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Under The Weather Dog Food Reviews

Average Score

3.5
4 color scale

Food scores are based on ingredient quality and safety. For more information, view our  evaluation criteria.

Under The Weather is a dog food company founded in 2015 by Kyla Sternlieb. The company is based in Winooski, VT. It manufactures 2 lines of dog food as well as other pet products for dogs and cats. Only one line of food is complete and balanced for daily feeding.

Its products are manufactured in the US but it’s not certain whether they have their own facility or use a third party co-manufacturer.

IS UNDER THE WEATHER A GOOD DOG FOOD?

Under The Weather produces 2 lines of dog food but only one is considered complete and balanced for long-term feeding.

With a score of 3.5/10, the Probiotic Kibble is considered a high risk dog food. It has one recipe with protein of 30% and carbohydrates of 32%, which is high, but not as high as many kibbles in the marketplace. The company states that they don’t include wheat, gluten, corn, and soy, that are known allergens. However, this recipe includes sorghum, millet and rice that contribute to the high carbohydrate level. 

Dogs have no nutritional requirement for carbohydrates but they’re added to dog foods for energy, texture and taste. Starch is also required for extrusion in dry foods. Excessive carbohydrate is an indicator of food quality as it can be used to reduce manufacturing cost. Foods that are high in carbohydrates can raise insulin and cause obesity. Some studies also show that dogs fed a high carbohydrate content have changes to their gut bacteria.  

It’s noted that this recipe includes probiotics which is good to see. However, they guarantee a minimum of 2 million CFUs, colony forming units, which is quite low. CFUs are the way the “strength” of a probiotic is measured, and tell you the number of live bacteria present in a probiotic product. Higher CFU counts are generally considered better. As a rule of thumb, 3-5 billion CFUs is considered appropriate for maintenance. When added to a processed product like dog food, much of the probiotic strength can be lost, depending on when they were added in the process, due to heat and length of time on the shelf.

This recipe includes an excessive amount of added vitamins and minerals. It’s preferred that vitamins and minerals come from whole food sources that include the full spectrum of cofactors, which makes them safe and bioavailable. While a couple of added vitamins and minerals are acceptable, five or more implies the food is of poor nutritional value. 

It’s also worth noting that this line contains sodium selenite as a source of selenium. Dogs need selenium, and it’s usually added in very small amounts. However some research suggests that sodium selenite may be associated with potential toxicity, so selenium yeast is the preferred form of this mineral.

This recipe uses an an unnamed animal protein in the form of fish meal. This type of generic ingredient is often a less expensive source of protein or fat. You want to see beef, salmon or chicken, not animal, fish or poultry. Unnamed protein sources are of much lower quality, especially meals, which are typically from rendered waste.

Canola oil is also used which is a highly processed seed oil that’s high in omega-6 fatty acids, and can cause systemic and gut inflammation. Studies show that ultra processed foods are linked to a higher rate of all-cause mortality in humans. Additionally, canola is a GMO crop. There are limited safety studies on genetically modified and Roundup Ready crops although they are lacking in nutrients compared to non-GMO foods. 

The food safety score is low because, like all kibbles, Under The Weather is ultra-processed. The individual ingredients in dry dog foods are heated several times during processing, which can cause a significant loss of enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and phytonutrients. Processed foods are also linked to higher mortality rates in many species. 

Rounding out the food safety scores, this recipe loses points for including sorghum and millet, which are crops known for high pesticide/herbicide residues, in the top 5 ingredients. Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers pose a significant health risk to plants, animals and soils. Foods with the largest reported amount of residue will be penalized, including crops that are known to be spray-dried with glyphosate (Roundup).

This recipe loses an ingredient safety point for natural flavor, which is often either animal digest or MSG, both low quality ingredients with limited safety studies. Finally, rice is a concern as it can be contaminated with arsenic, which is linked to chronic health issues.

This recipe contains a substantial number of glam ingredients such as kelp, beets, cranberries, pumpkin, spinach, tomatoes and blueberries. Glam ingredients are expensive or desirable ingredients that are often added to appeal to consumers but may be in miniscule amounts. If these foods are below salt (in this case potassium chloride is a salt) or other low concentration ingredients, they contribute little or no nutritional value for your dog. 

The company states its salmon is wild line-caught but it offers no information about its oceanfish or fish meal. This information is good to have as wild caught fish is more nutritious and has a better fatty acid balance providing healthy omega-3s. 

Finally, it’s quite notable that Under The Weather has provided the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio which is almost 1:1. This is important to know since diets rich in omega-6 fats can cause chronic inflammation and disease, and AAFCO allows a very high ratio of 30:1.

The Bland Diet that this company was founded upon bears mentioning. The company notes these foods do not have the nutrients needed for a long-term diet and are intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only. 

The ingredients in each of the 6 recipes include a cooked, freeze-dried protein, rice, electrolytes and glycine, an amino acid that’s a precursor to glutathione, an important antioxidant, plus pumpkin or sweet potatoes. They’re offered as a short-term bland diet for digestive issues. 

The major concern is that the recipes contain rice that results in excessively high average carbohydrates of 60%. As noted earlier, high carbohydrates can raise insulin levels and affect gut health. Additionally, arsenic contamination is a common problem with rice, which naturally absorbs arsenic that can contaminate the water it’s grown in. Arsenic is linked to chronic health issues. Overall, rice has minimal nutritional value, but can be harmful due to these issues.

These recipes do include freeze-dried proteins that have been partially broken down through cooking and are easier on the digestive system. Additionally, pumpkin and sweet potato are high in fiber to absorb moisture in cases of diarrhea, as well as contributing some nutrients. Quinoa might be a consideration in place of rice for bland diets as it will absorb moisture and contribute nutrients including several essential amino acids.

Probiotic Kibble Benefits

Probiotic Kibble Concerns

View All Under The Weather Foods

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Probiotic & Bone Broth Coated Kibble
Probiotic & Bone Broth Coated Kibble

Under The Weather Recalls

There are currently no Under The Weather recalls.

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