Harringtons dog food reviews: Good quality dog food that’s affordable too

Harringtons dog food has become a popular choice with pet owners looking for affordable yet nutritious and tasty meals to serve to their precious pooches. The brand is known for its use of both wet and dry dog foods that are designed to support your pup through different life stages.

Harringtons are also committed to using natural ingredients, a high percentage of meat, and zero additives, which, for one of the cheaper dog food brands, is very good. We know that choosing a new dog food brand is a big decision for any pet owner, so we’ve done some digging on Harringtons to find out more about the brand and what goes into making the food. To help us with this Harringtons dog food review, we’ve called on help from real-life dog owners whose pooches just can’t get enough of Harringtons.

Harringtons dog food reviews

Harringtons Complete Mixed Wet Trays are reviewed by Cockapoochis, Gibson & Gypsy and their owner, Amy-Mae Turner, Commerce Content Writer for Take a Break Pets: "I feed my two Cockapoochis Harringtons wet food as I know it's grain-free and good quality, that, and they like it!

"This food comes in a range of classic, dog-friendly flavours like beef, salmon, lamb, chicken, turkey, and even duck. I like that this food is made from 65 per cent to 85 per cent freshly prepared ingredients, and the dogs seem to as well. Harringtons sneaks some vegetables into some of the recipes which I'm a big fan of.

"This food comes in trays, and conveniently, one tray does them both for brekkie and dins a day. While I do often supplement their food with fresh beef and chicken (because they are spoiled dog brats) I know that if I don't have any proteins in the fridge, Harringtons has the perfect nutritional balance to be a complete food, so I always have some in the cupboard. The only thing I don't like about this product is that the trays always spit wet dog food juice when you open them, but that's just me being fussy."

Harringtons Complete Dry Adult Dog Food is reviewed by Bear the Labrador and his owner, Jodie Davies, Senior Affiliate Insight Executive for Take a Break Pets: "I chose Harringtons for my dog Bear because it is an affordable option for dog food. It is conveniently available at most supermarkets and I can grab it from Amazon on next day delivery as I'm a Prime customer so I never run out of it.

"Harringtons Complete Dry Adult Dog Food is available in four different flavours - lamb, chicken, turkey and beef. I tend to rotate the flavour I buy to give Bear some variety but whatever one is in his bowl, he seem to lap it up.

"It is a complete kibble so you can give it on its own. However, I alter the amount I feed to Bear and mix it with Harringtons wet dog food trays just for some texture and flavour variation in his diet. There are handy feeding guides on the Harringtons website to help you work out exactly how much you should be feeding your dog.

"I really don't have any complaints with this food, but if I could change anything it would be the packaging because it's a paper bag so it does rip easily when I'm moving it to where it needs to be in the house."

Harringtons Complete Dry Puppy Food is reviewed by nine-week-old Poppy and her owner, Rebecca Lancaster, Digital Writer for our sister site, Mother&Baby: "We recently got Poppy, the Golden Retriever puppy, at 9 weeks and were recommended Harringtons Puppy Food by the breeder. Poppy has instantly taken to it and has no issues eating every morsel! In fact, I’ve had to buy her a slow-feeding bowl to make her eat more slowly because she was getting hiccups!

"I would note that the bag is big and very heavy so that may be something to consider. I think we might also need to buy a plastic Tupperware or something to store it in to keep it airtight as it’s likely to last so long I’m worried it might go stale (though I may be overthinking this aspect!)

"I’ve noticed it’s very crunchy – you can hear her teeth working on the kibbles which I would hope is good for her teeth and dental hygiene. Without going into too much detail, her bowel movements have been regular and firm so it would seem it’s keeping her stomach/internal organs balanced.

"All-in-all, we’ve been really happy with Harrington’s Puppy food. She’s our first dog so we’re still ‘learning on the job’ but knowing she’s enjoying her food and getting the nutrients she needs to grow is a weight off our minds. We’re planning to move up to Harringtons Dog Food when the time comes."

Harringtons dog food review FAQs

Is Harringtons dog food good for dogs?

Every food that Harringtons makes, whether it’s dry or wet dog food, is packed full of natural goodness as well as essential vitamins and minerals to create a food that’s healthy, balanced and tasty. Their recipes are also free from artificial nasties, which isn’t usually the case for an affordable dog food brand.

