If you are a weekend grocery shopper then there are good chances that you have seen a pyramid of Ol’ Roy Dog Food in Walmart.
The store always has weekend special prices on their product line. This always made me wonder how good are Ol’ Roy Dog Food products?
I have always come across controversial news and reports for the Ol’ Roy dog foods. But I still see many dog lovers buying the same bad book for their pets!
So, to understand the brand and its ingredients I decided to dedicatedly write a review post on Ol’ Roy Dog Food.
Overview:
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About The Brand
Ol’ Roy is a private label brand by Walmart in petcare supply. The title Ol’ Roy was given to Sam Walton’s bird dog. The brand was first introduced in 1983.
If the name of Walton rings a bell, it’s because he was the creator of Walmart, the supermarket pioneer in the world.
Doane Pet Food developed this brand of pet food until 2007, when it was sold to Mars, Inc.
This firm currently has its headquarters in Brentwood, Tennessee. Other pet food brands including Pedigree, Eukanuba, Greenies, and Whiskas are also manufactured by Mars, Inc.
Ol ‘Roy Dog Food, despite its less than a stellar list of ingredients, is one of the USA’s best-selling dog food brands, as per market reports.
How We Rated Ol Roy Dog Food?
We have rated Ol Roy Dog Food based on the following parameters.
Facts: Obviously we were aware of the fact that Ol’ Roy dog food was in news for a longer time. And it has been reviewed in the worst dog food.
But we wanted to check the value of the brand by ourselves. So we wanted to test that these are the facts or myths for the same.
We Bought the product: We just not researched the reviews and recall history for the product, but we ourselves purchased the food.
Research On Individual Ingredients: We noted and studied every ingredient mentioned on the bag of the food.
Why Readers Should Trust Us?
To provide Readers with more detailed reports and information we have provided further references to the source of information.
We have checked Facts Vs Myths, to provide you with the informed reviews we searched more than 10 articles and review post to make this review post and informative one.
I am a pet parent and avid animal activist, owning my dog I know how protected we feel for them. We know how important role food plays in their life!
And being an animal activist I believe how informing the readers on certain harmful ingredients can save my pet’s lives!
We care about your pet as you do! Animals especially dogs deserve all good things made from heaven! Their loyal companion bond is precious and priceless.
So we want our dog parent’s readers to make an informed choice and decision for their food!
We too are consumers, Like you, we too are consumers first. And we understand the value of hard earn penny.
So spending money right is our priority too.
Our Take And Ratings of Ol Roy Dog Food
This is what we think and how we rate Ol Roy Dog Food in our cart of dog foods!
What We Think
We definitely did not like Ol Roy Dog Food for its all plant-based Ingredient. This dog food has no animal source of protein.
Plus every dog food line from their product has a poultry by-product meal!
And we would never feed any dog with food that is loaded with potential cancer-causing risk or dyes!
Our Rating
We honestly rate Ol’ Roy Dog with 1.5 stars out of 5 for its not so dog-friendly ingredients and no sound source of good quality animal protein source.
Ol’ Roy Dog Food Reviews of 2021
Below we have reviewed Ol’ Roy Dog Food, in both Wet and Dry Food lines.
We have just purchased the product line of Ol’ Roy Dog Food available on Amazon! Only for Review Purpose.
Note: Walmart Holds more options of Ol’ Roy Dog Food, such as Treats, Rawhide sticks, and 10 Variants of Dry Dog Food and 17 Varieties of Ol’ Roy Wet Dog Food.
Ol’ Roy Dry Dog Food
Below we have reviewed Ol’ Roy Dry Dog Food with two popular variants available online and in-store.
1. Ol’ Roy Complete Nutrition Dog Food
The Ol’ Roy Complete Nutrition Dog Food claims to be a100% complete and balanced nutrition dog food.
The food mentions having 23 vitamins and essential minerals for a long, healthy life of your fido. It also says to have carbohydrates and essential fatty acids.
After reading the label we did find carbohydrates as the first source of Energy in this dog food. But mainly it is from yellow cornmeal.
Yellow cornmeal has a place of debate when used in dog foods. Corn acts as fiber as it is not completely digested by dogs.
This dog product also includes calcium and phosphorus for the strong teeth and bones of your furry friend.
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Crude Protein: Min. 21%
- Crude Fat: Min. 10%
- Crude Fiber: Max. 4.5%
- Moisture: Max. 12%
Feeding Instructions: Amounts of feeding this dry dog food are based on a standard 8 oz. Measuring cup.
