Woolworths 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: 16th January 2024
Getting dog food at the local Woolworths along with your groceries is definitely convenient. But are there any good options?
Today, we look at the best dog food choices at Woolies, as well as the options you should avoid.
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The Best Woolworths Dog Foods
#1: Open Paddock Chicken Kibble & Air Dried Meat
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 27.5% |
Fat | 15.4% |
Open Paddock - 3 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Fresh Chicken Meat, Chicken Meal, Field Peas, Rice, Chicken Oil, Chicken Gravy, Beet Pulp, Tapioca, Sea Salt, Salmon Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil, Potato, Brown Rice, Molasses, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin E, Chick Peas, Calcium Carbonate (Limestone), Niacin (B3),Potassium Chloride, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Mixed Tocopherols, Natural Smoke, Pantothenic Acid (B5),Manganese, Fermented Rice, Riboflavin (B2), Selenium, Garlic Powder, Kelp, Thiamine (B1), Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin K, Pyridoxine, (B6), Iodine, Biotin (B7), Folic Acid, Alfalfa, Apple, Blueberry, Carrot, Cranberry, Egg, Flaxseed, Parsley, Potato, Pumpkin, Spinach, Sweet Potato, Thyme, Yoghurt.
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Kibble with air-dried meat, frozen raw food, bone broth and treats.
- Recipe Range: Kibble has 3 recipes (kangaroo, chicken, and beef); frozen food has cubes, patties and mince (depending on the recipe, the main ingredient is lamb, kangaroo, chicken, or turkey)
- Suitable For: All life stages and puppy-specific recipes
- Cost: $$$
- Australian Owned: Yes.
Open Paddock is a well-known Woolies staple. What sets the Open Paddock dry dog food apart from other kibbles is the addition of freeze-dried meat. This will make your dog feel fancy and it’s perfect for picky eaters!
Overall, all the formulas from Open Paddock are quite good for a supermarket brand. While it does have some downsides (why is salt so high on the list?), it's a tried & true option that many dogs love.
Related: Meat Meal vs Real Meat in Dog Food.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell |
#2: Animals Like Us Raw Blend33 King Salmon & Ocean Fish
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 31% |
Fat | 15% |
Fibre | 3% |
Animals Like Us - 3.5 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Salmon, Ocean Fish, Chicken Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Tapioca Starch, Beef Tallow (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Beef Lung, Beef Meal, Lamb Meal, Beef Liver, Dried Carrots, Brewers Dried Yeast, Flaxseed, Natural Flavour, Salt, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Blueberries, New Zealand Green Mussels, Taurine, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Propionate, Ferrous Sulfate, Dried Chicory Root, Shellfish (Source of glucosamine), Vitamin E Supplement, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract, Spearmint Extract (+ added vitamins and minerals)
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Freeze dried + kibble
- Recipe Range: Salmon, Beef, Lamb + treats
- Suitable For: Adult dogs
- Cost: $$$$
- Australian Owned: No (but NZ-owned)
Animals Like Us is a new Woolworths-exclusive brand that brings a refreshment to the supermarket’s dog food range. The name “Raw Blend33” refers to the 33% of freeze-dried (so not actually raw) salmon & ocean fish which are mixed in with the kibble.
Overall, we like the formula, although it’s certainly not perfect. For example, it includes beef lung and beef liver which is great, but they come after peas, potatoes, and tapioca starch in the list. Nevertheless, this looks like a decent new option - let’s see how it stands the test of time.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell |
#3: Applaws Grain Free Dry Dog Food Chicken & Turkey
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 33% |
Fat | 15% |
Fibre | 6% |
Applaws - 2.5 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Chicken Meal (A natural source of Glucosamine & Chondroitin), Turkey Meal, Pea Starch, Potato, Tapioca Starch, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols and citric acid), Flaxseed (source of natural pre-biotic, Omega 3&6), Fish Oil, Natural Chicken flavour, Salt, Rosemary extract, dried tomato, apples, blackberries, sweet potato, cranberries, pumpkin, spinach, Alfalfa, Dried Kelp, Yucca, Beet Pulp, glucosamine, chondroitin, olive oil, Lysine, Vitamins (A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B12, D, E), Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Mauri Mos and Calcium Propionate
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Grain Free
- Recipe Range: Chicken & Turkey; Duck (kibble) + various wet food recipes.
- Suitable For: Adult dogs
- Cost: $$
- Australian Owned: No
Applaws is a really nice mid-range dog food brand. It doesn’t come close to the super-premium brands, but we can definitely appreciate it for what it is: a decent, moderately-priced option.
The main ingredient in this formula, for example, is chicken meal. While that doesn’t sound as nice as “fresh chicken”, meat meal is a good source of protein. That’s confirmed by the guaranteed analysis which shows a minimum of 33% protein.
