Another really specific Blue Buffalo meal is the Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food. And by specific we refer to the fact that it is especially for large dog breeds.
The Blue Buffalo brand actually has a number of foods that differ according to kind of meat used and even what it is (that is, wet or dry). And they carry foods for both dogs and cats alike.
In this article, we focus on this rocky mountain recipe for large dogs; getting into the specifics of who this meal if for, listing out the ingredients used and explaining the roles of each of these ingredients in the meal.
Let’s get right on with it!
Table of Contents
Who Is The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food For?
Specifically, this Blue Buffalo recipe is for large and extra-large dogs. If, however, your dog is neither large no extra-large, we make suggestions that you might be willing to try. So, be sure to stick with us till the end of this article.
Furthermore, the primary ingredient in this meal is red meat. And if red meat isn’t what you’re looking for, you will want to stick to the end where we offer an alternative meat option.
Finally, you have to be sure that grain-free is what you want your dog to have. Grain-free is generally a good idea but that is also dependent on what the alternative ingredients are. However, if you feel your dog shouldn’t be having grain-free meals, you might want to visit their veterinarian.
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Ingredients Of Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Deboned Beef
Beef (and meat in general) is an impressive source of protein and a couple of other nutrients. In fact, it has such a comprehensive group of amino acids that it is the preferred protein source for dogs as opposed to plant sources.
Beef also happens to contain a number of minerals and vitamins. However, something that we have to bear in mind is that beef has a high concentration of water; we are looking at between 60 and 70% water content.
So, while a lot of beef was used (which can be ascertained by the fact that beef appears first on the ingredient list), it doesn’t translate into a high protein content. Which is why even after seeing beef as the first ingredient, you have to be sure that there are other protein sources.
Finally, about the ‘deboned’ thing, it’s just basically having the bones removed from beef before adding said beef to a meal.
The idea is when beef goes through the heat process that the ingredients in dry food have to go through, the bones tend to lose their nutritional value. Leaving them in is redundant, which is why some manufacturers decide to do without.
Chicken Meal
Chicken meal is basically chicken that has been rendered. And rendering is a cooking process that kind of dries out meat, ridding it of a lot of its water content. So, while regular chicken has about 60 or 70% water content, chicken meal has a 10% water content.
Adding chicken meal to dog food is a decent way of increasing the protein content of a meal seeing as the said chicken meal has been maximized to offer as much nutrient value as possible.
That said, chicken meal is an important source of glucosamine. And you want your dog to have that because glucosamine is necessary for the repair of worn out tissues and the soothing of joint aches.
This nutrient is something your dog will really appreciate the older they get. And this is because while dogs produce glucosamine on their own, their ability to do that reduces the older they get.
Tapioca Starch
We do not think having tapioca starch as the third ingredient is a great thing. We say this because tapioca starch has been known to increase blood sugar levels in both humans and animals. So, it makes sense that one would want to be careful with how much tapioca starch one has.
That said, tapioca starch is not the richest ingredient out there but it does have its uses. For one, it brings with it its starchy content which is a source of energy.
Tapioca starch is also used as a binding agent in dry food. The idea of the binding agent is to produce a consistency with the bites and also prolong the shelf life of the entire food.
Peas
Peas are usually used in grain-free foods as an alternative to the grains which suggests that peas are an impressive source of carbs.
However, more than carbs, peas are actually a more impressive source of protein. Granted, plants are kinda limited in that they do not carry certain important amino acids.
However, the ones that peas do have, they have in high quantity. Which is why dog food manufacturers resort to them to boost the protein count.
Additionally, peas carry certain minerals and vitamins including manganese and vitamin k and also dietary fiber. Peas are also remarkably low in calories.
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Pea Starch
Pea starch is much like tapioca starch in that it is added to meals for its starch content and to serve as a binder for the other ingredients. And quite obviously, it is a derivative of peas which means that we are getting a component of one of the ingredients as a separate ingredient.
Pea Protein
Same as pea starch; having a component of one of the ingredients as a separate ingredient. If you add all these up, you’ll probably have a disturbingly high pea content. And as we hinted at earlier, it is safer for the majority of the ingredients in your dog’s food to be animal-based.
This is a technique called ingredient splitting and is adopted by a good number of pet food manufacturers, especially those of mid-range affordable food.
Anyway, one of the motivations for this would be that peas are really affordable. So, by splitting this one ingredient, they are able to increase the nutrient count without breaking the bank.
Menhaden Fish Meal
We’ve discussed ‘meal’ before and the same rules apply; the fish rendered which reduces the water content drastically.
So, talking about menhaden fish, it is a good source of both omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids; that is, in addition to the protein it has to offer. And both the omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids are necessary for great skin and coat, among other things.
