When you enter the pet store hoping to leave with a dog food diet perfect for your dog, you may become quickly overwhelmed by how many dog food diet options there are. Many of these dog food diets look very similar, even bordering seeming precisely the same.
But, even the most similar-looking diets are not the same. Take Victor dog Food vs. Diamond Naturals for instance. These dog food diets use similar ingredients and offer similar health benefits to your dog, but they are still different from one another.
To help you figure out which of these dog food diets would best benefit your dog, we have put together an unbiased review of both diets. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of why these two diets are different from each other and which one is going to be the best for your dog.
Who Manufactures Victor Dog Food and Diamond Naturals Dog Food?
Victor Dog Food
The brand name “Victor” has a long history, dating back to the 1940s, but Victor Dog Food was not sold until 2007. Victor Dog Food is made by Mid America, which is a family-based company set in East Texas.
According to company claims, 80 percent of the ingredients used in Victor Dog Food is obtained within a 200-mile radius of the central processing facility in Pleasant, Texas.
As of 2014, Mid America was purchased by Trinity Hunt Partners, a Dallas-based private equity firm.Since the purchase, Mid America is still producing Victor Pet Food alongside with their internal Nutrition Team and third-party nutritionists to formulate the diets.
Instead of focusing on selling its pet food diets in large, commercial pet food chains, Mid America chooses to sell its pet food online and through independent distributors.
Diamond Naturals
Diamond Naturals Dog Food was founded initially in 1970 by brother-in-laws Gary Schell and Richard Kampeter. They had originally purchased the company, Milling Meta Co., to produce livestock feed, but then decided to create dog food as well.
The company was and still is set in Meta, Missouri where the brother-in-laws first started to produce their products, which originally only 5% of which was dog food.
In 1999, the company built a second facility in San Joaquin County, California, and created another in Gaston, South Carolina in 2002. Diamond Naturals Dog Food has a total of five, USA based facilities, two in California, one in Missouri, one in Arkansas, and one in South Carolina.
All five of the facilities use USA grown and processed ingredients to ensure quality food ingredients being used. Today, the company is still a family-owned, privately-held enterprise, managed by the Schell and Kampeter family.
Recall History of Each Brand
As of writing this review, Victor Dog Food has not had any recalls. The company is 12 years old since they started to produce dog food, so it is nice to see that a company over ten years old has not had a history of recall.
The reason why Victor Dog Food may not have any recalls as of yet is due to the quality of ingredients used in their formulas.
All of their ingredients are produced and sourced in the United States of America by trusted and high-quality sources. You will find very few controversial ingredients used in their formulas, which has been the leading recall cause for other pet food bands.
Diamond Naturals Dog Food, though, does have a history of recalls. Their recall issues started a couple of years after their South Carolina facility had been set up. Their South Carolina facility was the first location that started Diamond Naturals having recall issues.
Diamond Naturals has had a total of five food recalls. Here is a comprehensive list and explanation of why the recalls were done. In December of 2005, the FDA issued a recall of Diamond Naturals Dog Food that was produced in Gaston, South Carolina facility due to possible aflatoxin contamination.
If pets ingest aflatoxin it can cause severe stomach issues such as bloody stool and vomiting. In April of 2012, several dry food flavors were recalled due to potential salmonella contamination.
The foods mainly affected were the Lamb and rice formulas and the Puppy formulas.
In May of 2012, the recall from April was expanded to pull more bags of dry food that were potentially contaminated with salmonella.
The bags of food in question during this recall came from the Gaston, South Carolina facility.
In May of 2012, there was yet another recall made for potential salmonella contamination. In this case, the foods affected were the 6 and 18-pound bags, plus sample sizes, of the Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Lamb & Rice Formula.
In March of 2013, 6-ounce sample bags and 6-pound bags of Diamond Naturals Kitten Formula were pulled off of the shelves due to there being low levels of thiamine, which is essential for cats to have normal bodily functions such as an active immune system and digestive system.
Key Ingredients of Each Brand
Let us go over some key ingredients that make Victor Dog Food stand apart from other dog food brands.
Protein
Victor Dog Food uses a variety of wholesome animal proteins to add flavor and the protein content that your dogs need to have healthy and strong bodies. Here is a list of all of the proteins Victor Dog Food uses.
