Zignature is a premium dog food brand best known for its limited ingredient diets. Many dog owners love and trust this brand and their pet nutrition expertise.
The brand uses simple recipes and high-quality ingredients to address food sensitivities in canines.
Their popular dog foods include novel proteins, like kangaroo, goat, and guinea fowl. Plus, the company is adamant about excluding artificial ingredients and unnecessary fillers.
Such an approach works great for canines but isn’t always budget-friendly for pet owners. Furthermore, Zignature products aren’t always available. Sensitive dogs need a consistent diet, so the shortage of their food can be an issue.
In other words, it doesn’t hurt to have a few Zignature alternatives at hand.
Our favorite alternative to Zignature dog food is ACANA Red Meat Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food.
The recipe is filled with high-quality proteins, organ meats, and doesn’t have the usual grain substitutes. In many ways, Acana offers superior nutritional value to Zignature’s formula.
Let’s look at all the alternatives to Zignature’s most popular formulas.
Zignature Dog Food Alternatives
- ACANA Red Meat Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food (Zignature Zssential Multi-Protein Formula Alternative)
- Addiction Grain-Free Wild Kangaroo & Apples Dry Dog Food (Zignature Kangaroo Limited Ingredient Formula Alternative)
- Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Dry Dog Food (Zignature Select Cuts Formula Alternative)
- Earthborn Holistic Venture Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food (Zignature Lamb Limited Ingredient Formula Alternative)
- Nature’s Logic Canine Turkey Feast All Life Stages Canned Dog Food (Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient Formula Canned Dog Food Alternative)
Dog Food Similar to Zignature Reviewed
Zignature dog food range includes several dry dog food and canned food lines.
The recipes usually start with whole meat and offer high protein content. But the company’s real advantage is the use of rare and exclusive animal sources.
They are unique in the amount of novel proteins and the different species they use. However, they aren’t alone in the usage of novel meats.
Zignature products are in the mid-to-high price range, which is understandable considering the ingredients.
The alternatives listed below offer similar — if not better — nutritional value for a comparable or lower price.
ACANA Red Meat Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Acana is commonly referred to as the more budget-friendly version of Orijen. The brand uses high-quality ingredients sourced locally and sustainably. Many of their innovative formulas have won awards and the hearts of dog owners worldwide.
Acana Red Meat Recipe is a dog food comparable to Zignature Zssential Multi-Protein Formula. Both use various animal sources to produce a high-quality, high-protein dog food.
We like Acana because animal sources don’t just stop with whole meats and meat meals. Instead, beef and pork in the formula are accompanied by many organ meats, like beef tripe, liver, and kidney.
Organ meats add exquisite flavor to the formula and introduce additional proteins, minerals, vitamins, and fiber.
The grain-free portion of the recipe consists of whole legumes. Wholesome ingredients, like lentils, pinto beans, and chickpeas offer more varied carbs, compared to Zignature’s peas and pea derivatives. These will probably be easier on the dog’s stomach as well.
The formula also includes fresh fruits and veggies for added taste and antioxidant benefits.
Acana Red Meat recipe is fortified with probiotics and prebiotics for further digestive support.
Addiction Grain-Free Wild Kangaroo & Apples Dry Dog Food
One of Zignature’s signature products is undoubtedly the Zignature Kangaroo Limited Ingredient Formula. This novel protein is rarely seen in dog food, but the Addiction Grain-Free Wild Kangaroo & Apples recipe is pretty similar.
Addiction is a New Zealand-based pet food company specializing in premium and hypoallergenic pet food. The ingredients might not be from the USA, but that shouldn’t worry you, given NZ’s high food safety standards.
The kangaroo meat in Addiction’s formula is harvested from the wild — which means there are no antibiotics or growth hormones. The kangaroo meat contains conjugated linoleic acid, shown to inhibit obesity and promote overall health.
The taste is enhanced by fresh apples, which are also full of vitamins and antioxidants.
Since this is a grain-free formula, the recipe includes taurine for vision and heart health.
We especially like that Addiction does not use artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives — these additives can sometimes trigger allergic reactions, so it’s good to exclude them.
