Pedigree dog food: reviews and composition overview

About the manufacturer

The manufacturer gave its products an interesting name, “pedigree” is translated from English as “thoroughbred”, “pedigree”, “having a pedigree”. The release of food under this name dates back to 1957, based on Chappie diets. In Russia, sales began in 1992. Initially, deliveries were made from factories in Germany. Currently, dog food is produced at Russian factories located in the Moscow Region.

Pedigree Petfood is a subsidiary of Mars Incorporated; the corporation takes an active part in organizing professional dog shows and actively supports charitable projects in the field of animal welfare.

Feed composition

Note that the line of Pedigri diets offered in our country differs from similar ones sold in the USA and Europe. The food belongs to the economy class, so we can conclude that the ingredients are not of the highest quality and usefulness.

To analyze the components, let’s take a diet intended for adult dogs of any breed (with beef):

The carbohydrate component is represented by corn, wheat, rice. The healthiest and least allergenic rice is in position 4;
proteins - chicken and meat flour, including beef 4%). Interestingly, the manufacturer only indicates the weight of the components in grams, but not the percentage of the total mass. It is difficult to know how many ingredients are of animal or plant origin;
fiber is the only position of “beet pulp”. Regulates sugar levels and improves digestion;
sources of fat - sunflower oil and animal fat;
vitamins and minerals - brewer's yeast, complex supplement.

Other Pedigri products for dogs often contain by-products, and the manufacturer does not disclose their names. However, it is important that by-products are divided into two groups based on protein content, digestibility and nutritional value.

PEDIGREE® food range

The dog's diet must be balanced and have sufficient energy value, contain the optimal amount of nutrients, be well digested and give a feeling of satiety.

PEDIGREE® food contains the necessary amount of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins to fully meet the daily needs of a puppy or adult dog.

Depending on age, physical characteristics and lifestyle, a different ratio of nutritional components is required, which is why the manufacturer offers special nutrition:

for puppies;
for adult dogs.

Separately, we can highlight the line of Denta Stix sticks, designed for regular dental and oral care. Denta Stiх has an X-shape, created taking into account the structure of the dog’s oral cavity. It promotes mechanical cleaning of teeth and massage of gums.

PEDIGREE® line for puppies

The transition from mother's milk to an adult diet should occur gradually. It is better to start the first complementary feeding at the age of 3-4 weeks with wet food. PEDIGREE® offers two types of wet food for puppies from 1 month:

with lamb;
with beef;

Then dry food is gradually introduced. Its composition should take into account the needs of the developing organism, and the degree of rigidity should be suitable for young teeth. PEDIGREE® is an excellent choice:

for puppies of all breeds from 2 months;
for large breed puppies from 6 months.

Dry food for adult dogs

The line of dry food for animals over 1 year of age has been developed taking into account the characteristics of various breeds. Dog owners will be able to choose a complete beef food for miniature, medium or large animals, as well as a universal option.

Wet food for adult dogs

Wet food for adult dogs is available in an assortment for miniature breeds, as well as universal food for all other breeds. According to the classification of the WALTHAM™ scientific center, dogs that weigh up to 5 kg in adulthood can be considered miniature, small dogs who weigh from 5 to 10 kg, medium dogs from 10 to 25 kg, and large dogs weigh more than 25 kilograms. Wet food is an excellent addition to dry food, and together they form a complete diet. For adult medium and large breeds, PEDIGREE® offers:

Pieces in jelly with flavors:

lamb
veal and liver

Pieces in sauce with flavors:

Chicken
rabbit and turkey
beef
beef and lamb

For miniature animals weighing up to 5 kg, there is a special PEDIGREE® Mini series with flavors:

lamb in sauce
beef in sauce
chicken (pate)
beef (pate)

Healthy treats

Treats are a healthy and tasty addition to the main diet, which are used in the training process or to pamper your four-legged friend, but are not the pet’s main source of energy.

These include treats for puppies:

flavorful Tasty Bites Puppy

And treats for adult dogs:

Advantages and disadvantages

The benefits of economy class dog food Pedigri include:

low cost, which is due to the composition;
availability in stores;
the presence of a complex mineral supplement that has a rich composition for food of this class;
a wide range, including canned food, pouches, snacks, special products for cleaning teeth - “Denta Stix”.

Flaws:

contains a small proportion of meat ingredients;
the percentage of ingredients is not indicated;
the presence of by-products in large quantities without indicating their name;
low-quality cereals are in the first positions of recipes;
poor composition.

Advantages and disadvantages

After a detailed analysis of the line and composition, it is possible to identify the pros and cons of feed produced by Pedigree.

Advantages

Among the advantages, the first place is, of course, its low price, thanks to which the food has earned great popularity among amateur dog breeders.
The second advantage is that you can buy food not only in pet stores, but also in almost every grocery store. This is especially true when a forgetful dog owner urgently needs to buy a bag of pet food late at night.
Availability of dry and wet food for different ages and breeds, as well as a unique offer - sticks for cleaning teeth.
A good marketing policy, thanks to which the name of the Pedigri brand is on everyone’s lips.

Flaws

There are quite a few disadvantages to these feeds.:

Poor feed composition with a minimum amount of meat ingredients;
A large number of cheap products that are useless for the dog’s body;
Almost complete absence of pure meat, which is replaced by offal of unknown origin;
Lack of offers for dogs with diseases or individual characteristics.

Why is this food better than others?

Darling food

French diet from Purina. In the first place in the composition of the food are cereals, and the manufacturer does not even specify which ones. Offal and meat are responsible for the source of protein - there is no indication which one. Compared to Pedigree, Darling products often have a completely faceless composition, although many pet owners give a positive assessment of the diets. Dyes are used as an additive, because the granules are painted in different colors. The manufacturer does not give the name of the dye and antioxidant.

