Dec. 4, 2024

Instinct Dog Food Reviews

XX
Top 5 Ingredients*
  1. Chicken meal

  2. Tapioca

  3. Chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid)

  4. Pumpkinseeds

  5. Menhaden

Artificial Ingredients No
Contains By-products No
Price Range $$$
*Instinct Raw Boost Kibble Chicken Meal Formula was selected as the recipe for this ingredient list
What's good about this pet food
  • excellent proteins
  • no allergens
  • fruits and vegetables
What's not so good about this pet food
  • none

Our Analysis

We give Instinct dog food a whopping five stars for its protein-rich, vitamin-packed dog food formulas that contain no allergens, chemicals, artificial colors or preservatives. When you look at the ingredient list on any of the dry or wet Instinct dog food formulas, it is clear that protein makes up the bulk of the blends. Natural beef, chicken, lamb and organ meat provides dogs with the proteins they need for health and vitality, as well B-vitamins and minerals. The formulas also contain flaxseed and salmon oil for omega-3 fatty acids, fruits and vegetables for vitamins, fiber and minerals, and inulin, a prebiotic that aids in maintaining a healthy digestive tract. We also like that the formulas do not contain allergens such as wheat, corn or soy, and that there are no unnecessary fillers. We highly recommend Instinct brand dog food to pet owners with dogs of all breeds and ages.

The Word on the Street...

The response to Instinct dog food has been overwhelmingly positive. The majority of dog owners find that the food looks and smells good, and that their dogs eat up both the dry and wet formulas without complaints. Many people like the fact that the food is made of 95% real meat, and that it contains no allergens like corn, wheat or soy. For this reason, many dog owners who have dogs with allergies and sensitive stomachs have reported that their pets have fewer health problems after switching to this brand. A number of pet owners also claim that their underweight dogs have put on weight on an Instinct diet, and that these same dogs develop glossy coats, bright eyes and boundless energy. If customer reviews are anything to go by, Instinct dog food is a clear contender for one of the most high-quality and nutritious dog foods on the market.

  • sarah

    This dog food is way over priced I won’t pay 80 for dog food and they don’t even have big big bags like Costco so till they make a 60 pound bag then ill stick with Costco !

  • ßềȓṁṹḏǟ Ťᴙḯᴀᴎɢʟᴇ™

    Instinct WAS a great
    food until they started screwing around with the ingredients and added
    chicken … an ingredient that some dogs are allergic to. My dogs
    started having ear inflammation and gunk in the ear , hot spots on
    their bodies and paws [ they lick their paws until they bleed ] and
    their hair started falling off [ not shedding … I know the difference
    ].

    Emails to the company regarding that issue were never answered

  • Ron

    I’ve been feeding Instinct Raw Boost with chicken for a while now. My dogs all do well on it, and I noticed that the two with allergies, scratch a lot less than they used to.

    Interesting that I tried the Beef and Lamb formula, and for whatever reason they just didn’t like the flavor.

    Among the higher quality wheat, corn, and soy free foods, Instinct is also one of the more affordable choices.

  • Kirt

    Do yall get any of your meat products from China? Such as chicken, beef, duck, or turkey.? Does it all come from the USA? Also is any of it organic? Thank you

  • Biskers22

    I have been using Nature’s Variety for years and I love it! It has made a huge difference in the overall health of my jack russell and he loves the food. I really like the ingredients, the support from the company, and the variety of foods they offer (kibble, raw, dehydrated raw, can) to be used for rotation feedings which is wonderful!! Their products are made to be used with each other so you can switch things up for variety without your pet having to adjust to a new food. I have tried other brands (buffalo, Innova, Orjen, etc.) but Nature’s is my staple brand.

  • http://DogFoodReviews gerry virostek

    My five year old Cocker Spaniel was a rescue dog four years ago..She had many, many food allergies and I was constantly taking her to the vet..She would throw up several times a day! Finally, I decided to try Instinct..After all my research I decided it was something in the food I was giving her…Now, four year later, I only have to have her yearly checkups and no more Vet bills! I would rather spend more money and have her “well” than use a cheaper food and have her miserable and the high cost of vet bills!

