The PetO Dog Foods Review:
The Best & Worst Options
Written By Vedrana Nikolic | Canine Coach, B.A Ethnology & Anthropology, M.A Semiotics.
Edited & Fact Checked By Renae Soppe | B.A Journalism & Science.
Last Updated: 2nd January 2025
For many pet parents in Australia, PetO is one of the fastest and most convenient stops for buying dog food. With its vast range of options, there's something to suit every pooch's needs.
As experts in the field with extensive first-hand experience, the Gentle Dog Trainers team is here to help you navigate the best dog food choices available at PetO, and the ones to avoid.
Related: How To Choose The Right Dog Food?
Related: How Is Australia’s Dog Food Industry Regulated?
Related: What is AAFCO? The Association of American Feed Control Officials.
Related: What Is the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA)?
Related: AAFCO vs PFIAA: Dog Food Standards Comparison Australia.
Related: Understanding Guaranteed Analysis Levels in Dog Food.
Check out our Aussie Supermarket Dog Food Guides:
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Check out our Aussie Pet Store Dog Food Guides:
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The Best PetO Dog Food Options
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 30% |
Fat | 20% |
Fibre | 4.5% |
Joy - 4 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Ocean Fish, Salmon, Peas, Potatoes, Tomato Pomace, Ground Flaxseed, Fish Oil, Canola 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 Probiotic, Natural Prebiotic, Rosemary extract & Green Tea extract
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Grain-free
- Recipe Range: Chicken & Coconut Oil or Lamb & Kangaroo
- Suitable For: Adult dogs
- Cost: $$
- Australian Owned: Yes.
Joy pet food is exclusively sold at PetO, so while you’re there, this formula is worth checking out. With a protein content of 30% and fat content of 20%, this grain-free formula is a standout choice. The ingredient list is simple but packed with fish and a bunch of veggies that are great for dogs, like kale or spinach.
Related: The Joy Pet Food Review.
The Joy range features only three recipes, all intended for adult dogs. Still, all three recipes contain carefully selected ingredients that even picky eaters will enjoy. Just keep in mind that, given all recipes are high in protein, they’re most suitable for active dogs.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell | |
Cell |
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 9.5% |
Fat | 5% |
Fibre | 0.8% |
Zealandia - 4 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Lamb Liver, Lamb Lung, Lamb Green Tripe, Lamb Heart, Lamb Kidney, New Zealand Green Mussels, Lamb Plasma, Dried Yeast, Agar-Agar, Calcium Carbonate, Salmon Oil, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Glycine Complex, Niacin Supplement, Alpha-Tocopherol Acetate, Selenium Yeast, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Glycine Complex, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Acetate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Cholecalciferol.
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Wet food
- Recipe Range: Beef or Brushtail or Duck or Hoki Fish + more.
- Suitable For: Dogs of all ages depending on the recipe
- Cost: $$$$
- Australian Owned: No (but NZ owned)
What we love the most about Zealandia patés is that they offer balanced nutrition. Aside from the main protein the recipe is based on, each recipe also contains lamb organs, which are the real superfood for dogs, although they are often underrated!
Related: The Zealandia Dog Food Review.
Plus, every recipe contains green-lipped mussels, endemic to New Zealand. These mussels are a great nutritional supplement, packed with amino and fatty acids, especially good for joint health. Although not Australian owned, Zealandia prioritises high-quality ingredients, making it a reliable option.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell |
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 9% |
Fat | 5.5% |
Fibre | 2% |
Ziwi Peak - 4.5 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Sustainable Kangaroo, Sweet Potato, Peas, Lentils, Carrots, Broccolli & Broccoli Stem, Tomato, Spinach, Kelp, Blueberries, Rosemary, Parsley, Basil, Oregano, Turmeric, Chicken Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Fish Oil, Vitamin and Minerals (Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B11, B12, D, E, K, Taurine, Niacin, Folic Acid, Biotin, Choline, Pantonthenic Acid, Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, Selenium, Iodine and Cobalt).
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Wet food, kibble
- Recipe Range: Beef or Chicken or Lamb plus a variety of dry dog food recipes
- Suitable For: Dogs of all ages depending on the recipe
- Cost: $$$$
- Australian Owned: No (but NZ owned)
Although among the most expensive, Ziwi Peak is surely also one of the best quality dog foods available at PetO. The ingredient list is simple, but includes all the essentials. Each recipe contains a single protein source, which is great for pooches with allergies.
Ziwi Peak Food being tested by our independent expert team.
What’s most impressive is that about 90% of the recipe includes meat, organs and bone. But since it’s so packed with nutrients, you might feed your pooch less than you would with other dog food recipes.
