Wild Earth is a revolutionary pet brand that offers a vegan dog food recipe for pup parents who prefer plant-based diets.
As a former vet tech, real meat ingredients are some of the first things I look for when evaluating a dog food brand. But is it possible to feed your dog a balanced plant-based diet?
Although feeding canines a vegan diet can be controversial, I recommend Wild Earth as the best plant-based dog food available on the market today.
This Wild Earth dog food review will explore how their formula differs from other vegan pet food companies. Keep reading to learn more about this innovative brand.
About Wild Earth
This relatively new dog food brand started in 2017 after the founders learned about the impact of the meat-based pet food industry on carbon emissions.
Wild Earth began with the mission of creating a sustainable vegan dog food. The company’s owners worked with a team of scientists, veterinarians, and nutritions to develop a recipe that provided a balanced diet for dogs.
This company first gained international recognition when the founders appeared on the hit TV show Shark Tank, where they gained backing from significant investors. [1]
The Wild Earth team believes that the pet food industry’s dependence on meat has had negative consequences for the health of pets and the planet. They prioritize using cruelty-free ingredients from sustainable sources.
There are several other vegan dog food formulas available. But Wild Earth stands out with a recipe developed by veterinarians to meet canine nutritional needs using only plant-based ingredients.
Where is Wild Earth Dog Food Made?
The Wild Earth dog food company operates headquarters in Berkeley, California. Their recipe uses yeast cultures engineered in a laboratory to act as a suitable protein source for dogs.
All of the ingredients used in Wild Earth formulas come from either the United States, Latin America, Europe, or Asia. The company does not source any of its components from China.
Wild Earth dog food is manufactured in the United States at a factory located in the Midwest. [2]
This biotech company does use non-organic ingredients. They state that GMOs are a sustainable and safe food production option due to more efficient crop yields. [3]
During manufacturing, the company cooks their dog food through extrusion. Examples of other extruded products include cereals, pastas, and puffed snacks. This process does use higher heat, but vegan formulas require less processing than dog foods that include rendered meats. [4]
Wild Earth tests all final recipes to ensure that their dog food meets AAFCO recommendations for vitamin, mineral, and nutrient content.
Environmental Policy
A 2017 study by UCLA revealed that the pet industry’s meat-based food production contributed 64 million tons of carbon pollution. [5]
Most high-quality traditional dog foods use large volumes of meat products, which have a more considerable environmental impact.
Meat production uses more water and releases more carbon into the atmosphere than plant products. As climate change becomes a growing concern, many dog owners are looking into environmentally friendly ways to feed their pups.
Wild Earth is committed to revolutionizing the pet food industry with a robust environmental policy. This company’s founders have a mission of using only sustainable protein sources with a limited environmental impact.
Pets in the US account for 25% of total meat consumption in the country, so limiting the meat content of your pet’s diet can help reduce your family’s carbon footprint. The yeast in Wild Earth formulas takes only three days to grow and is much more sustainable than beef or chicken.
Environmental concerns are one of my primary reasons for eating a plant-based diet myself. If a safe vegan dog food exists, environmental sustainability could play an essential role in convincing dog owners to make the switch.
Legal Issues and Controversies
Wild Earth only introduced their first dry dog food product in 2019. The brand has not experienced any recalls or lawsuits yet, but feeding dogs a vegan diet can be controversial.
Although dogs descend from carnivorous wolves, most veterinarians agree that domestic dogs are omnivores. A 2013 study revealed dogs have specific mutations that allow better starch digestion. [6]
Based on the findings that dogs can digest starch better than wolves, some argue that domestic canines can thrive on a plant-based diet. But the canine gut is still optimized for digesting meat, so most plant proteins have a lower bioavailability for dogs.
Dogs typically need a high protein diet that is difficult to achieve without animal products. Although Wild Earth’s yeast offers an interesting alternative source of concentrated protein, some nutritionists warn against the potential unknown dangers of vegan canine diets.
Because these products are relatively new, only time can tell if a plant-based diet is beneficial or not. There are some risks involved due to the limited research available on vegan dog foods. But Wild Earth depends on veterinary oversight to maximize the safety of their products.
