Authority is an all-natural premium dog food brand created and offered by PetSmart. It’s high in protein and fat, as high-quality meat is the first ingredient in each formula. Authority dog food is ideal for high-energy dogs, as well as other dogs with health-conscious owners.
Who manufactures Authority dog food?
PetSmart owns Authority, Inc., the company that manufactures Authority dog food. Founded in 1995, Authority, Inc. outsources some of their food production overseas, a fact we learned during the infamous 2007 melamine recall that involved a lot of other dog food brands. Authority, Inc. is not really clear on where they get their ingredients, but they’re pretty adamant on the fact that they use all-natural, high-quality ingredients in their dog food.
Even though PetSmart takes pride in the fact that they put high-quality ingredients in Authority dog food, they still used vegetable proteins from a company in China. We learned the sad truth in 2007 when those vegetable proteins were found to be contaminated with melamine. PetSmart had to recall the beef, chicken, lamb, rice, and gravy Authority dry dog food recipes.
Despite the fact that dried and canned Authority dog food contains top-notch ingredients, it’s still loaded with filler. Rice or rice gluten is usually in the top 5 ingredients. This fact alone puts Authority short of being a truly premium dog food brand. Not only that, but some dogs with allergies may react badly to Authority dog food, which contains corn, corn gluten meal, and eggs. If your dog has a protein-based allergy, it’d be a good idea to read the ingredients before putting your dog on the Authority diet.
However, Authority dog food contains absolutely no by-products. Pair that with the fact that meat is the first ingredient in each formula, and you’ve got a dog food brand that could be worth feeding your dog on a budget.
This reasonably-priced dog food brand is definitely one of the leading brands in its price range. According to Authority’s website, this dog food brand promotes overall health in dogs, focusing on the skin & coat, teeth & gums, muscles, weight, heart, digestive health, and immune system. They claim that if you have your dog on the Authority diet for two weeks, you’ll start to notice smaller and firmer stools. By the third week, your dog will have extra energy. The fourth week will bring a more radiant skin and coat.
When it comes to senior dogs, a healthy diet is very important. Senior dogs require the right amount of crude protein, fat, fiber, and vitamins in order to stay in tip-top shape. Does Authority dog food have what it takes to keep your senior dog in great shape? Let’s find out!
Chicken is the first ingredient, but some dog owners may take issue with that because it contains mostly water and doesn’t add much nutrient content once cooked.
However, the second ingredient is chicken meal, which is a significant source of glucosamine and chondroitin, two natural substances that will help maintain healthy joints in your old buddy. Also, the chicken meal contains higher levels of protein than fresh chicken and brings the crude protein level up to 23%.
The next six ingredients are just filler. Brown rice, corn, oat groats, dried beet pulp, corn gluten meal, and brewers rice don’t offer much value to your dog’s diet, so it’s not an ideal formula to feed your dog if you want him/her to live out his/her golden days in good health.
Where can you buy Authority?
You’d think that Authority dog food is available exclusively at PetSmart, but that’s not the case. It’s actually available at PetCo and some independent pet stores. There isn’t a store locator on Authority’s website, so you will need to call your closest pet store to see if they carry Authority dog food.
i finally find a dog food ALL my dogs eat and i can’t get it. it is never in stock any more, in store or online. i’ve checked phoenix, az and las vegas, nv. i get the same answer every where. “they only send a couple bags at a time”. it is time to change to another brand.
I have been feeding my dogs Authority for a long time, but right now I am on the hunt for a new food. There is NEVER any Authority on the shelves, I have to buy in bulk because 9 out of 10 times I need it, there is never any. I was told by employees that they only receive 4 bags a weeks, I own great Danes and buy 2 to 3 bags at a time, I don’t think it’s ok to have to drive across town to find dog food, it’s ridiculous, I feel it’s time to change not only food but stores in general.
I switched my dogs to Authority from Science Diet. I fed Science Diet because as a Vet Tech – we got a discount.
Authority was less expensive, but still offered chicken as the main ingredient. My dogs have done fine on it, however, it is filled with less desirable ingredients. It is not the best, but it is not the worst. My crew of fifteen dogs are all on Authority.
The shelves are never stocked with enough canned food, and I’ve had to make several trips to several different stores. Being owned by Pet Smart – it would be logical to be completely stocked all the time. Someone in management is making a huge mistake.
