| Country of origin | Australia |
| Available from | Lyka Pet Food – Click here to apply a 30% Off discount code for your first box of Lyka! |
Feeding your dog Lyka isn’t about feeding your dog a better dog food, it’s about transitioning your dog from a dry processed food to real food.
That’s what I love most about Lyka – it means you can feed your dog proper food. Healthy food.
When I first reviewed Lyka dog food back in 2021 I thought it was great. Here we are in 2024, and I’m happy to say I was right.
I’ve had so much astounding feedback about Lyka. Not just about the quality, but how life changing it’s been for many Aussie dogs who suffered on their previous dog food. We’re talking about a complete turnaround in health, buoyancy, and longevity.
Who doesn’t want that for their dog?
Needless to say I speak to many people who’s dogs are suffering on processed kibbles – itchy skin, overweight, lethargic, stiff joints, old before their years… It’s not surprising given the diet they’re forced to eat (usually kibbles in fancy packets with cute collies and genius marketing).
Feeding a fresh food like Lyka is a game changer when you compare it to dry food, or even wet mush in a tin. For too long we’ve fed our dogs what some would call “junk food”, which some of the biggest companies in the world have convinced us is “healthy”, “nutritious”, and “balanced”.
But is it?
When you consider global conglomerates like Mars and Nestle have historically controlled the pet food market, and “science”, isn’t it amazing that an Australian company can succeed against them, offering us better foods for our dogs which are truly healthier?
I know Lyka has worked wonders in Victoria, supporting local people, businesses, and farmers.
So, if that has sold Lyka to you already, you can nip over to their website and check them out – it’s like Hello Fresh, delivered to your door.
Or, if you want to learn more, then read the review:
The Lyka dog food range
There’s a range of Lyka varieties which they call “bowls”, each with it’s own meat protein. They come in a pouch rather than a bowl, but you’ll feed them in a bowl so that’s the gist of it.
Here’s a few from the range:
- Free Range Chow Chompin’ Chicken Bowl
- Grass Fed Big Boppin’ Beef Bowl
- Barn Raised Tail Tappin’ Turkey Bowl
- Grass Fed Lip Lickin’ Lamb Bowl
All very cool, which seems to be the case for everything Lyka.
Lyka dog food review
Some background for Lyka dog food
Lyka was founded by Anna Podolsky, the owner of a Border Collie X called “Lyka”. Back in 2015 at the age of 5, Lyka was a classic victim of commercial pet food, with itchy skin, scratching, lethargy, and bad teeth (an ominous sign of periodontal disease which sadly effects so many dogs on kibble diets).
Anna made the connection that kibble was causing the health issues, which is something many people overlook. She set about formulating a fresh food/raw diet at home, and the results were astounding.
Anna’s dog Lyka made a dramatic turnaround for the better within a few short months, which really showed how important a good diet is for our dogs.
On a mission to offer Australian dogs a better option she founded Lyka pet food in 2018, and since then many dogs have reaped the benefits of a better, more natural diet.
What the marketing says
Lyka dog food is made in a human-grade facility in Sydney. They swear by their product, so much so the staff will taste every recipe. If you don’t believe me, there’s a video down below which proves it!
Lyka is marketed as a “fresh, lightly cooked diet for dogs”, and in a rather humorous marketing strategy they tackle the fact many dogs suffer gas (and other issues) on poor quality dog foods. In our experience they’re 100% right, and most of the time dogs can recover from such symptoms when fed a healthier diet.
Here’s a quick video of Anna from Lyka on Channel 9’s Today Show:
What the ingredients really say
Knowing the ingredients in Lyka dog food are all human-grade whole foods, using wild-caught, grass-fed, or free-roam animals is a fantastic start. With kibbles the high-temperature cooking can destroy valuable nutrients, so with Lyka being gently cooked (at 90 degrees) you can rest assured these nutrients remain intact. That’s a huge plus.
All Lyka dog food bowls meet AAFCO standards for all life stages, so appropriate for puppies as well as older dogs.
We’ll take a look at the Beef Bowl as it sits in the middle when it comes to protein/fat. Depending on your dog, they may offer something leaner like the chicken bowl, or something a little fattier like the lamb bowl.
