Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo – Detailed Comparison


Click here to place an order for Royal Canin from Amazon.	Click here to place an order for Blue Buffalo from Amazon.

Hey there! So, today, we will be comparing two brands which are both big names when it comes to pet food – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo.

When it comes to selecting dog food, people have different methods. Some people look out for certain ingredients, some check for a company name they trust, some others just follow their instincts and go for the one in the store that catches their eye, while some just opt for the more expensive ones.

Anyway, it might interest you to know that expensive dog food is not always the best dog food. And if you do not believe us, hear it here from a veterinarian.

In this video below, you will be seeing why, when it comes to dog food, expensive does not always mean good. Also, you will be seeing what to look out for before in order to get the best food for your dog.

Table of Contents

Comparison Overview – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo

Royal Canin is a company involved primarily in the manufacturing of pet food – for dogs and cats, specifically. According to the brand, they obsess with details which enables them to deliver effective nutrition to your pet.

This is a brand that has been around for about 5 decades, and, in these years, has been able to capture the attention and trust of dog owners through their dedication to delivering pet foods which are high in nutritional quality.

Blue Buffalo, on the other hand, is an American based company involved also in the manufacturing of food for cats and dogs alike. Perhaps its greatest strength is that it produces food with purely natural ingredients which is one major difference from Royal Canin.

As we look into the ingredients used by these brands, you will see these differences, but you’ll also similarities as well. The following tables give you a snapshot of the ingredients generally used by both brands compared side by side.

Comparison Table (Dry Dog Food) – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo

	Royal Canin	Blue Buffalo
Level of crude protein	About 26.5 percent	About 28.5 percent
Level of Crude fat	About 15.4 percent	About 15.0 percent
Level of crude fiber	About 5.3 percent	About 7.1 percent

Comparison Table – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo (Wet Dog Food)

	Royal Canin	Blue Buffalo
Level of crude protein	About 29.7 percent	About 40.4 percent
Level of crude fat	About 16.4 percent	About 25.2 percent
Level of crude fiber	About 10.2 percent	About 7.5 percent


Click here to place an order for Royal Canin from Amazon.	Click here to place an order for Blue Buffalo from Amazon.

Which Is Better Under What Circumstance – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo?

Royal Canin	Blue Buffalo
If you would prefer food made with scientifically processed and tested ingredients, then this is the brand for you. The Royal Canin brand prides itself on producing their foods based on dogs’ scientific needs.	If you prefer food made with natural ingredients, then the Blue Buffalo brand is better suited for you.


Click here to place an order for Royal Canin from Amazon.	Click here to place an order for Blue Buffalo from Amazon.

Common Ingredients – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo

Though these two companies are known to apply different methods in manufacturing their different products, Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo dog foods happen to have some ingredients in common.

Pea Protein

Now, peas are a very common ingredient in many dog foods these days. Whether it is pea starch, pea protein, pea fiber – whatever type of pea – it is totally not unusual to have pea as an ingredient in your dog’s meal.

So, more specifically, pea protein is one of the byproducts one gets from pea processing – mostly by extracting the starchy parts of a pea.

Anyway, this happens to be a pretty controversial ingredient for dog food. This is largely because the plant-based protein boost pea protein gives is not as valuable (especially biologically) as what you get from meat-based proteins. Still, it is commonly found in mid-quality and even premium dry dog foods.

Well, pea protein is one pretty affordable way companies get high protein in their formulas. So, you probably can see why it is so common.

Anyway, we always advise that you consult your veterinarian to see if this ingredient is good for your dog. Because, in this case, what is sauce for the goose might not necessarily be sauce for the gander.

Tomato Pomace

This is a byproduct from – yeah, you guessed it – tomatoes. Though it is a byproduct and is pretty inexpensive, tomato pomace is known to contain vitamins, fiber, and lycopene.

So, basically, the major ingredients that make a tomato pomace are the squashed seeds, pulp, and the skin of tomatoes.

But well, this filler happens to be quite inexpensive, and therefore, as you might expect, people assume it is of low quality, and thus are doubtful about this ingredient in their pooch’s food.

Dried Tomato Pomace

Yet another tomato byproduct. As a matter of fact, dried tomato pomace is simply tomato pomace that has undergone the drying process.

You see, tomato pomace usually has a lot of water. So, when this water is dried during the manufacturing process, you have your dried tomato pomace. Yes, it really is as simple as that.

Powdered Cellulose

This is an ingredient which is made from wood, and rich in fiber. As a matter of fact, powdered cellulose has insoluble fiber in pretty large quantities, and this might make digestion of nutrients pretty difficult for your dog.