Recenttly, I found black chunks of (something) in the canned puppy food, 9DCPM2 0600 EXPIRATION AUGUST 6, 2017. The WHOLE case was affected. I thought it was part of a new substance since the label had also undergone changes. Upon buying another case, and inspecting it, those black chunks were not there.
Due to all the hassle of buying a less than perfect dog food, I am yet again going to switch all of my dogs to a better dog food, because you get what you pay for – and this food is a prime example of that.
I’ve been feeding Authority weight management dog food now for a few years… Keeps my dogs weight steady… This last bag that I bought about 3 weeks ago, Chicken and Rice, 34 lbs… The kibble has suddenly turned from the normal tan/ light brown to a gross green color and is now really, REALLY dusty… Nothing has gotten into the bag and it’s kept in the same place as my dog food has always been kept. It started with just a few pieces in a scoop..(1.5 cups) so I picked those few pieces out.. Thinking… Well maybe something got into the food (Other family members) Once I asked them if there could have been a spill or anything by the food.. The answer was no… and now it is ALL green.. switched her to the other dogs food until I return this bag and find out if there is any kind of recall… Watching my dog closely to be sure she doesn’t get sick if she did eat any of the green pieces..
Has anyone ever had this problem… ?? Not sure if I should switch her food because of this problem… or if I should start yelling since I have not seen any kind of product recalls on this food !!
I know this is an old post… but I just found it now. I live in ontario Canada and had this issue twice. I’ve been feeding my dogs authority for almost 3 years and never a problem. But in the last year I got 2 bags that had mold in the bottom of the bags. I called customer service and I had to leave a msg. Nobody ever got back to me. I still feed them this food as it works for them… however I have been thinking about changing food. Being only available at petsmart is not very convenient either.
Noticing that this might be the most recent post I thought to give you a shout. I am currently getting a puppy and I am in between getting him Authority grain free puppy vs Acana Puppy. Did you ever hear back from them about the whole mold situation? Hopefully it hasn’t happened again.
I fed my 9.5 month old Pup this for a while three weeks. Granted he’s always had GI problems and this was another recommendation but still…three weeks in, he ended up with his fur loosing its shine, becoming dandrufdy, excessive whining and clingyness, lack of appetite for food and water, severe constipation ….turns out he had an impaction and had to get treated for parasites.
When I went to empty the bag of what was left over, a good two weeks worth the bottom was FULL of blue and green molded pieces. I didn’t even have it long enough for it to mold!
I have reason to believe that Authority brand treats killed my dog and several other dogs in the USA and Canada.
There is a petition out on Change written by Tammy Marshall. Both dogs died after eating two treats, in fact, it was the last thing they ate before they died.
Can I ask what treats your talking about ? Because I have been feeding my dog Authority Soft Bites Made w/Real Bacon for a year and have never had any problems. She loves them !!! And she is the pickiest dog I have ever had. Matter of fact I called to ask if there was any way they could start making these kinda treats in a dog food because I haven’t found a dog food she will eat yet, and I have to cook her food. She won’t eat hard food at all !!! And that’s another thing about these they are soft, but hard enough to still clean her teeth.Man I wish they would make these into a dog food !!!
I switched my dog to Authority dog food about 3 weeks ago because he was allergic to grains He was healthy and viberant he died suddenly and I believe it was the dog food…………….
Something changed in the food. Gave my 2 dogs a little bit of the canned food Savory Gravy and beef on Saturday. One dog woke up throwing up. The other was indifferent all day. She was hunched over and couldn’t lay down to sleep at night. She couldn’t get comfortable and almost took her to emergency. The next day she had glossy loose stools and she threw up. Then she went to the bathroom 3 times and the next day, mucous came out in her stool. Both dogs had diarrhea and I believe it was a bacterial issue. I will never buy this again.
I checked their ingredient label and saw that it contains Copper Sulfate. My dog was diagnosed with Copper Elimination Disease. Her levels of copper in her system were 4,400mg compared to what it should have been, 400mg. She will be on medication the rest of her life. I believe this was caused by Copper sulfate. This ingredient should never be found in their food. She was on California and then Fromms. Their ingredient label states, vitamins and minerals and doesn’t state specifics. I have sent e-mails asking for a break down but haven’t received a response back yet so I’m assuming Copper Sulfate is an ingredient. There are different kinds of copper in the dog’s diet but Copper SULFATE should NEVER be a part of their diet. We learned the hard way.
