My Dogs Are Obsessed With Katherine Heigl’s Badlands Ranch Air-Dried Dog Food

My family is more than a little bit obsessed with our three Boston terriers, Horace, Hilda and Magnus, so they tend to be pretty spoiled—especially when it comes to food and treats.

They’re no strangers to regularly having extra ground beef or grilled chicken, plus plenty of veggies, mixed in with their kibble at each meal, and it’s not unusual for them to get their own unseasoned portion of meat set aside to be fed from the table at dinner.

That said, Horace (our unusually sized 50-pound Boston) has recently experienced some hereditary health issues, including pituitary troubles and diabetes, and he recently had surgery to remove a cataract from one of his eyes. As a result, we’ve been a lot pickier about the way we feed all three dogs, with a big emphasis on keeping them healthy.

When I was first introduced to Badlands Ranch, the pet nutrition brand founded by award-winning actress and animal advocate Katherine Heigl, I was immediately intrigued. While a lot of pet brands claim to have healthier treats, their products still manage to feature lots of fillers and unnecessary ingredients. Reading the ingredient lists helped me understand what was in each product.

I was thrilled when they offered up the opportunity for my dogs to try not just their premium dog food, the Superfood Complete, but also their snacks, the Superfood Bites and Superfood Nuggets—and my dogs were even happier about the situation than I was. 

(Photo credit: Amanda McArthur)

Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete Air-Dried Dog Food

Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete is an air-dried dog food line from Katherine Heigl’s pet nutrition brand. The Beef and Bison & Beef formulas are formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance. Both can be served as an adult dog’s main food, following the recipe’s feeding directions. They require no refrigeration, heating or added water.

The dog food comes in five recipes, including Beef, Chicken, Wild Fish & Turkey, Lamb & Venison, and Bison & Beef. For this review, I tried the Beef and Bison & Beef formulas as toppers on my dogs’ usual meals.

The Beef formula contains 87% beef, beef heart, beef liver and salmon. The remaining 13% consists of seeds, vegetables, fruit, minerals and vitamins.

Superfood Complete comes in 24 oz. bags. For the two formulas I tried, Beef is listed at $59.95 per bag, or $40.95 with a free Badlands Ranch account. Bison & Beef is $69.95 per bag, or $50.95 with a free account. Bulk discounts are also available. The cost of feeding Superfood Complete depends on the recipe and how much your dog eats.

(via Badlands Ranch)

For my review, I was sent two bags of the Superfood Complete—one in the Beef flavor and the other in the Bison and Beef flavor. For my test, I decided to supplement my three dogs’ food over time with just a bit of this food.

(Photo credit: Amanda McArthur)

Using the food as a topper was also a practical choice for our household. Feeding amounts vary by recipe, weight and activity level, so owners should follow the directions on their specific bag.

Secondly, it quickly become apparent that all three of my dogs love Badlands Ranch, and I didn’t want to put my in-laws in the predicament of making the dogs so picky that they’ll refuse to eat anything else.

The difference became apparent as soon as I opened the bag. First off, the food wasn’t kibble-like at all, with the air drying lending it a soft, meaty texture. Also, opening the bag instantly had all three dogs standing at attention. They could smell the food inside, and started behaving extra well, like they were begging for their very favorite treat. That’s just not a reaction we’ve ever gotten from any other kind of dog food.

(Photo credit: Amanda McArthur)

What Happened When My Picky Eater Tried Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete

For about a month, I added small amounts of the Beef and Bison & Beef formulas to my three dogs’ usual meals. All three ate them eagerly, including Magnus, who is usually more hesitant about new foods. My experience was with Superfood Complete as a topper alongside their regular diet.

To learn more, we spoke with Dr. Ambika Vaid-Sidhu, DVM, veterinary advisor to Badlands Ranch, who answered our questions about Superfood Complete.

Sweety High: What makes Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete different from the average dog food? What are some of its standout ingredients, and which fillers and preservatives are left out?

Dr. Ambika Vaid: Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete is different than the average dog food not only for the ingredients in contains, but for how it is produced as well. Superfood Complete is prepared at low temperatures and preserved through air-drying. It emphasizes whole animal and plant ingredients, with a large percentage of the ingredients coming from protein and organ meats.

Some of the standout ingredients include beef hearts, beef liver, pumpkin, sweet potato, blueberries, broccoli, turmeric and lion’s mane mushrooms. One of the many great things about Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete is that it does not contain corn, soy or wheat.

SH: What are the potential benefits of ingredients such as chia seeds and lion’s mane mushroom in Superfood Complete?

Dr. Vaid: Chia seeds contribute fiber and omega fatty acids. Superfood Complete also includes lion’s mane mushroom among its ingredients.

SH: What are the benefits of air-drying the food?