  • Greg L

    The rabbit and beef Instint kibbles have worke dout very well for my German Shpherd dog. I like that it has a raw coating so that my dog can get some enzymes from raw food that you can’t get in kibbles except this one.

    It’s low cost for a quality kibble. I used to use Orijen, and my dog does better on Instinct. Nice that they use pea starch or tapicoc instead of potato — is better for my dog.

    I add freeze dried raw to his kibble meals.

    I’ve been using it since early August and used it once in awhile for a year prior.

  • MsCynic

    I ‘tried’ the Instinct Rabbit formula with my Belgian due to his severe allergies to chicken, beef, turkey, & venison. I do feed raw rabbit regularly, but transporting to dog shows makes this a little difficult. This food has ‘agreed’ with him, and I can safely mix with his ‘tried and true’ Solid Gold without any problems. Finding this food can be difficult and the price is pretty ridiculous, but, with him, I have little choice.

    • Kye

      petsuper market has rabbit or petco in your area

More Information

Who Makes Instinct?

The company who makes Instinct dog food is owned by Nature’s Variety. Nature’s Variety is an independently owned, small pet food company that is based in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Instinct Dog Food Recall

Nature’s Variety has had a couple of voluntary recalls: Feb. 2013, Nature’s Variety had a recall of one batch of Instinct Raw Organic Chicken Formula due to pieces of plastic that were found in the food. More details here: http://networkedblogs.com/Ikeeu

July 2012, Nature’s Variety recalled two formulas of kibble, because the food was not remaining fresh for it’s shelf life. Read more about it here: http://networkedblogs.com/zQECa.

We will keep you informed if Nature’s Variety is involved in any more recalls.

Instinct Recipes

Instinct Dry Recipes:

  • Instinct Raw Boost Kibble for Dogs Chicken
  • Instinct Raw Boost Kibble for Dogs Beef & Lamb
  • Instinct Raw Boost Kibble for Dogs Lamb & Salmon
  • Instinct Raw Boost Kibble for Dogs Duck & Turkey
  • Instinct Raw Boost Kibble for Dogs Venison & Lamb
  • Instinct Kibble for Dogs Chicken
  • Instinct Kibble for Dogs Beef & Lamb
  • Instinct Kibble for Dogs Duck & Turkey
  • Instinct Kibble for Dogs Rabbit
  • Instinct Kibble for Dogs Salmon
  • Instinct Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Diets for Dogs Turkey
  • Instinct Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Diets for Dogs Lamb
  • Instinct Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Diets for Dogs Duck

Instinct Can Recipes:

  • Instinct Cans for Dogs Chicken
  • Instinct Cans for Dogs Beef
  • Instinct Cans for Dogs Lamb
  • Instinct Cans for Dogs Duck
  • Instinct Cans for Dogs Venison
  • Instinct Cans for Dogs Rabbit
  • Instinct Cans for Dogs Salmon
  • Instinct Cans for Dogs Pork
  • Limited Ingredient Canned Foods for Dogs Turkey
  • Limited Ingredient Canned Foods for Dogs Lamb
  • Limited Ingredient Canned Foods for Dogs Duck

Instinct Raw Recipes:

  • Instinct Raw Medallions Chicken
  • Instinct Raw Medallions Lamb
  • Instinct Raw Medallions Beef
  • Instinct Raw Medallions Duck
  • Instinct Raw Medallions Venison
  • Instinct Raw Medallions Rabbit
  • Instinct Raw Medallions Bison
  • Instinct Raw Medallions Organic Chicken
  • Instinct Raw Patties Chicken
  • Instinct Raw Patties Lamb
  • Instinct Raw Patties Beef
  • Instinct Raw Patties Duck
  • Instinct Raw Patties Venison
  • Instinct Raw Patties Rabbit
  • Instinct Raw Patties Bison
  • Instinct Raw Patties Organic Chicken

Instinct Consumer Info

Where can I buy Instinct?

