My cats get this food and my dogs were recently having bad poop..tested negative for parasites, so I wonder if they got into the cat food? I guess I'll be switching cat foods now to and I just bought two bags of this stuff

 

I saw somewhere --onyx girl?-- that since it was sold its had problems. If it were me I'd switch.

 

Shrug. My dog loves it and does well in it. Good coat. Good energy level. Small firm stools.

 

Mine as well, very pleased w/ BB no reason to switch

 

I posted it on my fb wall....so glad I feed raw! Company sold/problems arise.

186 Complaints and Reviews about Blue Buffalo Pet Foods

 

I feed my dogs chicken soup they have gained weight and there coats are beautiful now

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Ugh, i was just about to buy my first 30lb. Bag of BB after slowly switching both dogs to BB. Now I don't know what to do?!?!?

 

If your dogs are doing well on it, why switch? You can find bad reviews of anything on the internet.

 

No kidding. If this really is the case, I'm not sure what food ill switch to???

 

Hmmm, my 7 month old drinks do much water. I feed her large puppy BB. Maybe I'll switch it up too. Any suggestions ?


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yes, switch now, my dog drank to much water on BB and was dead 6 months later from liver disease. Sorry for the scare .

 

I got off the Blue Buffalo train a couple of years ago.

They were switching up ingredients, I found large bright red round kibbles in my last couple of bags.

I wrote them saying they would be better served paying attention to quality not their marketing budget.

They sent me a coupon which I threw in the trash.

The man who started and owned the company started the SoBe beveridge company and did the exact same thing.

Start out with a high quality product. Market the heck out of it while cutting cost (read cutting quality) to improve profit margin.

Then...just at the right moment, sell the brand to a much larger company.

 

I guess I'm a bit more skeptical of these complaints. Not that they didn't happen, but they are anecdotal... not empirical evidence that is based on a controlled study. Not to say you shouldn't switch if you want to, but I wouldn't base my decision on testimonials on the web.

 

Fair point...

Supporting evidence has been in the labeling on their own products...

I observed, on the labeling on their bags that they were changing ingredients. One example, on the lamb and rice they used to have the first two ingredients as deboned lamb and lamb meal. They dropped the lamb meal. A friend of mine worked as a store demonstrator and was well versed in the product and noticed that they were changing up to cheaper ingredients.

It's also a pattern we've seen with a lot of other dog foods, when they sell out a brand to a larger company almost without exception the quality goes down.

I think these factors combined give added weight to the observations of the consumers.

I guess I'm a bit more skeptical of these complaints. Not that they didn't happen, but they are anecdotal... not empirical evidence that is based on a controlled study. Not to say you shouldn't switch if you want to, but I wouldn't base my decision on testimonials on the web.

 

The problem with "reviews" is that you usually only get bad ones. Not many people take the time to write in about how great something is unless it truly is exceptional. So like...if you had tried 20 different brands and blue buffalo was the only one that helped, you'd probably scream it from the mountain top. But if you switched from one food to blue buffalo and everything was just average/no problems/maybe a slight improvement, you're not going to take the time to write about it on the internet.

From the amount of people probably feeding blue buffalo (millions would be my guess), 186 is a tiny percentage of problems.

kr16...I don't want to lessen the loss of your dog any, but did you actually prove (scientifically) that the blue buffalo caused the liver problems in your girl? Or are you just assuming that it had to be that?

I'll add that I feed Fromm...its made like 20 minutes from where I live, so I support a local product and its probably the "freshest" kibble I can get.

 

We'll see if there are any official recalls out of this as an uptick negative reports are usually the leading indicator of a problem. I noticed in the OPs link they are all within the last couple of months.

I feed 4-Health (Tractor supply brand) that actually is closer to the 'old' blue formulas. They don't have the big marketing overhead and the formulas stay 'more' consistent (I read the label on each bag before I open it)..however I'm going to look into Fromm!

 

We'll see if there are any official recalls out of this as an uptick negative reports are usually the leading indicator of a problem. I noticed in the OPs link they are all within the last couple of months.

I feed 4-Health (Tractor supply brand) that actually is closer to the 'old' blue formulas. They don't have the big marketing overhead and the formulas stay 'more' consistent (I read the label on each bag before I open it)..however I'm going to look into Fromm!

I shop there alot . Im going to check that out. I just thought Blue was better based on the holistic label and the ingredients listed and using the guide to dog food rating.My grandparents fed table scraps and fresh milk as their collies and GSDs lived w/ them on a dairy farm. They lived pretty long lives w/ little vet attention.

 

Companies avoid recalls. Its about losing money, class action lawsuits against, so they avoid recalls. Just like cars, tire companies and any other products. They are in business to make money.

Look how long it took Diamond last year to finally recall TOTW and other brands they sell.

How many dogs has Diamond or BB killed already over the years?

