5- Pedigree
The Pedigree brand of dog food is produced by Mars PetCare, a subsidiary of Mars, Inc. (one of the 10th largest private company in the United States).
Pedigree produces a large assortment of dry dog foods, wet foods and dog treats that advertisements call « really good foods ». Whether for puppies, adult dogs or older dogs, Pedigree offers special dog food recipes for different sizes and with different dietary and health needs.
If you look at the ingredients for most of these dog foods, you will easily find that their formulation does not vary much. Many Pedigree products contain whole grain corn as the first ingredient.
Besides this ingredient is a common food allergen for dogs, it has also a very limited nutritional value.
Most Pedigree dog foods are high in carbohydrates and contain numerous low-quality fillers and artificial additives. What makes this brand so popular is their cost-effective products and its availability in every pet store.
Recall Info: The Pedigree brand has been the subject of many recalls in its recent history. In August 2014, the recall involved the presence of metal fragments in dog food. Another recall in 2012 was about potential plastic pieces in their packages. Other recalls were made about possible Salmonella contamination.
Problem Ingredients: ground whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, soybean meal, poultry by-product meal, meat and bone meal, ground whole grain heat, artificial flavors, artificial colors, artificial preservatives