Koha Pet food began in 2014. Lonnie and Jennifer Schwimmer are the founders. In 2008, they founded the parent company, Nootie. It provided wellness and grooming products and supplements.
The company sources products from various countries beyond the US and Canada. They include France, Germany, Australia, Denmark, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Thailand. Lamb products are free range. Tuna is wild caught. All other animal meats are farm raised.
The company uses many manufacturing partners. They use the Simmons Foods cannery in Toronto, Canada. They also use Asian Alliance in Thailand. This is where they make shredded land and sea proteins. They also have Muenster Milling in Texas.
The company’s corporate headquarters is in Boca Raton, Florida.For our Koha dog food review, we’ll look at the food ingredient quality and safety of each line of food. Our dog food reviews are based on these criteria.
IS KOHA A GOOD DOG FOOD?
Koha produces 5 lines of dog food. They include freeze dried and 4 lines of canned dog food. Koha also offers a line of dehydrated mixes. They aren’t considered to be complete and balanced. Koha is unique in that it doesn’t produce an ultra-processed dry dog food.
The freeze dried line is the highest scoring at 9/10. It’s a low risk dog food by our criteria. All 3 recipes score 10/10 for ingredient safety. There are no added vitamins and minerals which is a great benefit of these foods. It loses points for having higher carbohydrates. This is unusual for a freeze dried dog food.
The remaining 4 lines are canned dog foods. They are moderate risk dog foods by our criteria. The Limited Ingredient canned dog food scores is the highest scoring of Koha’s canned foods. But each recipe in these 4 lines loses points. They are highly processed. They also have added vitamins and minerals. There are high pesticide ingredients. Many of the canned recipes use inflammatory seed oils.
On the positive side, Koha’s canned dog foods all have high levels of protein that average 44 to 55%. Each canned food has higher average protein than the freeze dried foods. The Pure Shreds and Limited recipes have very low average carbohydrates of 6 and 8%. It would be good to see these carb levels in all 5 lines.
Koha doesn’t state the omega-6:omega-3 ratio in their recipes. This is true of most companies. It’s a concern because AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1. Diets rich in omega-6 fats can cause chronic inflammation.
Let’s look at each line in a little more detail.
Koha Slow Cooked Stew
Score: 6.7/10
Ingredient List For Chicken And Lamb Recipe: Chicken, lamb broth, chicken broth, lamb, porcine plasma, dried egg product, carrots, chickpeas, xanthan gum, potassium chloride, sodium phosphate, salt, lentils, calcium carbonate, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), taurine, choline chloride, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, fenugreek seed, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate, cobalt proteinate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid.
Koha Slow Cooked Stew canned dog food is a moderate risk dog food by our criteria. This line has an average protein content of 44%. There are average carbohydrates of 19%. This is calculated on a dry matter basis. These foods lose points for having high carbohydrates. There are added vitamins and minerals. There are some high pesticide ingredients. There are inflammatory seed oils and unnamed animal protein. These foods are highly processed.
Slow Cooked Stew Benefits
- High protein
Slow Cooked Stew Concerns
- High carbohydrates
- Added vitamins & minerals
- Highly processed
- Unnamed animal protein
- Seed oil in 3 recipes
- High pesticide ingredients
- Doesn’t state omega-6:omega-3 ratio
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
Minimal Ingredient Stew
Score: 6.7/10
Ingredient List For Beef Stew Recipe: Beef, beef broth, vegetable broth, beef liver, porcine plasma, lentils, dried egg product, xanthan gum, calcium carbonate, pumpkin, salt, sodium phosphate, potassium chloride, new zealand green mussel, taurine, choline chloride, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, fenugreek seed, dried kale, ginger, rosemary, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate, cobalt proteinate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid
Koha Minimal Ingredient Stew is a moderate risk dog food. by our criteria. It has 6 recipes that average 47% protein and 20% carbohydrate.
Carbohydrates are higher than expected in a canned dog food. Lentils and pumpkin contribute to that high level. There are no added grains, starches or legumes. High carbohydrate is an indicator of food quality. It can reduce manufacturing cost. Foods high in carbohydrate can raise insulin and cause obesity. Some studies also show this. They show that dogs fed high carb diets have changes to their gut bacteria.
Points are lost as these foods have added vitamins and minerals. They should come from whole food sources. They include all the cofactors. This makes them safe and bioavailable. A couple of added vitamins and minerals are acceptable. Five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value. One recipe contains sunflower oil. This can be inflammatory.
On the safety side, canned foods are highly processed. This causes large losses in enzymes, vitamins, amino acids, and phytonutrients. The recipes also include ingredients like lentils and kale. They’re known to have higher pesticide/herbicide residues. These are also found in the top 5 ingredients, making them more of a concern. Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk. This affects plants, animals and soils.
Minimal Ingredient Stew Benefits
- High protein
Minimal Ingredient Stew Concerns
- High carbohydrates
- Seed oil in one recipe
- Highly processed
- High pesticide ingredients
- Added vitamins & minerals
- Doesn’t state omega-6:omega-3 ratio
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
Limited Ingredient Canned
Score: 7.3/10
Ingredient List For Salmon Recipe: Salmon, water sufficient for processing, pumpkin, ground flaxseed, chickpeas, agar agar, new zealand green mussel, blueberries, salt, taurine, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate, cobalt proteinate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid
Koha Limited Ingredient Canned is a moderate risk dog food by our criteria. It has 6 recipes that average 44% protein and 8% carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are exceptionally low. This is what we expect to see in a canned dog food.