 

How many dogs has Diamond or BB killed already over the years?

And do you have proof from countless necropsies that the cause of death was directly linked to feeding that food? Or are you just making huge assumptions and then trying to harm the company due to your own bias and agenda?

I remember 2 years ago when I just got on this forum people SWORE by TOTW and how great it was for their dogs. Company had some issues, and yes, a recall has hurt them in ways that I can't even imagine. No one even breathes the sound of TOTW on here anymore when a food question comes up.

Companies also rarely choose to do recalls, they're usually forced into it by the FDA or another government agency. When a company has a voluntary recall...it pretty much knows that a month from now they'll be forced into one anyways and a voluntary one is much better PR than a forced one.

 

I totally understand why people are "Crazy" about their dog's food, but just as you mentioned, it's all good until a company actually fesses up to their issues. I remember when not only this forum, but a few other dog forums I visit were all about feeding TOTW as well, they had a recall, now they're "bad". Blue buffalo went from a small time company to the kind of company you see advertised on TV every afternoon, now they're "bad".

Just wait until the $80/bag Orijen gets a recall because it changes it's ingredients more than I change underwear, or something like Canidae makes it's packaging look a little more "expensive".. the bandwagons will change again. That's just how it works.

That's why I tell everyone. Find something with meat as the first ingredient, little or no corn, and if your puppy eats it, and isn't having health issues... stick with it.

I dont change often. I will get flack but I really liked the higher grade Diamond Naturals Lamb and rice . However the fat content was too high for my senior dogs. I switched . Thought BB was a much better choice based on ingredients and reviews. I did try Verus but the ear irritation was a definite problem which so I couldnt continue w/ that.Thefact that Lucky had a problem was somewhat surprising as he has the ability to tolerate just about anything.It seems that the higher end dog foods have alot of allergy issues w/ individual dogs or maybe just my three. Lucky likes BB and he eats it w/ gusto. The girls will scarf any kibble put in front of them. I want to buy the best possible dog food for the best possible price and feel safe in what I chose. Im alot more concerned about kidney functioning as my dogs are 11 and 10 years of age. They need as much protection as possible so I wonder "what do I feed".The vets around here go nuts when you say you want to try raw. I cant find any reviews on the dog food guides that is more recent then sept 2012. When was BB sold and to whom was it sold?

 

When was BB sold and to whom was it sold?

This is what I'd like to know as well. As far as I can tell, Blue Buffalo is still owned and run by the same person that founded it. I keep reading that 'after the company was sold' everything went south, the ingredients changed, quality when downhill, animals started getting sick, etc. ... But I find no evidence or documentation that Blue has been sold to anyone.

When Natura was sold to Proctor and Gamble it was a hot topic, and there is plenty of documentation on the sale. When Merrick bought Castor and Pollux the acquisition was well documented. There is even easily searchable evidence that Ohio Pet Foods recently purchased and took control of Chenango Valley Pet Foods (both much lower profile players in the pet food market than Blue Buffalo to be sure). Yet there is no evidence that I can find that Blue Buffalo has ever been owned by anyone other than Bill Bishop and his family.

 

The problem that I see is... 188 complaints? THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of people use these products... daily.

 

True but the other side of the coin is a lot of people don't write reviews at all, negative or positive.

Really one can only go by averages. For example; A product usually gets about 10 complaints a day on average, then they see a sudden spike of 30 complaints a day. That would be a leading indicator that there maybe a problem.

I read through several pages (admittedly not all of them) but I did note that of the pages I read they were recent (going back to January this year).

Additionally the complaints are very similiar in the symptoms described, not to mention people on this site are having similiar problems too.

I think it's fair to call this a 'red flag' at least.

 

I changed my 6 month old GSD over to BB 2 months ago. I noticed his coat isn't a shiny and he is itching a lot more than before. He also had some issues with explosive diarrhea but only a few times. After reading the personal reviews I think I will go back to what he ate before. I just wanted to give him the best and I guess BB is not the best.


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I have more than half of a bag of BB Wilderness sitting in my kitchen. I made a slow switch (like 2 weeks slow) from Innova to BB with Grim. He ended up with such explosive diarrhea (and the HUGE water intake, too) that I immediately put him back on Innova. That's what I'm going to stick with. I will 'supplement' this with RAW instead of messing with his kibble.

 

There was a member on the forum once that would pop up and post a thread about food every once in a while. It wasn't a question, it wasn't really a discussion, it was just "I did 3000 hours of research on this dog food and found that they use ingredient X" This ingredient was usually so small and minuscule, it was amazing that the company even put it on their label. I'm talking maybe a couple of PPM! This ingredient (in larger doses) has proven to cause X, Y, and Z to happen.

