Nov. 13, 2024

California Natural Dog Food Reviews

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Top 5 Ingredients*
  1. Chicken meal

  2. Brown rice

  3. Rice

  4. Sunflower oil (preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid)

  5. Flaxseed

Artificial Ingredients No
Contains By-products No
Price Range $$$
*California Natural Chicken Meal & Rice Adult Dry Dog Food was selected as the recipe for this ingredient list
What's good about this pet food
  • excellent animal proteins
  • vegetables
  • brown rice
What's not so good about this pet food
  • rice (generic term)

Our Analysis

Natural Pet manufactures California Natural Dog Food for dogs with food sensitivities, so the ingredient list is kept simple and pure, even after the company was bought by Procter and Gamble. California Natural Dog Food gets our highest rating for the high quality ingredients that their food uses – only excellent whole food ingredients – no fillers.

The dry and canned food are manufactured in the U.S. and most of the food is from the U.S and is human grade. The two ingredients that do not come from the U.S. are the venison which is from New Zealand, and some of the vitamins components which are from Europe. California Natural is an excellent choice for a store bought food—it probably is as close as you can get to cooking your own dog food at home.

The Word on the Street...

Reviews of California Natural dog food by other dog owners are generally positive. The formulas seem to work very well for dogs with allergies, with many dog owners reporting an improvement in symptoms. However, the fact that Natura Pet Products was purchased by Procter & Gamble caused many dog owners to report that they stopped purchasing the food. Procter & Gamble has a bad reputation among many pet owners, which was echoed in many reviews. Up until that point, though, the customer reviews have been outstanding.

  • Georgie Porgie

    We used to feed our dog California Naturals for years, then after buying a new bag a few years back our dog’s bowel habits changed noticeably. We eventually found out that was right after Procter & Gamble had bought the company! They clearly made a change for the worse in the ingredients, but no matter: we refuse to buy anything produced or owned by this company, as they perform experiments on animals. No true animal lover should be patronizing this company or their products.

  • Stormy

    California Natural is owned by Proctor & Gamble, this company is scum. They do unthinkable things to innocent dogs in their facility in Dayton, Ohio. I quit buying this dog food and all other products from this no morals, or ethic company. Anyone who harms an animal sucks!!!

  • mike

    what about the class action lawsuit that was settled last year because of statements that the food was human grade….. and you still say they are????

  • reba

    I have two Labs.Lily is 11 and as picky as they come.Cowboy is 4 and has developed some problems with alergies and Degenertive Arthritis. Really sucks!! California Natural is the best dog food I have found that does’nt have anything bad for his liver [because his medication does]and he likes it, plus I only have to feed him 1 cup in the morning and 1 at night and he’s not hungry. Lily likes it also [I do mix a spoonfull of wet in for her] and it’s good for her teeth.So far so good.
    Thank you!

    Reba,Lily and Cowboy

  • catherine clarkson

    I had always given my dogs Blue Buffalo but as I couldn’t get to the store I bought some California Natural which I expected to be comparable.
    My dogs have now been on it for 2 weeks, and from day one they have had diahorrea and terrible wind. At first I thought it was a coincidence but now one of my dogs is refusing to eat it so I am stopping it. Neither of my dogs have ever had problems like this before, they can eat anything.
    Do you have an explanation?
    Thanks

    • Veronica

      It’s likely because you switched to a different food so fast. You should take 7-10 days to switch them to a new food to minimize digestive upset.

  • Christine Norman

    I started feeding my 2 westies California Natural about a month ago. I noticed after 2 weeks that their waist lines were more defined. I thought that was great. My older Westie, 11, who was always a vacuum cleaner when it came to eating, seemed less interested in this particular food. After a month, I noticed his teeth were noticably worn down. I thought the food might be the cause, so I tried to bite down on a kibble myself, and it was very hard. I still feed them the food because it seems to be very healthy for their digestive systems, but now I soak it in water because it is very hard on their teeth. I checked the 6 year old’s teeth too, and they were not nearly as bad, but I did notice a small difference.

  • Eve

    Vet Specialist recommended California Natural for three of the Westies we own. However, tests revealed each had a different type of allegyThe primary Westie was the male, and allegies were determined to be caused by the Environment. We changed to Herring and Sweet potato dry food. Results were these: They certainly ate far less than any brand we’ve previously tried; Itching reduced on two females. Male still suffers itching and has scabs over his back and under his legs. He likes the food but is now on a course of injections

    Overall results: The expense of upkeep and food for 3 of the 4 dogs, we have found one consolation — this dog food costs less than other brands (e.g., Blue, Gold etc) and it goes further because they eat less. That’s a big savings for us.

    P.S: We’ve tried every course of food and a variety of brands, including home made. Environmental allegies rarely responds by food changes, though it does reduce side effects of irritation caused by other brands or type food.

  • Bruce

    My dog was not feeling well and she was always scratching herself. The vet thought that it may be the food that she was eating, so I switched over to California Naturals. What a difference! The scratching stopped and her coat looked shiny. I had never even known that she could have such a nice coat.

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More Information

Who Makes California Natural?

The company who makes California Natural dog food is called Natura Pet Products. Natura Pet Products was first founded in 1992, and is currently headquartered in Fremont, NE. In 2010, Natura Pet Products was purchased by Procter & Gamble. Natura Pet Products is now a business unit of the Procter & Gamble Pet Care Division.

California Natural Dog Food Recall

In March 2013, Natura recalled specific formulas of California Natural dog food due to Salmonella found in one of the products. Please read about the recall on our blog. On April 19, 2013, Natura expanded the recall for all dry food and treats.

