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Proper nutrition is a pillar of health and your veterinarian should be aware of your dog’s diet on your next routine visit. We recommend that you consult with your veterinarian when making significant changes to your dog’s diet, as you would with other decisions that may influence your dog’s health.

The most important aspect is to transition your pet from one food to Petaluma over a 4-7 day period, slowly introducing Petaluma over that time period as you decrease the amount of old food. If your dog has known health issues and/or your veterinarian has recommended therapeutic dog food for a specific health condition, it is particularly critical that you discuss any intended changes to their diet in detail. Our first Petaluma recipe is not for every dog, and we do not recommend transitioning from a veterinarian-prescribed therapeutic diet without your veterinarian’s approval.

We select ingredients that have an important nutritional function and try to source them from the most sustainable provider, including certified organic farms when feasible. The entire list of ingredients for our Roasted Peanut Butter & Sweet Potato Flavor for adult dogs includes:

Organic chickpeas, potato protein, dried yeast, organic brown rice, pea protein, organic peanut butter (organic peanuts), organic sweet potato, organic flaxseeds, organic oats, organic peas, organic sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols and rosemary extract), peanut oil, brown rice syrup, organic carrots, ground grass, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate, calcium sulphate), calcium carbonate, parsley, organic kelp meal, salt, marine microalgae, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, vitamin D2 supplement, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid), minerals (zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, copper sulfate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite), turmeric, choline chloride, dl-methionine, cinnamon, allspice, taurine, potassium chloride, and ginger. 

We support organic agriculture and the benefits it brings to the environment, farmworkers, and consumers by sourcing organic ingredients when feasible. Our adult dog formula contains over 50% organic-certified ingredients from farms and processors that engage in (and are audited for) organic farming practices. We will continue to add organic versions of ingredients to our recipe as we grow and exert more influence over the ingredient supply chain.

Our packaged food product is not certified organic because it is not made in an organic-certified facility and we have chosen to supplement it with a synthetic form of the amino acid taurine, which is not an exempt nutrient approved by the National Organic Program.

In light of the recent investigation into the heart condition dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and the possible link to taurine deficiency, we believe that offering a bio-available form of synthesized taurine in our diet is critical. The National Organic Program allows supplementation with many vitamins and minerals but has not added taurine to its approved list for adult dogs as the FDA’s animal feed organization continues to debates whether taurine is an essential supplement for adult dogs as it is for cats.

The digestibility of our food has been validated through an in vitro digestibility test performed by a university laboratory. The test found that dogs digest ~80% of nutrients in our diet, including protein-specific digestibility of 80%. This digestibility result is similar to meat-inclusive formulas and provides peace of mind that dogs are able to derive more than enough protein and essential amino acids from our diet.

Digestibility is not a stand-alone metric of nutrient quality, but an important factor to consider when formulating a diet to ensure you are providing enough bio-available forms of every nutrient.

Factors like fiber levels can decrease protein digestibility, but that does not make diets with more fiber (like Petaluma) less healthy as long as the dog is still absorbing sufficient amounts of protein. In fact, the additional dietary fiber brings a number of important metabolic benefits. 

In December 2021, Petaluma moved to a new baking facility and made some tweaks to our baking methods. Our updated batch is as minimally processed as previous batches (gently baked in a convection oven) but we used a different baking mold that resulted in fewer broken pieces and far less crumbling. 

Our new baking facility also has a much longer convection oven, which allows us to bake the food at a lower temperature, helping to preserve nutritional quality and resulting in more uniform coloring. Our previous baking facility roasted the food at a slightly higher temperature, which resulted in more of the yellow/orange coloring in some of the pieces. 

We have gone to great lengths to ensure that our diet is complete and balanced, which means that we provide all the essential nutrients that adult dogs need to thrive in the right proportions.

We conduct regular laboratory testing of our food batches to measure the amount of every nutrient (over 40 vitamins, minerals, proteins, and fats) defined as essential by the panel of dog nutrition experts at AAFCO (the Association of American Feed Control Officials). 

We then publish the test results on our website. The most recent analysis is here.

As many human vegetarians will tell you, plant-based foods are rich in natural forms of fiber, whereas primarily animal-derived foods have very little fiber. There are two types of fiber that both provide benefits to your dog's digestion process as well as what passes through. 

The soluble fiber in Petaluma slows the digestive process through your pet's GI system, which actually improves the efficiency of nutrient absorption, creates firmer (and easier to pick up) stool by giving the intestines more time to absorb water, and feeds beneficial gut bacteria (your dog's microbiome).  

