Forthglade Adult Turkey & Veg vs Barking Heads Hair Necessities Salmon

Pros

• ✓Named turkey protein — no vague 'meat derivatives' or animal by-products
• ✓Grain-free and hypoallergenic formula well-tolerated by sensitive and allergic dogs
• ✓High real-world palatability — dogs consistently reported eating eagerly across breeds
• ✓Complete and balanced meal with added vitamins, minerals, and botanicals

Cons

• ✗Batch-to-batch texture inconsistency reported (ranges from firm paté to crumbly to jelly-like)
• ✗Historical carrageenan use in seaweed binder caused concern; company claims removed but some older reviews flag digestive issues
• ✗Relatively low fibre (0.2% as-fed) may not suit dogs needing higher fibre for motility
• ✗Occasional packaging/leakage issues reported; customer service response time criticised

Best For

Pros

• ✓50% freshly prepared Scottish salmon — named, single-animal protein with excellent amino acid profile
• ✓No by-products, no meat meal, no grain fillers — ingredient transparency is above average for the price point
• ✓Salmon oil, zinc and biotin directly support skin integrity and coat condition, consistent with several owner reports
• ✓Prebiotics aid gut microbiome, reflected in multiple owner reports of firmer, well-formed stools

Cons

• ✗Grain-free diets reliant on legumes (peas) remain subject to ongoing FDA/WSAVA scrutiny for a possible link to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) — causation unproven but worth monitoring for long-term feeding
• ✗Kibble size is small, noted by at least one reviewer as unsuitable for larger or giant-breed dogs
• ✗'Vet approved' and 'hypoallergenic' are unregulated marketing terms with no disclosed certifying body or clinical trial data
• ✗Some Amazon reviews appear to reference other Barking Heads variants (Lamb, Turkey, Puppy Days), reducing the reliability of the review pool for this specific SKU

Best For