Gravy Train Dog Food

Gravy train dog food

Gravy Train Dog Food—Can We Trust This Brand?

 

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

If you want to keep your dog healthy, your job is to find the best dog food brands on the market. We at Alpha Paw know how excruciatingly tiring this task can get, so we are here to help you!

Our pick for today is—The Gravy Train Dog Food. In this article, we are going to analyze this brand’s formulas and test if their ingredient quality meets our criteria.

We are not paid to promote or badmouth dog food brands. Our reviews are products of thorough research and our great desire to provide you with true and verified info on dog food brands.

What Is the Gravy Train Dog Food?

The Gravy Train Dog Food is a company that started selling its food in 1959. Their goal is to provide dogs with palatable formulas that your sweet pooch will fall in love with.

This brand offers dry dog foods and dog treats. Its products are found in lots of grocery stores, and you can buy them at affordable prices.

Lots of people don’t look at the ingredient list when they are purchasing food for their canines. That’s why we thought it would be good to review their recipes and help you out.

So, let’s start reviewing!

How We Evaluated the Gravy Train

Alpha Paw wants to provide your canine with the best. When we review dog food brands, we adhere to strict criteria that help us separate the good dog food brands from the low-quality ones. The recipe of high-quality dog food brand must:

  1. Contain named meat sources
  2. Avoid meat or vegetable by-products
  3. Use only whole grains
  4. Be labeled as “Complete and balanced” by The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)

Who Helped Us Write the Review

Reviewing dog food brands is a responsible task. To make sure our findings were verified, we decided to ask for help.

We consulted a few veterinarians and dog nutritionists who told us what ingredients we should be wary of. Our team went through the ingredient list of each formula in great detail, to make sure we didn’t miss out on anything important. Our final touch was reading the online reviews about the brand.

When we finished analyzing all information we had gathered, we decided to present you with this review. Remember that we are not affiliated with any dog food producer. The review you are about to read is the fruit of our hard work and great love for dogs. Let’s dive in!

The Gravy Train Dog Food Review

Here, you have the entire Gravy Train Dog Food assortment.

The Gravy Train Dog Food Product Lines The Gravy Train Dog Food Recipes
Dry Food
Dog Treats

The Gravy Train Dry Dog Food

The Gravy Train Dry Dog Food product line has five formulas. We decided to analyze each one of them and provide you with the whole picture of their quality. Let’s see if they can pass our strict criteria.

Beefy Classic

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

Beefy Classic has corn as its first ingredient on the list. Corns contain some minerals and vitamins but should be used in moderation. In this formula, it is the leading source of protein, which means it weighs the most. This ingredient has a pretty bad reputation as our canines find it difficult to digest. It’s also been associated with:

  • Allergies
  • Swelling
  • Aflatoxin contamination

This formula contains soybean, which is mostly used in low-quality products as it provides an incomplete protein. It is also one of the main culprits behind allergies and food sensitivities. Soybean meal is a good energy source, but not a healthy one.

Meat and meal meat are the third ingredient in the list. Meat meals can contain healthy nutrients, provided their source is a high-quality one. In this case, the source is not named, which means you can’t say what your pooch is eating.

Dogs adore beefy flavors, but it’s crucial for dog owners to provide them with healthy beef meat. This formula contains artificial beef flavor. Artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives are also not suitable for dogs with allergies, and they can be highly carcinogenic. They are added to low-quality formulas to make them tastier.

Since this recipe doesn’t satisfy our criteria for high-quality food, we don’t recommend purchasing this formula for your cute beastie.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 17.0% min
Crude Fat 8.0% min
Crude Fiber 4.0% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Calcium 0.60% min
Phosphorus 0.50% min
Potassium 0.60% min
Sodium 0.25% min
Chloride 0.40% min
Zinc 110 mg/kg min

Ingredients:

Corn, Soybean Meal, Meat and Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Animal Digest, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Cellulose Gum, Wheat Flour, Caramel Color, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement), d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Red 40, BHA (preservative), Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2, Rosemary Extract, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Natural and Artificial Beef Flavor.