Related: The Ziwi Peak Dog Food Review.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell |
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 46% |
Fat | 35% |
Fibre | 2.5% |
K9 - 4.5 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Hoki, Beef, Beef Tripe, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Heart, Beef Blood, Beef Spleen, Sunflower Oil, Flaxseed Flakes, Brown Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Pumpkin, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Dipotassium Phosphate, Dried Kelp, Apples, Pears, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Magnesium Oxide, Selenium Yeast, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Beta-Carotene, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement.
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Freeze-dried dog food
- Recipe Range: Beef Feast or Lamb Feast or Lamb & King Salmon, plus a variety of canned recipes
- Suitable For: All dogs depending on the recipe
- Cost: $$$$
- Australian Owned: No (but NZ owned)
Packed with an impressive 46% protein and 35% fat, this freeze-dried dog food is an excellent option for growing puppies and active adult dogs. However, if your dog is a couch potato, this recipe might work better as a topper instead.
Related: K9 Natural Dog Food Review.
And since it’s freeze-dried, the texture of this dog food is crunchy, similar to regular kibble. Of course, you can always add a bit of water to rehydrate and make it more palatable to your pooch.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell |
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 32% |
Fat | 18% |
Fibre | 4% |
Taste of the Wild - 3.5 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Bison, lamb meal, chicken meal, sweet potatoes, peas, potatoes, canola oil, egg product, beef, roasted venison, tomato pomace, potato protein, pea protein, ocean fish meal, minerals, dried chicory root, yucca schidigera extract, tomatoes, blueberries.
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Dry dog food
- Recipe Range: Appalachian Valley or Pacific Stream or Ancient Mountain + more
- Suitable For: Dogs of all ages depending on the recipe
- Cost: $$$
- Australian Owned: No
Inspired by a dog's ancestral diet, Taste of The Wild offers a bunch of recipes with novel proteins like bison or wild boar. Not only are these meats high in protein, but they’re also great for dogs dealing with allergies.
Taste Of The Wild Dog Food being tested by our independent expert team.
And while peas and potatoes might not be our favourite veggies when it comes to dog food, sweet potatoes and blueberries are a great addition. We also love the addition of yucca extract, as it makes your pooch’s “number two” less smelly.
Related: The Taste Of The Wild Dog Food Review.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell |
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 23% |
Fat | 13% |
Fibre | 3.9% |
Eukanaba - 2.5 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Chicken, corn, chicken by-product meal, wheat, ground grain sorghum, chicken fat, natural flavours, dried plain beet pulp, egg product, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, sodium hexametaphosphate, salt, fructooligosaccharides, fish oil, choline chloride, vitamins, DL-methionine, glucosamine hydrochloride, trace minerals, manganous oxide, chondroitin sulphate, rosemary extract, preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid.
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Dry dog food
- Recipe Range: Different formulas based on a dog’s size, activity and life stage.
- Suitable For: Dogs of all ages depending on the recipe
- Cost: $$
- Australian Owned: No
The main reason we don’t like this dog food is that all recipes have similar ingredient lists. It doesn’t matter whether the formula is designed for puppies, active adults or senior couch potatoes, the ingredients are pretty much the same.
Related: The Eukanuba Dog Food Review.
The protein of choice in more than 90% of the brand’s recipes is chicken. It’s followed by a bunch of fillers like corn or wheat, which are basically empty calories. So, aside from the added vitamins and minerals, this dog food is hardly a nutritious one.
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 29% |
Fat | 14% |
Fibre | 1.8% |
Pedigree - 2 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Wholegrain cereals, meat & meat by-products (poultry), cereal protein, natural flavours (chicken), tuna, beet pulp, vegetable powder, minerals (iron, zinc, copper, potassium, iodine, calcium, phosphorus, manganese and selenium), iodised salt, vitamins
- Named Protein First: No
- Dog Food Type: Dry dog food
- Recipe Range: Beef or Lamb or Turkey + more
- Suitable For: Dogs of all ages depending on the recipe
- Cost: $$
- Australian Owned: No
Being stranded on a remote island still might not be a good enough excuse to feed your dog this food. This is, hands down, one of the worst ingredient lists we’ve seen. Not only are cereals the number one ingredient, but we don’t even know which type of cereal is used.
Related: The Pedigree Dog Food Review.
Plus, we can’t get over the fact that the only other plant ingredient is “vegetable powder,” which is as vague as an ingredient can get. So even though the packaging features images of peas and carrots, we have no idea whether any of these plants are actually included.
My Final Thoughts
PetO offers a wide range of dog food options, but not all are of the same quality. We've carefully analysed the ingredient lists, nutritional analysis, and suitability for various dog ages and dietary needs. The conclusion: there are some great options but there are also dangerous ones you should definitely avoid.
Brands like Ziwi Peak and Zealandia offer exceptional products, albeit with a higher price tag. However, there are also mid-range brands that provide decent options for your furry companion, like Joy.
