Royal Canine vs Purina Pro Plan dog food (16 answers)

ASM: What dog food is better - Royal Canine or Purina Pro Plan?
I am an American living in Rome, Italy, and wanted to know which food is better. I have a 6-month-old French Bulldog and his breeder gave him Royal Canine but I switched to Purina Pro Plan when he was 5 months old because he seemed to prefer it more. I am contemplating switching back to Royal Canine...
Let me know what your opinions are. Thanks!

Photo Credit: Janitors/Flickr CC

Answers and Views:

Answer by L J
Both are high-quality brands so whichever you choose, you would be providing your dog with optimum nutrition.
However, I prefer Royal Canine, they have an excellent reputation, they receive positive comments about the product where I work and they provide quality ingredients and nutrition. They also have a wide range so you can choose a food that will be specific to the needs, weight, and even breed of your dog.

Answer by Olivia
Please don’t buy into the grain-free trend. These boutique brands are not nearly as regulated as veterinary recommended brands like RC, Purina, and Hill’s that carry prescription diets. Hill’s is very good, but most vets do massively prefer Royal Canin’s large breed formulas specifically.

Royal Canin also has an absolutely incredible sustainability mission and stands for great things as a company. As for Purina, I personally refuse to support a company owned by Nestle, but the cost factor is a big sway in their direction if you don’t share my feelings that way.

Answer by Alba Mae Song
Royal Canin was fine for my Lab but I've heard some dogs with sensitive stomachs get sick from it. My dogs also eat science diet and Performa for puppies (which I don't know if you can get depending on where you live.) Royal Canin should be fine though. Try a little first and see if he's alright.

Answer by Anonymous
Both are actually pretty low-quality dog foods. Royal Canine is a little bit better than Pro Plan, but is WAY overpriced, considering the fact that there are cheaper dog foods out there, that are A LOT higher quality!

Answer by J.C.
Royal Canin is safe, but you can do better for your money. RC dry foods tend to be very high in corn, and their canned foods contain by-products. For the same price, you can get foods free of corn and by-products. Check out foods like Wellness, Canidae, Blue Buffalo, Merrick Before Grain, and EVO. Same price or less, but without the corn and by-products.

Answer by Nick
Royal Canine and Purina Pro Plan are two of the most popular options on the market today.
In general, people seem to believe that Royal Canine offers a better product because their ingredients are free from animal by-products and they have added benefits such as dental care

Answer by Debbie c
A few years ago, Purina Pro Plan and Royal Canine were neck to neck in terms of popularity. But today, Royal Canine is taking the lead.
The reason for this is because Purina Pro Plan food has been found to be low in protein and high in cost.
Two features that make Royal Canine better than Purina Pro Plan:

1) The kibble-to-water ratio: the water you add should be at least 10% of the weight of the dog food (120ml per 1kg)
2) The taste: Royal Canine tastes much better than Purina Pro Plan, which many dogs refuse to eat

Answer by florance
Some people are saying that Purina Pro Plan has intoxicating smells which can be off-putting for some animals so they might not eat the food properly. But other people think that these smells make the food taste better.

Royal Canine has been one of the most popular dog food brands for decades. It is more expensive than Purina Pro Plan but almost all vets are recommending it to their clients.

Purina Pro Plan offers a wide range of flavors for your dog, perfect if you have a picky eater, while Royal Canine will only offer one flavor at a time.

Answer by Marty
Some vets say that it is just as good as Royal Canine without the extra cost.
Purina Pro Plan offers three protein sources - chicken, lamb, and salmon - while Royal Canine offers just one protein source - chicken.

Answer by nsd
Royal Canine is the only dog food company that has been exclusively manufacturing its products since 1877.

If you are looking for good dog food, be sure to consider the ingredients. Royal Canine has fewer carbs and more proteins in their food.
Purina Pro Plan is less expensive than Royal Canine and some people are saying that it contains more chemicals.

Answer by Kate
Royale Canine is expensive but not good, just look at the composition. Sugar, wheat, colorings, and far too little meat. Plus animal by-products.
Purina Pro Plan is a little better.

Answer by Jade
Please read about DCM in dogs. DO NOT buy boutique foods with exotic ingredients. Royal Canine and Purina are both safe. Boutique foods that are grain-free but full of legumes are causing DCM in dogs and very early on in their lives.

Answer by Dora
The first element in dog food should be neither vegetables nor grain. It should be MEAT!

Answer by Anon
These are all very good dog foods:
Innova
Acana
California Natural
Canidae
Chicken Soup for the Puppy Lover's Soul
Wellness
Orijen
Blue Buffalo
Pinnacle
Solid Gold
Timberwolf
Eagle Pack Holistic
Nature's Variety
Taste of the Wild
Fromm
Try to avoid brands like: IAMS, Pedigree, Purina (One and Pro Plan), Beneful, Ol' Roy, Alpo, Eukanuba, Science Diet, Royal Canin, Goodlife Recipe, and Kibbles n' Bits; they are all full of fillers, such as corn and soy, which are NOT essential to your dog's nutritional needs.

Answer by Animal LUVR
It depends on what kind of Pro Plan you are feeding them. Wellness Core is a 6 * dog food. So it is very good for them. Check out yourself.

Answer by Carol
Purina Pro Plan and Royal Canine both offer great dog food options in terms of flavors and ingredients. The difference is in the way they are marketed to consumers. Purina Pro Plan is marketed as a healthy, high-quality food that will give your pet a long and vibrant life; while Royal Canine is marketed as a simple, affordable, quality option that will keep your pet healthy.
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