NutriSource is a pet food brand that takes the health and well-being of our furry friends seriously. Its commitment to using only high-quality ingredients in its pet food ensures that your pet is getting the nutrition they need to thrive. 

What really sets NutriSource apart from other pet food brands is their commitment to using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. It partners with local farmers and producers to ensure that the ingredients used in its pet food are of the highest quality, while also supporting local communities. NutriSource also offers a wide variety of food options to cater to pets with different dietary needs, including grain-free and limited-ingredient diets.

Overall, NutriSource pet food is an excellent choice for pet parents who prioritize their pet's health and well-being and want to provide them with a nutritious and balanced diet.

In fact, even Dr. Georgia Jeremiah, pet nutrition expert and one of Wag!’s veterinary consultants, recommends NutriSource to her clients. “NutriSource offers convenient and affordable kibble varieties for dogs of various life stages.”

Read on for Wag!'s full NutriSource dog food review!

NutriSource understands that pets have different needs and preferences, which is why they offer a variety of recipes to cater to every pet's unique taste. Between their different product ranges, they carry nearly 100 different recipes! Whether your dog is a picky eater or has a sensitive stomach, NutriSource has a formula that will work for them.

NutriSource is the company’s flagship brand, and it has the largest variety of options, with 32 dry recipes and 19 wet recipes. With so many options, you’re sure to find the perfect recipe for your canine companion.

Recipes can be divided into grain-inclusive dry and wet foods, and grain-free dry and wet foods. Within these categories, you can find recipes for puppies, seniors, all life stages, and small, medium and large breeds. There are also recipes featuring small bites, as well as those targeted for weight management and performance. All of NutriSource's recipes include prebiotics and probiotics to help support a healthy gut. 

NutriSource dry recipes are good-quality, with real cuts of meat as the top ingredients. That said, most recipes list several grains or pulses and legumes among the top ingredients. Dried plain beet pulp and dried tomato pomace, which are manufacturing by-products, are among the lowest-quality ingredients in these recipes.  

NutriSource wet recipes contain above-average quality ingredients compared to standard canned foods. The top three ingredients are real cuts of meat, broth, and liver, followed by fiber and carb sources like brown rice flour or chickpeas. 

NutriSource PureVita is limited-ingredient pet food, making it a great option for pets with stomach sensitivities or allergies. They feature highly palatable single-protein-source pet formulas, including chicken, turkey, salmon, and even kangaroo, which are all high in protein and easy to digest. Whether your pet prefers dry food or wet, grain-inclusive or grain-free, PureVita’s got it!

The overall quality of PureVita dry recipes is similar to NutriSource's flagship dog food range, with real meat and meat meal topping the ingredient lists. PureVita recipes also include some nutritious produce like dried carrots, dried blueberries, and dried cranberries, providing your pup with a natural vitamin and mineral boost. 

PureVita wet recipes are also high quality, with several cuts of meat among the top five ingredients. Common secondary ingredients include flaxseed, coconut glycerin, and dried brewer's yeast. 

NutriSource Choice offers three grain-inclusive dry recipes for dogs at an entry-level price point. 

Due to their budget-friendly price tag, NutriSource Choice dry recipes are lower quality than the rest of NutriSource's kibbles. Each dry recipe lists meat meal as the top ingredient, followed by four different grains. 

NutriSource Choice wet recipes are better quality, with several cuts of meat and water for processing making up the top ingredients. All these recipes contain beef liver, making them unsuitable for dogs with beef allergies or sensitivities. 

NutriSource’s Element Series uses some of the best elements of nature to provide an advanced diet for our canine companions. It offers five delicious, animal protein-packed recipes, each containing at least 83% animal protein in every bowlful. Along with nutritious animal proteins, the Element Series recipes contain targeted probiotics as part of NutriSource’s Good 4 Life Plus system. 

The NutriSource Element Series is among NutriSource's highest quality range—each recipe lists several cuts of real meat among the top five ingredients, with meat meals providing extra protein. Common secondary ingredients include chicken fat, dried egg product, and dried plain beet pulp. 

NutriSource’s Element Series Freeze-Dried recipes offer complete and balanced nutrition, with at least 90% of the protein coming from animal ingredients like beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, venison, duck, and organ meats. They also contain fruits and veggies like apples, butternut squash, and sweet potato, as well as essential nutrients, minerals, prebiotics, and postbiotics to support gut health. 

Available as Raw Bites and Raw Sliders, these versatile formulas are freeze-dried to preserve nutrients and flavor and can be served as a meal, treat, or topper. 