- Beef
- Blood Meal
- Chicken
- Lamb
- Menhaden Fish Meal
- Pork
- Salmon
- Turkey
Selenium Yeast
Selenium Yeast offers dogs the essential nutrients needed to have a healthy metabolism, cellular regeneration, and support their immune system response time. Every formula produced by Victor has Selenium Yeast added to it.
Selenium Yeast is easily absorbed into the body via the bloodstream and is stored in the body’s cells to be used as needed.
Mineral Complexes
To ensure that your dog is getting all of the essential minerals their bodies need, Victor has a unique blend of minerals known as Mineral Complexes. This blend contains zinc, manganese, iron, and is absorbed by the digestive system through the bloodstream.
These minerals work together to promote an efficient metabolic function, healthy skin and coat, a strong immune system, help with wound healing, skeletal growth, joint cartilage development, and cell division.
Prebiotics and Probiotics
Victor’s adds prebiotics to their formulas to ensure that your dog has a healthy digestive system and boosts immune defense. Probiotics are also added to the recipes to help the development of good digestive bacteria as well as to help build a strong immune system.
Now let us go over what makes Diamond Naturals Dog Food unique.
Protein
Diamond Naturals has a small list of animal proteins used, but all provide your dog with the needed protein content their bodies crave.
Here is the list of animal proteins Diamond Naturals uses.
- Beef
- Lamb
- Chicken
- Egg
- Salmon
Probiotics
Diamond Naturals adds Probiotics to their formulas to help your dog build a healthy immune and digestive system.
Unlike other dog food companies, Diamond Naturals adds their Probiotics after the cooking process to keep the Probiotic organisms alive; every pound of Diamond Naturals should contain about 80 million Probiotic organisms.
AntiOxidants
Powerful antioxidants and phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables such as blueberries and spinach are added to the dry food to ensure that your dog is getting the vital nutrients they need to improve their immune system and to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
DHA
DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, is added to the dry food diets in the form of salmon oil. The fatty acid aids in brain and vision development in puppies. Adult dogs can still benefit from DHA as it will further help maintain a healthy brain and vision as they age.
We will now go over three options offered by each brand to give you a closer look at what ingredients are used in each brand.
Victor Dog Food vs. Diamond Naturals Reviews
Victor Classic Hi-Pro Plus is specially made to support the active dog in your life.
Key Features
- Ideal for all breeds
- Can be fed at all life stages
- Nutrient-dense
This recipe by Victor is nutrient-dense and packed with multiple proteins such as beef, chicken, pork, and fish. Due to the high level of protein, this diet is perfect for dogs who are always active and have high physical demands placed on their bodies.
Alongside the hearty supply of animal proteins, this diet is fortified with vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and amino acids that work together to help your dog have as healthy a body as possible.
Don’t worry about your dog having an upset stomach as this diet is super digestible and requires less to be fed to meet your dog’s dietary needs. Every ingredient used is a proven Victor Core ingredient as they all have a purpose and are not being used as filler ingredients.
The Core Ingredients even extend to the grains used since they are gluten-free and will not cause a spike in your dog’s blood sugar. On top of all of the benefits offered by the ingredients in the diet, this formula can also help improve and maintain both a healthy immune and digestive system.
Any breed at any age can enjoy this diet so long as they are living a highly active lifestyle.
Pros
- Available in 5-15-40-50-pound bag options
- Contains 30% of protein
- Includes 20% of fat
Cons
- Contains wheat and grains, so not ideal for dogs with known food sensitivities to wheat and grains
Make sure that your active dog does not lose energy in the middle of the day when you start the day feeding them Victor Classic Hi-Pro Plus.
2. VICTOR Purpose Performance
Dogs in the sporting field put a lot of physical demands on their bodies to stay up and active. To help your sporting dog have the energy they need feed them Victor Purpose Performance Diet.
Key Features
- Ideal for dogs with high physical demands
- Maintains joint health
- Fortified with essential nutrients
Sporting dogs put a lot of strain on their bodies compared to the average house dog. These active dogs need the energy to stay active in their sporting field, especially if they need the energy outlet to get rid of excess energy.
Since these dogs need the energy outlet, they also need a food source that will help them stay active longer. This diet by Victor’s contains a high amount of protein, which provides your dog with the boost of daily energy and helps your dog have the endurance they need to push themselves past their limit, in a healthy way.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin have been added to this formula to make sure that your dog builds up flexible and healthy joints and to make sure their muscles stay toned.
