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BRAND

AvoDerm

Owned by Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, LLCSince 1982Irwindale, CA

RECIPES REVIEWED
25
AVG PROTEIN, DM, KIBBLE
28.1%
AVG STARCH, KIBBLE
39%
FDA RECALLS
1
LINES
Advanced 9 Grain Free 6 Natural 3 Original 2
THE LINES

AvoDerm Lines, Reviewed

4 lines

AvoDerm groups its dog food into four lines. Advanced is the largest, with nine kibble recipes, each made for a purpose such as weight, joints, seniors or sensitive support. Grain Free is the only line with wet food. It pairs three kibbles with three canned stews, and every recipe includes fish. Natural and Original are smaller adult kibble lines with three and two recipes.

Among the kibbles, Grain Free averages 26.7% protein and 29.3% estimated starch as fed, under the 37.4% catalog kibble average. Advanced matches it on protein at 26.7% with 37.3% starch, and eight of its nine recipes are grain free, built on peas and garbanzo beans. Natural averages 25% protein and 39.7% starch. Original is fully grain inclusive, with 22% protein, 45.5% starch, rice and oatmeal, and no peas, lentils or potato.

Advanced

9 kibble
Protein
26.7%
Fat
13.4%
Starch
37.3%
Kcal / cup
425

Average kibble, as fed

AvoDerm Advanced is a nine-recipe kibble line where each recipe is named for a purpose, such as weight, joints, seniors or sensitive support. Eight of the nine are grain free and built on peas and garbanzo beans, with one oatmeal and rice option.

A good fit for: Owners who want grain-free kibble named for a specific purpose; Small dogs eating small portions of calorie-dense kibble, up to 497 kcal per cup

Read the Advanced review

Grain Free

3 kibble · 3 wet food
Protein
26.7%
Fat
20%
Starch
29.3%
Kcal / cup
341

Average kibble, as fed

AvoDerm Grain Free is a six recipe line of three kibbles and three canned stews, all made without grain. Every recipe includes fish, peas or lentils, and potato, and the kibbles average lower estimated starch than the catalog kibble average.

A good fit for: Owners wanting grain free kibble with lower estimated starch than average; Adult dogs whose owners want fish in every recipe

Read the Grain Free review

Natural

3 kibble
Protein
25%
Fat
14%
Starch
39.7%
Kcal / cup
433

Average kibble, as fed

AvoDerm Natural is a three-recipe adult kibble line: one grain-inclusive formula with chicken, lamb, turkey and fish, plus two grain-free recipes with a single animal protein each. Calories span 355 to 497 kcal per cup, and one recipe is sold for small breeds.

A good fit for: Owners wanting grain-inclusive kibble with no peas or lentils; Owners of small adult dogs who prefer calorie-dense kibble

Read the Natural review

Original

2 kibble
Protein
22%
Fat
12%
Starch
45.5%
Kcal / cup
360

Average kibble, as fed

AvoDerm Original is a two-recipe line of grain-inclusive adult kibble built on chicken meal or lamb meal with brown rice, white rice and oatmeal. Neither recipe contains peas, lentils or potato, and both list fish and 360 kcal per cup.

A good fit for: Owners seeking grain-inclusive kibble with no peas, lentils or potato; Adult dogs of any breed size on a 360 kcal per cup food

Read the Original review
WHICH LINE FITS

Choosing Between The AvoDerm Lines

  • Grain-free kibble made for a specific purpose: Advanced
  • Grain-free kibble with lower estimated starch than average: Grain Free
  • Grain-free canned stews with fish in every recipe: Grain Free
  • Grain-inclusive kibble without peas, lentils or potato: Original
  • Adult kibble with a recipe sold for small breeds: Natural
  • Turkey or lamb as the only animal protein: Natural

All recipes

25 foods matched · newest first
AvoDerm Grain Free 6 recipes · See all
DEEP DIVE

Inside The AvoDerm Range

Across 25 recipes we review

Protein is close to the average kibble we review (28.1% on a dry matter basis).

100% of recipes lead with a meat, fish or egg ingredient (89% across the site).

64% of recipes are grain-free.

