American Journey Dog Food Review | Ratings | Recalls

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American Journey dog food is Chewy’s in-house pet food brand.

Most dog owners are familiar with Chewy, the popular online pet supplies retailer. After this company experienced success selling dog food from other brands, Chewy decided to create a product line of their own pet food formulas.

American Journey cuts out the middleman, so Chewy is able to sell their products at competitive prices. These formulas also have high quality ingredients and are backed by Chewy’s renowned customer service.

I’m a former vet tech who is passionate about helping pet parents find the best diet for their dog. So I researched American Journey dog food to determine if this brand is a good choice for four-legged family members.

Keep reading this American Journey dog food review to learn more about what I found out.

About American Journey

American Journey Dog

American Journey is Chewy’s first attempt to sell their own pet food brand. Chewy is a popular online retailer that offers excellent customer service and convenient autoship programs for pet parents shopping for dog food and other pet supplies.

This brand of dog food offers a wide variety of wet and dry products. Since Chewy produces the brand in-house the company is able to offer American Journey formulas at a highly competitive price. Dog owners on a budget can also take advantage of frequent promotions.

Chewy formulated American Journey dog food to meet the demands of pet parents who want to feed their dogs an affordable but high quality diet. The brand only uses natural ingredients. Plus, these recipes exclude wheat, soy, fillers, and poultry by-products.

American Journey Dog Food History

Despite modern success, Chewy is a relatively young company. Ryan Cohen and Michael Day founded the e-commerce business in 2011. By 2017, the company was responsible for 51% of online pet food sales in the United States.

Chewy created American Journey after experiencing exponential growth selling other brands of pet food. The American Journey brand is exclusively manufactured for and distributed by Chewy. 

Following PetSmart’s acquisition of the company in 2017, you can now purchase American Journey products in-store. However this brand is not available at other retailers.

Where is American Journey Dog Food Made?

American Journey is manufactured in the United States exclusively for Chewy. But there is limited information about what company oversees the production of American Journey. 

Chewy does outsource production to a third-party factory, but the identity of the manufacturer is not clear. Some of their recipes are produced in Kansas and most of their ingredients come from domestic sources within the United States. But some ingredients are imported.

Legal Issues and Controversies

American Journey is a young brand with a limited history of legal controversies. The FDA has not issued any recalls of American Journey dog food products.

The promotion of private labels by online pet food retailers is controversial because these companies drive sales away from other companies. Chewy can also offer better prices and promotions on their products by cutting out the middlemen involved in other brands.

A class action lawsuit against several dog food brands, including American Journey, stated that some of their limited ingredient diets contained ingredients that the formulas claimed to eliminate. [1]

American Journey offers several formulas that are labeled as grain-free, soy-free, or corn-free. But independent testers discovered that some of these products still contained those ingredients. The lawsuit accuses American Journey of false advertising.

Mislabeled formulas can be dangerous for dogs with food allergies who need limited ingredient diets to avoid severe reactions.

Ingredients Quality

raw meat fish chicken ingredients

American Journey uses higher quality ingredients than most pet food brands in their price range. All American Journey formulas provide balanced canine nutrition that meets the daily nutrient profiles recommended by AAFCO.

Most reputable brands are formulated with the help of a certified veterinary nutritionist. However, American Journey only shares that “top industry professionals” helped develop their products.

All American Journey formulas feature real animal protein as the first ingredient. Some budget pet food brands use a majority of plant-based ingredients to reduce costs. But animal proteins are more bioavailable for dogs and ensure that your pup can absorb the nutrients he needs.

The brand still uses some plant protein from peas to boost crude protein content. But most of their dog foods have a high protein content from multiple animal sources. Healthy fats from salmon oil also contribute essential omega fatty acids to help support skin and coat health.

American Journey eliminated gluten, wheat, corn, soy, and poultry by-products from their recipes. These ingredients are common allergens that can cause adverse reactions in sensitive dogs.

Grain-inclusive recipes use ingredients like rice bran and brewers rice. These grains have a lower fiber content than whole grain alternatives. But they still offer an excellent source of digestible carbohydrates.

The above average protein, moderate fat, and average carbohydrate content of American Journey products make them suitable for a wide range of dogs. The company also offers grain-free and limited ingredient versions for dogs with unique nutritional needs.

Until recently, American Journey catered mostly to owners of large breeds. But the company recently added small breed formulas to their line up that provide specialized nutrition for toy dogs.

American Journey Dog Food Brand Lines

Chewy developed American Journey to offer products in nearly every popular category of dog food. Their diverse product lines provide unique nutrition for individual dogs with different needs.

Always consult your veterinarian before making any changes to your dog’s diet.

American Journey Limited Ingredient Diets

American Journey LID

American Journey Limited Ingredient Diet use simple recipes that eliminate common allergens to provide sensitive dogs with a safe and balanced diet. All of the dog food recipes in this product line use novel proteins like salmon or lamb as a single source of animal protein.

