Laughing Dog stands out in the UK pet food market as a genuinely British farm-to-bowl brand with a rich heritage dating back to 1936. Based in Lincolnshire, this family-owned company transforms crops grown on its own 1,200-acre farm into nutritious meals for our four-legged companions. What makes them unique is their commitment to sustainability, natural ingredients and transparent production processes.
The story behind Laughing Dog
The brand began as a small producer of mixer meals in 1936 before being acquired by the Grant family in 2008. This acquisition marked a turning point, integrating dog food production into their Lincolnshire farm operations. Ted Grant, the family patriarch, pioneered using surplus farm harvests to create baked dog biscuits, establishing an ethos of minimizing waste that continues today.
Now in its third generation of family leadership, Laughing Dog maintains strong ties to agricultural traditions while embracing modern nutritional science. The company takes pride in controlling the entire production process from field to finished product, something few pet food manufacturers can claim.
Product range
Laughing Dog offers a diverse selection of dry kibble, wet food and treats designed to meet various nutritional needs and preferences.
Naturally 5 range
The flagship line features hypoallergenic recipes limited to just five core ingredients, catering to dogs with sensitivities. The Chicken variant contains 28% chicken meal, barley, white/brown rice, alfalfa and poultry fat, delivering 24% protein and 10% fat. Free from wheat, soy and artificial additives, these formulas provide a clean-label option for concerned pet parents.
Looking for alternatives to limited-ingredient diets? You might want to check out our Purely Pets review for comparison.
Grain-free options
For dogs requiring grain-free nutrition, Laughing Dog offers salmon, lamb and chicken recipes using sweet potatoes or peas as carbohydrate sources. The Adult Grain-Free Salmon formula derives protein primarily from fish meal and potato protein, achieving an impressive 30% crude protein content.
Wet food collection
Since 2016, Laughing Dog has produced wet food in steam-cooked trays featuring grain-free recipes like Duck Casserole and Lamb Hotpot. These options complement dry kibble with 70-80% meat content and moisture levels around 80%, making them palatable alternatives for finicky eaters.
Traditional mixer meals
Staying true to their roots, Laughing Dog continues to offer baked wheat-free or grain-free biscuits designed as meal toppers or training treats. These contain 28-42% meat content, with slow-baked textures that promote dental health while adding variety to mealtime.
Nutritional analysis
Independent analyses rate Laughing Dog’s dry food at 4 stars out of 5, noting moderate meat content (24-28%) and balanced macronutrient profiles. Typical formulas provide:
- Protein: 24-30% (primarily from meat meals)
- Fat: 10-18% (from poultry or fish oils)
- Carbohydrates: 35-45% (from barley, rice or sweet potato)
These values meet average requirements for adult dogs, though the lack of AAFCO life stage certifications on packaging raises questions about suitability for puppies or seniors. Customer feedback indicates success with weight management and allergy reduction, although some note lower satiety compared to high-meat alternatives.
Sustainability credentials
Environmental responsibility forms a core pillar of Laughing Dog’s brand identity. The company has implemented several noteworthy initiatives:
Solar panels generate 1.2MW annually, offsetting 25% of energy use at their production facility. Their zero-waste philosophy sees byproducts like beet pulp from sugar processing repurposed into fiber-rich meal components. Additionally, all packaging uses mono-materials compatible with UK recycling streams.
As one of few UK pet food manufacturers controlling entire production onsite, Laughing Dog oversees every stage from crop cultivation to packaging. This vertical integration allows strict quality control, with barley milled on-site and meats sourced within 50 miles to ensure freshness.
Price and value
Laughing Dog occupies a mid-tier price segment, with 12kg bags of dry food ranging from £12-£35 depending on the formula. This positions the brand between premium options like Lily’s Kitchen and economy lines such as Pedigree. The value proposition centers on British farming heritage, traceable ingredients and environmental consciousness rather than premium meat content.
Customer reviews frequently mention good value for money, particularly for the hypoallergenic Naturally 5 range, which offers specialized nutrition at lower prices than many veterinary diets.
Customer feedback
Analysis of customer reviews reveals predominantly positive sentiment (78%), with praise focusing on palatability, digestion improvements and recyclable packaging. Many owners report smoother transitions when switching from other brands due to the digestibility of Laughing Dog formulas.
Criticisms mainly center on inconsistent satiety, with some large breed owners noting their dogs seem hungry again shortly after meals. Others express desire for clearer life stage guidelines and more detailed information about ingredient sourcing.
What kind of dogs is this food suitable for?
Laughing Dog primarily targets adult maintenance nutrition, with most formulas designed for healthy adult dogs with moderate activity levels. The Naturally 5 range excels for dogs with food sensitivities or allergies, offering simplified ingredients that help identify and avoid triggers.
Active working dogs may benefit from their higher-protein grain-free options, which provide sustained energy through quality animal proteins and complex carbohydrates. Senior dogs with dental issues might appreciate the softer texture of their wet food range, though specific senior-formulated options are limited.
This brand presents fewer options for puppies or pregnant/lactating females, as most formulas lack specific AAFCO certifications for growth and reproduction. Large breed puppies, in particular, would benefit from more tailored calcium-phosphorus ratios than what’s currently offered.
Dogs requiring weight management can utilize their lighter formulations, though portion control remains essential as calorie density varies across the range.
Is this dog food good?
As a dog nutrition specialist, I consider Laughing Dog to be a solid mid-tier option with particular strengths in certain areas. The brand excels in sustainability practices, ingredient traceability and providing hypoallergenic options at reasonable price points.
Nutritionally, these products meet basic requirements for adult maintenance with decent protein levels and quality ingredients. However, they don’t reach the excellence of premium brands with higher meat content or specialized life-stage formulations.
The limited-ingredient Naturally 5 range deserves particular praise for helping sensitive dogs thrive without unnecessary additives. Their farm-to-bowl approach ensures freshness and supports British agriculture, values that resonate with many conscientious pet owners.
Areas for improvement include increasing meat content across the range, obtaining proper life-stage certifications and providing more transparency about exact percentages of ingredients. The lack of puppy-specific formulas also represents a missed opportunity.
Overall, Laughing Dog offers good but not exceptional nutrition. For dogs with specific sensitivities or owners prioritizing sustainability and British sourcing, these products present worthy options. However, those seeking maximum meat content or specialized nutrition might need to look elsewhere.
Looking for the absolute best?
While Laughing Dog offers decent nutrition with strong sustainability credentials, it didn’t reach the top spot in our comprehensive comparison of dog food brands. Our research identified Butternut Box as the clear winner for quality, freshness and nutritional excellence. If you want to explore options that consistently rank among the best dog food available in the UK, Butternut deserves your attention. Their human-grade ingredients, personalized portion planning and gentle cooking methods set a new standard for canine nutrition. For an in-depth look at why so many veterinarians and nutritionists recommend this revolutionary approach to feeding, check out our detailed Butternut Box review and discover what optimal nutrition truly looks like.
