Looking for something for your puppy? The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food could be it. And in this article, we’ll be doing a detailed review of said food.
Blue Buffalo, the manufacturer of this Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe, is a pretty well-known pet brand. It has different foods and food recipes to cater to dogs and cats of different breeds and sizes, in different age ranges and with different tastes.
As for the affordability of Blue Buffalo foods, we think they could be described as mid-range affordable. Blue Buffalo isn’t exactly a premium brand so there could be some affordable alternative ingredients used.
That said, in this article, we’ve outlined those ‘important’ ingredients that are in this Blue Buffalo Puppy food. We say important because these are the first ingredients you’ll notice on the list of ingredients. And the higher up an ingredient is on the list, the more of it than others was used.
We’ll also be explaining the purpose these ingredients serve in the meal. So, be sure to stick with us through to the end. Ready for this? Let’s find out who and who can eat this.
Table of Contents
Who Is The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food For?
From the name of the product, we can easily ascertain that this particular Blue Buffalo Rocky Mountain Recipe was specially formulated for puppies. So, there are certain ingredients that contain nutrients that boost development of bones and teeth. Plus, the chunks will definitely be smaller.
Furthermore, we should mention that this meal can be fed to any breed of puppy. However, there’s no need running off if your dog isn’t a puppy. This is because, towards the end of this review, we give food suggestions for both the adult dog and the puppy.
Finally, this meal is from the wilderness line and Blue Buffalo’s wilderness usually suggests high protein. You’ll also have to consider the fact that this meal’s primary ingredient is red meat and there are no grains in it. If anything about all that doesn’t sit well with you, you might want to discuss with your dog’s vet.
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Ingredients Of Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Deboned Beef
The first ingredient we see on the list is red meat; the deboned kind. Deboned beef basically means what it says; beef that has had its bones removed.
The reason manufacturers usually prefer to use deboned meat in dry food is because when bones pass through the heating process that ingredients in a dry food do, they lose all their nutrients. So, dog food manufacturers decide to just skip out on the bones altogether.
That said, just like with regular beef, deboned beef is a decent source of protein while having a really high water content. So, while your dog could get all the amino acids he needs from the deboned beef content, it won’t be enough. Whatever meal you pick for your dog, be sure that there is more than one meat in it.
Chicken Meal
For a second ingredient, chicken meal is pretty impressive. Chicken meal is chicken that has gone through the cooking process called rendering such that its water content is drastically reduced. So, while raw chicken has a water content of between 60 and 70%, chicken meal has a water content of about 10%.
So, with chicken meal, you can be sure that the amount used offers a reasonable amount of protein or whatever nutrient is in it and not just water. However, despite the fact that chicken meal has a really high protein content, it shouldn’t be the primary ingredient in your dog’s food.
One last thing. We like that the meal in this food is specified; that is, we can clearly see that it is a chicken derivative. You want to be wary of foods that are not specific about their ingredients. If you see anything like ‘poultry’, ‘meat meal, or fish, you might want to stay away. Ambiguity usually suggests that there is something to hide.
Pea Protein
Peas happen to have a high protein content. So, the protein content could be extracted and added to dog food as it was with this meal.
Aside the fact that pea protein is high in protein, it is pretty affordable. This is why you’ll find it in a lot of low range to mid-range dog foods to boost up the protein content.
We would have preferred to see this a little lower on the list and some other meat this high up. This is because plant protein does not contain all the amino acids your dog needs; meat does. So, if the meal contains a decent amount of animal based protein, the plant based sources would be good backup.
Peas
As earlier mentioned, peas are really high in protein and so are added to dog food to boost the protein count. However, more than that, peas contain a decent amount of carbohydrates which is why they are added to grain-free dog foods like this one to be a substitute for the grains.
Peas also contain a healthy amount of dietary fiber, vitamin K.
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Tapioca Starch
All tapioca starch has to offer is starch and that is the reason it is added to this food. Well, it also serves as a thickener.
That said, you’ll want to be careful about feeding your dog raw tapioca starch. Tapioca starch has been known to spike up blood sugar levels in both humans and animals. It is basically about how much is fed but it might be difficult to ascertain how much is too much.
Menhaden Fish Meal
That Blue Buffalo specified what kind of fish was rendered gives us a bit of confidence in the food. Menhaden fish meal is listed as one of this food’s sources of Omega 3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 (and 6) fatty acids are necessary for having a healthy skin and coat. And in spite of how important these fatty acids are, dogs are unable to produce them themselves.
So, what they get from the menhaden fish meal will definitely come in handy. Plus, the fact that this is a meal guarantees that your dog will be getting more nutrients out of this than water.
Pea Starch
In addition to tapioca starch, pea starch is added for its starch content. That is, pea starch adds the carbohydrates that your dog needs to do his jumping and running around. Pea starch is also added as a sort of thickener.