Most allergens are proteins. These single protein sources help limit the risk of new allergies developing. 

Many dogs also experience dry and itchy skin from allergic reactions. So these formulas contain high concentrations of omega 3 fatty acids to help soothe irritated skin and promote a healthy coat.

American Journey limited ingredient diets also eliminate grains and common allergens like soy, corn, and chicken. Most dog food reviews share success stories managing canine allergies on these diets. 

Dog owners also recommend American Journey formulas for picky eaters. Many sensitive dogs can have fussy appetites. But these formulas have a more appealing flavor than most limited ingredient recipes. The wet food varieties in this product line are ideal for the pickiest eaters.

American Journey Landmark

The Landmark product line from American Journey features premium recipes inspired by the regional diets of your dog’s wild ancestors. These dog foods offer a less expensive alternative to pricier brands of biologically appropriate dog foods based on natural environments.

Landmark pet food products have a higher price tag than most American Journey formulas. But this line-up is still relatively affordable. These grain-free recipes feature 70% animal sourced ingredients to create high protein diets ideal for active dogs.

Multiple high quality protein sources offer a comprehensive array of amino acids. A high fat content complements the protein-dense formula and contributes to a high caloric content.

These dog foods offer increased energy, but may not be suitable for dogs with sedentary lifestyles.

American Journey excludes all grains, soy, corn, wheat, and potatoes from these premium recipes. Landmark formulas use peas as an alternative source of carbohydrates.

American Journey Active Life

American Journey Active Life

American Journey Active Life dog food formulas are affordable recipes designed to support the active lifestyles of high energy breeds. This product line uses well rounded nutrition to offer a balanced diet based on real meat and produce.

Animal protein provides the foundation of all Landmark recipes. The moderate protein content is lower than Landmark formulas, but still supports muscle mass in active dogs.

These grain-inclusive recipes use fiber-rich whole grains like Barley to provide a digestible source of carbohydrates. Healthy carbohydrates are an essential source of energy in your dog’s diet.

However, a higher carbohydrate content may promote weight gain in couch potatoes.

Fruits and vegetables act as natural sources of vitamins and antioxidants to support a healthy immune system. Healthy fat sources like flaxseed and fish oil offer a balance ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

American Journey Grain Free

American Journey Grain Free Food

Grain Free American Journey dog food formulas comprise the brand’s most popular product line. These formulas emphasize protein as the foundation of the canine diet by using multiple sources of animal protein to provide a comprehensive amino acid profile.

A grain-free diet may be suitable for dogs with sensitive skin or stomachs. These formulas also eliminate soy and artificial additives that can contribute to food intolerances.

Instead of grains, these formulas use peas and potatoes as alternative sources of carbohydrates. Peas and potatoes are starchy vegetables that are rich in fiber for long-lasting energy.

Additional produce like carrots and blueberries act as nutrient-dense whole food ingredients that support overall health. Additional fortification with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants ensures that these formulas provide balanced nutrition for all dogs. 

American Journey recently added small breed formulas to many of their product lines, including the Grain-Free collection.

Although most small breeds depend on grains to regulate their blood sugar, American Journey ensures that these formulas provide consistent alternative carbs to the tiniest pups.

American Journey Wet Food

American Journey Wet Food

American Journey Wet Food features a product line-up of several flavor varieties to appeal to the unique tastes of picky dogs. The range of canned dog food from American Journey also includes Limited Ingredient Diets for sensitive dogs who may dislike dry dog food.

These canned dog food formulas feature stews based on meat and broth to achieve a savory taste that most dogs love. Many pet parents highly recommend American Journey for the hearty flavors that appeal to the pickiest eaters.

Protein-rich recipes consist of meat and vegetables in gravy. Most dogs prefer the texture of wet dog food to kibble. And wet dog foods often contain less filler ingredients than dry alternatives. However, all American Journey formulas exclude harmful artificial additives.

American Journey Dog Food Recalls

American Journey has not been subject to any recalls since the Chewy began producing the product line in 2017.

This young company has a short history, but they still enforce high quality standards to ensure the safety of their products.

You can view a complete list of all dog food recalls sorted by date. [2]

Our Verdict

This American Journey dog food review demonstrates that the relatively young brand offers high-quality dog food backed by the experience of a reputable pet food retailer.

I recommend American Journey dog food for pet owners who want to feed their dogs premium ingredients at an affordable price. The ingredient quality offered by American Journey is unrivaled by most budget pet food brands.

Chewy can offer their private line at a low price point by eliminating the middleman and passing savings on to the consumer. Some pet parents even switch from premium brands to American Journey.

Talk to your veterinarian today to determine if American Journey dog food is the best choice for your furry best friend.

Photo of author
Caroline Cochran is a former veterinary technician who is passionate about helping fellow dog lovers learn about canine nutrition. Her best friend is a rescued Great Pyrenees named Syrah, who is also very enthusiastic about dog food.

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