Only Natural Pet is an online retailer of pet products. It was founded in Boulder, Colorado in 2002. The company was acquired by Petsmart a couple of years ago. There were senior management changes. Only Natural Pet offers pet food, treats and chews, supplements. It also offers grooming products. They’re available by e-commerce, retail and catalog.
The company has locations in Boulder, Denver and Aspen, Colorado. These appear to be retail operations. They don’t appear to be manufacturing plants. The website states they make food in Thailand and the United States
In 2019, Only Natural Pet became a B-Corp certified company. It voluntarily meets standards of social and environmental performance. It provides transparency and accountability to workers, suppliers, community, customers and the environment. The company practices a zero-waste initiative. It uses 100% renewable energy and carbon-free shipping.
For our Only Natural Pet 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 ONLY NATURAL PET A GOOD DOG FOOD?
Only Natural Pet has 4 lines of dog food. Each offers a different type of processing. There are 32 recipes in total. Dehydrated, Wet and Cold-pressed lines are moderate risk. The Dry line is high risk. These are according to our criteria. The company shows Air Dried and Freeze Dried lines on its website. They’re toppers or for supplemental feeding only. They have not been reviewed here.
Dry and wet food processing involves several stages of heating. This causes a loss of nutrients and results in lower scores. Dehydrated and Cold Pressed involve less processing and heat exposure. They maintain a higher level of nutrients.
Three lines have excessive amounts of added vitamins and minerals. The Cold Pressed food is the exception. It has minimal added nutrients.
Only Natural Pet doesn’t include wheat, corn or soy. Most recipes have barley, legumes, sweet potatoes and oats. This elevates the carbohydrate levels. Average carbohydrates range from 18% to 34% as calculated on a dry matter basis. Carbs are needed for the extrusion process in kibble. We expect the dehydrated, wet and cold pressed lines to be lower in carbs. That isn’t the case.
The dry and wet foods that have higher levels of protein than seen in similar brands. They average 37% and 48% respectively. The Dehydrated and Cold Pressed lines have average protein of 33% and 37%. This is lower than we’d expect to see in these types of foods.
The website reports using “thoughtful processes” and “strict standards.” It also cites “human-grade, sustainably-sourced and certified ingredients.” There are no further details. And there are no third-party certifications. These terms are unsubstantiated marketing terms. The company is a B-Corp certified company. This relates to business practices. It doesn’t relate to the quality and safety of dog food ingredients. It doesn’t reflect manufacturing processes either.
In that vein, a similar assortment of ingredients are in all foods. They include ingredients known for high pesticide/herbicide use and GMO crops. These appear in the top 5 ingredients. They also contain inflammatory seed oils and cheaper plant proteins. These affect ingredient quality. They have natural flavor that affects ingredient safety.
Only Natural Pet began in 2002 as an online retailer. It relied on outside sources for its products. Within a few years, they produced many of their own products. It appears they may be using third-party manufacturers. They’re located in the United States and Thailand.
Only Natural Pet 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.
ONLY NATURAL PET DRY
Score: 4.6/10
Ingredient List For Powerfood Just Fish Feast Recipe: Deboned whitefish, whitefish meal (source of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate), menhaden fish meal, peas, garbanzo beans, sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), lentils, herring oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), sun cured alfalfa, natural flavor, flaxseed, dried chicory root, dried apples, dried cranberries, dried carrots, tomato pomace, dried kelp, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, calcium iodate, folic acid), minerals (zinc proteinate, calcium carbonate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite), dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product (source of amylase, lipase and protease), taurine, mixed tocopherols and citric acid (preservatives), rosemary extract, pineapple stems, turmeric, New Zealand green mussel, dried pumpkin, dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product..
Only Natural Pet Dry is a high risk dog food by our criteria. There are 12 recipes. It averages 37% protein. There are average carbohydrate of 26%, as calculated. It lost ingredient quality points for high carbohydrates. There are added vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Recipes use plant protein and seed oil. Ingredient safety score loses points for being ultra processed. High pesticide/herbicide ingredients are in the top 5. There are GMO ingredients and natural flavor.
