Eagle Pack Dog Food Review 2024

With just four separate recipes, Eagle Pack has a pretty small offering when it comes to dog food. Is this a case of quality over quantity?

Sort of. There are lots of things to like about Eagle Pack dog food — the absence of artificial flavors and preservatives is always commendable, while the natural ingredients are full of essential vitamins and minerals. The recipes are also packed full of protein, which is why it’s long been a favorite among those involved in the sled racing circuit.

We do have a small bone to pick, however, and that’s the use of meat meal instead of real meat as the main source of protein. While it’s not necessarily always seen as a negative, Wag! generally believes this to be a lower-quality ingredient than real meat, although food using meat meals can be a decent option for parents shopping on a budget. 

There are just four varieties of Eagle Pack dry dog food. These all have impressive crude protein levels hovering around the 25% mark, which comes from the fact that all have at least two sources of animal protein. The ingredient list is reassuringly free of nasty chemical ingredients and instead, packed full of naturally sourced vitamins and minerals.

The main criticism Wag! has for Eagle Pack dog food is the use of meat meals as the first-listed ingredient in all four of the recipes. Yes, this is high in protein and is at least sourced from named meats rather than byproducts or anonymous animals. 

However, we always prefer to see real meat as the first-listed ingredient — it’s easier for lower-quality meat to make its way into meal and it’s thought that kibble made with real meat is higher in amino acids. 

Eagle Pack Dog Food Flavors

• Adult Lamb Meal and Brown Rice
• Original Chicken Meal and Pork Meal 
• Chicken and Pork Large Breed Adult
• Reduced Fat Adult Dry Dog Food

The recipes have high protein levels

Dogs need a lot of protein to replenish their energy after lengthy walks and playtime. The Eagle Pack lamb and rice recipe has a crude protein level of 23% and all the others sit in the same region, too. This spells good news when it comes to canine muscle growth and repair.

The products are free of artificial ingredients

Take a closer look at the ingredient list and you won’t find any artificial colors, preservatives or flavors. Eagle Pack dog food looks for naturally sourced components when it’s making kibble, which are kinder on your dog’s insides.

The kibble meets the AAFCO’s standards

All Eagle Pack dry dog food is formulated to hit the AAFCO’s nutritional benchmarks. Three of the recipes meet the levels set out in the Maintenance nutrient profile, meaning they’re suitable for adults and senior canines. Only the chicken meal and pork meal formula is suitable for All Life Stages, which includes puppies.

The reduced fat option is useful

One of the four products available is Eagle Pack Reduced Fat dog food. This maintains a high protein level (24%) but matches this with a drastically reduced fat percentage (between 6 and 9%). This means parents don’t have to transition their dog over to a new brand if a diet is required.

The first-listed ingredient is meat meal

Meat meal is certainly high in protein and can be made from top-quality cuts of meat. However, Wag! always prefers to see real meat or fish as the first listed ingredient in dog food — there’s evidence to say they’re higher in amino acids than meals. Meals can more easily disguise low-quality animal protein, too.

The dog food collection is very small

Eagle Pack dog food makes just four dog food recipes, which means that there isn’t much versatility. For example, there are no poultry-free recipes, which isn’t helpful for dogs with one of the most common allergies. Only one recipe is suitable for puppies and there’s none designed around the specific nutritional needs of small breeds. And of course, what about all the dogs that prefer wet dog food?

The recipes all contain grains of some kind

Although there’s a lot of scaremongering on the topic, there’s nothing innately wrong with grain-inclusive dog food. The only issue is some dogs with sensitive stomachs might find it more difficult to tolerate and there’s no grain-free Eagle Pack dog food to switch over to if this is the case.

“This has been an excellent low calorie food for our senior collie. Small kibble and no legumes (doesn’t do well with the pea protein foods.) His coat is amazing and he’s had no digestion issues on this. It's a keeper, don’t stop making it!”

“My Great Dane was having issues with scratching ears [and] upper body[,] and nibbling on the rump. Her doctor suggested switching to lamb & rice formula. So far we are getting great results! We have always been Eagle Pack customers and stand by their products. Our [dogs’] health [matters] and this company cares.”

“I’ve been feeding my sweet boy Moon this food for over a year now and he absolutely loves it! [He’s] a picky boy but when it comes to this food[, he] gobbles it down!! [I’ve] noticed a huge difference in his skin and his coat is sooooo shiny! [The] last dog food we 

bought caused him diarrhea and as soon as we got done completely switching him over[,] all his digestion and diarrhea problems vanished! [We] love Eagle Pack and would 100% recommend them to anyone!!”

Read more reviews at Chewy.

The origins of Eagle Pack dog food can be traced back to the 1980s. This was the time that Indiana-born Joe Cocquyt took over part of his family’s business called Eagle Products, which made a dog food called Hy-Ration.

Dismayed by much of the pet food offerings available to parents, he started working with vets and trainers to create a top-quality dog food made with natural ingredients. At this point, Eagle Pack dog food emerged as a distinct entity.

Cocquyt had a strong interest in dog sledding races and sponsored contestants in the annual Iditarod competition in Alaska, as well as the whole race itself in 2011. Mushers were full of praise for this food’s impact on their dog’s performance.

Over the decades, the company grew massively and was purchased by a private equity firm in 2004. It was subsequently acquired by Berwind Industries in 2007. After various mergers, Eagle Pack dog food is today part of Wellness Pet Company, a Boston-based conglomerate that also owns Holistic Select, Old Mother Hubbard and Whimzees among others.

At the time of writing, there has never been an Eagle Pack dog food recall.