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Solid Gold is a popular dog food brand that promises nutritious dog food. And if you’ve searched through popular pet food stores like Chewy, PetSmart, or Petco, you might have come across it, given its wide presence on the market.
But does Solid Gold produce high-quality dog food? Are their formulas as good as they claim? And more importantly, is there a Solid Gold formula suitable for your dog?
These are all questions you should ask yourself about any brand before committing to it, and even before trying out their samples, as a bad meal can cause your dog unnecessary problems that are a hassle to work through for dog owners.
That’s why I’m continuing my dog food reviews series today with my Solid Gold dog food reviews. So stick around until the end as we explore some of their best recipes, their ingredient analysis, and more.
Rating
The Solid Gold pet food impressed me with more options than I could've imagined for the varying needs of animals based on their different lifestyles, making it easy for pet owners to find what they're looking for in one place. If you can look past a slightly hefty price tag, you'll find high-quality ingredients your dog won't complain about. That said, easy 5 stars from me.
The Solid Gold pet food impressed me with more options than I could've imagined for the varying needs of animals based on their different lifestyles, making it easy for pet owners to find what they're looking for in one place. If you can look past a slightly hefty price tag, you'll find high-quality ingredients your dog won't complain about. That said, easy 5 stars from me.*Find out more about our editorial & review standards
Related: Brands With 5 Star Rating
Solid Gold Overview
Solid Gold traces its roots to the 70s, when the founder, Sissy Harrington McGill, a Great Dane handler, noticed that competitive dogs in Europe lived longer than their American brothers and sisters.
Sissy believed that it was due to the healthier diet of European canines and decided to take her expertise from Germany to the United States. And that’s when she made her first recipe, Hund-N-Flocken (roughly meaning dog flakes), which is also Solid Gold’s flagship product.
Throughout the years, Sissy prioritized adding lean protein from real meat sources in her holistic pet food recipes and supplementing them with whole grains, superfoods, and nutritional supplements when necessary.
And she didn’t limit herself to dry dog food, as she also developed her first wet dog food formula in 2003. And Solid Gold’s cat food never lagged behind in quality, either.
Nearly five decades later, Solid Gold is still going strong with a massive product line of pet foods, treats, and supplements.
Is Solid Gold a Good Dog Food Brand?
Yes, Solid Gold is an excellent dog food company that offers various options to cover the nutritional needs of almost every dog out there.
So whether your furry buddy is a large racing dog looking for maximum energy and lean protein, a small breed dog that needs humble amounts of food, or a hungry puppy that needs nutritionally complete meals, Solid Gold has you covered.
That’s because Solid Gold uses real meat as the primary source of protein in its formulas, followed by high-quality ingredients, superfoods, nutritional supplements, and healthy fats. Many popular recipes also contain a fair amount of fish by-products to nourish your dog with omega fatty acids to complement a healthy lifestyle.
Pros
- Real meat is the main source of protein in the recipes
- High-quality ingredients used to provide additional nutrition
- Plenty of supplements in the recipes to keep dogs healthy
- Fish by-products for omega fatty acids
- Available recipes for dogs with digestive health issues
- Massive product line of dog food in various forms
- They also sell dog treats, supplements, meal toppers, fish oil, and bone broth
- Options available for various dog needs based on breed size, activity levels, age, and more
- Very few controversial ingredients in the recipes
- Only one previous recall, and it was handled with honesty and transparency
Cons
- Some recipes have a high fat-to-protein ratio
- Can be a bit expensive compared to other dog food brands
Best of Solid Gold Dog Food Products
The massive Solid Gold product line comes in various flavors and forms, such as dry dog food, wet dog food, meal toppers, treats, and more. But I primarily focused on foods that can serve as a standalone meal here, so no supplements or treats.
1. Hund-N-Flocken Lamb, Brown Rice, and Pearled Barley Recipe
I’ll start with Solid Gold’s first-ever and signature product line—Hund-N-Flocken, which roughly translates to “dog flakes” in German. While it’s available in multiple flavors, I tried the lamb, brown rice, and pearled barley recipe.
