Timberwolf Dog Food Review
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Dogs are descended from wolves and while they’ve evolved over time, their nutritional needs are still very similar. Your dog requires a high-protein diet rich in animal-based ingredients.
While dogs are considered more omnivorous than cats, your dog’s diet should contain limited carbohydrate content with a balance of protein and healthy fats.
Timberwolf promises carnivore-specific pet foods that contain a natural balanced of animal proteins, nutritional fats, and carbohydrates and mimic the diet your pet’s ancestors would follow naturally.
But is it the right choice for your pet? In this review, we’ll go in-depth into the Timberwolf brand, explore some of their popular recipes, and talk about my personal experience in testing the food.
- Decent selection of high-protein dog foods
- All recipes start with a premium source of animal-based protein
- Majority of added fat ingredients are animal-based
- Completely free from by-products and artificial additives
- Sold in multiple sizes with multi-pack discounts
- Moderately priced, around $0.20 to $0.25 per ounce
- Supplemented with prebiotics, probiotics, and natural herbs
- Limited selection of dry dog foods only
- Foods contains some unnecessary plant ingredients
- No dry food provides the moisture your dog needs
- Decent selection of high-protein dog foods
- All recipes start with a premium source of animal-based protein
- Majority of added fat ingredients are animal-based
- Completely free from by-products and artificial additives
- Sold in multiple sizes with multi-pack discounts
- Moderately priced, around $0.20 to $0.25 per ounce
- Supplemented with prebiotics, probiotics, and natural herbs
- Limited selection of dry dog foods only
- Foods contains some unnecessary plant ingredients
- No dry food provides the moisture your dog needs
Timberwolf was founded in 2000 as one of the earlier entrants into the premium pet food industry. Originally known as Timberwolf Organics, this brand remains an independently owned and family-operated company.
The tagline Timberwolf uses is, “Pet foods the way nature intended.” Their recipes are formulated with a balance of animal proteins, nutritional fats, and nutrient-rich carbohydrates. They claim to follow the very highest standards to provide pet foods that mirror what your pet’s ancestors would naturally consume in the wild.
Where Are The Products Made?
Timberwolf is headquartered in Windermere, Florida. Early in the brand’s history, Timberwolf Organics was produced by Diamond Pet Foods. Now, however, it is privately owned, and I wasn’t able to find any detailed information about how or where it is produced.
Neither was I able to find any specific information about how Timberwolf sources their ingredients. All of their formulas are free from fillers and artificial additives like colors, flavors, and preservatives.
What Dog Products Do They Offer?
Timberwolf is a dry-food only company. They offer a limited assortment of high-protein formulas supplemented with a proprietary herbal blend.
Their dry food lineup includes the following recipes:
- Timberwolf Legends Black Forest
- Timberwolf Legends Wild & Natural
- Timberwolf Legends Dakota
- Timberwolf Legends Wilderness
- Timberwolf Legends Ocean Blue
Most recipes come in multiple different sizes, and you can save money by purchasing any combination of two or more recipes.
Testing Timberwolf Dog Food
My dog Archie will eat just about anything, and he’s tested so many dog foods that he assumes every package that arrives at the house is for him.
I received several recipes for Timberwolf dog food as well a Timberwolf cat food for testing. The dog food recipes included Black Forest Legends and Dakota Legends.
Timberwolf Legends Black Forest Canine Formula Dog Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Dry
- First 5 Ingredients: Venison meal, salmon meal, whitefish meal, lentils, lamb
- Guaranteed Analysis: 35% Protein Min, 17% Fat Min, 6% Fiber Max, 10% Moisture Max
- Calorie Content: 50 ME calories per kcal/cup
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Lean source of animal protein as the first ingredient
- Numerous supplemental sources of animal protein
- Nutrient-rich chicken fat as the main added fat
- Supplemented with prebiotics and probiotics
- Free from by-products, fillers, and artificial additives
- Fairly expensive
- Doesn’t contain the moisture your dog needs
- Contains some unnecessary plant ingredients
In addition to plenty of protein, Timberwolf’s recipes contain an herbal blend. It contains superfood ingredients like rosemary, turmeric, and ground ginger. You’ll also find other carbohydrate ingredients in this recipe like chickpeas and field peas.
