Zignature Dog Food Review

– Is Zignature a Good Dog Food? –

The Short History of Zignature Company

Zigature’s key philosophy is centered around the principle that all pets deserve a high-quality diet with minimal troublesome ingredients. Furthermore, Zignature has put a lot of focus into developing limited-ingredient formulas that have protein as the first, or in some cases first, second, third, and fourth, ingredients on the list. The limited-ingredient Zignature recipes are ideal for designed and formulated to be as agreeable as possible for your dog’s digestive system. This means massively reducing or altogether removing possible irritants and allergens, which could trigger food allergies. This way, if your dog does react to their food in a negative way, the small ingredients list will make it far easier to identify the culprit. If you are looking for more options, check out our guide on dog food for allergies.

The “meat-first” philosophy of Zignature means you will never see a Zignature ingredients list with the primary protein taking the top spot. Even with mixed protein recipes, all proteins involved are the first to be listed. This means you know you’re getting the protein you’ve paid for, ensuring your dog is properly fueled for the active life of a pup.

Zignature dog foods are manufactured by Pets Global, which is based in Valencia, CA. Pets Global is a highly trusted brand and works in conjunction with some of the most trusted specialists, such as Performance Pet and SD & Tuffy’s, to develop the ideal dog food formulas to suit most dogs and ensure quality.

Where is Zignature Dog Food Made?

Zignature proudly states on the website that they only develop and craft their dog food in the United States. Specifically, the food is made in just two facilities, both of which are also located in the united states; one in Perham, Minnesota, and the other in Mitchell, South Dakota.

Where Do They Source Their Ingredients From?

Zignature tries its best to keep ingredient sourcing from other countries to an absolute minimum unless it is necessary. This means that any ingredients found outside of the US will have been selected for their superior quality when compared to more local options. All Zignature recipe ingredients come from a mix of New Zealand, Australia, France, and the United States.

Zignature Product Lines – Differences and Which One You Should Choose

Zignature is a pleasantly minimal brand with only the lines they feel every owner should have – no more, no less. This is because, due to the decision to use the limited ingredient, grain-free formulas, they have no need to produce additional lines to compensate for sensitive digestion – all of their food is for sensitive digestion. So here are the few lines they have and which we feel might be the best for you:

Zignature Originals

The classic limited-ingredient, grain-free dog food formula that Zignature is known for. Zignature originals consist of a wide variety of protein flavors including; turkey, lamb, kangaroo, trout & salmon, pork, duck, catfish, whitefish, venison, guinea fowl, goat, and salmon. This brilliant variety means there is likely to be something in this range for every day.

Fortunately, these flavors are also available in both the dry and wet dog food lines, so the texture doesn’t have to mean the exclusion of a protein you like the look of. Furthermore, these recipes contain less than 10 core ingredients, not including any supplementary vitamins or minerals. This minimal ingredient list means if your pup has a hard time with its food, you’ll have a much easier time narrowing down what could have caused it.

Select Cut Formula

Select Cut is also a limited ingredients range, with the key difference of the proteins selected for this range is the best of the best. Where Zignature prides itself on the use of high-quality proteins in its foods, the select cut is carefully chosen from that same top-quality. So you really are getting the very best. However, this range is currently limited to turkey and lamb, so it may not be ideal for picky eaters if these two proteins are no gos.

Small Bites

This is a small product line consisting of a good range of proteins including kangaroo, turkey, and lamb. There’s no real need for this to be an extensive range as it is specifically designed with puppies in mind, and dogs don’t stay puppies forever. The major difference between these and the Originals line is simply a matter of size. As the name would suggest, these are small bites, meaning the biscuits themselves are small and easier for puppies to chew. So if you find your pup seems to be having a hard time with the larger biscuits, this might be the food for you.

Let’s Take a Closer Look at Ingredients

Nutrition is the key to having a healthy pup. By keeping up the proper nutrition you can ensure your dog will develop happy and healthy. This is where we take a closer look at the ingredients selected for the Zignature formulas to see why they work so well.

Proteins

Zignature’s dry food recipes have an average protein percentage of around 30% which is markedly higher than the majority of popular dog food brands. Protein is one of the most important elements of your dog’s diet owing to the fact that it enables proper muscle development and recovery – which for young dogs is particularly crucial as to their hyperactive lifestyle and rapid growth.

