Voyager Dog Food Review 2026: The Vet-Founded Brand Built Around One Mission No Other Company Has
Updated: June 2026 · All Four Formulas Analyzed · Zero Recalls Confirmed · Copper Storage Disease Explained
Most dog food companies are built around market share. Voyager Dog Food Company was built around a diagnosis — specifically, the diagnosis that killed a veterinarian’s own dog and that the same veterinarian spent years watching claim dogs in his clinical practice while the pet food industry did nothing about it.
That mission shapes everything about Voyager dog food: what goes in, what stays out, who makes it, how it is sold, and why a growing community of owners — particularly those with Dobermans, Labrador Retrievers, Bedlington Terriers, and other copper-sensitive breeds — describe finding Voyager as the moment they finally stopped worrying about their dog’s liver health.
This is the most complete Voyager dog food review you will find in 2026. It covers the full story of the Voyager dog food company, every formula ingredient-by-ingredient, the science of copper storage disease, the recall history (confirmed: none), what real owners say across verified review platforms, and a direct answer to whether Voyager dog food is actually worth the price for your specific dog.
Navigate This Review
- What Is Voyager Dog Food? The Mission Behind the Brand
- Who Runs the Voyager Dog Food Company?
- Where Is Voyager Dog Food Made?
- The Science Behind Voyager: Copper Storage Disease Explained
- The Full Voyager Dog Food Lineup: Every Formula Reviewed
- Voyager Wholesome Farm Chicken: Ingredient Analysis
- Voyager Ocean Pollock: Ingredient Analysis
- Voyager High Performance Chicken: Ingredient Analysis
- Voyager Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon: Ingredient Analysis
- Voyager Dog Food Recall History: The Complete Record
- Voyager Dog Food Reviews: What Real Owners Report
- Pros and Cons of Voyager Dog Food
- How Voyager Dog Food Compares to the Competition
- Who Should Buy Voyager Dog Food
- Where to Buy Voyager Dog Food
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Final Verdict
What Is Voyager Dog Food? The Mission Behind the Brand
Voyager dog food is a direct-to-consumer dry dog food brand with a single overriding nutritional philosophy: eliminate man-made chelated copper from every recipe while delivering complete, balanced, grain-inclusive nutrition.
The Scoop Dog Food was launched in 2019 to help provide a healthy alternative to the growing man-made disaster of Copper Storage Disease in dogs. After much success, in 2023 The Scoop was rebranded to Voyager Dog Food Co to better serve its customers and to reach a larger audience of dog lovers.
That rebranding from The Scoop to Voyager dog food marks the moment the company shifted from a niche copper-focused product to a broader brand — while maintaining the no-added-chelated-copper commitment as its defining characteristic.
Every Voyager recipe starts with responsibly sourced, nutrient-rich ingredients your dog was born to eat. The brand skips the fillers, additives, and synthetic junk — especially copper — so every bite supports lifelong health.
Three pillars define Voyager dog food company’s nutritional philosophy:
First, no added chelated copper or copper sulfate in any formula — only naturally occurring copper from whole food ingredients. Second, grain-inclusive formulas across the entire product range, taking a firm stand against grain-free diets and their associated DCM risk. Third, elimination of beef, wheat, and dairy — the three ingredients that Dr. Pete’s participation in many pharmaceutical-company-led dermatology studies has shown are the most implicated ingredients in recurring ear-related infections and hot spots.
These three commitments distinguish Voyager dog food from virtually every other commercial brand on the market — and they make this brand relevant to a specific and underserved segment of dog owners.
Who Runs the Voyager Dog Food Company?
Voyager Dog Food emerged from a veterinarian’s personal mission to protect dogs from copper storage disease — a condition that claimed his own companion. Founded by Dr. Pete VanVranken after nearly five decades in clinical practice, this Michigan-based brand eliminates all chelated copper from its recipes and takes a firm stance on grain-inclusive nutrition.
Dr. VanVranken’s clinical background is the foundation of Voyager dog food’s credibility. The team behind the creation of Voyager Dog Food consists of a practicing veterinarian, a dog food specialist, and a PhD nutritionist. What this means for their process is purity, consistency, and the highest nutritional value in every bowl of Voyager dog food.
