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Blue BuffaloBLUE Wilderness Premier Blend Adult Dog Salmon
Allergy Risk
This food contains multiple possible allergens for sensitive pets.
Notable Benefits
Ingredients
Numbered in order of predominance by weight, heaviest first. Click any ingredient for details.
BLUE Wilderness Premier Blend Adult Dog Salmon ingredients, explained
The recipe is built on salmon: deboned salmon and salmon meal are two of the first three ingredients. Common dog food allergens on the label: salmon, chicken, egg and beef. Omega-3 comes from salmon meal and fish meal as well as flaxseed; the fish sources are the form dogs use directly.
What this food is made of
A fatty fish used as a protein source and as a natural source of omega-3 fats. Fresh salmon is mostly water, so a salmon meal lower on the list may be contributing more protein. Salmon is a common alternative protein for pets that react to chicken or beef, though fish allergies exist too. Farmed and wild salmon differ in fat profile, and labels rarely say which.
The most common protein in pet food, and for dogs one of the most common food allergens, with beef and dairy. If chicken is what your pet reacts to, it hides everywhere: chicken fat, chicken broth, chicken meal, natural flavor. On a label, chicken listed first is weighed with its water still in, so a food leading with fresh chicken often has less chicken protein than one leading with chicken meal. Neither is better; they are different measures.
A whole grain used as a carbohydrate and fiber source. Oats are well digested, higher in protein than rice, and contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber linked to steadier blood sugar. They are a common choice in sensitive-stomach and weight-control foods. Oat fiber is the hull, which is mostly insoluble fiber; oat flour and oatmeal are the whole grain milled. Grain allergy is rare in pets.
Rice with the bran layer left on, which keeps more fiber, B vitamins and minerals than white rice. It is well digested by most dogs and is a common carbohydrate in sensitive-stomach foods. It digests more slowly than white rice and keeps blood sugar steadier, so it turns up in weight-control foods too. For most dogs and cats it is an unremarkable energy source.
A cereal grain used as a slow-digesting carbohydrate. It is high in soluble fiber, especially beta-glucan, and has a lower glycemic effect than rice, which is why it turns up in weight-control and diabetic foods. Pearled barley has had the hull removed, which lowers the fiber somewhat. Barley grass is a different ingredient, a young green shoot used as a vegetable.
Usually tomato pomace, the skins, pulp and seeds left after juicing, added as a fiber source with some antioxidants. Ripe tomato is safe for pets; the green parts of the plant, which are not used in pet food, contain compounds that are toxic in quantity. Pomace is an inexpensive and reasonably good fiber, and that is all it is doing here.
Fish with no species stated. The maker may use whatever is available, so the fish can change between batches. Nutritionally it is a fine protein and often a source of omega-3 fats. The gap is for pets with a known fish allergy, or whose owners are trying to track which protein causes a reaction, because an unnamed ingredient makes that very hard. Named fish such as salmon or whitefish give you that information.
Rendered fat, a concentrated energy source and the main supply of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid for skin and coat. Rendered fat carries very little protein, so many chicken-allergic pets tolerate it, but not all do, and a strict elimination diet avoids it. Usually preserved with mixed tocopherols. Not a quality concern; a good fat source.
A plant source of omega-3 fat (alpha-linolenic acid) and fiber, used in about a third of dog foods for coat and stool quality. Dogs and cats convert plant omega-3 to the useful forms inefficiently, so fish oil does the job better. Flax is not a documented common allergen, though some pets tolerate it poorly, most often as loose stool. Fine in a food; not a reason to prefer it over one using fish oil.
The dried cells of yeast, often a by-product of brewing. It is rich in B vitamins, protein and minerals, improves flavor, and contains compounds that may support gut bacteria. Despite a persistent myth, there is no evidence it repels fleas. Yeast is an uncommon allergen in pets. Yeast culture is a slightly different product, a fermented feed that supplies similar nutrients.
A staple of grain-free recipes, supplying starch, fiber and plant protein. Peas were common in the diets examined in a federal investigation into heart disease in dogs; the investigation did not establish a cause and no ingredient was banned. Pea protein high on a list can inflate the protein number with a plant source. Pea allergy is rare. Not a problem, but worth noticing when it appears in several forms in one recipe.