I'm serious...that was the post. It was pretty much...stop feeding this food because there is something so small in it that your dog probably gets more of this toxin from BREATHING!!! And this happened from time to time ripping apart some of the better, well known, "premium" foods.

The point of the post...usually to convince people to feed their dogs raw, grass-fed, antibiotic free beef tenderloin at $30.00 a pound instead of the higher quality $50.00 large bag of kibble.

 

Just like with humans, I can understand the benefits of feeding your dogs healthier items. A person who eats salmon steak and baby spinach three times a day is going to be healthier than a person who eats Deep fried chicken nuggets and fries 3 times a day, but there's also a "middle ground" people have balanced diet plans. Dogs are no different. I can't afford to feed myself some of the things that others suggest I feed my dog, lol.

 

Almost every company (and not just dog food companies) goes through a recall or a bad publicity thing. You will always find a bad review or a horror story about some product especially is you go overboard with research. Feed what works for your dog, always check for recalls, and pay attention to how your dog is acting/looking. There's no need to change food if your dog is doing great on the one its on.

It is like Tylenol..they've had a few serious recalls, but doesn't mean their medicine doesn't still work, and some still swear by it. Plenty of fast food restaurants have had recalls and still make billions.

 

Ya know, i am starting to get really skeptical of all these dog food review sites. I had a dog that lived a healthy 16 year life on Science Diet. Granted, at the time I thought I was buying her the best food, but I have since discovered it was crap. And my parents had dogs that lived long lives on grocery store food and table scraps. I am starting to think I am not going to worry about this at all. I am just going to get a reasonably good food - not super expensive - and then supplement.

So if I am going to give people food in addition to dog food would things like hard boiled eggs and plain yogurt be good? I am not keen on giving my dogs table scraps because then I think they will be at my feet continually when I am trying to clear the table.

 

By the way...I do think that this is a very good thread to start. People need to know that there are a string of issues with a food they might be feeding or considering feeding. It just needs to be more scientific and factual than the ripping that usually goes on with a bunch of hearsay and secondary research from other INTERNET sources.

 

Gynhwyfair Thanks for the info. This is definitely a better idea w/ three dogs. Thanks

 

You're welcome.

btw, speaking of feeding three hungry dogs-

One of the first things you'll notice is their large bag is 35 pounds, not 30 like Blue.

 

What I feed my dog and what my neighbor or friend feeds their dog is going to be based on what is best for the individual dog. We tried several kibbles before we found one that (1) Suki liked and continued to eat for more than 2 weeks (2) Didn't upset her stomach (3) Contained no by-products or corn (4) Improved her coat and itching and finally, (5) We could afford.

We feed Blue Buffalo Wilderness because she does WELL on it. Just like my neighbor might feed their dog Purina (which I might find disgusting...) because their dog THRIVES on it. Each dog is different.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I'm not going to freak out and dump my freshly opened bag of BB in the garbage. I've done my research and frankly, I don't see any PROOF that any of the dogs that have gotten sick in these reports have been so due to BB.

It's a shame that some people have lost their dogs - but to immediately blame a food company seems rash. Just use common sense...do what is best for YOUR DOG and stay off the bandwagon.

 

There's a lot of chatter on different dog related forums about Blue being sold.

An earlier post on this thread intimated that as well.

EDITED DUE TO ZOOKEEP'S POST - now this makes more sense- Mr. Bishop is starting a new company....

Heartland Pet Foods is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Blue Buffalo Co., which is headquartered in Wilton, Conn. CEO Bill Bishop helped found the SoBe (South Beach) Beverage Company that was purchased by Pepsico for a reported $370 million

Blue Buffalo Builds Heartland Pet Products in Joplin | Corporate Connecticut The Magazine

I don't know which third party they use to manufacture their food though. Blue may have changed the third party they use to manufacture their foods. In the past they used several different companies for their dry, canned and cat foods including American Nutrition and C&J foods.

Having shared the above, I can attest to the fact that Blue has changed the ingredients on it's products.

I detailed one of the changes to the Lamb & Brown Rice formula the reduced the amount of meat protein. My friend who was product demonstrator for Blue also noted changes over the last few years. She no longer works for them.

I switched off of it two years ago for that reason, why pay more $$$ when they were cutting corners? They ramped up their marketing big time.

The owner of Blue has followed a similiar strategy in the past, business model-wise.

I don't feed it any longer so I don't have any skin in this, but in researching this I did notice a lot of people on the other dog forums (due to problems w/ the food and recalls) were switching to Fromm.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I guess I didn't find it because they weren't technically sold - just took in a bunch of money from an investment firm. No wonder their advertising budget seemed to go through the roof all of a sudden.

It's never been a food I would consider feeding simply because I don't care for the company. I guess this is all the more reason to not care for the Blue Buffalo Company.

 

Anyone who feeds this should keep a close watch for changes in the ingredients list. They are likely to start making changes to reduce the cost of production.