About Halo
Halo is a pet food company that makes GMO-free cat and dog food. Though its formulas generally contain animal products, the Garden of Vegan Recipe is totally plant-based.
In addition to being a vegan pet food, Garden of Vegan kibble doesn’t contain any corn or wheat for sensitive digestive systems that can’t tolerate these foods.
Garden of Vegan also comes in wet and dry food versions for different dietary needs, or if you like the brand and you want to mix the two together.
This is a popular brand, and Halo’s vegan dog food is no stranger to accolades. In 2018 Halo was the winner of the Best Dog Food category in the VegNews Veggie Awards.
Want more vegan dog food options? Take a peek at our picks on the guide below… Best Vegan Dog Food Brands (And My Pup’s Personal Story)
Ingredients
Aside from containing no GMOs, corn or wheat, Halo’s Garden of Vegan is meant to be as allergy-friendly and health-conscious as possible.
We’re going to check out the Garden of Vegan dry food ingredients first:
Ingredients: Non-GMO Green Peas, Chickpeas, Pearled Barley, Oat Groats, Pea Protein, Whole Flaxseed, Sunflower Oil, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Potato, Sweet Potato, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley, Lettuce, Watercress, Spinach, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Dicalcium Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dried Kelp, Natural Vegetable Flavors, Flaxseed Oil, Carrots, Dried Apple, Dried Blueberry, Dried Cranberry, Chicory Root, Taurine, Rosemary Extract, L-Carnitine, Potassium Chloride, DL Methionine, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride.
Vitamins: Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D-2 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Folic Acid.
Minerals: Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Cobalt Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate.
As promised, we see no rice for anyone looking to steer clear. We like that there are real fruit and vegetable ingredients in addition to a variety of added vitamins and minerals to ensure that the formula is balanced.
With flaxseed, there’s a good source of omega 3 fatty acids, and kelp
can help to keep a dog’s thyroid and glandular functions in healthy condition.
Many people switching their dogs from a meat-based to a plant-based diet are concerned about getting enough taurine in their dogs’ diets, so the vegan taurine in this formula should help.
What about that chicory root—isn’t that an herbal coffee alternative?
It turns out that it’s not just an herbal “coffee.” Chicory root is often added to dog food formulas as a prebiotic to support the digestive system.
One thing we do want to talk about is the number one item on the list—peas.
Just last month, the FDA released a statement about investigating 16 dog food brands using peas, potatoes, or lentils as the main ingredient for possible connections to incidents of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which can lead to heart failure.
But don’t panic if you’ve already been giving your dog Halo—Halo is not on the list.
The company also published a response to any concerns about DCM in which Halo promises to investigate the issue further and continue to test products to ensure that they always meet AAFCO standards.
Here’s our advice.
If you’re switching to any particular type of dog food including Halo Garden of Vegan Recipe, we’d recommend talking to your vet to make sure that it meets your dog’s dietary needs.
Let’s look at the wet Halo dog food version of Garden of Vegan next:
Ingredients: Vegetable Broth, Chickpeas, Potato, Pea Protein, Carrots, Olive Oil, Peas, Spinach, Flaxseed, Potato Protein, Tricalcium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Agar-Agar, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Turmeric, Sesame Seeds, Dandelion Greens, Rosemary, Minerals, Vitamins.
Vitamins: Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D-2 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid.
Minerals: Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate.
As you can see, this recipe is a little different. Aside from vegetable broth, its first ingredients are chickpeas, potatoes, and pea protein (check with your vet about the potatoes and pea protein).
Flaxseed, turmeric, and dandelion greens all make an appearance on this list, and they’re all great for dog health.
Turmeric contains curcumin, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory powerhouse for humans and dogs, and dandelion is a beneficial diuretic and excellent for blood sugar.
If your dog does well on this dog food, it looks like a decent source of nutrients coming from vegetarian ingredients.
Halo Vegan Dog Food Reviews Analyzed
Check out this vegan starter kit
To help you get a clearer view of Halo vegan dog food, we dug through all the reviews we could find.
We read reviews from different sources for the most comprehensive and unbiased breakdown below.
Halo Garden of Vegan Dry Kibble
After scouring the reviews from sites like Amazon and Chewy for people’s opinions on the dry food version of Garden of Vegan, we found that this pet food is well liked.