Starch from the cassava root, used to bind kibble and as a carbohydrate source, especially in grain-free foods. It is nearly pure starch with little protein, fiber or micronutrients, and it is one of the least likely ingredients to trigger an allergy. A food that leans on tapioca for carbohydrate is getting easy digestibility and little else from it, which is fine as long as the rest of the recipe carries the nutrition.
A complete, highly digestible protein, which is why formulators like it. It is also a documented allergen in about 4% of dogs with food reactions. Egg allergy does not implicate chicken meat; the proteins are different. Dried egg product is the same thing with the water removed. A good ingredient for most pets and a fine-print one for the allergic few.
A red-meat protein, higher in fat and iron than poultry. Fresh or deboned beef is mostly water and ranks higher on the label than its dry contribution; beef meal is the concentrated form. Beef is among the most common food allergens reported in both dogs and cats, probably because it has been fed so widely for so long. Beef by-products such as liver and heart are listed separately.
A legume plant, the same one fed to horses, dried and added as a source of fiber, vitamins and chlorophyll. It appears in small amounts and gives kibble a greenish fleck. Alfalfa is safe for dogs and cats at these levels. The protein it contains is small and poorly digested by carnivores, so it adds little nutrition.
A plant oil, low in saturated fat, added as a source of the omega-6 fat linoleic acid with some plant omega-3 as well. It is inexpensive and stable. The plant omega-3 in canola is not converted efficiently to the forms pets use, so it does not replace fish oil. Canola is often genetically modified, which some owners prefer to avoid; there is no evidence that matters for the pet.
The familiar white potato, used as a carbohydrate source in many grain-free foods. Potato starch binds kibble; potato protein is a concentrated plant protein that lifts the protein figure on the bag. Cooked potato is safe and well digested. Grain-free foods built on potatoes and legumes were part of the FDA's 2018 to 2022 look at diet-associated heart disease in dogs, which did not establish a cause; the agency has not asked for any to be withdrawn.
A root vegetable used as a carbohydrate source, especially in grain-free foods. It supplies energy, fiber and beta carotene and is well digested by dogs. There is no good evidence it beats rice or oats nutritionally, though it is a reasonable choice for pets that do poorly on grains. Like any starch, a food that lists it high is a starch-heavy food.
A vegetable that contributes a little fiber and beta-carotene and a lot of label appeal. In dry food it is usually present in small amounts well down the list. It is not an allergen of concern and not a meaningful protein or calorie source. Fine to see; not a reason to choose one food over another.
A fruit added in small amounts for antioxidants and a bit of fiber. Blueberries are safe for dogs and cats, and the pigments that color them are the same ones linked to antioxidant activity in people. In a complete food they appear well down the list in small amounts, so they are a modest extra and should not decide which bag you buy.
A small fruit added mostly for its association with urinary health. Cranberry compounds can make it harder for some bacteria to cling to the bladder wall in laboratory studies, but there is no good evidence that the amount in a pet food prevents or treats urinary infections. At label levels, a small amount well down the list, treat it as a minor fruit that adds a little fiber and antioxidants.
A culinary herb added in tiny amounts, usually with a claim about fresh breath. Parsley does contain chlorophyll and some vitamins, but there is no evidence that the fraction of a percent in a pet food changes breath or anything else. It is safe at these levels. It appears on some toxic-plant lists because very large amounts can cause light sensitivity; the pinch in a pet food is nowhere near that.
A spice added for color and for its curcumin, a compound studied for anti-inflammatory effects. In people and lab animals curcumin is poorly absorbed unless paired with black pepper or fat, and the amounts in a pet food are far below those used in supplement studies. It is safe and gives kibble a warm color, which is most of what it is doing here; the joint and anti-inflammatory claims rest on doses far higher than a food provides.
Almost always rosemary extract, used as a natural antioxidant to keep fats fresh, usually alongside mixed tocopherols. The amounts are tiny. A persistent internet claim links rosemary to seizures in dogs; there is no published evidence for it at food levels. If your dog has epilepsy, ask your neurologist rather than avoiding foods on this basis alone.
Vitamins, minerals and additives (31)
The nutrient pack nearly every complete food carries. Expand to read what each one does.
A potassium source and an electrolyte. Potassium keeps muscles and nerves working, including the heart, and cats lose more of it than dogs do. It also stands in for part of the salt in foods that are formulated lower in sodium. A routine additive with no allergy or safety concern at food levels.
