Tylee’s Dog Food Review

Created by online retail giant Chewy in 2017, Tylee’s is a new line of dog food that is fresh-frozen and available online on their retail website. Tylee’s Dog Food currently comes in four different “flavors” (beef, chicken, pork, and turkey), all of which are grain-free using either squash or potatoes as the carbohydrate source. It should be noted that “Beef Tallow” is included in all four recipes, thus if you have a dog with a beef allergy, these recipes may not be appropriate for your pup.

All of the recipes by Tylee’s are higher protein, high fat and lower in carbohydrates (28-35% protein, 50-56% fat, and 14-17% carbohydrates on a caloric basis). The overall composition of Tylee’s Dog Food Recipes would be appropriate for dogs who are highly active, or that are picky because of the higher fat and protein content. However these recipes may be too high in fat for some dogs – especially those with a sensitive stomach.

It is important to note that since these foods are manufactured in the same facility as the rest of the Chewy-exclusive pet food products (which are “feed-grade”). Tylee’s Dog Food is not actually “human-edible” because the facility is not exclusively manufacturing human-edible foods, despite using “human-grade” in the title of their recipes. AAFCO has no legal definition of “human-grade”, only the term “human-edible”, which is why this confusion can occur.

OVERVIEW:

Company Responded to Questions Asked via Email: No. The information gathered below was from their website December 2021.

Who formulated Tylee’s Dog Food? No information has been given online as far as the formulation of these products.

Where are Tyle’s Human Grade Dog Food Recipes Manufactured? In Chewy’s own manufacturing facility in Texas where they produce all their other feed-grade pet food items (including American Journey Pet Food).

What Quality Control Procedures does Tylee’s Lightly Cooked Dog Food perform on their foods? No mention was given on their website of quality control procedures including mycotoxin testing, or pathogen testing.

Has Tylee Invested in Digestibility or AAFCO Feeding Trials? No AAFCO Feeding Trials or Digestibility trials were mentioned on their website.

Are Full Nutritional Profiles Found Online for the Tylee Recipes? Only guaranteed analysis is available for these products, it is unknown if full nutritional profiles were tested.

Has Tylee Dog Food ever been Recalled? No.

RECIPES:

Tylee’s Human-Grade Beef Recipe

Ingredients: Beef Heart, Beef, Beef Liver, Broccoli, Zucchini, Spinach, Mango, Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Sunflower Seeds, Minerals (Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide), Chia Seeds, Salmon Oil Powder, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Cod Liver Oil Powder, Ground Flaxseed, Choline Chloride, Rosemary Extract, Parsley, Ground Cinnamon, Dried Kelp, Beef Tallow.

AAFCO Statement:  Tylee’s recipes are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, including the growth of large breed puppies (those with an adult weight of over 70 lbs).

Balanced for puppies and adults, including large breeds.

Tylee’s Human-Grade Chicken Recipe

Ingredients: Chicken Heart, Chicken Liver, Chicken, Carrots, Celery, Spinach, Peas, Apples, Minerals (Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Tricalcium Phosphate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide), Chia Seeds, Salmon Oil Powder, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Ground Flaxseed, Cod Liver Oil Powder, Choline Chloride, Rosemary Extract, Parsley, Dried Kelp, Beef Tallow

AAFCO Statement:  Tylee’s recipes are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, including the growth of large breed puppies (those with an adult weight of over 70 lbs).

Balanced for puppies and adults, including large breeds.

Tylee’s Human-Grade Pork Recipe

Ingredients: Pork Heart, Beef Liver, Pork, Carrots, Broccoli, Kale, Butternut Squash, Pineapple, Minerals (Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide), Chia Seeds, Salmon Oil Powder, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Cod Liver Oil Powder, Ground Flaxseed, Choline Chloride, Rosemary Extract, Parsley, Ground Cinnamon, Dried Kelp, Beef Tallow

AAFCO Statement:  Tylee’s recipes are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, including the growth of large breed puppies (those with an adult weight of over 70 lbs).

Balanced for puppies and adults, including large breeds.

Tylee’s Human-Grade Turkey Recipe

Ingredients: Turkey Heart, Turkey, Turkey Liver, Cranberries, Zucchini, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Minerals (Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Tricalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide), Ground Flaxseed, Salmon Oil Powder, Chia Seeds, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Cod Liver Oil Powder, Choline Chloride, Rosemary Extract, Ground Cinnamon, Dried Kelp, Beef Tallow

AAFCO Statement:  Tylee’s recipes are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for all life stages, including the growth of large breed puppies (those with an adult weight of over 70 lbs).

Balanced for puppies and adults, including large breeds.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ( FAQ )

Where to buy Tylee’s fresh Dog Food?

You can purchase Tylee’s dog food on chewy.com along with many other dog products. Setting up a meal plan and delivery schedule is relatively easy if you sign up to autoship as you can setup delivery every 2-8 weeks, and change the amount or types of items within your order prior to shipping to make sure you have room in your freezer. 

Storage Instructions and How to Feed Tylee’s Dog Food?

Tylee’s Dog Food comes frozen to your door in a cooler on dry-ice and will need to be thawed prior to feeding to your pup. As Tylee’s is a fresh dog food brand and does not contain preservatives (other than vitamin E) storage of Tylee’s Dog Food should be mostly in your freezer, and you should only thaw 2-3 days worth of food in your fridge. Over time you will become used to rotating food from your freezer to the fridge without issue.

To thaw simply defrost overnight in your fridge prior to feeding. When feeding – place food out for no more than 30 minutes, then place back into the fridge to feed later OR place food out for two hours then discard.

