Apr. 19, 2024

Authority Dog Food Reviews

XX
Top 5 Ingredients*
  1. Lamb broth

  2. Lamb

  3. Chicken

  4. Lamb liver

  5. Brewers rice

Artificial Ingredients No
Contains By-products No
Price Range $$
*Adult Lamb & Rice Formula Ground Entrée was selected as the recipe for this ingredient list
What's good about this pet food
  • excellent meat proteins
  • fruits
  • vegetables
What's not so good about this pet food
  • brewers rice
  • corn

Our Analysis

How you feed your dog is important for optimum health and for allowing a longer life span. Many owners choose Authority Dog Food for its quality ingredients. Authority dry and canned formulas offer intense protein content with other important vitamins and minerals. Some of the ingredients in these formulas can not be found in other brands. Choosing a wholesome, well balanced formula is vital for your dogs.

While chicken and beef are first listed on product ingredient lists, keep in mind these ingredients when fresh contain mostly water. Once cooked, these meats cannot add the nutrient content like dried meat meal versions.

The ingredients in Authority however, is dried chicken meal which is actually higher levels of protein than the fresh ingredient. Brown rice and corn are ingredients added as fillers. However, brown rice does contain complex carbohydrates. The addition of corn gluten meal is most likely a strict filler due to its loss of nutrients during processing.

Authority Dog Food, the in-store brand of PetSmart, is a decent brand and reasonably priced. The brand has high quality proteins as the first ingredients, and a nice amount of whole grains and vegetables. What makes Authority really stand out though, is that it does not include any by-products at all. The use of quality ingredients, variety of foods for dogs with different needs, plus the reasonable price, make this a 4 star rating.

The Word on the Street...

Owners have great things to say about both dry and canned varieties of Authority dog foods. Canned varieties are affordable and dogs love the flavor. The same is also true of dry formulas as well. Feeding dry diet is more convenient for many dog owners, so this is certainly great news. Many owners have reported positive improvements in their dog’s coat and energy levels after being on a diet of this brand food.

Beet pulp and protein sources in this brand are a couple of the ingredients that owners are pleased to see. While these are great, some people are glad to see rice in the ingredients. More rice in addition to corn ingredients is a lot better than feeding a brand with simply corn as a filler. For the price, Authority hits the mark for owners and their canine friends.

Other Reviews of Authority dog food by other dog owners are mostly positive. They are impressed with the quality for such a reasonable price. Many of them seem to have switched from the higher-priced food because of the cost, and are very pleased with the formula. We have not heard many complaints.

  • rie G

    i just changed from
    Grain-Free Healthy Weight Chicken Recipe to
    Authority Adult Weight Management with Real Chicken because of the trouble right now with blue not paying so much for a food if its junk, we will see if she likes it

  • Ls

    I had my dogs on authority Grain free mini chunk for small breeds, for a long time and they love it. Now petsmart is changing the package, which is fine but their also changeing some ingredients, too! They added an ingredient called: “Sodium Hexametaphosphate” which is a toxic chemical!
    You can still buy the original grain free online, but who knows for how long.
    If they discontinue the original package ingredients, I will no longer shop at petsmart, I will look else where for another brand of pet food that has similar ingredients as the older version.

  • Collette

    Why don’t you sell or make larger bags? I have 3 pit bulls and they luv Authority. I think it’s way too costly to be buying 3bags a month. I’m used to buying 55lb bag of Pedigree. I’m interested in buying in bulk or larger bags.

    • maralevine

      Please contact PetSmart with your suggestion since Authority is exclusively sold there.

  • Linn

    I have had my dog on Authority Chicken & Rice Dry Dog food for 3 years now. I am very pleased with the food. She loves it and is a very picky dog.
    I tried to switch her over to a higher priced food to see if it really makes a difference, she would not take to it at all. After reading several reviews on both options, I’ve decided to stick with Authority.

    You can’t beat the price, the ingredients are above average, easy to digest, no dyes. I own a Bichon and noticed since switching her from Pedigree to this food she no longer has tear stains. Definitely a plus!!!

    She’s happy, so I am happy. No complaints.

  • melanee

    I purchased authority chewy dog treats the sweet potato and chicken wraps, my dog ate half of one then next day she wouldn’t take it from me, I then checked the bag and it is all moldy, 2 days later my dog started the runs and dripping blood, really not happy.

  • Joanna

    We have used Authority Dry Food for years and all our dogs have done exceptional on it. Our now 14.5 year old Black Lab has maintained a healthy weight and his coat always shines like crazy, and he’s eaten Authority for most of his life. I love that they have no by-products and, with 2 large dogs in our house, price is very important and Authority is very reasonably priced for the quality of the food.