A calcium source, the same compound as limestone or chalk. Meat is low in calcium and high in phosphorus, so foods add calcium to keep the two in balance, which matters for bone and for large-breed puppies in particular. Routine and safe. Not an allergen.
Sodium and chloride, both essential, plus a palatability boost. Pets need less than people, and the minimum is set in the nutrient profiles the food is formulated to. Salt high on the list of a treat is a flavor choice; salt near the end of a complete food is nutrition. Ask your vet before choosing a low-sodium food for heart or kidney disease rather than reading labels alone.
A root added for its inulin, a fiber that gut bacteria ferment. A prebiotic feeds the beneficial bacteria in the gut, and the pet gets the benefit second-hand. Studies in dogs show modest changes in gut bacteria and stool quality at the levels used in food. It is safe, and in large amounts can loosen stools, so it appears near the bottom of the list.
A calcium and phosphorus source that also keeps dry food from clumping. Both minerals are essential and their ratio matters for bone health. Routine and safe. For cats with kidney disease, phosphorus level is the number to watch, and the source is less important than the total.
A B-vitamin relative added to nearly every complete food because animals need more than the base ingredients supply. It supports liver function and cell membranes. Seeing it on a label is normal and reassuring rather than a concern.
An essential amino acid, added to top up protein quality and, in cat food especially, to acidify urine and discourage the struvite crystals behind some urinary problems. Routine and safe in a complete food. If your cat has a history of the other crystal type (oxalate), urine acidifiers are a vet conversation.
A fat-soluble antioxidant that protects cells and the fats in the food itself. It is in nearly every complete food, both as a nutrient and, under the name mixed tocopherols, as the natural preservative that keeps fat from going rancid. Deficiency is rare in pets eating a complete diet. Nothing to worry about on a label, and a sign the maker is preserving with vitamin E rather than synthetic chemicals.
A zinc source. Zinc is essential for skin, coat, immunity and wound healing, and deficiency shows up first as crusty skin. Some Arctic breeds absorb it poorly and need more. Sulfate and oxide are inorganic; proteinate or chelate is bound to protein, which brands present as better absorbed. Any of them is normal. Not an allergen.
An iron source. Iron carries oxygen in the blood, and meat supplies much of it, with the mineral supplement making up the rest. Ferrous sulfate is the inorganic form; iron proteinate or chelate is the same mineral bound to a protein fragment, which brands describe as more absorbable. Either is normal. Not an allergen.
An amino acid cats cannot make in sufficient quantity and must eat, or they develop heart disease and blindness. It is in every complete cat food by law of nutrition, not by choice. Dogs make their own, but it is added to many dog foods as a precaution after a federal investigation into diet-associated heart disease in dogs. Its presence on a dog food label is a good sign, not a warning.
A dried seaweed added as a natural source of iodine and trace minerals. Iodine is needed for thyroid function, and kelp is one of the few whole-food sources of it. The iodine content of kelp varies a great deal between harvests, so it has to be tested and dosed carefully, and the label will not tell you whether it was. Pets with thyroid disease should get the vet's view on foods that use kelp as the main iodine source.
An extract of a desert plant added in tiny amounts to reduce stool and urine odor. Its compounds appear to bind ammonia in the gut, and a few small studies in dogs and cats have measured a reduction in fecal odor. It has no nutritional role and the amounts used are far below any level of concern. Its presence tells you the maker is thinking about the litter box.
Vitamin B3. Dogs can make some from the amino acid tryptophan; cats cannot make enough and must get it from food, which is one of many reasons cat food and dog food are not interchangeable. Water-soluble and safe at food levels. Expected on every complete food label.
Vitamin B5 in its stable added form (the d- prefix just names the active version). It is needed to turn fats and carbohydrates into energy. Widely available in meats and grains, topped up to guarantee the level. Safe, expected, and irrelevant to allergies.
A copper source. Copper is essential in small amounts for blood, connective tissue and coat color. Some veterinary nutritionists have questioned whether modern dog foods carry more copper than dogs need, and a few breeds (Bedlington Terriers, Labradors among them) are prone to storing it in the liver. For most pets it is a routine additive. If your dog has a diagnosed liver condition, copper level is worth a vet conversation.
A B vitamin tied to skin and coat quality and to fat and protein metabolism. Gut bacteria make some; food supplies the rest. Raw egg white contains a protein that binds biotin, which is the reason raw-egg diets can cause a deficiency. Safe, expected, and not an allergen.