While I prefer not to see too many carbohydrates in dog food, the estimated carb content of this recipe is moderate, around 25% as fed. Many commercial dry dog foods contain well over 30%, so it’s a little bit better than the average dry food in terms of carb content.
Archie seemed to really enjoy this dog food. His ears perked up when I opened the package and his nose started going immediately. He was very impatient for me to set down the bowl and he dug in immediately.
Timberwolf Legends Dakota Canine Formula Dog Food
Product Info
- Type of Food: Dry
- First 5 Ingredients: Buffalo meal, whitefish meal, herring meal, fresh salmon, chicken fat
- Guaranteed Analysis: 41% Protein Min, 17% Fat Min, 3.5% Fiber Max, 9% Moisture Max
- Calorie Content: 485 ME calories per kcal/cup
Guaranteed Analysis
Dry Matter Basis
- Top 5 ingredients are all fresh meat or meat meal
- Rich source of species-appropriate animal protein
- Chicken fat and salmon oil for essential fats and omega-3s
- Supplemented with probiotics for digestive support
- Free from artificial additives, by-products, and fillers
- Fairly expensive
- Doesn’t contain the moisture your dog needs
- Contains some unnecessary plant ingredients
Not only is this recipe packed with animal protein, but it’s rich in healthy animal-based fats. Salmon oil is a particularly rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which supports your dog’s skin and coat health. It also offers anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting benefits.
I love that this recipe is rich in protein and free from artificial additives as well as vaguely named ingredients, low-value grains, and fillers. It’s formulated for all life stages according to AAFCO nutrient profiles.
This recipe does contain some of the same plant-based ingredients as the previous recipe, but not until the sixth ingredient on the list. The estimated carb content is just over 20% as fed which is higher than I like but much lower than the average dry dog food.
Archie was a big fan of this recipe as well. He seemed to find the flavor and aroma highly appealing, and he had no problem wolfing down a whole bowl in just a few minutes. Given that he’s a little bit overweight, I appreciated the high protein and moderate fat content of this formula.
How Much Does It Cost?
I’d consider Timberwolf a premium pet food brand for its high inclusions of animal protein and animal-based fat. In terms of cost, it’s similar to other premium brands like Open Farm and Instinct. It’s a little pricier than Canidae but significantly less expensive than raw food, freeze-dried food, or fresh food.
For a 40-pound dog, the daily calorie intake recommended is about 650 calories per day. At 485 calories per cup, a 40-pound dog would need about 1 1/3 cup of food per day. This puts your daily cost around $1.30 per day or a little over $9 per week.
Keep in mind that every dog is different in terms of activity level, so you may want to start with the lowest feeding amount recommended and see how it works for your dog.
Check blow to see how Timberwolf stacks up against other dog food brands for cost:
Premium Dog Food Price Comparison |
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| Food Type | Brand | Average Price | Price Per |
| Premium Dry Dog Food | Open Farm Homestead Turkey & Chicken Dry Dog Food | $87.99 for 24lbs. | $0.23 per ounce |
| Limited Ingredient Dry Food | Canidae Grain-Free PURE Limited Ingredient Dry Dog Food | $74.99 for 24lbs. | $0.20 per ounce |
| Premium Wet Food | Instinct Original Grain-Free Wet Dog Food | $22.14 for 6 (13.2oz.) cans | $0.28 per ounce |
| Freeze-Dried Raw | Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Chicken Dinner Patties | $51.99 for 25oz. | $2.08 per ounce |
| Raw Food Subscription | Raws Paws Signature Blend Complete Beef for Cats and Dogs Roll* | $10.99 for 1lbs. | $0.68/ounce |
| Fresh Food Subscription | Nom Nom* | $48.51 per week | $6.93 per day |
| Dry Dog Food Subscription | Tailored Pet* | $46.80 for 20lbs. (5 weeks) | $1.34 per day |
| Dry Dog Food | Timberwolf | $43.86 for 12 pounds | $0.23 per ounce |
*Subscription price based on a 40-pound, neutered male dog 4 years of age
What Do Real Customers Think?