It’s great to see Beef Mince and Beef Heart as the top two ingredients, both of which are providing your carnivorous pet with species-appropriate ingredients, but let me draw your attention to the finer details which really highlight why Lyka are offering a quality dog food :-
The minerals used are in chelated form. Chelated minerals are top notch, being absorbed far better than cheaper alternatives. Only real top end dog foods contain chelated minerals, so that’s a great sign of quality.
Going back to the main ingredients, we find purple sweet potato included as a low GI carbohydrate which will offer your dog a slow-burning energy source. Carbs are low in the food which fits in well with a carnivore diet, and shows how much of the food is made from beef and beef heart.
The animal ingredients don’t end there either, as we find beef liver as one of the most nutritious organ meats which all dogs should have in their diet. Sardines are included too!
We find a range of well-selected veggies, such as broccoli, carrot, and kale to add valuable nutrients to the food, boosting organ support, immune support, and overall wellbeing.
Even the ingredients further down the ingredients list have been included on merit, with a combination of fish, safflower, and flaxseed oil which not only will offer your dog a beautiful coat, but keep them healthy on the inside too. Psyllium husk is a wonderful source of fibre for digestive health.
Ginger, kelp, and spirulina are included too – it really is all good, high quality stuff!
Lyka dog food is a fantastic way of feeding your dog a really decent diet without going whole hog on a homemade fresh food diet. Having it delivered to your door on a regular basis means you can stop worrying about their dinner, and concentrate on more important stuff, like playing with them!
If your dog is allergy prone, itchy, scratchy, or lethargic with a dull coat, then I’m sure you’ll get results on Lyka dog food.
Give it a go!
Where to buy Lyka dog food
Lyka dog food is only available to buy directly from their website. As a reader of Pet Food Reviews we have a special discount code for you:
Click here to apply a 30% Off discount code for your first box of Lyka
While you’re at it, check out their fantastic range of air-dried treats – tripe, mussels, and sardine treats in particular (lots of great nutrition therein!).
What Australian dog owners say about Lyka dog food
The below three videos are really good to watch, and what the three Aussie dog owners say is very much inline with the feedback I’ve personally received about Lyka from many:
Ingredients of Lyka dog food (Beef Bowl)
Ingredients of the Lyka dog food “Beef Bowl”:
Beef Mince, Beef Heart, Purple Sweet Potato, Broccoli, Carrot, Kale, Sardines, Beef Liver, Psyllium Seed Husk, Fish Oil, Safflower Oil, Celtic Sea Salt, Ginger, Flaxseed Oil, Kelp, Spirulina, Vitamins & Minerals (listed below).
Vitamins & Minerals: TriCalcium Phosphate, Vitamin E, Magnesium Chelate, Iron Chelate, Zinc Chelate, Manganese Chelate, Vitamin D3, Vitamin B1.
If you want to know where all the ingredients are sourced from, they tell you here.
Average composition of Lyka dog food (Beef Bowl)
Guaranteed analysis of the Lyka dog food “Beef Bowl” as of September 2021:
| Average composition (as fed) | Average composition (dry matter*) | |
| Protein | 18% | 55% |
| Fat | 6% | 18% |
| Crude Fibre | 2% | 5% |
| Carbohydrates * | 5% | 14% |
| Moisture | 68% | 0% |
Note Lyka use an average composition due to the nature of the product being tailored to your dog’s specific requirements. The composition listed above is therefore not guaranteed and may vary.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our Lyka dog food review! Let us know if you feed this dog food and what results you’ve had!
References
Below are numerous media articles about Lyka Pet Food over the past years:
- The Guardian – Ask an expert: what should an ideal dog diet look like? https://www.theguardian.com/lyka-real-food-rules/2023/may/09/ask-an-expert-what-should-an-ideal-dog-diet-look-like
- The Sydney Morning Herald – Is your dog getting the nutrients they need?https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/health-and-wellness/is-your-dog-getting-the-nutrients-they-need-20230404-p5cy41.html
- Broadsheet – Tips on Feeding Your Dog a Wholefood Diet https://www.broadsheet.com.au/national/food-and-drink/article/tips-feeding-your-dog-wholefood-diet
The Lyka website is set up like a scam trap. Once you’ve ordered once, that’s it, and you’re trapped in a re-order or you can’t even be in there.