This line loses points for having added vitamins. Vitamins from whole food sources have a full spectrum of cofactors. This makes them safe and bioavailable. A couple of added vitamins are acceptable. Five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value.
On the ingredient safety side, canned foods are highly processed. They are heated several times during canning. This causes significant losses of some nutrients. This includes active enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. These recipes also include ingredients like apples and chickpeas. They are known to contain higher pesticide/herbicide residues. These chemicals pose a big risk. They harm plants, animals, and soils. Foods with the most residue lose points. This includes crops known to be sprayed with glyphosate.
Limited Ingredient Benefits
- High protein
- Low carbohydrates
Limited Ingredient Concerns
- Highly processed
- High pesticide ingredients
- Added vitamins & minerals
- Doesn’t state omega-6:omega-3 ratio
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
Pure Shreds Canned
Score: 7/10
Ingredient List For Shredded Chicken Breast Recipe: Chicken broth, chicken, pumpkin, carrots, sunflower oil, tapioca starch, tricalcium phosphate, guar gum,potassium chloride, salt, choline chloride, magnesium sulfate, spinach, taurine, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin E supplement, niacin, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, vitamin A supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, copper chelate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, potassium iodide, vitamin D3 supplement
Koha Pure Shreds entree is a moderate risk dog food by our criteria. It has 5 recipes that average 55% protein and 6% carbohydrate. The carbohydrate is exceptionally low which is what we expect in a canned dog food.
However, the recipes lose points for having added vitamins and minerals. They should come from whole food sources. A couple of added vitamins and minerals are acceptable. Five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value. Each recipe contains sunflower or vegetable oil. This can be inflammatory.
On the safety side, canned foods are highly processed. They are heated several times. This causes losses in enzymes, vitamins, amino acids, and phytonutrients. The recipes also include ingredients like spinach. This is a high pesticide crop. Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk. This affects plants, animals and soils. Foods with the largest reported amount of residue lose points. This includes crops known to be spray-dried with glyphosate.
Pure Shreds Benefits
- High protein
- Low carbohydrates
Pure Shreds Concerns
- Highly processed
- High pesticide ingredients
- Added vitamins & minerals
- Seed oil
- Doesn’t state omega-6:omega-3 ratio
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
Freeze-Dried Bites
Score: 9/10
Ingredient List For Pork Recipe: Pork, pork liver, pork heart, salmon oil, flaxseed oil, dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, pumpkin, potassium chloride, salt, dried coconut, coconut oil, dried chicory root, taurine, zinc amino acid complex, iron amino acid complex, copper amino acid complex, manganese amino acid complex, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried lactobacillus lactis fermentation product, dried lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, vitamin E supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, mixed tocopherols (preservative)
Koha’s Freeze-Dried Bites is a low risk dog food by our criteria. It has 3 recipes that average 37% protein and 18% carbohydrate.
Koha Freeze Dried Bites scores better than its other foods. It’s minimally processed with little heat. This preserves nutrients. It scores lower due to higher carbohydrates and added minerals.
The carbohydrate level is high for a freeze-dried dog food. This is due to pumpkin, a high-carb ingredient. It contains no added grains, starches, or legumes. High-carb diets can spike insulin. It can lead to obesity. Research also links them to gut bacteria changes in dogs.
Some minerals have been added. It’s best to get vitamins and minerals from whole foods. They include essential cofactors. These factors make nutrients more available. A few added vitamins and minerals are okay. Five or more suggest poor nutrition.
These recipes include probiotics. Heating kills probiotics but these recipes use minimal heat. They provide 32 million CFUs per pound. This is low but a good start. You want to see 3 to 5 billion CFU/day for a healthy dog.
The following do not affect the score but are worth noting. These recipes contain coconut oil. It can cause undesirable changes in the gut lining. Tuna and salmon used in recipes is wild caught. This is more nutritious. It also has a better fatty acid balance providing healthy omega-3s.
Freeze-Dried Bites Benefits
- High protein
- Minimal processing
- No added vitamins
- No added amino acids
- Probiotics
Freeze-Dried Bites Concerns
- High carbohydrates
- Some added minerals
- Doesn’t state omega-6:omega-3 ratio
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
KOHA DOG FOOD RECALLS
To date, Koha has not had any recalls or voluntary withdrawals.
Evaluation Criteria
We evaluate and score dog foods based on two criteria:
Are the Ingredients High Quality?
Here are some common low-quality ingredients or markers we look for:
- Is there excessive carbohydrate content, which can cause gut imbalances?
- Does the food contain unnamed proteins, which are low quality?
- Does the food use cellulose (wood pulp) as a source of fiber instead of real food?
- Are there excessive vitamins and minerals added in place of real food nutrition?
- Are there excessive added amino acids or plant proteins instead of expensive meat protein?
- Does the food contain inflammatory processed seed oils?
How Safe Are the Ingredients?
Many ingredients come from unhealthy, inflammatory sources or are full of pesticides so we look for:
- How processed is the food?
- Does the food contain known genetically modified foods?
- Does the food contain ingredients known to be high in pesticides?
- Does the food contain natural flavor, which are often MSG or animal digest?
- Does the food contain rice, which is high in arsenic?
Each food is objectively evaluated by these criteria and a score is assigned using the average of ingredient quality and safety. This is NOT a paid list and there are no affiliate links. Dogs Naturally has partnered with DogFoodReviews.com to make sure dog owners have unbiased, objective criteria to help them choose the best dog food on the market. You can view the full Evaluation Criteria at DogFoodReviews.com.
