Nutra Complete Dog Food Reviews

Nutra Complete Review: Worth Buying?

Reviewopedia staff  -  Updated:  July 21, 2023

 

Nutra Complete from Ultimate Pet Nutrition is a freeze dried dog food that's growing in popularity amongst dog owners looking to improve their dog’s health.

How Does it Work?

Ultimate Pet Nutrition is a premium brand launched by Dr. Gary Richter, a veterinarian that decided to develop pet products based on his years of firsthand experience.

He states his company uses only the highest quality ingredients and the latest pet nutrition science to develop their foods and supplements.

However, this high quality comes with a hefty price tag; below we take a closer look at the ingredients and product claims to see if it’s really worth the cost.

Benefits of Freeze Dried Dog Food

Proponents of raw/freeze dried foods, such as Nutra Complete, claim there are incredible benefits to this way of eating versus traditional kibble.

This belief stems from the fact that regular kibble is subjected to extremely high levels of heating and over processing leading to a degradation of nutrition and a host of other negative issues.

Dr. Richter states that this high heat super cooking leads to the creation of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs).  While this is a new field of study, there is research to support these assertions.

These compounds are formed when proteins are cooked in the presence of sugars, often occurring during many common food processing techniques for both pet and human food.

The accumulation of AGEs in the body has been linked with chronic inflammatory diseases in humans and other species.

However this is exacerbated in dogs, with one study showing that these compounds were found at levels 122 times higher for dogs than the average intake for adult humans.

Most likely because dogs eat the same food or type of food for the duration of their lives, which is a good reason to carefully research your dog’s food.

Nutra Complete is also formulated with added fruits, vegetables, vitamins and minerals to meet the Food Nutrient Profiles set by The Association of American Feed Control (AAFCO).

The end result is a food which mimics what your dog’s ancestor might have eaten in the wild and can be served one of two ways.

The feeding instructions state that the food can be served dry or with water added (two cups of water per one cup of food).

Concerns With Freeze Dried Foods

Freeze dried dog foods & treats are intended to offer the benefits of a raw food diet with the convenience of kibble.

Yet there is still an ongoing debate about the benefits vs risks of raw feeding, and most vets avoid recommending them due to several concerns.

The first being the increased risk of exposure to harmful bacteria like Salmonella, Campylobacter, and E. coli.  

This applies to both pets and their owners as the bacteria can spread in the places it's handled, your dog’s saliva, and their waste.

Since freeze dried dog foods are never cooked, they potentially carry the same risks associated with consuming/handling any raw meat.

One often cited raw dog food study concluded that “Bacterial contamination is common in commercially available raw meat diets…”. 

However, to be fair, that study did also find non-type-specific Escherichia coli in the non raw food they tested.

Also of interest, one small sample size study found that “The freezing and drying processes may reduce, but not eradicate, the bacterial contamination in raw pet food.”

However, despite veterinary protests and FDA warnings, the drive to feed dogs a more “primal” diet is strong, and is reinforced by the belief that dogs should eat like wolves, which is further propagated by companies’ marketing campaigns.

Proponents of raw feeding will point out that the high acidic contents of dog’s saliva and digestive tracts are adept at neutralizing ingested bacteria.

Stating that if you treat your pet’s raw foods with the same precautions as you would handling any raw meat you will avoid many of these dangers.

Furthermore, many of the high profile pet food recalls have come from non freeze dried standard commercial dog foods.

Nutra Complete Ingredients

Nutra complete is made with real ingredients, making it appropriate for puppies or adult dogs.  The elements that make up each serving size include:

