The Ivory Coat Dog Food Review: Tested & Evaluated 2023

Written By Eloisa Thomas | Canine Coach, Double M.A in Anthropology.
Edited & Fact Checked By Renae Soppe | B.A Journalism & Science.
Last Updated: 24th October 2023

Fact Checked & Medically Reviewed by Dr Kathryn Rosalie Dench | M.A VetMB MRCVS.
Review Guidelines & Methodology: Our product reviews are 100% unbiased.

Loved by owners and dogs looking for a natural diet, it's time for our Ivory Coat dog food review. To help you better understand the pros and cons of this brand, we teamed up with veterinarians, canine nutritionists, and pet parents to form an independent panel of experts.

We did in-depth research so you don’t have to: get to know this popular brand that became all the rage among dogs with skin issues. After months of testing and dozens of varieties later, we finally agreed on Ivory Coat's best offerings. Here’s what you should know about Ivory Coat, and everything you need to choose the best dog food for your pup.

Got a young dog? We also added a whole Ivory Coat puppy food review section so you know that you’re feeding your little one delicious, whole ingredients.

While they offer regular dog food, Ivory Coat is most popular thanks to their grain-free options.
Its high-palatability makes it ideal for fussy eaters.
While their ingredient list is clean, several owners have complained of recipe changes after its parent company was bought by a Chinese agribusiness. This should not be ignored and we recommend choosing another dog food option.

Table Of Contents

Australia's Ivory Coat Dog Food Review

Taste 3/5 Stars

Ingredients 3.5/5 Stars

Protein Content (3.5/5 stars)

Additives (4/5 Stars)

Variety (5/5 Stars)

Price (3/5 Stars)

Ivory Coat Puppy Food Review

Flavour Variety

Small & Large Breed Puppy Food

Do Not Buy Ivory Coat If…

The Verdict

Quick Pick - Our Best Rated Dog Food

Our Number 1 Pick -
Petzyo Dog Food

Ethically sourced Kangaroo, Chicken or Salmon, sweet potato & superfood extras
Iron-rich & low fat proteins
Three Omega-3 and -6 rich oils with a well balanced 11% fat content
Made in Australia

Check Current Price

Australia's Ivory Coat Dog Food Review

Ivory Coat - 3 Star Rating

Ingredients: Chicken Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), ground flaxseed, Tomato Pomace, Coconut Oil, Pea fibre, salmon oil, sweet potatoes, Carrots, kale, broccoli, spinach, parsley, apples, blueberries, vitamins A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B12, D3, E, Beta-Carotene, Niacin, d-Calcium pantothenate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Natural Prebiotic, Rosemary Extract & Green Tea Extract. This is a naturally preserved product.
Named Protein First: No (but chicken meal is OK).
Dog Food Type: Grain Inclusive.
Recipe Range: Chicken with Coconut Oil or Lamb & Sardine or Lamb & Kangaroo or Turkey & Brown Rice or Ocean Fish + More.
Suitable For: Ivory Coat's recipe range can be suitable for puppy, adult and senior dogs depending on the recipe.
Cost: $$
Australian Owned: Part owned by an Australian company.


Taste
Ingredients
Protein content
Additives
Variety
Price

Taste 3/5 Stars

Most dogs whose parents made up our independent panel of experts loved the flavour of Ivory Coat! Since the first ingredient in all flavours is an animal protein (like lamb meal, chicken meal or salmon meal) your pup will likely enjoy it very much. On top of the meaty taste, they’ll get flavour variety through the addition of extras like apples, peas, kale and even blueberries.

We’re taking off some points since several owners have complained that the food smells too strong or even foul, particularly after Ivory Coat was sold to a new investment group in late 2017. This isn’t linked to a specific flavour and the company stated their recipe hasn’t changed. In general, we do think Ivory Coat is a great option if you’re dealing with a fussy eater.

Ingredients 3.5/5 Stars

Ivory Coat ingredients depend on which line you’re looking at. Although they have both grain-free and regular lines, most owners prefer the grain-free options. Nevertheless, keep in mind the regular flavours are slightly less expensive.

