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In The Kibble
My dogs
BRAND

Pure Balance

Owned by Walmart Inc.Since 2012Bentonville, AR

RECIPES REVIEWED
17
AVG PROTEIN, DM, KIBBLE
28.2%
AVG STARCH, KIBBLE
39%
FDA RECALLS
None since 2012
THE LINES

Pure Balance Lines, Reviewed

2 lines

Pure Balance sorts its food into two lines. Pro+ is the broad one, with 12 recipes split evenly between kibble and wet food. It is built mostly on chicken, with grains and peas, and also uses egg, fish, turkey, beef and pork across its recipes. It covers puppies, adults and seniors, with recipes made for small breeds, large breeds, weight control and active dogs. Wild & Free is a single grain-free kibble with fish as its animal protein, sold for all life stages.

The two kibble lines look close on the label. Pro+ kibble averages 24.6% protein and 40.8% estimated starch as fed, against 24% protein and 40% starch for Wild & Free. Both sit below the catalog kibble average of 26.9% protein and above its 37.4% starch. Wild & Free carries more fat, at 15% versus 12.7%. Pro+ wet food averages 7.2% protein, under the 8.3% wet catalog average.

Pro+

6 kibble · 6 wet food
Protein
24.6%
Fat
12.7%
Starch
40.8%
Kcal / cup
378

Average kibble, as fed

Pure Balance Pro+ is a 12-recipe line split evenly between kibble and wet food, built mostly on chicken with grains and peas. It covers puppies, adults and seniors, plus recipes made for small breeds, large breeds, weight control and active dogs.

A good fit for: Owners who want grain-inclusive kibble and wet food; Households feeding puppies, adults and seniors from one line

Read the Pro+ review
WHICH LINE FITS

Choosing Between The Pure Balance Lines

  • Kibble and wet food from the same line: Pro+
  • Grain-inclusive kibble built mostly on chicken: Pro+
  • Recipes for puppies, adults and seniors: Pro+
  • A recipe made for weight control: Pro+
  • A single grain-free kibble with fish: Wild & Free
  • A higher-fat kibble sold for all life stages: Wild & Free

All recipes

17 foods matched · newest first
Pure Balance Pro+ 12 recipes · See all
DEEP DIVE

Inside The Pure Balance Range

Across 17 recipes we review

Protein is close to the average kibble we review (28.2% on a dry matter basis).

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

29% 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% 24% to 30%
15%site avg 30%50%
Fat, dry matter 16% 8% to 19%
5%site avg 18%30%
Starch, as fed 39% 35% to 44%
10%site avg 37%60%
Kcal per cup 377 324 to 430
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

Chicken 71% 56%
Egg 47% 31%
Fish 41% 34%
Turkey 18% 20%
Beef 6% 20%
Lamb 6% 14%
Pork 6% 11%

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 6% 9%
Corn 0% 15%
Wheat 0% 13%
Soy 0% 10%

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

LIFE STAGE
  • All Life Stages9
  • Adult3
  • Puppy3
  • Senior2
BREED SIZE
  • All Breeds14
  • Large Breed2
  • Small Breed1
SPECIAL DIETS
  • Grain-free (no wheat, corn, rice, barley or oats)5
THE COMPANY

About Pure Balance

Owner
Walmart Inc.
Ownership
Subsidiary of a public company
Founded
2012
Headquarters
Bentonville, AR

Who Makes It

Pure Balance is a Walmart private label brand of dog and cat food sold exclusively through Walmart. Its lines include the vet-formulated Pro+ range and the grain-free Wild & Free range, and Walmart describes Pro+ as priced lower than similar premium pet foods. 1, 2

History

Walmart launched Pure Balance on August 14, 2012 as its first ultra-premium dry dog food, starting with Chicken & Brown Rice and Lamb & Brown Rice recipes in more than 2,900 stores. On May 3, 2021, Walmart added Pure Balance PRO+, a vet-formulated line with five dry dog formulas and four cat formulas. 3, 1

Worth Knowing

Petful reports that it found no Pure Balance recalls on record. 4

  1. corporate.walmart.com/news/2021/05/03/walmart-is-helping-pets-live-better-too
  2. walmart.com/ip/Pure-Balance-Wild-Free-Salmon-Pea-Recipe-Dry-Dog-Food-Grain-Free-24-lbs/590208360
  3. corporate.walmart.com/news/2012/08/14/walmart-launches-first-ultra-premium-dog-food-brand-pure-balance
  4. petful.com/brands/pure-balance-recall

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

RECALL HISTORY // PURE BALANCE

No Recalls In Our Record Since 2012

Our log holds FDA dog food recall notices from 2012 on, so this is not a guarantee that Pure Balance has never had one. See the recall log

Keep In The Know,
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