The Hund-N-Flocken dry dog food was first developed by the founder, Sissy McGill, in 1974, but it never lagged behind modern nutritional science, and Solid Gold continues to perfect it with every breakthrough.
Today, Hund-N-Flocken is a quality dog food with adequate amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates to protect your dog’s health and keep them satisfied.
It’s a balanced formula that’s made for adult dogs that are moderately active.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 22% | 10% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 24.4% | 11.1% | 51.1% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 23.8% | 26.3% | 49.8% |
Ingredients List: Lamb, lamb meal, brown rice, pearled barley, oatmeal, chickpeas, peas, rice bran, ocean fish meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried eggs, ground flaxseed, natural flavor, carrots, salmon oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), pumpkin, blueberries, cranberries, potassium chloride, dried chicory root, rosemary extract, vitamins, and minerals.
Ingredients Analysis
The primary ingredient in the Hund-N-Flocken lamb, brown rice, and pearled barley recipe is lamb meat. This is unsurprising since we already know that Solid Gold uses meat as the main source of protein in the recipes.
Animal meal from lamb, which is a kind of protein concentrate that’s much more nutrient-dense, is used to optimize the protein content in the recipe.
There are healthy whole grains in the form of brown rice and pearled barley, both of which deliver complex carbs that dogs can easily digest, promoting their gut health. There are some additional grains here in the form of oatmeal and rice bran.
Legumes in this dry food, such as chickpeas, peas, and ground flaxseed, deliver more protein and fiber in a form that’s healthy for dogs’ digestive systems.
And I can’t overlook salmon oil, which adds a necessary touch of omega fatty acids that dogs need.
- Controversial Ingredients: None
- Estimated Meat Content: Lamb, lamb meal, and ocean fish meal
2. Leaping Waters Cold Water Salmon and Vegetable Recipe
Next, we have the cold water salmon and vegetable recipe from the Leaping Waters collection—a Solid Gold dry dog food that’s easier on dogs with sensitive stomachs.
The cold water salmon and vegetable recipe is grain-free and gluten-free, as it mainly relies on legumes, legume by-products, and tapioca to fulfill the traditional role of grains, which is delivering easily-digestible carbohydrates.
And since there’s no chicken in this recipe, it’s perfect with dogs that are sensitive to poultry as well.
This Leaping Waters recipe is suitable for dogs at all life stages. And thanks to its protein and fat content, it’s wonderful for moderate activity levels.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 26% | 15% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 28.9% | 16.7% | 41.1% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 26.1% | 36.6% | 37.2% |
Ingredients List: Salmon, ocean fish meal, chickpeas, lentils, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), tapioca, salmon meal, dried eggs, pea fiber, natural flavor, dicalcium phosphate, carrots, L-threonine, potassium chloride, salt, pumpkin, blueberries, cranberries, choline chloride, salmon oil, dried chicory root, taurine, rosemary extract, vitamins, and minerals.
Ingredients Analysis
Instead of using land-based animal meat for protein, this recipe relies entirely on fish sources. Salmon meat is the top ingredient in the formula, followed by ocean fish meal. Combine those two with the touch of salmon oil you’ll find here, and you get a meal that enriches your dog’s organs with healthy omega fatty acids.
This recipe is fully grain-free and gluten-free. So how does Solid Gold include some healthy carbs here? With legumes, specifically chickpeas, lentils, and peas, all of which are excellent carb sources for canines.
- Controversial Ingredients: None
- Estimated Meat Content: Salmon, ocean fish meal, and salmon meal
3. Love at First Bark Chicken, Potato, and Apple Recipe
The last Solid Gold dry dog food I’ll look at is the chicken, potato, and apple recipe from the Love at First Bark collection, a recipe that caters to puppies rather than senior dogs.
This is another flavorful formula that’s grain-free and gluten-free and relies on alternative sources of healthy carbs and fats, such as legumes and vegetables. Most notably, the potatoes in this recipe give it a heavy carb boost.