This three-person expert structure — veterinarian, industry specialist, academic nutritionist — gives Voyager dog food company a formulation team that few brands its size can match. The brand does not have the institutional research budget of Purina or Hill’s. What it has instead is a founding veterinarian with direct clinical experience of the condition the food was specifically designed to prevent.
Where Is Voyager Dog Food Made?
Voyager is made in small batches by their partners in Lisbon, OH and Sabetha, KS. Sold direct to consumer to ensure excellent quality and the best customer service for their customers.
Both Lisbon, Ohio, and Sabetha, Kansas, are established pet food manufacturing locations with strong track records in the industry. Small-batch production is a genuine quality-control advantage — smaller production runs are easier to monitor for consistency, contamination, and formulation accuracy than high-volume commodity production.
The direct-to-consumer model is also deliberate. By selling exclusively through their own website and select retail partners rather than through large pet food distributors, Voyager dog food company maintains tighter control over storage, rotation, and customer service than is possible through big-box retail channels.
The Science Behind Voyager Dog Food: Copper Storage Disease Explained
To understand why Voyager dog food exists, you need to understand copper storage disease — a condition that most pet owners have never heard of despite its increasing prevalence.
What Is Copper Storage Disease in Dogs?
Copper Storage Disease is a potentially life-threatening condition in dogs caused by an abnormal accumulation of copper in a dog’s liver. This leads to progressive damage and scarring. The condition is also known as copper-associated hepatopathy or chronic active hepatitis.
In a healthy dog’s liver, copper is processed and excreted normally as part of metabolic function. In a dog with copper storage disease — either due to genetic predisposition or chronic dietary copper overload — copper accumulates in liver cells, triggering oxidative damage, inflammatory cascades, fibrosis, and ultimately cirrhosis and liver failure.
The AAFCO 1997 Connection
Studies and new research have proven this increase in Copper Storage Disease can be directly related to the mandate by AAFCO in 1997 regarding the change in copper supplementation for dog food.
In 1997, the Association of American Feed Control Officials changed the permissible copper sources in commercial dog food to include chelated copper (copper bound to amino acids or proteins). Chelated copper is significantly more bioavailable than the copper sulfate it partially replaced — meaning dogs absorb and retain far more of it. The intended benefit was improved copper uptake for deficiency prevention. The unintended consequence, according to Voyager dog food company’s research and a growing body of veterinary literature, was chronic copper overload in genetically susceptible dogs eating the same food year after year.
We contacted many pet food manufacturers and most had no idea the level of copper in their foods, only that they had added the mandated amount of chelated copper or copper sulfate to their recipe. The additional problem is that many of the recipes are formulated with beef, pork, chicken or fish by-products that were also fed diets supplemented with chelated copper.
This compounding effect — chelated copper added directly to the food, plus copper present in by-products from animals that were themselves fed copper-supplemented feed — creates a cumulative copper load that the Voyager dog food company argues is responsible for the documented rise in canine liver disease seen since the late 1990s.
Which Breeds Are Most at Risk?
Copper storage disease affects all dogs to varying degrees, but certain breeds carry genetic variants that impair copper metabolism at the hepatocellular level:
- Bedlington Terriers (the most severely affected breed; near-universal copper accumulation)
- Labrador Retrievers (significantly elevated incidence documented in multiple studies)
- Doberman Pinschers
- Skye Terriers
- West Highland White Terriers
- Dalmatians
- American Cocker Spaniels
For owners of these breeds, the copper content in commercial dog food is not an abstract nutritional detail — it is a direct health management variable.
What Cornell University Says About Voyager Dog Food
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine references Voyager as a copper-safe diet option, lending academic credibility to the brand’s core claim. This institutional endorsement from one of the most respected veterinary schools in North America is the strongest third-party validation Voyager dog food has received.
