What is Nulo Dog Food?
Nulo is a pet food brand that focuses on using high-quality, natural ingredients to create nutritious recipes for dogs and cats. Their philosophy is to craft pet foods that are:
- Nutrient-dense: Packed with animal-based proteins, healthy fats, low-glycemic carbs, and superfoods
- Filler-free: No wheat, corn, soy, preservatives, artificial flavors or colors
- Tailored nutrition: Formulas for different life stages, activity levels, and dietary needs
Founded in 2009, Nulo prides itself on being a trū pet food – meaning their formulas provide true nutrition, uncompromising quality, and the ultimate in pet health. All of Nulo’s dog food recipes are made in US facilities and undergo rigorous testing to ensure safety and nutritional accuracy.
Nulo’s mission is to inspire pet parents to make better-informed decisions and give their dogs the nutrition they truly need to thrive. Their dog foods are crafted using scientifically-backed nutrition to address issues like food allergies, weight management, and overall wellness.
Nulo Dog Food Ingredients
At the core of Nulo’s pet foods are carefully selected, high-quality protein sources such as:
- Fresh meats like chicken, turkey, lamb, and beef
- Fish like salmon, cod, and whitefish
- Whole eggs
These animal-based proteins provide essential amino acids to build lean muscle mass and support your dog’s active lifestyle. Nulo never uses rendered protein meals, meat by-products, or plant-based protein concentrates that are common in many commercial pet foods.
Beyond protein, Nulo uses a variety of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables including:
- Apples
- Blueberries
- Sweet potatoes
- Lentils
- Pumpkin
- Carrots
These ingredients provide key vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber to support overall health and digestion. Nulo also fortifies its dog foods with probiotics, taurine, and other supplements to promote gut health, heart function, and nutrient absorption.
What you won’t find in any Nulo formulas are fillers, artificial preservatives, colors, or flavors. Nulo prides itself on using only wholesome, natural ingredients you can feel good about feeding your furry friend.
Nulo Dog Food Formulas
Nulo offers a variety of specialized formulas to meet the nutritional needs of dogs in all life stages and with different dietary requirements. Their dog food lineup includes:
Nulo Puppy & Adult Recipes
Nulo has separate lines for puppies, adults, and senior dogs to provide tailored nutrition as dogs age and their energy/nutrient needs change.
Some of their top puppy and adult formulas include:
Recipe | Protein | Key Benefits |
Nulo Puppy Food | Chicken, Turkey, & Eggs | DHA for brain & eye development, calcium & phosphorus for bone growth |
Nulo Adult Trim | Turkey & Lentils | High protein for lean muscle, L-carnitine for metabolism |
Nulo Senior Dog Food | Trout & Sweet Potato | Joint support, easy to digest, antioxidants for aging |
These formulas are designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition for growth, muscle development, sustained energy, and overall health in adult and maturing dogs.
Nulo Weight Management Formulas
Nulo offers several lower calorie, high protein formulas to support healthy weight loss or maintenance in dogs. Recipes like their Nulo Low Glycemic Weight Management food use high-quality proteins like turkey and cod combined with low-glycemic carbs to:
- Provide a feeling of fullness to curb appetite and reduce begging
- Promote fat metabolism with ingredients like L-carnitine
- Include fiber sources like lentils for digestive support
- Maintain lean muscle mass while losing unhealthy weight
These specialized weight management options help overweight or less active dogs shed pounds safely while still getting the protein and nutrients they need.
Nulo Limited Ingredient Diets
For dogs with food allergies or sensitivities, Nulo offers limited ingredient diet (LID) recipes with simplified formulas using novel protein sources:
- Nulo Freestyle Turkey Recipe: Turkey and lentils, no eggs
- Nulo Freestyle Salmon Recipe: Salmon and peas
- Nulo Freestyle Duck Recipe: Duck and lentils
By using single protein sources and avoiding common allergens like chicken, beef, dairy, and grains, these LID formulas can help pinpoint and avoid triggers for skin, digestive, and other food-related issues in sensitive dogs.