For an Adult dog of either small or large breed, feed the recommended amount once a day.
However, the feeding needs also differ as per the physical activity, age, and environment.
So, it is suggested to adjust the feeding schedule and amount of the dry dog food, to maintain optimum health.
Note: This product is not recommended for Gestating and Lactating Dogs. And also for puppies under the Age of One.
Key Ingredients:
Ground Yellow Corn: It is usually misinterpreted as a food filler. Ground cornmeal is a major source of carbohydrates as well as a protein source.
It is mainly obtained by removing germ, starch, and bran from kernels.
Soybean Meal: It is the source of protein. It is a plant-based protein source but with less protein bioavailability as compared to other meat meals.
Meat and Bone Meal: A source of vitamins and some minerals. Maintains bone and joints health.
Poultry by-Product Meal: Obtained from remains of poultry animals. The not optimal source of nutrients.
Animal Fat( Preserved with BHA and Citric Acid): Used as a source of fat and energy. Also added as a taste enhancer to dog food.
What We Did Not Like: Though the brand claims the dog food to be nutritionally enriched, we won’t agree to it.
The first ingredient that bothered us was the unnamed source of”Animal Fat”. Though many dog foods have animal fat, they do mention its source.
The other point that made us stay away from this product was the use of BHT for preservation.
What’s Our Final Take: It’s A No! We definitely won’t suggest this Ol’ Roy dog food product.
Because we didn’t find any real meat ingredient and none we don’t favor Poultry By-Product Meal.
Alternative We Suggest: Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Healthy Weight Chicken & Brown Rice, at the same price! As it has no poultry by-product meal or Corn!
2. Ol’ Roy Complete Nutrition T-Bone & Bacon Flavor Dog Food
The new formula of Ol’ Roy Complete Nutrition T-Bone & Bacon Flavor Dog Food provides increased protein and fat levels in your dog’s diet.
Like other Ol ‘Roy formulas, the recipe for Full Nutrition T-Bone & Bacon has calcium and phosphate to stimulate stronger bones and teeth.
This dog food is ideal for adult dog of any breed and sizes.
This dog food claims to be fortified with vitamins and minerals. This blend helps to support the overall health and longevity of your pup.
Though Ol’ Roy Complete Nutrition T-Bone & Bacon has been well received by some dog owners it still has major cons!
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Crude Protein: Min. 21%
- Crude Fat: Min. 10%
- Crude Fiber: Max. 4%
- Moisture: Max. 12%
Key Ingredients:
- Ground Whole Grain Corn
- Meat And Bone Meal
- Soybean Meal
- Animal Fat( Preserved with BHA and Citric Acid)
What We Did Not Like: This dog product has artificial color dyes and preservatives.
As a dog parent I know, dyes might make dog food appealing but it has no nutritional benefit and has potential health risks.
Feeding Instructions: The feeding of this dry dog food is based on 8.oz of measuring cup.
It is suggested that dog owners adjust the feeding as per their breed dog requirements.
The amount of dog food to be served also depends on the age, activity level, and climate of a particular city.
This dog food can be served dry or moist as per your dog’s preference.
What’s Our Final Take: It is again a negative vote from us !
We are not a fan of artificial color dyes in dog food. And nor you should be!
And the dyes that are used in this dog food have their possible association with cancer and allergies in long run.
We didn’t like the fact that again no meat meal like chicken meal or bacon meal was used in the dog food.
Alternative We Suggest: Purina ONE SmartBlend Natural Adult Beef & Rice – Small Bites at the same price! This recipe has no dyes.
This dog food recipe can be served in the same way as Ol’ Roy Complete Nutrition T-Bone & Bacon Flavor. Either dry or moist with warm water.
3. Ol’ Roy Variety Pack Mini Chunks in Gravy Wet Dog Food
Ol’ Roy Variety Pack Mini Chunks in Gravy Wet Dog Food is a variety meal recipe pack of three gravy variants.
This gravy wet dog food provides nutrition to your dog for all dog breeds and sizes.
This variety pack includes three flavors such as Ol’ Roy Mini Chunks in Gravy Wet Dog Food Variety Pack: Filet Mignon, Savory Beef & Country Stew.
This variety pack includes 8 pouches of each flavor and comes with 24 total pouches.
