Dr. Tim's vs. Blue Buffalo
In this comparison article for Dr. Tim's vs Blue Buffalo, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Dr. Tim's and Blue Buffalo, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.
Throughout this Blue Buffalo vs Dr. Tim's comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Dr. Tim's Review Page or Blue Buffalo Review Page.
Guaranteed Analysis: Blue Buffalo vs. Dr. Tim's
According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.
All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.
Dr. Tim's Dog Food vs. Blue Buffalo Dog Food
Dry Dog Food | Dr. Tim's | Blue Buffalo |
Crude Protein | 34.5% | 29.5% |
Crude Fat | 19.8% | 15.3% |
Crude Fiber | 4.8% | 6.8% |
Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food
Dogs require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Twelve of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining ten are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these ten essential amino acids.
The table shows that Blue Buffalo provides far less protein than Dr. Tim's. The difference in protein content is roughly 5.07%.
Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food
Like protein, fats are an essential part of a dog's body. Fats are needed for the proper development and function of the canine body.
Our analysis shows that Dr. Tim's guarantees 4.46% more fat than Blue Buffalo dry dog food recipes.
As you can see, Dr. Tim's and Blue Buffalo guarantee a similar amount of crude fiber.
Dr. Tim's Cat Food vs. Blue Buffalo Cat Food
Dry Cat Food | Dr. Tim's | Blue Buffalo |
Crude Protein | 41.1% | 37.5% |
Crude Fat | 24.4% | 16.8% |
Crude Fiber | 3.6% | 6.2% |
Wet/Canned Cat Food | Dr. Tim's | Blue Buffalo |
Crude Protein | 40.9% | 45.8% |
Crude Fat | 22.7% | 24.3% |
Crude Fiber | 4.5% | 8.1% |
Crude Protein Comparison For Cat Food
Cats require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Eleven of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining eleven are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these eleven essential amino acids.
If you look at the average percentages of crude protein, you'll notice that Dr. Tim's typically guarantees 3.59% more protein. This is a fairly small difference between Dr. Tim's and Blue Buffalo, but still worth mentioning. In addition, Blue Buffalo wet cat foods also provide more protein than Dr. Tim's wet foods.
Crude Fat Comparison For Cat Food
There are many ways in which dietary fat contributes to the overall health of our feline friends. Here is a short list of benefits provided by fats (not exhaustive):
- Help transport nutrients across cell membranes
- Fats produce metabolites, which help control inflammation
- Maintain healthy blood pressure
- Slow the growth of yeast infections
- Fats improve the taste/texture of food.
There is a relatively large difference between the fat content of Dr. Tim's and Blue Buffalo. On average, Blue Buffalo dry cat food recipes contain 7.62% less fat than Dr. Tim's recipes. For wet cat foods, Blue Buffalo and Dr. Tim's provide roughly the same amount of fat.
According to our data, Blue Buffalo guarantees 2.61% more fiber than Dr. Tim's. Although this difference is relatively small, it's still a notable difference. In addition, Blue Buffalo wet cat foods also provide more fiber than Dr. Tim's wet foods.
Dr. Tim's Pet Food Ingredients vs. Blue Buffalo Pet Food Ingredients
Dr. Tim's and Blue Buffalo both use the following controversial ingredients in many of their products:
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Dr. Tim's.
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Blue Buffalo.
We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.
Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Blue Buffalo.
Product Safety: Recall History of Dr. Tim's & Blue Buffalo?
According to our records, Dr. Tim's has never been recalled.
Blue Buffalo has been recalled 9 times.
- Nov. 25, 2015: Salmonella
- Nov. 6, 2015: Presence of Propylene Glycol
- May 31, 2016: Mold
- March 18, 2017: elevated beef throid hormone
- Feb. 14, 2017: presence of aluminum
- March 3, 2017: Foil Seal Packaging Problem
- Oct. 8, 2010: toxic levels of vitamin D
- April 19, 2007: Melamine
- April 26, 2007: Melamine
Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?
Dry Dog Food | Dr. Tim's | Blue Buffalo |
Per Pound | $2.92 | $3.42 |
Per Calorie | $0.0018 | $0.0021 |
Dry Cat Food | Dr. Tim's | Blue Buffalo |
Per Pound | $4.37 | $5.07 |
Per Calorie | $0.0023 | $0.0031 |
Wet Cat Food | Dr. Tim's | Blue Buffalo |
Per Pound | $6.39 | $7.50 |
Per Calorie | $0.0128 | $0.0153 |
The average cost-per-lb is heavily influenced by the varying amounts of moisture present in each brand's food products (wet vs. dry food, dry vs. freeze-dried food, etc). However, the average cost-per-kcal eliminates the influence of moisture. Therefore, the average cost-per-kcal is the better metric to consider.
If you'd like to calculate the average cost-per-day or cost-pet-year of feeding Dr. Tim's or Blue Buffalo, input your pet's weight into our cost analyzer widget.
Averages price data can identify whether or not there exists a significant price difference between two brands. However, the actual price that you'll pay for Dr. Tim's or Blue Buffalo will depend on your shopping habits.
Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Dr. Tim's and Blue Buffalo. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.
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Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!
Where To Buy Dr. Tim's Pet Foods
You can purchase Dr. Tim's pet foods from the following stores:
Where To Buy Blue Buffalo Pet Foods
You can purchase Blue Buffalo pet food products from these retailers:
Type Of Pet Foods Available
Product | Dr. Tim's | Blue Buffalo |
Dry Dog Food | 11 Recipes | 93 Recipes |
Wet Dog Food | None | 94 Recipes |
Dog Treats | 1 Treats | 50 Treats |
Dry Cat Food | 1 Recipes | 42 Recipes |
Wet Cat Food | 1 Recipes | 59 Recipes |
Cat Treats | None | 16 Treats |