And, for dogs who don’t agree with chicken, there is now a “Duck” formula where the main ingredients are duck meal and venison meal.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
Cell |
#4: Pet Food Australia Kangaroo & Ocean Fish Grain Free Dog Food
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 30% |
Fat | 14% |
Fibre | 4% |
Pet Food Australia - 2.5 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Kangaroo Meal, Ocean Fish Meal, Potato, Peas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E & Citric Acid), Hemp Seed Oil, Carrot, Dried Kelp, Dried Egg Product, Coconut Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Apple, Alfalfa Meal, Beta Carotene, Blueberry, Green Lip Mussel, Rosemary Plant Extract, Spinach, Turmeric, Vitamins(A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, D3, E, K3, Biotin, Folic Acid, Niacin), Taurine, Minerals (Copper, Iron, Manganese)
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Dry dog food, grain free
- Recipe Range: Kangaroo; Turkey; Turkey & Lamb - Low Fat; Chicken & Duck Puppy formula
- Suitable For: Adult dogs; one formula for puppies
- Cost: $$
- Australian Owned: Yes.
The kibble with a peculiar name, “Pet Food Australia”, is another good option sold at Woolworths. The main ingredients in this formula are kangaroo meal & ocean fish meal which are both decent options, especially for a feed that’s more budget-friendly, like this one.
According to the manufacturer, the kibble is “sourced and made in Australia”. That should be a good thing! Overall, we can’t find anything wrong with this recipe. Sure, potatoes and peas are not the best ingredients for your dog, but the rest of the list makes up for that with multiple ingredients rich in omega fatty acids. Great for the skin and coat!
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
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#5: Prime Pantry Snapper With Vegetables Dog Food Roll
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 10% |
Fat | 8% |
Fibre | 1% |
Prime Pantry Snapper - 3 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Wild Australian Snapper, chicken (including ground chicken bone), tapioca, peas, carrots, apple, broccoli, flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, vitamins, minerals, natural digestive enzymes, salt, water sufficient for processing.
- Named Protein First: Yes.
- Dog Food Type: Cooked, chilled rolls; a small variety of dry kibble; some treats.
- Recipe Range: Australian Snapper & Vegetables; Chicken with Broccoli & Apple
- Suitable For: All life stages
- Cost: $$
- Australian Owned: Yes.
Prime Pantry is part of the Prime100 dog food brand. Their chilled rolls are surprisingly affordable, considering the ingredient list is one of the best we’ve seen among the refrigerated foods at Woolworths.
The ingredient list is quite short and the ingredients are simple and precisely identified. The two main ingredients are fish and chicken, which is great. Besides those, the roll contains a few different veggies as well as flaxseed oil. And, as a pleasant surprise, there are no things like gelling agents or soy which are very common in this type of food.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Cell | |
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Woolworths Dog Foods to Avoid
#1 Purina Lucky Dog Adult Minced Beef, Vegetable & Marrowbone Dry Dog Food
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 17% |
Fat | 10% |
Fibre | 6% |
Purina - 1.5 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Cereals and cereal by-products and/or vegetable by-products; meat and meat by-products (derived from beef and/or mutton and/or poultry); essential vitamins and minerals and/or amino acids; antioxidants and flavours.
- Named Protein First: No
- Dog Food Type: Grain-based
- Recipe Range: A variety of flavours
- Suitable For: Adult dogs
- Cost: $$
- Australian Owned: No
Lucky Dog kibble is a textbook example of deceptive marketing on pet food bags. When you look at the package, the first words you’ll see is “minced beef”, followed by “...vegetable & marrowbone flavour”. Yes, this food claims to have the flavour of minced beef, vegetable, and marrowbone.
Related: What Ingredients Should I Avoid In Dog Food?
Are any of these ingredients actually inside? No idea! The ingredient list leaves a lot of room for interpretation. The main ingredient: “cereals and cereal by-products and/or vegetable by-products”. We don’t know what exactly that is and we’d rather not find out! Avoid.
#2: Ultimates Indulge Beef Mince In Gravy
Nutritional Analysis: | |
|---|---|
Protein | 5% |
Fat | 4% |
Ultimates Indulge - 1.5 Star Rating
- Ingredients: Meats (including chicken and/or beef and/or fish), carrot, thickeners, vitamins and minerals, colour, gelling agent.
- Named Protein First: No
- Dog Food Type: Canned dog food
- Recipe Range: Beef Mince in Gravy; Chicken Mince in Gravy; Chicken Mince and Tuna + more
- Suitable For: Adult dogs
- Cost: $
- Australian Owned: No
Ultimate Indulge is a good example of the type of brand that we do not recommend. The label says it’s made with “natural meat”. The description on Woolworths’ website says “made with natural grass fed NZ beef”. But the ingredient list clearly states that the can may or may not contain any beef.
Mystery meat is the main ingredient. In short, nothing is clear about this food except that it contains carrots. Even the label on the can says intended for supplemental feeding, indicating that this is definitely not a complete and suitable diet for a dog.
Final Thoughts
Although you usually won’t find super premium dog food at Woolworths, it turns out there are quite a few decent options. Open Paddock or Animals Like Us both feature decent kibble combined with freeze-dried meat or fish. That’s not too bad!
However, you can also expect to see some very questionable formulas on the shelves, so keep both of your eyes open while shopping.
