By Theresa Gibilisco, owner, The Hungry Puppy
We carry both Badlands Ranch and Dr. Marty, and they get compared a lot. They look alike on the shelf...premium bags, meat first, no grains. But they are made in two very different ways, and that changes how you feed them, how far a bag goes and which dogs do best on each.
Here is the comparison, straight from the labels.
The big difference: air-dried vs. freeze-dried raw
Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete is air-dried. The brand describes it as cooked "low and slow" at gentle temperatures to pull the moisture out, which makes it shelf-stable. It is gently cooked, not raw.
Dr. Marty Nature's Blend is freeze-dried raw. The meat is never cooked. The water is removed by freezing, which leaves light, crunchy pieces.
If you want to feed raw without handling frozen meat, Dr. Marty is the one. If you like the idea of a minimally processed food but would rather it be cooked, Badlands Ranch fits that.
Who makes each one
Badlands Ranch was started by actress Katherine Heigl and is named after her family's ranch in Utah. The brand sponsors the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, an animal welfare nonprofit her family founded.
Dr. Marty is made by Dr. Marty Pets, the company started by veterinarian Dr. Marty Goldstein.
Ingredients
Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete Beef starts with beef, beef heart, beef liver and salmon. Then come flaxseed, sweet potato, pumpkin, carrots, broccoli, chia seeds, blueberry, ginger, turmeric and lion's mane mushroom, plus an added vitamin and mineral pack. Note that the beef recipe also has salmon in it, so it isn't a single-protein food.
Dr. Marty Nature's Blend Essential Wellness mixes turkey, beef, salmon and duck with beef liver, turkey liver and turkey heart. Then flaxseed, sweet potato, egg, pea flour, apple, blueberry, carrot, cranberry, pumpkin seed, spinach, kelp, ginger, sunflower seed, broccoli and kale. It does not list a long vitamin and mineral pack. The recipe leans on whole foods.
Neither recipe has grains. If your vet has asked you to avoid peas or legumes, note that Dr. Marty Essential Wellness has pea flour and the Badlands Ranch beef recipe does not.
Protein, fat and calories
Guaranteed analysis from the labels, Badlands Ranch Beef against Dr. Marty Essential Wellness:
- Crude protein (min): Badlands Ranch 30% vs. Dr. Marty 37%
- Crude fat (min): Badlands Ranch 25% vs. Dr. Marty 27%
- Crude fiber (max): Badlands Ranch 5% vs. Dr. Marty 4%
- Moisture (max): Badlands Ranch 15% vs. Dr. Marty 6%
- Calories: Badlands Ranch 430 kcal per cup vs. Dr. Marty 256 kcal per cup
The protein gap looks bigger than it is. Badlands Ranch holds more moisture, and once you take the water out of the math the two are closer. Dr. Marty still comes out a few points higher.
The calorie difference is the one to pay attention to. A cup of Badlands Ranch has a lot more calories than a cup of Dr. Marty because the air-dried pieces are dense and the freeze-dried pieces are light and airy. You'll feed fewer cups of Badlands Ranch. Never swap them cup for cup.
Recipes and life stages
We carry Badlands Ranch air-dried food in several recipes, including beef, chicken, lamb and venison, fish and turkey, and bison and beef, plus their freeze-dried Superfood Bites and Superfood Nuggets treats. The beef recipe label lists it for adult dogs.
Dr. Marty has more formulas aimed at a life stage or need: Essential Wellness, Essential Wellness Premium Origin, Healthy Digestion, Sensitivity Select, Radiant Select, Small Breed, Healthy Growth Puppy and Active Vitality for seniors. Essential Wellness is labeled as formulated to meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for adult maintenance. If you're feeding a puppy, Dr. Marty has a puppy formula. Check the label for any food you choose for a young dog.
Feeding and serving
Serving is almost the same. Both can go in the bowl dry, right from the bag. Both brands suggest 2 parts food to 1 part water if you want to rehydrate, then letting it sit about 3 minutes. Both make a good topper on kibble if you want to start small.
Switch slowly with either one. Dr. Marty recommends about 10 days: 25% new food for days 1 to 3, 50% for days 4 to 6, 75% for days 7 to 9, then all new. That works for Badlands Ranch too. Keep fresh water out, since both are dry foods.
Bag sizes and value
Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete comes in 11.5 oz, 24 oz and 64 oz bags. Dr. Marty Essential Wellness comes in 6 oz, 16 oz and 48 oz bags.
Comparing bag prices alone won't tell you much, because the calories per cup are so different. What matters is the cost per day for your dog. Look at the feeding chart for your dog's weight, check the price on the product page and work out how many days a bag lasts. Both are premium foods and both cost more to feed than kibble. Using either one as a topper is an easy way to keep the cost down.
Which one fits your dog?
Badlands Ranch may be the better fit if:
- You want a gently cooked food instead of raw
- You'd like a recipe without peas (the beef recipe has none)
- Your dog needs more calories in a smaller bowl
Dr. Marty may be the better fit if:
- You want to feed freeze-dried raw
- You want a formula for a specific life stage or need
- Your dog gains weight easily and you want more volume for the calories
If your dog has a health condition, allergies or a sensitive stomach, check with your vet before you change foods.
How to get it from us
Shop the Badlands Ranch collection and the Dr. Marty collection online, or come see both on the shelf at 1288 Highway 33 in Farmingdale. Freeze-dried food like Dr. Marty ships free nationwide. Orders over $75 ship free to the Northeast. Locally, we deliver free on your town's route day, Tuesday through Friday, with a $20 minimum across Monmouth County and parts of Ocean, Middlesex and Mercer. Find your day on our local delivery page.
Questions? Call us at 732-938-4470. We're open Tuesday to Friday 9 to 7, Saturday 9 to 5 and Sunday 10 to 4. And if your dog won't eat an opened bag, our 100% satisfaction guarantee has you covered.
FAQ
Is Badlands Ranch raw?
No. Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete is air-dried, which means it is gently cooked at low heat. Dr. Marty Nature's Blend is freeze-dried raw.
Which has more protein, Badlands Ranch or Dr. Marty?
Dr. Marty Essential Wellness lists 37% minimum crude protein and Badlands Ranch Beef lists 30%. Badlands Ranch has more moisture, so the real gap is smaller than those numbers suggest.
Why do I feed less Badlands Ranch than Dr. Marty?
Badlands Ranch has about 430 calories per cup and Dr. Marty Essential Wellness about 256. The air-dried pieces are much denser, so follow each bag's own feeding chart.
Can I feed them together?
Many people use one as a topper on another food. Introduce any new food slowly and adjust the total amount so you don't overfeed.
Do you deliver Badlands Ranch and Dr. Marty?
Yes. Both come free on our local routes with a $20 minimum, and Dr. Marty ships free nationwide.