The Full Voyager Dog Food Lineup: Every Formula Reviewed
Voyager dog food company produces four dry formulas, each maintaining the no-added-chelated-copper commitment while targeting different protein preferences and health needs.
| Formula | Primary Protein | Copper Max (mg/kg) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesome Farm Chicken | Chicken by-product meal | 10 mg/kg | General feeding, copper-sensitive dogs |
| Clean and Complete Ocean Pollock | Pollock meal | Listed per batch | Grain-inclusive fish alternative |
| High Performance Chicken | Chicken (elevated protein) | Listed per batch | Active and working dogs |
| Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon | Hydrolyzed salmon | 16 mg/kg | Food allergies, skin conditions |
Voyager Wholesome Farm Chicken: Full Ingredient Analysis
Ingredients: Chicken by-product meal, corn protein meal, brown rice, barley, corn, poultry fat, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavor, dried yeast, monocalcium phosphate, flaxseed, calcium carbonate, salt, mixed tocopherols (a preservative), potassium chloride, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, iron carbonate, zinc oxide, biotin, sodium selenite, manganous oxide, niacin, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, cobalt carbonate, folic acid. Maximum Copper Amount: 10 mg/kg Max.
The 10 mg/kg maximum copper ceiling is the most important number on this ingredient panel. Standard commercial dog foods typically contain 15–25 mg/kg copper; premium formulas with added chelated copper can run higher. At 10 mg/kg from naturally occurring sources only, the Wholesome Farm Chicken formula sits substantially below the industry average.
Chicken by-product meal (first ingredient): A concentrated protein source delivering approximately 3x the protein density of fresh chicken by weight. The by-product designation indicates organ meats, bone, and connective tissue rather than muscle meat — less desirable from an ingredient transparency standpoint, but nutritionally complete and highly digestible. Note that Voyager specifically formulates to ensure by-products from its supply chain are not from animals fed chelated copper supplements — addressing the compounding effect described above.
Corn protein meal (second ingredient): A plant-based protein booster derived from corn processing. Elevates total protein percentage but provides a less complete amino acid profile than meat-sourced protein. Its prominence at position two is the primary ingredient quality concern in this formula.
Brown rice and barley: Clean, digestible grain carbohydrates. Their inclusion reflects Voyager dog food company’s grain-inclusive philosophy and directly addresses the grain-free/DCM risk. Brown rice provides complex carbohydrate energy; barley adds soluble fiber that supports gut health.
Poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols): Natural vitamin E preservation — a positive quality marker compared to synthetic BHA or BHT preservation.
Dried plain beet pulp: A respected prebiotic fiber source that ferments slowly in the gut, supports beneficial bacteria, and promotes healthy stool consistency.
Flaxseed: A plant-based omega-3 source (ALA) contributing to skin, coat, and anti-inflammatory support.
No copper sulfate, no chelated copper, no cupric oxide: The mineral panel uses iron carbonate, zinc oxide, manganous oxide — the inorganic forms that do not include added copper. Only naturally occurring copper from whole ingredients remains.
Voyager Ocean Pollock: Full Ingredient Analysis
Ingredients: Pollock meal, brown rice, barley, chicken by-product meal, poultry fat, whole oats, flaxseed, dried yeast, dried plain beet pulp, pumpkin, carrot, dried tomato pomace, natural flavor, salt, mixed tocopherols, choline chloride, taurine, monocalcium phosphate, vitamin E supplement, iron carbonate, zinc oxide, dl-methionine, biotin, sodium selenite, manganous oxide, niacin, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, cobalt carbonate, folic acid.
Key differences from the Chicken formula:
Pollock meal leads the ingredient list — a named, species-specific marine protein source that is a meaningful quality upgrade over “chicken by-product meal” at position one. Pollock meal delivers a full amino acid profile plus naturally occurring omega-3 fatty acids.
Taurine is explicitly listed — a cardiac-protective amino acid derivative that supports heart muscle function. Its explicit inclusion as a named ingredient rather than relying on meat content alone reflects informed formulation for cardiac health.
Pumpkin, carrots, and tomato pomace — whole-food additions providing beta carotene, fiber, and antioxidant compounds.
Whole oats — an additional grain source adding soluble beta-glucan fiber, which supports both gut health and modest cholesterol management.
Dog Food Advisor rates this formula as the representative product for the Voyager dog food line review — a signal that it is considered the strongest nutritional example of the brand’s approach.
Voyager High Performance Chicken: Full Ingredient Analysis
The High Performance Chicken formula maintains the no-added-copper commitment while elevating protein content for active, working, or sporting dogs.
