As part of our commitment to finding the best, most nutritious dog foods for Tripawds big and small, we are hoppy to report that Honest Kitchen Zeal dehydrated dog food gets three paws up from Tripawds Spokesdog Wyatt Ray!
Zeal Passes Wyatt’s Sensitive Belly Test
Like many German Shepherds with sensitive bellies, it can be a messy situation when we switch Wyatt Ray’s food around. We hesitated to go back and forth between Zeal and Wyatt’s other Honest Kitchen food, Embark, so we waited for him to finish his box of Embark.
Once we made the change, we added green clay to his food for a few days and kept up with his probiotics regimen to prepare his intestines for the switcheroo. Then we slowly introduced Zeal as a topping to his Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural kibble. We waited to any signs of intestinal upset. And waited. And waited.
Lucky for Wyatt and for us, his belly was pleasantly happy and full with Zeal’s formula!
What Makes Zeal so Special
The ingredient list for Honest Kitchen Zeal Dehydrated Dog Food reads like something out of an organic restaurant for humans:
Dehydrated white fish (line-caught Haddock, wild Whiting), sweet potatoes, eggs, organic coconut, alfalfa, apples, green beans, parsley, cabbage, bananas,wild Salmon, cranberries, garlic, rosemary, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.
Honest Kitchen says Zeal is made just for sensitive bellies like Wyatt’s. There is no corn, soy, rice, beet pulp or wheat. It’s grain-free, gluten-free and does not contain flaxseed and white potatoes. Additionally the fish is wild-caught and from one of the most abundant fish stocks in the semi-pelagic water masses of the northeast.
The Finest Nutrition Has a Price
Let’s be blunt; Zeal premium dehydrated food may not exactly be easy on the wallet. Each 10 pound box, however, makes 43 pounds of fresh food!
For Wyatt, a growing 80-pound German Shepherd Dog, the box of Zeal lasted two months! During this time we gave it to him in 1 cup increments for breakfast and dinner, so we stretched it really far. Wyatt’s box of Embark also lasted two months.
When compared to what we pay for ingredients to make Wyatt his home cooked stews from scratch, the costs are almost identical. Plus, there is no way we could make him a batch comparable to Zeal for that cost.
In our opinion, Honest Kitchen Zeal is a bargain when compared to home cooking!
Wyatt’s Looking Good
When used in combination with Wyatt’s weekly feeding routine of Earthborn Holistic Primitive Natural kibble, several portions of raw chicken, buffalo bones and sometimes sardines throughout the week, his Honest Kitchen Zeal helped his fur look fabulous and shiny. We couldn’t be happier with the results.
Tripawds official recommendation is “Three Paws Up!” for Honest Kitchen Zeal!
Tri Honest Kitchen Zeal for Free!
Leave a comment telling us why your pup wants to try Zeal and we’ll send you instructions for getting a free sample from Honest Kitchen!
Read all Tripawds Nutrition blog posts about Honest Kitchen dehydrated dog foods and check out all the other yummy flavors available at Only Natural Pet Store.
Can’t wait for your free Zeal sample? Get your pup started on this all natural diet today and save with Only Natural Pet Coupon Code CJ15!
I’d love to try some Zeal for my little chi-pom tripawd!
my dog Ozo has cancer, he just had his arm amputated, I love him so much and want to find a really good food for him so he can live as long as possible. I would really like to try this food.
Oh Cotton wants to try!
I would love to try this, we are almost 6 months post surgery and we would love anything to incrase our odds!
I’d love to try this – we are fostering several seniors rescued from high kill shelters. This sounds like it would be great for them.
My dog Ozzy throws up from anything that has gluten and alot of meals in it. It’s awful and painful to see him in such a condition. I’d love to try a free sample of Zeal to see if it helps my Ozzy Dog 🙂
We are little toy poodles that love fish & veggies. We would love a sample! Freddie & Fannie May xoxoxo
my dog mia is allergic to our new carpets in our apartment and i would to try this new food.
My name is Nellie and I am a 2.5 year old Newfie. Sometimes I get a bit of an upset stomach and would love to try ZEAL and see if that helps.
I would LOVE to try it – well, my weinerdogs would. I am a vet tech and am ALWAYS looking for the best in nutrition, and love to have options to offer clients and am of course looking for the best for my own pups. I really don’t like (after extensive research) the dangers of raw food diets – as in raw meat – but I really like THK’s option of the safe “raw” that has been steamed to remove pathogens but still maintains nutritional integrity. Would love to sample it on my own to know how they like it so I can hopefully recommend it to others!
My rottie is dealing with chronic pancreatitis she’d love to try zeal
My dog Sunny has been on Zeal for about 10 days. The results are short of astonishing. Her activity level is greatly improved and we now walk about twice as long, and faster, than before (about one hour per day). Her symptoms (Sunny has elbow dysplasia) are MUCH improved and she hardly limps, if at all. Rather, she wants to GO. Her digestive system works wonderfully… her poops are perfect and easy to pick up. I am just amazed and will certainly stay with this food!
