Natural Balance LID – LIFE WITH DOGS

Founded in 1989 by actor Dick Van Patten,
Natural Balance Pet Foods aims to give pets “the food for a lifetime.” Van Patten’s goal was to create a premium quality pet food that is based on nutritional facts and scientific
principles- meaning that everything is properly
balanced and has the best nutritional value. The brand takes pride in
the pet owners, trainers, and rescues that use their products.

Based in Burbank, California, Natural
Balance has been in production for several decades and within the last decade
has introduced Natural Balance LID- Limited Ingredient Diets. These simple
formulas are designed to minimize the number
of ingredients in the food. This is great
for dogs with a specialized diet and for owners who want the best food for
their pets.

Ingredients and Products

The LID line of Natural Balance currently
has 19 dog products and 18 cat products. All of Natural Balance products do not
contain artificial flavors, preservatives, soy, wheat, corn, by-product, and
refined grains. The most common ingredients they use in their products include:

• Garbanzo beans
• Sweet potatoes
• Brown rice
• Flax seeds
• Chicken
• Venison
• Beef
• Duck
• Bison/Buffalo
• Salmon
• Lamb
• Taurine
• Menhaden and salmon oils
• Whole grains
• Peas

There is a large selection of Natural Balance products on the market. Searching Natural Balance on Chewy.com will bring up several pages of products. The LID line has many options to choose from:

LID dog food and treat products:

• Chicken and Sweet Potato
  Dry Dog Formula
• Chicken and Sweet Potato
  Small Breed Bites Dry Dog Formula
• Lamb Meal and Brown Rice
  Dry Dog Formula
• Lamb and Brown Rice Dry
  Puppy Formula
• Lamb Meal and Brown Rice
  Large Breed Bites Dry Dog Formula
• Lamb Meal and Brown Rice
  Small Breed Bites Dry Dog Formula
• Legume and Duck Meal Dry
  Dog Formula
• Potato and Duck Dry Dog
  Formula
• Potato and Duck Small Breed
  Bites Dry Dog Formula
• Potato and Duck Dry Puppy
  Formula
• Sweet Potato and Bison Dry
  Dog
• Sweet Potato and Fish Dry
  Dog Formula
• Sweet Potato and Fish Small
  Breed Bites Dry Dog Formula
• Sweet Potato and Venison
  Dry Dog Formula
• High Protein Beef Formula
  Dry Dog Food
• High Protein Turkey Formula
  Dry Dog Food
• High Protein Lamb Formula Dry Dog Food
• High Protein Pollock Formula Dry Dog Food
• High Protein Beef Formula
  Small Breed Bites Dry Dog Food

LID cat food and treat products:

• Green Pea and Chicken Dry
  Cat Formula
• Green Pea and Duck Dry Cat
  Formula
• Green Pea and Salmon Dry
  Cat Formula
• Green Pea and Venison Dry
  Cat Formula
• Chicken and Green Pea
  Canned Cat Formula
• Duck and Green Pea Canned
  Cat Formula
• Salmon and Green Pea Canned
  Cat Formula
• Venison and Green Pea
  Canned Cat Formula
• High Protein Chicken
  Formula in Broth Wet Cat Food
• High Protein Tuna Formula Dry Cat Food
• High Protein Salmon Formula Dry Cat Food
• High Protein Chicken Formula Dry Cat Food
• Indoor Salmon and Chickpea
  Dry Cat Formula
• Indoor Turkey and Chickpea
  Dry Cat Formula
• Indoor Salmon and Chickpea
  Canned Cat Formula
• Indoor Turkey and Turkey
  Liver Canned Cat Formula
• High Protein Whitefish
  Formula in Broth Wet Cat Food
• High Protein Tuna Formula
  in Broth Wet Cat Food

Along with the regular limited ingredient
diet products, the LID line also has a special
sub-category for products that are high in protein; this means the protein is meat oriented and will provide the
high-protein diet without compromising a need for limited ingredients. Dog and
cat high-protein LID products include:

• High Protein Beef Formula
  Dry Dog Food
• High Protein Turkey Formula
  Dry Dog Food
• High Protein Lamb Formula Dry Dog Food
• High Protein Pollock Formula Dry Dog Food
• High Protein Beef Formula
  Small Breed Bites Dry Dog Food
• High Protein Whitefish
  Formula in Broth Wet Cat Food
• High Protein Tuna Formula
  in Broth Wet Cat Food
• High Protein Chicken
  Formula in Broth Wet Cat Food
• High Protein Tuna Formula Dry Cat Food
• High Protein Salmon Formula Dry Cat Food
• High Protein Chicken Formula Dry Cat Food

Safety Testing

The number one factor in manufacturing
pet food is ingredient quality and testing. Natural Balance tests every batch
of food as it comes into their facility. The company uses an ISO 17025
Accredited Laboratory to conduct all ingredient testing. Each batch of ingredients is subjected to nine different safety tests.

All tests are conducted
by chemists and microbiologists. The scientists are
testing for melamine, aflatoxin, cyanuric acid, don (vomitoxin), fumonisin,
ochratoxin, Salmonella spp, zearalenone,
and Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli
(STEC).

Is it Worth it?

Natural Balance LID is a brand dedicated
to providing dogs and cats with the best food. The brand caters to animals
needing to control their weight, promotes healthy digestion, and has food types
from wet to canned to dry. Their product list is extensive, and the brand goes beyond just making food.
Natural Balance is a partner with Guide Dogs for the Blind, created a
non-profit animal rescue organization, and takes sponsorship requests. Customers
of Natural Balance can also save their Proof of Purchase UCP’s and exchange
them for the brand’s Charity Rebate Program.

Pros

• Uses no preservatives,
  artificial colors/flavors, refined grains, soy, wheat, corn, and by-product
• Natural Balance provides
  customers with access to a team of skilled Veterinary Technicians during normal work week hours. They are available to
  answer any pet-related questions someone may have and to help recommend food for their pet. All Veterinary Technicians
  have a degree in Animal Health Science
• Provides
  100% satisfaction guaranteed. With proof of
  purchase and the uneaten product, customers can receive a refund or exchange
• Provide customers with a
  sample of their lab testing sheets to ensure they thoroughly test the
  ingredients for safety
• All formulas meet the
  Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) guidelines for
  nutritional value

Cons

• Contains a few
  controversial ingredients such as canola oil and potato protein
• The cooking and handling
  process and origins of ingredients is not
  transparent

Natural Balance LID is a brand that has been a leader in pet food for decades. Their dedication to animal welfare is shown through the ingredients they use and their involvement in the community. Their standard food bags of five pounds are affordable, averaging around $17. Natural Balance LID products can be found here.