In Search of Healthful and Non-Toxic Dog Foods – Canned Food

Bil-Jac Pate Platters: 3.5 Stars

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Dog Food Advisor

Recalls

Mold Contamination (2012)

Bil-Jac Pate Platters Chicken & Cheese

Cost (13 oz., 12 cans): $35

Cost Per Day: $3.59

8% Protein, 6% Fat, 78% Moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Tapioca Starch, Cheese, Pea Protein, Natural Flavor, Salt, Calcium Sulfate, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Locust Bean Gum, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Magnesium Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Glycine Complex, Manganese Glycine Complex, Biotin Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Beta-Carotene, Potassium Iodide, Folic Acid.

BLUE BUFFALO

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars

Cost Per Day: $2.20-$3.20

Meat Quality: Conventional

Gums: Guar, Carrageenan, Cassia

Main Starch: Sweet Potatoes/Rice/Barley/Oats/Veggies

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low/Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: No

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: General Mills

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor: 3.0-5.0 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: Not Tried

Blue Buffalo was founded in 2002 as a family company promising to offer natural pet food containing wholesome ingredients.

The brand has been extremely successful financially and was purchased for $8 billion in February 2018 by General Mills.

From its founding, Blue Buffalo’s “True Blue Promise” has assured that: 1) real meat is the first ingredient; 2) no poultry by-product meals are used; 3) no corn, wheat or soy is used; and 4) no artificial flavors or preservatives are used.

Blue Buffalo had a string of recalls prior to being purchased by General Mills but none since then, which perhaps means that their quality control has been improved.

Blue Buffalo seems to be making some attempts to avoid sourcing purely conventional factory farmed meats, but not in a wholly consistent way. A company representative wrote to me with regard to this topic:

It depends on the specific meat. Some of the fish we use is farm raised, some is wild caught. The duck, rabbit and alligator we use are farm raised. Our beef, lamb and venison is free range. It just depends. While there are no added hormones, antibiotics, etc. our ingredients are not certified organic. We don’t have any information on how the chickens are kept but we can confirm we are not certified organic nor do we offer any organic options at this time.

Dog Food Advisor estimates that most Blue Buffalo canned dog foods include substantial amounts of meat.

However, the company’s canned foods also include a fair amount of starch as well as a number of gums.

I am especially wary of the carrageenan gum used in some versions.

Blue Buffalo canned products vary a good bit in terms of the starch and gum content as well as in the amount of meat content.

While I think it could be that there are some versions of the food that are lower in toxicity than others, it seems that even with a lot of knowledgeable label-reading it still may be a bit of a crapshoot in terms of whether particular varieties turn out to be okay.

The brand is widely enough available that I possibly would end up trying it for a dog that liked canned food, though.

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Blue Buffalo Blue’s Stew: 5 Stars

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Dog Food Advisor

Blue Buffalo Family Favorites: 5 Stars

Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free: 4.5 Stars

Blue Buffalo Wilderness: 4.5 Stars

Blue Buffalo Homestyle: 4 Stars

Blue Buffalo Wilderness Rocky Mountain: 4 Stars

Blue Buffalo Basics Grain-Free: 3 Stars

Recalls

Elevated Thyroid Hormone (2017)

Foil Seals (2017)

Aluminum Contamination (2017)

Blue Buffalo Homestyle Chicken

Cost (12.5 oz, 12 Cans): $21.05

Cost Per Day: $2.24

9% protein, 6% fat, 78% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Carrots, Peas, Sweet Potatoes, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Flaxseed, Blueberries, Cranberries, Carrageenan, Cassia Gum, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid (Vitamin B9).

CASTOR & POLLUX

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars

Cost Per Day: $4.00-$4.50

Meat Quality: Organic

Gums: Guar

Main Starches: Rice/Potatoes/Veggies/Fruits/Flax or Legumes/Tapioca/Flax/Veggies/Fruits or Legumes/Potatoes/Flax/Veggies/Fruits

Starch Quality: Organic

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: No

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 3.5-4.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Castor & Pollux was founded as a company selling organic pet foods and treats (including under the names Organix and Good Buddy) in 2003.

The company was purchased by Merrick in 2012.

Then, in 2015, Merrick was purchased by the Nestlé Purina Pet Care Company, which is owned by the controversial Swiss food conglomerate Nestlé S.A.

In 2017, Organix became the first pet food company to have its products become USDA certified, which seems to be a step beyond the usual “I say it’s organic but you’ll just have to trust me” standard previously used in the pet food industry.

All the Organix products use USDA organic chicken or turkey as the meat source.

More recently, Castor & Pollux launched a line of products called “Pristine.”

They include a variety of animal protein sources (chicken, turkey, lamb, beef, salmon, tuna and whitefish) that are said to be raised or obtained according to high standards but that are not certified as USDA organic.

Chicken and turkey in the Pristine line are said to receive 100% organic feed; to be antibiotic-free; and to be “responsibly raised” (which the company defines as having “access to fresh air, natural light and space to roam”).

The lamb in the line is said to be grass-fed and grass-finished; to be antibiotic-free; and to be responsibly raised.

The beef and duck are said to be responsibly raised and antibiotic-free, and the beef is said to be grass-fed but not grass-finished. Further details on what the duck or beef may have eaten are unclear to me.

Salmon, tuna and whitefish are said to be “responsibly caught,” which the company defines as being certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and caught when freely swimming in natural bodies of water.

The non-meat ingredients in the Pristine line (including the grains or legumes) seem to all be currently labeled as organic.

According to the company website, none of the Organix or Pristine products include any corn, soy, wheat, gluten, artificial colors/flavors/preservatives, or crops grown with synthetic fertilizers or chemical fertilizers.

Dog Food Advisor suggests that the Castor & Pollux canned foods contain “notable amounts of meat” in addition to the starchy ingredients.

Since all of the Castor & Pollux canned foods contain potatoes and/or tapioca (both of which my dog has been unwilling to eat), this would not seem to be a good line for Cocoa.

In addition, I have become uncomfortable with the idea of feeding any dog substantial amounts of potatoes or tapioca on a regular basis, and so I doubt that I would try feeding these products to a different dog either.

The fact that Cocoa has not been all that enthusiastic about the one Castor & Pollux kibble he has tried (even though it does not contain any ingredients that he does not like) makes me guess that the canned food may not be that great with regard to toxicity issues apart from the potatoes/tapioca anyway.

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Dog Food Advisor

Castor & Pollux Pristine Grain-Free: 4 Stars

Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free: 4 Stars

Castor & Pollux Organix: 3.5 Stars

Castor & Pollux Organix Chicken & Brown Rice

Cost (12.7 oz, 12 Cans): $42

Cost Per Day: $4.41

7% protein, 6% fat, 78% moisture

Ingredients: Organic Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Organic Brown Rice, Organic Chicken Liver, Organic Carrots, Organic Potatoes, Organic Coconut Flour, Organic Flaxseed, Organic Apples, Organic Blueberries, Tricalcium Phosphate, Salt, Organic Guar Gum, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid), Organic Garlic Powder, Potassium Chloride.

Castor & Pollux Pristine Grain-Free Beef Stew

Cost (12.7 oz, 12 cans): $42

Cost Per Day: $4.41

8% protein, 6% fat, 81% moisture

Ingredients: Beef, Beef Broth, Water Sufficient For Processing, Chicken, Organic Pea Protein, Organic Chicken Liver, Dried Egg Product, Organic Peas, Organic Carrots, Organic Tapioca Starch, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Organic Flaxseed, Sunflower Oil, Organic Dried Alfalfa Meal, Organic Spinach, Potassium Chloride, Salmon Oil, Choline Chloride, Guar Gum, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodate, Cobalt Glucoheptonate, Sodium Selenite), Xanthan Gum, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate), Organic Cinnamon, Organic Cumin.

CESAR

Living Clean Rating: 4 Stars

Cost Per Day: $3.50-$4.00

Meat Quality: Conventional

Gums: Carrageenan, Xanthan, Guar

Main Starches: None

Starch Quality: None

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: No

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Mars

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 2.5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 5 Stars

Little Cesar is a widely available wet dog food that is stated as being appropriate for small dogs.

It consists primarily of meat along with a variety of gums and some food additives, including artificial colors, carrageenan and sodium nitrate.