In general, Ivory Coat foods have a very limited ingredients list, which our panel of experts note is great to avoid unwanted food allergies. The brand also sticks to naturally-sourced additives as a way to complete the nutrient profile, so you can be sure your dog won’t eat any dangerous preservatives like sulphites.

However, keep in mind in most flavours the second main ingredient is plant-based (usually peas, tapioca, or potatoes). This can be a bit misleading since the flavours usually only advertise animal-based protein sources.

Protein Content (3.5/5 stars)

One of the things pups (and owners) like the most about Ivory Coat is that the first ingredient is Australian chicken meal and overall, you’re getting 32% crude protein per serving.

PRO TIP: Ivory Coat boasts a whopping 32% crude protein per serving, which is more than the amounts recommended by the AAFCO.

According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), adult dogs need at least 18% of protein in their food [1]. Considering Ivory Coat has more than 30%, you can be sure your furry friend will have plenty enough to stay happy & healthy. However, keep in mind that in all flavour options, the second ingredient is usually a veggie protein, which probably contributes to the protein boost per serving.

Additives (4/5 Stars)

This brand sticks to naturally-sourced additives and doesn’t add any artificial preservatives. Since sulphites, a common preservative in pet-grade food, has some nasty side effects on dogs [2] Ivory Coat uses prebiotics, rosemary & tocopherols (AKA a form of Vitamin E) to preserve your pup’s food.

“There are safety issues relating to sulphur dioxide and sodium and potassium sulphite preservatives – these can cause thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency, which can be fatal.” – RSPCA Australia

Following the all-natural principle, Ivory Coat doesn’t have artificial colours or flavours to keep your dog’s diet as healthy as possible. We also love how they add extra-healthy ingredients like flaxseed, coconut oil and salmon oil that improve your dog’s skin and give them a shiny coat.

Variety (5/5 Stars)

Some grain-free dog foods can be very limited. Luckily, Ivory Coat isn’t one of them! Depending on your pup’s needs and personal taste, you’ll probably be able to find a flavour they will love. They have anything from Salmon & Ocean fish, to Chicken & Coconut Oil, as well as Lamb & Kangaroo, Sardines, Chicken and even Turkey.

While Ivory Coat's grain-free options are the most popular, if your pup is like mine and doesn’t follow a grain-free diet, they also have several brown rice flavours available. I like how most of those are mixed with different proteins like salmon, sardines, chicken, turkey or lamb.

On top of these, they also offer several options adapted to your dog’s stage of life and activity level. Of course, there’s puppy and adult food, but you’ll also find low-fat options, senior foods as well as chilled, dry & wet options for most of their flavours.

Keep in mind Ivory Coat doesn’t have food lines dedicated specifically for small or large breeds.

Price (3/5 Stars)

This one is definitely on the pricier side, for a dog food that is. However, depending on your dog’s size and age, this might be a blow that your wallet could take.

For example, a Chihuahua eats considerably less than a Great Dane or a Cattle Dog. In our experience, good dog food is worth it since you’ll be saving yourself a lot on vet bills, but it will all depend on your particular situation and your dog.

Ivory Coat Puppy Food Review

Many Ivory Coat dog food reviews focus exclusively on adult food. But really, puppies need some attention as well! As the RSPCA puts it:

“The basis of your dog’s diet should be a high quality balanced premium commercial dog food that is appropriate for their life stage” – RSPCA Australia

As a result of this, our panel of independent experts took the time to test and review the puppy food options that Ivory Coat offers.

Related: Best Puppy Food Australia.

Flavour Variety

This brand has several options to feed your young dog whether you choose a regular or a grain-free diet. However, in contrast with their adult dog food line, Ivory Coat puppy food is significantly more limited flavour-wise.

In contrast, you do have the option between regular, grain-free or chilled dog food. However, there are no wet food options available to feed your puppy.

PRO TIP: The Ivory Coat Puppy food line has fewer flavours available than their adult line, and don’t have any wet or canned foods.

