Looking for a new food to feed your dog? So were we, and I think we found it. In a few weeks I will be updating our recommended list of affordable kibble. A raw meat diet can be very healthy. Not everyone has the time to devote to a raw meat diet. So for those who don’t feed raw meat, this might be a great option for you. For our kibble we have a few requirements. We like our kibble to not cost over $50. We also like it to be a 5 star food, which we research with Dog Food Advisor and other resources. Also, the first ingredient must be a meat, and not a meat-by-product. Before we’ve mentioned a couple foods that meet those requirements. Today I’m adding another to that list.
American Journey
American Journey Dog Food is a dog food made by Chewy.com I accidentally came across it by seeing one of their corny adds on their website. However, their food is anything but corny (get it it’s grain free). The first ingredient is a meat. They do have a grain free food and ones with grain. It’s around $40 for a 24 lb bag, and if you auto ship it’s $35.99. Which brings it into my price range. It’s rated a 5 star food. Additionally I was looking for a food that has a higher content of omega-3’s. Most foods don’t carry enough of it in their food if at all. The Omega-3’s come by way of salmon, salmon oil, menhaden fish meal, and flaxseed.
I thought I would experiment with this food. My dogs were getting bored of their other foods. I personally bought their Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe and Beef & Sweet Potato Recipe. Both are grain free. They do have a cheaper food that has grain in it, but I wouldn’t go that route. Many foods that are salmon based have a distinct fish smell. Their breath usually reeks of it. This Salmon Recipe however doesn’t smell like other traditional salmon foods. Their breath doesn’t smell like fish either. So that is also an extra plus. When I gave it to my dogs they were instantly in love with it.
I kid you not, 3 days after using the food I noticed their coats were shinier. It may or may not have been a coincidence. We just went on vacation and they were on a cheap food. When I got back we put them back on Taste of the Wild. So their coats may have been improving over time. However, I’d like to think it might be from this food.
In any event, this definitely will be part of our rotation. They also don’t have much of any gas. So I might use this as my primary food for that reason alone. I rotate foods every two weeks. I know many people who don’t recommend changing foods that often. However, if a dog is used to the change then they should have no problem. I believe in changing foods to make sure they are not missing any necessary nutrients.
The only problem with this food I see at this point is it’s only available from Chewy.com Since we are on a rotation luckily I have other foods as a backup. You can plan ahead though making sure you have food ahead of time. Also they only have free shipping on orders over $50. I have to buy 2 bags at a time so I don’t have to pay shipping. Once again that’s not an issue for me as we go through a lot of dog food. Additionally you don’t have to drive to the store to pick up dog food. They drop the food off right at your front door. Anyway, let us know if you try this food and if it works for you.
Thank You for your review. I would like to know, when you rotate foods, do you gradually transition by mixing the next brand in little by little or do you just make the switch?
I personally have my dogs on a food for a month and then switch. Sometimes sooner. I do it cold turkey, however I wouldn’t recommend that for other people to do it. Mine don’t have a problem with switching and I often have other things in their diet which helps with consistency. For other dogs I’d recommend switching over a couple days and see how it goes. Some dogs you will want to transition over a longer period of time. Other’s like mine, transition quicker. I’ve heard vets say to transition over two weeks. That’s a bit overkill in my experience.