Hills Dog Food

Company Background

Hills brand dog food is manufactured by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. Hill’s Pet Nutrition is actually a subsidiary of the Colgate-Palmolive Company, which is headquartered in New York City. Currently, Hills Pet Nutrition is responsible for manufacturing over 60 types of “Prescription Diet” formulas, as well as over 50 types of “Science Diet” formulas. The research and development for Hill’s Pet Nutrition takes place at a research facility in Topeka, Kansas.

Advertising

As far as Hills Science Diet, these formulas have been subject to an extensive and comprehensive advertising campaign. The Science Diet brand name is highly recognizable, due to it commonly being promoted by veterinarians. This advertising tactic has received both positive and negative attention.

Food Ingredients

Many of the Hills brand dog food formulas, including Hills Science Plan, include corn-based ingredients. These ingredients are usually listed among the first five ingredients, which is an indicator that they make up a significant portion of the formula. Corn-based ingredients have come under a lot of scrutiny in the pet food industry, often being described as a “cheap filler ingredient”. However, some pet food companies have published studies which have cited corn as a fair source of protein. In general, dog owners tend to view corn ingredients negatively, which is a factor that has influenced poor reviews of Hills dog food formulas.

Customer Reviews

Most customers have negative things to say about their experience with Hills brand pet food formulas. Some dog owners report that their dogs experienced heavy shedding, or gastrointestinal problems when fed Hills brand dog food formulas. However, a few dog owners seem to have fed Hills dog food formulas without any significant issues. Some customers report that their dogs experienced less health problems when they were switched to a higher quality formula (and taken off of Hills brand pet foods).

Product Line

There are many different dog food formulas that are marketed by Hill’s Pet Nutrition. These formulas cover a wide variety of life stages, health conditions and “dietary needs”. Included among the formulas are products for kidney disease, liver disease, weight loss, recovery from accidents, heart disease, and dealing with skin-based allergies. There are also formulas designed for puppies (up to one year of age), adult dogs ( up to seven years of age) and senior dogs (over seven years of age). Many formulas are available both in dry and canned varieties.