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Identity Dog Food Reviews

Industry veterans Jeremy Petersen and Trevar Petersen founded Identity Pet Nutrition in 2018. The brothers are the third generation involved in the pet food industry. They’re from rural Colorado. Identity Pet Nutrition is wholly owned by the Petersens. The company isn’t supported by private equity or external financial investors.

They also founded Wild Calling & Zoic branded pet foods.

The brand specializes in high-protein, wet pet food products. The company makes these foods in its own facility in Quebec, Canada. The company distributes products in the US and Canada. The company’s business headquarters are in Denver, Colorado.

IS IDENTITY A GOOD DOG FOOD

Identity Pet Nutrition makes 2 lines of small batch canned and cooked foods. Identity Gently Cooked is a low risk dog food by our criteria. Identity Canned is a moderate risk dog food, determined by the same criteria. Canned products involve several stages of heat that diminish nutrients. The gently cooked diets are kettle cooked and then flash frozen. The process uses less heat so fewer nutrients are lost. This results in a higher score for the canned foods.

Identity Canned dog food has 11 recipes with decent protein. But, we expect higher levels in a good quality canned food. They have high average carbohydrates of 27%. This is curious because there aren’t a lot of carbohydrate-heavy ingredients. These recipes have agar-agar which is a fiber and a thickener but it is low in carbs. Many recipes are high in fat. You want to see twice as much protein as fat. Most fats, especially pork and poultry fats, are also high in omega-6 fatty acids. This can cause systemic, low-grade inflammation. These foods also have added vitamins and minerals. The ingredients used are non-GMO. They are not organic so they are susceptible to high pesticide use that can pose a health risk.

In contrast, Identity Gently Cooked includes animal proteins and organs. There are no added vitamins and minerals, which is rare to see in a cooked dog food. This line has 6 recipes. They have very high protein, averaging 63%, and low carbs. These are good levels for cooked dog food and among the highest we’ve seen. However, there are 2 recipes that use rice to create bland diets. This isn’t recommended. Rice can have arsenic contamination and is high in carbs. It lacks nutrients. The line is also low in fat which is good to see. Like the canned foods, there are high pesticide ingredients in these recipes.

Both lines use coconut oil. This is a concern. It may harm gut health and cause changes in the gut lining. 

Identity pet foods are grain-free, gluten-free, legume-free, potato-free and non-GMO. Identity makes its products in small batches at the company’s micro-cannery. It sources ingredients from small local farms & ranches. Their proteins are delivered fresh on the day of production. They go to their manufacturing facility in Quebec, Canada. 

Identity states it sources from local sustainable farmers who practice regenerative farming practices. They use free-range, grass-fed, and sustainable meat. They use free-range poultry, salmon, and herring. However, they don’t offer any certifications on the website or packaging. These can include Global Animal Partnerships (GAP) or Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). They also use Atlantic salmon and herring but don’t state whether it’s wild or farmed. Wild fish is more nutritious than farmed fish and has a healthier fatty acid balance.  

The company describes its dog food as human grade. Until earlier in 2023, it wasn’t a recognized term by AAFCO. AAFCO is the regulatory body that establishes guidelines for the pet food industry. AAFCO has new guidelines for facilities processing human-grade pet food products. They must register as both an FDA food facility and an FDA feed facility. The FDA, not the USDA, regulates pet food production and labeling. Also, companies using the “human grade” label must have documentation. They must show that every ingredient and process is human grade. There is a break-in period of several years. Manufacturers can keep using the “human grade” label. They can do so without documentation for a while.

Identity Pet Nutrition does not provide the amount of omega-6:omega-3s in its recipes. This is unfortunate since AAFCO allows a very inflammatory ratio of 30:1. Overall, Identity Gently Cooked dog foods are a good option. They score much better than their canned foods. 

The average score of each Identity line is listed below. Click on any line to view the individual foods and scores. 

Identity Canned

7.2
4 color scale
Average Score
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Identity Free-Range Cobb Chicken Canned Dog Food
7.2
4 color scale
Average Score
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Identity Canned has 11 recipes that average 36% protein. They average 27% carbohydrates as calculated. They are a moderate risk dog food by our criteria. Points were deducted for ingredient quality. The recipes have high carbohydrates, added vitamins and minerals and high fat. These foods lose food safety points for being highly processed. They have high pesticide ingredients in the top 5.

Identity Canned Benefits

Identity Canned Concerns

Identity Gently Cooked

8.6
4 color scale
Average Score
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Identity Beef Gently Cooked Dog Food
8.6
4 color scale
Average Score
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Identity Gently Cooked has 6 recipes. They average 63% protein and 7% carbs when calculated on a dry matter basis. This calculation removes moisture for comparison with dry foods. This line scores quite well and is a low risk dog food by our criteria. This line loses food quality points for having higher carbohydrates in 2 recipes. These foods lose food safety points for being moderately processed. They also use rice, and have high pesticide ingredients in the top 5.

Identity Gently Cooked Benefits

Identity Gently Cooked Concerns

IDENTITY DOG FOOD RECALLS

Identity Pet Nutrition has had no recalls or voluntary withdrawals to date.

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