Petaluma's insoluble fiber increases the bulk of the stool, which prevents straining and helps dogs naturally clear their anal glands and alleviate painful (and very unpleasant) leaks. 

When you see slightly larger poops, you can know our food is working to make your dog even more healthy!

Consuming larger pieces of whole grain is healthy and having some pieces of oats, carrots, and flax seeds in your dog’s poop is normal and not indicative of digestion issues. 

We use whole grains like oats in our food. Using unrefined grains (including the bran “shell”) preserves healthy dietary fiber and minerals and results in a lower glycemic index as the energy can be more gradually absorbed during digestion. 

Some pieces will pass through your pup largely intact as gut bacteria do not entirely break down the insoluble fiber. While this may result in slightly larger #2s, it also feeds beneficial gut bacteria (the ‘microbiome’) and causes dogs to strain less during their poops.

We take an evidence-based approach to formulating diets. That includes referencing the standards established by other expert nutritionists that participate in the annual review process for the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). Refereed journals and evaluations of new research are ongoing, and we discuss how the findings may change our guidance on optimal nutritional profiles.

Petaluma's lead formulator, Dr. Blake Hawley, also draws from his extensive personal experience formulating diets and evaluating test results. It is possible to derive a similar nutrient profile using millions of different combinations of ingredients, but ingredients may interact with each other in unforeseen ways. By tracking the performance of hundreds of formulas through digestibility, palatability, and nutritional testing, Dr. Hawley has developed deep insights into how different nutrient sources and ingredient combinations work together. We apply these learnings to produce an ingredient combination that achieves our desired nutritional profiles and delivers your dog optimal nutrition for a healthy life.

In addition, Dr. Hawley work with many pet food and treats companies to define the target canine consumers and tailor formulations to meet the unique nutritional requirements of that life stage and health condition. It is not possible to design a “one size fits all” diet that truly optimizes the nutritional requirements of all dogs.  We know your dog is special, so we want you to feed her that way.

No, Petaluma is not a grain-free product. We include whole grains in our diets, including oats and brown rice, because they are rich in methionine and act as a good complementary proteins with legumes and potatoes to create a full amino acid profile. Beyond some limited allergies to grains, we follow evidence-based nutritional science which has consistently shown that grains are a healthy part of most dogs' diets. Additionally, whole grains are an excellent source of fiber.

Yes. One of the largest genetic differences between domestic dogs and wolves is that they evolved to digest carbohydrates. 

Dogs developed many more genes that produce amylase enzymes to break down starches. It’s hypothesized that these adaptions occurred to digest a more omnivorous diets as they evolved alongside their human companions. 

Dogs also have pancreatic amylase (as well as other carbohydrate enzymes) which allow them to digest >95% of starches (similar to humans).

We did not formulate this diet for puppies and it does not meet the AAFCO guidelines for growth stage dogs. We do not recommend feeding it to dogs as the primary food source until they have reached an adult weight (usually 6-9 months for small breeds, 9-12 months for medium breeds, and 12+ months for larger breeds).

Feeding our current diet to a growing dog would require supplementation of a few minerals that growing puppies have a much higher dietary requirement for compared to adult and senior dogs. The only two nutrients in our diet that are below the AAFCO recommendations for puppies are calcium (3 g / 1000 kcal for puppies vs. 1.25 g / 1000kcal for adults) and phosphorus (2.5 g / 1000 kcal for puppies vs. 1 g / 1000 kcal for adult).

Calcium and phosphorus can be tricky to supplement as they also have a low 'safe upper limit,' making the acceptable window relatively small. There are some supplements that provide additional calcium and phosphorus labeled for use in puppies but needs to be measured carefully.

Most adult formulas are also lower in calcium and phosphorus than is recommended for puppies, as adults do not need as much for bone growth and excessive calcium puts stress on kidney function. Here is our full nutritional profile should you choose to use it as a base and supplement accordingly. 

Yes, but it may require a bit of patience.

Transitioning from a largely raw meat diet to a baked food with a fair amount of dietary fiber (not present in meat) and plant protein can be a pretty significant change, as the two diets have very different optimal gut bacteria (microbiome) profiles that can take weeks or months to transition for some dogs. It would likely require a much slower transition (small amounts of Petaluma added over weeks) to get your pups' digestive systems acclimated to the change. 

We use a very small amount of organic brown rice syrup (< 2% of total / 2g per cup) to provide a balanced flavor and also as a humectant that helps the food retain moisture during baking.