Dog Food Advisor is approving of the high meat content in the products but says that they deducted points for the presence of meat by-products as well as the controversial additives.

I’ve heard from a number of people who usually feed their dogs mainstream kibble and who consider Little Cesar to be the ideal choice of something to give dogs as a special treat.

I suspect that this is because those dogs are so undernourished in terms of the amount of meat that they are usually getting that they are happy to have some extra meat, regardless of how good the quality is.

However, Cesar foods seem to use purely conventional meats (and possibly not very good quality meat).

The use of carrageenan and food additives makes the products seem even more problematic to me.

I don’t see myself buying this product even for a dog that liked canned food because I think there are many better options out there.

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Cesar Classics: 2 1/2 Stars

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Dog Food Advisor:

Cesar Filets: 2 1/2 Stars

Cesar Classic Loaf Filet Mignon

Cost (3.5 oz., 24 Containers): $20

Cost Per Day: $3.81

9% protein, 4% fat, 82% moisture

Ingredients: Beef, Chicken Liver, Beef Lung, Chicken Broth, Water, Pork By-Products, Chicken Heart, Calcium Carbonate, Added Color, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Carrageenan, Potassium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Proteinate, Dried Yam, dl-Methionine, Salt, Erythorbic Acid (Preservative), Filet Mignon Flavor, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Nitrite (For Color Retention), Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Potassium Iodide.

COCOLICIOUS

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars

Cost Per Day: $4.70

Meat Quality: Conventional?

Gums: Guar, Cassia

Main Starches: Coconut

Starch Quality: Organic

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not mentioned

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Independent (Party Animal)

Location: U.S. (California)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not rated

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Party Animal – which markets Cocolicious – is a small family-owned company based in West Hollywood, California.

Their canned dog foods are contracted out to be made by other companies, which apparently source the meats for the products.

The Cocolicious products contain just meat, coconut, guar/cassia gums and nutritional supplements.

In 2017, Party Animal filed a lawsuit against the pet manufacturer Evanger’s due to the fact that pentobarbital (a euthanasia drug) was found in the Party Animal canned dog food manufactured by Evanger’s.

Although Cocolicious used to be stated as including 100% organic ingredients, the meats are no longer listed as organic and there is not any information about how the meat is raised on the company’s website.

The coconut and the guar gums are still stated as organic, however.

Dog Food Advisor’s only stated problem with this product is that it contains a relatively high level of fat.

However, since all the fat is coming from meat and coconut, many people may not perceive that to be a problem at all (especially if they are using this food only as one component of their dog’s diet).

Since many dogs (including mine) really like coconut, the idea of including it in canned dog food does have some appeal to me.

However, I would like to know more about the meat in the product before considering giving it to any dog.

I also would like to know what canning facility they are using for the food since that might give me a better idea of the quality.

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Visit Party Animal

Recalls

Pentobarbital (2017)

Cocolicious Grain-Free Turkey

Cost (13 oz, 12 Cans): $45.50

Cost Per Day: $4.67

11% protein, 5% fat, 78% moisture

Ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Liver, Turkey Broth, Organic Coconut, Organic Guar Gum, Cassia Gum, Potassium Chloride, Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganous Oxide, Manganese Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite, Copper Proteniate, Vitiman A Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Calcium Iodate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboﬂavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

DIAMOND NATURALS

Living Clean Rating: 4 Stars

Cost Per Day: $2.00-$2.50

Meat Quality: Pastured Beef/Lamb; Cage-Free Chicken

Gums: Guar, Agar-Agar

Main Starches: Rice/Veggies

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: No

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family (Diamond Pet Foods)

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star

Diamond Pet Foods is a huge pet food manufacturer, producing foods for other companies as well as under their own Taste of the Wild and Diamond names.

Diamond Naturals is their flagship line of foods that excludes corn, wheat, soy and artificial colors/flavors/preservatives.

Diamond Naturals canned foods are stated as being made using either cage-free chicken, pastured beef or pastured lamb.

They contain rice flour and vegetables as the only starch, along with guar gum, agar-agar, some “superfood” ingredients, and vitamins/minerals.

The ingredients are similar to the ones in the Diamond Naturals grain-inclusive kibble products, except for the exclusion of a few of the more problematic grains (sorghum and oats) that are used in some of the kibble varieties.

The Diamond Naturals kibble products that include just rice and barley are among my dog’s favorite kibble products, and I therefore had some hope that he would like these canned foods as well.

So far he has refused to eat all canned dog foods and all frozen dog foods that I have offered him, however.

Therefore, the fact that he declined to eat any of the Diamond Naturals canned foods should not necessarily suggest that other dogs would not like them or do well with them.

Cocoa’s friend Daisy (a Goldendoodle who usually eats The Farmer’s Dog) was more willing to eat this food than many canned dog foods such as Blue Buffalo, for instance.

Considering that the foods use relatively clean starch (rice), relatively clean gums (guar and agar-agar), and higher quality meats, Diamond Naturals would be among the first foods that I would consider trying out if I were looking for canned food for another dog.

The relatively low price of the products would be a bonus.

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Dog Food Advisor

Diamond Naturals: 5 Star

Diamond Naturals Lamb

Cost (13.2 oz, 12 Cans): $24

Cost Per Day: $2.42

10% protein, 6% fat, 78% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Broth, Lamb Liver, Rice Flour, Carrots, Lamb Meal, Dried Egg Product, Tricalcium Phosphate, Sunflower Oil, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Agar-Agar, Pumpkin, Quinoa, Cranberries, Blueberries, Dried Kelp, Inulin, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

EVANGER’S

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star

Cost Per Day: $2.50-$5.50

Meat Quality: Organic (organic versions only) or Conventional

Gums: Guar

Main Starch: Rice or Potatoes or None

Starch Quality: Organic (organic versions only) or Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not Mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Family (Evanger’s)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0-5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not Tried

Evanger’s (an Illinois company) was started in 1935 and is stated as being the only family-owned pet food cannery in the U.S.

The company’s products generally include high percentages of meat, with only limited amounts of rice or potatoes (and in some cases with no starch at all).

Guar gum is the only gum thickener used.

Several of the versions of the food are stated as being made with all organic ingredients.

The company’s most popular flavor is called Hunk of Beef, which is a can of food containing a whole, unground piece of meat.

Dog Food Advisor gives these foods high marks in terms of their percentage of meat content and the absence of problematic substances on the ingredients lists.

On the downside, a number of dogs died in 2017 after eating Evanger’s dog food, due to euthanasia drugs being present in the food.

Evanger’s at first denied that there was a problem with the food, then acknowledged (without what I would consider an appropriate apology) that they had unknowingly gotten contaminated meat from a supplier.

The company claims to now be using a third party to test for pentobarbital in their foods.

Whether Evanger’s dog food is currently more or less safe than other dog foods in terms of this kind of immediately deadly contamination, I don’t know.

The fact that the pentobarbital incident occurred and especially the way that the company handled the incident makes me feel very uncomfortable with the idea of serving any of the company’s foods to my dog, though.

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Dog Food Advisor

Evanger’s Classic Dinners: 5 Stars

Evanger’s Grain-Free: 5 Stars

Evanger’s Grain-Free Game Meats: 5 Stars

Evanger’s Hand-Packed: 5 Stars

Evanger’s Organics: 4.5 Stars

Evanger’s Signature Series: 4 Stars

Evanger’s Super Premium: 4.5 Stars

Recalls

Pentobarbital (2017)

FARMINA

Living Clean Rating: 5 Stars

Sub-Brands: Natural & Delicious (Prime, Pumpkin, Quinoa); Vet Life

Cost Per Day: $7.00-$7.50

Meat Quality: Pastured Beef/Lamb; Cage-Free Chicken; Wild-Caught Fish

Gums: None

Main Starches: Sweet Potatoes or Pumpkin/Sweet Potatoes or Quinoa

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: No

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family

Location: Italy

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not Rated

Cocoa Rating: 1 Star

Farmina is an independently owned Italian company selling dog foods in the U.S. and in many other countries worldwide.

The animal protein sources in all of Farmina’s canned foods consist of free-range Italian chicken; Italian eggs; grass-fed New Zealand lamb; wild Italian boar (sourced in Tuscany and Umbria); European quail/venison/duck; and sustainably sourced, wild-caught fish from Europe.