Consult your veterinarian if you are considering transitioning your dog to plant-based dog food.
Ingredients Quality
In addition to improving sustainability and reducing animal products in dog food, Wild Earth aims to use only high-quality ingredients in their recipes and avoid fillers.
The company brands itself as a clean company that does not use any artificial flavors or preservatives. Primary ingredients include whole foods like fruits and vegetables that act as natural sources of vitamins and minerals.
To create a vegan high-protein recipe suitable for dogs, Wild Earth replaced traditional animal meats with dried yeast. This unique primary source of protein contains all of the essential amino acids that dogs need to consume from their food.
Wild Earth’s dried yeast culture is a laboratory-grown strain of koji, the fungus responsible for fermenting sake, miso, and soy sauce. Koji is nearly 50% protein, which is equivalent to the protein levels found in steak.
Cell cultures produce a product with a sauce-like consistency that can be dried and baked into kibble. This innovative ingredient allows Wild Earth’s dog food to have similar protein levels and flavor profiles as traditional dog food.
Other sources of protein include pea protein, chickpeas, and potato protein. These types of plant proteins are not as bioavailable as animal meats. But peas also provide extra fiber that can be beneficial for digestive health.
Wild Earth products are grain inclusive, with whole-grain ingredients like oats providing digestible carbohydrates for energy. Moderate healthy fats from flaxseed and sunflower oil offer an optimal balance of omega fatty acids for skin and coat health.
Most dog foods depend on fish oil for omega-3 fatty acids, but plant-based sources like flaxseed also have high concentrations of this healthy fat.
Available Products
Wild Earth has produced several vegan dog treats and only recently released a single dry dog food formula. The company will likely release additional products in the future.
Wild Earth Clean Protein Formula
The Clean Protein Dog Food formula is Wild Earth’s flagship vegan dry dog food. This adult dog food offers a nutritionally complete recipe with high levels of protein from plant-based sources.
Average kibble size and moderate macronutrients make it suitable for many different breeds.
Clean, plant-based ingredients require 90% less resources than meat, making this formula one of the most sustainable dog foods available. The ingredient label also excludes any unnecessary fillers, preservatives, additives, or mystery meat by-products.
Dogs who suffer from food allergies caused by dairy and meat products are excellent candidates for this recipe. Most allergens are proteins, and feeding novel plant proteins can help avoid adverse reactions.
An impressive 31% protein content is significantly higher than most alternative vegan dog foods. The primary source of protein is dried koji yeast, which is an excellent plant-based protein for dogs. This fungus has a much higher protein content than peas.
Most Wild Earth dog food reviews share positive experiences with noticeable changes in overall health in dogs who switch to this diet. Expected benefits include higher energy levels, improved coat condition, fewer allergies, and a healthier weight.
How Much Does Wild Earth Dog Food Cost?
The price of Wild Earth dog food is comparable to most brands of high-end premium pet food. Products that use higher quality ingredients are more expensive than formulas manufactured cheaply with by-products and fillers.
Advanced technology involved with developing the appropriate yeast culture in a laboratory also drives up this pet food’s price. Still, many pet parents agree that Wild Earth dog food’s environmental and health benefits are well worth the increased cost.
You can find updated Wild Earth dog food price information on Chewy.
Wild Earth Dog Food Recalls
There are no Wild Earth dog food recalls recorded with the FDA. Wild Earth is a relatively young company, so any dog food recall history would be concerning.
Most recalls involve contamination of meat products, so vegan dog food recipes may help limit potential recalls.
Our Verdict
This Wild Earth dog food review demonstrates that it is possible to feed your pup a safe vegan dog food if you value a plant-based lifestyle.
If you want to feed your dog a plant-based diet, I recommend Wild Earth dog food as the best vegan formula for pups. This recipe uses yeast to replicate the high protein content of meat-based pet products.
Wild Earth is an innovative company that values environmental sustainability and ingredient quality. Unlike some vegan dog products, this dog food was developed by an experienced team of nutritionists and veterinarians for safety.
Talk to your vet today to determine if your dog can safely eat a plant-based diet from Wild Earth.
