Suppose you're looking for a grain-free, high-protein kibble for your dog and don't trust new-fangled brands. Crave is the answer to all your hopes and prayers. Though relatively new, the brand belongs to the Mars Petcare family and relies on tried-and-true manufacturing practices combined with the latest meat-first take on the canine diet. Today I'll take you along on a journey to learn more about the brand, products, ingredients, and Crave dog food ratings among pet parents.
Who Makes Crave Dog Food?
Crave dog food manufacturer is none other than Mars Petcare, the world's largest pet food producer. It's the same company that holds rights to Pedigree, Greenies, Royal Canin, and Iams brands. And while their reputation across the board ranges from horrible to excellent, Crave is Mars' attempts at cracking the high-end organic pet food market. Founded in 2017, Crave is one of the newest brands on the market, though it has already attained an army of devotees.
According to the official website, Crave dog kibble is manufactured at Mars Petcare facilities in the US. But the ingredients are sourced globally, so there's no saying where specific components come from. The lack of documented recalls gives me hope that Crave relies on responsible sourcing practices.
Crave Dog Food Reviews
Chock-full of protein and healthy fat, complemented by vitamins and minerals, Crave dry dog food is a high-end solution for grain-sensitive canines. The formulas are tailored to adult dogs who stay active throughout the day, not couch potatoes. Although some buyers complain about the sensitivity to individual ingredients, most dogs love Crave and thrive on this nutritious and delicious kibble.
For now, the company has four formulas for us to choose from, and I'll walk you through all of them. Here's a quick overview before we dive into details.
Crave High Protein White Fish & Salmon Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Salmon-first, protein-rich recipe
- Free of artificial colors and flavors
- Ideal for high metabolism and activity level
Crave Grain Free High Protein Real Lamb Premium Adult Dry Dog Food
- High-protein lamb-first formula
- Packed with minerals and vitamins
- Corn, wheat, and soy are nowhere to be found
Crave High Protein Chicken Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Farm-raised chicken is first among ingredients
- Grain-free with zero artificial colors and flavors
- Includes yeast and may contain nuts
Crave High Protein Beef Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
- Grain-free beef-first formula
- Zero artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors
- Smallish kibble pieces suited for small to medium breeds
Crave With Protein From Salmon & Ocean Fish Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Appease your canine foodie with this salmon-first recipe packed with protein and healthy fat to keep her energetic and strong through your daily walks and games.
A perfect treat for pups tired of the plain old chicken kibble, this formula makes most of the salmon and white fish to supply your canine with plenty of protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins. Besides, this kibble is free of the usual fillers (corn, wheat, and soy) you see used by other brands. To make it even better, Crave steers clear of artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors. It's a great all-around choice if you're into fish-first, protein-rich dog food.
Despite its name, Crave Salmon Dog Food includes plenty of other animal-based protein sources, such as chicken. Therefore, it's not suited to canines allergic to poultry. And the mixed legumes on the ingredients list may cause digestive troubles too, so keep an eye out for any changes in stool volume and quality after making the switch to this formula. I recommend starting with a smallish bag and keeping it in an airtight container because the odor is quite overpowering compared to other Crave formulas.
KEY FEATURES:
- Calories: 443 kcal/cup
- Crude protein: 34% min
- Crude fat: 17% min
- Crude fiber: 3.5% max
- First 5 ingredients: Salmon, Chicken Meal, Chickpeas, Split Peas, Chicken Fat
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Type: Dry food
- Breed size: All breeds
- Life Stage: Adult
- Weight: 4, 12, 22-lb bags
WHAT WE LOVED:
- Protein-packed salmon-first formula
- Free of grains and artificial flavors and colors
- Enhanced with vitamins and minerals
- Great for supporting healthy weight
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
- Not suitable for pups allergic to poultry
- Kibble comes with intense odor
Crave Grain Free High Protein Real Lamb Premium Adult Dry Dog Food
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Mix up your pup's diet with a high-protein lamb-first twist on his favorite kibble, complete with vitamins and minerals to keep him lean, energetic, and strong.
