Instinct dog food has gained popularity among pet owners seeking high-quality nutrition for their canine companions. But Is Instinct A Good Dog Food? This comprehensive review by Dog Food Advisor experts dives into the details of Instinct’s various sub-brands, ingredients, recall history, and overall nutritional value to help you make an informed decision.
Exploring the Instinct Dog Food Lineup
Instinct offers a diverse range of sub-brands, each with unique characteristics to cater to different canine needs. Understanding these differences is crucial in selecting the right food for your dog.
Instinct Original Dry
The classic grain-free kibble option, Instinct Original Dry is ideal for dog owners seeking a high-protein diet for their pets.
- Free from corn, wheat, rice, and barley
- Protein content ranges from 39-42% (above-average)
- Enriched with a 30% fruit and vegetable blend
- Consistent 5-star ratings across its 5 recipes
Instinct Raw Boost
Raw Boost is Instinct’s premium dry food offering, combining high-protein kibble with real freeze-dried raw meat pieces in the same bag.
- Free of BHA, BHT, and other high-risk preservatives
- 33% mean carbohydrates (below-average)
- Ratings vary across 15 recipes
Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet (LID) Dry
Instinct Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food
This grain-free dry kibble is a smart choice for dogs with suspected food sensitivities.
- Features only one animal protein and one vegetable per recipe
- Each kibble piece is raw-coated
- Ratings vary across 3 recipes
Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet (LID) Wet
The wet food counterpart to Instinct’s dry LID formula, this canned option is equally suitable for dogs with potential food sensitivities.
- Features a single animal protein source
- Serves as a tasty topper for the matching limited ingredient kibble
- Ratings vary across 3 recipes
Instinct Original Cans
Instinct Original grain-free wet food boasts a fine-chopped pate texture, making it a tasty topper for enhancing any dry kibble.
- Available in 2 can sizes, ideal for small or medium breeds
- 95% meat content with a low-carb recipe
- Ratings vary across 6 recipes
Instinct Raw Frozen Diet
This option includes 100% fresh raw (not cooked) meat and vegetables, minimally processed to maintain the integrity of each ingredient.
- Composed of 85% fresh, uncooked meat
- Includes 15% non-GMO fruits and vegetables
- Ratings vary across 5 recipes
A Quick Guide to Instinct Raw Boost
To better understand Instinct Raw Boost’s design, this short video from Chewy offers a helpful overview.
Who Makes Instinct Dog Food?
Instinct is a product of Nature’s Variety, headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska. The company manufactures all Instinct recipes in its own Lincoln-based facilities.
Each Instinct dog food formula is developed by Nature’s Variety’s team of experts, which includes a veterinarian certified in both veterinary nutrition and integrative medicine.
In addition, the company’s chief scientific officer holds a PhD in food science, and the director of research and development holds a master’s degree in the same field.
Instinct Dog Food Recall History
Knowing a brand’s recall history can help determine is instinct a good dog food. Here’s a list of all recalls related to Instinct dog products since 2009. It’s essential to stay updated, and you can find a complete list of all dog food recalls here.
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Is Instinct a Good Dog Food? Recipe Analysis
The Instinct Original product range boasts five recipes, each earning a 5-star rating from Dog Food Advisor.
Which Instinct Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
| Product | Rating | AAFCO |
|---|---|---|
| Instinct Original Grain Free Small Breed | 5 | A |
| Instinct Original Grain Free with Real Beef | 5 | A |
| Instinct Original Grain Free with Real Rabbit | 5 | A |
| Instinct Original Grain Free with Real Salmon | 5 | A |
| Instinct Original Grain Free with Real Chicken | 5 | A |
To provide a detailed analysis, Instinct Original Grain Free with Real Chicken has been selected to represent the other products in the line.
Label and Nutrient Data Analysis
The following label and nutrient data are calculated on a dry matter basis.
