Quick Summary:
If you want high quality ingredients…we recommend Blue Buffalo. Blue Buffalo’s wide variety is best for picky eaters and is more readily available but at a higher cost.
If you want your dog to love the food…either brand works.
| VICTOR’S FORMULA Check Price on Amazon | Blue Buffalo Check Price on Amazon |
|
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Our rating |  (4.8 / 5) |  (4.9 / 5) |
| Proteins: | 26% (meat meal, alfalfa) | 24% (Protein-rich, Real meat and Meal) |
| Fats: | 18% (omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed, glucosamine) | 14% (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) |
| Carbs : | Approximately 40%, 3.8% as crude fiber (chicory root, sorghum, millet, carrot) | Approximately 40%, |
| Vitamins and Minerals: | Chelated minerals, selenium yeast, prebiotic, montmorillonite clay | Real fruits and veggies, glucosamine, phosphorus, calcium |
| Preservatives and Bad Stuff: | Plant-based and gluten free with added meat, tomato pomace is controversial as filler ingredient, no preservatives | Natural preservatives, No Bad stuff. |
| AAFCO approval: | Yes | Yes |
Victor Dog Food vs Blue Buffalo [Which to Choose? Why Choose One Over the Other?]
Searching for the perfect dog food can be a very daunting task. With so many advertisements and promotions being run by major dog food brands, it can be difficult to focus on the facts and pick a clear winner.
If you have a penchant for high-quality ingredients and want to try a dog food brand with positive reviews, you may have come across Blue Buffalo and Victor as potential options for your new dog food.
Blue Buffalo and Victor brands…both comparable in many ways, but also very different. Have you found yourself at a loss, not sure which one to choose? Worry no more! This article is a comprehensive comparison of Victor and Blue Buffalo brands of dog food.
In this article, price point, ingredient quality, and taste are compared in a simple, easy-to-understand (and hopefully entertaining) format. Real customer reviews are explored, and there are also mini step-by-step guides on how to switch your dog’s food and how to save money when purchasing dog food. No matter if you’re researching brands for a new puppy, or looking for solutions to your old dog’s chronic digestive issues, this is the article for you.
Victor Dog Food and Blue Buffalo both offer protein-rich dog foods with no corn, wheat, or soy ingredients and without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. So since they are both quality products, which one is the best for your best friend?
Blue Buffalo dog food brand is slightly more expensive and created with higher quality ingredients than Victor dog food brand. They both were received very well by most dogs, according to reviews.
Understanding Ingredients
Beef meal and chicken meal are generally considered to be a low quality ingredient compared to deboned chicken. Deboned chicken is created by cleanly separating chicken meat from the skin and bone. Meat meal (referred to as chicken meal, beef meal, beef by-products, chicken by-products, etc.) is created through a process called rendering. The process of rendering occurs when animal carcasses (typically chicken or cow) are ground and boiled. Rendering results in a physical separation of fat, water, meat, and protein solids that are then used for dog food. The problem with dog food produced with the seemingly innocuous rendered ingredients is that the animal carcasses used in the rendering process are typically diseased or rotten. It is true that the rendering process kills all bacteria, viruses, and fungi, however, many dog owners want only the highest quality for their furry friends, and find the rendering process to be gross and unnerving.
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Protein
It’s no surprise that protein is one of the most important ingredients in a quality dog food. Although protein is not the only important factor to consider when choosing a dog food brand, it is a vital component. Protein needs vary by breed and by age. As a general rule of thumb, small dog breeds require high-protein diets. Dogs that are very active, like racing and hunting dogs, also need high-protein diets. Finally, certain special categories of dogs (lactating dogs, puppies, old dogs) also perform best when fed a high-protein diet.
Nutritional Content
When searching for a quality dog food brand, nutritional content is one of the most important factors to consider. After all, a well-nourished dog looks better, smells better, behaves better, and costs less money in veterinarian bills. Further, meeting all of your beloved pet’s nutritional requirements is part of your responsibility as a pet owner.
In order for a dog food brand to be considered to be nutritious, it must contain not only meat, but also other products like grains, fruits and vegetables. These other ingredients provide essential nutrients, antioxidants, and important dietary requirements for your dog. One key phrase to look for when comparing dog food brands is “complete and balanced.” This phrase, coined and enforced by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), means that the dog food in question contains sufficient amounts of crude protein, fat, water, and crude fiber.
Taste
The taste of a dog food is ultimately the most important quality to research when comparing dog food brands. After all, even the best quality dog food is useless if your dog won’t eat it! Many pet owners have had the experience of researching dozens of dog food brands, spending time selecting the best one, bringing it home proudly to their canine companion, and experiencing surprising rejection when the dog simply sniffs it and walk away. Instead, every dog owner wants their dog to hungrily await each meal, and eat the full portion each time he or she is fed.
Blue Buffalo v. Victor Dog Food :Comparison Criteria
Chester is a 13-year-old Shih Tzu. He has been happy and healthy for a long time but he developed stomach issues in the last couple of years. These issues have slowed him down a bit and the medicine has made his stomach more sensitive than it used to be. So we have been trying to find a food that will work best for him.