While Timberwolf has been on the market for more than two decades, there are limited customer reviews online. A few independent websites have tested and reviewed the products, but most of the customer reviews you’ll find are on the Timberwolf website itself.
It’s important to take reviews on the brand’s website with a grain of salt. These brands have control over which reviews are made public, so they may not include negative reviews.
All that being said, here are a few comments from pet owners who have tried Timberwolf:
“I bought this for my Shibas that were just a little overweight. It has helped. They are now just right. It is a great food!” – CAC reviewing Timberwolf Legends Wild & Natural Formula
“My husband and I have a Wolf Hybrid and we’ve been searching for a high quality, as close to the wild style food as much as possible for a kibble. WE FOUND IT. Through all our extensive research and brand comparisons, no other brand has compared to Timberwolf Organics, as far as being so fresh, Grain-free, Gluten-free, and organic. With high content protein, fruits and veggies. This company has EVERYTHING in one bag that we want for our wolf hybrid and she LOVES IT! It pairs perfectly with her Raw food diet. I highly recommend this food brand!” – Best Canine Food reviewing Timberwolf Legends Dakota Formula
“Our 11-year-old labrador retriever has developed food allergies to pretty much all of the common filler ingredients out there, plus lamb, beef, and pork, all of the things he loves. We make food specially for him but with three dogs this gets to be high maintenance. The Ocean Blue formula contains tolerable ingredients that minimize his reactions and maintain his health.” – Kriss reviewing Timberwolf Legends Ocean Blue Formula
Timberwolf Dog Food Recalls
Having been founded over two decades ago, Timberwolf has a long history in the pet food industry. They haven’t had a product recall in over a dozen years.
Timberwolf’s only product recall occurred in 2008. It was a voluntary recall rather than an FDA-issued recall for two of their dry dog food recipes. The recall was initiated in response to customer complaints about their dogs getting sick, but Timberwolf wasn’t able to determine the cause for the problem.
Is Timberwolf Really Worth The Cost?
Timberwolf uses a wide variety of high-quality animal proteins and animal-based fats like chicken fat and salmon oil. The average protein content of their formulas is over 30%, some as high as 41%. Most recipes contain at least 4 or 5 animal proteins at the start of the ingredient list.
It’s also worth noting that while Timberwolf dog food does contain added carbohydrates, some recipes are lower in carbs than the average dry food. Timberwolf Legends Dakota bison recipe, for example, only contains about 20% carbs as fed.
The price of Timberwolf foods is similar to that of other premium dry food brands like Merrick and Wellness but cheaper than Orijen and Stella & Chewy’s. If you’re looking for a high-protein dry food made with quality ingredients, Timberwolf is definitely one worth considering.
How Do You Order It?
As a premium pet food brand, you’re most likely to find Timberwolf in specialty pet food stores and independent retailers.
If you can’t find Timberwolf in stores, you can purchase it online through the brand’s website. Timberwolf offers savings on multi-pack orders.
Final Word
Your dog deserves the highest quality food you can consistently afford. Timberwolf offers dry foods rich in animal protein and fat with lower-than-average carb content. It may be difficult to find in stores, but you can easily order it online and save when you buy multiple bags at once.
Overall, Timberwolf is a good choice for dog owners who prefer the convenience of dry natural dog food. It’s also a good option for dogs who are allergic to common proteins as many recipes are made with non-traditional proteins like buffalo and venison.