The High-Performance Chicken recipe provides elevated protein and larger kibble size, which customers report works well for working dogs and active breeds that need muscle support and sustained energy. The grain-inclusive carbohydrates deliver steady fuel without the blood sugar spikes that can come from high-glycemic ingredients.
The larger kibble size is a thoughtful design choice for working and large breeds that benefit from chewing and slower eating pace — it reduces air ingestion associated with fast eating and extends meal duration.
This formula is appropriate for:
- Active adult dogs with significant daily exercise demands
- Working and sporting breeds during active seasons
- Dogs that need elevated protein for muscle maintenance and recovery
- Copper-sensitive breeds that are also highly active
Voyager Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon: Full Ingredient Analysis
Ingredients: Peas, hydrolyzed salmon, brown rice, chickpeas, pea protein, chicken fat, dried pumpkin, dried carrots, dried plain beet pulp, monocalcium phosphate, dried tomato pomace, calcium carbonate, dried whitefish, natural flavor, salmon oil, salt, choline chloride, mixed tocopherols, taurine, DL-methionine, vitamin E supplement, iron carbonate, zinc oxide, biotin, sodium selenite, manganous oxide, niacin, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, vitamin A supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, cobalt carbonate, folic acid. Maximum Copper Amount: 16 mg/kg Max.
Key differentiators of this formula:
Hydrolyzed salmon as primary animal protein: Hydrolyzed proteins are broken into smaller peptides through enzymatic processing — meaning the immune system is less likely to recognize and react to them as allergens. This is the technology used in veterinary hypoallergenic prescription diets. Its use in Voyager’s Sensitive formula is a genuine clinical innovation for a non-prescription product.
Salmon oil as a secondary ingredient: Marine-source omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) directly support skin barrier function, reduce inflammatory responses, and contribute to the coat quality improvements owners report.
Peas and chickpeas as carbohydrate sources: The presence of legumes in this formula is a notable distinction from the other three Voyager recipes. This is the only formula with a meaningful legume content — relevant to the ongoing FDA investigation into grain-free/legume-heavy diets and DCM. Voyager dog food company’s grain-inclusive philosophy means legumes here are additions, not grain replacements, but owners of DCM-predisposed breeds should note this difference.
Copper ceiling at 16 mg/kg: Slightly higher than the Chicken formula’s 10 mg/kg ceiling but still significantly below the industry average for standard commercial dog food.
A 14-year-old terrier mix who was having issues with high liver enzymes with no apparent cause after many tests, and who could not tolerate the chicken formula, was successfully transitioned to this salmon diet. The customer reported tolerating it well.
Voyager Dog Food Recall History: The Complete Record
No recalls noted for Voyager Dog Food Co through June 2026.
Voyager has maintained a clean safety record since launch, with no FDA recalls or contamination incidents through October 2025.
This zero-recall record has been maintained from the brand’s 2019 launch as The Scoop through the 2023 rebrand to Voyager dog food and through June 2026. For a brand that operates on small-batch production with ingredient testing at every sourcing step, a clean recall record is both the expected outcome and an important baseline confirmation.
The small-batch production model directly supports recall prevention: Voyager tests every ingredient to ensure they are clean and complete for your dog. Smaller production volumes allow more intensive quality control per batch than high-volume commodity manufacturing.
No Voyager dog food recall has ever been issued. No Voyager dog food recall is under investigation as of June 2026.
For owners researching “Voyager dog food recall” as part of their buying decision, this is the complete and accurate answer: no recall exists in the brand’s entire operational history.
Voyager Dog Food Reviews: What Real Owners Report
Voyager dog food reviews from verified purchasers reveal consistent patterns across three distinct buyer segments.
Owners of Copper-Sensitive or Copper-Affected Dogs
This is the core buyer segment for Voyager dog food and where the most emotionally resonant reviews originate. Multiple customer reviews from Doberman owners report successful disease management, with blood tests showing stable copper levels after switching to Voyager.
One owner described their dog Wiki, who has copper storage syndrome, as thriving on Voyager and eating the food as soon as it is put in her bowl. The owner expressed regret at not having found Voyager years earlier. Another owner described having three Shih Tzus, with one having liver disease likely from copper storage disease, and noted that their dog’s copper levels dropped after the switch.
