Badlands Ranch Dog Food Review: My Pros And Cons

Last Updated on January 7, 2025 by Kieran Beckles

Have you been considering giving air-dried dog food a try, but you don’t know where to start your search?

I like air-dried dog food because it’s a convenient pet food format compared to fresh meals or raw dog food.

When I discovered a new option in the human-grade air-dried dog food market, I placed an order to test it out on Skye and Copper.

In this review, I’ll be sharing my Badlands Ranch dog food pros and cons, giving my overall verdict from the perspective of a dog owner with fussy Alaskan Klee Kai dogs, and explaining where you can buy their air-dried food if you’d like to give them a try.

I’ve reviewed a lot of dog food brands since returning to USA with my Klee Kai dogs, and they loved an air-dried brand called Sundays Food For Dogs. You can save up to 50%! You can also read my Badlands Ranch and Sundays comparison article here.

Pros

Human-grade ingredients

The first thing I look for when examining dog foods is whether the ingredients are human-grade. I’ve had great success feeding human-grade dog food to Copper and Skye. 

My Alaskan Klee Kai dogs have sensitive tummies, so it’s important to find a dog food brand that only uses natural ingredients. 

Badlands Ranch creates their recipes with USDA-certified meat and fresh produce such as fruit and vegetables.

Reading this information provided me with peace of mind Copper and Skye were eating high-quality air-dried dog food.

Superfoods

Badlands Ranch offers two Superfood Complete recipes. The superfood angle intrigued me!

I did some digging on their website to learn more about the superfood element to their air-dried dog food. Badlands Ranch explains that their recipes are formulated to support considerations such as skin and coat, digestion, immune function, and energy.

Admittedly, I’m not a dog nutritionist nor a vet so please keep that in mind. But I thought it was good that Badlands Ranch claim to offer support across these areas.

Seeing as dog owners will usually find supplements targeting skin and coat, good digestion, immune function, and energy, it would be interesting to speak to a vet to see if feeding Badlands Ranch could replace the need for supplements.

Overall, I liked the Superfood element to their dog food delivery service. It’s something that I haven’t encountered with a lot of other dog food brands during my search to find the best dog food for Copper and Skye.

Gently cooked

I decided to ditch traditional dry food such as kibble a long time ago because it didn’t agree with Skye’s stomach. My fussy Klee Kai would regularly turn her nose up at kibble.

When I read about Badlands Ranch, I was excited to discover that they use a gentle air-drying method to create their beef and chicken recipes.

In theory, air-drying your dog’s food should result in great flavor and excellent nutritional integrity.

Convenient pet food format

If you’re a long-term follower or subscriber, you’ll likely know that Skye can be a fussy eater. So I’ve typically stuck with fresh dog food meals such as Butternut Box or The Farmer’s Dog.

But I was drawn to air-dried dog food by Sundays Food For Dogs and Badlands Ranch because it’s so much more convenient than fresh dog food.

You don’t need to worry about storing your dog food in the freezer and defrosting some meals in the fridge. Instead, you open the bag, pour it into your dog’s bowl, reseal it, and pop it back into the cupboard.

The simplicity appeals to me as a business owner and parent who doesn’t have enough minutes in the day!

Treat-like texture and high meat content

If you have a fussy pup, you may want to try Badlands Ranch because of its treat-like texture. You may be reminded of jerky when you see it!

I found Copper and Skye were convinced Badlands Ranch was a treat because they’d race to my side when they heard the cupboard open.

Badlands Ranch writes on the front of their bags that their recipes contain 87% meat. This is impressive when you consider most fresh dog food has a meat content of around 40-60% in my experience.

(It’s worth noting Sundays claim to have 90% meat content in their recipes!)

Picky Eater approved

So, did Copper and Skye enjoy eating at Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete? Yes!

I suspected they’d like Badlands Ranch because it’s similar in texture to Sundays For Dogs, which I’ve been feeding them for some time.

If you’ve got a picky eater like me, I’d recommend going for the beef recipe. It was my Alaskan Klee Kai’s favorite of the two recipes.

I had no trouble getting Skye to finish her Badlands Ranch meals, so it was a success.

Cons

Premium price

If you’re ready to sign up to Badlands Ranch, it’s worth noting that their air-dried dog food will cost more than regular traditional dog food such as store-bought kibble. 

This is something I always mention when it comes to fresh dog food services. It can be a shock to some pet parents.

More expensive than other air-dried dog food

I paid $170.85 for a month’s worth of Badlands Ranch for Copper and Skye. This is reasonable for a dog food delivery service.

However, it costs me $139.98 a month to order Sundays Food For Dogs for my Klee Kai. This is a saving of nearly $31 a month and $372 a year.

Small bag

Badlands Ranch offers smaller bags of dog food so you need to order more bags. 

Each bag weighs around 24oz / 680g. 

It’s a small detail, but I found the bags didn’t stand up well. Something to do with the design. So I had to lay them flat in the cupboard which took up more space!

Lack of customization

You don’t get the opportunity to enter your dog’s details when you sign up at Badlands Ranch. There’s a lack of customization when compared to other pet food companies.

This might not bother some pet parents who want a quick sign-up process with minimal fuss. Other dog owners accustomed to fresh dog food delivery services may be disappointed.

Limited recipe variety

At the time of writing, Badlands Ranch offers two recipes – beef and chicken. That’s it. 

If you have a fussy eater like me, you may want more options. Perhaps your dog likes lamb, turkey, pork, or venison.

I’d like to see more recipe variety in the future to cater to fussy pups such as Skye.

Would I recommend Badlands Ranch?

If you’re a dog owner interested in trying air-dried dog food, I’d recommend Badlands Ranch.

They tick a lot of the boxes that I look for when reviewing and testing a dog food delivery service, such as using human-grade ingredients, gently cooking their recipes, and high meat content.

However, Badlands Ranch doesn’t offer as much customization as other dry dog food brands that I’ve previously reviewed. This is something to keep in mind.

Copper and Skye liked eating Badlands Ranch which was great. My fussy eater, Skye, finished most of her meals without needing much encouragement.

I liked being able to use Badlands Ranch as a training treat or a distraction on walks.

Although I don’t think fellow pet owners will go wrong by ordering Badlands Ranch, I believe Sundays For Dogs represents a more versatile air-dried dog food option.

Sundays offer more customization, a cheaper price and more recipes. You can learn more about the differences between Badlands Ranch and Sundays here.

Overall, Badlands Ranch is a good choice for dog owners who want to feed air-dried food.

Where To Buy Badlands Ranch?

You can order Badlands Ranch from their website if you’d like to try their air-dried dog food.

If you decide to subscribe, you can save up to 60% on your first order when you click here.

Conclusion

We’ve reached the end of my Badlands Ranch review. I’ve shared my pros and cons based on my experience testing out Badlands Ranch with my picky Alaskan Klee Kai dogs.

You’ve heard my thoughts as an experienced dog owner who reviewed a lot of dog food over the past seven years.

Badlands Ranch are a good dry dog food option and I’m confident you’ll have a good experience if you do introduce their air-dried recipes to your dog.

I believe there are superior options but Badlands Ranch still do a good job.