pro pac dog food review

Pro Pac Dog Food Review: Is it Worth the Money?

What catches your eye when it comes to cars? I like them fast, sleek, and shiny.

And when it comes to pets, I like the same qualities in a dog—fast, sleek, and shiny.

Maybe Pro Pac can be of help. Pro Pac Super Premium dog food claims to provide all this and more.

Just looking at the packaging, I know that Pro Pac uses some questionable advertising and ingredients.

According to Pro Pac, it is specially formulated to match every stage in a dog’s life cycle.

Let’s see if the whole picture supports this claim.

ProductsTypeSpecial FeatureOur RatingAAFCO Nutrient Profile(Life Stage)
Pro Pac Adult ChunkDryBig Chunks for adults3All Life Stages
Pro Pac Adult Mini ChunkDrySmall sized kibble3All Life Stages
Pro Pac Performance PuppyDryFor Growing Dogs2Growth

At a Glance: Pro Pac

Let’s see what we’re dealing with.

  • All recipes have “meals” as their primary ingredients.
  • Midwestern Pet Food owns Pro Pac.
  • Pro Pac uses its own manufacturing facilities.
  • A 40-pound bag costs about 69 dollars.
  • There is a high-profit margin for retailers.

About The Pro Pac Dog Food

Pro Pac dog food rating

2.0 Overall Editor Rating

Pro Pac Dog Food

  • Packaging Is Bpa Free
  • Balanced Ratio Of Omega-6 And Omega-3 Fatty Acids
  • Whitefish Meal And Potato Formula
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Pro Pac is a brand that is sold only in the USA. They use their own manufacturing facilities and source their ingredients on their own. Pro Pac is owned by Midwestern Pet Food. The parent company is a 4th generation family-owned business. It was started back in 1926. They support social issues like the patriotic fallen soldiers and provide eco-friendly packaging.

Who Makes Pro Pac Dog Food in 2023?

Pro Pac Dog Food is made by Midwestern pet food and manufactured by Pro Pac Services in 2023.

Pro Pac Services Incorporated is a team of packaging machinery experts with over 25 years of experience. They deal exclusively with thermoform fill seal vacuum packaging machinery.

Every aspect of Pro Pac revolves around service. Service and support are the foundation on which the Pro Pac was built.

As of now, there are four facilities in the United States where Pro Pac is made.

Five-Factor Analysis of Pro Pac Dog Food

Five-Factor Analysis of Pro Pac Dog Food

We cannot give you a review just based on vibes. This is why a seasoned dog food reviewer like myself takes out the time to analyze each and everything thoroughly to give the whole picture.

1. Recipes | ★★★

Well, so you have a little bit of everything. You’ve got chicken and rice, senior, lamb and rice, veal and rice, and small-breed and large-breed varieties. For the sake of this review, let me focus on these three recipes in particular.

Pro Pac Dog Food Adult Chunk

  • For strong bones
  • Maintains muscle tone
  • It gives a shiny coat
  • Improves stools

This dog food recipe is for adult dogs who are as active as any regular dog. It is an everyday dog food for maintaining the health of your beloved pet. It is not for dogs that are trying to gain muscle because it contains no real meat. We have a chicken meal as a first ingredient, and we know that this is made of the by-products of the chicken that was actually supposed to be there. It’s followed by some chicken fat that makes up for most of the calorific content.

It does try its best to give balanced nutrition by giving us Omega 3 and 6 for that shiny coat, but that’s about it. Not very impressed by this one!

Pro Pac Dog Food Mini Adult Chunk

  • For strong bones
  • Maintains muscle tone
  • It gives a shiny coat
  • Improves stools
  • Smaller kibble

There are no nutritional differences between Pro Pac Dog Food Adult Chunk and Mini Adult Chunk.

The Mini chunks are easier to chew and swallow and are a great size for small breeds, especially those little guys who always forget to swallow.

Pro Pac Performance Puppy

  • DHA for brain and eye development
  • For puppies and pregnant dogs
  • Omega 3 and 6 for skin and fur health

The packaging says that this recipe is excellent for nursing dogs, but when you turn the package, the ingredient list says a different story. The source of protein is only a chicken meal which cannot be called high-quality protein, and it isn’t sufficient to provide for pregnant/nursing/growing dogs.

Another cheap ingredient, ground whole corn, is added. Some may argue that it is a good energy source, but I dare to disagree. It can cause allergies; it’s hard to digest for dogs, and it makes dogs feel full, so they don’t eat as much, but it does not provide sufficient nutritional value for a small diet.

Pro Pac Performance Puppy is a flavored dry dog food, and that is all it is.

Author’s Note: In general, when a pet food uses words like “premium” or “super,” it is just an advertising term that is arbitrary when it comes to the FDA.

2. Ingredients | ★★

Chicken Meal

The difference between a chicken meal and just chicken is that a meal contains chicken by-products that are left after removing the meat for human use. Some companies argue that chicken and chicken meals are the same, but that’s not necessarily the case.