  • suemcdon

    We are the owners of 9 Dobermans. When we first started with the original 4, we used Blue Buffalo. It was very good, the dogs liked it but was hardly ever on sale. With the addition of each dog, the food bill increased so we decided to switch to Authority after researching other brands. We are pleased to say that our dogs love it! It is one of the healthiest, less expensive brands and we have not had any issues. Our male is a very finicky eater so we add a can of wet to his dry and he has no problem eating it. He was on the thin side when we first got him, but thanks to Authority, he is now a healthy 90-pound boy! We visit PetSmart every week for an average of 3 bags – 2 large breed adult and 1 large breed puppy plus a minimum of 3 cases of cans – yes, that’s per week! Our local store has been very good to us by keeping it in stock. Thank you PetSmart and Authority!

  • Knc75

    I have recently changed from a grocery store brand to Authority. I transitioned the food as directed and it has been 1 month since the transition has been complete and he is getting the amount for his weight range. He loves the food. My dog is consistently have to relieve his bowels, all the time!! I have never seen a dog have to make so much and so frequently. They are formed and solid. Going to a better graded food should decrease this amount, right?

  • lori shaffer

    I am sorry I cannot remember if I asked this company about how much sodium is in your dry senior dog food. My vet wants my dog to be on a low sodium dog food and I would like to know if yours is ??? Thank you so much and sorry if I did ask you already !!

    Lori Shaffer

    • maralevine

      Hi Lori,
      You should probably contact PetSmart directly to find out if the food is low sodium: http://pets.petsmart.com/help/contact-us/.
      Please let us know what they tell you.

    • celeste

      Lori, salt is the third from last ingredient for the senior dry authority, unfortunately they don’t list the exact % but I think it should be low enough for your needs. I know wellness dry senior is considered a low salt food with .14% and they have it higher on the ingredient list then authority.

  • susan mccoo

    would like to know if petco handles it what is the price difference from science diet & bluebufflo?

    • phase

      PetSmart only, $30 for a 30 lb bag, $10-$40 difference

  • LauraH

    I purchased the mini Lamb and rice and both dogs have been throwing up this food. They had no problems with chicken so going back too it. Has anyone heard of a recall on the Lamb?

  • John Esparza

    I buy the Beef & Rice Gound Entree for my dogs,but Lately the gound entee has had way too much water or juice in the can. I feel that somewhere down the processing line quality control of this canned food is being poorly monitored.

  • Jeanette

    I have large dogs my biggest is 263 pounds. I am always buying Authority brand dry dog food. Can you tell me where I can find coupons for the large bag of dry food. My 2 dogs do well on Authority. Thank you Jeanette

  • Garland

    Hello, I’m co-Host of “You Talk I Bark” nations #1 ranked dog talk show. Currently we are helping a young lady that suffers from RSD(Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy ) We have located and donated a service dog to assist her in daily routines. We have learned Authority dog food is what he has been raised on. We are asking for donations in the form of Dog food vouchers to help curve the cost to this young lady. We will be presenting item July 12, 2012

    We have attached a video link giving more information.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TH_dBrq6A0

    Thanks

  • suzanne

    Under the “allergies” section it says “Since Authority’s dog food formulas contain both corn and corn gluten meal, they may contribute to allergic reactions in some dogs” Does that mean that ALL FORMULAS contain some and/or all of these items, including the Lamb mini chunk formula?

    • maralevine

      Not all of the formulas contain corn. We recommend that if you have a dog with allergies, make sure to read the list of ingredients before feeding the food to your dog.

    • maralevine

      Not all of the formulas contain corn. We recommend that if your dog has allergies, make sure to read the list of ingredients before feeding the food to your dog.

    • ImaPistol

      Read the Ingredients…..

  • Mozelle Haws

    Thanks david for your honest suggestion, Its sounds good that at least I have full money back guarantee, I’m going to try it out.

  • Lester Young

    This is a good food. I am on a budget, so I buy Authority since it seems like it has pretty good ingredients at a cheap price. My dog likes the taste and seems to be doing well.

More Information

Who makes Authority?

The company who makes Authority dog food is called Authority, Inc. Authority brand dog food is sold exclusively at PetSmart, and was first founded as a company in 1995. They market their food as being “nutrient dense” and high in protein. Aside from manufacturing formulas for dogs, Authority also produces several formulas for cats.