Dr. Vaid: Superfood Complete is cooked at low temperatures and preserved through air-drying. It is shelf stable and can be served without refrigeration, heating or added water.

SH: What kinds of differences might dog owners notice after feeding their dogs Superfood Complete?

Dr. Vaid: Superfood Complete is designed to support digestion, skin and coat health, and energy. Every dog is different, so results will vary.

SH: Is there anything else prospective customers should know about Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete?

Dr. Vaid: Superfood Complete is an air-dried dog food that can be served straight from the bag. It offers a convenient option for pet parents looking for food that requires no refrigeration, heating or added water.

Because my dogs ate small amounts of Superfood Complete alongside their usual food, this review focuses on how they responded at mealtimes. All three enjoyed it, including Magnus, our pickier eater. I can’t determine whether it affected Horace’s health or recovery.

Also read about: 5 Reasons Why Owning a Pet Is Good for Your Mental Health

Superfood Bites

As far as dog treats go, Badlands Ranch’s Superfood Bites immediately stood out to me from the dozens of others I’ve been sent for review over the years.

(Photo credit: Amanda McArthur)

They come in two varieties—100% Beef Liver Treats and 100% Chicken Breast Treats—and both treats are made from a single freeze-dried ingredient, whether we’re talking freeze-dried raw chicken breast or freeze-dried raw beef liver. Both have the same retail price, starting at $21.95 for one bag, with bigger discounts the more you buy.

(via Badlands Ranch)

And when I say that my dogs went wild for these, I’m not exaggerating in the slightest. They seemed to be able to smell the pure, meaty flavors from the second I opened the bags, and once they actually started munching on them, it seemed to confirm that the treats were as good as they’d hoped. 

Being freeze-dried gives both treats a crisp and crunchy texture that my dogs don’t typically get out of their meaty treats, and Badlands Ranch’s single-ingredient formulas meant I didn’t have to think twice about giving them out at snacktime.

Every single time we opened the bag, the dogs would get in a row and obediently sit, anticipating and skipping my actual command to do so in order to get these Superfood Bites in their bellies even faster. All three dogs were delighted to get through both bags quickly. 

(Photo credit: Amanda McArthur)

Also read about: 15 Unusual Dog Breeds You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

Superfood Nuggets

And last, but certainly not least, were Badlands Ranch’s Superfood Nuggets. These come in three formulas—Beef Tripe & Kale, Bison & Kale  and Duck & Kale—and are freeze-dried raw food toppers that add flavor as well as nutrition to meals, or function as between-meal treats.

Superfood Nuggets are intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only.

They retail starting at $26.95 per bag, and as always, the more you purchase at once, the more you save.

(Photo credit: Amanda McArthur)

For this review, the brand sent me the Beef Tripe & Kale Formula and Bison & Kale Formula. Upon opening the bag, I felt that the grey pellets inside didn’t seem that appetizing to my human eye, but my dogs happened to disagree, immediately wanting a taste of their own.

(via Badlands Ranch)

Over the last month, we tried the Superfood Nuggets both as a meal topper, as suggested, and as an occasional treat. My dogs have become big fans of both situations. Once again, the formulas are simple enough that I really don’t have to worry about what I’m giving my dogs. For example, the only ingredients for the Beef Tripe & Kale Formula are beef tripe, beef liver, kale, pumpkin, tart cherry, salt and mixed tocopherols (a preservative). 

That seems to come through in the taste, because my dogs haven’t yet refused a bite from Badlands Ranch—and Magnus will even follow me into another room when I’m carrying the Superfood Nuggets bag, putting on his cutest face to ensure that he’ll get some.

(Photo credit: Amanda McArthur)

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Is Badlands Ranch Worth the Price?

The quality of Badlands Ranch’s products is obvious, from looking at the ingredients lists to actually watching how my dogs react when it’s time to eat. They were legitimately excited at every meal and snack time that involved the brand, and even though they don’t seem to be pining for days past now that they’re gone, I’ll definitely be buying from them in the future when I want to really treat my pups.

Superfood Complete is priced as a premium food, and for my household the ingredient list explains why. The Beef formula is 87% beef, beef heart, beef liver and salmon, and Badlands Ranch notes that dogs may not need to eat as much of it to feel full. A free Badlands Ranch account brings the Beef bag from $59.95 to $40.95. Using it as a topper, the way I did, stretches each bag across more meals for bigger dogs or multi-dog homes. Every purchase also comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee.

My dogs got excited about the food and treats every time, including Magnus, who is usually the least food-driven of the three. For our household, I would buy Superfood Complete again to use as a topper. The cost of feeding it as the main food would be a separate consideration, especially with three dogs.

If you have a picky eater or want more real meat in your dog’s bowl, Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete is the air-dried dog food I’d try first, and starting it as a topper makes it an easy one to test.

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