Hearty Classic Chicken Flavor

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

Hearty Classic Chicken Flavor also contains corn and soybeans on the top of the ingredient list, and as you’ve already seen, they can cause lots of adverse reactions in your dog’s body. We do not recommend buying this product if your pooch suffers from allergies or food sensitivities.

Its third ingredient is also a controversial one. Meat by-products are slaughtered animal leftovers. They can contain waste that is not used by humans, such as:

  • Claws
  • Hooves
  • Beaks
  • Feathers
  • Hair
  • Horns

It is not too dangerous to have these by-products in your pooch’s nutrition, as long as they get much larger quantities of real meat. These leftovers contain little to no meat, and they can hardly meet your pet’s nutritional needs. This recipe has too many by-products, and we don’t advise you to feed your pooch this formula for too long.

Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) is an additive that many dog food producers use to preserve the foods. It can often lead to kidney damage, and your canine should not eat it in large quantities.

Meat and bone meal leaves us wondering if the quality of the meat is harmful to our furry friends.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 17.0% min
Crude Fat 8.0% min
Crude Fiber 4.0% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Calcium 0.55% min
Phosphorus 0.50% min
Potassium 0.55% min
Sodium 0.25% min
Chloride 0.40% min
Zinc 110 mg/kg min

Ingredients:

Corn, Soybean Meal, Chicken By-Product Meal, Meat & Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, Animal Fat (Preserved with Tocopherols), Brewers Rice, Caramel Color, Animal Digest, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Wheat Flour, Titanium Dioxide, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Potassium Chloride, Spray Dried Chicken, Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 2, Rosemary Extract, Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Dried Chicken Stock, BHA (preservative).

Meaty Classic Beef Liver & Bacon Flavor

 

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

Meaty Classic Beef Liver & Bacon Flavor formula also contains corn and soybean meal as the first two ingredients. Unlike the previous two products, this one uses beef and bone meal instead of unnamed meat sources.

Good meat meals identify the type of meat they use. Beef meat meal is a beneficial and nutritious ingredient.

The formula also uses folic acid, which is a requisite for amino acid metabolism. It also ensures the cohesion of your pooch’s cell membranes.

BHA is used in this product, too. We strongly urge you not to purchase it if your hairy friend suffers from kidney damage.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 17.0% min
Crude Fat 8.0% min
Crude Fiber 4.0% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Calcium 0.60% min
Phosphorus 0.50% min
Potassium 0.60% min
Sodium 0.25% min
Chloride 0.40% min
Zinc 110 mg/kg min

Ingredients:

Corn, Soybean Meal, Beef and Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, Animal Fat (Preserved with BHA), Animal Digest (Source of Liver flavor), Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Wheat Flour, Cellulose Gum, Bacon Fat, Caramel Color, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Choline Chloride, Dried Beef Stock, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Yellow 6, Blue 2, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Red 40, BHA (Preservative), Yellow 5, Spray Dried Beef.

Hearty Pot Roast Flavor

 

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

It seems that the Hearty Pot Roast Flavor formula doesn’t differ much from the previous ones. The ingredient list looks almost the same, and the only thing changed is its artificial flavor. Instead of the chicken flavor that we saw in the second formula on our list, here we have artificial pot roast flavor.

The brand claims that the meal is bursting with meaty flavor. Artificial flavors add that greasy feel to your dog’s food, and it’s true—without it, the formulas wouldn’t be as palatable. Still, many natural counterparts of these flavors that are much healthier and not carcinogenic can be used instead of the artificial ones.

The same goes for artificial colors. Blue 2, Red 40, and Yellows 5 and 6 are instances of artificial colorings that are all found in this formula! These are all listed in our dog food ingredients to avoid list!

