkey, Pea, Duck & Salmon	Higher amount of protein than their other formulas No allergens and harmful ingredients Suitable for dogs of all ages and sizes	Check Price
		Authority Lamb & Rice Formula Adult Dry Dog Food	No artificial flavors or colors Decent amount of protein Vitamins	Check Price
		Authority Puppy Dry Dog Food (Chicken and Rice)	No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives Main ingredient is deboned chicken	Check Price

Authority Dog Food Reviewed

Who makes Authority dog food, and where is it produced?

Authority dog food is manufactured by PetSmart, and the company headquarters is located in Phoenix, Arizona. The company has existed since 1986, but it started its dog food production in 1995. The label states the food is produced in the US, but there is no specific information to determine the exact production location.

The company uses all-natural ingredients whenever possible, and they avoid adding artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Their food is affordable and rich in nutrients, proteins, and fats your dog needs for proper development.

Which type of dog is Authority best suited for?

Authority makes food for all life stages, so all you have to do is check out all of their available food options. Typically, most of them will indicate on the packaging the specific age for which the food is suitable.

Any dog breed can eat Authority dog food without any issues, although from our research, their large breed products have the best results.

Which type of dog might do better with a different brand?

Although Authority provides all-natural, grain-free foods, some products contain allergens such as eggs, gluten, and corn. Not all dogs can handle those ingredients, so canines with allergies might be better off with another type of dog food.

For pups allergic to gluten, you could consider the Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Reserve Grain-Free Duck & Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food. For dogs allergic to corn, American Journey Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food could be a good choice.

Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

The ingredients vary depending on the type of Authority dog food you select. Most of their formulas are chicken and rice mixtures, which contain deboned chicken and chicken meal. They provide your canine with plenty of protein essential for growth and development. The chicken meal is extremely beneficial due to the glucosamine found inside, as it keeps your pup’s joints healthy.

Similarly, their lamb recipe contains deboned lamb and lamb meal that has the same effect as chicken, providing enough protein to your dog. Almost all of their recipes contain brown rice and rice bran that contains vitamin B. Brown rice is tasty and easily digestible, although it can be high in calories.

One of the things we don’t like is that almost every Authority recipe contains corn or dried egg products, and some canines have issues digesting those ingredients.

On the other hand, most recipes have chicken fat, minerals, vitamins, dried beet pulp, and similar ingredients that provide your dog with fiber and omega fatty acids.

Decent amount of fiber and protein

Authority dog food has decent amounts of fiber (14%) and protein (26%). Although those numbers are not exceptionally high, there are a lot of manufacturers that offer even less, so this amount should be enough to keep your canine healthy and satisfied.

Many products contain vegetable oil

Vegetable oil doesn’t have a nutritional benefit but can help to keep your dog’s coat shiny and soft. Still, foods with high amounts of vegetable oil can be harmful to your pup as they’re high in calories and can lead to obesity and other disorders.

Kibble is hard and crunchy

The kibbles Authority dog food offers are hard and crunchy, which is beneficial for your dog’s gums and teeth. They will help clear tartar and plaque while your pup is chewing. Still, the kibbles might be too hard for older dogs with dental issues, which is something to keep in mind.

A Quick Look at Authority Dog Food

Recall History

In all its years of production, Authority dog food had only one recall back in 2007. The food was on the melamine recall list, where over 100 dog brands supposedly used materials and chemicals you can find in plastic.

Numerous animals died during the incident of eating those foods from all recalled brands, including Authority. However, the incident happened a long time ago, and there have been no other recalls ever since. That shows that Authority has improved over the years and that their current dog food products are harmless.

Reviews of the 3 Best Authority Dog Food Recipes

Next, we will take a look at three of the best Authority formulas in more detail:

1. Authority Adult Dry Dog Food (Chicken and Rice)

The Authority Adult Dry Dog Food (Chicken and Rice) is all-natural dog food without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. It’s one of their best and most popular formulas, and it contains deboned chicken and chicken meal which are the main source of protein in this kibble. The formula also contains brown rice, which is an excellent source of vitamin B, and as it’s easily digestible, it’s a great option for dogs with a sensitive stomach. However, like most of their formulas, this one contains possibly harmful ingredients such as vegetable oil.

2. Authority High-Performance Grain-Free Turkey, Pea, Duck & Salmon Formula Dry Dog Food

The Authority High-Performance Grain-Free Turkey, Pea, Duck & Salmon Formula Dry Dog Food is a formula suitable for dogs of all ages and sizes, which is great for owners with multiple canines. The recipe includes deboned turkey, turkey meal, chicken fat, deboned duck, and deboned salmon. Due to so many meat products, this recipe has more protein than usual. The ratio is 30% protein and 20% fat, so it will help your dog have a good metabolism and be healthy. It’s one of their best formulas as it has the least harmful ingredients and no allergens. The fiber levels could be a bit higher, but the food provides enough omega-fatty acids, which are beneficial for your dog’s skin and coat.

3. Authority Lamb & Rice Formula Adult Dry Dog Food

The Authority Lamb & Rice Formula Adult Dry Dog Food is suitable for adult dogs, and its main ingredients are deboned lamb, lamb meal, and chicken fat—which are an excellent source of protein.  The formula is free of artificial flavors and colors, but it does contain potential allergens such as dried egg products and corn oil. However, the recipe has sources of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate that will keep your dog’s joints healthy. There are also a lot of vitamins to boost your dog’s immune system.

What Other Users Are Saying

Many users praise Authority dog food, so we want to include what people all over the internet have to say about it. Look at the list below to see how users of various websites rated this dog food.

• HerePup – “Not only are they some of the least expensive foods on the market, but they also have healthy protein sources as the main ingredients.”

• The Dog Advisor – “Authority dog food makes it easy—with special formulas for puppies and dogs, dry foods, wet entrees, and tasty snacks that all feature high-quality ingredients and the flavors dogs love.”

• Amazon – As pet owners, we always double-check with Amazon reviews from buyers before we buy something. You can read these by clicking here.

Conclusion

Authority dog food products try to rely on all-natural ingredients whenever possible, and they strive to provide your canine with all the needed nutrients for a healthy life and proper development.

However, they do use some cheap ingredients that we wouldn’t like to see on the list. Although they are not dangerous, they are not ideal, so that portion of their recipes could use some improvement. Overall, Authority is an excellent option for pet owners who want their dogs to eat nutritive, healthy foods without spending a fortune on it.