The one thing that stands out to us is that the meaty ingredients in Harringtons dog food always come first in their ingredients list, which means it is the main ingredient in what you’re feeding your pooch. With some of the cheap dog food brands, and actually in some of the more premium brands too, you often find fillers such as cereals listed as the ingredient with the highest percentage. Cereals don’t provide much in terms of good nutrition for your pooch and are essentially just empty calories which will cause your pooch to gain weight in the long run. With the meaty ingredients as the main ones, it means that your dog is getting an excellent source of protein in every meal and essential amino acids, which are vital for muscle strength, growth and repair.

Who are Harringtons owned by?

The roots of the Harringtons can be traced as far back as 1923. It started off as a family-run milling business in the 1920s and started manufacturing pet food in the mid-1980s. Harringtons was founded by Great Grandfather Harrington in Yorkshire and, while the brand is now part of the Inspired Pet Nutrition Group, it’s still manufactured in Yorkshire to this very day.

Is Harringtons grain free?

Whether Harringtons is a grain-free dog food brand largely depends on what food you choose but yes, Harringtons is grain-free, most of the time. Harringtons wet dog food range is 100 per cent grain-free, made with freshly prepared meat ingredients, peas, carrots and potatoes while Harringtons Superfoods is Harrington's dry food range that is also free from grains. As well as being made with freshly prepared meat ingredients, it also contains sweet potatoes as a slow-release energy source and six superfoods to boost your pup's health and vitality.

The food in Harringtons range that is NOT grain-free is the regular complete dog food range. The ingredients in this food include carbohydrate sources such as oats and rice amongst other grains, as well as potato, plus freshly prepared meat.

For the most part, Harringtons is a good food for those pups who need a grain-free diet, especially with their wet food range, but we'd recommend double checking the ingredients before you order just to make sure your chosen Harringtons food doesn't have grain in it. It's also worth noting that although many of Harringtons recipes are grain-free, they are made in a factory that processes grains so there is a very small chance that traces could be present within their food.

Is Harringtons good for sensitive stomachs?

All of Harringtons food is made without added wheat, dairy and soya, which are all common allergens in dog food and all recipes contain chicory, which is a natural pre-biotic that will help to take care of your hound's digestive system, so overall, Harringtons makes dog food that's gentle on tums.

For pups with particularly sensitive stomachs, the brand recommends its Superfoods range, which has been specifically formulated for easier digestion. As we've mentioned previously, it's grain-free, too, so it's a good option for pups with allergies, intolerances, or sensitivity who are experiencing discomfort with their stomachs.

How long should a 15kg bag of Harringtons dog food last?

You'd think with a 15kg bag of food that it should last a while, but this will of course all depend on the breed, weight and needs of your pooch. According to Harringtons, a 15kg bag of their Turkey Dry Dog Food should last a 10kg adult dog 12 weeks, feeding them 178g of food a day (which is based on their age, weight and moderate activity level). On the current RRP of £36, this means it could cost as little as 43p a day to feed your pooch but keep in mind for active dogs larger than 10kg, you're going to be going through a 15kg bag a lot quicker than that!

If you've got a dog smaller than 10kg, then great, this bag will last you longer than 12 weeks. However, keep in mind that if you're bulk buying large bags, you need to have somewhere properly to store the food inside to ensure it doesn't go stale by the time your pooch has gotten to the bottom of the bag.

Can you mix Harringtons wet and dry food?

You absolutely can mix Harringtons wet and dry food and we'd recommend it for giving your hound a bit of variety in terms of both flavour and texture at mealtimes. Mixing wet dog food with dry can also help with keep your pup hydrated as it adds moisture to their food. Just make sure you adjust the portions you’re giving your pooch to avoid overfeeding them.

Do vets approve Harringtons dog food?

Harringtons have been developed with dedicated nutritionists and are generally considered a good, affordable option by pet owners and vets alike. However, if your pet has specific dietary requirements, your vet may not recommend it as they would suggest a food that best suits the needs of your pup’s aliment. That being said though, Harringtons food is full of natural ingredients and made without artificial additives which is the type of food that gets a big thumbs up from vets for offering balanced nutrition.

Rosie Floyd is a Senior Home & Pets Product Writer for Take A Break Pets, specialising in all things dogs. She grew up always having at least one dog as part of the family and has experience in owning a variety of breeds, including Labradors, Cockapoos and Yorkshire Terriers.