Unlike conventional kibble, which is made through a process called extrusion (rapid high-pressure cooking), our baked food is tasty straight out of the oven without spraying any flavors on top. To balance some of the natural bitterness of some of our proteins (ex. brewer's yeast and potato protein), we use a very small amount of sweetener to improve palatability without dramatically raising the glycemic index of the food or needing to add artificial flavoring.

The very small amount of brown rice syrup ensures that we are able to maintain moisture in the food as humectants hold water in a way that cannot be used by bacteria leading to spoilage.

Yes, you can (and should) feed the broken bits and Petaluma powder at the bottom of your bag or storage container.

They are equally as nutritious as the whole pieces and most dogs will lick them clean.

The baking process results in more broken and irregular pieces than traditional pressure-cooked kibble. The baking process preserves more complex carbohydrates, whereas pressure-cooking ‘gelatinizes’ all of the starches and creates very strong bonds. While the baked bites don’t hold together quite as tightly, they also have a lower glycemic index and result in more gradual absorption of energy during digestion. 

Our food is baked for over 10 minutes in a convection oven. All ingredients are mixed into a dough, molded into small bites, and slowly travel through a 100+ ft. oven on a conveyor belt. They are allowed to cool and then filled and sealed into our bags. The production date is stamped onto the bag to ensure you know when your pup’s food was made.

This approach is significantly different from traditional pet food, which is rapidly pressure-cooked in an extruder. The high pressure - usually 400 - 600 psi (or ~40x our atmospheric pressure) - allows for faster cooking and more efficient production, but compromises some of the taste and nutritional quality. Extruded food is often sprayed with fat and flavoring powder after cooking to make up for the loss of flavor during steam-cooking.

Baked food preserves a lower glycemic index, reduces oxidation of omega-3 and omega-6 fats, and preserves the natural flavor and aroma of the ingredients. We are proud to smell and see the difference, and most pups love the roasted flavors.

Our diet is formulated by Dr. Blake Hawley, a veterinarian who has spent over 25 years developing scientific diets and pharmaceutical delivery products for dogs and cats, including formulas for many veterinary-prescribed foods.

He received his doctorate in veterinary medicine from NC State University and conducted postdoctoral studies at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. He has developed deep nutritional expertise while designing hundreds of unique canine diets.

Our formula and nutritional profile has also been reviewed by board-certified veterinary nutritionists that are accredited diplomats of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN).

No, our dog food is not prepared in a facility that is certified for human consumption. The ‘human grade’ term in pet food marketing is not an official regulatory distinction but is often used for goods the FDA defines as “edible” for humans. This requires that all ingredients are handled in “food grade” certified facilities and storage containers across the entire supply chain.

Our food is not intended for human consumption (and it’s a bit bland for most human preferences) and is produced in a pet food bakery. Pet food facilities are subject to FDA and USDA safety regulations and inspected annually, but follow a different set of standards than commercial kitchens. We do not believe that the additional handling requirements established for human food production offer enough benefits for our plant-based and animal-free foods to justify the increased cost to our customers.

The biggest concern with “feed grade” dog food is usually the meat quality, and particularly the use of animal by-products that are deemed inherently unfit for human consumption (i.e. not just because they were handled in a facility that isn’t a certified commercial kitchen). This includes “4D” (dead, dying, diseased, or down) livestock animals as well as other animals like horses and even euthanized dogs and cats, which can be mixed in with other animal parts, rendered into a soup-like substance, and dried into an ingredient that appears as “meat meal” or “meat by-product” on a pet food label. By avoiding animal ingredients entirely, we also eliminate the risks from some of the most unsavory parts of traditional pet food processing.

We are committed to testing protocols that treat dogs like family members rather than lab equipment. We do not perform any animal testing or contract other companies to test our products on animals. We also preferentially source ingredients from suppliers that do not test their products on animals.

Our expert-designed formulas are first validated with software to ensure the estimated nutritional profile meets the nutritional standards of the life stage the diet is intended for. We then produce a small batch of the food at the manufacturer and perform complete laboratory analysis to measure the levels of every essential nutrient. After we determine the diet meets our nutritional standards, we send food to over 50 beta testers who feed the diet to their companion dogs for at least 30 days and report back about how their dog liked the taste and how it is impacting their poops.

For tests that are harder to perform with volunteer companion dogs, such as digestibility testing, we partnered with a university laboratory that developed and validated a cutting-edge in vitro technique that accurately models the digestive system of a dog without the need for laboratory animals.

Most pet food companies test their diets using corporate- or laboratory-owned dogs living in shelter-like environments. While many company-owned kennels provide high standards of care, we believe dogs belong in homes and are happy to invest additional time and money to conduct more compassionate testing.