On the other hand, the brand doesn’t offer specific options tailored to your puppy’s adult size. While among small and medium-sized dogs this doesn’t pose much of a problem, among large and giant breeds it could.

Small & Large Breed Puppy Food

Large and giant-breed puppies need careful nutritional supervision to avoid them growing too fast. Our team of independent experts share that if you allow them to eat food that’s too rich or in large quantities, they risk suffering from brittle bones or decalcification.

Ivory Coat provides adequate nutrition but you should adjust the portions of your large or giant puppy to prevent overfeeding. In contrast, puppy food tailored to their adult size could be easier to portion out without a vet’s advice.

Do Not Buy Ivory Coat If…

Our Ivory coat review wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t cover who this food isn’t for. According to our expert panel, you shouldn’t buy this brand if:

You don’t want smelly farts: The huge amount of protein that can be so beneficial has other side effects … namely that many pups will have smelly farts when eating this food. For most owners, this isn’t an issue, especially when gas doesn’t correlate to runny stools or other GI problems. However, if you don’t have a yard or sleep in the same bed as your dog, this might become a problem. We think gas and farting is normal and healthy within reason, but of course, every dog is different and you should pay attention to the individual needs of yours.
Your dog has a sensitive stomach: While the ingredients list in Ivory Coat is limited, several owners reported a change in digestibility after The Real Pet Food Company bought the company in late 2017. No dogs have been seriously ill from eating the latest iterations of Ivory Coat, but some owners have stated their dogs throw up the new food or flat out refuse it. If your pup has had a delicate stomach in the past, try this out very slowly to get them used to the new food.
You’d rather purchase from 100% Australian-owned companies: While Ivory Coat started out as a local Australian company, as demand grew the original owners sold it to the Real Pet Food Co. Even though this is another Aussie business (originally based in Queensland) as of August 2020 its majority owner is China’s largest agribusiness company and an investment group of Singapore’s government [4]. Since the deal, owners have reported slight changes in the Ivory Coat food, although many Australian dogs still enjoy it on a daily basis.
You want dog food tailored to your dog’s size: Experts know it’s important to follow the specific nutritional needs of your dog, especially during puppyhood. This is particularly important for large and giant breeds, that have special nutritional requirements to avoid them growing too fast. While you can achieve proper nutrition with Ivory Coat food, your puppy’s portions should be carefully measured to avoid over-feeding.

The Verdict

Give it a try! Many dogs and their owners on our team of independent experts enjoyed having Ivory Coat as their main feed through our trail phase. While there have been some complaints about a change in the recipe or GI troubles among certain users, in general this is one of the favourite brands for people looking for a grain-free option to offer their dog.

This is especially true for dogs with skin issues since going grain-free is one of the main veterinarian recommendations to help with itchy skin. We recommend adding Ivory Coat to your regular rotation as it has a fairly good composition for processed, dry dog food.

Want to read more dog food brand reviews? Check out the below:

References

“Calorie content”. Association of American Feed Control Officials. Retrieved May 23, 2023. https://www.aafco.org/resources/startups/calorie-content/
"Are preservatives in pet food products a concern?”. RSPCA Australia. Retrieved May 23, 2023. https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/are-preservatives-in-pet-food-products-a-concern/
"What should I feed my dog?”. RSPCA Australia. Retrieved May 23, 2023. https://kb.rspca.org.au/knowledge-base/what-should-i-feed-my-dog/
Ryan, P. 24 October, 2017. “Real Pet Food Company: Chinese investors gobble up Queensland business targeting four-legged gourmets”. ABC News Australia. Retrieved May 23, 2023. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-24/chinese-investors-sink-teeth-into-pet-food-company/9081298

Eloisa Thomas

Eloisa Thomas is Gentle Dog Trainers Canine Coach & Anthropologist.

With a double master's degree in Anthropology and awarded a Chancellor's International Scholarship to pursue a PhD in History at the University of Warwick (UK), she's well equipped to write well written and factual canine information that will actually help people understand their dogs better.