This diet does not only help your dog stay active as it contains other essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients a dog’s body needs to stay healthy throughout their lifetime.
Gluten-free grains have also been added to the diet to give your dog the fiber and carbohydrate content they need to have a healthy digestive system, and better bowel movements.
Pros
- Available in 5-40-pound bag options
- Contains 26% of protein
- Contains 18% of fat
Cons
- Is best to not feed this diet to dogs with an average or less active lifestyle due to a risk of causing obesity
Victor Purpose Performance Diet is sure to help your sporting dog stay active longer throughout the day with less strain on their muscles and joints compared to their old food.
3. VICTOR Select Grain-Free
If your dog has sensitivities to grains or specific proteins, try feeding them Victor Select Grain-Free Yukon River Caine diet.
Key Features
- Grain-Free
- Suitable for all breeds and life stages
- Ideal for dogs with allergies
- Perfect for dogs with normal activity levels
Victor Dog Food knows that there are some dogs out there with food sensitivities that still deserve as natural a diet as possible, which is why they created this line of grain-free formulas.
The Yukon River formula uses premium-quality fish as the primary protein, so if your dog is not allergic to fish but are to other proteins this would be your formula of choice. No grains are added since dogs can also develop an allergy or sensitivity to grains.
Instead, lentils are used to provide dogs with the fiber and carbohydrates their bodies need. You do not have to worry about and specifics when feeding your dog this diet as it is suitable for all life stages, breeds, and normal activity levels.
As with all Victor foods, this formula is fortified with all the essential nutrients needed for your dog to maintain a happy and healthy body. If you know what other proteins your dog is not allergic to you can switch between the different flavors offered by the Victor Select formulas without irritating their stomachs.
Pros
- Available in 5-15-30-pound bag options
- Contains 33% of protein
- Contains 16% of fat
Cons
- Contains lentils, which some belief to be controversial pet food ingredients
Victor Select Grain-Free Yukon River Canine is sure to satisfy the diet an average dog needs without risking them getting overweight.
4. Diamond Naturals Grain-Free
If your dog has a sensitivity to grains and you want to try feeding them Diamond Naturals, then try feeding them the Diamond Naturals Grain-Free Real Meat Recipe.
Key Features
- Marine-based protein
- Promotes healthy digestion
- Antioxidant-rich
- Grain-free
Diamond Naturals wants to be sure that they have a diet any dog can enjoy, even dogs with food sensitivities. This diet from Diamond Naturals is marine-based, so the menu is lean in fat but high in the protein content that dogs need.
Since the diet is fish-centered, it contains high levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids that will help your dog have a soft coat and flake-free skin. Naturally added fibers will help your dog have a healthy digestive system and make sure that they have regular, and less stinky, bowel movements.
Wholesome fruits and vegetables have been added to give your do the antioxidants they need to have a healthy body inside and out. Some dogs are prone to having grain allergies, so this formula does not contain any grains that could trigger an allergic reaction in your dog.
All Diamond Naturals formulas contain a string of dog-specific probiotics. These beneficial bacteria will attach to the large intestine of the dog to make sure that they have a healthy digestive tract as well as a boosted immune system.
Pros
- Available in 5-15-28-pound bag options
- Contains 24% of protein
- Contains 14% of fat
Cons
- Contains lentils, which some claim to be controversial pet food ingredients
Diamond Naturals Grain-Free Real Meat Recipe will give your dog the beneficial diet that they need.
5. Diamond Naturals Adult
Diamond Naturals Adult Pasture Raised Lamb Diet is an excellent diet to start feeding your dog if you are curious about trying a Diamond Naturals diet on your dog.
Key Features
- Uses pasture-raised lamb
- Enhanced with superfoods
- Has optimal levels of essential fatty acids
- Contains no artificial ingredients
Dogs need high-quality animal protein since they need proteins for overall body health. In this formula by Diamond Naturals pasture-raised lamb is the first ingredient. The pasture-raised lamb grew up in an environment as natural as possible, so everything that they benefited from will benefit your dog.
No artificial ingredients, preservatives, or antibiotics have been added to the lamb’s diet or the other ingredients used in Diamond Naturals to be sure that your dog is going to eat as natural a diet as possible.