There are many unanswered questions about both the prevalence and the causes of diet-related DCM in dogs. However, we have formulated our food to proactively address the suspected risk factors. That includes providing most of our protein from plants that are not legumes, including grains (barley and whole oats) and yeast. We also supplement the food with the amino acids (i.e. protein building blocks) taurine, l-carnitine, and methionine from sources that are easily digestible by dogs. We conducted protein digestibility testing to ensure dogs can absorb the essential amino acids in the food. For context, the FDA announced a perceived increase in cases of DCM and a potential link to “grain-free” foods - specifically those that contained a high proportion of peas, lentils, and other legume seeds (pulses) and/or potatoes. In the FDA’s own words, the current data does not enable them to determine “whether or how these case reports are linked to diet” and “the agency believes that the potential association between diet and DCM in dogs is a complex scientific issue that may involve multiple factors.”While there is significant debate about the underlying causes and the meaning of the case data, deficient levels of the amino acid taurine is a known cause of DCM. The causes of taurine deficiency are not well understood, as most dogs can synthesize their own taurine from other amino acids rather than relying on taurine in their food. However, taurine is involved in maintaining heart muscle and studies have shown that providing taurine-deficient dogs with supplemental taurine in their food alleviated the signs of DCM in many cases.As a result, most veterinary nutritionists are recommending taurine supplementation in dog food,  as we have done with Petaluma. Methionine is an essential amino acid that is a precursor to taurine (i.e. it can be converted into taurine by the dog’s metabolism), and we have added additional methionine in an easily digestible form (DL-methionine) as an added precaution.It’s important to note that DCM is a serious but rare condition that impacts

Our food is manufactured at a pet food bakery in Illinois. The facility has a long history of baking high-quality food and treats and bakes products for a number of pet food brands with decades-long safety records.

~75% of our ingredients (by volume) come from the United States and Canada. We also source certain products from international manufacturers such as our potato protein (Poland) and kelp (Iceland).

Yes. Our organic sunflower oil comes mixed with a natural preservative containing rosemary extract and vitamin E (mixed tocopherols).

No. We have not formally tested our product for GMOs but all of the products we source have non-GMO statements from our suppliers.

Shelf life refers to the maximum length of time before the nutrition degrades (typically the fat oxidizing) beyond an acceptable threshold.

In sealed bags, our baked food has a similar shelf life to dry kibble, which is 15-18 months. However, our food is made in small bacthes that typically sell out within three months, so we are selling fresh food every quarter or so. 

We recommend storing your food in an airtight container to preserve freshness once opened/ 

Yes, peanut butter can absolutely be a great source of protein and healthy fats for dogs so long as it is food-grade and free of additives.

Petaluma uses food-grade organic peanut butter made from blanched and dry-roasted nuts that are grown and ground in the US. The US has very few issues with moldy peanuts resulting in harmful toxins because of the FDA regulations and inspection standards of peanuts - which you see in the safety of peanut products that humans regularly consume. The blanching and dry-roasting process may not eliminate aflatoxin if mold is allowed to form due to improper storage, but it does dramatically reduce the risk. 

While there is always some possibility of ingredient contamination, we add an additional layer of safety with a regular microbiological testing program for mold as well as toxins associated with mold such as aflatoxin. 

Yes, as long as they are formulated to be nutritionally complete and supplemented to account for any gaps in typical plant-based ingredients. 

Dogs (and humans) require nutrients rather than specific ingredients. There are many possible ingredient combinations that provide a healthy nutrient profile, and there are no essential nutrients provided by meat and animal-derived products that can’t be replaced by a plant-, fungi-, or synthesized version.

Each cup of Petaluma has as much protein as a serving of steak.

Plants create most of the world’s protein, and an entirely plant-based ingredient list can provide more than enough protein to meet a dog’s nutritional needs. Diets designed for adult dogs without health issues should have 20-30% protein as a percentage of dry matter weight (i.e., if the food was fully dehydrated), or ~50-70 grams per 1000 kcal of food energy. For reference, 1000 kcal of chickpeas contains ~53 grams of protein and peanut butter is ~25% protein by dry matter weight.

Adding additional protein beyond a dog’s metabolic requirement is not healthier, as protein cannot be stored for later use. Excess protein is stripped of the amino acids, converted into energy (glycogen), and stored as fat tissue in the same way that energy from carbohydrates and fat is.