According to the company:

The fish, chicken, lamb, wild boar, and eggs used in our products come only from certified farms that we carefully selected for their high-quality standards. We only use meat from the animal, never any meals or by-products. All of our protein sources consume GMO-free diets and are raised without antibiotics and hormones.

The canned food products are stated as being free of all gums. The cans are free of BPA.

The company’s website states:

Traditionally, wet foods are produced using a 2-step cooking process which impacts the nutritional value of the final product. Instead, we have implemented a 1-step gentle steam technology to maintain the natural wholesomeness of each ingredient. The result is a minimally processed genuine food in the convenience of a can.

Products in the Prime line contain sweet potatoes.

Products in the Pumpkin line contain pumpkin and sweet potatoes.

Products in the Quinoa line contain quinoa. The Skin & Coat version also contains coconut oil; the Digestion version contains artichoke and fennel; and the Weight Management version contains broccoli, asparagus and psyllium seed.

All products also contain fructooligosaccharides and a variety of nutritional supplements.

My dog has tried a number of different Farmina kibble products and has seemed happy to eat all of them.

I therefore ordered some of the Farmina Prime Lamb canned food for him to try.

I thought that the food looked and smelled good and was impressed that it included quite a few whole blueberries.

Cocoa, however, just ignored the food and ate kibble instead each time I put it out for him.

I gave the leftover cans to a friend with a subscription to The Farmer’s Dog (an expensive line of frozen foods) and she said that her dog liked the Farmina much more than most other canned food, however.

Despite the fact that Cocoa would not eat this food, Farmina likely would be the first product I would try if I ever had another dog that I thought would like canned food.

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Farmina N&D Prime Lamb

Cost (10.05 oz, 6 cans): $26.94

Cost Per Day: $7.15

11% protein, 7% fat, 78% moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Herring, Sweet Potatoes, Eggs, Herring Oil, Blueberries, Fructooligosaccharide, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Ferrous Glycine Complex, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast, DL-Methionine, Taurine, L-Carnitine.

Farmina N&D Ocean Trout & Salmon

Cost (10.05 oz, 6 cans): $26.94

Cost Per Day: $7.15

Ingredients: Trout, Salmon, Cod, Herring, Sweet Potatoes, Shrimp, Herring Oil, Fructooligosaccharide, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Choline Chloride, Zinc Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Manganese Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Ferrous Glycine Complex, Copper Methionine Hydroxy Analogue Chelate, Selenium Yeast, DL-Methionine, Taurine, L-Carnitine.

FIRST MATE

Living Clean Rating: 4 Stars

Sub-Brands: First Mate, Kasiks

Cost Per Day: $4.00-$5.00

Meat Quality: Wild-caught salmon; cage-free chicken/turkey

Gums: None

Main Starches: Rice or Pea Starch or Potato

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low/Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Low/Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not Mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family

Location: Canada

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not rated

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

First Mate is a Canadian company that began making dog food to feed guard dogs at a commercial fish farm (since the dogs preferred the high-quality fish food to their usual food).

The company now makes a variety of dog foods that are stated as using high-quality animal proteins, including wild-caught salmon and cage-free chicken/turkey.

The canned foods include either rice, potatoes or (in the Kasiks versions) pea starch.

None of the foods include any gums.

In general, based on both the ingredients lists and the Chewy ratings, the First Mate products seem like they may be among the best canned foods on the market.

I would not want to feed the versions with potatoes since I am not certain that potatoes are a very good food for dogs to consume on a regular basis.

I also would be somewhat hesitant to use the Kasiks versions of the foods since I would be concerned that the peas used would have been treated with glyphosate as a pre-harvest dessicant (since this is a Canadian company).

I do think the versions with rice sounds like they have potential and am going to be on the lookout for a single can of it to offer to Cocoa to see if he might be willing to eat it.

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Buy Kasiks From Chewy

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First Mate Chicken & Rice

Cost (12.2 oz, 12 cans): $39

Cost Per Day: $4.26

9% Protein, 5% Fat, 78% Moisture

Ingredients: Boneless Chicken Water Sufficient For Processing, Rice, Minerals (Salt Calcium Carbonate Monodicalcium Phosphate Choline Chloride Potassium Chloride Zinc Proteinate Iron Proteinate Copper Proteinate Manganese Proteinate Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement Niacin Vitamin A Supplement Thiamine Mononitrate Riboflavin Biotin Vitamin B12 Supplement Folic Acid Vitamin D3 Supplement D-Calcium Pantothenate), Taurine, Kale, Blueberries, Raspberries, Cranberries, Carrots.

HALO

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars

Cost Per Day: $6.50-$7.50

Meat Quality: Cage-free poultry, pasture-raised beef, wild-caught fish; no antibiotics

Gums: Guar, Agar-Agar

Main Starches: Peas/Veggies or Veggies/Pumpkin/Oats/Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low/Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Recalls: None

Ownership: Better Choice Company

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: Not tried

Halo is a pet food company that seems largely concerned with animal welfare issues.

Animal ingredients used in the foods are stated as being ethically sourced and the company also offers a vegan kibble.

The company website states:

At Halo, our goal is to deliver the healthiest, most bioavailable and holistic whole food nutrition possible to our companion animals, while fostering farming practices that treat our life-giving animals in a manner that is sustainable, natural, non-degrading to our environment, and respectful of every animal’s normal life-cycle. By sourcing cage free poultry, pasture raised beef, and wild caught fish from certified sustainable fisheries, Halo strives to deliver natural protein sources that not only harken back to an era where ALL of our animals were respected but also serves to provide our companion animals with the high-quality proteins and nutrients they need for good health, shiny coats, and long lives at our sides.

The company was formerly co-owned by comedian Ellen DeGeneres, an animal-rights advocate.

However, the brand was purchased for about $47 million in 2019 by a CBD marketer called Better Choice Company and I am not certain if DeGeneres is still involved in it.

The canned foods contain considerable amounts of non-meat ingredients, probably in large part because the company has an agenda of reducing the number of animals that are raised and slaughtered for food.

Dog Food Advisor estimates that the foods contain a “significant amount of meat.”

Although the meat quality in these products seems likely to be good due to the company’s concerns about animal welfare, the other ingredients all seem to be conventional.

I therefore would be concerned about glyphosate contamination of the oats used in the grain-inclusive products.

The grain-free products contain peas, which also have some potential for glyphosate contamination.

For the price they are charging, I would like to see organic oats and organic peas in the products.

I don’t think that I would buy these products even if I had a dog that liked canned food due to the potential contamination of those ingredients in the current versions.

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Dog Food Advisor

Halo Grain-Free: 4 Stars

Halo Holistic Beef Stew

Cost (5.5 oz, 12 Cans): $27

Cost Per Day: $6.55

9% protein, 5% fat, 84% moisture

Ingredients: Beef, Beef Broth, Beef Liver, Carrots, Pumpkin, Rolled Oats, Celery, Peas, Mustard Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Guar Gum, Natural Flavor, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide), Xanthan Gum, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Choline Chloride, Dried Kelp.

Halo Grain-Free Chicken & Salmon

Cost (5.5 oz, 12 Cans): $29

Cost Per Day: $7.44

10% protein, 5% fat, 78% moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Chicken Liver, Salmon, Carrots, Peas, Dried Egg Whites, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide), Agar-Agar, Salmon Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Flaxseed Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Choline Chloride, Sodium Carbonate, L-Carnitine.

HILL’S

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars

Sub-Brands: Science Diet, Healthy Advantage, Bioactive Recipe, Prescription Diet

Cost Per Day: $3.00-$4.00

Meat Quality: Conventional

Gums: Guar or None

Main Starches: Corn/Barley or Rice/Flax/Cellulose/Wheat or Rice/Wheat/Potato or Rice/Dextrose/Cellulose

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Moderate/High

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Colgate-Palmolive

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 1.5-3.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Hill’s began making foods for dogs with health problems in 1948, under the direction of the clinical nutritionist Mark Morris Sr.

The company was purchased by the large packaged-goods conglomerate Colgate-Palmolive in 1976 and currently sells more than $1 billion in pet food worldwide each year.

The company takes a “biology-based” approach to creating pet foods, with a particular focus on conducting nutritional research to create formulas for pets with particular health conditions.