We switched to Authority last year after getting our King Charles. We had been using Beneful with our Lab and after using the same with our little one, we found out her smelly tears were due to the fat content in the beneful. We had never really had problems with the Authority. Every once in a while our lab wouldn’t eat, but periodically he would do that. On friday, our king charles woke up throwing up and had diarrhea. She was fine on Saturday, then had loose stool again Sunday. We woke up to a mess in her kennel yesterday morning, but no further incident until last night. Then this morning, a mess again. We thought she might have got into something and it was messing with her stomach, but we could not figure out what it could have been. Then I realized she started having the issues after started the bag of food we bought last week. Started researching to see if there are any recalls, which I have not found yet. Came across this sight, and will not be switching their food. One of the previous posts talks about mucus in their stool…. my dogs have had that on occasion since being on Authority. It was never anything truly alarming, since they both like to get into things they shouldn’t (like the trash). It never lasted more than a day, so we never got them checked out. I’m pretty sure our King Charles’ issues the past few days are due to the food. I’ve been home 90% of the time and have not seen her get into anything, she hasn’t even been chewing on bones. No new toys. She hasn’t picked up anything when I take them outside. I’m baffled. I will definitely be returning the bag and finding something else though.
Purchased a bag of Authority and it was infested with bugs. Absolutely disgusting. Bought it on Jan 5 2015 and the expiration said August 2016. Incredibly upset. I almost fed my dogs bugs and had to clean their food bin and bowls so they don’t eat bug eggs. Took it back to where i bought it (Petsmart Rd to Six Flags Arlington Tx) and they didnt even apologize or seem like it was an issue. Authority, how could you let this pass you up???? Dog food full of Bugs??????
Does anyone know if there were any changes in the Auhority food? My dogs have been pooping soft and also having diarrhea. they’ve been on authority lamb for a long time (while adding 1/3 nature’s recipe) and recently have not been processing it normally. Any thoughts? Help!
I have a 140 lb American Bulldog who had been on Authority large breed kibble for 2 years. He has done well on it until 3 weeks ago.I bough 2 bags of food and witness a few days he had severe diarrhea…severe enough and enough days that I had to take him to an emergency vet hospital. After several hundred dollars and lots of medications he started doing much better. The vet had me feeding him chicken and rice and after a few days gradually adding hogs kibble back in to his diet. First day back on authority and he is going downhill again.
I have a 4 year old Siberian Husky, a 3 year old Corgi mix, and a 13 1/2 year old Chihuahua. I have been feeding canned Authority over 2 years. They LOVE IT and never any gastrointestinal issues etc. I free feed Bil Jac Adult Select Formula Kiblets. The Bil Jac has 25lbs of chicken in a 30 pound bag. Took the Bil Jac test and indeed my pets ate it over all other brands. All of my pets are healthy, active and with beautiful coats. I am in OKC and typically wait for sales at PetsMart to purchase the canned and dry. Canned has been on sale the entire month of January with a total savings of .35 per can and shelves typically well stocked. Last sale like this was in October 2015 and I purchased 7 cases before end of month. Well pleased with both Authority and Bil Jac and while it may cost a little bit more it is much lesser than a veterinarian visit.
Hello how are you? Just wanted to let you know I was introduced to Authority when I first brought home my puppy Labrador home. I’m very happy with her results in growth & how she loves the taste. But it’s getting very expensive & I see a change in the color of the food was considering changing food.
Authority since he was a puppy. Last year, right before he turned 2 he started breaking out in bumps and developed a staph infection and demodex mange because his immune system was compromised. After 7 months, 2 vets, and thousands of dollars later it has been determined that he has a good allergy. He was on authority for almost 2 years and was fine on it – my vet believes there was a protein change in the ingredient list / the ingredients aren’t as good as they were. We now feed a high end limited ingredient food and his allergies are completely gone. We won’t be going back to Authority for food or treats.
I just wanted to say Thank You! I have a picky eater for my pet dog. You sent me a coupon for a free bag of dog food. I got the Puppy chicken w/peas and Baxter loves it. I recently moved from puppy to adult. Today, I got a coupon for free treats. I got him a bag today. I love the freebies, so keep them up. FYI, we were using Hills Science Diet.