Authority Dog Food Recall

As of right now, Authority does have a few products listed on the FDA’s pet food recall website. The affected formulas are mostly canned formulas, and were involved in the 2007 pet food recall for melamine. For more information, check the FDA’s pet food recall list to stay updated on which dog food formulas have not been involved in any recent pet food recalls.

h1 Authority Allergies

Since Authority’s dog food formulas contain both corn and corn gluten meal, they may contribute to allergic reactions in some dogs. Also, many formulas contain eggs, which can occasionally cause gastrointestinal upset in some dogs. If your dog has an allergy that is protein-specific, it’s important that you read the ingredients of a formula before feeding it to your dog.

h1 Authority Recipes

Authority Dry Recipes:

  • Authority Puppy with Real Chicken
  • Authority Puppy with Real Lamb
  • Authority Adult Chunk with Real Chicken
  • Authority Adult Mini Chunk with Real Chicken
  • Authority Adult Chunk with Real Lamb
  • Authority Adult Mini Chunk with Real Lamb
  • Authority Senior with Real Chicken
  • Authority Adult Weight Management with Real Chicken
  • Authority Adult Weight Management with Real Lamb
  • Authority Adult Large Breed Weight Management with Real Chicken

Authority Canned Recipes:

  • Authority Canned Puppy Chicken & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Puppy Lamb & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Adult Beef & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Adult Chicken & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Adult Lamb & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Adult Turkey & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Adult Beef & Rice Savory Cuts in Gravy
  • Authority Canned Adult Chicken & Rice Savory Cuts in Gravy
  • Authority Canned Senior Beef & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Senior Chicken & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Senior Lamb & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Adult Large Breed Chicken & Rice Savory Cuts in Gravy
  • Authority Canned Adult Weight Management Chicken & Rice Ground Entrée
  • Authority Canned Adult Weight Management Lamb & Rice Ground Entrée

h1 Authority Consumer Info

Where can I buy Authority?

You may be wondering, “Where can I buy Authority Dog Food?”. To assist you, we have included links on the specific Authority formula pages to purchase Authority dog food.

How much Authority should I feed my dog?

A common question that many pet owners have, is “How much Authority dog food should I feed my dog?”. Since the answer is dependent on several factors (such as your dog’s age, weight, activity level, etc) always follow the specific instructions on your formula’s packaging.

Have you fed your dog any of the Authority dog food dry or canned formulas? Do you have feedback that could help other pet owners? Please share your review of Authority dog food!

Ingredient List*

Authority Dog Food Ingredient List

*for Adult Lamb & Rice Formula Ground Entrée

Authority Coupons

Authority Coupons

More Authority Coupons…

24 Responses to Authority

  1. rie G May 13, 2015 at 1:59 pm #

    i just changed from
    Grain-Free Healthy Weight Chicken Recipe to
    Authority Adult Weight Management with Real Chicken because of the trouble right now with blue not paying so much for a food if its junk, we will see if she likes it

  2. Ls September 4, 2014 at 11:13 am #

    I had my dogs on authority Grain free mini chunk for small breeds, for a long time and they love it. Now petsmart is changing the package, which is fine but their also changeing some ingredients, too! They added an ingredient called: “Sodium Hexametaphosphate” which is a toxic chemical!
    You can still buy the original grain free online, but who knows for how long.
    If they discontinue the original package ingredients, I will no longer shop at petsmart, I will look else where for another brand of pet food that has similar ingredients as the older version.

  3. Collette March 10, 2014 at 10:27 am #

    Why don’t you sell or make larger bags? I have 3 pit bulls and they luv Authority. I think it’s way too costly to be buying 3bags a month. I’m used to buying 55lb bag of Pedigree. I’m interested in buying in bulk or larger bags.

    • maralevine March 12, 2014 at 5:14 pm #

      Please contact PetSmart with your suggestion since Authority is exclusively sold there.

  4. Linn February 22, 2014 at 4:14 pm #

    I have had my dog on Authority Chicken & Rice Dry Dog food for 3 years now. I am very pleased with the food. She loves it and is a very picky dog.
    I tried to switch her over to a higher priced food to see if it really makes a difference, she would not take to it at all. After reading several reviews on both options, I’ve decided to stick with Authority.

    You can’t beat the price, the ingredients are above average, easy to digest, no dyes. I own a Bichon and noticed since switching her from Pedigree to this food she no longer has tear stains. Definitely a plus!!!

    She’s happy, so I am happy. No complaints.

  5. melanee January 28, 2014 at 10:27 am #

    I purchased authority chewy dog treats the sweet potato and chicken wraps, my dog ate half of one then next day she wouldn’t take it from me, I then checked the bag and it is all moldy, 2 days later my dog started the runs and dripping blood, really not happy.

  6. Joanna August 15, 2013 at 5:08 pm #

    We have used Authority Dry Food for years and all our dogs have done exceptional on it. Our now 14.5 year old Black Lab has maintained a healthy weight and his coat always shines like crazy, and he’s eaten Authority for most of his life. I love that they have no by-products and, with 2 large dogs in our house, price is very important and Authority is very reasonably priced for the quality of the food.