If you forget to thaw your dog’s food (which can happen!), you can heat up Tylee’s Dog Food quickly using your Microwave’s defrost setting (or 50% power for 2 minutes). Simply place the amount of food you need in a microwave-safe container prior.

Is Tylee’s Dog Food cooked Food Balanced for Puppies?

Yes, Tylee’s Dog Food is balanced for puppies and adult dogs including large breed puppies.

Tylee’s Dog Food vs. Kibble – how does it compare?

The main differences between a lightly cooked diet like Tylee’s Dog Food and a Kibbled diet comes down to processing method and preservation. Kibbled products use a combination of either high heat for short periods of time with a long dehydration period at low heat, OR high heat for a longer period of time in order to both cook and dehydrate their diets to allow them to be more shelf-stable. In contrast with lightly cooked diets which cook just enough to be considered food-safe according to the USDA, but do not continue cooking to dehydrate completely.

The second difference comes down to the amount of preservatives used. In order to make a shelf-stable diet kibbled dog foods need to use more preservatives – these may be natural preservatives like Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E) or may be synthetic preservatives like BHA/BHT. In contrast with fresh frozen pet food products which will use some vitamin E, but largely rely on freezing as a preservation method. This means the food is truly perishable, and you will need freezer and fridge space to store.

Is Tylee’s Dog Food a Raw Dog Food?

No, Tylee’s is a lightly cooked dog food. Though both raw and lightly cooked foods tend to use fresh whole foods ingredients, which are healthy and nutritious. Raw meat can contain pathogens, and in fact 20-50% of human-grade raw grocery store meats are contaminated with some type of pathogen – Salmonella, Listeria or E. Coli – this is why the USDA and FDA both recommend cooking meats to a food-safe internal temperature prior to eating. Currently, we do not have any research that raw dog food is more nutritious than lightly cooked products – both can offer the same potential digestibility, microbiome, and immune benefits to help your pup stay healthy. Unlike kibble where we are limited by processing method, both raw and cooked can be created with almost any macronutrient composition (high protein, high fat – to – low protein, low fat).

Can Tylee’s Dog Food be Used as a Topper?

Yes, because Tylee’s is easily accessible on Chewy which is one of the largest sellers of pet food online, you can fairly easily mix and match diets and set up a topper meal plan in order to supplement your dog’s regular kibbled diet. Using Tylee’s dog food as a topper for picky dogs or dogs who need to gain weight may be a great option as it is naturally high in protein and fat which most dogs enjoy!

How much does Tylee’s Dog Food Cost?

It highly depends on your own dog’s individual needs as to how much Tylee’s Fresh Dog Food will cost per month to feed your dog. But considering the average 50lb dog needs to eat about 1000 calories per day, and Tylee’s Chicken Recipe is about 43 calories per ounce. A 50lb adult dog would need to eat around 23 ounces per day of food. Since the price of Tylee’s Chicken Recipe is $38.82 for a 96 ounce package of food, this means you will spend about $9.40 per day to feed your dog or around $272.17 per month. This may be more or less expensive than what you are currently feeding depending on your dog’s current diet. But if you would like a quote on how much it would cost to feed your dog Tylee’s you can contact Chewy’s customer service directly.

Are Tylee’s Dog Food Recipes Good for Dogs with Allergies?

Depending on the type of allergies your dog has, will depend on if Tylee’s recipes will help your dog with their allergies. First, you need to understand that there are two types of allergies in dogs – food allergies, and environmental allergies. Though these allergies present in similar ways with yeast infections, bacteria infections, itching, and skin inflammation – they are actually treated differently.

Typically for dogs with food allergies, we look to avoid the foods that trigger the overstimulation of their immune system – this is highly individual based on the dog. Dogs can be allergic to any food that contains protein molecules – meats, carbohydrates (even some produce). But most commonly we see food allergies to chicken, beef, eggs, and dairy. Considering these most common allergens the best choice for a diet may be the Tylee’s Turkey Recipe for dogs with food allergies. However, if your dog has been exposed to this protein before it may not be appropriate as we typically like to choose “novel” proteins for dogs with food allergies – or proteins which your pup has never been exposed to before.

For dogs with environmental allergies, we do not focus on eliminating food groups but instead rebuilding and supporting the skin barrier. This is typically done with a highly digestible source of protein, antioxidants, and certain types of fats called EPA & DHA (an omega 3 fatty acid). As full nutritional analysis is not available online we do not know if these diets have lower omega 3 to 6 ratios or how much omega 3 (in the form of EPA & DHA) are in these diets. These diets are higher in protein and fat so they may be useful for a dog with environmental allergies. However, if additional fish oil is needed for allergy management these diets may be too high in fat to add in additional fish oil without loose stools.

Are Tylee’s Dog Food Meals Good for Dogs with Loose Stools or Diarrhea?

Typically when we look for diets for dogs with a sensitive stomach we like to look for diets that are both low in fat, and highly digestible – this combination moves food out of the stomach faster and allows for better absorption of nutrients within the intestines. As all of the Tylee’s Dog Food Recipes are high in fat (with a fat content above 50% on a caloric basis) these recipes may not be a good choice for dogs who suffer from fat sensitivity.

It is important to note that not all dogs with loose stools have fat sensitivity or require a low-fat diet. Some dogs benefit from a high fiber diet (in the case of fiber responsible diarrhea), or a novel protein diet (in the case of IBD). If you have a dog with gastrointestinal issues you may want to consult with your vet to see if Tylee’s would be a good choice prior to purchasing.

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