We must point out, though, that we are grateful for the specificity; that is, we are told about ‘chicken meal’ and ‘menhaden fish meal’ instead of the blanket ‘poultry meal’ and ‘fish meal’. Such ambiguities are usually indicative that the producers have a thing or two to hide.
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Pea Fiber
Yet another pea derivative, not very encouraging. What’s more discouraging is that all the peas and derivatives appear high up the list.
Aside the ingredient splitting thing, not many people excited pea fiber. This is because all it has to offer is dietary fiber; more of the insoluble kind than the soluble kind too. Pea fiber is more of a filler than any other thing.
Natural Flavor
Natural flavor is added to dog food to make it more palatable. And it is referred to as natural because it is not a man-made additive.
That said, dog food manufacturers are not mandated to say exactly what was used as the flavoring, provided it is natural. So, there is really no way of knowing if the natural flavor used is something your dog should be having.
One would just have to trust a brand blindly and if that works, stick with said brand.
Flaxseed
Like peas, flaxseed is a really impressive plant protein source; just a small serving packs a lot of protein goodness.
In addition to protein, flaxseed is a good source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and a number of properties that help with cardiovascular health.
Chicken Fat (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
Chicken fat is this meal’s primary source of fat which is important for regulating body temperature and could also serve as a backup energy source.
That it is preserved with mixed tocopherols is so that it doesn’t get rancid real quick which, by extension, extends the life of the entire meal. We must say that we like that mixed tocopherols was used because it is natural and contains some isomers which can be found in Vitamin E.
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Pros Of The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
i. While we didn’t add them because of how low they appear on the list, this meal contains deboned lamb and deboned venison, in addition to the other animal-based protein sources. So, we must say that this meal contains an impressive amount of animal-based protein sources.
ii. That there wasn’t any artificial ingredients or additives used is also something laudable.
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Cons Of The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
i. There is a lot of peas and pea derivatives in this meal to make us slightly uncomfortable.
ii. Also, things would have been that much better if Blue Buffalo had specified what exactly its natural flavor is.
Alternative Options To The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Option For Small Dog Breeds: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Small Breed Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food
Containing about the same ingredients in different proportions, this is something you could consider if your dog is a small breed. Check out this review to find out what exactly is contained in this.
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Option For Regular Sized Adult Dogs: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food
Not only is this option for regular sized dogs, it can be fed to dogs of any size/breed. So, if you have different dog breeds and are looking for something that they all can eat, this could be it. Find out more about this recipe here.
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Option With Different Ingredient: Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Grain-Free Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food
If, however, you dog is tired of red meat, you could try feeding him this bison-based diet. Aside the major ingredient, this food has a number of ingredients in common with our featured product, howbeit, in different proportions.
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Quick Comparison Table
| Featured | Option For Small Dogs | Option For Regular Sized Dogs | Option With Different Ingredient | |
| Product |
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Large Breed Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food
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|
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Small Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
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|
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Grain-Free Adult Dry Dog Food
Click here to get it on Amazon!
|
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Bison Grain-Free Large Breed Adult Dry Dog Food
Click here to get it on Amazon!
|
| Ingredients | Deboned beef, chicken meal, tapioca starch, peas, pea starch, pea protein, menhaden fish meal, pea fiber, natural flavor, faxseed, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols). | Deboned beef, chicken meal, peas, pea protein, tapioca starch, menhaden fish meal, pea starch, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), flaxseed, natural flavor, dried egg product. | 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 bison, chicken meal, pea protein, potatoes, menhaden fish meal, peas, pea starch, tapioca starch, dried tomato pomace, natural flavor, flaxseed. |
| Kibble / Canned | Dry | Dry | Dry | Dry |
| Sizes Available | 10 pound and 22 pound bag. | 4 pound bag and 22 pound bag. | 4 pound bag, 10 pound bag and 22 pound bag. | 22 pound bag. |
| Best For | Large and extra-large dogs. | Extra-small dogs, toy dogs and small dogs. | All kinds of adult dog breeds. | Large and extra-large dogs. |
What Customers Are Saying About The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
A good number of dog parents are of the opinion that their dogs get the nutrients they need from this meal. Apparently, a good number of the dogs who have had this are picky eaters but have been able to eat this without qualms.
In fact, one dog parent said their dog was able to eat this without having it mixed with wet food (something that was apparently not applicable with other foods).
The price is another thing that people seem to be appreciative of; a good number of the dog parents believe they got their money’s worth with this one.
Our Verdict
We believe that Blue Buffalo did a decent job with the Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food.
This meal is actually consistent with Blue Buffalo meals in that it contains an almost equal proportion of animal and plant based protein sources. There is also a nice blend of other nutrients without having to resort to anything artificial
We do always advise, though, that your dog’s veterinarian be in the know before you introduce them (your dog) to any new diet.
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