Benefits of Nulo Dog Food
The main benefits of feeding your dog Nulo pet food include:
High Digestibility & Less Waste: With high-quality protein sources, probiotics, and no fillers, Nulo foods are highly digestible. This means less goes to waste and more nutrients get absorbed.
Healthy Skin & Coat: The omega fatty acids from ingredients like salmon oil and the antioxidants from fruits and vegetables nourish skin and fur from the inside out.
Sustained Energy Levels: The combination of animal proteins and nutrient-dense carbs like sweet potatoes provide steady fuel to keep dogs active and energetic throughout the day.
Lean Muscle Development: With high protein levels and specific amino acid profiles, Nulo helps maintain and build lean muscle mass in active or working dogs.
Easy On Sensitive Stomachs: Ingredients like pumpkin and lentils add fiber to support digestion, while limited ingredient options allow for tailoring to dogs with allergies or sensitivities.
Nulo takes a holistic approach, using natural, high-quality ingredients to craft recipes that address dogs’ needs through every life stage. As this quote from their site states:
“Our mission is to inspire pet parents to make better-informed decisions, and give their dogs the nutrition they truly deserve to thrive.” – Nulo
Where to Buy Nulo Dog Food
Nulo pet foods are available for purchase both online and in specialty pet stores across the United States and Canada. Some of the top places to find Nulo dog food include:
- Chewy.com
- Amazon.com
- PetSmart
- Local independent pet supply stores
When transitioning to a new food like Nulo, it’s best to make a gradual change over 5-7 days to avoid digestive upset. Start by mixing in 25% of the new food and slowly increase the ratio while reducing the old food.
In terms of cost, Nulo does fall on the higher end as a super premium pet food. However, compared to other top natural and limited ingredient brands, it’s quite competitive:
- Nulo Puppy Food: ~$60 for 24 lbs
- Acana Puppy Food: ~$75 for 25 lbs
- Orijen Puppy Food: ~$95 for 25 lbs
So while not the cheapest option, Nulo offers great value for the quality of ingredients and tailored nutrition provided.
Nulo Dog Food Reviews
With over 1,000 reviews on sites like Chewy and Amazon, Nulo dog foods rate very highly from real customers and their pets:
- Average 4.6/5 stars across all recipes on Chewy
- Over 80% give 4 or 5 star reviews praising quality and results
Some of the top positives from Nulo dog food reviews include:
“My dog loves the taste and gobbles it down immediately” “Improved digestion, less gas and firm stools” “Beautiful shiny coat and healthy weight after switching” “Picky eater approved formula, eats it up readily”
The negatives tend to be about cost for the smaller 4-6 lb bags, with some owners also reporting their dogs not liking certain recipes or flavors. However, the overall sentiment is extremely positive.
Compared to other super-premium brands, Nulo rates just as highly if not better in both professional reviews and consumer feedback. It’s clear pet parents see great results in their dogs’ health, energy levels, skin/coat, and more when making the switch.
Is Nulo Dog Food Right for Your Pup?
Deciding on the best dog food can be overwhelming with so many options. But the high quality, specialized formulas, and strong reviews make Nulo a smart choice to consider.
Some key factors that may make Nulo the ideal food for your dog include:
✅ You want a natural, nutrient-dense diet with no fillers or by-products ✅ Your dog has food allergies or sensitivities and needs a limited ingredient diet ✅ You have a young, active, or working dog that needs high protein for energy and lean muscle ✅ Your dog is overweight and you want a lower calorie diet specifically formulated for weight loss ✅ You want to feed your senior dog food designed to meet their changing needs as they age
Of course, it’s always wise to consult your veterinarian, especially before transitioning dogs with underlying health issues to a new food. But for the majority of healthy dogs, Nulo provides exceptional nutrition that can help them look, feel, and perform their best.
When you weigh Nulo’s core ingredients, variety of recipes tailored for different needs, strong customer feedback, and their commitment to using high-quality, natural inputs – it’s hard not to rank them among the top super premium dog food brands currently available.
So if you want to upgrade your pup’s diet, give them the tailored nutrition they need, and see improvements in energy, coat, digestion, and overall health – Nulo dog food is definitely worth consideration as your pet’s next meal.