I And Love And You

I And Love And You Information

I And Love And You is a well-known but smaller pet food brand based in the United States. The brand is relatively young, having been founded back in 2012 by several employees at the same pet food store.

Many recognize I And Love And You thanks to their quirky name, but the quality of their recipes also give them a stellar reputation. This quality earned them a spot on the shelves of Whole Food stores early in their life.

They are one of a slim number of pet food brands that produce human-grade or raw dog food which has seen a surge in popularity in recent years.

I And Love And You is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, and all of their recipes are manufactured in the United States.

However, some of their ingredients are sourced from outside of the United States and Canada from countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

While some are fearful of ingredients sourced from outside of the United States, they should not fear ingredients from these countries as their safety standards often surpass that of the USA.

The quality of I And Love You’s recipes combined with their nutritional value can make some of their recipes expensive, especially compared to the lower-cost brands.

Some of their premium dry dog food recipes can top out at over $100 a bag, which is comparable to other brands like Orijen or The Honest Kitchen.

Since their original launch back in 2012, I And Love And You recipes have become widely available for purchase at thousands of retail stores across the United States.

The brand is also available to buy from a myriad of online pet food sellers such as Chewy, Amazon, and Petflow.

I And Love And You Product Range

Dog Food

I And Love And You have an expansive range of dog food products that is larger than many of their competitors. This range includes quite a number of dog food types, including dry dog food, wet/canned dog food, raw dog food, human-grade dog food, and dog treats.

While dry and wet/canned dog food recipes are widespread throughout the industry, raw and human-grade dog food are not as common and make I And Love And You quite unique.

You can see an example of this below with their raw Turkey-based dog food recipe.

However, while I And Love And You do produce these raw and human-grade food, they do not produce many specialty recipes that are common in the industry, such as those for large breed dogs or senior dogs.

That being said, the brand does produce a few niche recipes, such as a recipe aimed at puppies.

Cat Food

Sadly, I And Love And You’s cat food range is not as expansive as their dog food range. The range only contains a mix of dry cat food and wet/canned cat food with a noticeable absence of unique raw or human-grade food.

Despite this, there is variety within their core product range, both in the use of meat and fish ingredients as well as plant-based ingredients.

This means that there is a high likelihood that the brand produces a recipe that would appeal to your cat.

Lastly, there are also some niche recipes within the cat food range, including one for indoor cats and another for those who need digestive support.

I And Love And You Nutrition

Dog Food

The nutrition provided by I And Love And You’s dog food recipes varies significantly from recipe to recipe.

Some of their lower-cost recipes provide average nutrition when compared to other similar brands, which is sometimes high in plant-based protein.

In contrast, some of their more premium recipes provide excellent nutrition that is high in animal-based protein and fat and objectively better than the majority of other dog food available.

We’d recommend their Naked Essentials and Nude ranges for those who are interested in providing the most consistent nutrition to their dogs.

Below is an example of the nutrition provided by a recipe from the Naked Essentials range.

As you can see, the protein and fat proportion make up almost two-thirds of the recipe’s overall nutritional content, and this protein and fat is split evenly rather than one being far more than the other.

If you’d like to learn more about canine nutrition, we would highly recommend you check out our Dog Food Guide for a detailed breakdown of several relevant topics.

Cat Food

The nutrition provided by I And Love And You’s cat food recipes also varies but is generally above-average when compared to other cat food brands.

Some recipes within I And Love And You’s range contain high proportions of carbohydrates, while others have levels that are in line with other premium brands and more animal-based protein and fat instead.

It is critical that cats do not consume a diet that is too high in plant-based material. This is as they are obligate carnivores and thrive best on a diet of animal and fish ingredients.

If you’d like to learn more about what it means to be an obligate carnivore, as well as other vital information like cat food types and cat food ingredients, check out our Cat Food Guide.

I And Love And You Ingredients

High-Quality Meat & Fish Ingredients

• Beef
• Lamb
• Venison
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Whitefish
• Salmon
• Trout

I And Love And You use a large variety of high-quality meat and fish ingredients in its pet food recipes.

Many of these ingredients are industry favorites thanks to their low-cost and high nutritional value. Examples of these include Chicken, Turkey, Beef, and Salmon.

However, I And Love And You do make use of some less common ingredients such as Venison and Trout. Some brands use these ingredients in recipes aimed at pets with severe allergies.