Customer service doesn’t care about this so I say no. Larry’s lunch is the same. I won’t be dictated to about how i buy my food.
My dogs weren’t raging huge fans about it either.
We have switched to Jack and Chelo in Tasmania and our lab and kelpie are so much happier! Similar principles of food but the J&C has much more normal texture, local ingredients and they have a terrific shop front also in Hobart. Highly recommended!
Sorry, the food may be ok however their level of service is horrible. The fact they make it difficult to manage your spending is unacceptable! Their chat is near the worst I have experienced and getting a complete response to simple questions is like pulling teeth. My tip. Cook your own food and save the stress! and the price for a medium small dog is $2500 per year just for the food, not treats or additionals!!!
An update since switching to Wolfit….we couldn’t be happier! The food smells so good, my husband asked if it was meant for us! It is raw, but you can steam, lightly fry or even microwave it on low power if you prefer. Meals are balanced with all healthy ingredients. I sometimes add a few extra blueberries, or some broccoli or pumpkin. Our dogs now love it raw. It was an easy transition. It also comes packaged in thin packs so storage is not a problem in the freezer. Lyka was far bulkier to store. Finally, the price! Wow! It is so much more affordable than Lyka. If you’ve tried Lyka and like it, you, your dogs and your wallet will love Wolfit!
I concur…an over 20% price increase during harsh economic times, no less, isn’t as palatable as the Lyka itself is for most dogs.
Just an FYI as for you…When I was reading through the ingredients, I noticed they use ‘Mushrooms’…..
Dogs ate not supposed to injuest Mushrooms, so why are they using them when they are supposed to know about Canine Nutrition?
Hi Jodie, although some mushrooms can be toxic to dogs this is not the case for white button mushrooms used in the Lyka dog foods.
There has been research into the health benefits of mushrooms for both humans and canines, such as this study by the University of Philadelphia which suggests some mushrooms can help delay cancer, as well as more information here from the Dog Cancer website.
Also note mushrooms in Lyka are in moderation, whereas usually most concerns stem from an ingredient in excess (such as the case with garlic for dogs).
Agreed. That increase was a deal breaker for me, plus being treated like an idiot when I received a couple of rancid pouches and brought it to their attention. I’ve just changed my dogs to WolfIt Box, a newer contender in the fresh food subscription game. They seem to be just as high quality as Lyka, significantly more affordable, more flexibility with the subscription, and dare I say it, the customer service is much friendlier. My dogs seem to enjoy it more too Could be worth looking into!
Agree with you. I contacted them today to ask what the taurine content was, a reasonable question I would have thought. Instead I received a generic email pointing me to links that never answered my question.
Our Basil has been eating Lyka Turkey, chicken and fish for maybe over a year now. Loves it, especially the fish. His belly doesn’t grumble and gurgle like it used too, his coat is shiny and he has more energy.
My little bichon started off well with Lyka, but nearing the end of his first batch he wouldn’t touch certain flavours, like Kangaroo – he didn’t eat for a whole day coz he was pretty vehement he wasn’t going to touch the stuff. Then he eventually decided he wanted to become a picky eater and not eat the other flavours, which is quite sad. He would even prefer the taste of the basic MyDog wet food packet over it.
I was moving house so had to pause the second batch. Then came the price hike – frustrating timing. I really wanted to persist a bit longer in case his tastes changed, but with his pickiness and the price jump, I’ve switched back to TOTW kibble for now before trying something else.
Nosh Project looks pretty good?
I’d like to see pet food companies abandon the use of cheap processed vegetable oils such as Canola oil. Corn oil. Cottonseed oil. Grapeseed oil. Rice bran oil. Safflower oil. Soy oil. Sunflower oil.
These oils are incredibly bad for humans and so would be incredibly bad for your pets They create inflammation within the body, cell damage (and cancers) with increased free radicals, and a host of other serious health issues.
More companies should be using just animal fats/oils, cold pressed olive oils, coconut, flaxseed, etc, oily fish as opposed to fish oil which could already be rancid prior to adding
Sources pls.
