4Health Dog Food Review 2024: Pros, Cons, Recalls & FAQ – Dogster (2024)

If you don’t have a Tractor Supply Co. in your area, you might not have heard of their private label dog food brand, 4Health. The brand offers limited ingredient foods that include real meat and veggies in both grain-free and wholesome grain options. Though it’s a bit limited where you can find the brand as it’s a private label, the food should be suitable for most pups. However, including peas and legumes in nearly every recipe is a bit of a concern, as these ingredients may impact the health of a dog’s heart.

Overall, though, the dog food brand has good ingredients and several options, which is why we’ve given it 4.0 out of 5 stars. See below to find out more about 4Health and whether this food brand would be the right one for your pup!

At a Glance: The Best 4Health Dog Food Recipes:

Rating	Image	Product	Details
		4health Salmon & Potato Formula	Made with real salmon No Corn, No Wheat, No Soy Contains Taurine	CHECK PRICE
		4health Tractor Supply Company	Helps maintain a healthy digestive system Contain other ingredients, such as grains Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids	CHECK PRICE
		4health Tractor Supply Company Grain Free	Good choice for pregnant Providing vital nutrition for both moms and nursing pups Helps maintain a healthy digestive system	CHECK PRICE
		4health Healthy Weight Formula	Zero Additives + Zero Fillers Contains all natural ingredients Premium quality dry dog food	CHECK PRICE
		4health Tractor Supply Company, Small Bites Formula	Antioxidant formulation No corn, wheat and soy Contains glucosamine hydrochloride	CHECK PRICE

4Health Dog Food Reviewed

4Health dog food has a focus on limited ingredients and recipes that are grain-free (though they have a wholesome grains line as well), so if your dog has allergies or sensitivities, this dog food could be an excellent fit.

However, they do seem to use peas and legumes in most, if not all, of their recipes which could be cause for concern. Peas and legumes have been linked to heart disease in dogs, though this link requires more research to determine the validity. Still, it’s something to be aware of.

Who makes 4Health dog food, and where is it produced?

4Health Dog Food is a private-label brand owned by Tractor Supply Co, a rural lifestyle store selling various products, including pet food. They have approximately 1,600 stores in all but one of the U.S. states and have been around since 1938.

Though 4Health is a Tractor Supply Co. brand, it is manufactured by Diamond Pet Foods Inc. This company is a family-owned and operated one in the U.S. that makes several different brands of dog food. They have plants in South Carolina, California, Kansas, Arkansas, and Missouri.

The 4Health brand was created in 2010.

Which type of dog is 4Health dog food best suited for?

4Health has about an equal amount of grain-free food and food with grains, making it suitable for most dogs. If your pet requires a grain-free diet, this dog food brand makes for a budget-friendly option. Not all dogs need to avoid grains, though, so if yours doesn’t, you can go with their Wholesome Grains line. And if your pet has food allergies or sensitivities to common proteins, the 4Health Untamed line features meats such as lamb, venison, and buffalo, making it a good pick.

Which type of dog might do better with a different brand?

If your pup doesn’t need a grain-free diet and doesn’t like the 4Health Wholesome Grain recipes or is just a picky eater, you might want to try a food that’s been dog-approved such as . And if your pet’s food allergies or sensitivities don’t clear up on 4Health, we’d recommend a food like Wellness Simple Natural Limited-Ingredient Grain-Free Dry Dog Food.

Discussion of the Primary Ingredients (Good and Bad)

You should always know what’s in your dog’s food, especially since some dog foods use ingredients that aren’t that great. Here’s a quick look at the ingredients in 4Health dog food—the good and the bad.

Protein Sources

As far as the quality of the protein in 4Health dog food goes, most recipes have real meat and listed as the first couple of ingredients, which is excellent. Real meat tends to be the number one ingredient, while meat meals seem to be added for an extra boost of protein. That means your pup will be getting quality protein that will help keep them healthy and strong.

Grain-Free vs Wholesome Grains

4Health dog food has a lot of grain-free recipes, which is excellent for dogs who require grain-free diets due to food allergies or sensitivities. However, not all our four-legged friends need a diet free of grains, so the fact that they have a nearly equal number of recipes in their Wholesome Grains line is wonderful. That means no matter which way your dog’s diet needs to go, you have plenty of options.