You can learn more about food for dogs with allergies and the use of unique ingredients in the below articles.

Best Hypoallergenic Dog Foods Guide

Best Dog Foods With Venison

Other Notable Ingredients

Some of I And Love And You’s recipes make use of whole legume ingredients like Chickpeas, Lentils, and Peas.

These ingredients are extremely popular additions to grain-free pet food as they are relatively low cost but can provide important nutrition in the form of carbohydrates and protein.

However, in recent years there have been links between the high use of legumes in dog food recipes and an increase in the occurrence of a certain type of Canine Heart Disease.

If you’d like to learn more about this link, we’d recommend you check out our article Best Dog Foods Without Peas.

Sadly, I And Love And You doesn’t just use whole legumes but also uses multiple legume by-products such as Pea Flour, Pea Starch, and Pea Protein.

These by-products are not usually considered to be high-quality additions to pet food and are often used by manufacturers in a technique known as Ingredient Splitting.

You can learn more about Ingredient Splitting here.

Despite this, these ingredients do provide nutrition to dogs in the form of carbohydrates, fiber, or plant-based protein.

I And Love And You has a small range of grain-inclusive recipes. These recipes make use of grain ingredients like Sorghum, Oatmeal, and Millet.

Grain ingredients can be extremely controversial additions to pet food recipes, with many swearing to never feed their pets grains in large quantities.

However, there are also strong supporters of the use of grain ingredients, especially among those that feed brands like Purina Pro Plan or Royal Canin.

Regardless, these particular grains are popular among premium pet food providers and are preferred to others like Corn or Wheat.

This preference is as these grains are seen as less processed and can provide a variety of nutrition such as carbohydrates, fiber, and select micronutrients.

You can read more specific information about some of these ingredients in the below articles.

Sorghum In Dog Food

Millet In Dog Food

Sweet Potatoes are a well-known starch ingredient and feature in some I And Love You recipes. Starch ingredients must be treated with care in dog food recipes as they are incredibly dense sources of carbohydrates.

This density means that their portion size can not be too large, or the overall proportion of carbohydrates will be excessive.

Thankfully the portion used by many of I And Love And You’s recipes is not excessive and is therefore not a concern.

Menhaden Fish Meal is found in some of I And Love And You’s recipes and is often used by some premium pet food recipes as a supplementary source of animal-based nutrition.

Menhaden Fish are harvested from the oceans for their fish oil, and once this has been removed, a nutritious fish meal remains, which is then often sold on to pet food manufacturers as a source of animal-based protein and fat.

Many in the industry prefer the use of ingredients like Menhaden Fish Meal to plant-based alternatives like Pea Protein or Potato Protein.

You can learn more about Menhaden Fish Meal, including whether it is sustainable and its other industry uses in our article Menhaden Fish Meal in Dog Food.

Some I And Love You recipes make use of small portions of Chicken Fat as a reliable source of animal-based fat.

Chicken Fat is popular among pet food manufacturers as it is a simple addition to improve a recipe’s flavor without shelling out on more expensive ingredients. It is also easy to source at a large scale compared to some alternatives.

You can read more about Chicken Fat, including whether it can trigger a Chicken allergy, in our article Chicken Fat In Dog Food.

Flaxseed is best known for being the best plant-based source of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids. These fatty acids are believed by many to provide several health benefits to dogs and cats.

Some of these health benefits include an improvement in the health of a dog’s skin and coat as well as a reduction in the risk of certain health problems.

However, Flaxseed has the potential to provide more benefits outside of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids, which most readers would be unaware of. You can read more about these benefits of Flaxseed in our article Flaxseed In Dog Food.

Tomato Pomace is regularly seen as a minor ingredient in pet food recipes. Its purpose is to provide soluble fiber to recipes where it might otherwise be lacking.

Soluble fiber can be critical to some dogs to ensure they keep regular digestion and stools. Outside of its fiber content, Tomato Pomace provides little nutrition to dogs including a lack of protein, fat, or carbohydrates.

If you want to learn more about Tomato Pomace, check out our article Tomato Pomace as a Pet Food Ingredient?.

I And Love And You Animal Testing

I And Love And You is one of a select few pet food brands to give some public information about their animal testing. In the FAQ section of their website, they state the following:

We do not participate in invasive, unsafe, experimental animal testing. When we test our newest bites for palatability, safety, and digestibility, it’s in partnership with AAFCO. 

