Is Dr Harvey's Dog Food Best For My Dog?

Updated: 9/3/2021
Dr. Harveys is a unique dog food brand serving the canine community for nearly 3 decades. Dr. Harvey Cohen, a human nutritionist, developed this brand out of necessity when he saw the ingredients used in dog food in the early '80s.

You won’t find dyes, artificial preservatives, or fillers in this brand. In fact, this dog food has the nickname “miracle dog food” because pet parents swear by its ingredients. There are 7 different dog food formulas in the Dr. Havey's line: three complete foods and four different pre-mixes. Using this food is a little different since their food requires rehydration and additional ingredients like meat and oil.

Is Dr. Harvey's dog food right for your pup? We've done some digging on the ingredients, cost, and reviews to help you make the most informed decision "pawssible"!

Before we get into the cost of Dr. Harvey’s all-natural dog food, let's explore the differences and similarities of the Dr. Harvey's formulas. 

Allergy Special Diet

This limited-ingredient dog food recipe is a complete food made without common canine allergens like corn, soy, eggs, and gluten. This recipe comes in two flavors, fish and turkey. 

Canine Health: Miracle Dog Food

This is Dr. Harvey's original dog food formulation. Canine Health: Miracle Dog Food is a pre-mix with grains, veggies, and herbs that requires the addition of oil and protein before serving. 

Raw Vibrance

This grain-free pre-mix is meant to be mixed with raw proteins. The calcium-rich formula includes raw veggies, eggshells, mussels, and fruits to promote a balanced diet.

Healthy Weight

Dr. Harvey's Healthy Weight recipe claims to be a nutrient-rich formula that keeps pups feeling full for longer. This blend boasts probiotics to promote better digestion. This recipe is a complete food that comes in beef and chicken flavors. 

Paradigm

The Paradigm recipe is Dr. Harvey's answer to the low-carb canine diet trend and contains no corn, wheat, or soy. This formula claims to be a low glycemic diet with antioxidant-rich ingredients. As with Dr. Harvey's other pre-mixes, you'll need to add protein and oil to this recipe.

Veg-to-Bowl 

This veggie-centric pre-mix is grain-free and requires the addition of water, protein, and oil.

Veg-to-Bowl Fine Ground

This formula is the same as the regular Veg-to-Bowl recipe except it's a finer blend more suitable for puppies and small dogs. 

Oracle: Grain Free

The Oracle: Grain Free recipe is a complete food that comes in 2 flavors: beef and chicken. This blend contains no added glucose, sodium, or artificial additives. 

A 5-pound bag of Dr. Harvey’s Canine Health dog food ranges between $50 to $55 and feeds approximately 33 meals (16 oz each). The 10-pound bag ranges from $70 to $80 a bag and feeds around 66 meals of the same size. This isn’t the total cost for the food, since the instructions state to add raw meat and oil to the food. The exact cost depends on the quality of raw meat and oil used.

The complete food specialty diets are more expensive than the pre-mixes, averaging $70 to $78 for a 5-pound bag. The allergy specialty diet is the most expensive of Dr. Harvey’s dog foods, weighing in at $80 to $85 for a 5-pound bag ("ruffly" 20 meals). This still averages to be about the same cost as the pre-mixes since the meat is already in it.

Dr. Harvey’s doesn't have age-specific formulas, but their recipes are suitable for all age groups. For instance, the Healthy Weight blend may be a good choice for seniors that are prone to weight gain or those who aren’t as active as they once were.

According to Dr. Harvey’s website, the Healthy Weight blend is “formulated to support your dog’s weight loss for a healthier, longer life.” The Veg-to-Bowl Fine Ground dog food is another good choice for puppies and elderly dogs since it contains tiny morsels that are great for dogs with bad or no teeth.

None of Dr. Harvey’s dog food blends specify they are for particular breeds. However, some formulas may be better for certain breeds than others.

The allergen-free formula is a good choice for breeds prone to food allergies like Terriers and Cocker Spaniels since it is free of common canine allergens like grains and soy. Additionally, the Veg-to-Bowl Fine Ground Dog Food contains tiny bits that are suitable for small breed dogs.

The ingredients list for Dr. Harvey’s dog food depends on the formula and whether you select one of the complete foods or a pre-mix. The pre-mixes contain a blend of fruits, veggies, herbs, and grains (unless specified as grain-free). The pre-mix instructions state to mix the formula with oil and fresh meat before serving.

As the name suggests, the complete foods are ready to feed meals with meat mixed in — just add water. So what sorts of ingredients are in these foods? Let’s examine the ingredients lists. 

The first 5 ingredients in Dr. Harvey’s most popular food, the Canine Health: Miracle dog food, are:

• organic rolled oats
• organic barley
• organic triticale
• organic spelt
• organic brown rice
  

The ingredients in the veggie-based meals look a little different. The first five ingredients in the Raw Vibrance pre-mix are:

• broccoli
• green beans
• squash
• carrots
• celery
  

The Paradigm pre-mix contains a similar ingredients list, including:

• broccoli
• green beans
• bone broth
• red and green bell pepper
  

The Veg-to-Bowl formula is also vegetable-based containing:

• sweet potatoes
• carrots
• potatoes
• broccoli
• peas

Dr. Harvey’s also fortifies each of its foods with a vitamin and mineral mixture to ensure dogs get the nutrients they need. For a full breakdown of the ingredients, visit the Dr. Harvey's website.

At the time of writing, there are no reviews of Dr. Harvey's dog food on the Consumer Affairs or Better Business Bureau webpages. However, the Better Business Bureau gives this company an A+ rating.

Reviews on retail sites that carry Dr. Harvey's foods are generally positive. For the most part, pet parents liked the smell and quality of the food and state that their picky eaters enjoy it. There are some negative reviews regarding the price point.

Since the food is freeze-dried, the bag is shelf-stable prior to preparation. Refrigeration is only necessary after the food is prepared with water, meat, or oil.

The complete dog foods are ready to feed — just add water. Whereas the pre-mixes require additional ingredients like meat and oil.

Oracle, Veg-to-Bowl, Paradigm, and the Raw Vibrance foods are all 100% grain-free.