People are not so sure about this ingredient, and this is simply because it is made of wood. It is more or less sawdust, lol.

Unique Ingredients – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo

Ingredients Unique To Royal Canin

Corn

Corn is a grain which possesses good amounts of minerals and vitamins. It is a pretty controversial ingredient, and one major reason is that the protein gotten from corn is plant-based. And, of course, meat-based protein is always preferred.

Also, if corn is not processed into flour, and then cooked, it would not be as digestible as it should be. Well, of these 2 brands in comparison – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo – only Royal Canin appears to use this ingredient.

Beef Plasma

Despite being a very nutritious ingredient for your dog, beef plasma is seen as controversial. The reason is that it is a fluid gotten from the blood of a cow.

No need to feel shocked or disgusted, lol. As we said, beef plasma actually contains nutrients useful for your dog, and of these two companies – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo – this ingredient is used only by the earlier.

Brewers’ Rice

Brewers’ rice, in simple terms, is made up of the smaller rice kernel fragments which have been set apart from larger milled rice kernels.

These fragments, as one would expect, are not as nutritious as the larger kernels, so, you probably can say this ingredient is a lower quality filler. It is also quite inexpensive.

Wheat

This is another inexpensive filler that is also of relatively low quality. Anyway, it contains some good amount of protein.

Vegetable Oil

There are quite many different vegetables out there, and therefore, as one would expect, also different types of vegetable oils.

Well, Royal Canin does not specify what vegetables from which the oil was extracted. And well, it is a controversial ingredient simply because of this fact – no one exactly knows what vegetables this oil is from.

Canola Meal

This is a byproduct from the production of canola oil. It is actually high in protein. But because it can be gotten from genetically modified rapeseed – which is known to have some adverse health effects – the canola meal is considered controversial

Rice Husk

This is a low-quality byproduct of rice processing. Rice husks are basically the outer layers of rice grains. Also, these are fillers which are rich in fiber and are also pretty inexpensive, too.

Soy Protein Isolate

This is an ingredient gotten from soybean and is very rich in protein.

Chicken Byproducts

Chicken byproducts are those parts of a chicken which are not eaten by humans. Here we are referring to the intestine, the stomach, liver, spleen, and other such parts.

Although animal byproducts are generally seen by many as waste from the slaughterhouse, chicken byproducts are actually known to be really nutritious for pets.

Here are some other animal byproducts Royal Canin uses to make their pet foods:

1. Venison byproducts

2. Pork byproducts

3. Chicken by-product meal

4. Duck byproduct meal

Other ingredients unique to Royal Canin are:

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex

In case you want to find out what Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex is, and why it is in your dog food, check out this video!


Click here to place an order for Royal Canin from Amazon.	Click here to place an order for Blue Buffalo from Amazon.

Ingredients Unique To Blue Buffalo

Garlic

Garlic is a natural ingredient with many health benefits. However, too much of garlic can get toxic for your dog.

Caramel

This is yet another natural ingredient. However, the necessity of caramel and its concentrated form – caramel color – are pretty debatable.

As a matter of fact, caramel color has been noticed to have links with cancer in some laboratory animals. This is definitely not good news.

Pea Protein Concentrate

When you extract the starch from peas, what you are left with is pea protein concentrate. This ingredient has a high amount of plant-based protein.

Canola Oil

This is oil extracted from canola seeds. Canola oil is rich in fat, which is essential for your pet’s diet.

Unique Pros – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo

Unique Pros Of The Royal Canin

1. Comparing the Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo, the Royal Canin sure does offer more crude fiber in wet dog food. Crude fiber is an essential part of your dog’s diet – particularly great for digestion.

2. Royal Canin is known to be really systematic about their methods. This gives you – the customer – some level of confidence, seeing as they are empirical, and can be tested in laboratories.

Click here to place an order for Royal Canin Dog Foods from Amazon.

Unique Pros Of The Blue Buffalo

1. In both wet and dry dog foods, Blue Buffalo is known to contain more crude protein than Royal Canin foods. And, as you must know, protein is very essential in your dog’s diet. A deficiency, in fact, can lead to health issues.

2. Offers more crude fat especially in its wet dog foods.

3. Uses more natural ingredients and methods in their production.

4. Blue Buffalo offers affordable products.

5. Furthermore, Blue Buffalo products are not made with Menadione Sodium Bisulfite complex, which is a harmful ingredient used by some of its rival companies.

Click here to place an order for Blue Buffalo Dog Foods from Amazon.