AAFCO is the association of officials that regulate animal food and set nutrient profiles for dog and cat food. Once AAFCO approved kennels perform feeding trials and give us the thumb’s up, our four-legged office taste testers line up to give us even more feedback!

I And Love And You clearly stating that they are not involved in invasive, unsafe, or experimental animal testing is a relief for many.

Many smaller pet food brands avoid disclosing detailed information on their animal testing or feeding trials. This lack of information being made public by brands is as they fear backlash from their customer base.

However, others in the industry are fearful of this lack of transparency and wonder whether some foods may not be suitable for long-term consumption due to insufficient testing.

We strongly believe that laboratory or invasive testing of animals is a cruel and outdated practice. We hope that in the future, it will be eliminated.

I And Love And You Recalls

Based on our research (FDA, AVMA, DogFoodAdvisor), I And Love And You has undergone recalls in its past, which means it is not a recall-free pet food brand.

While information is scarce, we found that I And Love And You issued a voluntary recall of certain dog treats in July 2015, and this recall was due to potential Salmonella contamination.

Salmonella is a serious health risk for dogs and humans and is one of the most common causes of recalls in the industry.

The dog treat in question here was – Cow-Boom! Strips Beef Gullet that were packaged into 2.0 oz bags, with the lot numbers ending in 4T1 or 5T1, a best-by-year of 2016 or 2017 and UPC number 8 18336 01134 4

While this voluntary recall does taint I And Love And You’s record, it is important to note that this was a voluntary recall and only affected a small batch of treats.

Many larger and more established brands have had non-voluntary recalls or recalls of dozens or even hundreds of batches of pet food.

We hope that I And Love And You have learned from this voluntary recall and are taking the safety and quality of their manufacturing process seriously.

Lastly, we always suggest that pet owners remain vigilant of any future recalls of I And Love And You or any other pet food brand to ensure that their pets remain healthy and safe.

Best of I And Love And You

Stir & Boom Raw Raw Turk Boom Ba Dinner Review

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We thought it best to first highlight one of I And Love And You’s dehydrated dog food recipes as many will not be familiar with them.

While the above recipe may be named as if it contains a large portion of Turkey, the primary ingredient is actually Chicken. Regardless, Chicken is an excellent addition to any pet food recipe and can provide high-quality animal-based protein and fat.

This Chicken is joined by then joined by a smaller portion of Turkey which, when combined, provides a reasonable overall proportion of animal-based protein and fat.

This dehydrated dog food recipe then heavily utilizes Peas in a similar way that many grain-free dry dog food recipes do.

Pea Flour and Pea Starch are the two Pea-based ingredients found in the recipe, both of which are discussed heavily in our article Peas, Pea Protein, Pea Flour, and Pea Fiber in Dog Food.

Lastly, the recipe includes a smaller portion of Tapioca and Sweet Potatoes, which are both starch ingredients. Both of these starch ingredients act as a dense source of carbohydrates as well as providing some additional minor nutrition.

Ancient Grains Beef + Lamb Review

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While many dog owners shy away from grain ingredients, I And Love And You’s grain inclusive recipes are worth a second chance.

The above Beef + Lamb recipe contains a significant portion of Beef and Beef Meal. When this is combined with a small portion of Lamb and Menhaden Fish Meal, the overall proportion of animal or fish-based ingredients is large.

This results in a proportion of protein and fat that is significantly above-average and suitable for the majority of dogs, including those that are more active.

The recipe then uses a mix of Sorghum, Oatmeal, and Millet to provide a modest proportion of carbohydrates and fiber.

The inclusion of some minor ingredients such as Flaxseed and Tomato Pomace help boost the levels of fiber and the Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Cluckin’ Good Stew Review

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While I And Love You’s wet dog food offering might be quite small, there are some noteworthy recipes, including the above Cluckin’ Good Stew.

The recipe has a focus on Chicken and utilizes a mix of Chicken and Chicken Liver. The Chicken Liver is an excellent addition as Chicken Liver can enhance the recipe’s flavor and provide beneficial vitamins and minerals.

The combination of these two Chicken ingredients provides a satisfactory proportion of protein and fat, which is suitable for most dogs.