The company’s canned foods all include a mix of grains and grain-derived ingredients.

Dog Food Advisor gives the products relatively low ratings due to their estimated low meat content.

In addition, it seems that all the ingredients that are used in Hill’s foods are conventional (though supposedly carefully tested for various unnamed contaminants).

While Hill’s foods are very popular, the ingredient lists do not make them seem to me like a very good choice.

Cocoa responded to Hill’s kibble in the same way that he has responded to most other “science-based” dog foods from large companies – by initially expressing enthusiasm for it but then soon after refusing to eat any more of it at all.

In general, I would be hesitant to feed my dog much Hill’s canned food due to my concerns about the conventional meat as well as potential glyphosate contamination.

However, if my dog usually ate canned food, perhaps I would consider trying this brand to have as a backup for emergencies since it seems likely to be more widely available in bricks-and-mortar pet supply stores than many other canned foods.

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Hill’s Healthy Advantage: 3 Stars

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Dog Food Advisor

Hill’s Science Diet Adult: 3 Stars

Hill’s Science Diet Puppy: 3 Stars

Hill’s Science Diet Healthy Cuisine: 2.5 Stars

Hill’s Science Diet Adult 7 Plus: 1.5 Stars

Recalls

Vitamin D (2019)

Salmonella (2014)

Hill’s Science Diet Adult Sensitive Stomach & Skin Turkey

Cost (12.5 oz, 12 cans): $31

Cost Per Day: $3.31

3% Protein, 2% Fat, 86% Moisture

Ingredients: Chicken Broth, Turkey, Carrots, Pork Liver, Rice, Chicken, Rice Starch, Spinach, Green Peas, Chicken Liver Flavor, Flaxseed, Soybean Oil, Potassium Alginate, Powdered Cellulose, Calcium Chloride, Guar Gum, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Lactate, Calcium Gluconate, L-Lysine, Monosodium Phosphate, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Choline Chloride, Magnesium Oxide, Taurine, minerals (Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate).

HOUND & GATOS

Living Clean Rating: 5 Stars

Cost Per Day: $5.00

Meat Quality: Australian grass-fed lamb; cage-free chicken/turkey; Alaskan wild-caught salmon.

Gums: Agar-Agar

Main Starches: None

Starch Quality: None

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family (Gott Pet Products)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: 2 Stars

Hound & Gatos is a Wisconsin-based company founded on the idea that pet foods should be comprised mostly of meat.

Their canned dog foods contain just meat/fish, agar-agar, salmon oil, sunflower oil and nutritional supplements.

The protein sources consist of cage-free poultry, pastured lamb/beef/pork or wild-caught fish.

The agar-agar (a gelatin made from seaweed) gives the food a slight aspic-like texture.

I bought a can of the Hound & Gatos 98% Chicken & Liver version for Cocoa to try.

He was more interested in this food than he has been in most other canned or frozen dog foods.

He sniffed the open can and tasted a bit of the food, then ate a few spoonfuls of it from a dish.

He wasn’t willing to eat any more of the product after that, but I still think that this suggests that this food is better than most.

It therefore would be one of my first picks to try with a dog that I thought might like eating some canned food from time to time.

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Dog Food Advisor

Hound & Gatos: 4.5 Stars

Hound & Gatos Lamb & Liver

Cost (13 oz., 12 cans): $48

Cost Per Day: $4.92

11% Protein, 8% Fat, 78% Moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Broth, Lamb Liver, Agar-Agar, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Tricalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Salmon Oil, Sunflower Oil, Salt, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Magnesium Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid.

I AND LOVE AND YOU

Living Clean Rating: 4 Stars

Cost Per Day: $3.00

Meat Quality: Cage-free, free-range, antibiotic-free meats; wild-caught and farmed seafood

Gums: Guar

Main Starches: Peas/Veggies

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Independent

Location: U.S. (Boulder, Colorado)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: 1 Star

I And Love And You was started by employees of an independent pet store in Boulder, Colorado, in 2010.

The product is now available widely, including at Whole Foods and in many other health-oriented food stores.

Although there is no information on the company website discussing how the animal ingredients used in the products are raised, a company representative responded to my question about the topic with the following statement:

The meat and poultry in the “I and love and you” dehydrated foods has no added hormones, is antibiotic-free, and is cage-free, free-range, and grass-fed. All of our natural chew products are sourced from free-range, antibiotic-free, grass-fed cattle from South America. Our kibble, wet products, and treats contain meat, poultry, and fish that have no added hormones and are antibiotic-free from the US, Canada, or reputable countries like Australia, South America, France, and New Zealand. Our seafood is sourced from both farmed and wild caught, also antibiotic and hormone-free, in the US, Canada, Scotland, and Norway. We never use by-products or unnamed protein meals.

The canned foods also contain egg whites, guar gum, dried peas, various fruits and vegetables (such as carrots, cranberries, spinach, sweet potatoes and green beans), fish/flax oils, and a variety of nutritional supplements.

Dog Food Advisor gives the canned products 5 stars.

Based on the ingredients list and the information provided about the meat sources, it looks reasonably clean to me.

Cocoa seems to like the one variety of grain-free kibble (containing legumes) from this company that he has tried.

Although he has not tried the canned foods yet, the fact that he has been willing to eat the kibble makes me think that the canned foods also may be worth a try.

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Dog Food Advisor

I And Love And You: 5.0 Stars

I And Love And You Lambarama Stew

Cost (13 oz, 12 cans): $29

Cost Per Day: $3.00

8% Protein, 4% Fat, 82% Moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Broth, Vegetable Broth, Lamb Liver, Dried Egg Whites, Carrots, Pea Flour, Sweet Potatoes, Spinach, Green Beans, Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Sunflower Oil, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Natural Flavor, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Pumpkin, Cranberries, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Flaxseed Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Salmon Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate, Cobalt Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Potassium Iodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Rosemary Extract.

K9 NATURAL

Living Clean Rating: 5 Stars

Cost Per Day: $6.50-$10.00

Meat Quality: Free-range, grass-fed lamb/beef; cage-free chicken; sustainably caught fish

Gums: None

Main Starches: Flax/Veggies

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Recalls: None

Ownership: Individual (Calvin Smith)

Location: New Zealand

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not rated

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

K9 Natural is a New Zealand company that makes freeze-dried and canned foods containing 90% meat or fish.

The other ingredients in the canned foods consist of eggs, sunflower oil, flaxseed, kelp, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, apples, pears and nutritional supplements.

The current flavors available are lamb, chicken, beef, hoki/beef, and lamb/salmon.

The animal proteins are all sourced from New Zealand.

Fish is wild-caught, beef/lamb is pastured, and chicken is cage-free.

Cocoa has tried the K9 Natural freeze-dried lamb version and it is one of his very favorite foods.

I therefore think that there is a possibility that he would eat the canned dog food as well and would like to have him try it if I can find a single can for sale somewhere.

Although the food is quite expensive, I think that it still might be worthwhile to have some of it on hand as an option to add variety to his diet if he were to enjoy it.

It would be one of the first products that I would try with another dog that I thought would enjoy some canned food.

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K9 Natural Lamb Feast

Cost (13 oz., 12 cans): $65

Cost Per Day (13 oz. cans): $6.67

Cost (6 oz., 24 cans): $86

Cost Per Day (6 oz. cans): $9.56

9% Protein, 9% Fat, 78% Moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, Lamb Liver, Lamb Heart, Lamb Tripe, Lamb Blood, Eggs, Lamb Spleen, Lamb Kidney, Ground Lamb Bone, Sunflower Oil, Flaxseed Flakes, Brown Kelp, New Zealand Green Mussel, Pumpkin, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Potassium Sulphate, Dried Kelp, Apples, Pears, Salt, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Magnesium Oxide, Selenium Yeast, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Beta-Carotene, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement. Water added for processing.

MERRICK

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars

Sub-Brands: Backcountry, Grain-Free 96%, Lil’ Plates, Limited Ingredient Diets, Slow-Cooked BBQ, Chunky

Cost Per Day: $4.00-$8.00

Meat Quality: Conventional from farmers/ranchers

Gums: Xanthan, Locust Bean, Guar

Main Starches: Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes/Peas/Tapioca (various combinations). Some products have no starches.