Superfoods such as wholesome fruits and vegetables have been added to supply your dog with the optimal level of antioxidants that will keep their bodies running in top condition. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids have been added to the diet so that your dog’s skin can be smooth and flake-free while their fur is soft and shiny.
With the addition of soluble and insoluble fibers your dog will have better bowel movements and to aid in them being able to absorb the essential nutrients from their diet.
Pros
- Available in 6-20-40-pound bag options
- Contains 23% of protein
- Contains 14% of fat
Cons
- Contains grains, so not an ideal diet for dogs with known grain allergies
Your dog should have all of the essential nutrients that their bodies need to be healthy when they eat Diamond Naturals Adult Pasture Raised Lamb Diet.
6. Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat
If your dog has sensitivities to certain foods, but you still want to try them out on Diamond Naturals, try feeding them Diamond Naturals Skin and Coat Formula.
Key Features
- Grain-Free
- Ideal for dogs with food sensitivities
- Only contains fish as the main animal protein
Real salmon is the first ingredient used in this formula followed by fish meal; the combination of both fish proteins gives dogs the essential fatty acids that will keep their skin smooth and their coats soft.
Since only one type of animal protein is used, your dog should have less of a risk of having an allergic reaction. No grains have been added to the formula as some dogs can develop allergies or sensitivities to certain grains. Of course, protein is not the only highlighted ingredient used in this formula.
Healthy fruits and vegetables like kale, blueberries, carrots, and papaya provides an excellent spectrum of phytonutrients and an optimal array of vitamins every dog needs to have a healthy and active body.
Dog specific probiotics have also been added to this formula as they are essential in making sure that your dog builds up a strong immune system and healthy digestive system for their lives to come.
This formula from Diamond Naturals is meant for all breeds and all life stages, so if your dog enjoys this diet you can keep them on it up till their senior years.
Pros
- Available in 15 and 30-pound bag options
- Contains 25% of protein
- Contains 14% of fat
Cons
- Contains some controversial pet food ingredients, but there is no proven evidence for this claim yet
Diamond Naturals Skin and Coat formula will give your dog an excellent introduction to the Diamond Naturals food lines without irritating their stomach or their skin due to food sensitivities.
Comparison and Conclusion
Both Victor Dog Food and Diamond Naturals Dog Food have your dog’s well-being at the top of the list of their concerns.
They strive to supply your dog with a diet packed with the high protein levels their bodies need alongside a blend of healthy superfoods that will provide them with their needed vitamin and mineral content. While both dog food brands strive for the same goal, they do it in their unique ways.
Victor Dog Food not only has a high protein count alongside a high vitamin and mineral content, but they also add extra ingredients, such as Selenium Yeast, to target health concerns in dogs other dry dog food brands may not have an interest in aiding in or do not know they exist.
Diamond Naturals also has a high protein and nutrient content, but they add the extra ingredient DHA to help dogs maintain a healthy brain and eyes. Picking which dog food brand fits what your dog needs depend on your experience and health needs of your dog.
Victor Dog Food seems to make different formulas based on the age and energy level of dogs so that there is little risk of a dog getting overweight or triggering an allergic reaction. Diamond Naturals seems to focus on making diets that the average dog can enjoy without minimal issues.
So, if you have a picky pup or one with specific sensitivities Victor Dog Food may be the brand for you. But, if you have a healthy dog with no known dietary restrictions then you can safely feed them Diamond Naturals.
Do your research on the brands to get a first-hand experience on what the two brands offer. Our review is here to serve as a helpful tool in your study, not to tell you which brand is better.
We strived to be as unbiased as possible throughout the review so that we do not influence you to sway one direction more than the other; ultimately, it is up to you as the pet owner to decide which dog food brand your dog will love and benefit from the most.
The Review
Victor Dog Food vs. Diamond Naturals
We've reveiwed the best Victor Dog Food vs. Diamond Naturals dog food on the market today to help you decide which is the most suitable for your pets.
Review Breakdown
- VICTOR Classic Hi-Pro Plus
- VICTOR Purpose Performance
- VICTOR Select Grain-Free
- Diamond Naturals Grain-Free
- Diamond Naturals Adult
- Diamond Naturals Skin & Coat
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