Wheat middlings, the fourth ingredient on this list, are inexpensive by-products of cereal grain processing.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 17.0% min
Crude Fat 8.0% min
Crude Fiber 4.0% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Calcium 0.60% min
Phosphorus 0.50% min
Potassium 0.60% min
Sodium 0.25% min
Chloride 0.40% min
Zinc 110 mg/kg min

Ingredients:

Corn, Soybean Meal, Meat & Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Animal Digest, Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose, Wheat Flour, Caramel Color, Choline Chloride, DL-Methionine, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Natural and Artificial Pot Roast Flavor, Red 40, BHA (used as a preservative), Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2, Rosemary Extract.

Small Bites Beefy Classic

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

Small Bites Beefy Classic is the last formula from the dry dog food product line. It also uses corn and soybean as inexpensive protein substitutes. Don’t forget that corn contains a lot of carbohydrates and, aside from gastrointestinal issues, it can also cause:

  • Weight gain
  • Allergies
  • Diabetes

Your pooch needs to get as much meat-based protein as possible. This product contains unnamed meat and bone meal, which raises red flags. Is it beef, chicken, duck—how can we know? Meat meals contain slaughterhouse waste—teeth, bones, horns, stomach content, and many others. This waste can provide your canine with some beneficial nutrients, but if they prevail, they can be dangerous for dogs. Our verdict—avoid unnamed meat meals in the long haul!

Artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives host nasty substances such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), which is the case in this product. We are not fans of artificial ingredients, and it would be the best for your hairy pal if you steered clear from them. We want to see beef in your pooch’s formulas, not artificial beef flavor!
Our team believes that you can find much better dry food recipes on the best dry dog food list.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 17.0% min
Crude Fat 8.0% min
Crude Fiber 4.0% max
Moisture 10.0% max
Calcium 0.60% min
Phosphorus 0.50% min
Potassium 0.60% min
Sodium 0.25% min
Chloride 0.40% min
Zinc 110 mg/kg min

Ingredients:

Corn, Soybean Meal, Meat and Bone Meal, Wheat Middlings, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Animal Digest, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Cellulose Gum, Wheat Flour, Caramel Color, Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Choline Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Red 40, BHA (preservative), Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2, Rosemary Extract, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Natural and Artificial Beef Flavor.

The Gravy Train Dog Treats

The dry food product line hasn’t met our expectations. Their dry formulas should not end up in your canine’s tummy! Let’s see if the Gravy Train Dog Treats can improve their image.

Beef Sticks

 

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

Beef Sticks is the first formula on this list to use named real meat as its first ingredient. The downside is that it also contains beef by-products, but at least they are named.

The product contains gluten-filled wheat flour, which is a good source of energy when mixed with high-quality animal protein. It is not suitable for woofers who suffer from food intolerance.

Your pooch shouldn’t eat too much sugar as it can lead to obesity and a shorter life span. This formula contains corn syrup, corn starch, and lots of artificial colors that leads us to believe that Gravy Train should be found on our dog food brands to avoid list.

Its sixth ingredient is a soybean meal, which is a by-product of soy oil manufacturing, also known as an allergen.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 19.0% min
Crude Fat 5.0% min
Crude Fiber 3.0% max
Moisture 26.0% max

Ingredients:

Beef, Wheat Flour, Soy Flour, Corn Syrup, Beef By-Products, Soybean Meal, Soy Protein Concentrate, Corn Starch, Propylene Glycol, Salt, Flaxseed, Calcium Sulfate, Phosphoric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (Used as a Preservative), Caramel Color, Garlic Powder, Natural Smoke Flavor, BHA (Used as a Preservative), Red 40, Onion Extract.

Jerky Strips

 

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

Jerky Strips is the second product to use named real meat as its first ingredient and primary protein source. But, after one bright spot we notice, we go back to the usual ingredients.

Luckily, the formula doesn’t contain much fat, but it is preserved in BHA, which prevents the rancidification of food. BHA preservative is considered to increase the risks of cancer and liver enlargement.

Potassium sorbate, which is used as a preservative, can be a potential irritant of the respiratory tract.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 15.0% min
Crude Fat 4.0% min
Crude Fiber 2.0% max
Moisture 30.0% max

Ingredients:

Beef, Soy Flour, Wheat Flour, Corn Syrup, Corn Starch, Sugar, Soybean Meal, Propylene Glycol, Animal Fat (BHA Used as a Preservative), Salt, Caramel Color, Phosphoric Acid, Potassium Sorbate (Used as a Preservative), Garlic Powder, Calcium Sulfate, Natural Smoke Flavor, BHA (Used as a Preservative), Onion Extract.