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low/Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Ratings: 4.5-5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not Tried

Merrick Pet Care was founded in 1988 in Hereford, Texas, which is known as the “Beef Capital of the World.”

The company was purchased by Nestlé Purina in 2015.

Merrick states on their website:

We only use high-quality meats, fresh caught fish and real fruits and vegetables. No fillers, additives, sweeteners, colors or preservatives. Nothing artificial, nothing but goodness. Our recipes start with real, protein-packed high-quality USDA certified meats and fresh caught fish. We choose only the best ingredients and always buy directly from farmers and ranchers we know and trust. We have the highest commitment to both freshness and safety, ensuring our ingredients make the fewest stops possible between farm and bowl.

While this seems to suggest that at least some of the meat is ranched, I am finding no specific information on how the animals are raised or how the non-animal ingredients are grown.

Although Dog Food Advisor estimates that Merrick canned dog foods contain substantial amounts of meats, most also include some kind of starch such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas and/or tapioca.

The foods contain guar gum and in some cases other gums (such as xanthan or locust bean) as well.

Cocoa tried a grain-inclusive version of Merrick’s kibble and while he ate a bit of it, he gave up on it quickly.

My guess is that this was at least in part related to moderate levels of toxicity in the grains and that conceivably the canned foods might be a bit better since grains are not included in them.

Cocoa has yet to try any canned foods from Merrick.

Although many of the Merrick canned products contain either potatoes or tapioca (both of which I would prefer to avoid as an ingredient in dog food), I possibly would try some of the other versions with a dog that enjoyed canned foods.

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Merrick Backcountry: 5.0 Stars

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Dog Food Advisor

Merrick Backcountry 96%: 5.0 Stars

Merrick Classic: 5.0 Stars

Merrick Classic Chunky: 5.0 Stars

Merrick Grain-Free: 4.5 Stars

Merrick Lil’ Plates: 5.0 Stars

Merrick Limited Ingredient: 5.0 Stars

Merrick Chunky Big Texas Steak Tips

Cost (12.7 oz, 12 cans): $38

Cost Per Day: $3.99

8% Protein, 3% Fat, 82% Moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Beef, Beef Broth, Vegetable Broth, Beef Liver, Dried Egg Product, Potato Starch, Natural Flavor, Flaxseed Oil, Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Salmon Oil, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Sodium Selenite), Cassia Gum, Dried Celery, Fruit Juice Color, Choline Chloride, Guar Gum, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Biotin), Xanthan Gum, Cumin, Cinnamon.

Merrick Lil’ Plates Lamb Chop Stew

Cost (3.5 oz., 12 containers): $21

Cost Per Day: $8

8% Protein, 4% Fat, 82% Moisture

Ingredients: Deboned Lamb, Lamb Broth, Beef Broth, Beef, Beef Liver, Dried Egg Whites, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Potato Starch, Peas, Guar Gum, Tricalcium Phosphate, Sunflower Oil, Sodium Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Natural Flavor, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Potassium Iodide), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Choline Chloride, Xanthan Gum.

NATURE’S LOGIC

Living Clean Rating: 4 Stars

Cost Per Day: $3.50-$8.10

Meat Quality: Pastured lamb/venison/beef; cage-free chicken/duck/turkey/rabbit; wild-caught fish. All meats are antibiotic-free and raised for human consumption.

Gums: None

Main Starches: Veggies

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Ingredients are all from human-edible processing plants.

Synthetics: No

China Ingredients: None

Recalls: None

Ownership: Individual (Scott Freeman)

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Nature’s Logic (founded in 2006) makes a variety of foods that seem especially appropriate for dogs with sensitivities, allergies or other kinds of chronic illness issues.

The line may be appropriate for pets on a rotation diet, with ten different canned versions (beef, chicken, duck/salmon, lamb, pork, rabbit, sardine, turkey, venison and beef tripe) that each contain limited protein sources.

The meats are all pastured or cage-free and the sardine is wild-caught.

The products also contain egg, porcine plasma, montmorillonite clay (similar to bentonite clay), fish oil, fruits, vegetables, pumpkin and eggshell.

The products use natural food sources rather than synthetic vitamins/minerals to provide a balanced diet for dogs.

No gums are included.

Cocoa has not tried Nature’s Logic canned foods, but he was willing to eat some Nature’s Logic grain-inclusive kibble (containing millet).

He seemed to find it especially appealing when he was sick from a toxicity reaction (just after getting the Bordetella vaccine as well as a single dose of NexGard flea/tick poison).

I think that may have been because the montmorillonite clay in the products serves as a detoxification agent.

In general, Nature’s Logic canned foods seem to get pretty good Chewy ratings.

I would be inclined to give them a try if I had a dog that liked canned food (and especially if I felt that the dog was recovering from a toxic injury).

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Nature’s Logic: 4.5 Stars

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Dog Food Advisor:

Nature’s Logic Beef

Cost (13.2 oz, 12 Cans): $41

Cost Per Day: $4.14

11% protein, 9% fat, 72% moisture

Ingredients: Beef, Beef Broth, Beef Liver, Sardines, Porcine Plasma, Montmorillonite Clay, Herring Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols), Egg Shell Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dried Apple, Dried Apricot, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Artichoke, Dried Blueberry, Dried Broccoli, Dried Carrot, Dried Chicory Root, Dried Cranberry, Dried Kelp, Dried Parsley, Dried Pumpkin, Dried Rosemary, Dried Spinach, Dried Tomato, Rosemary Extract.

NEWMAN’S OWN

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars

Cost Per Day: $2.90-$4.30

Meat Quality: Organic meat; wild-caught or farmed fish

Gums: Guar, Locust Bean, Carrageenan

Main Starches: Rice/Flax/Oats/Veggies or Pea Flour/Alfalfa

Starch Quality: Organic (organic versions) or mostly organic (non-organic versions)

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Newman’s Own Foundation

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Newman’s Own was founded in 1982 by the actor Paul Newman. The company started by selling a variety of foods for humans, with the promise that all profits would be donated to charity.

The pet food line was started as part of Newman’s Own Organics, a division of the company founded in the 1990’s by Paul Newman’s daughter, Nell Newman.

Paul Newman died in 2008 and Nell Newman was forced out of the company in 2014.

Since that time, the company’s line of pet food products and other products seems to have remained virtually unchanged (though a number of items have been removed from the market).

Some of the dog foods are labeled as USDA organic and contain all organic meats and all organic grains/legumes.

The foods that are not labeled as USDA organic have organic meats and some organic grains (though non-organic oat bran is listed on at least one variety).

Some of the non-organic versions contain fish (with some of it stated as being ocean fish).

Non-organic flax, non-organic carrots, and other non-organic vegetables also may be included in the non-organic canned food versions.

A downside of all these products is that they contain carrageenan (a seaweed-based substance that is approved for use in organic foods but that is now widely considered to be fairly toxic and inflammatory), as well as guar gum and locust bean gum.

Newman’s Own states with regard to this issue:

Carrageenan is a seaweed extract and used as a thickening agent in place of animal-based products like gelatin, which is extracted from animal bones. Seaweed is boiled to extract the carrageenan, and in that sense, carrageenan is completely “natural” and not much different from tomato in its creation. Note: Chemically treated, degraded carrageenan however, is a known cancer causing agent and is not used or permitted in food production.

It would be nice if the company could reformulate the products to remove the carrageenan, but since they seem to be in a holding pattern at the moment that does not seem likely to happen unless something major changes there.

Despite the presence of the carrageenan, I might try one of the organic foods for a dog that liked canned food to see what he or she thought of it.

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Newman’s Own: 5 Stars

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Newman’s Own Dinner Turkey & Chicken

Cost (12.7 oz, 12 cans): $30

Cost Per Day: $3.15

8% protein, 6% fat, 78% moisture

Ingredients: Organic Turkey, Water Sufficient for Processing, Poultry Liver, Organic Chicken, Ocean Whitefish, Organic Brown Rice, Carrots, Flaxseed, Oat Bran, Tricalcium Phosphate, Dried Kelp, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Minerals (Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Sodium Selenite, Potassium Iodide), Vitamins (Vitamin E, A, B12, D3 Supplements, Thiamin Mononitrate, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement).

