In this article, we review another Blue Buffalo dry dog food; the Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food.
Blue Buffalo is a mid-range affordable pet brand that sees to the creation of pet foods. By pet foods we refer to different kinds of meals and food formulas for both dogs and cats alike.
Dog foods that are not exactly premium but not particularly cheap either usually have a blend of ingredients; some of them impressive and a number of them questionable.
These ingredients are what will form the major part of this article. You get to see the major ingredients used (based on how high up they appear on the list) and what each ingredient brings to the table.
Before we run along though, let’s find out who this food was created for.
Table of Contents
Who Is The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food For?
From the name of the product, it isn’t difficult to come to the conclusion that this meal is specifically for adult dogs. And while Blue Buffalo has foods that are breed specific, this one can be had by any breed of adult dogs.
However, if your dog isn’t an adult, you’ll still want to stick around because towards the end of the article, we make suggestions for dogs in other life stages.
One last thing, you’ll have to constantly bear in mind that the ‘wilderness’ in Blue Buffalo dog foods is usually suggestive of a high protein content. So, if you do not want your dog having that or a grain-free diet, please discuss with your dog’s veterinarian.
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Ingredients Of Blue Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Deboned Bison
Bison is not the kind of meat that you’ll find in a lot of dog foods which is actually a good thing.
Like humans, dogs could get really bored with eating the same meat over and over again. So, spicing up your dog’s meal time by feeding them a different kind of meat could be welcome.
However, if your dog has never had bison before, you’ll want to be careful. Watch them the first couple of times to be sure that they have no allergies or reactions to eating bison.
That said, deboned bison is basically the same as raw bison, howbeit, without the bones. And the reason some manufacturers decide to do without the bones in dry food is because said bones lose their nutrients after going through the heating process that ingredients in a dry dog food have to go through.
Deboned bison, in addition to being an excellent source of amino acids, is actually pretty tasty; at least that’s what people say.
Chicken Meal
Something you probably already know about meat is that it has a really high water content and by high we are talking between 60 and 70 percent. So, the amount of meat used in a meal usually doesn’t equal the amount of amino acids to be got; with the former being more.
However, with chicken meal (or any other kind of meal), the reverse is the case. The water content in chicken is drastically reduced to about 10% through a cooking method called rendering.
Adding chicken meal to dog food is a good way of significantly increasing the animal based protein content seeing as the water content has been drastically reduced.
Menhaden Fish Meal
We already know that menhaden fish meal is rendered menhaden fish. That said, menhaden fish is a kind of oily fish that, in addition to being rich in protein, is rich in Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
Both groups of fatty acids are, amongst a number of other things, necessary for a healthy coat and skin. And because dogs cannot produce these on their own, they need all the help they can get.
Something else menhaden fish meal brings to the table is glucosamine and glucosamine is necessary for the repair of tissues.
We do have to mention that we are thankful for the specificity; that is, we are told that it is ‘chicken meal’ and ‘menhaden fish meal’ that were used. Ambiguity isn’t good; ‘meat meal’ and ‘fish meal’ usually mean that the producers have something to hide.
Pea Protein
Pea protein is used in a lot of mid-range affordable dog foods because it is an affordable way of beefing up the protein content in a meal. Peas are really high in protein. So, just a little bit of it could significantly increase the protein content.
So, why is this not encouraged over meats? Well, generally, plants cannot offer as comprehensive a group of amino acids as meats can.
So, while plants may have a high protein content because they do not have as much water, eating meats is more advisable for dogs in order for them not to have deficiencies. That said, seeing that this is not the primary ingredient, that should be fine.
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Pea Starch
Because pea starch has some gelling qualities, it is usually used in dry food as a sort of thickener or binder. And a binder is needed to ensure that the dry food has a long shelf life. It is also needed to ensure that dry food forms a particular consistent shape.
Aside being a thickener, pea starch basically only brings the starch which could come in handy as being an energy source.
Peas
Peas again! Granted the others have had something else attached to them like ‘pea protein’ and ‘pea starch’ but it’s all basically peas. And having a heavily plant based food isn’t the best for dogs.
Plants contain some complex nutrients that dogs have not yet been adapted to digest. So, it is best they take them in bits.
That said, if we do not see any other pea derivative on this ingredient list, we might actually be home safe.
Tapioca Starch
Not exactly home safe because this is also a plant source. Like pea starch, tapioca starch serves the purpose of binding ingredients in dry dog food and also offers its starch content.
One thing you want to bear in mind, though, is that tapioca starch has been known to spike up sugar levels in both humans and animals. So, if you ever, for any reason, want to feed your dog raw tapioca starch try not to.
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Potatoes
Much like peas, potatoes are used in grain-free dog foods as a replacement for the grains. So, you can be sure that potatoes are an important source of carbohydrates in this food.
However, irrespective of how important a source of carbs potatoes are (dogs need the energy to move around), they have to be taken in small doses by dogs.
