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20% OFF
Primal
First Auto-Ship w/ Code: PAWDIET20
15% OFF
Primal
For New Customers w/ Code: AFPAWDIET
Primal vs. Whole Paws
In this comparison article for Primal vs Whole Paws, we'll highlight the key differences between these two pet food brands. To properly compare Primal and Whole Paws, we'll use up-to-date nutritional and price information.
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best pet food brand for your pet. Factors such as ingredient quality, guaranteed analysis, product safety, brand history, and cost are among the most important factors to consider.
Throughout this Whole Paws vs Primal comparison, we've utilized average data to make general comparisons. If you'd like to see individual product reviews, visit our Primal Review Page or Whole Paws Review Page.
Guaranteed Analysis: Whole Paws vs. Primal
According to AAFCO, all pet food labels must provide a guaranteed analysis of nutrient content. The analysis must provide guaranteed minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat, and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture.
All percentages used in this comparison are averages reported on a dry matter basis.
Primal Dog Food vs. Whole Paws Dog Food
| Dry Dog Food | Primal | Whole Paws |
| Crude Protein | 48.0% | 29.8% |
| Crude Fat | 26.7% | 17.3% |
| Crude Fiber | 4.6% | 3.3% |
| Wet/Canned Dog Food | Primal | Whole Paws |
| Crude Protein | 49.5% | 40.5% |
| Crude Fat | 28.4% | 23.6% |
| Crude Fiber | 5.3% | 7.5% |
Crude Protein Comparison For Dog Food
Dogs require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Twelve of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining ten are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these ten essential amino acids.
On average, Primal dry dog food recipes contain 18.21% more protein than Whole Paws recipes. Clearly, there is a significant difference between the protein content of Whole Paws and Primal. Similarly, Primal wet dog foods provide significantly more protein than Whole Paws wet foods.
Crude Fat Comparison For Dog Food
Like protein, fats are an essential part of a dog's body. Fats are needed for the proper development and function of the canine body.
When you look at the average percentages of crude fat for dry dog food, it's clear that Primal provides significantly more fat. On average, Primal guarantees about 9.38% more protein than Whole Paws. For wet dog foods, Primal provides more fat (about 4.77% more).
As you can see, Whole Paws and Primal guarantee a similar amount of crude fiber. For wet dog foods, Whole Paws typically provides a little more fiber (about 2.19% more).
Primal Cat Food vs. Whole Paws Cat Food
| Dry Cat Food | Primal | Whole Paws |
| Crude Protein | 50.1% | 33.3% |
| Crude Fat | 24.0% | 18.5% |
| Crude Fiber | 4.8% | 7.0% |
| Wet/Canned Cat Food | Primal | Whole Paws |
| Crude Protein | 54.6% | 46.1% |
| Crude Fat | 25.4% | 23.3% |
| Crude Fiber | 4.1% | 5.5% |
Crude Protein Comparison For Cat Food
Cats require twenty-two amino acids to sustain life. Eleven of these amino acids are synthesized naturally, the remaining eleven are consumed. Protein is the nutrient which provides some or all of these eleven essential amino acids.
The comparison table above shows that Primal dry cat foods provide significantly more protein than Whole Paws. More specifically, Primal guarantees at least 16.81% more protein. Similarly, Primal wet cat foods provide significantly more protein than Whole Paws wet foods.
Crude Fat Comparison For Cat Food
There are many ways in which dietary fat contributes to the overall health of our feline friends. Here is a short list of benefits provided by fats (not exhaustive):
- Help transport nutrients across cell membranes
- Fats produce metabolites, which help control inflammation
- Maintain healthy blood pressure
- Slow the growth of yeast infections
- Fats improve the taste/texture of food.
The table shows that Whole Paws provides far less fat than Primal. The difference in fat content is roughly 5.52%. For wet cat foods, Primal typically provides a little more fat (about 2.08% more).
If you look at the average percentages of crude fiber, you'll notice that Whole Paws typically guarantees 2.28% more fiber. This is a fairly small difference between Whole Paws and Primal, but still worth mentioning. For wet cat foods, Whole Paws and Primal provide roughly the same amount of fiber.
Primal Pet Food Ingredients vs. Whole Paws Pet Food Ingredients
Here are some of the controversial ingredients used only by Whole Paws.
Product Safety: Recall History of Primal & Whole Paws?
Primal has been recalled 2 times.
- March 13, 2015: low thiamine level
- Dec. 22, 2017: incorrect bone grind size
According to our records, Whole Paws has never been recalled.
Disclosure: PawDiet has an affiliate relationship with stores featured (or linked-to) in this article. We are compensated for referring customers. Thank you for shopping with our retail partners!
Where To Buy Primal Pet Foods
You can purchase Primal pet foods from the following stores:
Where To Buy Whole Paws Pet Foods
You can purchase Whole Paws pet food products from these retailers:
Type Of Pet Foods Available
| Product | Primal | Whole Paws |
| Dry Dog Food | None | 5 Recipes |
| Wet Dog Food | None | 7 Recipes |
| Dog Treats | 6 Treats | 8 Treats |
| Dry Cat Food | None | 3 Recipes |
| Wet Cat Food | None | 8 Recipes |
| Cat Treats | None | None |
Top Rated Primal Recipes
Top Rated Whole Paws Recipes