Outside of this, the recipe contains some vegetable and fruit ingredients in small quantities. This includes Carrots, Cranberries, Peas, Spinach, and Sweet Potatoes. These ingredients provide a small portion of carbohydrates and some unique flavors.

Naked Essentials Salmon & Trout Recipe Review

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I And Love And You’s Naked Essential range is a reliable and impressive range that includes the above Salmon & Trout recipe.

This recipe includes a large portion of Salmon, Chicken, Turkey, and a smaller portion of Trout. This combination of fish and poultry ingredients sums to an impressive nutritional profile, including a minimum of 34% protein and 14% fat.

Fish ingredients like Salmon are excellent additions to a cat’s diet and can include high levels of the beneficial Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Outside of its poultry and fish content, the above recipe includes portions of Chickpeas and Peas, which act as the recipe’s main plant-based content.

Lastly, there are tiny portions of Beet Pulp and Flaxseed, which are present to provide soluble fiber and some beneficial health effects.

Chicky-Da-Lish Stew Review

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Wet cat food is extremely enticing, and many cats go wild over it compared to dry cat food or kibble. The above Chicken-based wet cat food recipe from I And Love And You is likely to have the same effect on many cats.

While Chicken is often thought of as boring to some, it is an incredibly impressive ingredient thanks to its lower cost and favorable nutrition.

This recipe includes a large portion of Chicken as its primary ingredient but also a smaller portion of Chicken Liver.

Organ meat ingredients such as Chicken Liver are excellent additions and can improve the overall flavor and palatability as well as boost the levels of certain vitamins and minerals.

Lastly, this recipe includes tiny portions of some vegetable ingredients like Carrots, Peas, and Spinach.

The portion size of these ingredients, however, means that they do not muscle out the large portion of Chicken and, therefore, only provide a minor portion of carbohydrates and fiber.

I And Love And You Featured Articles

Best Dehydrated Dog Food – As we mentioned earlier, I And Love And You is one of a slim number of pet food brands to produce raw or dehydrated dog food. 

For this reason, and the impressive quality of their food, we chose to feature them in our detailed look at dehydrated dog food along with several other brands like Orijen, Sojos, and The Honest Kitchen.

Best Dog Food With Whitefish – Whitefish isn’t as marketed as much as fish like Salmon or Tuna, but it is still a vital component of many pet food recipes.

I And Love And You utilizes Whitefish in some of its recipes, and one of these was impressive enough to feature in our top list of Whitefish-based dog food recipes.

I And Love And You Full Product Range

Dog Food

Dry Dog Food

Baked & Saucy Beef + Sweet Potato

Baked & Saucy Chicken + Sweet Potato

Lovingly Simple Lamb + Sweet Potato

Lovingly Simple Whitefish + Sweet Potato

Ancient Grains Beef + Lamb

Ancient Grains Chicken + Turkey

Naked Essentials Chicken + Duck

Naked Essentials Lamb + Bison

Naked Essentials Salmon + Trout

Naked Essentials Puppy Recipe Chicken + Lentil

Nude Food Poultry Palooza

Nude Food Red Meat Medley

Nude Food Simply Sea

Wet Dog Food

Beef Booyah Stew

Cluckin’ Good Stew

Gobble It Up Stew

Lamb-A-Rama Stew

Moo Moo Venison Stew

Raw Dog Food

Raw Raw Beef Boom Ba

Raw Raw Chick Boom Ba

Raw Raw Lamb Boom Ba

Raw Raw Turk Boom Ba

Human Grade Dog Food

Stir-Mix-A-Little Beef And Bone Broth

Stir-Mix-A-Little Chicken And Bone Broth

Stir-Mix-A-Little Turkey And Bone Broth

Cat Food

Dry Cat Food

Lovingly Simple Salmon + Sweet Potato

Naked Essentials Digestive Support

Naked Essentials Chicken + Duck

Naked Essentials Salmon + Trout

Naked Essentials Indoor Health

Nude Food Poultry A Plenty

Nude Food Surf ‘N Chick

Wet Cat Food

Beef, Right Meow! Pate

Chicken Me Out Pate

Chicky Da Lish Stew

Oh My Cod! Pate

Purrky Turkey Pate

Salmon Chanted Evening Stew

Savory Salmon Pate

Tuna Fintastic Stew

Whascally Wabbit Pate