A UK woman named Katy Harris made headlines recently for spending £27,000 a year (that’s over $39,000 USD) on her three pampered Boston terriers. In addition to custom leashes, clothing, and furniture, she provides her pampered pups with “the finest organic food” served in porcelain bowls emblazoned with their names. We don’t know exactly what goes in those fancy bowls, but perhaps it’s one of the dog foods on this list.
These expensive dog foods have a few things in common:
- They come from smaller manufacturers
- Contain premium ingredients
- Fit into a raw and/or limited-ingredient diet
From gourmet venison stew to dehydrated beef, the following fancy-pants dog foods are some of the priciest on the market today.
via ZiwiPeak
ZiwiPeak Venison
This New Zealand-based pet food brand boasts a “wild-prey diet” that mirrors what wolves eat in the wild: high protein and fat, limited carbohydrates, and with minimal processing to preserve the integrity of the meat.
Peak quality ingredients mean peak prices. A small bag of the venison air-dried food will set you back $108.11. That’s about $1.25 per ounce to keep your dog in deer meat! Of course, importing the food from New Zealand also ads to the price. Consumers praise ZiwiPeak for appealing to dogs with sensitives tummies and picky palates, so it may be worth the cost simply to avoid spending money of bag after bag of other foods that your picky pup won’t touch.
via Orijen
Orijen Regional Red
Orijen’s patented Wholeprey formula incorporates “richly nourishing meats, organs, and cartilage in ratios that bring Orijen ever closer to mother nature.” The Regional Red food is made from a verifiable meat medley: Black Angus beef, wild boar, Alberta lamb, heritage pork and bison. All the ingredients are sourced from sustainable farms and fisheries in Canada, and delivered fresh to Orijen’s kitchens daily.
Of course, the focus on fresh, local ingredients adds up: a 16oz bag of Orijen Regional Red freeze-dried food retails for $39.59, or about $2.50/oz. But in this case, the price is a bit misleading, as the food is rehydrated at home and increases in volume after you add water. It’s still an expensive bag of dog food, but each serving packs a dog-satisfying, nutrient-filled punch.
via Addiction
Addiction Grain-Free Hunter’s Venison Stew
Another New Zealand-based manufacturer, Addiction prides themselves on offering a wide range of pet foods made with premium, local ingredients and alternative proteins like venison, salmon, kangaroo and brushtail (that’s a type of possum native to New Zealand. Yup, possum).
“Novel proteins” are often recommended for dogs with food allergies, and venison in particular is lean and low in cholesterol, making it a great choice for a sensitive dog on a diet. Addiction’s Venison Stew is praised by consumers for being easy to serve, enticing to dogs, and less smelly than other canned foods.
A case of 12 13oz-cans of venison stew retails for $123.09, which means this delectable doggy stew costs almost $.75/oz. And if you’re curious about feeding your dog possum meat, a two-pound box of Addiction’s Perfect Summer Brushtail raw dehydrated food will set you back $24.99, or $.93/oz.
via Wysong
Wysong Archetype Burgers
Another freeze-dried raw food, Wysong’s pet foods have the benefit of working for both cats and dogs, so your multi-species household can enjoy the same delectable meals. Wysong has been around for decades, and is known for its blend of high quality ingredients and convenience. The Archetype burgers are made from a blend of cold-processed beef and chicken (bones included), plus prebiotics and probiotics and pet-friendly fruits and vegetables for a nutritionally-complete meal.
A 20-oz canister of Archetype Burgers retails for $71.70, which comes out to about $2.13/oz if fed as a complete meal (although some reviewers say they use smaller portions as a supplement to kibble and other foods). As one reviewer wrote of the Archetype patties: “I loved the ease and convenience of these burgers…but I wish they were less expensive.”
Are Expensive Dog Foods Worth the Price?
It depends. You certainly don’t need to spend $39,000 a year on your pooch, but a high-quality diet can give your dog a longer, healthier life. In truth, “quality” doesn’t have to break the bank, but it’s important to make informed decisions for your pet. Pro-tip: all of the brands listed make less-pricey dry foods with the same focus on ingredient quality.
Check out our post The Truth About Dog Food to learn more about where dog food comes from, and consult with your veterinarian before changing your best friend’s diet.
Top image via flickr/Frosch50
