FAQ

BLUE pet food contains no chicken (or poultry) by-product meals. What's more, we do not use corn, wheat or soy in any of our recipes.

No, it means there are no chicken by-product meals and no poultry by-product meals. When there is no chicken or chicken meal in our recipes, we say “Contains No Chicken” or “Chicken-Free.”

Corn, wheat and soy have all been identified as potential allergens for some dogs and cats.

Yes. Our BLUE Freedom™ line of dog and cat foods are 100% grain-free.  Our high-protein BLUE Wilderness™ line and limited-ingredient diet BLUE Basics™ line have grain-free formulas available as well. 

Yes! Our BLUE Basics™ formula is a limited-ingredient, nutritionally complete diet that starts with a single animal protein source that’s not commonly used in pet foods, like turkey or salmon. It’s also made with no chicken or beef, and no corn, wheat, soy, dairy or eggs, ingredients that are often associated with adverse food reactions in dogs and cats. If your pet requires a prescription diet, BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ offers hydrolyzed protein and novel protein formulas to help treat pets with food sensitivities.

Yes. Our BLUE Basics™ limited-ingredient diet for dogs and cats has no chicken, chicken meal or chicken fat. 

Yes, our BLUE True Solutions™ diets provide natural nutrition with clinically proven ingredients to help support your dog’s or cat’s specific health needs with digestive care, skin and coat care, and weight control formulas. There is also a mobility care formula for dogs. These solution-driven diets are available at your local pet specialty store or online.

Additionally, we offer BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet™ prescription pet foods, which can be ordered through your veterinarian. These natural diets are formulated to treat adverse food reactions, joint and mobility issues, urinary issues and more. Our customer service representatives will be happy to give you or your veterinarian any information needed in order to make the best decision for your pet’s health.

All of our dry maintenance formulas contain LifeSource Bits. Our canned formulas do not due to the cooking process required to make canned foods.

BLUE Wilderness contains:

• Barley: Whole grain with the hull and bran — an excellent source of soluble fiber, plus carbohydrates and B vitamins for digestive health.
• Brown Rice: Whole grain that provides essential B vitamins, minerals, and high-quality complex carbohydrates for energy and fiber.
• Oats (oatmeal): Oatmeal is wholesome, high-quality grain rich in B vitamins that gives dogs the energy they need.

Learn more about all our ingredients.

Both types of diets can be a good fit. It just depends on the needs of your pet and your personal preference. Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that provide dogs with the energy they need to thrive. But if your pet has sensitivities to grains, you would want a grain-free option. Even Blue Buffalo’s diets with grains are made without corn or wheat — part of our True BLUE Promise. Instead, we use wholesome oats, barley, and brown rice. Both grains and grain-free carbohydrates are healthy and nutritious; we recommend talking with your veterinarian to decide which option is best for your pet.

To better serve Pet Parents and dogs. As you likely feed your dog the same amount each day, making Wilderness bags larger allows you to fill more bowls per bag (excluding 4.5-lb., which are unchanged).

This will help Pet Parents:

• Save trips (to the store or delivery) by stocking up with larger sizes
• Avoid purchasing multiple bags per trip to meet their dog’s feeding needs
• Feed larger or multiple dogs more easily

The updates also ensure a consistent bag size across all recipes within the Wilderness dry dog food portfolio. This will allow Pet Parents to choose the best option for their dog based on the recipe, not bag size.

Rocky Mountain Recipe comes in premium protein options like Bison and Salmon, as well as Red Meat, a diverse combination of beef, venison, and lamb.

Don’t hesitate to ask an in-store representative or reach out to our Pet Parent Care team directly for help.

While grains provide nutrition for pets, some people choose to avoid grains for various reasons. Grains are not common allergens in most dogs and cats, but if your pet is allergic to a specific grain or ingredient, you should avoid it. Blue Buffalo foods never contain corn, wheat or soy.

