Blue Buffalo vs Taste of the Wild [Why Choose One Over the Other?] [Dog Food REVIEWS]

Blue Buffalo vs Taste of the Wild You have absolutely no idea which is better… But which to buy? Here is the answer based on our research …

	Blue Buffalo	Taste of the Wild
Our rating	(4.7 / 5)	(4.8 / 5)
Check Price on Amazon	Check Price on Amazon	Check Price on Amazon
Proteins:	20-24% (Protein-rich, Real meat and Meal)	25-32% (Protein-Rich, Whole Meat and Meal)
Fats:	9-14% (Omega 3 & 6 Fatty acids)	15 – 18% (Omega 3 & 6 Fatty acids)
Carbs :	5% Fiber (Wholesome Whole grains)	38% with 3 – 4.5% Fiber (Grain-free, Sweet potatoes)
Vitamins and Minerals:	Real fruits & Veggies, Calcium, Phosphorus, Glucosamine	Real fruits & veggies (Potatoes, Tomatoes, Blueberries, Raspberries), Vitamin E, Zinc, Selenium
Preservatives and Bad Stuff:	Holistic, Natural Preservatives, No Bad stuff	Natural Preservatives, No bad stuff
AAFCO approval:	Yes	Yes

Trying to decide between Blue buffalo and taste of the wild?
is there a way to compare? which is better?
Why Choose One Over the Other?

They are the best in mid price range of dog food. They are both excellent brands and either one you go with will be a satisfying choice for your pet.
Taste of the Wild is going to be a little richer and higher in protein.

I used to have my pups on Blue Buffalo and they did really well on it.
I now have them on the Taste of the wild, and they love it!

Is Taste of the wild better for more active dogs?
Since it’s higher in protein, Taste of the wild would be a great choice for active pets.

OK, so BB is for less active pets?
You can still feed your pet Blue Buffalo even if they are not as active but if the pet is on Blue Buffalo, it’s better for their activity level.

Blue Buffalo vs  Taste of the Wild

Pickles, a long-haired Shih Tzu, used to struggle with food allergies in tangent with a sensitive digestive system, selective eating habits, itchy skin, and vomiting with every other intake of food.

I went to numerous vet visits and they only recommended to continue to switch brands of dog food until you find one he likes and doesn’t immediately throw up. Aside from all of the crazy food allergies and sensitive stomach issues, Pickles was very healthy. I followed the vet’s orders and started looking for hypoallergenic food brands – gluten-free, grain free, whole meats, and no preservatives or by-products.

Before I bought a variety of dog food brands for Prince Pickles, I did a lot of research on a healthy Shih Tzu diet. When I was looking for dog food for my Shih Tzu,

Here is the research I found and the two dog food brands I recommend for your sensitive dog.

Protein

The most imperative ingredient to look for is protein. Protein is an absolute must for your dog. But it can’t be just any protein. It’s important to avoid dog food brands that do not specify which kind of “meat” is used; otherwise, the deemed “meat” is probably by-products. Why are by-products bad? They are basically dried meat or bones mixed with other parts of the animal that are usually disposed of like stomachs, kidneys, face, feet, backs, brains, fetuses. If people generally don’t consume it, then it’s probably not best for your fur baby. By-products are not the worse thing for your dog to consume.

In fact, they can even contain more protein but they tend to be more processed and are inexpensive fillers. The most common proteins are chicken, beef, lamb, venison, bison, turkey, or fish. I found bison and venison can be used as a hypoallergenic if there are any allergies to chicken, turkey, or any of the other common meats.

Fat

As we should all know by now, fats are a pertinent part of our diets. The same can be said for dogs. Good fats offer healthy Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. Fatty acids help keep the systems of all body functions healthy and running smoothly; like skin health, respiratory system, circulatory system, brain, and organs. The ideal ratio intake of fats for dogs is one gram of fat per two grams of protein.

This allows your dog to consume the same amount of calories from each. Fats tend to have more calories per gram than proteins.

Fat is significantly cheaper than proteins so it is possible for them to under report how much they actually contain. This can be avoided by finding a trusted brand.

Carbohydrates

Since Pickles is super sensitive to everything I tried limiting my search to foods that were grain-free and gluten-free, or contained wholesome whole grains. I read good carbs are especially good for skin  sensitivities and promote healthy digestion.

