The scores
Dr. Marty Nature's Blend: B (88/100) — Turkey, Beef, Salmon, Duck, Beef Liver.
Badlands Ranch Superfood Complete: B (88/100) — Beef, Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Salmon, Flaxseed.
How the ingredients compare
The first five ingredients are where most of the score is decided under our published rubric, and both labels open strong. Dr. Marty leads with Turkey, Beef, Salmon, Duck, and Beef Liver — four named muscle-meat proteins plus an organ meat in the top five, a freeze-dried raw blend that runs roughly 81% animal-sourced. Badlands Ranch leads with Beef, Beef Heart, Beef Liver, Salmon, and Flaxseed — an air-dried, beef-centric deck stacking muscle meat with two organ meats and claiming around 87% animal content.
The contrast is real but narrow. Dr. Marty spreads its protein across turkey, beef, salmon, and duck, which suits rotation feeders and dogs that do better on variety; it also carries a single pea-flour entry around the eleventh slot that nudges the protein figure, though there is no legume stack diluting the panel. Badlands Ranch keeps the whole deck on beef with a salmon supporting note and runs entirely free of peas, legumes, and potato — a cleaner read for owners who want one protein and no plant-protein boosters. Both are grain-free, and the difference at the top of the panel is format and protein strategy, not quality.
Where Dr. Marty has the edge
Dr. Marty’s advantage is protein diversity and texture. Four distinct animal proteins plus three organ meats give it a broader amino-acid and micronutrient spread than a single-protein food, which is useful if you rotate proteins or simply want variety in the bowl. The freeze-dried format rehydrates into a soft, raw-like texture that many picky eaters and seniors take to readily, and it leans on only a light synthetic premix rather than a heavy vitamin-mineral stack. Shop on Amazon →
Two caveats keep it from pulling clear of Badlands Ranch. You have to rehydrate it with water before serving, which adds a step, and freeze-drying preserves the food without being a pathogen kill step — handle it with the same care you would any raw product. The longevity and well-being language tied to Dr. Goldstein, DVM is structure-function marketing, not a feeding-trial-proven health outcome, so weigh the food on its panel, which is genuinely strong.
Where Badlands Ranch has the edge
Badlands Ranch counters with mineral quality and convenience. Its zinc, iron, copper, and manganese are delivered as proteinates (chelated minerals) alongside selenium yeast — bound forms the body tends to absorb more reliably than plain mineral salts, a meaningful formulation detail. The beef-only deck with no peas, legumes, or potato is the cleanest possible read for a single-protein eater, and because it is air-dried it serves straight from the bag with no rehydration. Shop on Amazon →
Its limits mirror Dr. Marty’s. The “superfood” botanicals — turmeric, ginger, Lion’s Mane — sit low on the deck and are present in token amounts, so treat them as light extras rather than functional doses. Like Dr. Marty, it is grain-free, substantiated by formulation rather than a feeding trial, and sold direct-to-consumer at a premium — several dollars a day to feed in full, which is why many owners use either food as a topper. The Katherine Heigl association is marketing, not evidence; the air-dried panel stands on its own.
The bottom line
This one is a genuine tie at B/88, so choose on format and formula rather than grade. Pick Dr. Marty if you want multi-protein variety, a freeze-dried raw texture, and the option to rotate proteins — and you don’t mind rehydrating before serving. Pick Badlands Ranch if you want a single-protein beef deck with no legumes, more bioavailable chelated minerals, and ready-to-serve convenience. A dog with a poultry sensitivity is the clearest case for the beef-based Badlands Ranch; an owner who likes to rotate proteins leans Dr. Marty. For the full breakdowns, read our Dr. Marty review and our Badlands Ranch review.