NUTRITION

How The Range Measures Up

this range, lowest to highest its average average of all 3,205 foods we review

Protein, dry matter 28% 22% to 33%
15%site avg 30%50%
Fat, dry matter 16% 9% to 27%
5%site avg 18%30%
Starch, as fed 39% 24% to 51%
10%site avg 37%60%
Kcal per cup 396 325 to 497
250site avg 395600

Starch is our estimate from the guaranteed analysis, since no manufacturer prints it. How we work it out

INGREDIENTS

What Goes In The Bowl

Fish 64% 34%
Chicken 44% 56%
Lamb 20% 14%
Egg 20% 31%
Turkey 16% 20%
Beef 12% 20%
Duck 4% 8%

Share of recipes that list each animal protein as an ingredient, not counting oils, fats or flavorings. Useful if your dog has a food sensitivity.

Ingredients Some Owners Avoid

By-products 0% 13%
Artificial colors 0% 1%
Chemical preservatives 0% 9%
Corn 0% 15%
Wheat 0% 13%
Soy 0% 10%

These are not unsafe. They are listed because readers ask about them.

LIFE STAGE
  • Adult19
  • Senior4
  • Puppy1
  • All Life Stages1
BREED SIZE
  • All Breeds25
  • Small Breed4
  • Large Breed1
SPECIAL DIETS
  • Grain-free (no wheat, corn, rice, barley or oats)16
  • Weight Management2
  • Limited Ingredient2
AvoDerm Advanced Joint Health Grain-Free Chicken Meal Formula Dry Dog Food MOST PROTEIN AvoDerm Advanced Joint Health Grain-Free Chicken Meal Formula Dry Dog Food 33.3% dry matter AvoDerm Grain-Free Chicken & Vegetables Recipe Dry Dog Food LEAST STARCH AvoDerm Grain-Free Chicken & Vegetables Recipe Dry Dog Food 24% as fed AvoDerm Weight Support Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food FEWEST CALORIES AvoDerm Weight Support Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food 329 kcal per cup
THE COMPANY

About AvoDerm

Owner
Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, LLC
Ownership
Privately held
Founded
1982
Headquarters
Irwindale, CA

Who Makes It

AvoDerm is a dog and cat food brand made by Breeder's Choice Pet Foods, LLC of Irwindale, California. The brand is known for including avocado in its recipes, and the company says the avocado supports healthy skin and coat. 1, 2

Where It Is Made

The company says AvoDerm dry foods are made in its own plant in Irwindale, California. Breeder's Choice also makes food for private label brands at that facility. 1, 3

History

Breeder's Choice was founded by Harold Taylor in 1947, and AvoDerm launched in 1982 after he met Richard H. Davis, an avocado farmer. Central Garden & Pet owned Breeder's Choice until October 2020, when it sold the company to a private ownership group led by Natural Balance founder Joey Herrick. 2, 3

Worth Knowing

In 2012, Breeder's Choice recalled one batch of AvoDerm Natural Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Adult Dog Formula because of possible Salmonella contamination. A federal class action in California alleged that AvoDerm's marketing overstated how much avocado the food contains. Class certification was denied in October 2024, and the case settled and was dismissed in February 2025. 4, 5, 6

  1. avodermnatural.com
  2. issuewire.com/avocado-goes-to-the-dogs-avoderm-celebrates-over-42-years-of-happy-pets-1796873062903538
  3. petage.com/new-owners-at-breeders-choice-joey-herrick-la-dodgers-orel-hershiser-hall-of-fame-broadcaster-jaime-jarrin
  4. dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-recalls/avoderm-dog-food-recall
  5. news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/avoderm-pet-food-makers-defeats-class-claims-in-false-ad-suit
  6. news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/avoderm-settles-avocado-deception-class-suit-from-pet-owners

Researched from the sources above. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

RECALL HISTORY // AVODERM

1 FDA Recall On Record

SEP 11, 2012
POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION WITH SALMONELLA

Natural Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Adult Dog Formula

See the recall log

NEWS & PRESS

What AvoDerm Has Announced

FEB 26, 2025
NEWS AvoDerm Settles Avocado Deception Class Suit From Pet Owners

The defendants settled the consumer suit over AvoDerm's avocado claims, and Judge Jon S. Tigar dismissed the proposed class action. Bloomberg Law

OCT 24, 2024
NEWS AvoDerm Pet Food Makers Defeats Class Claims in False-Ad Suit

A federal judge in Northern California denied class certification in a suit alleging that AvoDerm marketing overstated the brand's avocado content. Bloomberg Law

APR 22, 2024
NEWS Avocado Goes to the Dogs: AvoDerm Celebrates Over 42 Years of Happy Pets

This press release marks more than 42 years of AvoDerm and tells how the brand began in 1982 at Breeder's Choice in Irwindale, California. IssueWire

All AvoDerm news →

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