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Taste of the Wild crafts dog food formulas that mimic dogs’ ancestral diet. This means plenty of high-quality proteins and all-natural ingredients.
Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream is one of their most popular recipes comparable to Zignature Select Cuts Trout & Salmon Meal Formula. Both dog foods include a selection of fish and fish meals for high-quality proteins and essential Omega-3 fatty acids.
The Taste of the Wild formula offers great value for money within this group. Your furry friend can feast on the tried-and-tested salmon and salmon meal — and get all the nutrients in the process.
Zignature’s formula is excellent in the grains department, thanks to many ancient and wholesome grains.
Taste of the Wild is grain-free and doesn’t stay too behind in the nutritional sense. The primary carb source is sweet potato, full of dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
This means that if your dog is allergic to grains or gluten, Taste of the Wild is the way to go.
The formula soothes the stomach and enhances the digestive system via prebiotics, probiotics, and naturally occurring microorganisms. These introduce healthy bacteria to the gut and help the absorption of nutrients.
Earthborn Holistic Venture Roasted Lamb & Butternut Squash Dry Dog Food
Earthborn Holistic is devoted to using wholesome, USA-sourced ingredients in their products, with “no artificial anything.” Their Venture Roasted Lamb recipe is, in many ways, comparable to Zignature Lamb Limited Ingredient Formula — and probably better in some regards.
This dog food is grain-free and uses whole lamb meat as the first ingredient and primary protein source.
Less common protein sources, like lamb, are an important part of limited ingredient diets. Dogs are less likely to develop allergies to them, and they are also more easily digestible.
Earthborn Holistic didn’t opt for commonly used peas for this recipe. Instead, main grain substitutes are nutritious butternut squash and juicy pumpkin. These will not only add taste, but many nutrients to your dog’s kibble as well.
The formula is also pretty rich in Omega-3s because of the pollock meal. Omega-3s are crucial for a canine’s heart health, shiny coat, and healthy skin.
True to their word, the Earthborn Holistic doesn’t use artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. They do, however, introduce probiotics, prebiotics, and beta-carotene. These further support digestive health and fantastic skin.
Nature’s Logic Canine Turkey Feast All Life Stages Grain-Free Canned Dog Food
Nature’s Logic hasn’t been around as long as some other brands. But, they have distinguished themselves by using only natural ingredients.
The company doesn’t even use synthesized vitamins and minerals, which are commonplace for most pet food manufacturers.
Nature’s Logic Canine Turkey Feast is a wet dog food similar to Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Formula. Both formulas are grain-free and feature the whole turkey as the first ingredient.
Both recipes also include turkey broth and turkey liver for added proteins, taste, and nutrients.
However, we especially like that Nature’s Logic doesn’t use agar-agar (found in Zignature) or any other commercial thickening agents. Sometimes, dogs can experience allergic reactions to these.
Instead, Nature’s Logic dog food is filled with the company’s proprietary mix of dried fruits and veggies. These provide all the necessary vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants your dog needs.
Nature’s Logic canned food is one of the most natural dog foods you can get for your pooch — and this alone makes it worth considering.
How to Transition to a New Food
It’s nice to have choices when it comes to dog food — but it’s unwise to switch your canine’s kibble overnight.
Most dogs will experience digestive issues if the change is made abruptly. These come from different ingredients, macronutrients content, and processing. Just like humans, our furry family members need time to adapt.
So, what should you do?
Start by switching 25% of your dog’s current food with the new food. Continue feeding your furball like that for 2–3 days, and — if they don’t experience stomach issues — up the amount to 50%.
After another 2–3 days, increase the ratio to 75%, and after that, to 100%.
Should your dog get tummy troubles, ease up a little on the food and try again after some time. If the stomach issues persist, it might be wise to talk to a vet and see if there are any underlying food allergies to the new food.
Our Verdict
Zignature dog food is a respectable brand and one of the best for limited ingredient diets.
The popularity of this brand is also seen in the fact that their products are usually out of stock at popular online retailers.
We hope you were able to find your next best food alternative — and the new favorite for your canine!
Our personal favorite is ACANA Red Meat Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food.
The formula is well-rounded, with a remarkable selection of meats and grain substitutes your dog will surely love.
