This page contains affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post through our independently chosen links, which earn us a commission. Learn more about how we are supported here.

Blue Buffalo Dog Food Review

Company HQ

LocationWilton, Connecticut us-flag

Parent company

Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.

Sourcing and Manufacturing

LocationUnited States us-flag

Type of food

Wet Dog Food, Dry Dog Food, Dry Senior Dog Food, Dry Puppy Food, Wet Senior Dog Food, Wet Puppy Food

Ratings

59%
? This rating is determined by comparing the food’s nutritional content to AAFCO standards and other foods in our database. Nutrient Value 50%
? Each recipe is evaluated based on a 5-point ingredient rating system that measures ingredients’ nutritional value, safety, and more. Quality of Ingredients 67%
? We scan the FDA’s database and rate each brand by the number of recalls in its history. Brands with fewer recalls receive higher ratings. Recall History 44%
? By comparing the prices of foods in our database, we determine if a food is above or below market average price. Lower-priced foods receive higher ratings. Price 71%
? This metric is based on customer ratings from various retailers. Customer Experience 75%
? Our rating system evaluates each food’s manufacturing method, assigning higher ratings to manufacturing processes that promote higher nutritional value. Manufacturing Method 45%
Pros
  • Foods are nutritionally complete and balanced according to AAFCO standards
  • Affordable
  • Blue Buffalo makes a diverse range of foods for various ages, sizes, and lifestyles
  • All recipes are free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
Cons
  • Some recipes contain plant-based protein
  • Lower than average protein content
  • The brand has been previously recalled

Brand Overview

Blue Buffalo was developed with the help of a holistic veterinarian and has the distinction of being America’s top-selling natural pet food brand. A wide range of natural foods for dogs and cats rounds out the company’s offerings. Blue Buffalo offers wet food and dry food, limited ingredient diets, and prey-feeding blends for every life stage.

How Much Does Blue Buffalo Dog Food Cost

We’ve compared Blue Buffalo dog food price to the other 197 dog food brands in our database.

Blue Buffalo Wet Dog Food Price Comparison

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Price per oz$0.35$0.41-15%
Price per 100 kcal$1.19$1.55-23%
Price per day$0.71$0.93-24%

Blue Buffalo Wet Dog Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.

Blue Buffalo Dry Dog Food Price Comparison

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Price per lb$3.39$3.69-8%
Price per 100 kcal$0.21$0.38-45%
Price per day$0.13$0.23-43%

Blue Buffalo Dry Dog Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.

Blue Buffalo Dry Senior Dog Food Price Comparison

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Price per lb$4.32$3.81+13%
Price per 100 kcal$0.27$0.32-14%
Price per day$0.16$0.19-16%

Blue Buffalo Dry Senior Dog Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.

Blue Buffalo Dry Puppy Food Price Comparison

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Price per lb$3.76$3.84-2%
Price per 100 kcal$0.23$0.23-2%
Price per day$0.14$0.140%

Blue Buffalo Dry Puppy Food is priced within the average market price for dog food.

Blue Buffalo Wet Senior Dog Food Price Comparison

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Price per oz$0.29$0.32-9%
Price per 100 kcal$0.85$1.25-32%
Price per day$0.51$0.75-32%

Blue Buffalo Wet Senior Dog Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.

Blue Buffalo Wet Puppy Food Price Comparison

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
Price per oz$0.25$0.31-19%
Price per 100 kcal$0.74$1.00-27%
Price per day$0.44$0.60-27%

Blue Buffalo Wet Puppy Food is priced below the average market price for dog food.

Blue Buffalo Nutrient Profile Comparison

We’ve compared Blue Buffalo dog food recipes nutrient profile to the other 197 dog food brands in our database.

Wet Dog Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
DM Protein 41.12% 42.89% -4%
DM Fat 26.27% 22.28% +18%
DM Fiber 7.34% 7.40% -1%
DM Carb 25.27% 26.34% -4%

Dry Dog Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
DM Protein 29.63% 30.01% -1%
DM Fat 15.20% 15.84% -4%
DM Fiber 7.01% 5.49% +28%
DM Carb 48.17% 47.75% +1%

Dry Senior Dog Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
DM Protein 24.60% 28.44% -14%
DM Fat 12.22% 13.38% -9%
DM Fiber 7.62% 5.48% +39%
DM Carb 55.56% 51.94% +7%

Dry Puppy Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
DM Protein 32.32% 32.35% -0%
DM Fat 17.58% 17.94% -2%
DM Fiber 5.76% 4.66% +24%
DM Carb 44.34% 44.25% +0%

Wet Senior Dog Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
DM Protein 35.71% 34.07% +5%
DM Fat 25.97% 19.57% +33%
DM Fiber 7.47% 9.47% -21%
DM Carb 30.84% 36.52% -16%

Wet Puppy Food

Brand AvgMarket Avg% From the Avg
DM Protein 46.43% 42.84% +8%
DM Fat 33.12% 27.27% +21%
DM Fiber 6.56% 7.01% -6%
DM Carb 13.90% 22.55% -38%

All of Blue Buffalo dog food recipes meets AAFCO's minimum requirements.