Amino acids are the fundamental ‘building blocks’ of proteins, and a dog’s diet also requires specific, “essential” amino acids that their bodies do not synthesize. Plants also create and provide all the essential amino acids in different ratios. We use a variety of plant-based protein sources in Petaluma, including brown rice, peas, chickpeas, and oats, to create a balanced amino acid profile that aligns with and complements a dog’s nutritional needs.

This is a common misconception, partially due to the confusing similarity of language used to describe species classification terminology (taxonomy) and descriptors of an animal’s nutritional requirements.

The dog species (Canis familiaris) is classified as part of the taxonomical order Carnivora, which includes 280 species (all called carivorans vs. carnivores) that have a broad range of dietary preferences. The carnivorans includes animals with diets described as obligate carnivores like wolves and domestic cats, omnivores like raccoons, and even herbivores like the Giant Panda. So the giant panda is a carnivoran with a primarily herbivorous diet.

Dogs’ nutritional requirements are omnivorous, meaning they can eat and derive nutrients from both plants and animals, and their nutritional requirements can be met without the need for animal-derived products. 

The feeding behavior of free-ranging dogs is classified as omnivorous opportunistic scavenging as they spend more time scavenging for scraps of plant, animal, and insect foods in trash piles than hunting down prey (i.e. more like a raccoon than a wolf). This is also supported by dogs’ physiology, including their genetic adaptation to produce enzymes that digest carbohydrates more efficiently and the development of molar teeth that have a flat surface for grinding.

Absolutely! We are happy to send a free small sample bag to folks in the continental United States. Please complete this form and expect a 1-2 week turnaround time.

Our chews are made using 100% organic sweet potatoes grown in North Carolina. Each 12 oz bag contains more than 3 pounds of fresh organic potatoes.

The sweet potatoes are cut into chewable slices and placed into a dehydrator, with no additional ingredients or preservatives added. 

The dehydration uses air and low heat to remove moisture, which creates a more satisfying chew for your dog without impacting the nutritional quality of organic sweet potatoes.

We designed these treats to give your dog a couple of minutes of mental stimulation as a high-value reward or distraction. 

The typical dog takes one to five minutes to finish the full chew, although we’ve seen our share of “garbage disposal” Labradors that finish must faster and a “scarcity mindset” Corgi that savored her chew for days. 

We use them when we need to hop on a Zoom meeting and our dogs are still fired up from a squirrel sighting and need to take the edge off. They are also a nutritious and delicious way to say “good job” - whether your pup is summiting mountains with you or just walking around the block. 

Your dog’s total treat consumption should not exceed 10% of their daily calories, as treats do not contain all the nutrients required in a complete and balanced diet. 

A “full” sweet potato jerky piece (~6 in. long) is ~59 kcal, while the “halves” are ~30 kcal.  

This chart provides the maximum daily serving for the average dog that eats very few other treats.

 

We do not recommend feeding the jerky to dogs under 10 pounds. The chews are slightly large for very small dogs to handle, and would also provide more calories than recommended from a supplemental food (i.e. a food that is not a complete diet because it does contain all essential nutrients).

Puppies over 10 pounds can eat our chews, although we recommend additional supervision as young dogs can be more prone to biting off more than they can chew and experience issues swallowing.

You can compost the bag in your own home composting system or in an industrial composting center (curbside or drop-off). The materials are certified to biodegrade by a minimum of 90% within 12 months - or 6 months if your compost system maintains temperatures above 68 degrees. 

Before composting the bag, remove the oxygen absorption packet and discard it in the trash. The oxygen absorption packet includes iron powder that should not be composted or recycled.

If you plan to compost the bag in your home composting system alongside food scraps and yard waste, we recommend tearing the bag into smaller strips to speed up the biodegradation process. The bag requires typical composting conditions (>40% humidity and temperatures above 68 degrees) to fully decompose, which may require occasional watering and result in minimal progress over cold winter months.

The bag is made entirely from certified compostable materials, meaning that the materials fully biodegrade and leave no harmful or chemical residues as part of the process. These materials are certified under both the European (TUV OK Compost) and Australasian (ABA) standards. 

The use of compostable materials reduces our plastic use by 85% compared to traditional packaging. The small amount of biodegradable plastic used in the product is made from plants and has been shown to support healthy soil when broken down. 

Compostable materials are designed to be composted and unfortunately that means they cannot be mechanically recycled. 

We chose to use home compostable materials instead of recyclable plastics because most recycling facilities cannot handle flexible plastics and 95%+ of flexible plastics ultimately end up in the landfill or incinerator. Home composting is widely available and enables the use of renewable, plant-derived materials. 

Yes, all sweet potatoes used in our jerky come from certified organic farms in the state of North Carolina. To the best of our knowledge this is the first jerky that uses certified organic sweet potatoes.