Newman’s Own Organics Grain-Free Turkey & Liver Dinner

Cost (12.7 oz, 12 Cans): $37

Cost Per Day: $3.88

10% protein, 7% fat, 78% moisture

Ingredients: Organic Turkey, Organic Turkey Broth, Organic Turkey Liver, Organic Pea Flour, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Organic Alfalfa, Dicalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Carrageenan, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Organic Guar Gum, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Calcium Carbonate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate.

ONLY NATURAL

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars

Cost Per Day: $5.00

Meat Quality: Conventional

Gums: Agar-Agar

Main Starches: Potato/Veggies/Flax or None

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not Mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family

Location: U.S. (Boulder, Colorado)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not Tried

Only Natural is an independent company selling a variety of pet products through its website as well as in its single retail store in Boulder, Colorado.

Only Natural also markets a number of products – including some canned dog foods – under their own brand name.

Most of the canned foods contain potato starch and vegetables as well as meat, agar-agar and nutritional supplements.

The high-protein versions of the foods contain 95% meat, with agar-agar, coconut oil, fish oil and nutritional supplements added.

It seems that the meats as well as the other ingredients in these foods are produced through conventional means.

Although my dog really likes the air-dried and freeze-dried products sold under the Only Natural brand name, those contain pastured meats or cage-free poultry.

The Only Natural PowerFood kibble contains conventional meat (along with legumes) and my dog would not touch that food.

I therefore have my doubts about the quality of the meat in this canned dog food as well.

Although conceivably I might buy a can of it for a dog that liked canned food to try, I wouldn’t make much of an effort to do so due to the use of the conventional meat in it.

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Only Natural Stovetop Stew Grain-Free Beef/Lamb

Cost (12.5 oz): $4.00

Cost Per Day: $5.12

Ingredients: Beef, Lamb, Beef Broth, Potato Starch, Green Beans, Kale, Apples, Monosodium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Olive OIl, Salmon Oil, Ground Flaxseed, Kelp, Dried Cranberries, Agar-Agar, Turmeric, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Betaine, Zinc Proteinate, Potassium Chloride, Iron Proteinate, Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Pure Protein Chicken & Turkey

Cost (12.5 oz): $4.00

Cost Per Day: $5.12

Ingredients: Chicken, Turkey, Chicken Broth, Agar-Agar, Tricalcium Phosphate, Monosodium Phosphate, Coconut Oil, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Salmon Oil, Turmeric, Choline Chloride, Betaine, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Niacin, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid

OPEN FARM

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars

Sub-Brand: Rustic Stew

Cost Per Day: $5.50

Meat Quality: Pastured lamb/beef; crate-free pork; wild-caught fish. All meats are humanely raised with no antibiotics.

Gums: Agar-Agar

Main Starches: Pumpkin/Lentils/Chickpeas/Veggies

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Moderate/High

Mycotoxin Likely: Low/Moderate

“Human Grade”: Yes

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family (Barrett Ag Service)

Location: Canada (factory is in Brainerd, Minnesota)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not rated

Cocoa’s Rating: Not tried

Open Farm is a relatively new brand offered by the family-owned Barrett Ag Service, which is a large pet food manufacturer based in Canada but with its factory located in Brainerd, Minnesota.

Open Farm states that it goes to great lengths to source the world’s best ingredients.

Meat is said to come only from family farms that treat the animals humanely and do not use antibiotics.

The lamb (from New Zealand) and beef are stated as having been pastured and grass-fed. Pork is stated as having been crate-free. Fish is stated as being wild-caught according to sustainability standards by an organization called Ocean Wise. I’ve yet to find any further information about the chicken or beef.

Fruits and vegetables used in the foods are stated as being GMO-free and chosen for their nutritional value.

The wet foods (sold in aseptic cardboard packaging) contain pumpkin, carrots, green beans, spinach, red lentils, agar-agar, garbanzo beans, sunflower oil, coconut oil, chicory root, and a variety of nutritional supplements, in addition to the meat.

Although the pumpkin is stated as being non-GMO, the rest of the ingredients seem to be conventional.

I think it would be much preferable if the food did not include any non-organic legumes since these are often quite contaminated with glyphosate and may have mycotoxin contamination as well.

The fact that the company specifically states that its legumes may be sourced from Canada and that they do not seem to be very focused on the issue of glyphosate use as a pre-harvest desiccant makes me especially concerned about them.

Cocoa has tried three different Open Farm products so far. He was mildly positive about the freeze-dried beef dog food (which does not contain grains or legumes); reluctantly ate the pork treats (which contain chickpeas); and refused to eat the grain-inclusive lamb kibble (which contains oats and other grains).

Based on his reactions to those products as well as on the ingredient lists, I tend to think Open Farm wet food may not be the best choice in terms of toxicity issues either.

However, because the meats in the foods are suggested as being of fairly good quality, I might still give this food a try for a dog that enjoyed canned/boxed foods.

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Grass-Fed Beef Rustic Stew

Cost (12.5 oz., 12 packages): $48

Cost Per Day: $5.12

8% Protein, 6% Fat, 82% Moisture

Ingredients: Humanely Raised Beef, Beef Bone Broth, Pumpkin, Carrots, Green Beans, Spinach, Red Lentils, Agar Agar, Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Chicory Root, Potassium Chloride, Tricalcium Phosphate, Salt, Choline Chloride, Dried Kelp, Turmeric, Cinnamon, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, D-calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Selenium Yeast

ORGANOMICS

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star

Cost Per Day: $2.70

Meat Quality: Conventional

Gums: Guar

Main Starches: Sweet Potatoes

Starch Quality: Organic

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family (Evanger’s)

Location: U.S. (Illinois)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not rated

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Organomics is a new brand of canned dog food produced by Evanger’s, a company based in Illinois.

Evanger’s (discussed in its own section above) was started in 1935 and is stated as being the only family-owned pet food cannery in the U.S.

I suspect that the “nom” in the name “Organomics” is supposed to suggest that the product (which contains sweet potatoes as the main starch) is a Paleo-type food.

The Organomics line appears to contain all organic ingredients except for the meat and the nutritional supplements.

The meat is described as “selectively sourced” and “premium quality,” but I don’t know what that means (and don’t especially trust Evanger’s with regard to it actually meaning anything at all).

In addition to the non-organic meat and some nutritional supplements, the foods contain carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, guar gum, egg, coconut oil and vegetable oil (all labeled organic).

Varieties include beef/pork, chicken, lamb/beef, salmon/duck, and turkey/duck/chicken.

Personally, I’m not crazy about the idea that the food is called “Organomics” without the meat being organic and without there being any discussion of how the meat is raised on the company website.

In addition, Evanger’s history with regard to how they handled the situation where their products were contaminated with euthanasia drugs (described above) makes me uncomfortable with the idea of buying any products from them at all.

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Organomics Chicken Dinner

Cost (12.8 oz., 12 cans): $26

Cost Per Day: $2.70

10% Protein, 7% Fat, 78% Moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Organic Carrots, Organic Peas, Organic Sweet Potatoes, Organic Guar Gum, Organic Egg, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Vegetable Oil, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacinamide, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Riboflavin, Biotin, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Minerals (Calcium Carbonate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate).

PEDIGREE

Living Clean Rating: 1 Star

Cost Per Day: $1.20-$1.30

Meat Quality: Conventional

Gums: Guar

Main Starches: Wheat/Rice

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Moderate/High

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Mars

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 1.5-2.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Pedigree (which is owned by the large food conglomerate Mars) sells a heavily advertised and popular line of canned dog foods.

The foods use conventional meat and conventional wheat/rice.

The wheat in the products has the potential of being contaminated with glyphosate and mycotoxins.

Dog Food Advisor estimates that the products contain only moderate amounts of meat and also objects to the use of meat by-products, wheat and food colorings.

On the plus side, this is a relatively inexpensive line of foods.

I don’t think it would be a good choice to feed any dog that I owned though.

