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Instinct was founded in 2002, and has its headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. It’s owned by Nature’s Variety, an independent pet food company, which has manufacturing facilities in Lincoln, Nebraska. Nature’s Variety owns and manages the Instinct and Prairie brands. Instinct is a full line of grain-free and gluten-free foods for dogs and cats.
Nature’s Variety was acquired by Agrolimen S.A. in 2016 but planned to operate as a stand-alone company at that time.
Instinct offers 11 brands of dry, wet, frozen and freeze-dried dog food. The freeze-dried and frozen foods are considered low risk with the other foods rated as moderate or high risk.
The company states that its raw recipes are made with non-GMO fruits and vegetables. The company is transparent and states they don’t certify their foods as organic as they can’t confirm the diets of their food animals. Most of the ingredients are sourced domestically. They source grass-fed lamb from New Zealand.
Instinct’s 2 freeze-dried lines score well and are considered low risk dog foods. Raw Meals Freeze-Dried and Raw Longevity 100% Freeze-Dried are minimally processed which means minimal loss of nutrients. They have a low level of carbohydrates obtained from fruits and vegetables rather than grains and starches. Raw Frozen scores a bit lower because of its higher level of carbohydrates.
Within the wet recipes, most have higher average carbohydrates than competing brands. Dry recipes are also high in carbohydrates but that’s to be expected in kibble. Instinct points out on its labeling and on its website that recipes do not contain grain, potato, corn, wheat or soy but they do include peas, tapioca and chickpeas which are starches that contribute to the high carbohydrate level. Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrate but starch is required for extrusion in dry foods. Excessive carbohydrate is an indicator of lower food quality as they can be used to reduce manufacturing cost. Large amounts of starch can increase insulin levels, cause obesity and negatively impact gut balance.
There is a Limited Ingredient Dry recipe and a Limited Ingredient Recipe. While it’s commendable that they try to restrict ingredients to support dogs with sensitivities, these foods contain a few food ingredients followed by a lengthy list of synthetic additives. Whenever possible it’s preferable to see nutrients that come from whole foods.
Instinct offers several specialty lines. Raw Longevity 20% Freeze-Dried has the addition of 20% freeze dried foods, Be Natural is kibble coated with freeze-dried raw, and Raw Boost is kibble plus freeze-dried poultry, beef or fish. Essentially these combine ultra-processed kibble with some freeze-dried ingredients but ingredient quality and ingredient safety scores reflect kibble, which is the main component.
It should be pointed out that several lines use unsubstantiated marketing terms. They include terms like free-range, grass-fed or humanely-raised, which are purely marketing terms that have no legal meaning under pet food regulatory standards. Third-party certifications are available that would support these claims.
Across the entire line, these recipes include synthetic vitamins and minerals rather than relying on food sources for these nutrients. Many recipes use high processed seed oils, and natural flavor which is usually made from low quality ingredients like MSG or animal digest. There are high pesticide/herbicide foods like peas, chickpeas and apples, often in the top 5 ingredients. Coconut oil is added to several foods and is high in saturated fats and lauric acid, which some studies show can increase gut inflammation and permeability.
One thing we like about this food is that Instinct includes probiotics in their dry foods and in some lines guarantees the colony forming units (CFUs).
Overall, Instinct’s freeze-dried and frozen raw are acceptable foods. But it should be noted that several competitors offer foods without having to add vitamins and minerals to meet AAFCO requirements.
The average score of each Instinct line is listed below. Click on any line to view the individual foods and scores.
Instinct Original Kibble dog food Is considered a moderate risk dog food. There are 5 recipes that average 36% protein and 23% carbohydrate as calculated. The ingredient quality score is low due to high carbohydrates and excessive added vitamins and minerals. This line also contains plant protein and seed oil. There are safety concerns as it’s an ultra processed food. It also includes some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5, and contains natural flavor.
Instinct Original Wet dog food Is considered a moderate risk dog food. There are 5 recipes that average 44% protein and 13% carbohydrate as calculated on a dry matter basis. The ingredient quality score is low due to higher carbohydrates in some recipes, and excessive added vitamins and minerals. This line also uses seed oil. There are safety concerns as it’s a highly processed canned food. It also includes some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5.
Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Kibble dog food Is considered a high risk dog food. There are 3 recipes that average 26% protein and 36% carbohydrate as calculated. The ingredient quality score is low due to high carbohydrates, use of seed oils and excessive added vitamins and minerals. There are ingredient safety concerns as it’s an ultra processed food. It also includes some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5. These foods also contain natural flavor.
Instinct Limited Ingredient Wet dog food Is considered a moderate risk dog food. There are 3 recipes that average 46% protein and 13% carbohydrate as calculated on a dry matter basis. The ingredient quality score is low due to high carbohydrates in one recipe, and excessive added vitamins and minerals. They also use seed oils and plant protein. There are safety concerns as it’s a highly processed canned food. This line also includes some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5, and natural flavor.
Instinct Be Natural Kibble dog food Is considered a high risk dog food. There are 5 recipes that average 25% protein and 39% carbohydrate as calculated. The ingredient quality score is low due to high carbohydrates, use of seed oils and excessive added vitamins and minerals. There are ingredient safety concerns as it’s an ultra processed food. This line also includes some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5. These foods also contain GMO ingredients, rice and natural flavor.
Instinct Raw Boost Kibble dog food Is considered a high risk dog food. There are 16 recipes that average 32% protein and 29% carbohydrate as calculated. The ingredient quality score is low due to high carbohydrates, use of seed oils and plant protein, and excessive added vitamins and minerals. There are safety concerns as it’s an ultra processed food. This line also includes some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5, as well as GMO ingredients, rice and natural flavor.
Instinct Raw Frozen dog food Is considered a low risk dog food. There are 5 recipes that average 41% protein and 16% carbohydrate as calculated on a dry matter basis. The ingredient quality score loses points for having some recipes with higher carbohydrates and some added minerals. There are safety concerns due to some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5.
Instinct Raw Meals Freeze-Dried dog food Is considered a low risk dog food. There are 4 recipes that average 36% protein and 15% carbohydrate. The ingredient quality score loses points for having some recipes with higher carbohydrates. There are safety concerns for including some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5.
Instinct Raw Longevity Frozen dog food is considered a low risk dog food. There are 7 recipes that average 40% protein and 16% carbohydrate as calculated on a dry matter basis. The ingredient quality score loses points for having some recipes with higher carbohydrates and for using unnamed animal protein. There are safety concerns due to some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5.
Instinct Raw Longevity 100% Freeze-Dried dog food is considered a low risk dog food. There are 7 recipes that average 36% protein and 12% carbohydrate as calculated. The ingredient quality score loses points for using excessive added minerals and unnamed animal protein. There are safety concerns for some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5.
Instinct Raw Longevity 20% Freeze-Dried dog food is considered a moderate risk dog food. There are 5 recipes that average 37% protein and 22% carbohydrate as calculated. The ingredient quality score is low due to high carbohydrates, and excessive added vitamins and minerals. These recipes also contain seed oils. There are safety concerns as it’s an ultra processed food. This line also includes some high pesticide ingredients in the top 5, and uses natural flavor.
To date there have been no recalls of Instinct dog foods
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