The facility where the organic sweet potatoes are cut and dehydrated does not currently have an organic certification, which prevents us from using the USDA-certified organic logo. 

Organic ingredients are still rare in the pet nutrition industry and we hope that Petaluma can create more demand for organic farming practices and create financial incentives for processing facilities to seek certified organic status.  

The oxygen absorption packet is filled with iron powder - a naturally occurring mineral that absorbs oxygen. The iron powder in the packet keeps our sweet potato jerky fresh by removing oxygen from the bag and preventing oxidation of the sweet potatoes. Oxidation causes sweet potatoes to change color and lose some of their good flavors - just like potatoes that begin turning brown when you cut them - as well as the degradation of nutrients over time. 

Please remove and dispose of the oxygen absorption packet when you open the bag. While iron is a naturally-occurring mineral, it should NOT be fed to your dog. Just like most vitamins and minerals, iron can be dangerous at a high dose, and the oxygen absorption packet is not intended to be consumed.

Feel free to mix Petaluma with any complete and balanced dog food without limitation. Petaluma can be a great base for any topper, and any portion of Petaluma improves your pup’s environmental pawprint and animal welfare impact. The main consideration is calories - make sure you are properly accounting for the mixture to avoid over-feeding your dog. Overweight dogs live 5-10% shorter on average than healthy weight dogs.

If you mix in table scraps or homemade food, we do not recommend exceeding 10% of the total caloric value. We’ve carefully planned this diet to achieve the right balance of nutrients, and diluting it with nutritionally unbalanced foods can result in nutritional deficiencies.

Food impacts dogs’ microbiomes - i.e. the bacteria that naturally lives in their gut - and transitioning diets slowly allows the microbiome to adapt to the new nutrient profile.  We recommend that you slowly introduce Petaluma over 7-10 days.

DAY 1 & 2

25% Petaluma & 75% normal food

DAY 3 & 4

50% Petaluma & 50% normal food

DAY 5 & 6

75% Petaluma & 25% normal food

DAY 7+

100% Petaluma

On day 7, your dog should be ready for 100% Petaluma. However, if you experience any gastrointestinal issues during the transition (like looser-than-normal stool), do not increase the amount of Petaluma and continue feeding the mixed portion until your dog is acclimated.

Use our food portion calculator to find the perfect portion based on your pup’s size, lifestyle, metabolism, and feeding habits. 

Calculate Portion

Keeping your dog a healthy weight extends the quality time you get to spend with them. A study found that dogs that maintained a healthy weight lived 5-10% longer than their overweight counterparts! 

Feeding an appropriate portion is the #1 way to keep your dog at a healthy weight. Measuring food is key, as dog food is surprisingly caloric and even a little bit extra adds up over time. One cup of dog food is similar in calories to a 6” sub sandwich!

While it might hurt the chef’s feelings, we understand that tastes differ. We offer a full refund on your first order of Petaluma if you or your dog aren’t satisfied for any reason. Just let us know within 30 days of your first order. No need to return the food - just dispose of it (compost is best!), donate it to another pup, or use it as a high-nitrogen fertilizer in your garden!

A 5 lb bag of our baked food contains ~20 cups of food. An 18 lb bag contains ~74 cups. One cup of Petaluma weighs ~110 grams (3.9 oz) and contains ~395 kcal.

We recommend calculating an accurate portion size for your dog using our calculator tool which will tell you how many cups per day your dog will go through. 

This is a general guide for adult dogs eating only Petaluma with some treats. 

Dog Weight	5 lb bag	18 lb bag	Cost / Day
2-5 LB	5 weeks	Suggest 5 lb	$0.90
6-10 LB	3 weeks	Suggest 5 lb	$1.50
11-20 LB	2 bags every 4 weeks	8 weeks	$1.45
21-30 LB	2 bags every 4 weeks	7 weeks	$1.65
31-45 LB	Suggest 18 lb	4 weeks	$2.89
46-60 LB	Suggest 18 lb	3 or 4 weeks	$3.86
61-80 LB	Recommend 18 lb bag	2 bags every 6 weeks	$3.86
81-100 LB	Suggest 18 lb	2 bags every 5 weeks	$4.63
100+ LB	Suggest 18 lb	2 bags every 4 weeks	$5.78

If you refer a friend to try Petaluma, we offer $20 off your next subscription order. 

After your referred friend completes a purchase, you will receive an email with a unique reward code. 

If you do not have an active subscription, you can add the code as part of the normal subscription checkout process.