Since recall information may change regularly, it’s always best to search the FDA’s pet food recall list, in order to ensure that your dog’s food formula has not been involved in a recall. We will always do our best to keep you posted on the latest in recall news.

California Natural Recipes California Natural Dry Recipes:

  • California Natural Grain Free Chicken Meal Formula Adult
  • California Natural Grain Free Lamb Meal Formula Adult
  • California Natural Grain Free Venison Meal Formula Adult
  • California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Adult Large Bites
  • California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice Adult Small Bites
  • California Natural Chicken Meal & Rice Adult
  • California Natural Low Fat Rice & Lamb Meal Adult
  • California Natural Low Fat Rice & Chicken Meal Adult
  • California Natural Herring & Sweet Potato Adult
  • California Natural Lamb Meal & Rice
  • California NaturalChicken Meal & Rice

California Natural Canned Recipes:

  • California Natural Lamb & Brown Rice Adult Canned
  • California Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Adult Canned
  • California Natural Salmon & Sweet Potato Adult Canned

California Natural Consumer Info

Where can I buy California Natural?

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

How much California Natural should I feed my dog?

A common question that many pet owners have, is “How much California Natural 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 California Natural dog food dry or canned formulas? Do you have feedback that could help other pet owners? Please share your review of California Natural dog food!

Ingredient List*

California Natural Dog Food Ingredient List

*for California Natural Chicken Meal & Rice Adult Dry Dog Food

California Natural Coupons

California Natural Coupons

Posted on Oct.08.2014
Buy California Natural Dog Food from Wag - 15% off of pet food at Wag.com.
Posted on Jul.14.2015
  • On your 1st delivery - Use code 12OFF
Posted on Jun.18.2014
California Natural Dog Food deal from Wag - $10 off at Wag.com.

More California Natural Coupons…

11 Responses to California Natural

  1. Georgie Porgie February 3, 2015 at 6:08 pm #

    We used to feed our dog California Naturals for years, then after buying a new bag a few years back our dog’s bowel habits changed noticeably. We eventually found out that was right after Procter & Gamble had bought the company! They clearly made a change for the worse in the ingredients, but no matter: we refuse to buy anything produced or owned by this company, as they perform experiments on animals. No true animal lover should be patronizing this company or their products.

  2. Stormy February 25, 2013 at 10:44 pm #

    California Natural is owned by Proctor & Gamble, this company is scum. They do unthinkable things to innocent dogs in their facility in Dayton, Ohio. I quit buying this dog food and all other products from this no morals, or ethic company. Anyone who harms an animal sucks!!!

  3. mike January 29, 2013 at 12:29 pm #

    what about the class action lawsuit that was settled last year because of statements that the food was human grade….. and you still say they are????

  4. reba January 22, 2013 at 12:34 am #

    I have two Labs.Lily is 11 and as picky as they come.Cowboy is 4 and has developed some problems with alergies and Degenertive Arthritis. Really sucks!! California Natural is the best dog food I have found that does’nt have anything bad for his liver [because his medication does]and he likes it, plus I only have to feed him 1 cup in the morning and 1 at night and he’s not hungry. Lily likes it also [I do mix a spoonfull of wet in for her] and it’s good for her teeth.So far so good.
    Thank you!

    Reba,Lily and Cowboy

  5. catherine clarkson October 22, 2012 at 9:20 am #

    I had always given my dogs Blue Buffalo but as I couldn’t get to the store I bought some California Natural which I expected to be comparable.
    My dogs have now been on it for 2 weeks, and from day one they have had diahorrea and terrible wind. At first I thought it was a coincidence but now one of my dogs is refusing to eat it so I am stopping it. Neither of my dogs have ever had problems like this before, they can eat anything.
    Do you have an explanation?
    Thanks

    • Veronica January 8, 2013 at 10:00 pm #

      It’s likely because you switched to a different food so fast. You should take 7-10 days to switch them to a new food to minimize digestive upset.

  6. Christine Norman June 10, 2012 at 9:58 pm #

    I started feeding my 2 westies California Natural about a month ago. I noticed after 2 weeks that their waist lines were more defined. I thought that was great. My older Westie, 11, who was always a vacuum cleaner when it came to eating, seemed less interested in this particular food. After a month, I noticed his teeth were noticably worn down. I thought the food might be the cause, so I tried to bite down on a kibble myself, and it was very hard. I still feed them the food because it seems to be very healthy for their digestive systems, but now I soak it in water because it is very hard on their teeth. I checked the 6 year old’s teeth too, and they were not nearly as bad, but I did notice a small difference.

  7. Eve May 12, 2012 at 5:50 pm #

    Vet Specialist recommended California Natural for three of the Westies we own. However, tests revealed each had a different type of allegyThe primary Westie was the male, and allegies were determined to be caused by the Environment. We changed to Herring and Sweet potato dry food. Results were these: They certainly ate far less than any brand we’ve previously tried; Itching reduced on two females. Male still suffers itching and has scabs over his back and under his legs. He likes the food but is now on a course of injections

    Overall results: The expense of upkeep and food for 3 of the 4 dogs, we have found one consolation — this dog food costs less than other brands (e.g., Blue, Gold etc) and it goes further because they eat less. That’s a big savings for us.

    P.S: We’ve tried every course of food and a variety of brands, including home made. Environmental allegies rarely responds by food changes, though it does reduce side effects of irritation caused by other brands or type food.

  8. Bruce November 16, 2011 at 2:22 pm #

    My dog was not feeling well and she was always scratching herself. The vet thought that it may be the food that she was eating, so I switched over to California Naturals. What a difference! The scratching stopped and her coat looked shiny. I had never even known that she could have such a nice coat.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. What Dog Food Brand is the Best? - December 4, 2010

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  2. Healthwise Dog Food - November 15, 2010

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