Holistic Select Information
Holistic Select was founded in 2000 and is part of the WellPet LLC group of pet food companies. Other examples of brands within this group are Wellness, Eagle Pack, and Sojos. However, the brand originated as part of the Old Mother Hubbard brand, which has been in operation for substantially longer.
Holistic Select’s product range is made at the WellPet facility in the United States in Mishawaka, Indiana.
Holistic Select is available to purchase from a huge number of retail stores, including large retailers and small independently owned pet food stores.
In addition, Holistic Select can be purchased from most large online retailers of pet food, including Chewy, PetFlow, and Amazon.
Holistic Select Product Range
Dog Food
Holistic Select has a moderately sized product range that includes a variety of dog food recipes. This range contains a mix of traditional dry dog food and wet/canned dog food.
In addition, Holistic Select produces many niche styles of dog food, including recipes for puppies, large breed dogs, small breed dogs, and dogs attempting weight loss.
Cat Food
Holistic Select used to produce a range of cat food recipes. However, they have made the decision to discontinue this product line. It is not clear why they chose to discontinue the cat products, but a guess would be that they were not profitable to produce.
Instead, they recommend you try the Wellness brand of cat food, which is one of their sister brands. You can check out our review of Wellness here.
Holistic Select Nutrition
Dog Food
The nutrition provided by Holistic Select dog food recipes is generally above-average but does vary.
Below is an example of the nutrition provided by a Holistic Select dry dog food recipe.
This above-average nutritional profile consists of satisfactory proportions of protein but lower proportions of fat when compared to similar recipes. The proportion of carbohydrates is reasonable but could be lower.
Holistic Select Ingredients
High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients
- Chicken
- Duck
- Turkey
- Lamb
- Beef
- Rabbit
- Salmon
- Whitefish
- Sardine
- Anchovy
Holistic Select uses a huge range of meat and fish ingredients in its recipes. This range includes many of the industry favorites such as Chicken, Beef, and Salmon.
These ingredients are common because they are relatively inexpensive and can provide excellent nutrition.
However, Holistic Select also uses some ingredients that are not common and, in some cases, are quite unique. Examples include Rabbit, Sardine, and Anchovy.
Sometimes these ingredients are included to be different, but other times they are used for recipes aimed at dogs with severe allergies or sensitivities.
You can read more about the concept of using uncommon meat and fish ingredients to help combat allergies in the below articles.
Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods Guide
Other Notable Ingredients
Holistic Select uses a variety of grain ingredients in its grain-inclusive recipes. Examples of these grain ingredients include Brown Rice, Oatmeal, and Barley.
These grain ingredients are considered to be superior to others, such as Wheat and Corn, by many. This is thanks to the additional nutritional they can provide, such as fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Potatoes are a starch ingredient and are commonplace in dog food recipes. They are a very dense source of carbohydrates, meaning that their portion size needs to be carefully controlled. Thankfully the portion size in Holistic Select tends not to be too large.
Holistic Select uses all three of the common legume ingredients found in dog food, which are Peas, Lentils, and Chickpeas.
Legumes are so common because they are relatively inexpensive and can provide favorable nutrition, high in protein for a plant-based ingredient.
However, there are concerning links between recipes that contain a large portion of legumes and Canine Heart Disease.
You can read more about these links and alternatives to legumes in our article Best Dog Foods Without Peas.
Menhaden Fish Meal is a processed fish ingredient that is regularly included in dog food, especially higher protein dog food.
Menhaden Fish are processed to remove their oil and but the flesh that remains isn’t required and is sold to dog food companies as a highly nutritious and low-cost ingredient.
Read more about in our article Menhaden Fish Meal in Dog Food.
Flaxseed is a popular addition to dog food thanks to the high levels of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids that it contains.
These fatty acids are believed to provide several health benefits, including healthier skin and coat and a reduced risk of certain diseases.
Learn more in Flaxseed In Dog Food.
Dried Beet Pulp’s primary purpose in dog food is to act as a source of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can be crucial to some dogs to ensure they have regular digestion and stools.
However, outside of this fiber content, Dried Beet Pulp provides very little nutrition.
Read more in Dried Beet Pulp In Dog Food.
Chicken Fat is added to many dog food recipes to boost its flavor and taste, as well as increase the proportion of animal fat present.