For more information, visit: The Grain Truth

There are three main benefits of feeding grains:

1. Grains are highly digestible sources of carbohydrates, which your pet can use for energy.

2. Whole grains are filled with important nutrients including minerals, essential fatty acids, vitamins and fiber.

3. Grains have been used in pet food for many years – most grains are considered safe and effective for pets.

BLUE uses:

• Barley: Whole grain with the hull and bran – an excellent source of soluble fiber, plus carbohydrates and B vitamins for digestive health.

• Brown Rice: Whole grain that provides pets with essential B vitamins, minerals and high-quality complex carbohydrates for energy and fiber.

• Oats (oat flour & oatmeal): Oat flour is made of ground, whole oats and is an excellent source of carbohydrates, protein and nutritional fiber. Oatmeal is wholesome, high-quality grain rich in B vitamins that gives pets the energy they need.

• Rye: Grain packed with nutrients, minerals, vitamins and organic compounds that have been associated with weight loss.

All Blue Buffalo diets feature real meat as the first ingredient, but some of our recipes include grains and some don’t. Grain-free diets still contain complex carbohydrates from vegetables like sweet potatoes, while diets with grain feature complex carbs from grains like brown rice, oats and barley.

Both types of diets can be a good fit for your dog or cat. It just depends on the needs of your pet and your personal preference as a pet parent. For instance, if your pet has sensitivities to grains, you’d want a grain-free option for your dog or cat. Even Blue Buffalo’s diets with grains are made without corn or wheat – part of our True BLUE Promise. Instead we use grains like wholesome oats, barley and brown rice. Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that provide dogs and cats with the energy they need to thrive. You can browse formulas for dogs and cats that feature wholesome grains. Both grains and grain-free carbohydrates are healthy and nutritious; we recommend talking with your veterinarian to decide which option is best for your pet.

The body recognizes, digests, and uses both grains and grain-free carbohydrates for energy, and both are part of a complete and balanced diet. BLUE has a variety of both grain-in and grain-free diets so that pet parents can choose which ingredients and formulas they prefer to feed their pets.

No, just like in people, feeding too many calories can cause your pet to gain weight, but when carbohydrates (grain or grain-free) are fed in proper proportions and amounts, they will be digested and used for energy.

Our daily feeding chart lists the total amount, per day, we recommend feeding your pet. If you feed your dog or cat more than once a day, you will need to divide the recommended amount by the number of feedings to determine the amount for each feeding.

Remember, an individual pet's requirements may vary from the recommended feeding chart due to age, size, environment and activity level. Always ask your veterinarian to ensure you adjust the food as required to maintain your pet's optimal body condition.

All BLUE formulas are designed to allow for an easy transition; however, for an optimal experience, we recommend a 50/50 transition for 2-3 weeks to help your pet's digestive system adjust to the new formula.

You can store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Yes. You should cover any container of BLUE dog or cat food and refrigerate it once opened.

This can happen sometimes because LifeSource Bits do have a slightly different taste, texture and size. Different tastes, textures and sizes can take a little time for your dog or cat to get accustomed to. In the meantime, you can try mixing some canned Blue Buffalo food with the dry, or you can try sprinkling warm water on the food. This will bring out the natural flavors and aromas of the food, which will make it more appealing to them.

LifeSource Bits help your pet maintain a healthy oxidative balance with  their high potency of vitamins and minerals, but rest assured that even if your pet eats around them, he or she is still getting a nutritionally complete diet. Since our kibble also contains fruits and vegetables that have antioxidants, your pet is still obtaining a healthy level of all the nutrients he or she needs, even if he or she eats only the kibble.

Our company was founded on the basis of providing the best possible nutrition for dogs and cats. As we develop new recipes, we test them with dogs and cats to ensure they like the taste and that the food delivers the right nutrition to meet our high standards prior to making any new recipe broadly available to pet parents. This is done responsibly and under safe conditions, monitored and managed by veterinarians. We do not undertake, support or sponsor studies that harm animals.

We create and develop our own recipes using the expertise of on-staff veterinarians and PhD-level animal nutritionists.

