Ingredient Quality
Wholesome ingredients pets love
The Harlow Blend® Evaluation System
Because Smarter Pet Food Starts Here™ — helping pet parents and breeders make informed, confident feeding choices."
Not all pet foods are created equal. With thousands of brands and formulas on the market, it can be difficult for pet parents to know which ones truly meet their dog’s or cat’s needs and which fall short. That is why we developed the Harlow Blend® Evaluation System, a transparent, science informed, and easy to understand approach to grading commercial pet food.
This system was created to help breeders and pet parents evaluate any dog or cat food using consistent benchmarks focused on ingredient quality, nutritional adequacy, manufacturing standards, and transparency.
This system was created to help breeders and pet parents evaluate any dog or cat food using consistent benchmarks focused on ingredient quality, nutritional adequacy, manufacturing standards, and transparency.
Ingredient Quality
High quality nutrition begins with high quality ingredients. In our evaluation, top scores are awarded to foods that list clearly identified animal proteins first and avoid vague terms such as meat by product or animal fat.
We also reward the inclusion of real fruits, vegetables, functional botanicals, and supplements such as omega fatty acids, glucosamine, taurine, and probiotics. Foods that rely heavily on fillers like corn, wheat, soy, or artificial additives receive lower marks in this category.
Harlow Blend® consistently ranks among the top tier for ingredient quality. Each formula is free from by-products, artificial preservatives, colours, corn, wheat, and soya, and features clean, whole-food ingredients formulated to nourish both dogs and cats.
Nutritional Balance and Life Stage Suitability
Our system examines whether a food meets AAFCO standards for a specific life stage and how well it supports that stage nutritionally. Foods labeled for All Life Stages are reviewed on their ability to meet the nutritional needs of both growing puppies and kittens as well as adult dogs and cats.
We assess the balance of protein, fat, fiber, and moisture, and whether the recipe aligns with the breed size, species, and lifestyle of the pet. For example, large breed puppies’ benefit from controlled calcium and phosphorus levels for safe growth, while kittens require nutrient dense formulas to support early development.
Harlow Blend® Whole Life Stages® formulas are carefully balanced for puppies, kittens, adults, and seniors, and are developed under the guidance of certified nutrition professionals.
Manufacturing Standards
How a food is made matters just as much as what goes into it. Our evaluation considers where and how the food is manufactured, the quality controls in place, and whether the facility meets global standards for safety and sanitation.
Harlow Blend® is proudly made in Canada in SQF Level Three certified facilities using controlled production practices for consistent quality and transparency. A sample from each batch is retained for quality assurance and undergoes third party testing to ensure safety and performance.
Label Transparency
Pet parents deserve honest, clear information. Foods that score highest in this category provide complete ingredient disclosure, nutrient guarantees, feeding guidelines, and direct contact information. Brands that explain sourcing, sustainability, and formulation philosophy receive additional merit.
Harlow Blend® commits to full label transparency and maintains open support channels for breeders, retailers, and pet parents.
Scoring Summary
Each food reviewed through the Harlow Blend® Evaluation System is scored across four categories.
Nutritional Balance
Balanced nutrition for every life stage.
Manufacturing Standards
Made with love under trusted safety standards
Label Transparency
Clear, honest ingredients, your pets will love.