The reason is that dogs cannot easily digest the complex carbs that potatoes have to offer. Thankfully, potatoes do not appear high up the list so, we can be comforted in the assumption that not a lot was used.
Dried Egg Product
Dried egg product is kinda like chicken meal in that its water content is significantly less than its original form. With dried egg product, your dog is able to get as much protein as possible from a little serving.
We should also mention that dried egg has a longer shelf life than raw egg, which is why manufacturers add it to dry food.
Dried Tomato Pomace
Dried tomato pomace is a by-product of tomato processing. It usually contains the pulp, skin and even seeds (those would be crushed, though).
Basically, dried tomato pamace is added to dog food because of its soluble fiber content. Dogs could also get lycopene out of dried tomato pomace.
If, for any reason, you want to add dried tomato pomace to a homemade meal for your dog, be sure that the tomatoes are ripe.
Natural Flavor
Natural flavor is only added to dog food to make it more palatable. And because dog food manufacturers are not mandated to say what exactly was used, the natural flavor could be anything that isn’t manmade.
When it comes to natural flavor in dog food, one will just have to find a brand that works and stick with it.
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Pros Of The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
i. This Blue Buffalo Wilderness Recipe contains a considerable amount of animal-based protein sources which is impressive.
ii. Also, like with basically every Blue Buffalo meal, this one does not contain any artificial ingredients or additives which is also pretty impressive.
iii. We do have to mention that we like that this is a Bison recipe because it could spice things up for dogs who have gotten tired of the regular beef, chicken and turkey.
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Cons Of The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
i. There could actually have been more meats in this. That there are two different kinds of meals and one dried product is impressive, really. However, just one actual meat? Could have been better.
ii. Also, we would have appreciated things a little better if Blue Buffalo had said what natural flavor was used exactly. However, this isn’t specific to Blue Buffalo so, there is only so much complaining we can do.
Alternative Options To The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
If You Want To Stick With Regular Red Meat, You Could Try The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Adult Dry Dog Food
We should point out, though, that this red meat variant contains less animal-based protein sources than our featured product. This one also has a higher pea content than our featured product. Find out more about the red meat variant here.
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If, However, Your Dog Is A Puppy, The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Is Something They Could Try
There is no Wilderness Puppy Food in the Bison variety so, you could try the red meat variety. It contains almost the same ingredients as our featured product without the bison and with a couple of differences with amount used. Find out more about it here.
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Is Your Dog A Senior? Check The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Senior Dry Dog Food
There is also no Wilderness Bison Recipe for seniors, this red meat variety is one of the closest alternatives. It doesn’t have a heavy reliance on animal-based protein but there a significant amount was used. Find out more about this recipe for senior dogs here.
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Quick Comparison Table
| Featured | Red Meat Option | Puppy Food Option | Senior Food Option | |
| Product |
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
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|
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
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|
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Dry Dog Food
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|
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
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|
| Ingredients | Deboned bison, chicken meal, menhaden fish meal, pea protein, pea starch, peas, tapioca starch, potatoes, dried egg product, dried tomato pomace, natural flavor. | Deboned beef, chicken meal, peas, pea protein, tapioca starch, pea starch menhaden fish meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), flaxseed, pea fiber, natural flavor. | Deboned beef, chicken meal, pea protein, peas, tapioca starch, menhaden fish meal, pea starch, dried egg product, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), flaxseed, natural flavor. | Deboned beef, chicken meal, peas, tapioca starch, pea starch, pea protein, pea fiber, natural flavor, flaxseed, menhaden fish meal, potatoes. |
| Kibble / Canned | Dry | Dry | Dry | Dry |
| Sizes Available | 4 pound bag and 22 pound bag. | 10 pound bag and 22 pound bag. | 4 pound bag and 22 pound bag. | 4 pound bag and 22 pound bag. |
| Best For | All kinds of adult dog breeds. | All kinds of adult dog breeds. | All kinds of puppy dog breeds. | All kinds of senior dog breeds. |
What Customers Are Saying About The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
A lot of the feedback on this Bison recipe are positive and these feedbacks have come from dog parents with one dog and also those with many dogs.
The common thread seems to be that their dogs consider the meal delicious ad have been able to clear their plates time and time again. One dog parent mentioned that both their dogs enjoyed.
And for better perspective, one of the dogs is about 50 pounds heavier than the other. This could suggest that the meal is well received, irrespective of size.
Interested in the Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe?
Our Verdict
First off all, we are swayed by the fact that the meat used is bison. Bison isn’t regular, so your dog might fancy the variety.
As for the food as a whole, we consider it an OK blend of animal-based and plant-based protein sources; there could have been more of the animal-based kind but what we have is kinda alright.
Additionally, the fact that it is pretty affordable is a factor that we would seriously consider.
However, whatever your decision (this featured product or any of the alternatives) be sure that it is something that your dog’s veterinarian approves of.
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