  • Beef
  • Beef Liver
  • Beef Kidney
  • Beef Bone (Ground)
  • Flax Seed
  • Dried Kelp
  • Blueberry
  • Carrot
  • Sweet Potato
  • Spinach
  • Broccoli
  • Chicory
  • Salt
  • Cranberry
  • Yeast Culture
  • Pumpkin Seed
  • Ginger
  • Potassium Chloride
  • Taurine
  • Zinc Amino Acid Complex
  • Inulin
  • Diatomaceous Earth
  • Iron Amino Acid Complex
  • Vitamin E Supplement
  • Yucca Schidigera Extract
  • Niacin Supplement
  • Copper Amino Acid Complex
  • L-Carnitine
  • Manganese Amino Acid Complex
  • d-Calcium Pantothenate
  • Thiamine Mononitrate
  • Sodium Selenite
  • Vitamin A Supplement
  • Riboflavin Supplement
  • Pyridoxine Hydrochloride
  • Biotin
  • Vitamin B12 Supplement
  • Folic Acid
  • Vitamin D3 Supplement
  • Mixed Tocopherols (Preservatives)

Where to Buy Nutra Complete Dog Food?

Nutra Complete is sold in select west coast retailers.  You can check their website to find a possible option near you.


Cost and Price Plans

Nutra Complete comes in a bag size of 16-ounces, shipped directly to your home. 

Although you can purchase one at a time, you are privy to a significant discount if you are buying in bulk.

  • One Bag  -  $59.95
  • Three Bags  -  $170.85
  • Six Bags  -  $323.70

Nutra Complete is also covered by a 90-day refund guarantee.  

Therefore, if your dog doesn’t like the food or you are not happy with your purchase, you can request to have your money refunded to you.

Customer Service

Ultimate Pet Nutrition offers several forms of contact for any customer service issues you may encounter, including a refund request.

Phone Number: 800-604-5827
Email: [email protected]

However, there have been some complaints from customers regarding the lack of human interaction that they get when they call the provided phone number.

At times they have only received an automated response and have struggled to connect with a representative of the company.

Customer Reviews & Complaints

Ultimate Pet Nutrition, the company behind Nutra Complete, has very high customer ratings on most review websites.

The company has a 4+ star average for the company on Reviewopedia and Truspilot, with many customers praising the effects the food has had on their pets.

Additionally, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) rates the company with 4.2 stars, with minimal complaints and an A+ rating.

Because Ultimate Pet Nutrition products are primarily sold through their website there are a limited number of retailer reviews.

Positive customer reviews on Reviewopedia mentioned the joint support that the food provides to their pets and the lack of recalls (at this time) that the company has experienced.

The complaints for Nutra Complete mainly center around the product's extremely high cost.  If served as your dog's main food it would probably be too expensive for most customers.

Competitors and Alternatives

Several products are similar to Nutra Complete in what they provide, including the following:

  • Nutra Complete vs. Dr. Marty  -  Both product lines come as freeze dried and can be served in various ways.  However, Dr. Marty’s has a smaller ingredient list than Nutra Complete.

  • Nutra Complete vs. The Farmer’s Dog  -  The Farmer’s Dog is not freeze dried but is personalized to your pet’s health and nutrition needs.  Each feeding comes pre-packaged with no additional effort needed.

  • Nutra Complete vs. Ollie  -  Like The Farmer’s Dog, Ollie is pre-packaged and fresh, not dried.  However, their meals are cooked at low temperatures to retain the nutrients.

The Bottom Line

It can be challenging to find the right pet food for your dog.  You want the best for them, but you also don’t know what they will like or what they need nutritionally.

Furthermore, the endless debate between raw or cooked food often leaves customers even more confused and under the influence of scare tactics from both sides.

While there is scientific evidence to support both arguments, one area where both can agree is that ingredient and manufacturing quality are crucial.

So you should try to find brands that use USA sourced proteins, adhere to the best practice manufacturing standards, and meet AAFCO nutritional guidelines. 

Some premium brands will even go as far as using human grade and ethically raised ingredients.

Nutra Complete states they meet these requirements and has many positive customer reviews online.  

However, the high cost of the product may make it only feasible as a topper or food mixer to supplement your dog’s nutrition.

As always, consult with your veterinarian when making changes to your pet's diet, especially when switching them to raw foods.  Changes should be made gradually and incrementally to avoid potential intestinal distress.

If you have any experience with Nutra Complete Dog Food, please leave your reviews below.

See Also:  Are You Using the Best Dog Food?

