Pinnacle Moves to Grain-Free Formulas

For quite some time, Pinnacle was one of the few dry pet foods available which used quinoa in its formulations. While quinoa is a grain, it is rarely the source of a sensitivity or allergic reaction when used as an ingredient.

Pinnacle formulas list Quinoa Seed as their included ingredient. This still holds true now that the company has reformulated to only offer grain-free kibble.

Existing Pinnacle grain-free formulas have not changed

Both the Turkey and Salmon formulas from Pinnacle have been grain-free since they were introduced. Now the Pinnacle Chicken, Duck, and Trout foods join these as grain-free formulations.

The change comes with a redesigned bag and smaller bag sizes. Gone are the 7 pound and 30 pound bags, although some may still remain available for a short time. Instead, all Pinnacle grain-free formulas come in 4 pound, 12 pound or 24 pound bags. Expect the pricing for these smaller sizes to be slightly higher than the larger bags they replaced.

Two other changes stand out with the Pinnacle grain-free reformulation

In the grain-free Chicken and Duck formulas, potatoes have been replaced by sweet potatoes.  This may be a welcome change for some, but may introduce sensitivity issues for others.

In all grain-free formulas, the first ingredient is now a meat protein, followed in the second position by a meal ingredient. This allows the company to boast that meat is its first ingredient.

How will these changes affect you or your dog?

Find out by either trying a new formulation or reviewing the new ingredients to make sure they haven’t introduced any known sensitivity issues for your pet.

The new formulas read well, and are similar in Guaranteed Analysis and Metabolizable Energy. Read on to see how the new compares to the old formulas.

Comparison of Original and Grain-Free Pinnacle Reformulations

All ingredients prior to vitamin/ mineral listings are included.