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In The Kibble
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PRODUCT LINE

Instinct Original

A line from Instinct

RECIPES REVIEWED
16
AVG PROTEIN, DM, KIBBLE
40.1%
AVG STARCH, KIBBLE
24%
FDA RECALLS
2
LINE REVIEW

The Instinct Original Line, Reviewed

16 recipes, read label by label

Instinct Original Kibble 6 recipes

Recipe Protein Fat Starch Kcal / cup First ingredients
Grain-Free Recipe with Real Salmon 37.5% 21% 21.5% 537 Salmon, White Fish Meal (Pacific Whiting, Pacific Sole, Pacific Rockfish), Peas
Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken 37% 20% 24% 499 Chicken, Chicken Meal, Peas
Grain-Free Recipe with Real Rabbit 36.5% 20.5% 23.5% 524 Rabbit, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal
Grain-Free Recipe with Real Beef 36% 20.5% 24.5% 508 Beef, Chicken Meal, White Fish Meal (Pacific Whiting, Pacific Sole, Pacific Rockfish)
Small Breed Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken 35% 19.5% 26% 476 Chicken, Chicken Meal (source of Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate), Chickpeas
Grain-Free Recipe with Real Duck 34.5% 20.5% 26% 510 Duck, Chicken Meal, Peas
Line average 36.1% 20.3% 24.3% 509

All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Starch is our estimate, since no bag prints it. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.

Instinct Original Wet food 5 recipes

Recipe Protein Fat Moisture Kcal / kg First ingredients
Grain-Free 11.5% 10% 78% -- Beef, Beef Broth, Beef Liver
Food Real Beef Recipe 11.5% 10% 78% -- Beef, Beef Broth, Beef Liver
Food Real Chicken Recipe Grain-Free 9.5% 8.5% 78% -- Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Broth
Food for Small Breed Dogs Real Chicken Recipe Grain-Free 8.5% 4.5% 78% 1,033 Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver
Food for Small Breed Dogs Real Beef Recipe 8.5% 4.5% 78% -- Beef, Beef Broth, Beef Liver
Line average 9.9% 7.5% 78% 1,033

All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Wet food is mostly water, so compare it with other wet food only. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.

Instinct Original Freeze-dried food 1 recipe

Recipe Protein Fat Starch Kcal / cup First ingredients
Bites for Dogs Pollock Recipe Grain-Free Freeze-Dried 39% 33% 11% -- Pollock, Beef, Beef Liver

All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Starch is our estimate, since no bag prints it. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.

Instinct Original Toppers 4 recipes

Recipe Protein Fat Moisture Kcal / kg First ingredients
Healthy Cravings Toppers Real Beef Recipe Grain-Free 9% 2% 82% 860 Beef Broth, Beef, Chicken
Healthy Cravings Toppers Real Lamb Recipe 8.5% 5% 82% -- Lamb Broth, Lamb, Beef
Healthy Cravings Toppers Real Salmon Recipe 8.5% 3.5% 82% -- Salmon Broth, Salmon, Chicken
Healthy Cravings Toppers Real Chicken Recipe Grain-Free 8% 2% 82% 855 Chicken Broth, Chicken, Chicken Liver
Line average 8.5% 3.1% 82% 858

All figures as fed, from the guaranteed analysis on each label. Wet food is mostly water, so compare it with other wet food only. Highest in the line is marked in bold, lowest in italics.

All recipes

16 foods matched · newest first
DEEP DIVE

Inside The Instinct Original Range

Across 16 recipes we review

Protein runs higher than the average kibble we review (40.1% vs 30.1% on a dry matter basis).

Starch is lower than average, at 24% of the food as fed.

100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).

100% of recipes are grain-free.

NUTRITION

How The Range Measures Up

this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 3,089 foods we review

Protein, dry matter 40% 38% to 42%
15%site avg 30%50%
Fat, dry matter 23% 22% to 23%
5%site avg 18%30%
Starch, as fed 24% 22% to 26%
10%site avg 37%60%
Kcal per cup 509 476 to 537
250site avg 395600

Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out

INGREDIENTS

What Goes In The Bowl

Egg 63% 31%
Chicken 56% 56%
Fish 56% 35%
Beef 44% 19%
Turkey 19% 20%
Lamb 6% 14%
Duck 6% 7%

Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.

Ingredients Some Owners Avoid

By-products 0% 13%
Artificial colors 0% 1%
Chemical preservatives 0% 9%
Corn 0% 15%
Wheat 0% 13%
Soy 0% 10%

These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.

LIFE STAGE
  • All Life Stages10
BREED SIZE
  • All Breeds14
  • Small Breed3
SPECIAL DIETS
  • Grain-free (no wheat, corn, rice, barley or oats)16
Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Salmon Dry Dog Food MOST PROTEIN Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Salmon Dry Dog Food 41.7% dry matter Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Rabbit Dry Dog Food LEAST STARCH Instinct Original Grain-Free Recipe with Real Rabbit Dry Dog Food 24% as fed Instinct Original Small Breed Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food FEWEST CALORIES Instinct Original Small Breed Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Dry Dog Food 476 kcal per cup
RECALL HISTORY // INSTINCT

2 FDA Recalls On Record

JUL 24, 2015
SALMONELLA

Instinct® Raw Chicken Formula for dogs

FEB 15, 2013
PLASTIC PIECES

Pet food

See the recall log

NO LONGER SOLD

3 Discontinued Recipes

We keep reviews of discontinued recipes online, each with suggested replacements, because bags stay on shelves and in pantries for months.

Keep In The Know,
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The In the Kibble newsletter. Useful emails for dog owners: what we find inside dog food, how to feed well, and a heads-up when a food is recalled.
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