Dilly feed

Dry granules are produced in Russia (Altai region). Contains many sources of protein. but it is of plant origin: soybean meal, wheat germ, corn gluten. In 22% of protein, the proportion of vegetable protein is very large, but such ingredients are much less easily absorbed by the dog’s body and have a high allergenicity index.

Chappy food

Pedigree and Chappie are products of the same corporation. But the composition of Chappy's diet is even less detailed than Pedigree's. It contains: cereals (no specifics, but the dog may have severe allergies), meat and offal. The meat component is not indicated, we can assume that it is beef or chicken, since there is such a note in the name of the food. But the composition does not say this. An interesting ingredient is “protein plant extracts”, “vegetable oils” - without a name or percentage indication. Most likely, vague wording hides waste from the food industry, which is of no benefit to the dog’s body.

Wet food

If you have become the proud owner of a baby Yorkie, you have probably thought about what you will feed him. You need to start from what the breeder fed him. But if the choice fell on buying ready-made products, then it is best to choose Pedigree wet food for Yorkie puppies. Reviews say that the package contains thick jelly with pieces that look like meat. At the same time, veterinarians claim that giving clean meat to the baby will be cheaper and healthier for the puppy’s body.

Let's take as an example the Pedigri food for puppies with beef in sauce (85g). Reviews often note that puppies happily eat bag after bag. Does it contain meat? Studying the packaging, you can only find a proud inscription that the beef content is at least 4%. And this despite the fact that a puppy needs at least 70% meat in its diet. Therefore, veterinarians note that Pedigree food for puppies with beef in sauce (85g) can be used as a treat or snack on the road.

The composition of wet food cannot be called bad or harmful, but grain crops predominate in it. In addition, they contain thickeners, dyes, and flavorings, which makes them not at all as attractive as the advertisement makes them out to be. And if you count the cost of the bags needed to feed your pet for a month, then the amount is not so small. You can stock up on meat, cereals and vegetables, which will provide your pet with quality nutrition. In this case, the amount will be identical.

Reviews from veterinarians

Veterinary specialists are skeptical about this brand of food because of its composition.

Ivan R. I absolutely don’t like the composition. I advise patients to eat a diet based on feed, starting with the premium class. If funds do not allow, I advise you to feed the dog natural food. There are no specialized products in the food line: for allergy sufferers, those with sensitive digestion, and the like.

Irina S. Of course, many owners buy Pedigri products - they are affordable and sold in the nearest supermarket. There are discounts - it's profitable. Feeding a puppy with economy diets will not bring any benefit; the baby will grow up with problems that will then have to be treated. In most cases, corn intolerance develops and serious allergic reactions to it occur. There is “chemistry” in the composition, but there is not even its name. It is not always clear what exactly the body is reacting to.

Beef korma

Chicken-based varieties were described above. But some animals have an allergic reaction to this type of meat. It doesn’t matter, there is Pedigree food for puppies with beef. The advertisement says that this is a complete formula that is created taking into account the needs of small dogs. But let’s not dwell on the promises, but consider the composition:

In first place is corn. Despite its high calorie content, this product is very modest in its nutritional value.
Rice is a source of carbohydrates, which is where its beneficial properties end.
Wheat.
Chicken meal.
Meat flour. Only in fifth place, despite the fact that the food contains beef. And what is the raw material for it is not reported.
Beet pulp.

Veterinarians say that it is not recommended to completely switch a puppy to a food that contains a huge amount of grains.

Owner reviews

Animal owners often use the food; on a well-known review site, the food is ranked 3rd in terms of positive ratings.

Andrey O. It’s strange, but this food is suitable for my dog. Both dry and wet canned food and treats. We don’t live in the city; there’s always Pedigree in the village store. Recently our French bulldog began to go bald, the doctor diagnosed it as an allergy. They prescribed expensive food from a different brand. The result is diarrhea for a week. They canceled it on their own. It was experimentally determined that the allergy arose to treats (twisted sticks). But it’s our own fault, we significantly exceeded the dose. I wanted to pamper, but they caused harm.

Reviews from dog breeders about Pedigri food

Anna. Our family has small Miniature Schnauzer dogs, which I have been feeding with Pedigri diets for several years now. I buy a special menu for small breed dogs. The food is completely balanced and does not require additional vitamins or any nutritional supplements. Previously, dogs were fed other brands, which caused allergies, coloration of the coat in unnecessary shades, loss of appetite, lethargy, and vomiting. After switching to Pedigree, all the problems disappeared. As for the smell, I can note the pleasant aroma of meat, vegetables and grains. The food granules are small in size, which is very convenient for chewing. Dogs eat Pedigree with pleasure and are completely healthy. I recommend this budget-friendly and good quality food.

The photo shows Pedigri food granules for dogs of all breeds.

Ivan. I will share with you the sad experience of feeding the Pedigree brand. From birth, we fed the dog expensive dry food, but when we noticed that the dog was greatly increasing in size, we decided to switch to cheaper food. We chose the Pedigree brand. They ate this food for about 1.5 years, it seemed to be ideal. But after a while, the dog began to refuse food, and then I noticed a sore on the inside of the tip of the ear. We went to the veterinary clinic, where we were diagnosed with dermatitis. And when the doctor heard that we fed the dog this food, everything immediately became clear to him. They prescribed long-term treatment and a bunch of vitamins. The dog was switched to natural food. A year has passed since our treatment, and the consequences of Pedigree still remain. From time to time this sore appears on the ear and takes a very long time to heal. In general, I do not recommend this food.