Steak Bones® Beef Flavor

 

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

Steak Bones® Beef Flavor again contains too many artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors. It’s based on soy, wheat, and corn—the ingredients that upset dogs’ digestive systems the most.

This formula has water as its third ingredient, which we don’t like because it should be meat! Again, what’s the point of feeding your pooch treats packed with sugar and fat, if they don’t fulfill any of their nutritional needs.

The ingredient lists leave much to be desired. So our verdict is—pass!

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 15.0% min
Crude Fat 4.0% min
Crude Fiber 2.0% max
Moisture 26.0% max

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour, Soy Flour, Water Sufficient for Processing, Ground Corn, Corn Syrup, Chicken By-Product Meal, Propylene Glycol, Beef, Animal Fat (BHA Used as Preservative), Dried Cheese Product, Calcium Sulfate, Phosphoric Acid, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Natural Flavor, Bone Phosphate, Titanium Dioxide, Potassium Sorbate (Used As a Preservative), Garlic Powder, Caramel Color, Red 40, BHA (used as a preservative), Onion Extract.

Wavy Bacon

 

Gravy train dog food

Image source: Gravy Train

Wavy Bacon is a tasty treat with bacon flavor. Its first ingredient is wheat flour—a popular choice for dog treats. Wheat flour contains gluten, which can trigger allergies in dogs.

Whole corn is not the worst ingredient, but your precious little beastie should eat it in moderation. Just this ingredient tells us that this formula is not safe in the long haul.

High fructose corn syrup can be found in candies and soft drinks. It’s packed with corn sugar, which is extremely dangerous for dogs because it can lead to obesity, diabetes, and sugar addiction.

The formula also uses meat by-products that we frown upon.

These four dog treats didn’t make us happy either. If you want your pooch to grow happy and strong, please avoid buying these products. Instead, look for healthy and natural dog treats, as well as the best dog treat brands

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 15.0% min
Crude Fat 4.0% min
Crude Fiber 2.0% max
Moisture 30.0% max

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour, Soybean Flour, Water, Glycerin, Whole Corn, Beef, Sugar, Calcium Sulfate, Bacon, Corn Syrup, Meat By-Products, Natural Smoke Flavor, Flaxseed, Potassium Sorbate (Used as a Preservative), Salt, Phosphoric Acid, Red 40 Lake, Glyceryl Monostearate, Yellow 6 Lake, Titanium Dioxide, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, D-calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Yellow 5 Lake, BHA (Used as a Preservative), Blue 1 Lake Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite).

Our Final Thoughts on the Gravy Train Dog Food

Gravy Train dog food offers formulas that are below our expectations. Their products are packed with ingredients that can be harmful to your pet.

  1. They contain lots of corn, wheat, and soy nutrients that can lead to gastrointestinal issues. Your pooch should not eat too much of them in the long run.
  2. Lots of their formulas are made up of unnamed meat sources and by-products. In case your sweet canine has a food intolerance, you will not know which ingredient causes the problem.
  3. The brand uses artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors, which increase the risks of cancer. BHA preservatives can lead to kidney failure.
  4. These formulas don’t contain sources of healthy fatty acids, which are vital for maintaining your pooch’s lustrous skin and coat. These acids are also suitable for dogs with dry skin, but they are nowhere to be found here.

What We Learned from This Review

Our detailed research found that The Gravy Train Dog Food doesn’t live up to our expectations, as their formulas don’t offer complete and balanced nutrition.

With chow made by this brand, it’s highly likely that your precious canine will soon start to feel the consequences of malnutrition.

The Gravy Train Dog Food receives our lowest mark. We recommend you take a look at some of the following dog food brands:

We strongly believe that you will find healthier diet options for your hairy companion among these dog food brands.

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