I love H.K. products. Currently, my local pet food suppliers do not carry Zeal. Love to get my hands on a free sample to see if I should switch. Currently, both my dogs enjoy their other products:)
I am sure our 2 Great Dane puppies would love to give it a try 🙂 They both have sensitive digestive system.
I’d love to get a sample for our daughter’s dog, who’s just been diagnosed with mast cell, and give him every possible chance. Thank you!
Our two dogs (7 & 8 years old) both have sensitive stomachs and are showing increasing signs of aging. They are asking for the healthiest food we can get them so that they can stay with us for many more years.
i would love for my 3 dogs try this because my minature bermese mtn dog has a very bad stomach and can not tolerate alot of dog foods so it will be great if i finally found one that he can tolerate so he can be happier and more playful instead of sick to his stomach.thank you.
I have tried some of the other Honest Kitchen foods but would like to try this for my 11 year old pit bull recently diagnosed with cancer. We are cooking her a variety of foods, and today she has not eaten anything so I’m looking for something new. thank you for the opportunity to try this.
Im really thinking of trying Honest Kitchen. My boston Terrier mix, Ichabod has been having some really bad skin issues lately. He is losing his hair and scratching, all the time. I treated him for fleas, but the itching and hair loss continues. My other Boston Bella has a LOT of gas so apperently the food im feeding now isnt working, even though its a “high quality” dog food. So, with those issues, i am definately looking at changing the food.
My beautiful ten year old retired greyhound Chaos broke his neck when he ran into a fallen tree limb 2 yrs ago. I’m happy to say after 2 surgeries, intensive physical therapy, much love and prayers he is no longer paralyzed and chasing squirrels again. Since his injury he developed a very sensitive stomach and ulcers. After consulting with my dog food supplier she suggested “The Honest Kitchen” products. I called your help line and got Chaos started on Zeal. He has been doing greyt! No more diarrhea, his weight is stable and he is a happy dog with just a little hitch in his giddy-up from the accident. I swear by this food, I think it has kept him alive and well for the past 2 years!
Thanks Cindy, you didn’t call our “help line” but we appreciate the feedback! 🙂
If anypawdy else wants to try Zeal, please leave a comment and we’ll send details for getting your sample.
My new tripawd Challenger is doing great and I want to keep him healthy.
Our labrador retriever has major allergies (swollen paws, hair loss, etc.). We’ve tried natural grain free kibbles, but they don’t seem to be enough. Maybe Zeal is the answer! A free sample would be wonderful!
Our dog has stumped them all the one thing no vet can answer is why he can’t put on weight. He is a golden retriever/lab mix who weighs 50lbs. And he looks like a starving abused dog. We have only had him since he was a 1.5 years old and have tried (for about 2 years) to find something (exercise, diet, different routines) that would help with his weight problem. The have done hundreds of dollars of tests, they tried stress relief…nothing.
Worst of all, he often loses interest in eating. Maybe Zeal would catch his attention.
I have two dogs, Nala who is not food-picky by any means, and Milo who has been a bit picky due to some digestion issues. I have been trying to find a food that I don’t have to add any supplements to in order for Milo to have normal digestion. I think Honest Kitchen is one of the simplest forms of dog food and I would really like for my pups to try it.
I don’t need a sample as I have a 4 pound box already. It is my second purchase. I just wanted to say I like Zeal to add to my German Shepherd’s kibble, too. Like the author, I use and really like Earthborn Primitive kibble. I am fortunate that my girl’s digestion system is very good and I don’t have bowel issues. Karli loves her kibble mixed with raw, dehydrated raw or freeze dried raw additions. I prefer the Zeal to the other formulas, although I like them all. I also feed this straight to my 3 small dogs and they love it, too. I always get a response of complete eating joy when they get it. Hope your dogs will all like it too!!
Thanks for the feedback Sally!
Anypawdy else want to try Zeal? Post a comment and Jerry will send instructions for getting your free sample.
I have a 7 year old Pitbull with severe skin allergies and Ive been trying to find some tasty treats for her!
@carly Info for getting your sample is on the way. Be sure to check out the Honest Kitchen dog treats too!
Bo would love a sample of the Zeal food! Thanks for the information!
Oops, I re-read the directions and I didn’t say why…
We are looking for a grain-free, sensitive on the tummy, wet food for Bo. He became a Tripawd from an osteosarcoma diagnosis and we would like to get him on a grain-free, healthy diet.
Thank you!
Recently my dogs started having diarrhea and I attribute it to the Innova Evo. It was a new bag that I bought before I found about the P&G purchase. After visits to the vet, the only conclusion I can come up with is the food – nothing else has changed and they have been tested negative for everything. I am looking into alternative premium food lines for my dogs.
My dogs LOVE Force – honestly I don’t know what it is that makes it so irresistable to my picky eaters!
I would love to try a sample of Zeal!