I love the Lyka food for my dogs. We have two border collies, a golden retriever and a papillion. All love the food and we can see the health of our dogs has improved. Health comes from the inside out. We’ve used Lyka now for over a year. Best food. Love that its delivered to my door.
Big Lyka fan here for my two mini labradoodles, one of whom has a very sensitive stomach. No issues with Lyka at all – no farts, healthy poo, happy energetic dogs.
My girl isn’t a huge fan of Lyka and she isn’t known as a fussy dog. I can only convince her to eat it when mixed with a dog gravy/ broth. The fish one she is more inclined to finish but I can’t offer her fish in every meal long term. While I really wanted it to be suitable my girl just said no. Previously on k9 natural and billie and margot kibble.
Have you seen Larry’s Lunch? It popped up on my Instagram. Seems similar to Lyka. Will you be doing a review? There seem to be so many new fresh dog food companies coming out. It’s great for variety…but keen to see what you think.
after my two dogs refused to eat the Lyka fish bowl as the sardines seemed excessive and stunk so we moved over to kangaroo. three times we stopped the kangaroo delivery because my two dogs refused to eat it after the first few packs.
I have two dogs and one with sensitive guts and the other one with guts of iron. When the dog with guts of iron and eats anything stops eating or has a vomit then i know something is off. My wife who has a good nose reckoned the kangaroo (3rd delivery) was off.
i took your advise and have been in contact with the owner of Larry’s Lunch and am about to get my first trial delivery of their fish.
What a difference in customer service. Aaron took the time to talk me through what options i have and even offered a customised version that still adhered to the AAFCO standards.
If you are not happy with Lyka suggest you try Larry’s Lunch. They are based out of Melbourne. I’ll update once my dogs have tried out their food.
Hi Tony, how did your pup go with Larry’s lunch? Considering switching from Lyka to Larry’s due to cost as well
My dogs are both still on larry’ Lunch and both are thriving. The dog with the sensitive guts is now most stable he has ever been. They are both on the fish bowl which contains very little sardines compared to Lyka and more of the Hoki fish.
I highly recommend Larry’s Lunch and Aaron the owner is hands on and always happy to take your call and responds promptly.
I am not sure why this website does not review larry’s Lunch. Very strange.
Hi Tony, I’ve just made a note on my notepad to review Larry’s Lunch. It’s long overdue as it’s been a busy year.
My whippet absolutely will not touch Lyka. Wish he would, but he takes one sniff and walks away. I tried all three over 14 days. Nope. Same with my friend’s Cavoodle. Wasted money. I couldnt recommend for the more fussy dogs.
Hi Donna, my two cavoodles were the same. They refused Lyka. We tried fish first when that didn;t work we moved to kangaroo which we tried several stop/starts. In the end i gave up and moved to Larry’s Lunch and have not looked back.
I speculate one of the Kangaroo delivers smelt off and is possible the food spoilt due to something happening between the factory or delivery.
Hi Donna, what food do they usually eat? It’s not often I hear of dogs being picky with Lyka, but good information to know.
Half of the reviews here are mentioning that people’s dogs are refusing or going off Lyka..
My 12 year old lab/collie never had any gastrointestinal issues until Lyka – he’s been unwell from two separate batches and you are absolutely gaslit by them despite no other explanation that the food.
It took me a while to accept it because of the hype and also trusting your reviews (never buy anything without checking here) but I do feel you need to read the reviews here and update your review for Lyka with the experience of real life customers.
Thousands spend at the Vets later, stopping Lyka solved his issues. Never in 12 years has he had any food intolerances or issues with his stomach.
Currently struggling to have my groodle to finish his bowl of Lyka. He’s on Chicken and Turkey. I have to keep adding more toppings such as cheese, boiled chicken and kibbles.
He usually chomped away the whole bowl within minutes with his old food. Not since with Lyka. Currently on day 13. The only thing that I like about it is the smooth transition between the old food to Lyka. No prolonged diarhea and crate accidents.
I’m forever getting your emails about dog foods from Lyka.
Let me get this straight , I called and emailed about a vacancy at your Wetheral Park Warehouse, and all I kept receiving back is emails about the range of dog foods available, I’m really fed up with it all , and want you to remove me from your data base as I instructed my solicitor about this constant harassment from your Lyka page . I was instructed to let you know of this and an immediate cancellation of my email address is instructed .
