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Instinct vs Purina Puppy Chow

Instinct vs. Purina Puppy Chow

In this comparison article for Instinct vs Purina Puppy Chow, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Instinct and Purina Puppy Chow, 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 Purina Puppy Chow vs Instinct comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Instinct Review Page or Purina Puppy Chow Review Page.

Guaranteed Analysis: Purina Puppy Chow vs. Instinct

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.

Instinct Dog Food vs. Purina Puppy Chow Dog Food

Dry Dog FoodInstinctPurina Puppy Chow
Crude Protein36.2%31.5%
Crude Fat24.1%13.0%
Crude Fiber4.4%5.3%
Wet/Canned Dog FoodInstinctPurina Puppy Chow
Crude Protein42.1%50%
Crude Fat27.7%22.7%
Crude Fiber10.0%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 Purina Puppy Chow provides far less protein than Instinct. The difference in protein content is roughly 4.70%. In addition, Purina Puppy Chow wet dog foods also provide more protein than Instinct wet foods.


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.

On average, Instinct dry dog food recipes contain 11.16% more fat than Purina Puppy Chow recipes. Clearly, there is a significant difference between the fat content of Purina Puppy Chow and Instinct. For wet dog foods, Instinct provides more fat (about 4.99% more).


As you can see, Instinct and Purina Puppy Chow guarantee a similar amount of crude fiber. For wet dog foods, Instinct typically provides a little more fiber (about 3.13% more).

Instinct Pet Food Ingredients vs. Purina Puppy Chow Pet Food Ingredients

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Instinct.

Garlic
Canola Oil
Pea Protein
Tomato Pomace
Dried Tomato Pomace
Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols)
Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid)

Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Purina Puppy Chow.

Liver
Soybean Flour
Soybean Hulls
Corn Gluten Meal
Meat By-Products
Whole Grain Corn
Whole Grain Wheat
Meat And Bone Meal
Chicken By-Product Meal
Poultry By-Product Meal

We believe that certain pet food ingredients are linked to adverse health affects; these ingredients are classified as harmful.

Instinct and Purina Puppy Chow both use the following harmful ingredients in many of their products:

Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex

Here are some of the harmful ingredients used only by Purina Puppy Chow.

Bha
Bht
Red 3
Blue 2
Red 40
Yellow 5
Yellow 6
Added Color

Product Safety: Recall History of Instinct & Purina Puppy Chow?

Instinct has been recalled 2 times.

  • July 24, 2015: Salmonella
  • Feb. 15, 2013: Pieces of clear plastic in bag

According to our records, Purina Puppy Chow has never been recalled.

Price Comparison: Which Brand Is More Expensive?

Dry Dog FoodInstinctPurina Puppy Chow
Per Pound$8.93$1.13
Per Calorie$0.0044$0.0007
Wet Dog FoodInstinctPurina Puppy Chow
Per Pound$6.31$2.69
Per Calorie$0.0107$0.0045

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 Instinct or Purina Puppy Chow, 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 Instinct or Purina Puppy Chow will depend on your shopping habits.

Pet owners who use our price comparison feature typically save more than 25% off retail prices for Instinct and Purina Puppy Chow. In addition, we currently have some great coupons for our readers.


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 Instinct Pet Foods

You can purchase Instinct pet foods from the following stores:


84 Recipes In-Stock Today

59 Recipes In-Stock Today

67 Recipes In-Stock Today

17 Recipes In-Stock Today

Where To Buy Purina Puppy Chow Pet Foods

You can purchase Purina Puppy Chow pet food products from these retailers:


6 Recipes In-Stock Today

2 Recipes In-Stock Today

2 Recipes In-Stock Today

Type Of Pet Foods Available

ProductInstinctPurina Puppy Chow
Dry Dog Food37 Recipes3 Recipes
Wet Dog Food10 Recipes3 Recipes
Dog TreatsNone1 Treats
Dry Cat Food20 RecipesNone
Wet Cat Food16 RecipesNone
Cat TreatsNoneNone

Top Rated Instinct Recipes

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Top Rated Purina Puppy Chow Recipes

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Complete With Real Farm-Raised Chicken & Rice
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