One Dog Food Advisor commenter describes finding Voyager after losing a Lab/Shepherd mix to liver problems at age 9: “I had never heard of copper storage disease but wish I knew then what I know now. I feel I could have avoided that tragedy. My current GSD dog is doing well on the Voyager regular chicken recipe. I not only have peace of mind feeding it to her, but she likes it, looks healthy, nice coat, bright eyes and full of energy.”
These are not general positive reviews. They are accounts of dogs with diagnosed hepatic conditions whose measurable health markers improved after switching to Voyager dog food. For this audience, the brand delivers on its primary promise.
General Health and Coat Improvement Reports
Beyond copper-specific cases, Voyager dog food reviews from general buyers consistently cite coat quality improvements, improved energy, and solid digestive performance. The grain-inclusive formulas produce firm, consistent stool in most dogs — a practical indicator of good digestibility.
Critical Perspectives
The most consistent criticism in Voyager dog food reviews is the ingredient quality at position one and two in the Chicken formula — chicken by-product meal and corn protein meal lead a formula that could benefit from named whole meat at the top of the list. Voyager operates with less third-party verification than some competitors. There’s no public listing of ISO, HACCP, or AAFCO feeding trial certifications, and the company doesn’t publish independent lab test results or detailed audit histories. The brand’s reliability rests heavily on Dr. VanVranken’s veterinary credentials and direct customer feedback rather than external oversight.
This is a fair and accurate assessment. Voyager dog food company’s credibility is founder-driven and community-validated rather than institutionally certified. Buyers who prioritize formal third-party verification above all other factors will find this transparency gap a genuine limitation.
Pros and Cons of Voyager Dog Food
What Voyager Dog Food Gets Right
Zero added chelated copper across all formulas. This is not a marketing claim — it is a documented formulation decision backed by published copper maximum values per formula. No other mainstream commercial dog food brand makes this commitment across its entire product range.
Grain-inclusive across every formula (with the exception of legume additions in the Salmon formula). Voyager dog food company’s explicit stance on grain-free diets and DCM risk is supported by the ongoing FDA investigation and the 2025 University of Helsinki metabolic research. Choosing grain-inclusive as a non-negotiable brand commitment is a sound public health position.
No beef, wheat, or dairy in any formula. These three ingredients have the strongest documented associations with food-related skin conditions, ear infections, and adverse food reactions in clinical veterinary practice. Their elimination across the entire Voyager range reduces allergenic load meaningfully.
Taurine explicitly included in at least two formulas — addressing cardiac health directly at the formulation level.
Small-batch US manufacturing with ingredient testing per batch. Meaningful quality control differentiation from commodity pet food production.
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine endorsement as a copper-safe diet. Institutional credibility from a respected academic source.
Zero recall history since 2019 launch.
Direct-to-consumer model with fast UPS Ground shipping to all 50 states.
Where Voyager Dog Food Has Limitations
Chicken by-product meal and corn protein meal at positions one and two in the core formula. Named whole meat as the first ingredient would be a meaningful quality improvement.
No AAFCO feeding trial certification publicly disclosed. Formulation compliance with AAFCO nutrient profiles is maintained, but feeding trial data — the higher standard — is not published.
Narrow product range. Four dry formulas cover most nutritional needs, but there is no wet food, no puppy-specific formula, no senior-specific formula, and no prescription therapeutic option.
Legume content in the Salmon formula. Peas and chickpeas as primary carbohydrate sources are relevant to the DCM discussion for predisposed breeds.
Price point is above average. The direct-to-consumer model and small-batch production result in a cost per pound that is higher than similarly positioned national brands.
Limited public third-party verification. No published ISO, HACCP, or independent lab certifications beyond the company’s own testing protocols.