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Dog Food Advisor

Pedigree Choice Cuts: 2 Stars

Pedigree Chopped Ground Dinner: 1 1/2 Stars

Pedigree Homestyle Meals: 1 1/2 Stars

Recalls

Plastic (2012)

Pedigree Choice Cuts in Gravy Steak

Cost (13.2 oz., 12 Cans): $12

Cost Per Day: $1.21

9% protein, 3% fat, 82% moisture

Ingredients: Sufficient Water For Processing, Chicken, Meat By-Products, Wheat Flour, Beef, Wheat Gluten, Salt, Whole Rice, Dried Carrots, Dried Green Beans, Minerals (Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Manganese Sulfate, Selenium, Copper Sulfate), Guar Gum, Added Color, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Natural Smoke Flavor, Natural T-Bone Steak Flavor, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Xanthan Gum, Sodium Nitrite (For Color Retention).

PURINA PRO PLAN

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars

Sub-Brands: Focus, Savor, Complete Essentials

Cost Per Day: $2.00-$7.00

Meat Quality: Conventional

Gums: Guar/Carrageenan or None

Main Starches: Rice or Wheat/Corn/Potatoes or Veggies

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low/Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Low/Moderate/High

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Nestlé Purina

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 2.5

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Purina Pro Plan is a somewhat higher-end line sold by the Nestlé Purina PetCare Company (a subsidiary of the controversial Swiss conglomerate Nestlé S.A.).

The food is often recommended by conventional veterinarians.

The canned dog foods contain conventional meats and other conventional ingredients.

Some varieties contain rice as the primary starch while others contain a mixture of wheat, corn and potatoes.

A few newer versions include only vegetables rather than grains or legumes.

The wheat and corn in the products have the potential of being contaminated with glyphosate and mycotoxins.

Some versions of the food contain a combination of carrageenan and guar gums while others do not contain any gums.

Dog Food Advisor gives these foods relatively low ratings, due to their estimation that the foods contain only modest amounts of meat as well as the inclusion of meat by-products, food colorings and (in some versions) carrageenan.

When I have fed Purina Pro Plan kibble to Cocoa, he initially has seemed to be willing to eat it but then has given up on it permanently after eating just a handful or two.

My suspicion is that while it has attractive flavor enhancements and is not as toxic as some dog foods, ultimately he concludes it is still too toxic for him to want to eat.

My guess would be that the same dynamic would be present in the canned foods and thus that I would be hesitant to feed them to any dog regardless of what my conventional vet might suggest.

I suppose if I were going to try a wet food from this company, it might be one from the Purina Pro Plan Complete Essentials line since most of those products do not include the potentially problematic grains used in the other Purina Pro Plan varieties.

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Dog Food Advisor

Purina Pro Plan Focus: 2.5 Stars

Purina Pro Plan Savor: 2.5 Stars

Purina Pro Plan Savory Meals: 2.5 Stars

Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult Chicken & Rice

Cost (13 oz., 12 cans): $20

Cost Per Day: $2.05

9% Protein, 6% Fat, 78% Moisture

Ingredients: Chicken, Water Sufficient for Processing, Liver, Meat By Products, Rice, Guar Gum, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Carrageenan, Added Color, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Phosphate, Ferrous Sulfate, Choline Chloride, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B 12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D 3 Supplement, Biotin, Potassium Iodide, and Sodium Selenite.

ROYAL CANIN

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars

Sub-Brands: Breed Health, Size Health, Veterinary

Cost Per Day: $4.00-$10

Meat Quality: Conventional

Gums: Carrageenan, Carob Bean Gum

Main Starches: Brewers Rice/Corn/Cellulose/Wheat or Corn/Cellulose or Cellulose/Wheat

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Not mentioned

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Mars

Location: U.S. (world headquarters is in France)

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 4.0 Stars

Cocoa’s Rating: Not Tried

Royal Canin was founded in 1968 by a French veterinarian who had the goal of creating a pet food company that was “grounded in science.”

The company was purchased by Guyomarc’h Group in 1972 and then acquired by Paribas Bank in 1990.

Mars Inc. (a food conglomerate selling a variety of mass-marketed dog foods) bought the brand in 2001 for $700 million.

The company produces a wide variety of formulas that are supposedly suitable for specific breeds and sizes of dogs as well as for dogs with particular health conditions.

The veterinary formulas address conditions such as digestive health, joint sensitivity, heart health, and kidney health.

The breed-specific formulas supposedly include nutrients that are relevant to health conditions typically suffered by particular breeds.

I was not able to find anything on the Royal Canin website discussing how the animal products used in the foods are raised or how the grain products are grown.

The website does state that the company is sourcing 90% of its fish from “sustainable” sources but does not provide details on what that means.

I made an effort to look at the ingredients lists for all the Royal Canin canned foods and it seems that all of them include corn and/or wheat, which can be highly contaminated with mycotoxins.

The products also all seem to contain carrageenan (a thickener now noted to have inflammatory/toxic properties even by mainstream sources), carob bean gum and cellulose.

Dog Food Advisor estimates that Royal Canin canned foods contain “moderate” amounts of meat (including meat by-products).

Cocoa has been pretty enthusiastic about Royal Canin puppy kibble and has eaten several bowls of it so far.

I therefore feel that despite the fact that the kibble contains what I consider to be an overly large percentage of grain, it must be fairly clean with regard to toxicity (assumedly as a result of Royal Canin’s testing processes).

Although the Royal Canin canned versions also may be low in toxicity from the grains, the carrageenan adds an additional toxic element to the product.

In general, the idea of using a very expensive canned dog food that consists mostly of grains still seems odd to me since I feel pretty confident that dogs ideally should be eating diets consisting mostly of meat.

However, I guess that if a dog were eating a diet consisting largely of fresh meat, then conceivably this Royal Canin canned food could provide an appropriate complement of clean grains, high-quality meat by-products, and vitamin/mineral supplements (if the dog liked it).

I was surprised that Cocoa was enthusiastic about the Royal Canin kibble and so perhaps he will surprise me with regard to the Royal Canin canned food too. At some point, I will try to buy a single can of the food so that I can see what he thinks of it.

Even if he liked it, I don’t think I would want it to be the main food source for him or any other dog that I might own since the meat content is so low, though.

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Royal Canin Canine Health Nutrition: 4 Stars

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Dog Food Advisor

Royal Canin Golden Retriever Loaf in Sauce

Cost (13.5 oz, 12 cans): $41

Cost Per Day: $4.05

6% Protein, 2% Fat, 81% Moisture

Ingredients: Water Sufficient For Processing, Pork By-Products, Chicken By-Products, Pork Liver, Brewers Rice Flour, Corn Flour, Powdered Cellulose, Wheat Gluten, Vegetable Oil, Fish Oil, Carrageenan, Sodium Silico Aluminate, Natural Flavors, Potassium Chloride, Tomato Pomace, Taurine, Carob Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Vitamins [Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Source Of Vitamin E), L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source Of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Biotin, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement], Calcium Carbonate, L-Carnitine, Citric Acid, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Sodium Carbonate, Trace Minerals [Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate], Magnesium Oxide, Choline Chloride, Marigold Extract (Tagetes Erecta L.), Chondroitin Sulfate.

STELLA & CHEWY’S

Living Clean Rating: 2 Stars

Sub-Brands: Stella’s Stew, Lil’ Bites Savory Stew

Cost Per Day: $6.50

Meat Quality: Grass-fed, cage-free, wild-caught or farm-raised; responsibly sourced; antibiotic-free.

Gums: None

Main Starches: Tapioca/Potato or Tapioca

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Yes

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: Yes

Ownership: Individual (Marie Moody)

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: Not rated

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Stella & Chewy’s was started in 2003 in Brooklyn but now is located in the Milwaukee area.

The company is known for its freeze-dried and frozen raw foods but also sells some cooked boxed foods.

The Stella’s Stew line consists of mixtures of meats, tapioca, potato starch and a few vegetables, along with a variety of nutritional supplements. The products are sold in 11-ounce aseptic cardboard packages.

The Lil’ Bites line is designed primarily for smaller dogs and sold in recyclable plastic cups. The ingredients include meats, tapioca, sunflower oil, fish oil and nutritional supplements.

The company also sells some products – called Marie’s Mix-Ins and Stella’s Shredrs – that are designed to be used as toppers for kibble or other similar food.

The company focuses on the quality of the animal products used in their foods. The website states:

All of our ingredients come from suppliers we know and trust, and all our meats come from USDA inspected facilities (or similar inspection agencies outside the United States) that do not allow floor waste, sick or euthanized animals. The animal proteins we use are responsibly sourced and always grass-fed, cage-free, farm-raised, or wild-caught. We pride ourselves on using proteins from farms who believe in humane treatment of their animals. The fruits and vegetables we use in our raw food are all certified organic and provide strong vitamin and mineral nutrition.

