Solid Gold

Solid Gold dog food used to be a name to be reckoned with. Founded in the mid 1970s, the company saw Solid Gold as the answer to the question while giant breed dogs have such low life expectancies. Great Danes in particular are known to be short lived, which of course is attributed to their large size. While it is hard to keep a giant breed healthy and alive for a normal span, Solid Gold pet food sought to help pet owners who were in search of adequate canine nutrition in an effort to not only raise the overall wellness of the larger breeds but to also extend the life expectancy, health, and quality of life these dogs experienced.

Solid Gold cat food and Solid Gold beef jerky treats followed suit and soon there was a whole group of Solid Gold pet foods that resulted from research as well as the goal to keep pets healthy and happy with the kind of food that was as close to nature as humanly possible. It is perhaps not surprising that Solid Gold focused on formulating feeds that did not contain preservatives and saturated fats which were implicated in the heart disease deaths that claimed the lives of giant breed dogs. Instead, the company used alternative food ingredients, such as rice, oats, and millet as well as meats that were fit for human consumption. Solid Gold sea meal is one stellar example of the natural formulas.

Competitors to Solid Gold were known to rely heavily on by-products, soy, corn and wheat – which are hard to digest for some pets – which in turn led to significant amounts of saturated fats in their feeds. This marketing strategy proofed successful for Solid Gold and soon Solid Gold dog food retailers reported good sales. Solid Gold cat food coupons became a sought after staple of the Sunday newspaper insert, and those who purchased Solid Gold wholesale only were known to make a healthy profit during resale.

Yet the company’s controversies began when Solid Gold health products began hitting the market. While the Solid Gold health products for pets were supposed to have good effects on the skin - Solid Gold pet shampoo is a much favored pet item sold today – the claims that were made pertaining to heal certain diseases and reverse other ailments led to court injunctions being levied on the company. A persistent refusal to heed the court ordered injunctions led to fines and a lot of negative publicity. As a result, the stellar reputation that Solid Gold once enjoyed has begun to wane a bit, and with the highly competitive pet food industry having a number of companies formulating similar pet foods nipping at the heels of the company, the company experienced a further decline.