Product quality is our #1 priority. That’s why we make our foods and treats right here in the U.S. with carefully selected, globally sourced ingredients. We have two manufacturing facilities – one in Joplin, MO and one in Richmond, IN. In addition, our other manufacturing partners in the U.S. work according to our recipes and specifications. We have strict controls in place to make sure our ingredients meet our high quality standards.

BLUE packaging doesn’t currently contain a universal recycling symbol. Our bags are made of a mix of materials selected to ensure our high-quality products remain protected until enjoyed by your pet. We recommend checking with your local recycler, because each community has different requirements.

Please click here to see our California Transparency Act.

DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) is a disease that occurs in dogs and cats where the heart becomes enlarged and is unable to pump blood effectively. It’s a disease we take very seriously, and we have a team of scientists and animal nutritionists working with the FDA and industry experts to find answers for pet parents. To learn more, take a look at our True BLUE Fact Sheet.

Blue Buffalo does not have any active recalls. We have strict controls in place to ensure our ingredients meet our high-quality standards. Some of these controls include strict testing, ingredient source verification, robust quality checks of incoming ingredients at all of our U.S. manufacturing facilities, cleaning verification of equipment and environment, and many more.

For accurate recalls and withdrawal information, we encourage you to visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website, which includes recall information for all pet food brands.

Whenever you purchase any BLUE product, it comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you find that BLUE is not a good fit for your dog or cat, you can return the unused portion for a full refund or exchange with your receipt.

We offer a one-time coupon to everyone who takes our True BLUE Test comparing BLUE to other brands. Please take the test to learn more about our products. Request your coupon there, and you’ll be subscribed to our free newsletter as well. Other BLUE coupons and discounts are available in handouts, advertisements and our packages, plus directly from our retail partners, both in-store and online. They're often advertised in store circulars, local newspapers and online promotions. Many retailers also offer subscription or loyalty discounts.

We do not have samples available. There is a 100% satisfaction guarantee that comes with any purchase of a Blue Buffalo product. If for some reason you are not satisfied, you can return the unused portion with your receipt to get a full refund.

Yes, our products are available at many online retailers. Please click here for a complete list of our online retail partners.

We do not offer a breeder's program at this time.

For full details or to learn how to take advantage of our money back guarantee, click here.

Buddies is a new experience designed to help you build a happier and healthier relationship between you and your four-legged family members. With Buddies, you can connect with a community that puts pets first, track all your pals’ activities, get trusted advice, shop BLUE products, and earn points for exclusive rewards — all in one place! Learn more about Buddies here.

You can download Buddies onto your mobile device from the App Store or Google Play.

You can access your account in the app by tapping the “hamburger” menu on the top-left corner of your phone screen.

While you can't recover a lost password, you can reset or change it anytime. If you lost your password, tap "Forgot Password" on the login screen. We'll email a code to create a new one. To change your password for any other reason, simply tap "Change Password" in your Buddies profile.

To change your email address, tap on “Change Email” in your Buddies profile and follow the prompts. To change your name, please reach out to our Pet Parent Care team for help.

Navigate to the profile section of the app and select “Delete Account” to delete your account.

Navigate to the “hamburger” menu in the top left of your phone screen, tap profile, and select push notifications.

Navigate to the “hamburger” menu in the top left of your phone screen, tap profile, and select email preferences.

You can review our full Terms of Use, which includes our privacy policy, to see how we are using your data.

Buddies is only available in English. We’ll be adding more language options in the future!

Buddies Connect is a place to chat with a community of like-minded Pet Parents and Pet Buffs – Blue Buffalo employees who are trained to answer questions about pet care and general wellness – to help you navigate every step of pet parenthood. In Buddies Connect, Pet Parents can swap stories, trade pictures, and give and get advice in a safe and friendly forum.

Unfortunately, your post did not meet the community standards we set for our forum. You can read our Community Guidelines here. 

Open your post and click on the three dots on the top right. You will now be able to edit and resave your post.

