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Our Verdict
Blue Buffalo True Solutions dog food is made up of seven wet recipes with ratings which vary from 3.5 to 4 stars. The average rating of the whole range is 3.5 stars.
Our rating criteria favors foods with high protein levels, however, foods designed to support sensitive digestion will always be lower in protein as more emphasis is placed on a high fiber content (beneficial for dogs with digestive issues). Although this range is rated only slightly above average, we recommend it as a good option for dogs with a sensitive stomach.
Pros
- The first ingredient listed as quality animal meat
- Targeted formulas for specific health needs
- Formulated by veterinarians and PhD animal nutritionists
Cons
- Low in protein
The table below shows each recipe in this range including our rating and the AAFCO nutrient profile: Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Recipe and Label Analysis
Blue Buffalo True Solutions Top Form Active Dog Chicken Recipe was selected to represent the other products in the line for a detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Blue Buffalo True Solutions Top Form Active Dog Chicken Recipe
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content
Protein
Fat
CarbsCarbohydrates
Chicken, chicken broth, whitefish, chicken liver, brown rice, oats, barley, carrots, dried egg product, flaxseed, fish oil, powdered cellulose, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavor, carrageenan, yeast culture, guar gum, cranberries, potassium chloride, cassia gum, inulin, salt, vitamin E supplement, l-threonine, choline chloride, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), l-tryptophan, dl-methionine, l-carnitine, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, cobalt amino acid chelate, niacin supplement (vitamin B3), calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5), vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2), biotin (vitamin B7), vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid (vitamin B9), preserved with mixed tocopherols
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 1.5%
Red denotes any controversial items
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 9% | 7% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 39% | 30% | 24% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 29% | 53% | 18% |
Ingredients Analysis
The first ingredient is chicken. Chicken is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of chicken”. 1.
Chicken is naturally rich in the 10 essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is chicken broth. Broths are of only modest nutritional value. Yet because they add both flavor and moisture to a dog food, they are a common component in many wet products.
The third ingredient is whitefish, a marine or freshwater species native to Canada and the California coast.
The fourth ingredient is chicken liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The fifth ingredient is brown rice, a complex carbohydrate that (once cooked) can be fairly easy to digest. However, aside from its natural energy content, rice is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The sixth ingredient is oats. Oats are rich in B-vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The seventh ingredient is barley. Barley is a starchy carbohydrate supplying fiber and other healthy nutrients. However, aside from its energy content, this cereal grain is of only modest nutritional value to a dog.
The eighth ingredient is carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The ninth ingredient is dried egg product, a dehydrated form of shell-free eggs. Quality can vary significantly. Lower grade egg product can even come from commercial hatcheries – from eggs that have failed to hatch.
In any case, eggs are easy to digest and have an exceptionally high biological value.
From here the list goes on to include a number of other items. But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of the product.
This recipe has six notable exceptions.
First we note flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
Then we have powdered cellulose, an insoluble plant fiber usually made from the by-products of vegetable processing. As a fiber isolate cellulose can convey a number of functional benefits in the diet, from reducing the energy density and promoting satiety in a weight control diet, to supporting digestion and dental health.
We note the addition of fish oil. Fish oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, fish oil should be considered a commendable addition.
Additionally this food includes inulin, a starch-like compound made up of repeating units of carbohydrates and typically sourced from chicory root.
Not only is inulin a natural source of soluble dietary fiber, it’s also a prebiotic used to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in a dog’s digestive tract.
The next one is carrageenan, which is a gelatin-like thickening agent extracted from seaweed. Although carrageenan has been used as a food additive for hundreds of years, there appears to be some recent controversy regarding its long term biological safety.
The article, The Carrageenan Controversy, published in Scientific American, does a good job of addressing this topic.
The final one is sodium selenite, a commercial form of the mineral known as sodium selenite. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
Nutrient Analysis
Based on its ingredients alone, Blue Buffalo True Solutions Top Form Active Dog Chicken Recipe looks like an above-average wet product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 38.6%, a fat level of 29.5% and an estimated carbohydrate level of 23.8%.
As a group, the brand features a protein content of 34.1% and a mean fat level of 21.4%. Together these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 36.5% for the overall product line, alongside a fat-to-protein ratio of 63%.
This means this Blue Buffalo True Solutions range contains lower than average protein, higher than average carbohydrate and lower than average fat, when compared to typical wet dog food.
Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall History
The following automated list (if present) includes all dog food recalls related to Blue Buffalo through January 2025.
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall Event Number 2 of March 2017 (March 18, 2017)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall of March 2017 (March 3, 2017)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall of February 2017 (February 14, 2017)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall of May 2016 (May 31, 2016)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Chews Recall of November 2015 (November 25, 2015)
- Blue Buffalo Dog Food Recall (October 8, 2010)
You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls since 2009 here.
Our Rating of Blue Buffalo True Solutions Dog Food
These targeted formulas enable you to feed your dog’s specific health needs. Each recipe is formulated by veterinarians and PhD animal nutritionists and are clinically proven to address unique health concerns like weight control.
About
Blue Buffalo was officially launched in 2003 by Bill Bishop, who became frustrated with the lack of transparency and poor ingredient quality in commercial dog food at the time. His inspiration came after his beloved Airedale Terrier, Blue, was diagnosed with cancer. Determined to create a better recipe for his dog, Bishop developed his own formula, and thus Blue Buffalo was born.
In 2018, the brand was sold to General Mills Corporation for $8 billion.
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