Black Hawk has for many years been one of Australia’s most popular dog foods.
The reason, in my opinion, is not only because it’s Australian, but it offers us a better alternative to the reams of Mars and Nestle dog foods made largely of grains for our more deserving dogs.
Black Hawk, for many, will offer a dog food which is better than most, yet doesn’t come with the eye-watering price of other brands recommended highly on this website.
Top tip: If you have a big dog or multiple dogs, Pet Circle sell Black Hawk dog food in a whopping 40kg or 60kg size, so you can pay under $6/kilo – that’s very good!
In this review we’ll look at the various formulas, both grain and grain-free recipes as well as puppy, senior, small breed, large breed, and working dog.
It has to be said the grain-free recipes are the best option for a little bit more money, and Black Hawk Working Dog happens to be a very good choice for active dogs.
A quick history of Black Hawk Pet Care
Black Hawk Pet Care came from humble beginnings.
Way back in 2007, Sherel (who eventually established the brand), realised the close connection between a dog food and the health and condition of a dog. I remember those days, and back then pet food marketing had really pulled the wool over our eyes and convinced us to feed our dogs terribly unhealthy diets.
Sherel analysed all the dog foods available in Australia and found they were all flawed, but then discovered a brand which ticked all her boxes which was made in Australia and ticked all her boxes. Seeing the change in health and coat from feeding that food, she then decided to turn it into the Australian success story it is today – that’s how Black Hawk Pet Care was born.
In 2024, the Black Hawk range of dog and cat food still meets the vision Sherel had back then, to offer Australians a world class dry food for an affordable and realistic price.
Black Hawk Dog Food Review
What the marketing says
What may matter to you the most is that Black Hawk dog food is 100% Australian Made.
What will matter to your dog is the ingredients – which we’ll cover shortly – but you’ll note the packaging states no artificial colours or preservatives, and the food is hormone and GMO free.
The marketing is relatively no-nonsense which is nice as marketing claims are often deceiving.
A key difference you will find on the packaging is the grain free formulas have more protein and more fat, which in turn means less carbohydrates. If you view your dog as primarily a meat eater, which you should, then that should push you towards the grain-free formulas.
What the ingredients really say
All the Black Hawk dog foods use natural preservatives, namely rosemary. I see that as a good thing, and I’m sure you prefer rosemary in your dog food than some chemical preservative, right?
It’s a small point to start with, but a good insight into the thought which has been put into the formulas as a whole.
Let’s consider the main ingredients…
The Original Chicken & Rice formula is 22% protein, 12% fat, with main ingredients being chicken meal (a dried protein-dense form of chicken), ground rice, oats, and fish meal. The popular Fish & Potato formula is similar.
For the grain-free Kangaroo formula we have 28% protein and 18% fat, and that shows there’s a better emphasis on animal ingredients and in turn much less carbohydrates. The main ingredients are a combination of both kangaroo meal and chicken meal, plus peas and tapioca. The first two ingredients as meat meals assures us our dogs are getting protein which matters, which will really support their wellbeing.
It’s worth mentioning Black Hawk Working Dog briefly, even though I cover it in more depth here. If you have a working dog, or even an active breed like a Border Collie or Kelpie, here’s a top tip – most working dog foods are little more than cheap grains, working on the basis your dog will burn off the “empty carb” calories they really shouldn’t be consuming in the first place. Black Hawk Working Dog is one of the few formulas which does it right, offering your dog a high meat protein and fat diet which is far healthier for them than grain waste.
There’s a lot of positive points to make about the smaller ingredient inclusions as well. Keep in mind salt is around 1% of the formula, so anything below that will also be around 1% or less.
For brevity, here’s how these smaller inclusions benefit your dog:
- Canola Oil – A source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which support skin and coat.
- Kelp Meal – Aids thyroid function, plus adds vitamins and minerals to support health.
- Chicory Root – Helps digestion and gut health (it’s a source of inulin).