JJ is a 13-year-old (possibly older because he was estimated at age 6 months to 2 years old when we got him from an animal shelter) male golden/chow mix whom I’ve tried feeding all kinds of organic dog food, including canned, and he’s gotten finicky. I tried Stella & Chewy’s and the only flavor he’ll eat is their “duck duck goose dinner.” I’d love to provide JJ with another meat option other than duck. If you have freeze-dried dog mixes that I could entice JJ with, I’d love to receive sample(s). I like the idea, too, of being on a regular delivery schedule for this dog food 🙂
We are 3+ years in remission from osteosarcoma and I am always concerned about giving him the best food possible. I used to feed raw, then cooked during chemo, then raw again and now grain free kibble. Always like to know what is new and cutting edge in this department
i would like to try zeal because i want to give Dizzy the best thing I can she is a very fussy eater so would like to try before I buy. As an amputee due to osteosarcoma i want to do all i can and during her chemo its difficult to get her to eat well
I have been wanting to switch to a raw diet for some time, but couldn’t afford it.
I would love to try zeal for Lloyd! I try to give him the healthiest things possible.
I was wondering however, how it lasted your dog so long? When I emailed the Honest Kitchen inquiring how long Keen would last my 75lb dog, it basically came down to a 10lb box lasting him only 3 weeks.
Hi Stephanie,
We mention in the post that we mostly use it as a moist food to add to Wyatt’s kibble, that’s how we make it last longer. If he was eating that all by itself, I can totally see it lasting about 3 weeks. Because our budget is tight, we mix it up into his kibble, and we also give him a fair amount of bones and meats to supplement this combo.
Hi,
I’d like to try this new dog food because my mom and dad are cutting back on my regular food so I can lose a few pounds, which should make it easier for me to get around. I’m eating a dry food now, so I would LOVE to try some tasty wet and nutritious food for a change!
I would love to try this for my Boston. She’s always scratching and her hair is getting very thin along with being terribly gassy.
Thank you!
Charley would love to try Zeal. He is a 3 year old lab 10.5 months post amputation of his L front leg (osteosarcoma). We have been feeding him Orijen Six Fish Kibble since his diagnosis. I can’t quite get on the RAW bandwagon, so dehydrated may be a good option for us to consider in addition to kibble.
Thanks! 🙂
My dog has allergies to grains. She scratches until she hurts herself. I have to change her food for grain free but she barely eat it . I would to try this dehydrated food may be a good option for my lulu. Lulu is 8 month old.
Gator would love to try Zeal as he is going grain free:)
UPDATE: Free samples of Honest Kitchen Love are now available instead of Zeal, thanks to all who have commented here. We hope you dogs enjoyed the Zeal!
Parker the very brown dog needs to try a new food because after chemo he is no longer interested in his raw diet and I don’t always have time and budget to cook for him. And it looks better than anything I’ve ever made for him!
My GSD needs to try zeal because she loves embark as a compliment to her raw meaty bone diet.
My Berner has IBD and lymphangectasea, and I’d love to try a free sample of Zeal – it sounds like a good potential diet for him.
We would love to try Zeal for our dog Lily. 🙂
HELP my 4 year old yorkie was diagnosed with pancreatitis. I cried all night the vet has her on special low fat diet its ID hills prescription diet I understand she needs to be on low fat diet from now on but I really want something thats going to nourish her Im so scared to try anything else I’m afraid its going to make her condition worst I would like to try Zeal since its low in fat and more natural and healthier for her please if anyone is going through the same problem I will take any advice thank u
Luz, I’m sorry about your pup. Not knowing what her specific situation is I would definitely give Honest Kitchen a call and ask what they think about feeding a dog with pancreatitits their food. I’m sorry, I wish we could offer more support! Good luck and keep us posted.
Luz,
You might check with your vet, often times they can give you some guidelines for what levels of fat to look for in a food’s guaranteed analysis. ID isn’t a bad food but it certainly isn’t a great food either. Zeal has an even lower fat level than ID, so it should be alright but check with your vet first – be prepared for some push-back from your vet if you buy your ID from them, some vets don’t like to encourage people to try things like THK foods because it means they don’t get the sale. If you are worried about making too drastic of a switch right now or need to continue to feed some kind of kibble in addition to Zeal, California Natural Low Fat Chicken and Rice is nutritionally quite similar to ID but with much higher quality ingredients at a fraction of the cost. (Full disclosure, Cal Nat is part of Natura which just went through a voluntary recall in the spring for salmonella – they’ve changed several of their manufacturing practices to address the issue.) I work in a locally owned pet supplies store and we still sell a LOT of California Natural because it is such a high quality, simple line of food – dogs with sensitivities often do quite well on it. We have a lot of customers who come in and say, “My vet says I need a food that has less that __% fat . . .” (or some other nutritional stipulation) which is very helpful in the search for the best food options. A lot of the frozen raw formulas are relatively low in fat, too, which would be another source for high quality, nutritious food.
I hope this helps!
My pancreatitis pup is not eating his hills i.d. very well these days. I have seen many recommendations for honest kitchen zeal for pancreatitis dogs. Anxious to try it out with my baby.
Good luck with the new food Claire, let us know how it goes!