August 21, 2013

I And Love And You Dog Food Review

The Author

Jesica Williams

Since 2012, I’ve been creating digital wellness guides and researching natural beauty products, HIIT workouts, functional exercises, body positivity, self love, and tips helping you explore wellness and feel good.

Welcome to this post: I and Love and You Dog Food Review.

I and Love and You Dog Food

Overall Rating: 3 Stars

Since rescuing our black labrador mix, Kona, in March 2013, my fiancee and I have been dedicated to learning more about the best foods for Kona. The value we place on implementing organic food in our diets has undeniably spilled over onto how we feed Kona. She regularly gets organic chia, flax and hemp seeds as well as organic hemp oil. I was eager to get Kona acquainted with a new daily dog food rather than the generic food that she had been started on as a puppy with her foster “puppy parents.” I came across I and Love and You dog food at a local grocery store in Kansas, Natural Grocers. After reading the ingredient list, I thought it looked clean compared to other dog food labels I read in the store, and bought a bag. After sharing my purchase and interest in this brand via Twitter, Lindsay at “I and Love and You” was generous enough to provide me with samples to give Kona a taste of more products. She also included some coupons for future dry dog food purchases, which we have already utilized–every little bit helps! Our beautiful Kona is pictured below: image-1

Here is a bit of background about this brand off of their website:

“THERE ARE FURRYPALS AND NON-FURRY PALS. WE’RE YOUR NON-FURRY ONES. Your pet knows you pretty well. Better than most of your friends, probably. He’s watched you sing Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It” while you mow the lawn. He knows the true frequency of your workouts, and he
witnessed that one time you sobbed while watching that Meryl Streep movie. “What? No, Fido. I’m not crying. There’s just something in my eye.” They know us and they love us all the same. And we can’t help but love them back. They’re part of the family. The fun part of the family. (After all, your dog never gave you an embroidered snowman sweater for your birthday). “I and love and you” knows all about that very special bond between pets and humans. They give us undying devotion, and we give them the best food, the best love, and the best goofy Halloween costumes. “Whiskers, come here, buddy. Your pirate hat is a little crooked.” We’re committed to helping you with the best food + love part (you’re on your own with the costumes). Every one of our products meets rigorous ingredient standards and has been formulated by our holistic veterinarian. And not only do we promise to be good to your pets, but as a green company, we also promise to be good to our planet. Pretty soon you’re going to want to make “I and love and you” a part of your family, too. We’ll make sure our matching outfits are pressed for
the family holiday picture. Say cheeeeeeese!

OUR PROMISE.

“I and love and you” products are formulated by holistic veterinarians to be
uncompromising in quality, ingredients AND efficacy. We create only the highest quality products because we LOVE keeping your pets
healthy, naturally. Our products are formulated to include the optimal combination of complete, whole-food nutrition, freshness, AND premium ingredients to create products that YOU and your pets will love.

QUALITY STANDARDS.

We always:

  • Select Wild-Caught, Grass-Fed, Free-Range and Cage-Free meats raised without the use of antibiotics and growth hormones when available
  • Produce our nutritional supplements in FDA registered, human- grade facilities
  • Create our foods and treats in USDA inspected facilities
  • Use minimally processed ingredients to preserve naturally occurring nutrients for whole food sourced nutrition
  • Create our foods and treats with human-quality ingredients, never by-products or rendered meat

We never use:

  • Genetically modified ingredients when crafting our foods and treats whenever it is possible
  • Artificial preservatives
  • Artificial colors or artificial flavorings
  • Additives or fillers
  • Corn, soy, by-products or un-named meats in our foods.”

Dry Food: Nude Food- Red Meat Medley Recipe

I and Love and You’s Description:

“Your dog never fails to appreciate a great meal. Our nude food™ red meat medley kibble is made with whole, deboned meat and real fruits +
vegetables. High protein and grain free, your dog just might ignore the whole elbows-on-the-table rule when you call him over for dinner. We don’t blame him. Just make sure he doesn’t forget “When in doubt, pinky out” at tea time. That would be embarrassing.

INGREDIENTS:

pork, lamb meal, herring meal, lentils, garbanzo beans, dried egg product, dried beet pulp, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols and
citric acid), tapioca, bison, sweet potato, pork liver, natural flavor, blueberries, apple, spinach, tomato, carrot, olive oil, new zealand green mussel, choline chloride, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate, chia seed, fish oil, inulin, salt, turmeric, iron amino acid chelate, zinc sulfate, vitamin E supplement, zinc amino acid chelate, ferrous sulfate, niacin supplement, manganese amino acid chelate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin A supplement, manganous oxide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, riboflavin supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium iodate, folic acid, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium thermophilum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger, dried Trichoderma reesei, yucca schidigera extract, rosemary extract

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:

crude protein (min) 35%; crude fat (min) 15.0%; crude fiber (max) 4.0%; moisture (max) 10.0%; vitamin E (min) 100 IU/kg; omega 3 fatty acids* (min) 0.45%; omega 6 fatty acids* (min) 2.0%; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)* (min) .05%; docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)* (min) .05%.”