I went to Petsmart to get some better food for my dogs and cats. After 0ne week on Nutro for my cat , she was a healthy 11 year old beautiful cat.one day my husband and granddaughter got up to find she had dug all the boxes out of one of the cubboard . Nothing was open but she had never done this before. I had to babysit my great grandson and when I got home was told my cat was laying over in the corner and could not walk on her back legs, she had to drag her whole back end. SHe was crying so I held for some times, all vets were closed. We thought she was gone because she wasn’t doing anything and couldn’t feel a heart beat.After a while she got a slight heartbeat and she threw up some pinkish liquid And then had a very bad seizure, and died.
The bag of Authority I just bought has maggot looking worms in it. A friend had the same thing and she lives and shops an hour away from me. Same dog food. Bought hers a few days ago.
I know people’s experiences vary wildly, but we love Authority dog food. When I adopted my precious dog from a rescue, they recommended Authority. We compared ingredients side by side and it compared very well with Blue Buffalo dry grain free and at a much better price. Addie loves the food and we have had zero problems.
My dog has been eating authority dry dog food for at least 5 years. Then all of a sudden she started getting bald spots and scaps. We took her to the vet multiple times and many medications and hundreds if dollars later we tried a new dog food and she is getting better. I don’t know what you did to your food, but it seems you’ve changed someting.
My dog has a throat issue and can only eat gourd canned dog food to keep from aspiration. She has been eating authority lamb and rice ,mature canned dog food, with no problems until this last bunch, she had diarrhea so badly, she started bleeding. Needless to say, we stopped feeding her and will be taking her to vet in the morning. Is there some kind of recall on the canned food?
I believe most of these comments are false. The author did an amazing amount of research and reported the facts. I find it disconcerting that PetSmart does not know where some of the ingredients are made. Based on this fact I will need to do more research and see if things have changed since the writing of this book. Folks don’t believe everything you read do your homework do your research and find out for yourselves.
I am on my second bag of Authority Tender Blends for my Schnauzer. The first one went only faster than many other higher end dog foods, but that’s not saying much. I thought I actually managed to find something that he would eat. Since I started on the current bag and mixing it in with his old favorite standby, kibble ‘n bit, just to get it down, I tried hard to get him off of the mcdonald’s type food, as people referred to it as, to get him to eat the food that’s better for him. But he just will not eat much of it. Only if he is really, really, hungry, he will reluctantly eat some of it, just like those other ones. I wish I could find a higher end dog food that he would actually like to eat.
My dog has been on authority for a few years but I think something changed with the food. (Dry food). My dog in healthy and good shape. Recently my dog has not wanted his food and still are it because he was hungry and he acted like something was not ok and nervous, couldn’t rest and just not the same. I started giving him homemade chicken and rice and he acted better then my husband gave him some authority again and he wasn’t right again! So I made sure he didn’t eat anymore authority and he’s better again. I read that it’s not clear where all the ingredients were from, read something on China! Been noticing PetSmart always out of authority And there was a recall! What do we feed our dog? Don’t know what dog food is ok anymore!
I got my dogs the authority lamb formula dog food and it seems to give my dogs very loose bowel movements. I hope nothing is wrong with the food. I had been using the chicken. I noticed in this bag of lamb that I purchased that the chunks are very crumbly, like possibly something is wrong. Are you aware of any problems with it? Please let me know.
I bought Authority Grain Free for small dogs. He ate it just fine for a few days and now he won’t eat it. He’s also acting sick. He won’t play or run. He just lays in his kennel.
I recently bought the large breed chicken authority dog food at petsmart and it made my dog deathly sick. we went back to purina beneful and he is finally back to normal after two weeks of throwing up with diarrhea and doing great. But we almost lost him because of this food.For my boy I will stick with something that’s not going to make him very sick, I love my Zeus very much, had him for 5 years and hoping for several more years with him.
I have feed my pets authority for years but it has changed. The last bag started smelling and I found molded chunks in the bag, Too it back to Petsmart & the manager says she has never heard of a complaint about their food. Then I come across the page. Never again, I’m going to make my own dog & cat food – nothing from China in this house!
My dogs love this food…small nuggets…1st food all 4 eat.