Looking to tempt a picky pup, and just make their meal a little extra special? NutriSource’s Come-pooch-a topper was inspired by kombucha because of the digestive support it provides. These meal toppers contain natural postbiotics from fermentation products to give your dog’s gut health a helping paw. Just pour some over your dog’s food and they’ll love you for it!

NutriSource treats come in various textures, including moist, jerky, and biscuit. There are over 30 varieties across seven sub-ranges. They come in many different meat-rich, protein-dense flavors too. 

Chicken, pork, beef, or lamb is often the first ingredient, and some recipes also contain real fruits and vegetables like chickpeas, peas, pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato, celery, beets, parsley, lettuce, watercress, cranberries, blueberries, apple, and banana. 

NutriSource treats are great as healthy treats and rewards, plus certain variants offer functional benefits with added L-carnitine, glucosamine, and chondroitin.

Here are a few reasons Wag! highly rates NutriSource dog food.

We love the fact that NutriSource generally uses high-quality ingredients like fresh meat, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables in their products. Its ingredients are locally sourced and meet AAFCO standards. At the top of their ingredient list, you can find high-quality meats in most recipes. We also like the addition of probiotics to help support your canine’s digestive system and immune system.

We also love its wide variety of foods. NutriSource offers many grain-inclusive and grain-free options, as well as a variety of protein sources, which is great for dogs with sensitive stomachs or allergies. Plus, you'll find several recipes formulated for puppies, seniors, and high-activity breeds. 

We're not the only ones who love NutriSource, as this brand has plenty of positive customer reviews. Many pet parents have reported that their pets enjoy the taste and have experienced improved health after switching to NutriSource. This includes exhibiting high energy levels, shiny coats, and normal stools.

Here are a couple of things to consider before buying NutriSource dog food.

NutriSource has a higher price point than other dog food brands on the market. They also don’t sell their food at mega pet food stores because NutriSource is committed to independent pet stores. This can be inconvenient for pet parents who don’t have the food available in their area.

Another concern is NutriSource’s use of starchy carbohydrates and plant-based fillers in its dry food, like corn gluten meal, dried beet pulp, and dried tomato pomace. Aside from being a source of fiber and carbs, many of these ingredients have low nutritional value for dogs and are inexpensive filler ingredients. 

"I have the absolute pickiest eater there is. This is the only dog food that she will eat and clean her bowl. Her energy levels are back and her weight and coat condition are perfect!"

"My 90lb Bluenose Pitbull enjoys the larger kibble and actually chews his food instead of just swallowing it whole."

Read more reviews on Petsense.

NutriSource is a brand of pet food that was founded in 1964 by a family-owned company called Tuffy's Pet Foods, located in Perham, Minnesota. When the company founder, Darell Nelson, was just a boy, he fell from a tree. While a fall like that would have sent most kids to the hospital, he kept right on playing, earning him the nickname “Tuffy”. The name stuck, and Darell and his son Kenny later started up Tuffy’s Pet Foods.

Initially, Tuffy's Pet Foods produced animal feeds for livestock, but in the 1980s, they began producing dog food under the NutriSource brand. Over the years, NutriSource has expanded its product line to include cat food and a variety of different formulas to meet the specific nutritional needs of pets at different life stages and with different dietary requirements. In the early 2000s, NutriSource introduced a line of super-premium pet foods that featured high-quality ingredients, including multiple protein sources and no artificial preservatives.

Three generations later, NutriSource is still owned and operated by Tuffy's Pet Foods, which remains a family-owned business. Being family-owned and based in a small town, NutriSource is founded on a strong sense of community and integrity.

Since 2009, NutriSource has had one product recall on October 12, 2021. They recalled approximately 1,600 cases of NutriSource PureVita Salmon Entree Dog Food in a Tetra Pak carton following notification from the product manufacturer of potentially elevated levels of vitamin D.

Vitamin D poisoning can cause symptoms like vomiting, loss of appetite, increased thirst, increased urination, excessive drooling, and weight loss. Left untreated, it can even cause renal failure and death.

Although there were no reports of illness from consumers, Tuffy’s Pet Foods acted out of an abundance of caution and voluntarily recalled the product. They recommended that consumers stop feeding the product immediately, and visit a veterinarian if their dog starts exhibiting symptoms after eating the product.

Keep in mind that a product recall can happen at any time, so it’s important to stay up to date! To make sure your dog’s food is safe, check the FDA’s pet food recall website.

All product images sourced from the Amazon website. Copyright Tuffy's Pet Foods.