If you have an active subscription, you will need to apply the discount to your next shipment through the subscription portal.

1) In the header menu, select 'Subscription'

2) Sign into the portal (if needed) and click 'Subscriptions' in the sub-menu

3) Click the active subscription you want to apply the discount to

4) Scroll to the bottom of the subscription details and click the 'Add discount' button

5) Copy the reward code from the email into the discount field and apply the coupon

Absolutely! Gift cards are available here in denominations of $25, $50, $75, and $100. Gift cards are not redeemable for subscriptions but can be applied to any other purchase on the site.

Please contact hello@feedpetaluma.com if you have any questions about gift card use or would like a custom gift card amount. 

Petaluma typically offers a promotion on our website for new subscribers. This discount applies to the first bag in a recurring subscription order.

Please note that this discount is limited to one per customer per household. The initial subscription order can not exceed 4 bags. 

The maximum order size for new subscribers is 4 bags total (either size). If you anticipate requiring a larger order size, please reach out to hello@feedpetaluma.com for assistance.

Orders for food products will be fulfilled the same day if placed before noon PT on business days (Monday - Friday excluding holidays). Otherwise, they will be fulfilled the following business day.

Shipping times ranges usually range from 1 - 5 business days depending on the distance from the Nevada fulfillment center. Addresses on the West Coast typically receive the food in 1 - 2 business days. Shipments to the Midwest, South, and East Coast can take 4-7 business days. We send order tracking at the time of fulfillment that provides an estimated time of arrival.

Carrier delays can result in unanticipated longer delivery windows - sometimes up to 14 business days. We cannot guarantee shipping delivery dates due to carrier variability that is out of our control. 

We only ship to locations within the contiguous United States. 

You can manage your subscription, including cancellation, within our customer portal or via SMS text. You can simply text 'cancel' to 844-639-7758 if you are enrolled in SMS updates.  You may also email our support team at hello@feedpetaluma.com. 

To cancel your subscription using our customer portal, follow these instructions:

1) Login to your Petaluma account and click your next order from the home tab

We carefully formulated and tested Petaluma to be nutritious, tasty, and sustainable, but we know every dog is different and we want all customers to have a top-notch experience with Petaluma. We offer a risk-free trial on the first bag, meaning that we offer a full refund (no questions asked) within 60 days of placing the order. 

For our treat products, we offer a refund for first-time customers minus the shipping fee. 

If you or your pup are not happy with your Petaluma order for any reason, please reach out to hello@feedpetaluma.com and we will make it right.

We will consider refunds on subsequent (non-first-time) food orders on a case-by-case basis. Don't hesitate to reach out to our support team.

You can manage your subscription, including adjusting your subscription frequency or pushing back your next shipment date, within our customer portal.

DELAYING OR SKIPPING NEXT SHIPMENT

1) Login to your Petaluma account and click your next order from the home tab

2) Click the 'Order Date' box

3) Select the date you'd like your next order to ship and click "update next order date." If you'd like to skip the shipment entirely, click 'Skip this order." Your next scheduled shipment will continue without change. Note that it will take 2-4 days from the order date to arrive at your address. 

CHANGE SUBSCRIPTION FREQUENCY

1) Login to your Petaluma account and click your next order from the home tab

2) Click the box with your subscription details

2) Click the 'Order Frequency' box

2) Select the weekly schedule you prefer from the drop down menu and click 'Update frequency'. This will change your next order date as well as all future order dates.

You can manage your subscription, including adjusting your subscription frequency or pushing back your next shipment date, within our customer portal.

1) Login to your Petaluma account and click your next order from the home tab

2) Click the 'Order now' button

3) Confirm your expedited order by clicking the 'Order now' button in the window that appears. The order will be fulfilled as soon as possible - either the same business day if placed before noon ET or the next business day. Shipping takes 2-3 days from the distribution center.

If you just placed an order and need the address modified before it ships, contact customer support at hello@feedpetaluma.com

If you have a subscription and need to change the address, please use our customer portal. 

We do not accept returns of the food, and will grant a refund without needing to return the item (as long as it meets the terms of our refund policy). 

We suggest that you dispose of it just dispose of it (compost is best!), donate it to another pup, or use it as a high-nitrogen fertilizer in your garden!

Please reference the tracking information sent via email to you once your order has shipped to keep a close eye on the estimated delivery window. Most carriers will update the tracking page if there is an unforeseen delay (ex. weather, holiday surge). Please feel free to contact hello@feedpetaluma.com if you need support for a shipped order that is experiencing delays.Unfortunately, once a delivery carrier has marked an order as delivered, Petaluma is not responsible for packages that are lost or stolen. We recommend contacting the carrier directly to file a claim, or reaching out to nearby neighbors to see if your package was delivered to the wrong address by mistake. 

