Is Rachael Ray Nutrish WSAVA-Approved?
WSAVA does not approve, certify, or endorse any dog food brand. No such list exists. What "WSAVA-approved" actually refers to is whether a manufacturer satisfies the five questions the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee tells owners to ask. Rachael Ray Nutrish meets 0 of the 5 on current public evidence. It substantiates its diets through formulation to AAFCO profiles rather than feeding trials, and typically costs $30 – $35 per month for a 50 lb adult dog.
Rachael Ray Nutrish against the 5 WSAVA questions
| WSAVA question | Rachael Ray Nutrish |
|---|---|
| Employs a full-time qualified veterinary nutritionist | Not public |
| Diets formulated by a credentialed expert | Not public |
| Substantiates diets with AAFCO feeding trials | No |
| Owns and operates its manufacturing plants | Partial |
| Runs a documented quality-control program | Partial |
| Criteria fully met | 0 of 5 |
| Typical monthly cost (50 lb dog) | $30 – $35 |
Rachael Ray Nutrish across our catalogue
We track 94 complete-and-balanced Rachael Ray Nutrish dog foods. Everything below is measured from those products rather than from the brand's marketing.
- Products tracked
- 94
- Dry / wet
- 63 / 31
- Adult / puppy / senior
- 54 / 8 / 0
- With by-products
- 0 of 94
AAFCO substantiation
Formulated to meet AAFCO profiles
Rachael Ray Nutrish substantiates adequacy by formulation, meaning the recipe is calculated and laboratory-analysed against AAFCO nutrient profiles rather than fed to dogs in a trial. This is legal, common, and weaker evidence than a feeding trial.
What Rachael Ray Nutrish actually contains
Guaranteed-analysis figures are label minimums, shown separately by food type because a 10%-moisture kibble and a 78%-moisture canned food are not comparable as-fed.
| Form | Products | Crude protein | Crude fat (median) | Energy (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dry | 45 | 9–30% (median 26%) | 14% | 3,575 kcal/kg |
| wet | 30 | 8–9% (median 8.5%) | 5% | 1,054 kcal/kg |
A cross-section of the Rachael Ray Nutrish line
12 of the 75 Rachael Ray Nutrish products whose label data we were able to verify, spread across the range. Repeat recipes at different bag sizes are collapsed to one entry.
| Product | Life stage | Protein | Fat | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nutrish Bright Puppy Premium Natural Dry Dog Food, Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe, 14 Pounds (Packaging May Vary) | Puppy | 28% | 16% | $2.86/lb |
| Nutrish Grain Free Dry Dog Food, Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe, 23 lb. Bag | Adult | 26% | 14% | $2.02/lb |
| Nutrish Peak Protein Wet Dog Food Variety Pack, High Protein, Grain Free, 3.5oz Cups (Pack of 9), 2 Count (Rachael Ray) | Adult | 8% | 6% | , |
| Nutrish Rachael Ray Dry Dog Food Puppy, Real Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe, 5 lb. Bag | Puppy | 28% | 16% | $1.74/lb |
| Nutrish Real Salmon, Veggies & Brown Rice Recipe Whole Health Blend Dry Dog Food, 13 lb. Bag, Packaging May Vary | Adult | 25% | 14% | $2.69/lb |
| Nutrish Whole Health Blend Chunks in Gravy Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 13 oz. Can, 12 Count | Adult | 8% | 5% | , |
| Rachael Ray Nutrish Chicken Muttballs with Pasta Wet Dog Food, 8-oz tray, bundle of 16 | , | 9% | 5% | $4.98/lb |
| Rachael Ray Nutrish Chicken with Pasta Wet Dog Food, 8-oz, case of 8 | , | 9% | 5% | $4.98/lb |
| Rachael Ray Nutrish Gentle Digestion & Whole Health Blend Premium Pate Variety Pack Wet Dog Food, 13-oz can, case of 12 | , | 8% | 6% | $2.94/lb |
| Rachael Ray Nutrish Grain-Free Salmon & Sweet Potato Recipe Dry Dog Food, 11.5-lb bag | , | 26% | 14% | $2.39/lb |
| Rachael Ray Nutrish High Protein Beef, Potato & Peas Recipe with Venison & Lamb Dry Dog Food, 23-lb bag | All life stages | 30% | 15% | $2.22/lb |
| Rachael Ray Nutrish Large Breed Dog Food | Adult | 9% | 5% | $0.92/lb |
What Rachael Ray Nutrish costs
Across 83 priced products the median works out at $2.04 per pound, with most falling between $1.64 and $3.04. That is below the $3.74 median for dry dog food across every brand we track.
Bagged retail pricing only. Packages under 2 lb are excluded because their per-pound figures are unreliable.
Strengths
- Low cost, about $30-$35 a month for a 50 lb dog
- Says suppliers go through qualification and testing, and that third parties audit food safety at each facility
- Post lists pet food plants of its own, though its filing does not say which one makes Nutrish dry
Watch-outs
- Names no nutritionist or formulator. Recipes were developed with Ainsworth Pet Nutrition
- Flagship label says "formulated to meet" AAFCO profiles rather than citing feeding trials
- Post's filing describes continued reliance on Smucker to make some products, so the maker can vary
- Named in 10 reports in the FDA's 2019 DCM update. The FDA did not establish that any food caused the disease
Who Rachael Ray Nutrish suits
Best for: Owners on a tight budget who accept that the maker publishes little about its nutrition staff.
Avoid if: You want a published nutrition team, a named formulator or feeding-trial substantiation.
Rachael Ray Nutrish head-to-head
Personalized recommendation
WSAVA compliance is one input. Your dog is the other.
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Methodology: Scores reflect Rachael Ray Nutrish's publicly documented manufacturer-quality practices as of October 2026, assessed against the WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee's 5-question rubric. WSAVA itself does not certify, approve, or rank any brand. Monthly cost reflects typical US 2026 retail for a 50 lb adult dog at premium spec, before autoship discounts. See our recommendation methodology.