Keeping these factors in mind, Victor Dog Food and Blue Buffalo are both good options for any well-loved pet. So how do you decide? Here are a few other factors to keep in mind when making a choice for your own pup.
Blue Buffalo v. Victor Dog Food [Scruffy’s Story]
Fred, a long-time dog owner, had just adopted Scruffy, a six-year-old large-breed mutt with a gentle personality and a penchant for pretending to be a lap dog. Scruffy had been in the pound for approximately six months, and had lost an incredible amount of weight.
His ribs were extremely visible, his coat was dull and flaky, and he was clearly malnourished.
![Blue Buffalo v. Victor Dog Food [Scruffy's Story]](https://shihtzuexpert.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/dog-3108509__340-300x200.jpg)
When Fred asked the workers at the pound what had happened, they said he refused to eat the generic, low-cost food they had in stock. They said it caused Scruffy stomach pain and diarrhea.
Fred didn’t know what to do.
After getting some advice from the veterinarian, Fred began to research a variety of dog food brands, searching for the best one to bring home to his new furry friend. He searched for brands free from artificial preservatives, brand with holistic ingredients, and of course, reasonably priced dog food brands.
Fred came across two dog food brands – Victor and Blue Buffalo. He tried them both, and sent us a comparison.
Reviews
Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo dog food brand is generally well-received by pets. Here are a couple of reviews from dog owners who tried Blue Buffalo dog food:
“These ingredients are amazing. I wasn’t expecting blueberries and cranberries in my dog’s food, but it turns out dogs need fruits and veggies just like us! Before starting Blue Buffalo, my dog was overweight and sluggish. Now (6 weeks later), the vet tells me her weight is normal and she loves to play again. People are always stopping me on the street to tell me how shiny her coat is! ”
-Sharon C
“This is exactly the product I needed. My dog has allergies to everything, and it was always a headache trying to pick out the right dog food. I’ve got to say, four weeks with this dog food and his allergic spots are cleared up and even better – no more upset stomach! ”
-Jane R.
Victor
Dogs usually like Victor dog food brand. Here are two reviews about Victor dog food:
“Excellent food! Use it with my two huge Rottweilers and they love it. Definitely no allergy issues, and their coats are softer than they’ve ever been (even as puppies). Highly recommended!”
-Pennie M
“My Chow randomly developed skin allergies when she turned six years old. I took a chance on this brand because of a pet store promotion, and I’m never switching! Her coat is shiny, and I never have to mix the food with anything for her to eat it. Her muscle mass has increased and I think her mood’s a little bit better too.”
-Cheryl A.
The two dog food brands have similar customer reviews. However, many dogs have specific allergies that make shopping for dog food a more difficult experience. For those dogs with allergies to wheat and gluten, though, Blue Buffalo is a better choice. Blue Buffalo dog food is well-known for being tolerable to the stomachs of even the most sensitive dogs.
Victor Dog Food:
Victor Dog Food started in 2007 and is based in East Texas. It is family-owned and operated. All of the products are manufactured in their Texas facility and they boast that many of the ingredients come from within a 200-mile radius. They have not had any recalls on their products since they started in 2007.
The first of these ingredients is selenium yeast that replaces the more common and inorganic sodium selenite. Selenium yeast is considered to be an anti-cancer alternative, which makes me wish I had been feeding my Chester Victor brand all along.
Actigen is another yeast-based ingredient of the Victor Core that is said to act as a pre-biotic to support immune health. Diamond V is a brand of yeast culture that is said to support a healthy digestive system and immune health.
Zinpro is an organic mineral compound that is easier to absorb and supports a healthy metabolism. Whether the Victor Core is definitively a better blend of ingredients or not remains to be proven, but the fact that Victor is open and upfront about the companies manufacturing their ingredients mean that there is a level of accountability lacking from other brands.
Chester loved the Grain-Free Yukon River variety. This specific variety was great for his sensitive stomach and his coat was softer and shinier than ever. The higher protein content also gave him more energy. He has almost as much energy as he did before. However, this is the only variety of Victor Dog Food that would work for my Chester.
Blue Buffalo
Blue Buffalo is an American company launched in 2002, named after Blue, the Airedale Terrier that belonged to the owners. Blue was diagnosed with cancer and his health journey became the inspiration for the pet food company. They are based in California, but they work with manufacturing partners around the United States. Outsourcing to these manufacturing partners has been blamed for some of the six recalls that the company has issued since 2010.
Chester gets sick when he has chicken, and he doesn’t do well with grains either. The grain-free Blue Buffalo products were not a possibility for Chester because the grain-free Freedom line is all made with chicken fat. We tried a few different flavors and eventually we were able to narrow it down to the Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Turkey and Potato formula. Chester liked the turkey flavor, but he was not a fan of the LifeSource Bits.
Being able to pick up small bags at the grocery store was especially convenient when we were trying different flavors to see which one would work best for him. I would have gone crazy if I had to go to a special store each week just to get a different flavor of dog food! But the higher price of the Blue Buffalo brand added up quickly. If Chester didn’t like a particular flavor or it didn’t agree with his stomach, I hesitated to go buy another flavor because it felt like such a waste of money.