Retailers can place an order via Petaluma's Faire page here.

A certified B Corp is a new kind of business that balances purpose and profit. 

B Corps are for-profit businesses that meet a rigorous set of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency standards established by the non-profit organization B Labs. Every B Corp must complete and pass the B Impact Assessment, which assess the company’s performance on hundreds of factors, and may be audited by B Labs at any time to ensure accountability.

Most certified B Corps are public benefit corporations, which is a legal structure that allows companies to identify a purpose beyond maximizing shareholder value. Prior to the creation of the public benefit corporation framework, every corporation was legally required to prioritize maximizing shareholder over all other considerations, including environmental or social impact. 

Public benefit corporations amend the legal language to require organizations to consider the impact of their decisions on workers, customers, suppliers, communities, and the environment. Shareholders can actually sue a public benefit corporation if the company is not sufficiently pursuing its public benefit mission. 

Petaluma, Inc. is both a public benefit corporation and a pending B Corp. Pending B Corps are companies in their first year of operation that meet the foundational requirements of the B Impact Assessment but do not yet have a full year of operating data to qualify for full certification.

Petaluma is a member of 1% for the Planet, which means we donate 1% of all revenue to environmental non-profit organizations within the 1% for the Planet network.

1% for the Planet is a global organization that connects dollars and doers to accelerate smart environmental giving. We believe the current level of environmental giving—only 3% of total philanthropy—is not enough to solve the most pressing issues facing our planet. 

There are over 3,000 organizations within the 1% for the Planet network, and we select local (California-based) groups and initiatives that are aligned with our own mission to reshape the agriculture system to be more sustainable, compassionate, and equitable. 

We are proud that Petaluma has achieved zero net carbon emissions since its founding through a combination of greenhouse gas emissions reduction and the purchase of carbon offset credits.

Carbon neutrality means having a balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere. Worldwide carbon neutrality is needed by 2050 to limit the worst effects of climate change. We believe that companies need to take responsibility for the negative side effects of their operations, which includes the greenhouse gases they emit into the atmosphere.

We partnered with Climate Neutral to measure, offset, and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. Climate Neutral is a non-profit organization that measures member company’s greenhouse gas emissions and sells validated carbon credits to fund projects that eliminate emissions. A carbon credit may be funding a reforestation initiative that sequesters (sucks up) CO2, or a project that replaces coal-fired electricity with solar electricity. 

We have gone to great efforts to limit the greenhouse gas emissions associated with growing, manufacturing, and shipping our products, but it is impossible to achieve zero emissions within our current system. Carbon credits are useful to neutralize the effects of emissions that can’t be avoided, either because it will take a long time, or we don’t have the technology.

Our boxes and informational inserts are recyclable in all curbside recycling programs and are also made from recycled material.

Our bags are not recyclable through curbside recycling programs and require special handling to reuse. We have designed our bags to use less plastic waste while working towards better options as packaging and recycling technology improves.

Shelf-stable food products like dog food require materials that block moisture and oxygen as well as provide enough strength to support 5+ pounds of food. Unfortunately plastic, aluminum, and glass are the only commercially-viable materials with these properties at the moment. We chose to use a plastic barrier layer in our bags because plastic offers energy and greenhouse gas emission savings compared to producing and shipping aluminum or glass. However, plastic (and particularly the plastic lamination used in flexible packaging) is more difficult to recycle and is not accepted by most curbside recycling companies.

We significantly reduce plastic consumption in our packaging by using kraft paper rather than polyethylene as our outer layer. Paper is a renewable resource and reduces the use of petroleum-based plastic by ~40% compared to a traditional PET plastic pet food bag. We are also working with packaging companies to support the development of new technology to produce recyclable or compostable barrier materials from renewable resources.

We commissioned a life cycle assessment to objectively measure our own environmental impact and compare it to industry data about the “average” dog food. 

The analysis found that our diet - the Roasted Peanut Butter & Sweet Potato Flavor - produced 75% fewer greenhouse gas emissions, used 54% less freshwater, and resulted in 89% less land use impact than a traditional dog diet. 

The analysis considered the resource consumption involved in growing and manufacturing each ingredients used in the Petaluma and average dog diet as well as the energy and resources used to manufacture, package, and transport the food. We relied on trusted third-party data sources like the greenhouse gas database from the University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems.

The full life cycle analysis, including more detail about our methodology, can be viewed here.