Guaranteed Analysis:
- Crude Protein: Min 8%
- Crude Fat: Min 3%
- Crude Fiber: 1.5%
- Moisture: 82%
Key Ingredients:
Chicken: Chicken is used here as the first ingredient. It is the main source of protein. Protein helps in building muscles and important metabolic functions.
Beef: Beef here is used as the second source of animal protein. Though it is high in fat but
Animal Liver: The liver is an important source of nutrients. It is rich in FOLIC ACID and other B-Vitamins.
Meat By product: Meat by-product also provides essential nutrients but it can include animal offals.
What We Did Not Like:
We didn’t like the fact that the dog food has added Color and color is known to cause severe problems to dog with digestive issues and allergies.
Feeding Instructions:
For Adult Dogs above 1 yr feed the pouches as per their body weight. For dogs up to 5lb. feed 1 to 2 pouches.
For 5-15 lbs feed 2 to 4 pouches and for dogs with 15-35 lbs feed 4 to 7 pouches.
Always store the unused dog food pouches in the refrigerator.
Always feed your dog keeping in mind their daily energy requirements as per their age, breed type, and activity.
What We Think:
Though this wet dog food has meat and beef as an animal source of protein, we still did not get convinced with the idea of using colors in dog food.
The brand even fails to mention the source of chicken and beef. We still can’t be sure if the animal source is from the USA or farm-raised!
Alternative We Suggest:
Purina Beneful Wet Dog Food Variety Pack, chopped Blends. This dog recipe variety pack also offers three different blend varieties.
We suggest this dog food for its NO Artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives at the same cost as Ol’ Roy Variety Pack Mini Chunks in Gravy.
List of Harmful Ingredients in Ol’ Roy Dog Food
Below we have mentioned the list of harmful ingredients found in Ol’ Roy dog foods. These ingredients are considered to be harmful to your dog and can cause a health risk.
BHT and BHA
BHT(Butylated hydroxytoluene): It is an additive that is used in dog foods to increase their shelf life.
This chemical agent protects the fats and oils in dog food from going rancid and unsuitable to eat.
Though we would like to draw attention to that BHT is banned as a preservative for food sources, in several countries including Australia, Sweden, and Japan.
BHT is also linked to cancer in some cases.
BHA(Butylated hydroxyanisole) : it is also an additive used in pet food. And BHA is also found to be carcinogenic in nature.
Natural preservatives would not last as long as synthetic chemicals like BHA or BHT, but they are far safe for consumption by your dog.
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite
A widely used pet food supplement, a chemical source of vitamin K, is Menadione Sodium Bisulfite.
This supplement is being used in cat and dog food for many years… as it points out… wrongly.
For use in poultry feed, the additive Menadione Sodium Bisulfite has Only been allowed.
Red 40 : it is the most well known chemical dye used to impart color in dog food. But studies suggest that such color additive dyes is known to cause neuronal health problems in dog.
It is also linked to allergies, poor immune system, and asthma in Canines.
Yellow 5: Is also popularly known as Tetrazine in the food industry. This dye has a bad reputation linked to cancer.
Watchful Alert
We would like to inform our readers, of some alarming alerts that we could find with Ol’ Roy Dog Foods.
Lack of website
Like Any other Dog Food Company that has its brand website that provides all of its AAFCO statement and certificates.
Ol’ Roy Dog Foods does not have any website.
Whatever information on a dog food composition and detailed labelled ingredient is from Walmart’s website or the label of the dog food itself.
So, there is a lack of product information and no information on how and where the ingredients are sourced from.
Bad Reputation in FDA?
The brand has recall history from the year 1999, where
Is on verge of being shelved ?
There were some reports of Walmart shelving off Ol’ Roy products from its store entirely in 2018. But later on it did not issue any official statement regarding same.
Proven List Of Harmful Ingredients
As we have already enlisted how many harmful ingredients are listed on the bag of the Ol’ Roy Dof food, it is no guess game now !
BHA. BHT, Dyes, and Menadione Sodium Bisulfite are among the harmful ingredients always found in their dog food.
Many Consumers Complains
In our research for the brand, we came across many consumer complaints for the products.
And these complaints were in negative vote for how the dog food caused severe problems to their dog.
The complaints on Ol’ Roy dog food were found to be on online platforms where the dog food is available for selling.
We even found some shocking photos and reviews of the finding of undesirable contamination of mold, yeast, and even worms.