Although chicken recipes aren’t usually as protein-rich as their lean meat or fish counterparts, this Solid Gold dog food has the highest protein content of any recipe I’ve reviewed so far at about 31% of the dry matter basis, which is perfect for moderately active puppies.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 28% | 16% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 31.1% | 17.8% | 36.7% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 28% | 38.9% | 33% |
Ingredients List: Chicken, chicken meal, potatoes, peas, chicken fat, pea protein, ocean fish meal, chickpeas, pea fiber, dried eggs, apples, ground flaxseed, natural flavor, dried tomato pomace, salmon oil, carrots, dicalcium phosphate, salt, pumpkin, potassium chloride, choline chloride, blueberries, cranberries, dried chicory root, taurine, rosemary extract, vitamins, and minerals.
Ingredients Analysis
As the name and ingredients label suggest, the main source of protein in this Love at First Bark recipe is chicken, followed closely by the more nutrient-dense chicken meal.
To give this recipe an extra protein boost, there’s ocean fish meal and, more controversially, pea protein. The reason why the latter is sometimes controversial is because it’s a lesser-quality protein source for dogs.
Another controversial ingredient I found here is dried tomato pomace, which is the processed by-product of tomatoes after they’re used in producing human-consumption products like ketchup and tomato puree. And while it can be rich in fiber, many people see it as a cheap filler in pet food.
- Controversial Ingredients: Pea protein and dried tomato pomace
- Estimated Meat Content: Chicken, chicken meal, and ocean fish meal
4. Barking at the Moon Beef Recipe
The first Solid Gold wet dog food I’ll look at is the Barking at the Moon beef recipe. One can from this line provides about 13 ounces of holistic food in a quick and convenient form for your dog.
As a grain-free and gluten-free recipe, the Barking at the Moon beef formula is perfect for dogs with sensitive stomachs or those looking to boost their gut health. And it’s suitable for all life stages, too; you only need to give your canine buddy adequate portions based on their weight.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 9.5% | 6% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 43.2% | 27.3% | 14.8% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 34.8% | 53.3% | 11.9% |
Ingredients List: Beef, beef broth, whitefish, beef liver, dried ground peas, pumpkin, tricalcium phosphate, guar gum, ground flaxseed, alfalfa meal, cassia gum, xanthan gum, salt, potassium chloride, spinach, cranberries, carrots, choline chloride, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, blueberries, apples, thiamine mononitrate, vitamins, and minerals.
Ingredients Analysis
Deboned beef is a classic favorite among dogs, and it’s the main source of protein in this recipe, alongside whitefish and beef liver, all in a delicious and collagen-rich beef broth that will boost your dog’s joint health and help it detox its liver and kidneys.
The rest of the ingredients are mostly simple and straightforward. There are plenty of fruits and veggies, such as spinach, cranberries, carrots, and apples, providing your dogs with plenty of vitamins and minerals for a healthy immune system.
A possibly controversial ingredient here is guar gum. I should note that there are several forms of gum in many wet dog foods, and this recipe contains guar, xanthan, and cassia gum. However, it’s only the former that has a bad rep for causing some digestive problems in dogs, such as gastric inflammation.
But these problems typically only happen if your dog has certain sensitivities or if they eat guar gum in large quantities.
- Controversial Ingredients: Guar gum
- Estimated Meat Content: Beef, beef liver, and whitefish
5. Fit and Fabulous With Chicken, Sweet Potatoes, and Green Beans
The last recipe I want to look at is the chicken, sweet potatoes, and green beans formula from the Fit and Fabulous collection. This is a holistic wet food that’s grain-free and gluten-free and mainly caters to overweight dogs who need some weight control or management.
Although this canned dog food is a little low in protein and fat, it’s still enough to sustain your dog and keep it healthy. If you follow the feeding instructions on the back of the can, you’ll give your dog a low-calorie diet that doesn’t cause them fatigue.
And in the long run, weight control can help your dog live a longer and healthier life while avoiding the unnecessary dangers of obesity, such as joint problems, heart problems, and even breathing difficulties.
