Nulo dog food brand prides itself on real, natural ingredients and premium foods for your canine.
The Nulo products are on the expensive side, but many dog owners swear by them.
Maybe you’d like equally good products for your furry friend, but more budget-friendly. Or similar price range and even better ingredients.
When it comes to Nulo, our favorite alternative is Blue Buffalo Wilderness Flatland Feast Dog Food.
It’s more economic, plus it boasts several high-quality poultry sources of protein.
Want to learn more? Read on to learn about all the dog food similar to Nulo and their popular recipes.
Nulo Dog Food Alternatives
- Blue Buffalo Wilderness Flatland Feast Dog Food (Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Turkey Recipe Alternative)
- Taste of the Wild Ancient Wetlands with Ancient Grains Dog Food (Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Chicken Recipe Alternative)
- ORIJEN Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food (Nulo Freestyle Senior Recipe Alternative)
- Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Puppy Dog Food (Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Puppy Recipe Alternative)
- Wellness CORE Grain-Free Turkey Canned Dog Food (Nulo Freestyle Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe Alternative)
Dog Food Similar to Nulo Reviewed
Nulo produces a relatively small range of dog food. Their products include dry dog food and wet foods.
Most Nulo formulas are high-protein, with high-quality whole meats as protein sources.
The company refrains from tapioca or potato starch, grains, additives, and gums. Instead, they opt for ancient grains, legumes, and sweet potatoes.
Let’s find out why the recipes above are good alternatives to Nulo dog food.
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Flatland Feast Turkey, Quail & Duck Dog Food
Blue Buffalo is a well-known and popular brand of premium dog food. The Blue Buffalo formula is an excellent alternative to Nulo Freestyle Grain-Free Turkey & Sweet Potato Recipe for several reasons.
To start with, this dog food is more budget-friendly. Blue Buffalo falls within the mid-price range but offers complete, balanced nutrition from premium ingredients. Unlike Nulo, which is more high-end, Blue Buffalo’s products are relatively affordable.
Lower price doesn’t compromise the quality. Thanks to multiple high-quality poultry sources, the dog food is pretty high in protein.
The Blue Buffalo formula contains turkey, quail, and duck. They provide a complete amino acid profile for your canine’s strong muscles — and give a rich taste to the kibble.
Proteins are complemented with healthy fats and complex carbohydrates for an optimal blend of macronutrients. So your adult dog gets all the energy and dietary fiber they need, plus Omega-3 fatty acids for shiny fur.
And the micronutrients?
Blue Buffalo’s recipe features LifeBits, a proprietary blend of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Pet nutritionists formulated this blend to support the canine immune system and other critical bodily processes.
The Blue Buffalo dog food doesn’t contain artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It’s also grain-free, gluten-free, and corn-free.
Taste of the Wild Ancient Wetlands with Ancient Grains Dog Food
Here’s another great, budget-friendly, premium alternative to a Nulo formula. Taste of the Wild is a Chewy dog food brand devoted to dogs’ ancestral diet and ancient grains.
Their Wetlands formula is comparable to Nulo Frontrunner and even provides better nutrition in some regards.
Both recipes are grain-inclusive and offer fantastic, nutritious ancient grains. Taste of the Wild includes grain sorghum, millet, and barley, which are some of the healthiest grains in the dog food market today. These contain high-quality fiber and slow carbs for steady energy throughout the day.
Duck, chicken, turkey, and quail give Taste of the Wild great taste and a high dose of animal proteins. In fact, this recipe is much higher in protein than Nulo: 32% compared to 27%. So your dog gets more support to muscles, joints, and bones.
The formula also contains K9 Strain Proprietary Probiotics, made especially for canines. Together with prebiotics and antioxidants, these probiotics ensure healthy digestion, strong immune system, and vitality for your dog.
For a similar price to Nulo, your dog gets more food, more proteins, and highly nutritious carbohydrate sources.
ORIJEN Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Orijen is one of the highest quality dog food brands — and the most expensive ones. Their formulas are pretty rich in protein, super-premium ingredients, dozen animal sources, and high-quality carbs.