Any Pet Parent over the age of 18 can post in the forum.

We highly value our Pet Parents’ privacy. You may post your own personal information, if you wish. However, you are restricted from doxing or posting other Pet Parents’ or non-members' personal information.

The moderators are our very own Pet Buffs, Blue Buffalo employees trained to answer questions about pet care and general wellness. A Pet Buff’s post will have a blue checkbox next to their name, verifying they are a moderator.

Yes! You can message a moderator directly in the forum.

We highly value the safety of our Pet Parent community and their pets. Our moderators help ensure the forum stays focused on building a community centered on loving pets, caring for pets, and keeping pets safe.

You can create a Buddies Family account by inviting friends and family members to join! When you sign up for Buddies, we’ll send you an email with an opportunity to invite friends and family members to join your Buddies Family. Once they accept, you will be able to earn points together and redeem them for rewards. You can also invite people to your Buddies Family by navigating to the “hamburger” menu in the top left of your phone screen, tapping on your account name, and “My Buddies Family.” Please note: only Account Owners can invite other family members to join a Buddies Family. 

You can have a total of six people in your Buddies Family, including you. However, you can send as many email invitations as you like until all your spots are filled.

Members of your immediate and extended family, friends, or other household members are welcome to join your Buddies Family. You can have an unlimited number of pets on your Buddies account or as part of your Buddies Family. Only the first six pets in your Buddies Family can earn points.

You can add Buddies Family members by navigating to the “hamburger” menu in the top left of your phone screen, tapping on your profile account name, and then “My Buddies Family.” If you have less than six members in your Buddies Family, you can invite more Buddies Family members by using their email addresses.

You must be at least 13 years old to be a member of Buddies. Members between 13 and 17 years old will be able to join a Buddies Family but will have limited access to Buddies Connect.

You can add a pet by heading to the “My Pets” tab and tapping the “+” button in the top header.

You can remove a pet by going to the pet’s profile and scrolling down to the “Remove Pet” button.

First, check that the email you used to register with is the same as the email the Buddies Family invite was sent to. If you signed up with the wrong email or already have an account, you can ask the person who you invited you to reinvite you using the email that is associated with your account. If you are still unable to join a Buddies Family, contact our Pet Parent Care Team and they’ll be happy to help.

Account Owners: You cannot leave a Buddies Family or make someone else the account owner. As an account owner, the only way to leave a Buddies Family is if there are no other members.

Buddies Family Members: You can leave a Buddies Family by navigating to the “hamburger” menu in the top left of your phone screen, tapping on your profile account name, “My Buddies Family” and then the “Leave Family” option at the bottom. As an FYI, when you leave, you forfeit points you may have earned as a part of your Buddies Family. 

If you already have a Buddies account, you will pool your points with the Buddies Family you join. Any points you have accrued will now be available to use by the entire Buddies Family. If you decide to leave, your points will remain with the Buddies Family.

The Buddies Rewards program is our way of rewarding you for putting your pets first! As a member of Buddies Rewards, you’ll have the opportunity to earn points and redeem them for exclusive BLUE rewards. Learn more about Buddies Rewards here.

You are automatically enrolled in Buddies Rewards when you register for a Buddies account in the app!

To be a member of Buddies Rewards, you must be at least 13 years old.

You can earn points by:

• Engaging with the Buddies app by adding your pets’ diet and wellness information, as well as entries to your pets’ timeline about their exercise routine, vaccinations, medications, and everyday activities.
• Purchasing BLUE Bundles — just tap Shop at the bottom of your phone screen in the app.
• Purchasing and scanning qualifying Blue Buffalo products. 
• Learn more about how to earn points here. 

While most BLUE products are eligible to earn Buddies Rewards points, some do not currently qualify for the Buddies loyalty program. Below is the list of currently ineligible products.