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Nutra Complete Dog Food Customer Reviews

  • Sort Reviews By:

Don’t want any more
March 13, 2024
Might be healthy but dog does not like it. Lobo is not a fussy eater. Will almost eat anything but has to be almost starving to eat your premium beef dog food. Rich jorgensen

My New Dog
February 11, 2024
My chihuahua loves it! He eats no other dog foods- kibble scratches his throat and he coughs. He is about 3 years old - when we got him he was so different than he is now. He loves to run, bark and play outside. He never wanted to play with us or his toys and us. Now he loves to play with us and the big dogs outside. One thing we noticed was his gas. It would wake you up and send you elsewhere at night. Now everyone sleeps all night. His gas is no longer odoriferous. He has more energy. He obeys commands so much better.Our little man is a happy little man thanks to Dr. Richter's freeze dried dog food. Oh, yes it is a little more expensive to feed him, but he is worth it.

Be careful & watch for bone pieces
March 3, 2023
My dog loves the product, however I found larger pieces of bone mixed in with the product. And the one piece was very sharp. If my dog (she weighs 13 pounds) had swallowed it, there certianly would have been a health issue. Not sure I will continue with it, as two of the bags (I bought a total of 6) had broken down into fine crumbs., towards the last 1/4 of the bag.

Not so picky now!!
July 31, 2022
My girl is a little picky, and so far she is really enjoying the food. I am excited to see over the next couple months how she does. Thank you for your efforts in making a food that is healthy, tasty and affordable for my girl!

She craves Nutra Complete
July 31, 2022
My dog loves it. She eats her whole bowl and doesn’t leave any in the bowl now. So I know she loves Nutra Complete.

EVELYNCherniak August 01, 2022

My dog comes running when it’s meal time,she absolutely loves the Food. She licks the bowl so clean,She also seems so happy and playful. Thanks Nutra Complete.

Love it!
July 30, 2022
My dogs love them. They finished the meal in two minutes.

Definitely worth adding to their food.
July 29, 2022

I bought this hoping my little dog would lose some weight, so time will tell. so far I'm just topping the food off with it, but will be adding more day by day. Both my dogs are very happy with this food, they never leave any in their bowls. thank you, it is definitely better than a different brand I have bought.

Outstanding dog food!!!
July 26, 2022
My 8 yr old rescue beagle mix, Sophie, is in love with her new food! She gets a mix of her old kibble & the new food along with green beans to fill her up. She loves the warm moist meals. She always finishes her entire meal now.

Nutrition Excellent
July 20, 2022
Very good nutritional food. All (3)dogs like the flavor. Highly recommend.

Our girl loves this stuff!
July 17, 2022

We rescued a medium-sized (@ 50#) mutt about 6 months ago. We're trying to feed her as healthily as we can afford, so we're going grain-free. When we switched to the grain-free version of the food we had been feeding her, she suddenly got picky about it.

Well, my partner's mother had bought a couple bags of Nutra Complete for her dog, who sadly passed away last year. She gave some to Ripley, who LOVES IT!!! We now use it as a topper for her meals, and she is super happy for feeding time again!

She is just the happiest, sweetest dog ever, and she is always getting compliments on how soft and shiny her coat is.

Thank you for creating a healthy food that really makes a difference!!
July 17, 2022
My dog has only been eating Nutra Complete for about 3 weeks but he does seem to be more energetic and seems to love it. I have a 10 yrs old pit named Gator, who is the most gentle dog ever. He hasn't been wanting to go for walks or car rides for about 4 months now, but just recently wanted to do them both! He seems much happier and looks forward to eating again. The sample packet of treats really makes him happy. He runs around in circles, which he only does for his smart bones so I just put in an order for them yesterday! I also licks his bowl clean every night! I look forward to seeing him get more energy as he continues to eat. I think I made the right choice but will let you know in a later review as he progresses and has been on it a little longer. Thank you for caring enough for our fur babies to make sure that they are eating healthy. It shows in how much happier he seems to be now!❤️