Chicken Fat is chosen over other oils and fats as it is appealing to dogs and is relatively low-cost.
Learn more about Chicken Fat in our article, Chicken Fat In Dog Food.
Pumpkin is another ingredient that is often added to dog food for its digestive properties.
It is a fantastic source of fiber; however, unlike Tomato Pomace and Dried Beet Pulp, Pumpkin can provide additional nutrition in the form of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals.
You can learn more about Pumpkin and some of the best Pumpkin recipes available in our article Best Dog Food With Pumpkin.
Some Holistic Select recipes contain Alfalfa, which is added to dog food for its health benefits.
While these health benefits are not conclusively proven, the ingredient is widely used and also contains some beneficial micronutrients.
Read more in Alfalfa In Dog Food.
Brewers Yeast is another ingredient added to dog food recipes in small quantities because many believe it can provide health benefits.
The health benefits are thanks to the vitamins and minerals the ingredient contains.
Learn more in our article Brewers Yeast In Dog Food.
Canola Oil is a vegetable oil commonly found in foods for human consumption. However, it is also added to some dog food recipes in small portions.
It can boost the level of fat in a recipe as well as the proportion of beneficial fats.
Read more in Canola Oil In Dog Food.
Holistic Select Animal Testing
At this time, we have no information on what type of animal testing, if any, that Holistic Select participates in.
We strongly believe that laboratory and invasive testing of animals is a cruel and outdated practice and one which should be eliminated.
Holistic Select Recalls
Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), Holistic Select is a recall-free brand.
Despite this, we always suggest that pet owners remain vigilant of any future recalls of Holistic Select or any other pet food brand.
Holistic Select Featured Articles
Best Dog Food At Tractor Supply
Best Dog Food With Chicken and Rice
Best of Holistic Select
Holistic Select Adult & Puppy Health Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe Review
Check Price On Chewy
The above recipe uses an unusual mix of seafood ingredients, which we are choosing to highlight it.
The ingredients include Salmon, which is a common addition to dog food, but it also includes Anchovy and Sardines, which are very rarely seen. This combination comes together to provide an excellent proportion of protein.
However, the proportion of fat in this recipe is lower than other recipes with similar protein levels.
This lower level of fat could be advantageous to older dogs who are not as active as they were in their youth or those dogs who are overweight and are attempting weight loss.
The formula uses a range of Starches, Legumes, and Pumpkin to provide its carbohydrate content and is free of any grains or by-products. These vegetables also offer an ample portion of fiber to aid digestion.
Grain Free Beef Pate Recipe Review
Check Price On Chewy
While the above dry dog food recipe uses unusual ingredients, the wet/canned recipe we’ve chosen to highlight sticks to an industry favorite in Beef.
Many dogs really enjoy the taste and flavor of Beef, and it can provide a plentiful supply of protein and fat.
The recipe also contains a notable portion of Pork Liver. Liver ingredients such as Pork Liver are welcome additions to dog food recipes.
This is as organ meat can provide vitamins and minerals in high proportions that are not found in traditional meat cuts.
A mix of Peas and Potato ingredients are included, which provide a modest proportion of carbohydrates and fiber for the recipe.
Holistic Select Full Product Range
Dry Dog Food
Adult Health Anchovy & Sardine And Salmon Meal Recipe
Adult Health Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe
Adult Health Lamb Meal Recipe
Grain Free Adult & Puppy Health Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Meal Recipe
Grain Free Adult Health Duck Meal Recipe
Grain Free Adult Health Deboned Turkey & Lentils Recipe
Grain Free Adult Health Rabbit & Lamb Meals Recipe
Grain Free Large & Giant Breed Adult
Grain Free Large & Giant Bred Puppy
Grain Free Senior Health – Chicken Meal & Lentils Recipe
Grain Free Small & Mini Breed Adult Health
Grain Free Small & Mini Breed Puppy Health
Grain Free Weight Management Chicken Meal & Peas Recipe
Grain Free Puppy Health Anchovy Sardine & Chicken Meal Recipe
Large & Giant Breed Adult Health
Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health
Wet/Canned Dog Food
Grain Free Beef Pate Recipe
Grain Free Chicken Pate Recipe
Grain Free Duck Pate Recipe
Grain Free Lamb Pate Recipe
Grain Free Turkey & Duck Pate Recipe
Grain Free Whitefish, Salmon & Herring Pate Recipe