My Description & Thoughts:

This food seems better than most readily available dog foods. The fact that most of the ingredients listed are recognizable whole foods is a great quality. I like some of the goodies listed on this ingredient list. My scrutiny of the ingredient list is that there are not organic ingredients and also some of the ingredients raise a little bit of a red flag for me. I desire whole-food derived sources of vitamins and minerals (as it makes the body more able to assimilate them) and it seems like these are not whole-food derived. Sourced from a trusted location, perhaps, but I always strive for organic, and I am finding that it is hard to find. I commend this brand’s efforts to take steps in the right direction as far as food quality for dogs. But, I see quite a bit of room for improvement. A positive is that Kona didn’t have loose stool or an upset tummy after transitioning her to this food.

kona cockerham williams black lab mix rescue

Canned Food: Cluckin’ Good Stew

I and Love and You’s Description:

“Children’s books cannot seem to agree on the noises that dogs make. Sometimes it’s “bow wow.” Other times it’s “woof” or “arf” or “ruff.” But really, the only thing your dog will say after eating our grain free, protein-packed canned food is “Oh my dang. This is flippin’ phenomenal.

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken, chicken broth, vegetable broth, dried egg whites, peas, natural flavor, carageenan, chicken liver, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, guar gum, salt, calcium carbonate, spinach, sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, cranberries, pumpkin, flaxseed oil, choline chloride, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, calcium Iodate, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, potassium iodide, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:

Crude Protein (min) 8.0%; Crude Fat (min) 4.0%; Crude Fiber (max) 1.0%; Moisture (max) 82.0%.”

My Description & Thoughts:

I like to add a spoonful of this canned food to her dry food to mix it up for her. She seems to like having the wet and dry food together, as the canned food gives off a bit more of an aroma than the dry food. Decent ingredient list, but again, I look forward to the day this brand integrates organic ingredients into their products, because I believe there are caring pet owners creating these products and are striving to work towards a great product that may evolve a bit over time.

Canned Food: Beef Booyah Stew

I and Love and You’s Description:

“Children’s books cannot seem to agree on the noises that dogs make. Sometimes it’s “bow wow.” Other times it’s “woof” or “arf” or “ruff.” But really, the only thing your dog will say after eating our grain free, protein-packed canned food is “Oh my dang. This is flipping’ phenomenal.

INGREDIENTS:

Beef, beef broth, vegetable broth, dried egg whites, peas, natural flavor, carageenan, beef liver, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, guar gum, salt, calcium carbonate, spinach, sodium tripolyphosphate, potassium chloride, dicalcium phosphate, cranberries, pumpkin, flaxseed oil, choline chloride, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, riboflavin supplement, sodium selenite, calcium Iodate, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin A supplement, vitamin B12 supplement, potassium  iodide, biotin, vitamin D3 supplement

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:

Crude Protein (min) 9.0%; Crude Fat (min) 4.0%; Crude Fiber (max) 1.0%; Moisture (max) 82.0%.”

My Description & Thoughts:

Same overall thoughts on this product compared to the “Cluckin’ Good Stew.” Ingredients need improvement, though Kona seemed to enjoy eating it.

I And Love And You Dog Food Review

Super Power Powder Daily Dog Multivitamin

I and Love and You’s Description:

“For that superhero dog of yours… If you take a multivitamin with that kale and flaxseed smoothie you pound every morning, you might want to start giving one to your favorite dog, too. An easy to use powder with a complete mineral and multivitamin blend, super power powder has what it takes to keep your dog feeling his best. He may never be faster than a speeding bullet or more powerful than a locomotive, but he might give that pesky backyard squirrel a run for his money. “I and love and you” Super Power Powder is a nutritional supplement containing digestive enzymes to help break down the nutrients in your dog’s food, with a generous portion of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to support healthy joints, skin, and coat. Super Power Powder helps to make up for what may be missing from your dog’s food, including nutrients lost in the manufacturing process, or nutrient potency that declines after food is opened. This is the ideal complement to your dog’s daily diet. Use with each feeding for optimum benefits.

INGREDIENTS:

Active Ingredients per 2 teaspoons: Glucosamine (as Glucosamine Sulfate Potassium) 150mg, Chondroitin Sulfate 75mg, Green Lipped Mussel (whole) 225mg, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) 200mg, L-Lysine 100mg, EPA/DHA Omega 3 Fatty Acids 100mg, Vitamin C (as Calcium Ascorbate) 50mg, Calcium (as Tricalcium Phosphate) 50mg, Potassium (as Potassium Citrate) 40.68mg, Choline (as Choline Bitartrate)
40mg, Lactobacillus acidophilus 25mg, Saccharomyces boulardii 25mg, DL-Methionine 10.06mg, Chlorophyll 10mg, Hesperidin Complex 7.54mg, Pantothenic Acid (as D-Calcium, Pantothenate) 7.03mg, L-Threonine 5.51mg, Lemon Bioflavonoids 5.02mg, Thiamin (as Thiamin Mononitrate) 5mg, Niacin 5mg, Para-Aminobenzoic Acid 3.27mg, Riboflavin 2.5mg, Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine, Hydrochloride) 2.5mg, Coenzyme Q10 1mg, Silicon (as Silicon Dioxide) 1mg, Zinc (as Zinc Amino Acid Chelate) 0.5mg, Inositol 0.3mg, Biotin 0.05mg, Selenium (as Sodium Selenite) 0.05mg, Iron (as Ferrous Fumarate) 0.05mg, Cobalt (as Cobalt Carbonate) 0.02mg, Chromium (as Chromium Amino Acid Chelate) 0.01mg, Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin) 0.005mg, Copper (as Copper Gluconate) 0.005mg, Folic Acid 0.003mg, Vitamin A (as Vitamin A Acetate) 200IU, Vitamin
D (as Cholecalciferol) 20IU, Vitamin E (as D-Alpha Tocopheryl, Acetate) 7.55IU, Amylase 660SKBU, Lipase 367FIPU, Cellulase 18CU, Protease (Bromelain) 2.9GDU, Inactive Ingredients: Alfalfa Leaf, Flax Seed, Yucca Root.”

My Description & Thoughts:

I loved the idea of giving Kona a multivitamin. This product was also reasonably priced (on sale for about $15 at Natural Grocers). It is always a good sign to me when a company readily displays and discusses their ingredients on their labeling and website. Although I am not versed on some of the majority of these ingredients, I believe the ingredient list is complex because this multivitamin is wide reaching in regards to the vitamins and minerals it contains. However, I do find myself again wanting to see that these ingredients are whole-food derived and more easily digested Kona’s digestive sysyem.

In conclusion, to touch on my overarching feeling about these products…I believe this brand is doing a good thing here by being somewhat ingredient conscious and eliminating many preservatives commonly found in dog food. That said, I am a writer of a blog that preaches organic, therefore, I must mention that I would be more satisfied if these ingredients were undeniably organic, always. Lindsay at I and Love and You has been the epitome of generous, helpful, and easy to work and communicate with. I applaud their stellar customer service and their quirky and fun website and labeling. I look forward to seeing this company evolve and improve.

Thanks for stopping by this post: I and Love and You Dog Food Review.

Related Posts

Lazarus CBD Calming Dog Treats Review
Lazarus CBD Calming Dog Treats Review

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx on behalf of Lazarus Naturals. This is my Lazarus CBD Calming Dog Treats Review. Lazarus CBD Calming Dog Treats Review About Lazarus Naturals: Effective. Not Expensive. Since the beginning, we've dedicated ourselves to making...

read more
Castor Pollux Dog Jerky Chip Cookies Review
Castor Pollux Dog Jerky Chip Cookies Review

Welcome to this post: Castor Pollux Dog Jerky Chip Cookies Review. Castor Pollux Dog Jerky Chip Cookies Review About: "Ideal for training, rewarding good behavior, or because your dog has perfected giving you “that look”. They’re easy to break, yet nice and...

read more
Wholistic Pet Organics Review
Wholistic Pet Organics Review

Welcome to this post: Wholistic Pet Organics Review. Wholistic Pet Organics Review Use code JesicaCockerham to get 10% off your order! Overall Rating:  About Wholistic Pet Organics: "Wholistic Pet Organics™ manufactures only the highest quality of super-premium,...

read more

Comments

5 Comments

  1. you speak highly of this product. SO i am curious why you only gave it a 3 star rating out of 5? I am considering switching foods, so your info was very helpful!
    thanks

    Reply
    • Well, ingredients are of the utmost importance to me. So, though I think this brand is better than many, I don’t give it my highest rating because the ingredients are not organic. Hope that clears it up for you. Check out Newman’s Own Organic dog food–that’s my favorite one thus far for our Kona.

      Reply
  2. who makes it? where? Vets don’t seem to know>>>>>>>>

    Reply
  3. I love this product and started my dog on it a couple weeks ago. She seems to be doing well on it. Although I thought it was an organic product and it’s not. So I’m starting my dog on Primal Organic raw frozen. I was hoping to keep her on the I and Love and You because it is a quite impressive food. But not only is Primal everything I’m looking for, but it is not the bare minimum 75% organic, but instead 100%, as you can see listed in there ingredients. Hopefully she does well with this new food.

    Reply
  4. I love this product and started my dog on it a couple weeks ago. She seems to be doing well on it. Although I thought it was an organic product and it’s not. So I’m starting my dog on Primal Organic raw frozen. I was hoping to keep her on the I and Love and You because it is a quite impressive food. But not only is Primal everything I’m looking for, but it is not the bare minimum 75% organic, but instead 100%, as you can see listed in there ingredients. Hopefully she does well with this new food. I wanted to rate the food but don’t see an option to choose a rating. But I would give it a 3 star rating.

    Reply

Leave a Reply