Something else worth noting with Zignature formulas which we have mentioned before is the active decision made to place protein at the top of the ingredients list, meaning it is the key ingredient to every recipe. Zignature has also opted to avoid the most common dog food proteins likely to cause digestive distress – chicken and beef. Though they are often the most frequently seen proteins in dog food, chicken and beef have been labeled as potential allergens for dogs and have no place in limited ingredient recipes. Though they are often still used as a secondary protein, something Zignature has avoided. Head over to our review of high-protein dog foods for more choices.

Fat Content

Zignature’s dog food actually has a below-average fat content. And whilst this may SOUND bad, it is actually a good thing. The higher the fat content, the more likely your dog is to gain unnecessary weight, which can be difficult to shift and cause stress on their joints. So by minimizing the amount of fat in their products, by selecting better quality meats, Zignature has created a lean food range suitable for senior dogs as well as younger ones. Some examples of the leanest options on offer are the goat, kangaroo, and lamb foods – all of which are considered lean meats to begin with.

Carbohydrates

Much like with fat, Zignature focuses on low carbohydrate levels. Roughly 40% of Zignature’s dry dog food is carbohydrates, meaning there are no unnecessary fillers being used. Certain carbohydrates, such as potato, don’t offer much nutritional value and so they are mainly needless calories for your dog to be consuming. However, the carbohydrates selected by Zignature include blueberries, carrots, peas, and cranberries. All of which provide good nutrition as well as the necessary glucose and fiber for proper function, as well as introducing antioxidants to strengthen your pup’s immune system.

Micronutrition

Zignature will include supplements into their recipes when it is deemed necessary. However, fortunately, the use of high-quality proteins and healthy ingredients including fruits, vegetables, and lentils, means the need for supplementation is quite low. Predominantly Zignature introduces additional vitamins and minerals in the form of supplements to give each formula an extra boost.

Zignature Dog Food Recall History

There is a range of dog food brands that Zignature is in competition with, but unlike many of the other top dog food brands, Zignature can boast a complete lack of recalls. In the history of the brand, Zignature has never had to recall a single product. Having checked with a variety of sources that track pet food recalls, including the FDA, we were unable to locate any negative information regarding Zignature, with no recalls reported since its creation. This should be reassuring news for any dog parents worried about the safety of what they are feeding to their pooch.

How Much Does Zignature Food Cost?

Selecting the line you like the look of whilst still remaining within budget can be difficult. So to make it a simpler process for you we have produced two price lists showing you the average price of both the dry and wet food lines. Once you have an idea of which line might suit you best, you can then look a little further into that particular product without having to worry about the cost.

Dry Food Product Lines

This chart is based on the 25lb bags of Zignature dry food that is currently available. This is the largest bag of Zignature food you can buy, with alternative options of 4lbs and 12.5lbs. We preferred the idea of putting forward the most expensive options so as not to cause any unpleasant surprises for the large dog owners that have to bear the brunt of any dog food prices.

Canned Food Product Lines

All of Zignature’s wet dog food is offered in large packs of 12. Each pack contains 12 x 13oz cans of their wet dog food recipe which mimics that of the dry food formula as closely as possible.

They are not a cheap brand, by any stretch of the imagination – but nor are they the most expensive. With Zignature you pay the higher price for ensuring that your dog is consuming high-quality food with carefully limited ingredients to prevent both allergic reactions and general sensitivities. And fortunately, for those worried about cost, they do offer several lower-priced lines such as turkey, pork, and catfish. These lines are not lacking in quality, but simply use cheaper, but still high-quality, proteins to suit a tighter budget.

Where Can I Buy Zignature Dog Food?

Zignature dog food can be found both on Amazon and Chewy. We always try to recommend more than one place to purchase from seeing as one stockist could run out of stock, or you may find that one is running a promotion when the other isn’t. Multiple purchase sources mean a better chance at getting the best deal on your dog food. This way you can ensure you’re getting top-quality food at the best possible price.

In a Nutshell, Is Zignature a Good Choice?

Absolutely. Zignature is carefully formulated to assist owners of dogs with food sensitivities, meaning at the very least you can ensure that what your dog is eating has a much lower chance of causing a reaction or sensitivity flareup. They also prioritize the protein in their foods which shows the dedication they have to create this delicious food and don’t have any product recalls to date. The only real downfall we were able to find when it comes to