Recall History

The following list (if present) shows all dog food recalls related to Blue Buffalo Dog Food Review since 2011. If no recalls are listed, no recall events have been reported.

Blue Buffalo - Dog food (10/08/2010) -+
Date:10/08/2010
Company Name:Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.
Product Description:Dog food
Recall Reason:Excess Vitamin D
Blue Buffalo - Cat Treats (11/07/2015) -+
Date:11/07/2015
Company Name:Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.
Product Description:Cat Treats
Recall Reason:May contain propylene glycol
Blue Buffalo - Cub Size - Wild Chews (11/25/2015) -+
Date:11/25/2015
Company Name:Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.
Product Description:Cub Size - Wild Chews
Recall Reason:Salmonella
Blue Buffalo - Dog Food (05/31/2016) -+
Date:05/31/2016
Company Name:Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.
Product Description:Dog Food
Recall Reason:Possible mold
Blue Buffalo - Dog Food (02/13/2017) -+
Date:02/13/2017
Company Name:Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.
Product Description:Dog Food
Recall Reason:Potential for metal contamination
Blue Buffalo - Dog Food (02/28/2017) -+
Date:02/28/2017
Company Name:Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.
Product Description:Dog Food
Recall Reason:Packaging quality
Blue Buffalo - Dog food (03/17/2017) -+
Date:03/17/2017
Company Name:Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.
Product Description:Dog food
Recall Reason:Contains beef thyroid hormone
Blue Buffalo - Dog food (02/08/2018) -+
Date:02/08/2018
Company Name:Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd.
Product Description:Dog food
Recall Reason:elevated levels of naturally- occurring beef thyroid hormones

Lawsuit History

January 2020 - Blue Buffalo is being sued for $5 million. The litigation against the company comes on behalf of Shannon Walton, who’s suing the company under the premise that one of its recipes caused her dog, Tucker, to become overweight and develop diabetes.  Her basis for the lawsuit is that although Blue Buffalo claims its recipes are inspired by the ancestral diets of wolves, they’re high in dietary carbohydrates that animals would not find in the wild. 

June 2017 - Blue Buffalo Class Action Lawsuit was filed and dismissed  for “failing to disclose the presence of dangerous substances in its pet food products which were filed in California Federal Court. The 24-page lawsuit was filed after the plaintiff’s dog, a 4-year old Cocker Spaniel/Poodle mix, suffered from kidney disease and finally kidney failure as a result of ingesting the tainted Blue Buffalo dog food.

September 2015 - Blue Buffalo settled a false advertising class action lawsuit leveled against it because of ingredients adulterated with poultry by-product meal. Under the terms of the agreement, Blue Buffalo had to pay US$32 million into a settlement fund to settle the claims of the plaintiffs. 

May 2014 - Purina filed a lawsuit against Blue Buffalo for false advertising of pet food after testing revealed the presence of poultry by-product meal in some of Blue Buffalo’s top-selling pet foods. The false advertising of pet food lawsuits claimed that some Blue Buffalo products were not consistent with the company’s True Blue Promise, which stated that the products are “formulated with the finest natural ingredients” and made with “no chicken/poultry by-products meals; no corn, wheat or soy; and no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors. Blue Buffalo had to pay US$32 million into a settlement fund to settle the claims of the plaintiff class.

Explore All Reviews of Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recipes

Overall Score
59%
Blue Buffalo Divine Delights Bacon Blue Buffalo Divine Delights Bacon
Cost per day $0.75

FAQ

faq-item-image Who owns Blue Buffalo dog food?

Blue Buffalo is owned by Blue Buffalo Company, Ltd..

faq-item-image Where is Blue Buffalo dog food made?

Blue Buffalo is manufactured in the United States us-flag.

faq-item-image Is Blue Buffalo AAFCO approved?

Yes, all of Blue Buffalo recipes are AAFCO approved.

faq-item-image Has Blue Buffalo dog food been recalled?

Blue Buffalo has been recalled 8 times in the years 2010, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Disclaimer and Disclosure

At Pet Food Sherpa, our primary goal is to provide pet owners like you with accurate, relevant, and unbiased information about pet nutrition. As such, we do not accept gifts or incentives as motivation to include certain products in our reviews.

We do, however, participate in affiliate marketing programs and we partner with select brands to fund our site. We choose the products we review carefully and review them thoroughly before publishing a review or accepting any form of payment.

Proceeds from this program and our partners enable us to continue providing high-quality content to our readers. Read more about how we’re funded here.

1 thought on “Blue Buffalo Dog Food Review

  • Karen D'Angelo

    Making my dog sick. I have been feeding my dog blue home style turkey meatloaf since I bought him 10 months ago. The latest case has been making him sick and throw up. He doesn’t want to get near in now. I’m wondering if they have changed the ingredients since meat has become so expensive. Definitely changing brands or start making his food myself.

Leave a Review