We have to mention that we are not exactly excited about the fact that this is the second pea derivative we’ve seen, in addition to the peas. Why? Add all the pea derivatives together with the actual peas and you have quite a lot of peas.
Splitting ingredients is just a sneaky way of using more of plant protein (which is usually more affordable than animal protein) which isn’t good news for your dog.
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Dried Egg Product
This is whole egg (without the shell), dried so that a lot of its water content is removed. It’s the same result as when you render meat. So, the idea is to get as much of the actual protein content from the eggs without all the water.
Because eggs are animal-based protein sources, they contain quite a lot of different amino acids. In addition to that, your dog can get some fatty acids and even fats from the dried egg product.
Chicken Fat (Preserve With Mixed Tocopherols)
The chicken fat in this Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy feed is its major source of fat. And we know that fat is necessary for regulating body temperature and could also serve as a backup energy source.
That said, the reason the chicken fat is preserved with mixed tocopherols is because chicken fat could quickly become rancid and that could spoil the whole meal. So, in order to preserve the entire food, the fat is preserved.
Flaxseed
Another pretty impressive plant based protein source. However, you’ll have to bear in mind that flaxseeds do not contain all the amino acids that a dog needs. Thankfully, there are other protein sources in this that make-up for the lack.
Now, in addition to protein, flaxseed also contains both the Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, both of which help with a healthy skin and coat.
Natural Flavor
Finally, we look at natural flavor. This is added to pet food to make it more appetizing for pets. Natural flavor could be anything that will give food a particular taste, provided it isn’t manmade. And this is what is scary about it.
Pet food are not mandated to state what kind of natural flavor was used; all they need to state is whether or not it is natural. So, there is really no way of ascertaining what was used and whether or not that will sit well with the eater.
All one can really do is find a brand that they trust and stick with it, basically.
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Pros Of The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
i. We like that there isn’t any artificial ingredients and/or additives in this meal as artificial usually spells bad news.
ii. There is a decent amount of protein in this meal which is also good.
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Cons Of The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
i. There is probably too much peas in this meal what with the actual peas and then the added derivatives.
ii. Furthermore, we do not think that there is enough animal based protein in this. There is only one actual meat in here and while there are two different ‘meals’, they can’t compare to actual meat.
iii. Finally, we would have been more confident if there was a way for us to ascertain what kind of natural flavor was used. A little bit of specificity would have been appreciated but that’s not normal, so….
Alternative Options To The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Senior Grain-Free Dry Dog Food Is Something You Could Try If Your Dog Is A Senior
This one is specially formulated for senior dogs. It should be easier to digest for seniors and does contain some ingredients that your dog needs as they age. It can be eaten by every breed of senior dog.
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On The Other Hand, If Your Dog Is Already An Adult, You Could Try The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Adult Dry Dog Food
The Adult recipe is also specially formulated for adults. It contains about the same ingredients as our featured product, howbeit, in different quantities. If you like our featured product, you’ll probably like this one too.
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Finally, You Could Try The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Canned Dog Food
If, however, you are in the market for canned food, this is probably what you are looking for. This one actually has more meat in it than its dry food counterpart. That said, if your dog is having a hard time eating, wet food might actually be the solution. But you might want to get to their vet first.
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Quick Comparison Table
| Featured | Senior Food Option | Adult Food Option | Canned Food Option | |
| Product |
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
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|
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Senior 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 Canned Dog Food
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|
| Ingredients | 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. | 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. | Beef, beef broth, turkey, beef liver, potatoes, pea flour, lamb, fish oil, dicalcium phosphate, flaxseed, carrageenan. |
| Kibble / Canned | Dry | Dry | Dry | Canned |
| Sizes Available | 4 pound bag and 22 pound bag. | 4 pound bag and 22 pound bag. | 10 pound bag and 22 pound bag. | 12.5 ounces, case of 12. |
| Best For | All kinds of puppy dog breeds. | All kinds of senior dog breeds. | All kinds of adult dog breeds. | All kinds of puppy dog breeds. |
What Customers Are Saying About The Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain Recipe With Red Meat Puppy Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Popular opinion says this food is nice and puppies enjoy it a lot. While some have said that there has been no need for them to mix this with wet food, some others have said that they have had to mix it with water so that their puppies do not choke. Whichever way, it seems to be alright.
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Our Verdict
Our take on this food has been pretty apparent throughout the article; we are not particular excited. In our opinion, Blue Buffalo could have added more meat and a little less plant-based protein. With the peas and all the pea derivatives, there is a lot of peas in our opinion.
However, at the end of the day, the decision to or to not get is entirely yours to make. We do advise, though, that your decision be made in conjunction with your dog’s veterinarian; you know, so that you’re sure your dog is eating what is right for them.
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