Chloe loves Nutra Complete
July 16, 2022
Chloe, my 10-year old Shih Tzu, is a bit of a finicky eater; however, once I introduced Nutra Complete into her diet, she now eagerly awaits her meals. I supplement her Hill's Science Diet kibble with NC and with chopped (boiled) chicken. The NC is hydrated first using very warm water, then dressed over the kibble and chicken adding a teaspoon or two of the broth from hydrating the Nutra Complete. After finishing the solid mixture, I give her the remaining broth, which she laps up heartily

Great option for dogs with sensitive stomachs
July 13, 2022

I have a 9.5 and 1.5 year old German shepherd mixes. My senior has a sensitive stomach and diarrhea issues. Within a week of starting Nutri Complete his stool is much firmer and easier to pick up. I can tell how much better he feels with just adding the freeze dried raw food as a topper to his normal diet.

It has been well worth the additional cost. I have also started giving my younger shepherd the food as a topper.

It is like treat time whenever they see me grab the bag!

Over priced
July 10, 2022
My Dog loves the but it’s over priced

John January 27, 2023

Everything is overpriced. Do you think this is more overpriced than everything else? Or is it just too expensive for your means? I ask this because I am quiet possibly in the same situation.

Shamin Tess August 01, 2023

It's 16 Oz. For 50. Freaking dollars!! My border collie has aged alot since I started her on it and is getting stiff in her hips! She's only 8years old. I'd do anything for her....obviously if I spend 50bucks a Pound!!! It's been over a year...I'm a subscriber but I feel taken for a stupid human trick lately.......hmmm

Little Peanut LOVED it!!
July 8, 2022
I used this as a food topper. My little dog just loved it! The food was small in size which was a plus. He loved the beef flavor topper added to his regular food. Thank you. I will definitely order again. I wish there were bigger bags to purchase.

If You Really Care About Your Pet, Please Read
June 30, 2022
Our dog is about one year old and was with 2 other owners (that we know of) before we got her. We transitioned her to Nutra Complete and a good canned food (one-third of a can per serving) along with Dr. Richter's powder and very little dry food. She loves it and took right to it and has lots of energy and can even wear me out on long walks. My only regret is that I had known about Dr. Richter's food/supplements many years ago when we had other pets that had all developed cancer/kidney disease.

My dog Lola has done a complete 180
June 29, 2022

As soon as I started with Nutra Complete she did a 180. I needed to find some food that she wasn't so picky about and I found Nutra Complete. She is actually excited to eat now. (finally after 10 years!) Her movements are also different in a great way.

Coco Chanel's Experience with Nutra Complete Beef
June 28, 2022
Well, my girl, Coco Chanel is going to be 12 soon. She's a very picky eater and I thought that she would reject the rehydrated food, for sure. Upon opening the bag, I had to take a week to get used to the smell whilst making up her dinner mixing Nutra with her special food for her kidneys. I was apprehensive when I placed her food down but she lapped it up straight away and now it's all gone. I could not order any more as I only paid $29.99 for the Freeze Dried Beef for a 16 oz. bag and now they are $59.99!! I should have taken advantage of the 3 bags for $77 but at the time I was unsure if my girl would take to the food....

Nutra Complete Gets Results and a Happy Pup
June 22, 2022
Since beginning to feed my chihuahua Nutra Complete for a bit over a month, I have been quite pleased and so is he! I had to switch him from another freeze dried food I first bought because he simply started refusing it, but he was still eating the BW kibble. My boy gets so excited and dances around now when I fix his food, which is testament to his enjoyment. I mix it with a bit of ground turkey, too. Extra shiny coat, bright eyes, and energy plus says it all. And he's got his waistline back, even! Thank you!! Great product.

Treasure food!!
June 19, 2022

I first saw this food on a social Media site and I wanted to try something new and healthy for my dog Capstan, I use it as a mix with his other kibble and it’s gone so quick I feel like he didn’t even taste it but he loves it !! Really glad I found it ! He has skin issues and seems that they aren’t as bad since using this food which is awesome ! Thanks a lot