Comparison
| Victor Dog Food Check Price on Amazon | Blue Buffalo Check Price on Amazon |
|
|---|---|---|
| |
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| Our rating |  (4.7 / 5) | (4.8 / 5) |
| Proteins: | 22%-42% (Real meat and meat meal) | 20-24% (Protein-rich, Real meat and Meal) |
| Fats: | 10%-22% (Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids) | 9-14% (Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids) |
| Carbs : | 2.7% fiber- 4.5% fiber (whole grains) | 5% fiber (nutritious whole grains) |
| Vitamins and Minerals: | Real veggies. Vitamin A, E and B12. Iron, Zinc and Calcium. | Real fruits and veggies, glucosamine, phosphorus, calcium |
| Preservatives and Bad Stuff: | Natural, plant-based preservatives, No artificial preservatives. No bad stuff. | Natural preservatives, No Bad stuff. |
| AAFCO approval: | Yes | Yes |
Price
Both Blue Buffalo brand and Victor brand dog foods cost more than the average dog food. A quick online search reveals that the average price point for a 15-pound bag of Victor dog food is about $20-30, and about $50-$55 for a 40-pound bag. Blue Buffalo dog food costs approximately $20-30 for a 15-pound bag, and $50-$55 for a 30-pound bag. The prices are approximately the same for both the small and large bags of the two types of dog food. However, because Victor dog food contains ten more pounds of dog food in its large size, it wins the price contest.
Main ingredients
The first few ingredients in most of the varieties of Victor dry dog food are beef meal, grain sorghum (a species of grass commonly cultivated for grain), and chicken meal. The first few ingredients in most of the varieties of Blue Buffalo dry dog food are deboned chicken, chicken meal, and whole ground brown rice.
Both Blue Buffalo and Victor dog food brands contain rendered ingredients. However, Blue Buffalo recipes always include deboned chicken or real meat as the first ingredient, so their ingredients are marginally better in quality than Victor dog food brand.
Blue Buffalo dog food brand has an average of 25% protein, and Victor dog food brand has an average of 29% protein content. Both are well above the 22% commonly referenced as the minimum protein content in a nutritious dog food brand.
Both Blue Buffalo and Victor brands offer varieties of dog food that conform to the AAFCO’s definition of “complete and balanced.”
However, a deeper dive into the labels of these two brands of dog foods reveals that, although the nutritional content standards of the AAFCO are met and exceeded with both Blue Buffalo and Victor dog food brands, Blue Buffalo dog food brand contains many more fruits and vegetables than Victor dog food brand. In Blue Buffalo, sweet potatoes, blueberries, garlic, cranberries, rosemary oil, and green tea extract appear in nearly every formula. In Victor dog food, these types of fruit and vegetable ingredients are simply not present in the grand majority of the varieties. For that reason, Blue Buffalo clearly contains the best ingredients of the two brands.
How to Transition to either Victor Dog Food or Blue Buffalo?
In order to reduce the stomach upset of your dog while transitioning to a new food, follow these simple steps:
Check your dog for allergies. Many dogs owners wrongly believe that their dog’s thinning hair, constant scratching, bowel problems, and general restlessness are due to environmental factors. However, it has been proven that many dogs suffer from allergies that cause all of the above symptoms. Switching the brand of dog food you feed to your dog can dramatically and quickly ease skin, hair, mental, and digestive issues. Dogs can suddenly and unexpectedly develop allergies due to age or a move to a new location. To have your dog tested for allergies, simply request an allergy test from your veterinarian. After receiving the results (2-5 days), avoid dog foods that contain ingredients to which your dog is allergic or sensitive.
Mix in the new food with the old food. Suddenly switching from one brand of food to another brand of food is the wrong thing to do. A sudden change in food (even a change from low- to high- quality food) will almost always be jarring to your furry friend’s digestive system. Your pet may experience painful stomach cramps, diarrhea, anxiety, or a loss of interest in food if you switch quickly. In order to successfully switch to a new type of food, start your dog on a half-and-half mixture of new and old food. Then, gradually decrease the amount of old food over a period of 3-5 days.
Observe your dog for a few weeks. Some dogs may not show signs of sensitivity to a new food for several weeks. Pay attention to your dog’s digestive patterns, interest in food, and overall mood for at least two weeks after switching foods. Red signs would be frequent stools, overly firm or runny stools, blood in the stool, or an overall change in mood.
Conclusion:
Final Thoughts
Overall, both Blue Buffalo and Victor dog food brands come highly recommended, especially in comparison to other dog food brands. However, a detailed analysis of the ingredients of the two brands reveals that Blue Buffalo brand obviously contains higher quality ingredients. For that reason, Victor dog food brand is less expensive. The choice you make, as a dog owner, is very important to the health and well-being of your furry friend. Choosing a dog food brand can be a challenging experience, but if you use this article as a resource, your decision will certainly be well-informed.
Do you have any experience with Blue Buffalo it Victor brand dog food? Let us know about it in the comments section!