I’m no longer interested in that vacancy, as I was told by people that work there that there were job vacancies at the Wetheral Park Warehouse.
Hi Michael, I think this was meant for Lyka rather than this website, but the Lyka emails have an “unsubscribe” at the bottom which you can use.
Lyka looked really good – the marketing is exemplary.
My dog loved all the various “bowl” varieties.
BUT:
After using ~ 40 packs, my dog one day spat out a piece of bone which was large enough and sharp enough to cause serious problems in the bowel and possibly need extensive veterinary attention, if not a worse outcome.
Lyka was not prepared to refund me for the unused packs I had received and they stated they have a NO RETURN policy.
Rather, they refunded only the cost of the last delivery, leaving me ~ $500 dollars out of pocket as I was not prepared to continue feeding Lyka to my dog considering the seriousness of having bone in the food – I have also removed a number of other large pieces of food which obviously made it past the mincing process.
In summary, Lyka looks good BUT BEWARE.
Hi Brian, may I ask how big the piece of bone was? As a raw bone there’s less risk to dogs, but I understand your concerns.
The bone piece was ~ 15mm long x 10mm wide x 3mm thick with sharp edges all round.
It had gone through the cooking process so created a higher risk than a raw bone piece.
It allegedly had not been detected by the X-ray examination made by the supplier who supplied the kangaroo mince to Lyka and obviously was not subsequently detected by Lyka.
I have a photograph if you can tell me how to upload it to you.
Hi Brian, thanks for the info. If you want to send the photo the best way is probably through the Facebook page via message – https://facebook.com/petfoodreviewsaustralia.
I was having a look at slow cooked, all rounder, dog food. In my search, Lyka and Nosh project came up. I couldn’t see a review here for the Nosh Project. I was wondering if one is better than the other? I can see that Lyka is grain free where as the Nosh Project seems to use pasta and rice. Are you planning to do a review on the Nosh Project?
Lyka isn’t meant to be completely minced it should have big chunks throughout it
Hi Jim Lyka doesnt have chunks through it at all. Unless it is the new Kangaroo formaulae and they are slowly starting to change the other meat as well they are pretty much just mush. Hence i only partial feed with Lyka then add raw chicken wing, necks, duck wing/neck, whole sardines or lamb cutlets (small dogs) so they actually get bone to clean teeth and the meaty chewing sensation. The price increase has me looking elsewhere as the quality seems to slip
Hi Millie, a review of the Nosh Project is long overdue… sorry :/ I’ll get around to it soon…
I have just started my 13.5 year old poodle on Lyka…for now mixed with his regular small bite kibble while he transitions. He’s always been a very picky eater and I’ve cooked fish, brown rice and pumpkin to add to his kibble for years, on the advice of a vet. He’s more enthusiastic about Lyka than any other food I’ve tried, so great to see this positive review. My one concern is that he is now always thirsty, which makes me think it’s very high in sodium…. which I am guessing is no better for dogs than it is for us.
Interestingly my dog is drinking a considerable amount more since lyka
Hi Francis, that’s interesting to hear as usually dogs drink less on a raw (or slightly cooked diet in this case) than they would on a dry food.
Is there something comparable that is not as expensive and can be bought in store? Like Sasha above, it would be way to expensive for us to put the whole family on Lyka.
Hi Greg, unfortunately it mostly boils down to “you get what you pay for”, but options are having something like Lyka as part of the diet, or being inventive with some raw/fresh.
please don’t overlook Larry’s Lunch. cheaper than Lyka but quality. The mean critical things is my dogs will happily eat it over the Lyka (fish or kangaroo) which they refused after 4 tries.
How does Lyka help with dental & oral health? As it looks to be a wet and soft type of food.
Hi Ruby, I replied more in depth on your other comment on the Frontier Pets review, but generally I wouldn’t rely on any soft/wet/BARF or even dry foods for dental health. Having species-appropriate ingredients in a dog food (i.e. not a load of carbs and sugars) will definitely benefit dental health, when it comes to fighting tartar then gnawing and chewing is what I would recommend, so chewing on raw meaty bones.