When it comes to the Wholesome Grains line, the whole grains seem mainly to be brown rice, so there isn’t much variety.

Flaxseed

Flaxseed seems to be used in the majority of 4Health dog food recipes, and while it’s a fabulous source of omega fatty acids that keep your pet’s coat and skin healthy, this ingredient doesn’t always agree with dogs. If your pup has a sensitive digestive system, it might not do well with this brand. If they can stomach it, though, they’ll get a boost of healthy omega fatty acids and amino acids.

Peas & Legumes

Possibly the biggest negative to the 4Health brand of dog food is the fact they use peas and legumes in almost every recipe. And in recipes such as the one for dogs with sensitive skin, peas and pea flour replace meat and meat meals as the first ingredients. Why is this a negative? Because there may be a link between dog foods with peas and legumes and heart disease in dogs. This has only been mildly researched thus far, so more needs to be known, but if it’s a concern for you, then the 4Health brand isn’t for you and your pet.

A Quick Look at 4Health Dog Food

Recall History

4Health itself hasn’t had many recalls.

There was one in May 2012when all of their dry food recipes were recalled for possible salmonella contamination.

The next came in 2013 when their All Life Stages Cat Formula was recalled for low levels of thiamine.

There was also a voluntary recall in 2017 of canned pet foods due to the possibility of a foreign material.

However, Diamond Pet Foods, Inc. (the manufacturer of the brand) has had several recalls throughout its history, as they have had issues with both contamination and quality control.

Reviews of the 3 Best 4Health Dog Food Recipes

Here’s an opportunity to take a closer look at the three best 4Health dog food recipes so you can see what their food is all about!

1. 4Health Wholesome Grains Adult Dog Food

This Wholesome Grains product is designed to meet the nutritional needs of most adult dogs and features salmon as the main ingredient, rather than the more common chicken or beef (which could be good for dogs with food allergies). Besides that, this dog food recipe is stuffed with good-for-your-dog things, including taurine for healthy hearts, probiotics for a healthy digestive system, glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joints, omega fatty acids for healthy skin and coat, and a special antioxidant blend that includes vitamin E and zinc.

However, this product also contains peas and pea flour, so be wary of that.

2. 4Health Wholesome Grains Puppy Formula

Puppies need food made to meet their specific nutritional needs, and that’s what this recipe does with its balanced ratio of protein and fat. It also includes plenty of extras that will help your pup grow up healthy and strong, such as DHA to help keep the brain and eyes in good health, taurine for heart health, probiotics for healthy digestion, omega fatty acids for shiny coats and skin that isn’t dry, and an antioxidant blend to support the immune system.

Plus, this one has no peas or legumes, so you don’t have to be concerned about potential heart health implications!

3. 4Health Grain-Free Puppy Formula

If your puppy requires a grain-free diet, then 4Health’s Grain-Free Puppy Formula might be just the thing! It has the same balanced nutrition and extras to keep your little one growing up healthy and strong, just without the grains. Real chicken is the main ingredient and chicken meal the second, so your pet will get all the quality protein they need to maintain lean muscle mass. And the live, active cultures found within will help aid in keeping the digestive system working smoothly.

This recipe does contain garbanzo beans, peas, and pea flour, though, so if you’re wary of the potential heart health implications, this may not be your best bet.

What Other Users Are Saying

You should have a relatively decent idea of what 4Health dog food is all about by now, but there’s no better way to find out how much dogs actually like it than by reading reviews from other pet parents. Here are some things people have said about this brand.

Conclusion

4Health dog food is a fairly decent brand. The use of limited ingredients and real meat or meat meals as the first ingredients is a plus, as is the price. And the addition of several grain-free recipes is wonderful for those pups who need a diet free of grains. However, the use of peas and legumes in nearly every recipe isn’t as great, considering the potential heart health implications. The use of flaxseed may also be iffy, depending on the sensitivity of your pet’s stomach.

Overall, though, 4Health should be suitable for most dogs (if peas and legumes are not a concern), whether you go with the Wholesome Grains line or the Grain-Free line of recipes.