I asked Stella & Chewy’s about their definition of “farm-raised” and they responded:

Farm raised truly means that they’re raised on a farm, with other animals. That said, we diligently strive to purchase our products from suppliers that are consistent with our values and beliefs for animal welfare.

The fact that Cocoa has seemed to enjoy several different Stella & Chewy’s products makes me believe that the company’s meat quality is indeed pretty good across the board.

As far as I can tell, the company seems to be less successful with regard to consistently sourcing clean non-animal ingredients, however.

For instance, although Cocoa really liked the grain-free Stella & Chewy’s kibble, he absolutely rejected the grain-inclusive version (with my guess being that he objected to glyphosate and/or mycotoxin contamination of the oats).

For this food, I suspect that the tapioca may be sourced from Brazil (and thus contaminated with particularly problematic agricultural chemicals).

I also am feeling increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of feeding any dog tapioca (which Cocoa will not eat) regardless of how it is sourced.

Therefore, despite the fact that I believe that Stella & Chewy’s meat quality is pretty good, I doubt I would buy this product even for a dog that liked canned foods.

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Recalls

Salmonella (2015)

Stella & Chewy’s Grass-Fed Lamb Stew

Cost (11 oz., 12 cans): $52

Cost Per Day: $6.50

9% Protein, 2% Fat, 82% Moisture

Ingredients: Lamb, lamb bone broth, organic carrots, tapioca starch, organic kale, tricalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, potato starch, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, dried kelp, minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, magnesium proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, selenium yeast), vitamins (vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, folic acid)

ZIGNATURE

Living Clean Rating: 3 Stars

Cost Per Day: $3.90-$6.50

Meat Quality: Pastured New Zealand lamb; cage-free U.S. turkey; wild-caught Australian kangaroo/goat; wild-caught U.S. salmon; cage-free French duck/guinea fowl; U.S. pork/trout/whitefish/catfish. Antibiotic-free, cruelty-free.

Gums: Agar-Agar

Main Starches: Chickpeas/Alfalfa

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Moderate

Mycotoxin Likely: Low

“Human Grade”: Ingredients are from sources that also sell for human food

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: Not discussed

Recalls: None

Ownership: Independent (Pets-Global)

Location: U.S.

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5.0 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Zignature (which remains independently owned) was started in 2012 with the specific goal of helping dogs with food sensitivities and related chronic illnesses.

The foods use a variety of animal proteins to facilitate the use of a rotation diet as well as starches with a low glycemic index (presumably in part to help to address yeast issues or other chronic fungal infections).

All Zignature products are free of a variety of “allergenic ingredients,” including chicken, beef, dairy, eggs, corn, wheat, soy, tapioca and potatoes.

No ingredients in the foods are sourced from China.

Zignature is manufactured in Minnesota and South Dakota, with many ingredients being sourced from the northern U.S. and from Canada.

The website states that pork, turkey, trout, whitefish, salmon and catfish are from the U.S.; that kangaroo and goat are from Australia; that lamb and venison are from New Zealand; that salmon are from the “cold waters of North Western United States”; and that duck and guinea fowl are from France.

Meats are described as “farm-raised” and drawings/photos on all the meat formulas show the animals walking about in nature.

Chewy states that all animal products used in the foods are antibiotic-free, hormone-free and cruelty-free.

Chewy also reports that turkeys are cage-free and pen-raised; that guinea fowl and duck are cage-free; that kangaroo, goat, trout and salmon are wild-caught; that lamb is pastured; and that catfish are farm-raised in “clean, wide-open, freshwater tanks and feed GMO-free food.”

I have not found any specifics on the pork or venison.

Dog Food Advisor is enthusiastic about the Zignature canned foods, estimating that they contain a “significant amount of meat.”

The products also contain chickpeas, agar-agar and a variety of nutritional supplements.

The chickpeas make me rather nervous since it seems that they may be sourced from Canada, where glyphosate is routinely used as a pre-harvest desiccant on chickpeas and other legumes.

I wrote to Zignature asking about this issue and they did not respond.

Cocoa has been mostly willing to eat the Zignature grain-free lamb kibble but has refused to eat the grain-free goat kibble.

I have personally found that wild-caught meats often tend to be particularly toxic (perhaps due to the animals eating toxic foods or drinking toxic water), and it seems that perhaps that is the case with this wild-caught goat.

I would consider trying some of the other versions of the food such as the lamb for a dog that seemed to have potential to enjoy canned food though.

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Dog Food Advisor

Zignature: 5.0 Stars

Zignature Turkey Limited Ingredient

Cost (13 oz, 12 cans): $38

Cost Per Day: $3.90

12% Protein, 5% Fat, 78% Moisture

Ingredients: Turkey, Turkey Broth, Turkey Liver, Peas, Turkey Meal, Chickpeas, Sun-Cured Alfalfa Meal, Agar-Agar, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Taurine, L-Carnitine.

ZIWI PEAK

Living Clean Rating: 5 Stars

Cost Per Day: $6.30-$9.40

Meat Quality: Free-range/grass-fed lamb/beef/venison; cage-free chicken; wild-caught fish. All meat and fish is from New Zealand.

Gums: None

Main Starches: Chickpeas/Lecithin

Starch Quality: Conventional

Glyphosate Likely: Low

Mycotoxin Likely: Moderate

“Human Grade”: Yes

Synthetics: Yes

China Ingredients: None

Recalls: None

Ownership: Family

Dog Food Advisor Rating: 5 Stars

Cocoa Rating: Not tried

Ziwi Peak is an independently owned New Zealand company producing a popular line of air-dried dog food as well as some canned foods.

Lamb, venison and beef are free-range and grass-fed; chicken is cage-free; fish is wild-caught.

All the meat and poultry are raised in New Zealand under the country’s Freedom Principles and without antibiotics.

The seafood is stated as coming from the world’s top fisheries and being sustainable.

Vitamins and minerals in the products are stated as “sourced from reputable and traceable suppliers in New Zealand, Europe, Japan and the USA.”

Ziwi Peak air-dried foods consist almost solely of meat and fish, with only nutritional supplements (including lecithin, inulin and kelp) being added.

While the canned foods are 91-97% meat, they also contain small amounts of chickpeas.

The Ziwi Peak website states:

Over the past several years, we have received numerous requests from consumers to remove tetrasodium pyrophosphate (TSPP) and agar agar (binding/gelling agents) from our canned recipes. As an innovative leader that values consumer feedback, we actively began searching for healthier alternatives to these ingredients. Part of the research involved feeding trials, which determined that most pets prefer canned foods with loaf-like texture. To achieve this consistency in canned foods containing large amounts of meat, some type of binder is required.

After evaluating many different binding ingredients, our extensive research indicated that the healthiest solution was using a small amount of chickpea. Chickpea has natural binding properties, is high in protein and provides digestive benefits for both dogs and cats. The inclusion of chickpea has only increased the carbohydrate content by an average of 1.8% on an as-fed basis, and only half of the total carb content is from chickpea. The balance of the carbohydrate was already existing in our recipes and provided by our meats and kelp.

Dogs and cats thrive on a high-meat diet, so we have also increased the overall meat content in our cans. Ziwi Peak canned recipes now contain a minimum 92% meat, organs, bone, and New Zealand Green Mussel (on DM basis). The net result of these changes is an improved and even healthier formula, which we’re sure your pet will love!

Unfortunately, Ziwi Peak does not supply any information on how the chickpeas are grown, leaving questions in my mind as to whether they may be contaminated with glyphosate.

While I do have some evidence that glyphosate may be used as a pre-harvest desiccant on crops in Australia and New Zealand, I’m not sure how common the practice is there.

I would hope that since those countries have more temperate weather and longer growing seasons than places like Canada and Scotland, the chemical would not be used as frequently in that way on legumes, but I am not yet sure of that.

Although Cocoa has not tried the Ziwi Peak canned foods, the company’s air-dried foods (which use the same meats as the canned foods) are among his very favorite foods of all.

Therefore, provided that the chickpeas are not contaminated, I would guess that the canned foods (which are rather expensive) are high-quality as well.

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