Blue Buffalo products not eligible for Buddies Rewards:

• All Blue Buffalo wet dog and cat food
• Dry Dog Food: BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet
• Dry Cat Food: BLUE Natural Veterinary Diet

Points will expire and be forfeited once an account is no longer active. An account is no longer considered Active if 366 days have elapsed without earning Activity Points or redeeming any portion of the balance. See the official Buddies Rewards Program Terms & Conditions.

Your points balance will be displayed throughout the app. To view your recent rewards activity, navigate to Rewards and tap “View Activity.”

Buddies members can head to the Rewards section of the app to redeem points for exclusive products and experiences. Click here to see how many points are required to redeem for specific rewards. 

You can always reach out to our Pet Parent Care team for help — they will be happy to assist you!

Only Buddies members who use the app are eligible to earn and redeem points.

Terms and Conditions for Buddies Rewards can be found here.

You can’t gift points to another member of Buddies; however, you can always redeem points for a reward and send that reward to another member!

In the Rewards tab, tap on “Redeem Rewards” to browse our catalog of exclusive rewards. Point values will be displayed to show the price of an item. If you see a lock icon, that means you don’t yet have enough points to redeem for that item. 

We know caring for your furry friends takes a village! Buddies allows you to earn and redeem rewards with others as part of a Buddies Family. Please note that only Account Owners can invite others to join a Buddies Family.

Buddies is for the whole family! Any member of your Buddies Family can earn or redeem points.

No. All purchases must be made entirely with cash, and all redemptions must be made entirely with points.

Yes! As long as there is a valid reward code inside your Blue Buffalo purchase, you can scan it to earn points. Codes expire after 10 years.

Right now, points can only be redeemed on some of our product lines. You can find the full list here. We’ll be adding additional qualified products over time — you’ll be notified about new additions in Buddies, so stay tuned!

The QR insert card is typically located inside, toward the bottom of the bag of eligible products. This is different from the SKU barcode located on the outside of the package.

As we continue to roll out the QR insert cards, please note there is a chance not every bag will contain a card. We are actively working to ensure every eligible bag includes a QR code and we appreciate your patience as we enhance this new feature.

We are actively working to ensure every eligible product includes a QR insert card and we appreciate your patience as we enhance this new feature. If you’ve recently purchased an eligible product that does not have a QR insert card, please reach out to our Pet Parent Care Team and they will make sure you receive points for your purchase.

Rewards codes can be scanned only once. If you are having an issue with your rewards code, contact our Pet Parent Care team and they’ll be happy to help.

No. Points will not be awarded for redemptions.

Boosts let you supercharge your points for doing what you already do — caring for your pets like family. Earn Boosts by buying select Blue Buffalo products and by engaging with the app. You must activate and complete a Boost by the Boost expiration date to participate.

As you become eligible for new Boosts, they will appear on your Rewards homepage. If you don’t see an available Boost, check the app often.

If you need to make a return, you can choose between a replacement item or payment reimbursement. We don’t require you to return the product to us; we recommend donating your product to a local shelter, if applicable.

You can find ingredients for all our products, including those used in our BLUE Bundles here.

You can find your order status by opening your order confirmation email and following the link to the order details. From there, you can track the shipping status. If you didn’t receive an order confirmation email, please reach out to our Pet Parent Care team for help with your order.

You can always find your cart while you're using the Shop page in Buddies. In the event your items have been cleared, you will need to re-add your items to the cart.

A live one-on-one experience where you can message directly with a Pet Buff in the Buddies by Blue Buffalo app.

Pet Buffs are a team of Blue Buffalo employees trained on Blue Buffalo products and ingredients, who can answer questions about general pet care and wellness and are here to help support Pet Parents as they navigate every step of pet parenthood.

Pet Buffs can answer a variety of Pet Parent questions related to dog and cat care. They are Blue Buffalo product experts, and can also provide guidance on features in the Buddies app.  

From within the app, navigate to the Home tab, tap “Ask a Pet Buff” then “Chat Now.”

No. Pet Buffs are Blue Buffalo employees and product experts who are trained to answer questions about general pet care and wellness, but they cannot offer medical advice. Please contact your veterinarian about any medical issues.