Whenever your pooch ignores the chicken-based kibble, try introducing a fresh new flavor to appease the fussy eater. This pasture-fed lamb formula will make any canine drool in anticipation of mealtimes. The protein and fat content is high enough to support a high metabolism and provide the much-needed energy for long walks and daily games of fetch. And with no fillers, like corn or soy, in sight, you know that your every dollar goes towards nutrition and health.
The one downside to this protein-rich formula is the addition of legumes, like chickpeas and peas. While most dogs are fine with this recipe, others suffer digestive issues, including increased gas and soft stool. If you notice these symptoms, consult the vet and consider buying kibble that's better suited to your pup's digestive requirements.
KEY FEATURES:
- Calories: 436 kcal/cup
- Crude protein: 34% min
- Crude fat: 17% min
- Crude fiber: 3.5% max
- First 5 ingredients: Deboned Lamb, Chicken Meal, Chickpeas, Split Peas, Pork Meal
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Type: Dry food
- Breed size: All breeds
- Life Stage: Adult
- Weight: 4, 12, 22-lb bags
WHAT WE LOVED:
- Lamb, chicken, and pork among the protein sources
- Full of vital vitamins and minerals
- No soy, wheat, corn, artificial flavors and colors
- Formulated for energetic adult dogs
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
- Lamb flavor may not appeal to fussy eaters
- Legumes may cause digestive issues
Crave High Protein Chicken Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Let your pooch enjoy the meat-rich diet suitable for carnivores like him with this chicken-based protein-rich formula free of fillers and artificial nasties.
You can't go wrong with chicken-based kibble, as it's beloved by most dogs. And this recipe by Crave takes the traditional formula a step further by removing fillers (think corn, soy, and wheat) and packing every crunchy piece with protein-rich veggies and legumes to complement animal-based protein sources. The nutritious kibble is perfect for small breeds with lightning-fast metabolism, large breeds in love with running and fetching, and everyone in between.
While this recipe is perfect for pups with grain sensitivity, it's far from a hypoallergenic formula. Selenium yeast is among the listed ingredients, and the manufacturing facility isn't nut-free. So if your pooch is allergic to either, you'd best look for another recipe. Otherwise, the formula should promote healthy digestion, especially if you follow the recommended transition procedure.
KEY FEATURES:
- Calories: 463 kcal/cup
- Crude protein: 34% min
- Crude fat: 17% min
- Crude fiber: 3.5% max
- First 5 ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Chickpeas, Split Peas, Pork Meal
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Type: Dry food
- Breed size: All breeds
- Life Stage: Adult
- Weight: 4, 12, 22-lb bags
WHAT WE LOVED:
- Nutritious and healthy formula for energetic pups
- No fillers, like soy, wheat, or corn
- Free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives
- Farm-raised chicken is No1 on the ingredients list
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
- Not suitable for dogs with yeast or nut allergies
- May cause individual digestive issues
Crave High Protein Beef Adult Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
WHY YOU SHOULD BUY
Treat your pup to an energy-boosting beef-first formula enhanced with a full vitamin and mineral complex that promotes health, strength, and fitness.
Like every other Crave kibble on this list, the beef formula is jam-packed with protein and fat. It's tailored for energetic dogs, not couch potatoes. A full complement of vitamins and minerals is included to support all-around health. And the lack of artificial colors and flavors makes this kibble safe for sensitive tummies (no grain formula is good for that too!).
As long as you follow the feeding guide and control portion size, your pooch will become even more lively and gorgeous than ever. If your previous kibble was less energy-dense, you will have to lower the portion size or risk your furball gaining a couple of extra pounds.
Crave Beef Dog Food is supposed to fit all breeds and sizes, but the kibble pieces are too tiny for most large and giant breeds. And the 22-pound bags are nowhere near enough to keep the pantry stocked, especially for households with multiple dogs. I suggest you order in bulk once you're sure the kibble works for your canines.
