Which Ollie Recipes Get Our Best Ratings?
In this review… The Dog Food Advisor takes an in-depth look at Ollie Dog Food… as well as its ingredients, nutrient content and recall history.
Ollie Dog Food earns the Advisor’s highest rating of 5 stars.
The Ollie product line includes the 4 fresh cooked dog foods listed below.
Each recipe includes its AAFCO nutrient profile… Growth (puppy), Maintenance (adult), All Life Stages, Supplemental or Unspecified.
Ollie Turkey Dish with Blueberries 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: Turkey breast, kale, lentils, carrots, coconut oil, turkey liver, blueberries, pumpkin, dicalcium phosphate, chia seeds, iodized salt, calcium carbonate, cod liver oil, zinc gluconate, iron sulfate, choline bitartrate, manganese gluconate, manganese sulfate, copper gluconate, vitamin E supplement, thiamin, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), potassium iodate
Fiber (estimated dry matter content) = 7.1%
| Estimated Nutrient Content | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Method | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Guaranteed Analysis | 11% | 7% | NA |
| Dry Matter Basis | 39% | 25% | 28% |
| Calorie Weighted Basis | 31% | 48% | 22% |
The first ingredient in this dog food is turkey breast. Turkey is considered “the clean combination of flesh and skin… derived from the parts or whole carcasses of turkey”.
Turkey is naturally rich in the ten essential amino acids required by a dog to sustain life.
The second ingredient is kale. Kale is a type of cabbage in which the central leaves do not form a head. This dark green vegetable is especially rich in beta-carotene, vitamins C, vitamin K and calcium.
And like broccoli, kale contains sulforaphane, a natural chemical believed to possess potent anti-cancer properties.
The third ingredient lists lentils, which are a quality source of carbohydrates. Plus (like all legumes) they’re rich in natural fiber.
However, lentils contain about 25% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the actual meat content of this dog food.
The fourth ingredient includes carrots. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, minerals and dietary fiber.
The fifth ingredient is coconut oil, a natural oil rich in medium-chain fatty acids.
Medium-chain triglycerides have been shown to improve cognitive function in older dogs.
Because of its proven safety as well as its potential to help in the treatment of canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) and chronic skin disorders, MCT can be considered a positive addition to this recipe.
The sixth ingredient is turkey liver. This is an organ meat sourced from a named animal and thus considered a beneficial component.
The seventh ingredient includes blueberries. Blueberries are a good source of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.
The eighth ingredient is pumpkin. Pumpkin is a nutritious addition high in complex carbohydrates, beta-carotene and dietary fiber.
From here, the list goes on to include a number of other items.
But to be realistic, ingredients located this far down the list (other than nutritional supplements) are not likely to affect the overall rating of this product.
With 3 notable exceptions…
First, we find chia seed, an edible seed nutritionally similar to flax or sesame. Provided they’re first ground into a meal, chia seeds are rich in both omega-3 fatty acids as well as dietary fiber.
However, chia seeds contain about 17% protein, a factor that must be considered when judging the meat content of this dog food.
Next, cod liver oil is a fish oil known to be rich in both EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamins A and D.
And lastly, this food contains 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.
After studying its ingredients panel, Ollie appears to be an above-average wet dog food.
The dashboard displays a dry matter protein reading of 39%, a fat level of 25% and estimated carbohydrates of about 28%.
As a group, the brand features an average protein content of 36% and a mean fat level of 22%. Together, these figures suggest a carbohydrate content of 34% for the overall product line.
And a fat-to-protein ratio of about 60%.
Above-average protein. Above-average fat. And below-average carbs when compared to a typical cooked frozen dog food.
Even when you consider the protein-boosting effect of the lentils and chia seed, this still appears to resemble the profile of a moisture-rich product containing a significant amount of meat.
What is Ollie & What is “Fresh” Dog Food?
Ollie is a brand of fresh dog food brand that provides direct delivery food on a subscription basis.
Ollie’s recipes are designed to focus on quality and freshness, with minimally-processed foods containing large amounts of real animal protein and organ meats, along with fruits, veggies, and added superfoods to benefit canine health.
The belief is that fresh foods can provide more nutrients to dogs than ultra-processed dry kibble. It’s hard to say for sure whether fresh dog food is inherently “better”, but it does seem that many dogs that have previously suffered some stomach issues or allergies do much better on a fresh diet like Ollie.
A couple things worth noting about Ollie’s ingredient list:
For those who are nervous about the FDA’s alert of a undetermined correlation between grain-free dog food and DCM, Ollie also has a grain-inclusive recipe; their chicken recipe contains a healthy dose of rice, in addition to carrots, chia seeds, spinach, potatoes, and other tasty ingredients.
Ollie offers four recipes that owners can choose from:
What is the AAFCO Rating for Ollie Dog Food?
According to the AAFCO (The Association of American Feed Control Officials) standards, Ollie Dog Food is 100% complete and balanced. This means that the brand’s recipes meet the dietary requirements of dogs of different ages and breeds, including large-sized and fast-growing puppies (with an adult weight of over 150 pounds).
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