How Voyager Dog Food Compares to the Competition
| Feature | Voyager Dog Food | Purina Pro Plan | Hill’s Science Diet | Royal Canin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelated copper eliminated | Yes (all formulas) | No | No | No |
| No beef/wheat/dairy | Yes | No | No | No |
| Grain-inclusive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AAFCO feeding trials | Not published | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Taurine included | Yes (2 formulas) | Some | Some | Some |
| US manufactured | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| Recall history | Zero (since 2019) | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple |
| Direct-to-consumer | Yes | No | No | No |
| Copper max disclosure | Yes (per formula) | No | No | No |
| Price per lb (approx.) | $2.50–$3.50 | $1.40–$2.00 | $1.60–$2.20 | $2.00–$3.00 |
The comparison reveals Voyager dog food’s unique market position clearly. On the specific metrics that matter for copper-sensitive dogs — chelated copper elimination, published copper maximum values, no high-copper secondary ingredients — Voyager stands alone. On the metrics that matter for general buyers — AAFCO feeding trial certification, wide availability, broad formula range — the national brands lead.
Who Should Buy Voyager Dog Food — and Who Should Look Elsewhere
Voyager Dog Food Is Right For:
Dogs diagnosed with copper storage disease or copper-associated hepatopathy. This is the most important use case for Voyager dog food. Cornell University’s endorsement and the documented blood-test improvements reported by Doberman and Lab owners make this the strongest available argument for buying Voyager.
Owners of high-risk breeds who want proactive copper management. Bedlington Terriers, Labrador Retrievers, Doberman Pinschers, West Highland White Terriers, and Skye Terriers are all genetically predisposed to copper accumulation. Using Voyager dog food as a preventive strategy before liver disease develops is exactly the use case Dr. VanVranken designed the product for.
Dogs with recurring skin conditions, ear infections, or food sensitivities. The elimination of beef, wheat, and dairy removes the three most common food-related dermatological triggers. For dogs with poorly identified food allergies that have not responded to elimination trials, Voyager’s formula represents a genuinely different dietary baseline.
Active adult dogs needing grain-inclusive high-protein feeding. The High Performance Chicken formula addresses working dog needs while maintaining the copper-safe guarantee.
Owners who have experienced unexplained liver disease in a previous dog. The pattern of owners who found Voyager after losing a dog to liver failure — without ever having heard of copper storage disease — is one of the most consistent threads in Voyager dog food reviews.
Consider Alternatives If:
Your dog has no copper-related risk or diagnosis. Voyager dog food’s premium price reflects its specialized formulation. If copper storage disease is not a relevant health concern for your dog’s breed or history, the price premium may not be justified compared to mainstream brands with stronger AAFCO credentials.
You need a puppy-specific formula. Voyager dog food company does not currently offer a puppy formula. Puppy feeding — with its specific calcium-to-phosphorus ratio requirements — should use a product specifically formulated and labeled for growth.
Your dog needs therapeutic prescription nutrition. Voyager is not a prescription therapeutic diet and cannot replace veterinary-directed nutrition management for conditions requiring Hill’s Prescription Diet, Royal Canin Veterinary Diet, or Purina Pro Plan Veterinary formulas.
Where to Buy Voyager Dog Food
Voyager dog food company sells primarily through its own direct-to-consumer channel. Voyager delivers to all 50 states and D.C. Fast, fresh, and reliable. They ship fast with UPS Ground to keep your dog’s food right on schedule.
Primary purchase channel: voyagerdogfoodco.com — the official website with the full four-formula range, a recommendation quiz to identify the right formula for your dog, and direct customer support.
Select retail partners: A small number of independent pet supply retailers carry Voyager dog food. Ballad of the Bird Dog is one confirmed retail partner stocking the Wholesome Farm Chicken formula.
Amazon: Limited availability through third-party sellers. Pricing may vary.
The direct-to-consumer model is deliberate — Voyager dog food company uses it to maintain quality control over storage and rotation, and to ensure customer service is handled by people with direct product knowledge rather than general retail staff.
Pricing Reference (June 2026)
| Formula | Size | Approx. Price | Per Lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesome Farm Chicken | 23 lb | $54–$65 | $2.35–$2.83 |
| Ocean Pollock | 23 lb | $56–$67 | $2.43–$2.91 |
| High Performance Chicken | 23 lb | $54–$65 | $2.35–$2.83 |
| Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon | 23 lb | $60–$72 | $2.61–$3.13 |
Frequently Asked Questions About Voyager Dog Food
Has Voyager dog food ever been recalled?