Nutrient Content
Method | Protein | Fats | Carbs |
Guaranteed Analysis | 7.5% | 3.5% | N/A |
Dry Matter Basis | 34.1% | 15.9% | 29.6% |
Calorie Weighted Basis | 33.3% | 37.8% | 28.9% |
Ingredients List: Chicken broth, chicken, chicken liver, ocean whitefish, sweet potatoes, green beans, dried ground peas, chickpea flour, pea fiber, carrots, spinach, apples, guar gum, ground flaxseed, menhaden fish oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), salt, potassium chloride, pumpkin, cranberries, xanthan gum, blueberries, cassia gum, rosemary extract, vitamins, and minerals.
Ingredients Analysis
This recipe goes all out with chicken, as the top ingredients here are chicken meat, liver, and broth, followed closely by ocean whitefish for a much-needed protein boost in this low-calorie meal.
Since it’s a low-fat recipe, there’s a notable lack of fat sources, though the menhaden fish oil here ensures your dog at least gets some omega fatty acids along with its healthy fats.
It’s also rich in fruits and vegetables to ensure a completely healthy meal in every can. And despite the small quantity of controversial guar gum, it’s a solid recipe for weight control in dogs.
- Controversial Ingredients: Guar gum
- Estimated Meat Content: Chicken, chicken liver, and ocean whitefish
Product Recalls – 1 Recall
After extensive research, I only found one previous recall of Solid Gold’s products, and it was all the way back on May 7, 2012—over 11 years ago.
The recall was voluntary, meaning that Solid Gold themselves recalled the listed products without any previous customer or regulatory complaints.
This happened after they were informed that two of their batches were made in the same plant and around the same time as a recalled product from another brand. The infected plant, called the Diamond Gaston plant, suffered a small salmonella outbreak in a South Carolina facility.
This doesn’t mean that the Solid Gold dog food itself was contaminated, but the company chose to recall the two suspected batches from stores just in case. And I have to give them credit for their honesty.
The products in question were:
- Solid Gold WolfKing Large Breed Adult Food
- Solid Gold WolfCub Large Breed Puppy Food
Normally, a recall isn’t a dealbreaker, but it would be enough for me to start asking questions. However, the circumstances around this one are different, given that the possible contamination was out of Solid Gold’s control and that they took active measures to recall the products.
Besides, since the incident is 11 years old and no other Solid Gold dog foods have been recalled since, it’s a minor stroke in my book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Does Solid Gold Dog Food Get Discontinued?
Solid Gold claims that they sometimes discontinue some recipes to make room for “exciting new products.” I can’t tell if there’s more to know about this, but so far, only two dog food products have ever been discontinued, and the Solid Gold brand conveniently lists some alternatives on its FAQ page.
Does Solid Gold Dog Food Contain Grains?
Yes, most of Solid Gold’s products contain whole grains, but there are some grain-free options, such as the Nutrientboost Leaping Waters, a cold water salmon and vegetable recipe, and Nutrientboost Mighty Mini, a chicken, chickpea, and pumpkin recipe.
Does Solid Gold Also Sell Cat Food?
Yes, Solid Gold also sells cat food and offers as much variety as their dog food product line. You can find dry food, wet food, supplements, treats, fish oil, and more. So if you have a dog and a cat at home, you can conveniently shop for their food in one place.
What Are the Vitamins and Minerals in Solid Gold Dog Food?
Solid Gold dog food recipes contain the following:
Vitamins: vitamin E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), niacin, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B-12 supplement, vitamin D-3 supplement, biotin, and folic acid.
Minerals: zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, sodium selenite, and calcium iodate.
The Bottom Line
Solid Gold impressed me with its impressive collection of excellent-quality dog foods that highly accommodate the varying needs of different dogs, from large-breed dogs to small puppies, active dogs to lazy ones, and everything in between.
The Solid Gold dog food recipes are made with lean meat as the primary source of protein, and a balanced mix of whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, supplements, and more ensures your dog gets all its nutritional needs out of its meals.
But even if your dog has a sensitive stomach, you’ll find grain-free options and other foods that suit its condition. And it doesn’t matter what age your furry friend is, as there are foods available for dogs at all life stages.
And although it might be a little expensive for some, Solid Gold dog food is a worthy investment, which is why I gave it a solid 5-star rating.