A heat-stable form of vitamin C. Dogs and cats make their own vitamin C, so it is not an essential nutrient for them. It is added as an antioxidant and, some argue, to support joints and immunity. Harmless at food levels and not a reason to choose or avoid a food.
An essential amino acid, added when the proteins in a food fall short of the required level. Meat is rich in lysine, so it is usually added when a recipe leans on plant protein, which is lower, or to replace lysine lost in cooking. In cats, lysine supplements were long given for herpesvirus flare-ups, but controlled studies found no benefit and some suggestion of harm at high doses; the small amounts in a complete food are there for nutrition and sit far below those doses.
Essential for vision, skin and immune function. Cats cannot convert the plant form (beta-carotene) into vitamin A the way dogs can, so cat food must carry the preformed vitamin. It is fat-soluble and stored in the liver, so very high doses over time are harmful, which is why the amount is regulated. Normal on any complete food.
A compound made from amino acids that helps cells burn fat for energy. It is found naturally in meat, and it is added to many weight-control and senior foods on the reasoning that it supports lean body mass during weight loss. The evidence in dogs is modest and the amounts used are safe. Its presence usually signals a food designed for weight management.
A manganese source. Manganese is needed in tiny amounts for bone, cartilage and enzyme function. Sulfate is the inorganic form; proteinate is the mineral bound to protein. The choice between them is a marketing distinction more than a health one for a healthy pet. Expected, safe, not an allergen.
Vitamin B1, essential for nerves and energy metabolism, and the vitamin most often behind cat food recalls. It is destroyed by heat and by some preservatives, so canned foods in particular must add it back. Cats are especially sensitive to running short. Its presence is expected; its absence from a cooked food would be a red flag.
Vitamin B2, used to turn food into energy. Present in meat and dairy but partly lost in cooking, so manufacturers top it up. Water-soluble and safe at the levels used in food. Its presence tells you the food was formulated to a complete nutrient profile, not that anything unusual is going on.
Dogs and cats cannot make useful amounts of vitamin D from sunlight, so it has to be in the food. It governs calcium and bone health. It is also one of the few vitamins where too much is dangerous: excess vitamin D has caused pet food recalls. The amount is regulated and the presence of D3 on a label is expected. What matters is that the maker gets the dose right, which is a quality-control question, not an ingredient question.
Needed for nerve function and making red blood cells. It occurs naturally only in animal tissue, so it is added to almost every food to guarantee the level. Water-soluble, so excess passes out in urine. Cats and dogs with chronic gut disease can run low even on a good diet, which is a vet conversation rather than a food choice.
Vitamin B6 in its stable, added form. It is central to protein metabolism, and cats need proportionally more of it than dogs because their diet runs so high in protein. Water-soluble and safe at food levels. A normal line on any complete food.
An iodine source. Iodine runs the thyroid, and pets cannot get enough without it being added. Calcium iodate and potassium iodide are the common forms and do the same job. Whether dietary iodine plays a role in the overactive thyroid common in older cats has been studied without a clear answer. A normal line on any complete food.
Live bacteria added to support digestion, listed by strain name such as Lactobacillus acidophilus or Bacillus coagulans. The difficulty is that most are killed by the heat of cooking and by months on a shelf, so unless the maker coats the kibble after cooking and states a live count on the bag, the listing does not tell you much. Bacillus strains form spores and survive processing better than the others. The strains used are considered safe.
Vitamin B9, needed for cell division and healthy blood. Standard fortification in complete foods for dogs and cats. Water-soluble, no toxicity concern at food levels. Its main relevance to a shopper is none: it is there because the recipe was balanced properly.
The usual source of selenium, a mineral that works alongside vitamin E as an antioxidant. Selenium has a narrow safe range, so the amount is regulated and small. Sodium selenite is the inorganic form; some brands use selenium yeast instead, which is absorbed differently, and market it as an upgrade. The evidence that it matters for a healthy pet is thin. Expected on a complete food.
About this food
This high-protein diet has evolved to a new level with Premier Blend, featuring Tender Meaty Cuts for an irresistible taste, aroma, and texture.
From the manufacturer. May contain marketing language.
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Guaranteed Analysis
Each bar shows the typical range for dog foods in our database. The marker shows where this product falls.
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.
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