My dog loves Lyka. Has been on it for a few weeks now and no tummy issues. Has had issues in the past. His coat is so shiny and this has definitely changed in the last few weeks. I feed him Luka and Eureka as a topper. It is nice to know that he is getting good quality ingredients with the convenience of being delivered to my door. You can actually see the chunks of meat and ingredients. I don’t have time to make his food, so this is the next best thing.
My dog loves Lyka. He has had tummy issues in the past. He has been on it for a few weeks now and has had no tummy issues. His coat is so shiny and soft too. Very happy with Lyka. Nice to know he is getting high quality food, with such convenience.
Hi Ally, that’s great to hear! Also great to hear the dog foods I recommend are making a difference!
Lyka is definitely my number 1 dog food choice for my fur baby.
I have 3 senior pugs, i started using Lyka 2 months ago for only half bowl feed , cant afford the full bowl. So in the morning they get Lyka food half of the daily allowance and afternoon they get a bit of kibble Petzyo brand. One fussy pug two eat everything. They get a chicken and turkey bowl selection. it is very convenient, the pack is great and arrived in a very cool packing what actually you can use in your compost for the garden. Wish i could afford the full bowl feed. But sometimes i question my self if its really worth it as only see a tiny little meat or liver pieces mostly all smashed vegetables. So not sure how much meat my pugs actually get? It is hard to find the right and affordable dog food. I reading a lot in your webside and very thankful for all your reviews.
I was a bit skeptical about some claims on some of the food reviews I have read around the internet. I have a groodle that has pretty much had a bad stomach for a year since we got him. Tried a few different kibbles including some of the more expensive Australian made and owned ones. Ended up back on Advance with a Ziwi Peak topper as Advance was what the breeder was feeding (but is fairly dubious) and we added Ziwi for nutrition. Decided to give Lyka a go and hand on heart his business is now normal and was that way within a week. No more runny mess at all. Wish we did it sooner.
I want to order this but I am away and won’t be home for a week.
Ok, this food might be ok but I just did the questionnaire to figure out what my dog needs and it’s going to cost me $21.80 per day per dog.. so over $60 a day.. for my dogs! I could go to the local butcher and actually know what I’m feeding my dog for a quarter of the price.. with the extras added in. This is becoming a rort and the descriptions seem misleading like wild caught etc. Food like this is aimed at small dogs and owners who want to spend money on them and think because this stuff is ridiculously expensive it’s good.
Hi Sasha, I’m guessing you have three big dogs! May I ask what you currently feed?
I realise foods such as Lyka (and similar brands) are more easy to feed smaller dogs, or for those who own only one dog, but for many who have busy lives and don’t have the time to prepare (or understand the complexities of) raw a brand like Lyka can really help offer their dog a good and more convenient diet. I realise it’s not for everyone, and costly for those who have multiple larger breeds.
I’ve been using Lyka for about a year. My cavoodles are doing well on it, but I’ve just received notice of a 20% price increase. 20% !
It has always been expensive, but I haven’t minded because of the quality and convenience, but a 20% price increase in one hit is just taking the piss.
My older dog, 15.5 has been on Lyka for two years, his heart disease hasn’t changed. The vets are amazed he hasn’t needed an increase in meds. He acts 8.
My 11 year old maltese has no allergies since being on Lyka. And my 8yr old JRT has perfect teeth. I’d rather spend money on good food than vet bills.
I’m just wondering which bits are wild caught, and what inspection measures are in place for these?
Lyka is amazing. My frenchies are different dogs on it. The bowl gets pushed all around the kitchen every meal – and they love swapping bowls to see what the other had! Their coats are lovely and shiny too.
My dog had stomach issues and was vomiting regularly, even on K9 Naturals and Frontier Pets. Now on Lyka for several months she hasn’t vomited once and she has become more active. Superb food.
I started using Lyka 2 months ago and my cavoodle is now not suffering with tummy issues, has an abundance of energy and his poo is not smelly very regular and great consistency. I did have to transition him but followed the advice on the lyka site. Also using the probiotic for gut health that lyka provide I couldn’t be happier and Maui is a happy content fur baby
That’s great to hear, and I’m glad Lyka has shown such an improvement!