Hey Roo! Kangaroo dog foods

Did you know Kangaroo meat is considered one of the healthiest meats available? Rich in protein, low in fat, and great for your dog.

Kangaroo is a good choice if your dog has food sensitivities, pancreatitis, or needs to lose a little weight. It’s a good choice for Aussie dogs full stop.

In Australia we have lots of kangaroo dog foods to choose from, or kangaroo treats, but are they all good?

No, of course not, but thankfully some are! We’ll look at those here.

Are roo ready?

Is kangaroo meat good for dogs?

Yes, kangaroo has a range of benefits for dogs:

• Very easy for your dog to digest.
• An excellent lean meat, being high in protein and low in fat.
• The fat content of kangaroo is unsaturated fat.
• Considered the leanest red meat protein.
• A good source of omega-3 fatty acids to support your dog’s heart health and brain function.
• An excellent source of zinc and iron to support the correct function of cell membranes, boosting your dog’s immunity, ability to digest proteins and carbohydrates, provide energy, and help them maintain a healthy coat and paw pads. In addition, iron helps regulate bowels and prevent constipation.
• A non-allergenic (hypoallergenic) meat which works very well for dogs with food sensitivities.
• Environmentally sustainable, free-range, organic, and native to Australia.

Recommended kangaroo dog foods (in Australia)

There are more options for Kangaroo dog food than you may think, with many Australian brands offering a formula including kangaroo. These range from dry foods, wet, BARF, rolls, and of course fresh kangaroo meat from the butchers.

Even Pedigree have a “Real Kangaroo” formula, but on closer inspection it’s more a “Cereals” formula with a token amount of other meats, of which kangaroo is laughably an “and/or” ingredient which might be sheep instead.

Right, on that note, lets look at better kangaroo dog foods…

Single-protein kangaroo dog food

If your dog has food sensitivities (or “allergies”) then a single-protein kangaroo dog food may really help. Here’s some recommendations:

I find the Balanced Life dog food really good, especially the “air dried” variety which is essentially dried-raw complete with kangaroo meat, organs (tripe, liver, heart, kidney, and lung), and ground bone – all very nutritious for your dog.

If the price of the air-dried range puts you off, they also have the Balanced Life Enhanced range which is a dry food with air-dried kangaroo meat and ground bones. The benefit is it’s more affordable, and the air-dried pieces will be easier for your dog to digest than regular kibble.

Related: Balanced Life dog food review | Balanced Life Enhanced dog food review

Meals for Mutts is a decent Australian brand which is more affordable than some brands, and much better than most. It’s a hit with many Aussie dog owners, and they have a good range.

The Kangaroo formula is single meat protein, hypoallegenic, grain & gluten free, with the main ingredients being a combination of kangaroo meat, sweet potato, and seasonal vegetables. It benefits for additions like coconut oil, turmeric, and pre & pro biotics to further aid digestion.

Related: Meals for Mutts review

Zignature is a great brand, and you may be surprised to learn it’s an American brand. They source the kangaroo meat from Australia, process it there, then sell it back to us. It’s very good though, and that shouldn’t put you off.

Related: Zignature dog food review

Prime100 have a loyal following as an Australian brand but personally I find the products very expensive considering the ingredients.

If you compare Prime100 Skd Kangaroo & Pumpkin to Balanced Life Kangaroo above, you’ll find Balanced Life much cheaper per kilo, mostly made from kangaroo (including nutritious organs!), whereas Prime100 Skd is a mix of kangaroo meat and possibly just as much pumpkin.

Related: Prime100 Spd review

Other kangaroo dog foods worth mentioning

Here are some other options for kangaroo dog foods along with a quick summary:

• SavourLife Grain Free Kangaroo & Chicken – I’ve found this Australian brand to be pretty good, and this combination of kangaroo and chicken will be fine if your dog doesn’t suffer food sensitivities.
• Vetalogica Riverland Red – Another reputable Aussie brand, this formula is a mix of kangaroo, lamb, goat, pork, and salmon, combined with various peas, potatoes, and lentils.
• Instinctive Bite Kangaroo & Sweet Potato – A good formula which only has kangaroo for a meat protein, but if you’re looking for a hypoallergenic dog food this does contain chicken fat.
• Black Hawk Grain Free Kangaroo – Despite the name, this is actually a kangaroo and chicken formula with peas. Pricewise Black Hawk can be a little cheaper than others mentioned here.
• Ivory Coat Grain Free Lamb & Kangaroo – Consumer reviews are ominous with Ivory Coat products so I feel I cannot recommend the brand.
• Hypro Premium Kangaroo & Lamb – A good choice if you want a slightly cheaper version of Meals for Mutts.

Kangaroo dog foods to avoid

For completeness, below are other kangaroo dog foods available in Australia, along with reasons why they may not be the best choice.

• Optimum Grain Free Chicken and Kangaroo – Not the worst formula being a combination of meat and vegetables, but as a kangaroo formula it is uncertain how much kangaroo there will be.
• Nature’s Goodness Wild Game with Sweet Potato – A similar formula to Optimum, but to compare the two I find Optimum the better choice.
• My Dog with Kangaroo – The word “with” on a pet food label translates to “not much” of that ingredient, so if you’re after a kangaroo dog food this probably isn’t it.
• Pedigree Adult with Real Kangaroo – As mentioned earlier, this is more a cereal formula than a kangaroo formula, so not what I would consider healthy for your dog.

Kangaroo jerky for dogs + kangaroo liver treats

Given kangaroo meat is good for dogs, even if you don’t feed a kangaroo dog food these can still be great to feed.

Here are some options for kangaroo jerky treats and kangaroo liver treats (rich in nutrients):

• Big Dog Kangaroo Freeze Dried Little Bites – These would be my choice, being a combination of kangaroo meat, bone, heart, liver, and kidney all in one. They may seem more expensive, and I know they’re not “jerky”, but freeze drying retains better nutrition and these treats have an excellent range of ingredients – not just the kangaroo either, but wheatgrass, flaxseed, whole egg, coconut oil, kelp, turmeric, and pre and probiotics!
• Prime100 Prime Pantry Jerky Treats Kangaroo – These are what they say on the tin (or packet), being single protein and human grade as well.
• Loving Pets Roo Jerky Dog Treats – Almost the same as the Prime Pantry kangaroo jerky, but do not state whether they’re human grade, and they’re more expensive.
• Natures Cuts Kangaroo Training Treats / Kangaroo Liver Treats – Again these are more expensive than the Prime Pantry jerky, and also more expensive.

All the above are available at Pet Circle.

Common questions about kangaroo meat & kangaroo dog foods