The Senior Formula by Orijen is a great substitute for Nulo Freestyle Senior. While it is a little more expensive, you’ll be giving your ol’ pal some unparalleled pet nutrition.
With animal protein sources as the first 14 ingredients (yes, you read that right), senior dogs get an unprecedented amount of high-quality animal protein. The formula includes everything from whole poultry, fish, eggs, to organ meats and specified by-products.
These produce a superior blend of amino acids, minerals, and Omega-3s. In short, everything premium animal sources can offer. To sum everything up, 85% of premium animal ingredients work to produce 38% crude protein.
Are the carb sources equally impressive? We think so because this dog food contains a selection of whole lentils and legumes, with a dash of pumpkin. They will give your senior a steady energy and provide dietary fiber for healthy digestion.
And the taste? The Orijen recipe is freeze-dried coated, so every bite brings a fresh burst of deliciousness!
Merrick Classic Healthy Grains Puppy Dog Food
Merrick is a small brand that caters to dog owners with premium, natural ingredients.
Their Classic Healthy Grains for puppies is no different, and it’s a great alternative to the Nulo Frontrunner Ancient Grains Puppy formula.
Puppies need loads of proteins and fats for muscle development and brain health. Merrick does that through premium animal sources like chicken, salmon, and turkey. The formula is pretty high in protein (28%) and ensures enough amino acids for healthy growth.
Furthermore, the fish sources provide both EHA and DHA for brain development and cognitive function. Coupled with chicken fat, a salmon meal ensures a proper Omega-3 to Omega 6 ratio. Both are needed for steady energy, cardiovascular health, and strong joints.
The healthy grains in this formula — brown rice, barley, oatmeal, and quinoa — bring in a steady dose of carbs for energy. Besides being a great energy source, they also provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
The ingredients are combined with essential vitamins and minerals, which boost your pup’s immune system and promote wellbeing while the little one is growing.
Wellness CORE Grain-Free Turkey Canned Dog Food
Ready to give your dog a delicious meal or a topper? Wellness CORE might just be the thing.
Wellness is a holistic brand that focuses on natural ingredients and excludes artificial additives. The Wellness CORE formula is an awesome choice if you want to switch Nulo Freestyle Turkey & Sweet Potato canned dog food.
This canned food provides complete and balanced nutrition. It is rich in proteins coming from poultry. Whole chicken and turkey provide high-quality and complete amino acids profile, while the chicken broth and organ meats bring in an extra dose of taste.
The recipe is rounded by sweet potatoes for healthy carbs, fiber, and a steady energy source.
Wellness also uses a proprietary mix of botanical and nutritional supplements. These promote digestion, strong immunity, and overall body health.
Who knew canned food could be so healthy?
The formula is also free of meat by-products, corn, soy, wheat, and artificial additives. Such ingredients sometimes act as allergens, so it’s better to avoid them.
How to Transition to a New Dog Food
The new food you choose for your canine may be the best there is, but that doesn’t mean you should just change the current food overnight.
The majority of dogs develop digestive problems if you abruptly change their nutrition.
To avoid this, you should start by introducing a moderate amount of new food. Start with mixing 25% of new dog food into your canine’s kibble. Every 2-3 days, you can increase the amount by another 25%. This way, you should switch your dog’s kibble entirely in about 10 days.
If your dog experiences stomach problems with new food, decrease the amount. After some time, you can try increasing it again.
However, if the stomach issues continue, you should talk to the vet.
Our Verdict
Nulo is a great, premium dog food with many high-quality options.
However, this is one of the more expensive brands in the dog food industry.
We hope you found some great alternatives in the article.
As for us, our favorite by far is Blue Buffalo Wilderness Flatland Feast Turkey, Quail & Duck Formula.
The formula is budget-friendly, with high-quality protein sources and great taste. The recipe also includes loads of healthy fats and Blue Buffalo’s blend of essential vitamins, LifeBits.