Vitamins and Minerals

The no-brainer: avoid preservatives. There is a time and a place for preservatives because they keep food from spoiling, but you have to make sure they are natural preservatives.

Natural preservatives tend to end in tocopherol and ascorbate. Just how you do not want to consume food products riddled with GMO’s, hormones, and antibiotics, your dog doesn’t either. Instead, find food brands with plenty of vitamins and minerals. These are essential for overall metabolic system health.

AAFCO Approved

And of course, make sure the food brand you select is AAFCO approved. This ensures the food contains the proper ingredients for your dog to live a healthy and full life – proteins, fats, fiber, and moisture.

Blue Buffalo

What drew me to Blue Buffalo initially was their inspiring story and practical antioxidant-rich kibbles. The story about Airedale Terrier, Blue, tugs at your heart strings and makes it easy to immediately trust and be faithful to this brand. Blue Buffalo inspires consumers to become part of a family that only wanted the best for their dog and turned it into a business to provide healthy dog food for the whole world. Who wouldn’t want to support that? Who wouldn’t want to support a dog food brand that is named after a dog.

I bought this for Pickles to try it out for a couple of weeks and he ate it up. My only immediate reservation I had for Blue Buffalo is that Pickles did not like the taste of the vitamin kibbles/LifeSource Bits. He would eat around them and leave them in his bowl for the majority of the day until he got hungry enough to eat them regardless of the taste.

However, normally when Pickles eats too fast he will turn around and immediately throw it all back up again. But thanks to the the thoughtfulness of Blue Buffalo, the numerous varieties of dog food they create can cater to just about any of your finicky dog’s needs.

The only disappointment was the weight-control aspect of the formula. I felt like the weight control formula was not doing much. He mostly maintained his weight and he did not gain anything. But Pickles is a solid, five pounds overweight and I have been trying to slim him down to a healthier stature. I think Blue Buffalo weight-control or otherwise is a perfect formula for the more active pet. Pickles is a Shih Tzu and tends to want to be carried after a walk lasting longer than 15 minutes. If I had a a dog I went hiking with and who loves to run around and play fetch, then Blue Buffalo would be a perfect dietary choice.

Taste of the Wild

What drew me to Taste of the Wild was their belief in bringing our animals back to their ancestral roots through diet. A diet that is grain-free and based on what their ancestors would eat. I can join and support a company that is trying to emulate what our dogs would eat in the wild. While Taste of the Wild does not have an inspiring dog named Blue to tell to its consumers, I felt like their innovative mission inspired me more to support.

This filled me with confidence that I was feeding Pickles real, natural food. The following ingredients were also straightforward, proving Taste of the Wild is a brand true to their story – ancestral diets. I noticed Pickles had more energy while consuming Taste of the Wild. The unique, lean meat options (that are hormone free) are highly digestible energy sources full of antioxidants and minerals. I loved that Taste of the Wild is family-owned and privately owned. The family saw a growing market and demand for natural, grain-free diets for dogs and jumped at the opportunity to provide just that.

My only reservation with Taste of the Wild was the canola oil. I read it is tends to be harsher on dog’s stomachs, tends to be genetically modified from rapeseeds, and is just an inexpensive filler. This is not a deal breaker for me because there is not enough canola oil in the overall product to actually raise concerns but definitely something to look for if you were expecting a 100 percent natural food.

Comparison

While both products are excellent choices I ended up sticking with Taste of the Wild. I connected with their mission more than I did with Blue Buffalo. Taste of the Wild also has four different sources of protein in their formula (natural meats, eggs, pea protein, and sweet potatoes). Taste of the Wild also uses purified water during production. This is exactly the same quality you can find in bottled water. This really set Taste of the Wild apart from Blue Buffalo.

I also needed more grain-free options and Taste of the Wild provided that for me. Every formula is grain-free. Blue Buffalo mostly has wholesome whole grains rather than grain-free. However, on the other side of things, Blue Buffalo provides more vitamins and minerals in their product than Taste of the Wild. The LifeSource kibbles are real benefit for Blue Buffalo. Blue Buffalo also has more than 100 adult food options, about 20 senior food options, and about 20 puppy food options. This exceeds the variety of Taste of the Wild.

Ultimately, both products met my health requirements for Pickles are an exceptional, nutrient rich diet choice for your fur baby.