Some reviewers claim that it played a role in nurturing their dogs back to health after falling ill on standard diets, which is not uncommon when dogs switch to vegan diets.
Many reviews mention that this food helped with their dogs’ itchy skin, hot spots, and dandruff. Digestion problems seem to clear up and general health seems to improve for dogs who were previously suffering from various ailments.
One reviewer even states that their 10-year-old fur baby, who had developed cancer, thrived on this diet and had blood tests showing tip-top health after switching to Halo Garden of Vegan.
We also saw comments about dogs with poor eating track records having no trouble with this one. This is especially important for dogs in need of some pounds.
Though most reviews are positive, there are some negative ones to go over.
We found some reports of differences between batches. One customer noticed that a new bag of food was different in color and size and actually tasted it. She thought it was salty, which was not something that she wanted for her dog.
Upon opening the bag, some reviewers caught a whiff of a rancid smell, which could possibly be attributed to the flaxseed spoiling (flaxseed is sensitive to temperature changes).
But these reports were still in the minority compared to the good reviews.
Most Australian Shepherds, Boxers, Chihuahuas, and dogs of all breeds seem to love this food.
Pros of this Pet Food
- Most dogs dig the flavor
- Seems to help with skin issues
- Good for digestion
- Promotes healthy skin and coats
- Helps underweight dogs gain weight
Cons of this Food
- Strange smell
- Seems to spoil somewhat easily
- Some dogs don’t like it
Halo Garden of Vegan Wet Food
The best thing about the Garden of Vegan wet food seems to be that tons of picky eaters gobble it up.
This can be a huge advantage any time that you might need to give your dog some medication or supplements.
Some people mix a little of this product in with dry food to help their dogs get excited about meal time.
One of the biggest complaints about the wet food is about the price. Some people are happy to pay more for Halo than other brands, but others aren’t sure it’s worth it.
Some commenters even said that it left their dogs’ stomachs upset, so it may not be ideal for every dog.
There are also some dogs that don’t seem to like this food, even though many apparently adore it. It might just be hit or miss in this department.
Overall, if you want to try the wet food, we’d suggest that you watch your dog for signs of an upset digestive system to make sure that they can handle it.
Pros
- Plenty of fussy eaters love it
- Can make it easy to transition a dog to a vegan diet
Cons
- Pricey
- Some dogs have adverse reactions
- Not every dog enjoys this product
Where to Buy Halo Vegan Dog Food
One of the most convenient places to buy Halo pet food is probably on Amazon, especially if you buy bulk pantry items there.
You can also purchase Halo from places like Vitacost and PetSmart for some online and in-person options.
Alternative Options
In case you’re looking for something other than Halo to feed your canine family members, we’ve got you covered.
One alternative is Petcurean Gather Endless Valley, Petcurean’s vegan dog food formula.
Like Halo Garden of Vegan, it’s also based on peas, so we’d recommend checking with your vet. That being said, it gets excellent reviews and appears to be a healthy option.
Some of its similarities to Halo Garden of Vegan Dog Food include added taurine, flaxseed, and yeast but no corn or wheat ingredients.
Another one to try might be Benevo. It’s a U.K. brand with choices for diverse dietary requirements.
Also, consider V-Dog vegetarian dog food.
Wrap Up
Our research indicates that Halo Garden of Vegan is a dog food good pick for many vegan dogs.
In general, the dry kibble seems to be a winner. Most reviews report happy and healthy dogs eating Halo Garden of Vegan dry food, and it seems to be great for dogs with skin issues and some other specific conditions.
While it does suit most dogs’ tastes, there are scattered reviews mentioning pups not liking it or receiving a bag that’s gone bad before it’s even opened.
Due to some mixed reviews on the wet dog food, if you try this particular product, we’d suggest keeping an eye out for signs of poor digestion.
But if your vet approves of Halo Garden of Vegan pet food, per the reviews, it seems to be a healthy way to go for plenty of vegan pooches.
Hey, I’m Joey. I’ve been cooking since I was a little kid and love everything about it. You can find my writing about food, kitchen appliances (such as blenders) and much more. Thanks for stopping by!
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Click here to check out the Vegan Starter Kit.