Hey! So, before we go any further, we think you need to see this. As a dog owner, we are sure you want the best for your dog, and that surely includes giving him the best food you can afford. Well, hear what a vet has to say about that in the video below:

Unique Cons – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo

Unique Cons Of The Royal Canin

1. It’s more a more expensive brand than Blue Buffalo.

2. Contains some harmful ingredients like Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, which is a synthetic form of vitamin K. Long term ingestion of this supplement can lead to damage of some vital organs.

Unique Cons Of The Blue Buffalo

1. Even with natural ingredients, things could get really risky if the due process (scientific methodology) is not followed. For instance, garlic, if not added in correct proportion can become toxic for your dog.


Click here to place an order Royal Canin from Amazon.	Click here to place an order for Blue Buffalo from Amazon.

Common Pros – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo

	Royal Canin	Blue Buffalo
Crude fat	Royal Canin dry dog foods contain good amounts of crude fat (15.4 percent) – a very essential part of your dog’s diet.	Same as Royal Canin. However, Blue Buffalo dry dog foods contain only slightly more crude fat – 15.0 percent.
Crude protein	Crude protein; another really important part of your diet. Well, with 26.5 percent of crude protein, Royal Canin offers your dog a pretty good dose of this.	Same as Royal Canin. Only that Blue Buffalo has 28.5 percent of crude protein.


Click here to place an order for Royal Canin from Amazon.	Click here to place an order for Blue Buffalo from Amazon.

Common Cons – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo

Royal Canin

Blue Buffalo

Plant based protein

In this Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo comparison article, we have seen how some of the ingredients used in making Royal Canin foods are quite controversial.

For example, pea protein provides large boosts of plant-based protein. And well, meat-based protein is always more biologically valuable than plant-based protein.

Same as the Royal Canin.

Product safety

Melamine is a dangerous substance for pets. It has been discovered to cause some types of sicknesses in dogs and cats.

Well, Royal Canin has been recalled on two different occasions for having this ingredient present in their products.

In addition to that, they have also been recalled for having too much of vitamin D3.

What this means is that Royal Canin has a history of using ingredients that make some of their products not very safe for consumption.

Same as the Royal Canin.

However, Blue Buffalo was not recalled for excess vitamin D3, they were instead recalled for excess vitamin D, aluminum, mold and salmonella, among others.

What Do People Think About Both Brands – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo?

Royal Canin	Blue Buffalo
Many dog owners who have got Royal Canin foods for their dogs have said that they are good dog foods. Firstly, this is because, according to them, their dogs eat sparingly, but those few times are enough to leave them satisfied.	It appears that for dogs who have had allergies as a result of food, Blue Buffalo has been a good substitute. Well, once again, please make sure you see a vet before making a decision about what to do about your dog’s allergy.
Also, a number of dog owners have mentioned that a switch to Royal Canin foods has helped curtail their dog’s frequent pooping.	According to some customers, compared to some other dog foods they tried, their dogs seemed to enjoy Blue Buffalo more.


Click here to place an order for Royal Canin from Amazon.	Click here to place an order for Blue Buffalo from Amazon.

Our Take – Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo

Royal Canin	Blue Buffalo
We do love the fact that Royal Canin puts in effort and resources into doing scientific research. Also, their use of scientific methods to make their food. These give a certain level of confidence knowing that these methods are empirical, and so can be proven in a laboratory.	Sometimes, embracing nature is just great. And we do think Blue Buffalo is doing an excellent job making dog food using purely natural ingredients and methods.
Anyway, we do wish that Royal Canin will sacrifice a lot more plant-based protein for meat-based ones. It is certain that meat-based protein is of a lot more biological value to dogs than plant-based protein. Although the latter is more inexpensive, we do believe there should be a way for Royal Canin to balance these two out without making the products any more expensive. Also, we think that Royal Canin needs to discontinue the use of powdered cellulose, and more importantly, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, in their foods.	Also, we hope for more meat-based protein with Blue Buffalo. Comparing Royal Canin vs Blue Buffalo, the latter appears to have this in more abundance, especially in wet dog foods. Anyway, we still do think more meat-based protein is required. And perhaps not too much fiber. Furthermore, we think Blue Buffalo needs to discontinue the use of powdered cellulose in their foods; it is of literally no nutritional value.
Summarily, our most important take is that you see a veterinarian before you start feeding your dog Royal Canin foods. Your dog might be allergic to them, and that does not, in any way, mean that these are poorly made products.	We really cannot overemphasize your need to always talk to your veterinarian. The fact that the ingredients of Blue Buffalo are mainly natural, does not your mean your dog cannot be allergic to them.
Click here to place an order for Royal Canin from Amazon.	Click here to place an order for Blue Buffalo from Amazon.