Ol’ Roy Recall History
Obviously, with all the controversial ingredients, Ol’ Roy has a prominent Recall History and list. So, the recall list mentions the records with newest to oldest.
In October 2008 Prospective salmonella contamination of dry pet food products, including some dry dog food packages developed by Ol ‘Roy
In the year June 2007 and September 2008, had also seen a recall of Ol’ Roy dry dog food for again salmonella contamination.
In March 2007, Ol’Roy was recalled for shocking Melamine Recall.
Latest Recalls List
In February 2018, Independent testing by a TV news investigative committee allegedly claimed that turned up indications of sodium pentobarbital in Gravy Train samples.
The FDA advised The J.M. Smucker Company Inc. of a voluntary recall.
The company identified pentobarbital in the animal fat used to manufacture the affected items.
Where Does Ol’ Roy Stands for its Buyers?
For its rave of bad reviews and complains I always wondered what service the brand offers to its customers.
As there is no official website for the brand to complain, the brand still mentions this offering on their product.
However some dog owners have stated their questions went answered and their queries still remain unsolved.
Why Ol’ Roy Dog is still In demand?
After reviewing Ol’ Roy Dog food with its honest brand value, We wondered why the brand has still got higher shelves sale in Consumers.
And what we found that Ol’ Roy Dog is still In demand in consumers is because The good value of the bag sizes for their prices is the most popular feedback it has got.
We observed a common link that this dog food is particularly advantageous for households with several large dogs.
Overall, Ol’ Roy Full Nutrition T-Bone & Bacon Flavor is an affordable dry dog food brand that will surely be appreciated by bacon-loving pooches.
At an inexpensive price, your dogs get a lot of food that will last them a long time.
However, in contrast to some of its rivals, its low cost also means poorer quality ingredients.
How You Can Report a Complain to FDA?
Dog parents who think that after consuming pet food their pets have become sick should contact their veterinarians.
The FDA allows customers to electronically register grievances about this and other pet food products.
For our readers who do encounter issues with dog food, can report their details for the dog food brand on the page of the FDA.
FAQs About Ol Roy Dog Food Reviews
Where can you buy Ol’ Roy?
You can buy Ol’ Roy Dog Food in Walmart which hosts multiple varieties of this dog food. Certain food types that we have reviewed can also be bought from Amazon.
Does Ol’ Roy Dog Food meet AAFCO statement?
Yes, as per their nutritional labels, the company claims to meet the AAFCO statement for dg foods.
Does Ol’ Roy Dog Food Kill Dogs?
There was one report from FDA, which said that certain dog foods were liked to dogs having Dilated Cardiomyopathy, which even included Ol’ Roy Dog Food.
But still, FDA has not reported any conclusive shreds of evidence for the same.
Does Ol’ Roy Dog Food need Transition period?
Yes, like every dog food Ol’ Roy Dog Food, too has transition period. It is suggested to start by mixing 25% of new dog food with 75% of their on going meal.
And it takes ideally a week to adjust with the new dog food.
How much does Ol’ Roy Dog Food cost?
The Ol’ Roy Dog Food including the wet and dry dog food variety costs from as low as $0.95 for a can of wet dog food to $25 for 50lb of dog food.
Final Verdict
From Our Reviews, we are not in favor of Ol’ Roy Dog Food for our dogs. And we recommend our dog parents to make their choice wisely!
We want that our readers should base their Feeding Decisions on Facts… and Science.
So, we suggest the readers look for better dog food alternatives, as nothing is more worth than our paws life.
Resources:
- Entis, P. (2018, March 4). Smucker confirms euthanasia drug in popular dog food brands. Food Safety News.
- Center for Veterinary Medicine. (2018, September 4). Melamine Pet Food Recall of 2007. U.S. Food And Drug Administration.
- Pereira, A. M. (n.d.). Zinc in Dog Nutrition, Health and Disease: A Review. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from MDPI.
- Chesapeake Veterinary Cardiology Associates. (2021, June 7). Grain Free Dog Food |from CVCA
Julia is a Board Certified Veterinary Nutritionist, practicing veterinarian in a non-profit animal hospital and feline sanctuary located in Rochester, NY. She is also a full-time veterinary advisor at DogLikesBest. She focuses on writing healthcare-related topics including dog foods, treats, veterinary diets, food for specific healthcare features, etc. Moreover, any article on DogNeedsBest that has to concern feline health in any way, goes under her scrutiny before being published.