  7. suemcdon June 18, 2013 at 8:21 am #

    We are the owners of 9 Dobermans. When we first started with the original 4, we used Blue Buffalo. It was very good, the dogs liked it but was hardly ever on sale. With the addition of each dog, the food bill increased so we decided to switch to Authority after researching other brands. We are pleased to say that our dogs love it! It is one of the healthiest, less expensive brands and we have not had any issues. Our male is a very finicky eater so we add a can of wet to his dry and he has no problem eating it. He was on the thin side when we first got him, but thanks to Authority, he is now a healthy 90-pound boy! We visit PetSmart every week for an average of 3 bags – 2 large breed adult and 1 large breed puppy plus a minimum of 3 cases of cans – yes, that’s per week! Our local store has been very good to us by keeping it in stock. Thank you PetSmart and Authority!

  8. Knc75 April 15, 2013 at 6:43 am #

    I have recently changed from a grocery store brand to Authority. I transitioned the food as directed and it has been 1 month since the transition has been complete and he is getting the amount for his weight range. He loves the food. My dog is consistently have to relieve his bowels, all the time!! I have never seen a dog have to make so much and so frequently. They are formed and solid. Going to a better graded food should decrease this amount, right?

  9. lori shaffer April 9, 2013 at 10:37 pm #

    I am sorry I cannot remember if I asked this company about how much sodium is in your dry senior dog food. My vet wants my dog to be on a low sodium dog food and I would like to know if yours is ??? Thank you so much and sorry if I did ask you already !!

    Lori Shaffer

    • maralevine April 10, 2013 at 5:10 pm #

      Hi Lori,
      You should probably contact PetSmart directly to find out if the food is low sodium: http://pets.petsmart.com/help/contact-us/.
      Please let us know what they tell you.

    • celeste April 13, 2013 at 9:21 pm #

      Lori, salt is the third from last ingredient for the senior dry authority, unfortunately they don’t list the exact % but I think it should be low enough for your needs. I know wellness dry senior is considered a low salt food with .14% and they have it higher on the ingredient list then authority.

  10. susan mccoo October 30, 2012 at 5:32 pm #

    would like to know if petco handles it what is the price difference from science diet & bluebufflo?

    • phase November 25, 2012 at 1:03 pm #

      PetSmart only, $30 for a 30 lb bag, $10-$40 difference

  11. LauraH October 24, 2012 at 2:22 pm #

    I purchased the mini Lamb and rice and both dogs have been throwing up this food. They had no problems with chicken so going back too it. Has anyone heard of a recall on the Lamb?

  12. John Esparza August 8, 2012 at 12:17 pm #

    I buy the Beef & Rice Gound Entree for my dogs,but Lately the gound entee has had way too much water or juice in the can. I feel that somewhere down the processing line quality control of this canned food is being poorly monitored.

  13. Jeanette July 16, 2012 at 8:21 pm #

    I have large dogs my biggest is 263 pounds. I am always buying Authority brand dry dog food. Can you tell me where I can find coupons for the large bag of dry food. My 2 dogs do well on Authority. Thank you Jeanette

  14. Garland June 6, 2012 at 7:29 pm #

    Hello, I’m co-Host of “You Talk I Bark” nations #1 ranked dog talk show. Currently we are helping a young lady that suffers from RSD(Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy ) We have located and donated a service dog to assist her in daily routines. We have learned Authority dog food is what he has been raised on. We are asking for donations in the form of Dog food vouchers to help curve the cost to this young lady. We will be presenting item July 12, 2012

    We have attached a video link giving more information.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TH_dBrq6A0

    Thanks

  15. suzanne March 28, 2012 at 9:01 pm #

    Under the “allergies” section it says “Since Authority’s dog food formulas contain both corn and corn gluten meal, they may contribute to allergic reactions in some dogs” Does that mean that ALL FORMULAS contain some and/or all of these items, including the Lamb mini chunk formula?

    • maralevine March 30, 2012 at 6:01 pm #

      Not all of the formulas contain corn. We recommend that if you have a dog with allergies, make sure to read the list of ingredients before feeding the food to your dog.

    • maralevine March 30, 2012 at 6:02 pm #

      Not all of the formulas contain corn. We recommend that if your dog has allergies, make sure to read the list of ingredients before feeding the food to your dog.

    • ImaPistol May 31, 2012 at 11:41 am #

      Read the Ingredients…..

  16. Mozelle Haws March 24, 2012 at 4:37 am #

    Thanks david for your honest suggestion, Its sounds good that at least I have full money back guarantee, I’m going to try it out.

  17. Lester Young November 16, 2011 at 2:25 pm #

    This is a good food. I am on a budget, so I buy Authority since it seems like it has pretty good ingredients at a cheap price. My dog likes the taste and seems to be doing well.