Chicken meal is a powder-like substance that can be preserved for longer after rendering the chicken.

Now chicken meals may contain meat, neck, feet, and intestines. I say I may because there’s no real way of knowing. Some parts may come from diseased or dead animals.

To be fair, the meal is cooked at high temperatures, so your dog is not going to contract any diseases, but I bet the nutrition is gone at that point as well.

This ingredient is not entirely bad, but it’s not the healthiest option out there. It helps companies cut costs and have a longer shelf life, but it’s not suitable for a dog’s long-term protein sustenance.

Chicken Fat

This is a cheap but high-quality energy source.

Even dogs who are allergic to chicken can have this in their dog food.

This is because dogs are mostly only allergic to the protein in their chicken. For this, we have to assume that the manufacturing company checks the chicken fat for chicken protein first.

It is an excellent source of linoleic acid, which is a substance that ensures that your dog’s coat keeps shining.

Chicken fat also uplifts the flavor of dog food. It adds a rich flavor profile that makes the food delicious.

Although chicken fat is a high-quality ingredient, it should be balanced by other types of energy sources and proteins. Overfeeding your dog’s chicken fat can lead to pancreatitis.

Ground Corn

Ground Corn is a highly debated ingredient in dog food, but it’s no surprise that the ones voting in favor of it are pet food companies themselves.

And why wouldn’t they? It is cheap. It makes your pet feel full fast. It passes off as “good enough.”

Some studies show that corn is not as “allergenic” as people make it out to be. It’s hard to believe in the integrity of these studies because wealthy pet food companies pay for them.

It’s extremely hard to move past the thousands of people’s testimonials on the internet claiming that corn is the cause of their dog’s allergies.

Grain quality matters as well. The corn may have undetected contaminants, which should be paid more attention. This is the most underlooked aspect of using corn in dog food.

Corn is an ingredient that is very hard to digest unless cooked to an extent.

The protein levels in corn are about 54% which is considered low.

3. Nutritional Analysis | ★★★

Let’s look at the nutritional value that Pro Pac provides to a dog on average.

NutrientPercentage
Protein26%
Fat18%
Fiber4%
Moisture5%
CarbohydratesNA

This analysis shows us that corn and chicken meals are used in quantities that reflect the fat-to-protein ratio of any average adult dry dog food.

You cannot complain, and yet nothing stands out either.

4. Price | ★★★

Well, Pro Pac is the whole line designed for independent pet retailers. First of all, nutrition for the dog and a half-price point for the customer.

There’s a 16-pound bag for $9.99, and we have a 40-pound dog food that can retail as low as $69. Wow, that’s really designed to compete. That’s a great deal.

However, it’s always good to remember that when dog food is made cheap, there is cost-cutting on several ends. Costs can be cut by using low-quality ingredients or not paying enough attention to sourcing or manufacturing.

I also noticed that you have a $2 coupon inside the pre-priced bags, and all of the products have a frequent buyer card. Buy ten, get one free.

5. Recall History | ★

On March 27, 2021, there was a recall on several dog food brands, including Pro Pac. It was due to a harmful bacteria linked with Salmonella.

Pro pac adult food was recalled for fatal aflatoxin levels on January 11, 2021.

The FDA has recorded over 110 deaths and 210 illnesses in pets that ate these products.

I’m horrified to read that this many pets had to lose their life by trusting pet food companies to know what they are doing and to do it right.

How Does Pro Pac Dog Food Compare to the Competition?

How Does Pro Pac Dog Food Compare To The Competition?

Half of the line has corn, and half of it doesn’t have corn, so it’s designed to compete with everything that’s out there.

Pro Pac is a low-cost dog food, as we’ve discussed earlier. It can compete with the prices of other dog foods in the business, but on the nutritional front, it leaves something to be desired.

Should You Buy Pro Pac Dog Food?

If you want your dog to feel full on a budget, go ahead. However, if your dog is a puppy, pregnant, nursing, or sickly, I cannot recommend this in good conscience.

Pros

  • Affordable Dog Food
  • Available in Big and Mini Chunks
  • Contains Omega 3 and 6 fatty Acids

Cons

  • Cheap ingredients
  • No real meat
  • Use of corn
  • Bad advertising

Our Rating

Recipes

Ingredients

Nutritional Analysis

Price

Recall History


Overall Rating: 2

My rating for this dog food, unfortunately, does not go beyond 2 stars.

FAQ’s

Who makes Pro Pac dog food?

The dog food brand, Pro Pac, is owned by Midwestern Pet Food, a parent company to many.

Where can I buy Pro Pac dog food?

Pro Pac dog food can be found at your local retailer as well as on online stores like Amazon and Chewy.

Is Pro Pac dog food grain-free?

Pro Pac dog food is not exclusively grain-free, but there are grain-free options available.

Before You Go

If you still want to go ahead and buy this product, I would like to reiterate that as long as the dog does not have a special condition, it can be a sustainable product. I hope you liked this review! Please come back for more thoughtful recommendations!

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