American Journey is a newer dog food brand, and it’s Chewy’s own line of food, similar to the Kirkland brand for Costco. For such a short time on the market, they have earned some very high ratings, even here in this American Journey dog food review.
They have many different recipes, and their dog food is generally catered to “all life stages” with dry dog food for senior dogs, kibbles for puppies, and formulas for dogs that need to lose weight. They also have different formulas that are diet-specific, including a limited ingredient formula, which is slightly pricier.
American Journey is well thought of by most dog owners that use it, and it rivals some more expensive brands. Some of their recipes are grain-free, and other recipes are not, so you’ll have a wide variety to pick from. They also has several different flavors of wet dog foods, which can be great to add as a topper to dry food for your pup. Let’s dig in!
Review of American Journey Grain Free Dry Dog Food
Rating:
American Journey Grain Free Dog Food receives the Advisor’s best rating of 5 stars.
The American Journey Grain Free product line includes the 17 grain-free dry dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile when available… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
American Journey Salmon and Sweet Potato Grain Free was selected to represent the other products in the line for detailed recipe and nutrient analysis.
Label and nutrient data below are calculated using dry matter basis.
Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient ContentProtein =
Ingredients: Deboned salmon, chicken meal (a source of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate), turkey meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, pea protein, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried plain beet pulp, natural flavor, flaxseed, menhaden fish meal, blueberries, carrots, salt, salmon oil, dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product, dried kelp, fructooligosaccharides, vitamin E supplement, choline chloride, taurine, mixed tocopherols (preservative), ferrous sulfate, zinc proteinate, zinc sulfate, iron proteinate, Yucca schidigera extract, niacin supplement, copper sulfate, potassium chloride, sodium selenite, d-calcium pantothenate, copper proteinate, riboflavin supplement, manganese sulfate, vitamin A supplement, manganese proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium iodate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, rosemary extract
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 5.6%
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 32% | 14% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 36% | 16% | 41% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 31% | 33% | 36% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is salmon. Although it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, raw salmon contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is chicken meal. Chicken meal is considered a meat concentrate and contains nearly 300% more protein than fresh chicken.
The third ingredient is turkey meal, another protein-rich meat concentrate.
The fourth ingredient includes peas. Peas are a quality source of carbohydrates. And like all legumes, they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, peas contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The fifth ingredient is sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are a gluten-free source of complex carbohydrates in dog food. They are naturally rich in dietary fiber and beta carotene.
The next ingredient includes chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. Like peas, bean and lentils, the chickpea is a nutritious member of the fiber-rich legume (or pulse) family of vegetables.
However, chickpeas contain about 22% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The seventh ingredient is pea protein, what remains of a pea after removing the starchy part of the vegetable.
Even though it contains over 80% protein, this ingredient would be expected to have a lower biological value than meat.
And less costly plant-based products like this can notably boost the total protein reported on the label — a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
The next ingredient is chicken fat. This item is obtained from rendering chicken, a process similar to making soup in which the fat itself is skimmed from the surface of the liquid.
Chicken fat is high in linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid essential for life. Although it doesn’t sound very appetizing, chicken fat is actually a quality ingredient.
The ninth ingredient is beet pulp. Beet pulp is a controversial ingredient, a high fiber by-product of sugar beet processing.
Some denounce beet pulp as an inexpensive filler while others cite its outstanding intestinal health and blood sugar benefits.
We only call your attention here to the controversy and believe the inclusion of beet pulp in reasonable amounts in most dog foods is entirely acceptable.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other ingredients.
But realistically, items located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this American Journey product.
With 7 notable exceptions…
First, we find flaxseed, one of the best plant sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Provided they’ve first been ground into a meal, flax seeds are also rich in soluble fiber.
However, flaxseed contains about 19% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
Next, we note the inclusion of menhaden fish meal, yet another high protein meat concentrate.
Fish meal is typically obtained from the “clean, dried, ground tissue of undecomposed whole fish and fish cuttings” of commercial fish operations.
In addition, this recipe includes salmon oil. This item is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.
Depending on its level of freshness and purity, salmon oil should be considered a commendable addition.
Next, this recipe contains fructooligosaccharide, an alternative sweetener probably used here as a prebiotic. Prebiotics function to support the growth of healthy bacteria in the large intestine.
Additionally, this food includes chelated minerals, minerals that have been chemically attached to protein. This makes them easier to absorb. Chelated minerals are usually found in better dog foods.
We also note the addition of taurine, an important amino acid associated with the healthy function of heart muscle. Although taurine is not typically considered essential in canines, some dogs have been shown to be deficient in this critical nutrient.
Since taurine deficiency appears to be more common in pets consuming grain-free diets, we view its presence in this recipe as a positive addition.
And lastly, this recipe contains sodium selenite, a controversial form of the mineral selenium. Sodium selenite appears to be nutritionally inferior to the more natural source of selenium found in selenium yeast.
Based on its ingredients alone, American Journey Grain Free Dog Food looks like an above-average dry product.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 36%, a fat level of 16% and estimated carbohydrates of about 41%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 35% and a mean fat level of 14%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 43% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 40%.
Which means this American Journey product line contains…
Above-average protein. Below-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to other dry dog foods.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the peas, chickpeas, pea protein and flaxseed, this looks like the profile of a dry product containing a significant amount of meat.
Our Rating of American Journey Grain Free Dog Food
American Journey Grain Free is a dry dog food using a significant amount of named meat meals as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
What Dogs Is American Journey Best For?
American Journey’s offerings are nicely suited to many different dogs. Their formulas include specific diets for dogs across the life stages and special needs like weight management. You also have the option of choosing between grain-inclusive and grain-free food throughout almost all of their lines. Thus, it becomes easy to cater to dogs who may have more sensitive stomachs. Dogs who have even more sensitivities can benefit from limited-ingredient food, which American Journey also offers. Different wet foods can truly amp up the flavor of your dog’s dinner, which is great for pickier pets. Overall, we feel that American Journey does an excellent job of providing delicious meals to almost every kind of dog.
American Journey is sold almost exclusively at Chewy.com. PetSmart also carries the brand, though it’s easier to source the whole range American Journey has available via Chewy. It’s worth noting that neither Chewy nor PetSmart ships outside of the contiguous US. It’s possible to purchase their products internationally, but they will have to pay for a package forwarding service.
Their dry food comes in sizes of 4 pounds, 12 pounds, and 24 pounds. There are also 14-pound and 28-pound sizes for some other formulas, but the sizing stays similar to the regular sizes closest to them. Expect to pay around $17 for a 4-pound bag, around $32 for a 12-pound bag, and around $48 for a 24-pound bag. American Journey’s affordability is a big reason why people are drawn to the brand, and for the high-quality food they receive, it’s certainly good value for money.
FAQ
Who is American Journey dog food made by?
Do dogs like American Journey dog food?
American Journey Grain Free is a dry dog food using a significant amount of named meat meals as its main source of animal protein, thus earning the brand 5 stars.
Is American Journey dog food highly recommended by all the critics?