Instinct Original Grain Free with Real Chicken
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
- 41.1% Protein
- 22.2% Fat
- 28.7% Carbohydrates
Ingredients
Chicken, chicken meal, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), tapioca, herring meal, menhaden fish meal, natural flavor, dried tomato pomace, salt, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, niacin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin), carrots, apples, cranberries, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, sodium selenite, ethylenediamine dihydriodide), potassium chloride, montmorillonite clay, taurine, choline chloride, freeze dried chicken, freeze dried chicken liver, pumpkinseeds, freeze dried chicken heart, dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product, rosemary extract
- Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 2.5%
Estimated Nutrient Content
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guaranteed Analysis | 37% | 20% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 41% | 22% | 29% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 33% | 44% | 23% |
Detailed Ingredient Analysis
The first ingredient is chicken. While a quality item, raw chicken contains a high percentage of water (up to 73%), which is lost during cooking, reducing the meat content in the final product.
The second ingredient is chicken meal, a meat concentrate with nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient includes peas, a good source of carbohydrates and natural fiber. However, peas also contribute about 25% protein, influencing the overall meat content assessment.
The fourth ingredient is chicken fat, obtained from rendering chicken. It is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life, and is considered a quality ingredient.
The fifth ingredient is tapioca, a gluten-free, starchy carbohydrate extract from the cassava plant root.
The next two ingredients are herring meal and menhaden fish meal, both high-protein meat concentrates.
Following natural flavor, we find tomato pomace, a byproduct of tomato processing. While some consider it an inexpensive filler, its high fiber and nutrient content make it a positive inclusion.
Other Notable Ingredients
Beyond the main components, several other ingredients deserve mention.
This recipe includes chelated minerals, which are easier to absorb due to their chemical attachment to protein.
It also contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of selenium considered nutritionally inferior to selenium yeast.
Taurine, an important amino acid for heart muscle function, is also present. Its inclusion is particularly beneficial in grain-free diets, where deficiencies are more common.
Montmorillonite clay, a naturally occurring compound rich in trace minerals, offers benefits such as binding mold-based toxins and managing diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Lastly, the food contains dried fermentation products, which act as probiotics to aid digestion.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients, Instinct Original Dog Food appears to be an above-average dry product.
The recipe has a dry matter protein content of 41%, a fat level of 22%, and estimated carbohydrates of about 29%.
The brand has an average protein content of 40% and a mean fat level of 23%, resulting in a carbohydrate content of 29% for the overall product line.
With a fat-to-protein ratio of about 56%, Instinct offers above-average protein and fat, and below-average carbohydrates compared to typical dry dog foods.
Our Rating of Instinct Dog Food
The Dog Food Advisor rates Instinct as an exceptional grain-free dry kibble. The Original recipe uses an abundance of named meat meal as its primary source of animal protein, earning the brand 5 stars. The Limited Ingredient formula receives 4.5 stars.
Highly recommended with confidence.
What Do Others Say About Instinct?
Chewy customers rate Instinct 4.6 out of 5 stars, with 94% saying they would recommend it.
What Are Instinct’s Best Recipes?
Based on the weighted average of their popularity and ratings, here are our 7 most recommended Instinct flavors and recipes.
Does Instinct make a dog food for weight loss?
Dog foods designed for safe and effective weight loss typically contain below-average calories and fat. Instinct Raw Boost Healthy Weight meets these standards. For more options, you can view all The Dog Food Advisor’s best dog foods for weight loss here.
Is Instinct considered a healthy dog food?
All Instinct recipes meet dog food nutrient profiles established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). These standards are based on the Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats published by the National Research Council of the National Academies of Science in Washington, D.C. Each Instinct recipe is complete and balanced for the canine life stage printed on the package.
Is Instinct dog food good for puppies?
Instinct offers a number of dog foods that are designed to be complete and balanced for puppies. Each recipe must meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for either growth or all life stages. Instinct dog foods made specifically for adult maintenance should not be fed to growing puppies. For more options, you can view The Dog Food Advisor’s best puppy foods here.
Is Instinct dog food good for older dogs?
Instinct Raw Boost Senior Grain-Free with Real Chicken is designed specifically for older dogs. Each recipe contains over 40% dry matter protein and about 18% fat. Calorie content is around 478 calories per cup. The recipe meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages, making it a healthy option for senior dogs. For more choices, visit The Dog Food Advisor’s best senior dog foods here.
More Instinct Reviews
Here are more Instinct reviews published by The Dog Food Advisor on this website.
Compare Instinct Dog Food
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A Final Word
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