- Salt – Essential in a dog food, usually around 1% of the formula.
- Emu Oil – Good for skin, coat, and healthy joints. Emu oil also has anti-inflammatory properties to further support joints.
- Glucosamine and Chondriotin work together to help prevent your dog develop arthritis or joint issues, or relieve symptoms if they suffer joint problems.
- Carrots, blueberries, dandelion, peppermint, cranberry, and other inclusions all support various aspects of your dog’s health and wellbeing.
The above are found in the more basic Original formulas, and you’ll find more additions in the grain-free, puppy, senior, small and large breed formulas to specifically support the needs of those ages and breeds.
Do you already feed Black Hawk to your dogs? Let me know your experiences in the comments!
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Black Hawk Dog Food Review Summary
Many of the highly rated pet foods on this website come at a price few of us can afford all the time (me included).
That means an affordable dry dog food, such as Black Hawk, is a good option for most people. There are also much worse options out there, and many Australians continue to feed those foods to their dogs.
Black Hawk dog food may offer you an affordable solution for feeding your dog. You can also consider it a ” somewhat affordable “base diet”, and by that I mean you can spice it up with some fresh meats, offal, species appropriate raw meaty bones, and healthy dog-appropriate foods or table scraps.
Black Hawk isn’t the best dog food reviewed on this website, but it’s still better than many, and a good option for many.
Ingredients
Ingredients of Black Hawk Original Adult Chicken & Rice dry dog food:
Chicken Meal, Rice, Oats, Field Peas, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols [source of Vitamin E], Citric Acid, Rosemary Extract), Beet Pulp, Chicken Digest, Fish Meal, Canola Oil, Essential Vitamins & Minerals (see tables), Kelp Meal, Chicory Root, Salt, Brewer’s Yeast, Natural Antioxidants,
Emu Oil, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Glucosamine, Chondroitin, Tomato Powder, Carrots, Dried Blueberries, Dandelion, Peppermint, Rosemary, Cranberries.
Ingredients of Grain Free Adult Kangaroo dry dog food:
Kangaroo Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Tapioca, Chicken Fat (naturally preserved with Rosemary Extract, Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Potato, Sweet Potato, Fish Meal, Chicken Gravy, Sugar Beet Pulp, Essential Vitamins and Minerals, Salmon Oil, Sunflower Oil, Chicory Root, Di-Calcium Phosphate, Alfalfa, Salt, Egg, Apple, Brewers Yeast, Pumpkin Seeds, Natural Antioxidants, Coconut Oil, Yoghurt Powder, Emu Oil, Blueberries, Cranberries, Dandelion Tea, Parsley, Peppermint Tea, Rosemary Extract, Chondroitin, Glucosamine, Carrots, Yucca Schidigera, Spinach, Kelp, Tomato, Beta Carotene.
Guaranteed Analysis
Guaranteed analysis of Black Hawk Original Adult Chicken & Rice dry dog food:
| Protein | 22% (min) |
| Fat | 12% (min) |
| Crude Fibre | 4.5% (max) |
| Carbohydrates | Estimated 47% |
Guaranteed analysis of Grain Free Adult Kangaroo dry dog food:
| Protein | 25% (min) |
| Fat | 18% (min) |
| Crude Fibre | 3% (max) |
| Carbohydrates | Estimated 34% |
* May be estimated. Read how to calculate carbohydrates in a pet food.
Black Hawk dog food recalls
There are no known Black Hawk dog food recalls at the current time.
Previous Black Hawk dog food recalls:
- January 2020 – Various Black Hawk dog food formulas recalled due to mould. Voluntary recall. Affected formulas: Black Hawk Adult Chicken and Rice (3kg, 10kg and 20kg), Black Hawk Adult Lamb and Rice (3kg and 20kg), Black Hawk Adult Large Breed Chicken and Rice (20kg only) and Black Hawk Puppy Large Breed Chicken and Rice (20kg only).