Dry Benefits
- Contains probiotics (CFU guaranteed)
Dry Concerns
- High carbohydrate content
- Contains plant protein
- Contains seed oil
- Added amino acids
- Excessive vitamins and minerals
- Ultra processed
- High pesticide/herbicide foods in top 5 ingredients
- Contains GMO ingredients
- Contains natural flavor
- Does not provide omega-6:omega-3 ratio
- Does not state farmed vs wild fish
- Glam ingredients
- Ingredient splitting
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
ONLY NATURAL PET DEHYDRATED
Score: 6.4/10
Ingredient List For Powerfusion Poultry Feast Recipe: Chicken, turkey meal (source of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate), chicken meal, peas, garbanzo beans, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), chicken heart, lentils, herring oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), sun cured alfalfa, natural flavor, flaxseed, dried chicory root, dried carrots, dried sweet potatoes, broccoli, dried apples, dried cranberries, tomato pomace, dried kelp, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, calcium iodate, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement), dried kale, minerals (zinc proteinate, calcium carbonate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite), dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation product (source of amylase, lipase and protease), taurine, mixed tocopherols and citric acid (preservatives), rosemary extract, dried goat milk, blueberries, pineapple stems, turmeric, New Zealand green mussel, dried pumpkin, dried bacillus coagulans fermentation product.
Only Natural Pet Dehydrated dog food is a moderate risk food by our criteria. There are 7 recipes. They average 33% protein. There are 34% average carbohydrates as calculated. This is an excessive amount for a dehydrated dog food. It’s moderately processed. There can be some loss of nutrients due to heat. There are added vitamins and minerals. Recipes use plant protein and seed oil. There are ingredients known for high pesticide or herbicide residues. They’re in the top 5 ingredients. There is natural flavor, which lowers the score.
Dehydrated Benefits
- Contains guaranteed probiotics in 2 recipes
- Moderately processed
Dehydrated Concerns
- High carbohydrate content
- Contains plant protein
- Contains seed oil
- Excessive vitamins and minerals
- High pesticide/herbicide foods in top 5 ingredients
- Contains natural flavor
- Does not provide omega-6:omega-3 ratio
- Does not state farmed vs wild fish
- Glam ingredients
- Unsubstantiated marketing terms
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
ONLY NATURAL PET CANNED
Score: 5.9/10
Ingredient List For Powerstew Grain-Free Beef & Lamb Feast Recipe: Beef, lamb, beef broth, potato starch, green beans, kale, apples, calcium carbonate, monosodium phosphate, salt, olive oil, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), ground flaxseed, dried kelp, dried cranberries, turmeric, potassium chloride, agar-agar, choline chloride, betaine, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, niacin, vitamin E supplement, thiamine mononitrate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium iodate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid.
Only Natural Pet Canned dog food is a moderate risk food by our criteria. There are 9 recipes. They average 48% protein. There are 18% carbohydrates as calculated on a dry matter basis. This is higher than we like to see in canned dog food. The recipes have added vitamins and minerals. They use plant protein. As a canned food, it’s highly processed. There are high pesticide ingredients in the top 5 ingredients and GMO ingredients. They also have natural flavor.
Canned Benefits
- Higher protein
Canned Concerns
- High carbohydrate content
- Excessive vitamins and minerals
- Highly processed
- High pesticide/herbicide foods in top 5 ingredients
- Contains GMO ingredients in top 5 ingredients
- Does not provide omega-6:omega-3 ratio
- Does not state farmed vs wild fish
- Glam ingredients
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
ONLY NATURAL PET COLD PRESSED
Score: 6.5/10
Ingredient List For Pork & Menhaden Recipe: Dried pork, menhaden fish meal, sunflower seed meal, dried garbanzo beans, flaxseed, coconut meal, dried plain beet pulp, dried pumpkin, salt, dried sweet potato, dried egg product, hydrolyzed collagen, sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols) hydrolyzed yeast, natural flavor, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural mixed tocopherols (a preservative), yucca schidigera extract, dried broccoli, dried carrots, dried cauliflower, dried spinach, dried kelp, dried apples, dried blueberries, dried blackberries, dried peaches, dried apricots, dried raspberries, dried cranberries, dried strawberries, dried elderberries, dried bilberries, dried cherries, taurine, zinc gluconate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate.
Only Natural Pet Cold Pressed dog food is a moderate risk food by our criteria. There is 1 recipe. It has 37% protein. Carbohydrates are 25% as calculated. This is excessively high for a cold pressed dog food. It doesn’t require starch for processing. It’s a low temperature technique that preserves nutrients. The recipe includes plant protein and seed oil. There is a high herbicide crop in the top 5 ingredients. It also has natural flavor.
Cold Pressed Benefits
- No GMO ingredients
- Moderately processed
- No added vitamins & minerals
Cold Pressed Concerns
- Higher carbohydrate content
- Contains plant protein
- Contains seed oil
- High pesticide/herbicide foods in top 5 ingredients
- Contains natural flavor
- Does not provide omega-6:omega-3 ratio
- Does not state farmed vs wild fish
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
ONLY NATURAL PET DOG FOOD RECALLS
To date, Only Natural Pet 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.