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

How much Instinct should I feed my dog?

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

Ingredient List*

Instinct Dog Food Ingredient List

*for Instinct Raw Boost Kibble Chicken Meal Formula

Instinct Coupons

Instinct Coupons

More Instinct Coupons…

9 Responses to Instinct

  1. sarah April 20, 2015 at 10:21 am #

    This dog food is way over priced I won’t pay 80 for dog food and they don’t even have big big bags like Costco so till they make a 60 pound bag then ill stick with Costco !

  2. ßềȓṁṹḏǟ Ťᴙḯᴀᴎɢʟᴇ™ August 26, 2014 at 12:12 pm #

    Instinct WAS a great
    food until they started screwing around with the ingredients and added
    chicken … an ingredient that some dogs are allergic to. My dogs
    started having ear inflammation and gunk in the ear , hot spots on
    their bodies and paws [ they lick their paws until they bleed ] and
    their hair started falling off [ not shedding … I know the difference
    ].

    Emails to the company regarding that issue were never answered

  3. Ron January 22, 2014 at 10:14 pm #

    I’ve been feeding Instinct Raw Boost with chicken for a while now. My dogs all do well on it, and I noticed that the two with allergies, scratch a lot less than they used to.

    Interesting that I tried the Beef and Lamb formula, and for whatever reason they just didn’t like the flavor.

    Among the higher quality wheat, corn, and soy free foods, Instinct is also one of the more affordable choices.

  4. Kirt November 14, 2013 at 11:21 pm #

    Do yall get any of your meat products from China? Such as chicken, beef, duck, or turkey.? Does it all come from the USA? Also is any of it organic? Thank you

  5. Biskers22 March 18, 2013 at 4:16 pm #

    I have been using Nature’s Variety for years and I love it! It has made a huge difference in the overall health of my jack russell and he loves the food. I really like the ingredients, the support from the company, and the variety of foods they offer (kibble, raw, dehydrated raw, can) to be used for rotation feedings which is wonderful!! Their products are made to be used with each other so you can switch things up for variety without your pet having to adjust to a new food. I have tried other brands (buffalo, Innova, Orjen, etc.) but Nature’s is my staple brand.

  6. gerry virostek September 15, 2011 at 10:43 pm #

    My five year old Cocker Spaniel was a rescue dog four years ago..She had many, many food allergies and I was constantly taking her to the vet..She would throw up several times a day! Finally, I decided to try Instinct..After all my research I decided it was something in the food I was giving her…Now, four year later, I only have to have her yearly checkups and no more Vet bills! I would rather spend more money and have her “well” than use a cheaper food and have her miserable and the high cost of vet bills!

  7. Greg L March 5, 2011 at 4:08 am #

    The rabbit and beef Instint kibbles have worke dout very well for my German Shpherd dog. I like that it has a raw coating so that my dog can get some enzymes from raw food that you can’t get in kibbles except this one.

    It’s low cost for a quality kibble. I used to use Orijen, and my dog does better on Instinct. Nice that they use pea starch or tapicoc instead of potato — is better for my dog.

    I add freeze dried raw to his kibble meals.

    I’ve been using it since early August and used it once in awhile for a year prior.

  8. MsCynic February 16, 2011 at 3:35 pm #

    I ‘tried’ the Instinct Rabbit formula with my Belgian due to his severe allergies to chicken, beef, turkey, & venison. I do feed raw rabbit regularly, but transporting to dog shows makes this a little difficult. This food has ‘agreed’ with him, and I can safely mix with his ‘tried and true’ Solid Gold without any problems. Finding this food can be difficult and the price is pretty ridiculous, but, with him, I have little choice.

    • Kye January 15, 2012 at 5:29 pm #

      petsuper market has rabbit or petco in your area