Yumwoof! was founded in November 2020. It’s based in Austin, TX. Jaron Lukas is CEO. Yo Sub Kwon is COO. Raymond Bailey is chief product officer. Bailey, along with pet nutritionists created 16 recipes for these dog foods.
The company produces air dried dog food and mixers. There is no information about whether the company has its own processing plant or whether it uses a third-party manufacturer.
IS YUMWOOF! A GOOD DOG FOOD?
Yumwoof! Now offers 2 lines of air-dried dog food. Perfect Kibble is the original line. They have added Perfect Superfood. Both are air-dried products. They are moderately processed.
Perfect Kibble is a moderate risk dog food by our criteria. Perfect Superfood is a low risk by the same criteria.
The company states it offers low-carb dog food. The average carbohydrate level is quite high in both. This is higher than expected in air-dried dog food. Perfect Kibble has 2 recipes that average 27% carbohydrates. Average protein is 23% which is quite low. Perfect Superfood has 3 recipes. Average carbohydrates are 19%. Average protein is 29%.
The company also lists “net carbs.” This can be calculated for any dog food. The fiber listed in the Guaranteed Analysis is deducted from calculated carbohydrates.
It’s good to see that the new line doesn’t have added vitamins and minerals. Nutrients come from whole food ingredients. They include the full spectrum of cofactors. That makes them safe and bioavailable. Perfect Kibble has added vitamins and minerals. A couple of added vitamins are acceptable. Five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value. Vitamin and mineral excesses can result from vitamin premixes. Vitamin D and copper are examples of this.
These are air-dried food. They lose a point for moderate processing. Air drying is done at lower temperatures. That preserves nutrients and enzymes of the ingredients.
Yumwoof! ingredients are GMO-free. That doesn’t mean they are pesticide-free. The company states they avoid soy, gluten, wheat, rice, potato and canola. They include oats, beet fiber and apples. They are known for high pesticide/herbicide residues. Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose significant health risks. They affect plants, animals and soils. Foods with the largest reported amount of residue will be penalized. This includes crops known to be spray-dried with glyphosate.
Yumwoof! would improve the ingredient safety rating by using organic ingredients. These have reduced pesticide/herbicide exposure. They are also non-GMO.
Both lines have coconut oil. Yumwoof! states they use it to reduce plaque and gingivitis. Coconut oil has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. However, coconut oil is high in saturated fats.
Yumwoof!’s website cites research showing health benefits of coconut oil. It has studies showing MCT oil can help reduce seizures. It’s worth noting coconut oil is not a true MCT oil. It contains lauric acid. It acts like a long chain fatty acid in the body. A true MCT oil is metabolized differently in the body. Some studies show coconut oil can increase gut inflammation and permeability. The use of coconut oil doesn’t cost points but it’s worth noting.
It’s good to see wild fish used in recipes for Perfect Superfood. Wild fish is more nutritious. It also has a healthier fatty acid balance. Fish farming also threatens wild fish species.
Yumwoof! doesn’t provide 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.
Before its inception, the company studied data analytics. They used this to select their ingredients. It also used NIH research. They have 250 clinical studies on their website. They support their choice of ingredients. However, this review noted concerns with the quality and safety of ingredients. This was according to our criteria. That resulted in lower scores. Their recipes are based on whole foods, which is preferable. We’d prefer there were no added vitamins and minerals.
For our Yumwoof! 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.
Yumwoof! Perfect Kibble
Score: 7/10
Ingredient List For Beef Pot Roast Recipe: Fresh beef, whole eggs, organic coconut oil, organic coconut glycerin, organic flaxseed, carrots, gluten-free oats, blueberries, cranberries, chia seeds, seaweed, beef liver, pumpkin, sea salt, natural flavor, rosemary extract, vitamin supplements (A, D3, E, B12), B-vitamins (niacin, folic acid, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin), minerals (zinc sulfate,ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, cobalt carbonate), apple cider vinegar, mixed tocopherols (antioxidant).
Yumwoof! Perfect Kibble dog food is a moderate risk food by our criteria. There are 2 recipes. They average 23% protein. There are 27% carbohydrates as calculated. This is excessively high for an air-dried dog food. These recipes have added vitamins and minerals. They use coconut glycerin which is sugar. High pesticide ingredients include oats. There is also natural flavor. This is an air dried food that’s moderately processed.
Perfect Kibble Benefits
- No GMOs
- Moderate processing
Perfect Kibble Concerns
- High in carbohydrates
- Added vitamins or minerals
- Sugar
- High pesticide/herbicide ingredients
- Natural flavor
- Contains coconut oil
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
Yumwoof! Perfect Superfood
Score: 8.5/10
Ingredient List For Wild Caught Fish Feast Recipe: 85% Wild Caught Fish (Fresh Whole Sardine, Fresh Whole Anchovy), Tapioca, Beet Fiber, Broccoli Flower, Blueberries, Organic Coconut Oil, Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Rose Hip.
Yumwoof! Perfect Superfood is a low risk dog food by our criteria. There are 3 recipes. They average 29% protein. There are 19% average carbohydrates. This is high for air-dried dog food. High pesticide ingredients include beet fiber. These recipes are moderately processed food so there is a low loss of nutrients.
Perfect Superfood Benefits
- No GMOs
- Moderate processing
- Contains wild fish
- No added vitamins or minerals
Perfect Superfood Concerns
- High in carbohydrates
- High pesticide/herbicide ingredients
- Contains coconut oil
View The Entire Review on Dog Food Reviews
YUMWOOF! DOG FOOD RECALLS
To date, Yumwoof! 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.