No. Voyager dog food has maintained a completely clean safety record since its 2019 launch as The Scoop and through its 2023 rebrand to Voyager Dog Food Co. No Voyager dog food recall has ever been issued by the FDA or voluntarily by the company. As of June 2026, no Voyager dog food recall is under investigation.
What makes Voyager dog food different from other brands?
Voyager dog food is the only mainstream commercial dog food brand that eliminates all added chelated copper and copper sulfate from every formula, relying solely on naturally occurring copper from whole food ingredients. It also eliminates beef, wheat, and dairy — the three most common food-related skin and ear allergens — and takes a firm grain-inclusive stance to reduce DCM risk from grain-free legume-heavy diets.
Is Voyager dog food good for dogs with liver disease?
For dogs with diagnosed copper-associated hepatopathy, copper storage disease, or elevated liver enzymes of unknown origin, Voyager dog food’s no-added-chelated-copper formulation is a meaningful dietary intervention that aligns with veterinary management principles for these conditions. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine references Voyager as a copper-safe diet option. Always manage liver disease under veterinary supervision — dietary changes should accompany, not replace, professional diagnosis and treatment.
Who founded the Voyager dog food company?
Voyager Dog Food Company was founded by Dr. Pete VanVranken, a veterinarian with nearly five decades of clinical practice based in Battle Creek, Michigan. The brand was created after copper storage disease claimed Dr. VanVranken’s own dog — a personal loss that drove him to investigate the industry-wide copper supplementation practices that he believes are responsible for the documented rise in canine liver disease since 1997.
Where is Voyager dog food manufactured?
Voyager dog food is made in small batches at manufacturing facilities in Lisbon, Ohio, and Sabetha, Kansas — both established US pet food production locations. All ingredients are tested for purity before use.
Is Voyager dog food grain-inclusive or grain-free?
All Voyager dog food formulas are grain-inclusive. Voyager dog food company takes a deliberate stand against grain-free diets, citing the FDA’s ongoing investigation into grain-free/legume-heavy diets and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Brown rice, barley, and oats appear across the Voyager lineup as intentional grain inclusions for both nutritional value and cardiac safety.
Final Verdict: Is Voyager Dog Food Worth It?
Voyager dog food is one of the most genuinely specialized brands in the commercial pet food market — and whether it is worth it depends entirely on what you need it to do.
If your dog has been diagnosed with copper storage disease, copper-associated hepatopathy, or elevated liver enzymes without a clear cause — or if you own a breed with documented copper sensitivity — Voyager dog food is not merely worth considering. It may be the most important dietary change you ever make for your dog’s liver health. Cornell University’s endorsement, the documented blood-test improvements from verified buyers, and the brand’s foundational commitment to no added chelated copper make this the strongest available product for this specific need.
If your dog has recurring skin conditions, ear infections, or suspected food allergies involving beef, wheat, or dairy — Voyager dog food’s formula design directly addresses the three most common culprits without requiring a prescription hypoallergenic diet.
If your dog is healthy, has no copper risk, and you are simply looking for a quality everyday formula — Voyager dog food is nutritionally adequate and well-intentioned, but the premium price relative to its ingredient quality in the Chicken formula (by-product meal at position one, corn protein meal at position two) is harder to justify against brands like Purina Pro Plan or Hill’s Science Diet that bring AAFCO feeding trial certification, broader product ranges, and established institutional credibility.
The bottom line: Voyager dog food company has built something genuinely unique in a crowded market. It serves a specific and underserved need with clarity and conviction. For the dogs it was designed for, it delivers.
Overall Rating:
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Mission and Purpose | 5 / 5 |
| Ingredient Quality (Chicken Formula) | 3.5 / 5 |
| Ingredient Quality (Pollock/Salmon) | 4 / 5 |
| Copper Safety Commitment | 5 / 5 |
| Safety Record | 5 / 5 |
| Transparency | 3.5 / 5 |
| Value for Money | 3.5 / 5 |
| Availability | 3 / 5 |
| Overall | 4.1 / 5 |
This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute veterinary medical advice. Dogs with diagnosed liver disease, copper storage disease, or other health conditions should receive dietary guidance from a licensed veterinarian.