KEY FEATURES:
- Calories: 454 kcal/cup
- Crude protein: 34% min
- Crude fat: 17% min
- Crude fiber: 3.5% max
- First 5 ingredients: Beef, Chicken Meal, Pork Meal, Split Peas, Lentils
SPECIFICATIONS:
- Type: Dry food
- Breed size: All breeds
- Life Stage: Adult
- Weight: 4, 12, 22-lb bags
WHAT WE LOVED:
- Increased protein and fat for energetic pups
- Comes without artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives
- Supplemented by vitamins and minerals
- Great for grain-sensitive dogs
WHAT WE DIDN’T LIKE:
- Tiny kibble pieces call for portion control
- Stocking up on bags for large dogs is a pain
Crave Dog Food Ingredient Analysis
Animal-based protein sources are the safest and most understandable among Crave dog food ingredients. Chicken, lamb, beef, and fish work well for most canines. At the same time, legumes, like peas, chickpeas, and lentils, are present in every formula to drive up the protein content. However, some dogs are highly sensitive to legumes and may suffer digestive issues, including increased gassiness and soft stool, resulting from eating legume-rich kibble.
Beet pulp, dehydrated alfalfa, and flaxseed are supposed to improve digestion and provide vital nutrients, though there isn’t much scientific research backing up these claims. Still, these ingredients are considered safe and non-threatening for most canines.
The vitamin and mineral complex makes up the second half of the ingredients list, and it’s full of every nutrient necessary to keep your pooch happy and healthy. I only wish Crave didn’t have to settle for vitamin supplements produced in China to keep the costs low. I’m sure the company has a quality management system to ensure every component is safe, but my hindbrain is still wary of imported ingredients.
What Types Of Dog Foods Does Crave Offer?
At the time of writing, Crave brand dog food produces a limited lineup of dry and wet dog food recipes for adult dogs. The product range has no products for puppies or senior canines, and the dog treats are absent too.
Dry Dog Food
As you've already gathered from this Crave dog food review, the company produces four kibble recipes. All are grain-free and packed with protein (34%) and fat (17%), and the only major difference lies in the primary protein source that's listed in the formula name:
- Crave with Protein from Beef
- Crave with Protein from Chicken
- Crave with Protein from Lamb
- Crave with Protein from Salmon & Ocean Fish
Wet Dog Food
At the time of writing, Crave wet dog food lineup includes three formulas:
- Crave Beef Paté
- Crave Chicken Paté
- Crave Turkey Paté
All three are available in 12.5-ounce cans. The average protein content of Crave canned dog food is around 12%, with a 5% fat content to boot. Similar to kibble, wet food is grain-free, with meat or poultry as the first ingredient on the list. All products are equally free of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. And Crave wet dog food reviews are positively glowing with a rare complaint about individual allergic reactions and fussy eaters.
Crave Dog Food Recalls
There hasn't been a single Crave dog food recall; at least I could find none in the FDA archive. Considering the brand has been around for barely five years, the lack of recalls isn't all that impressive. Hopefully, the company's reputation will remain squeaky clean for years to come.
Still, Crave is manufactured by Mars Petcare, the same company that owns plenty of dog food brands, including Pedigree, Royal Canin, and Eukanuba, all of which were recalled at one point in their history. Some were part of the horrid Melamine Pet Food Recall of 2007 through no fault of their own. All I'm saying is that Crave recalls may happen, but that’s not always a good cause for switching to other brands.
Conclusion
After a couple of weeks of research and some hands-on testing, I have to admit Crave dog food rating is well-deserved. The formulas are well-balanced for active adult canines, though I wish they'd hurry and introduce puppy and senior recipes too. As always, I recommend you talk to the vet before making any diet changes and start small by following the transition suggestions on the bag. Hopefully, your pooch will enjoy the delicious kibble and become healthier than ever with Crave.
FAQs
Crave products are packed with protein and free of nutritiously-null fillers, like corn and wheat. Zero-grain recipes are perfect for sensitive tummies, and most pups enjoy the flavor and crunch of Crave kibble. Whether it will be good for your dog is up in the air until you give it a try.
Crave is a Mars Petcare brand manufactured at the company’s facilities in the US.
Use the links throughout the article to find the best price. You can also find Crave products for sale on the official website, Amazon, Target, or specialized online retailers, such as Chewy, PetSmart, or Petco.
Only the vet can recommend the most suitable kibble for a pooch with allergies. However, Crave grain-free dog food is usually well-received by canines with grain sensitivity. But if your pup is allergic to poultry, you should steer clear, as even the beef-first recipe contains chicken meal.
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